#new iphone 13 series

[bratzkoo]

scheming heart | jeonghan

Author: bratzkoo Pairing:  CFO! Jeonghan x Cardiologist! reader Genre: fluff, chaos Rating: PG-13 Word count: 7.4k~ Warnings/note: second fic for the new series i'm working on, first fic is offside (seungcheol's chaos) and now, we have jeonghan's part of the chaotic world.

summary: Jeonghan has finally found his match in that stubborn cardiologist not knowing that everything was orchestrated by his scheming grandmother in Suite 520.

taglist (hit me up if you wanna be added): @escoupseu , @yanabaaaaaaarysheva , @spnyin , @sousydive , @gyuguys , @gyubakeries

requests are open, but you can just say hi! | masterlist

The VIP suite of Seoul National University Hospital looked like a five-star hotel room had aggressively swallowed a medical facility. Amidst the designer furniture and medical equipment that probably cost more than most people's houses, Granny Han was doing what any respectable 75-year-old chaebol matriarch would do at 7 AM – scheming on her secret iPhone while pretending to be asleep.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥 [Members: Rich_Granny_Han, Nurse_Anna, Boo_CEO, Won_NOT_involved]

Rich_Granny_Han: Operation starts today! New cardiologist incoming! Boo_CEO: OMG YES! Is she pretty? Smart? Ready to handle our dramatic boy? Rich_Granny_Han: Harvard graduate. Young. Scary. Boo_CEO: PERFECT FOR JEONGHAN 😍 Won_NOT_involved: I'm a senior nurse. I don't do matchmaking. Rich_Granny_Han: Sure, dear. BTW I saw you setting up that hidden camera 😘 Won_NOT_involved: ...that's for medical documentation. Nurse_Anna: Babe, we all know you're lying 😂 Won_NOT_involved: I'm turning off my phone. Rich_Granny_Han: No you're not 💅

The door opened, and Granny quickly shoved her phone under her designer hospital blanket (yes, she brought her own, the hospital ones were "peasant fabric").

"Good morning, Halmoni!" Anna breezed in, looking suspiciously cheerful for someone working hospital hours. "Ready for vitals?"

"Anna dear," Granny coughed delicately, a performance worthy of a Best Actress nomination. "Tell me about this new doctor."

"Dr. Y/N," Anna checked the blood pressure monitor while simultaneously texting the group chat behind her back – a skill developed specifically for this job. "Brilliant, scary when caffeine-deprived, and apparently made a chaebol's son cry during her fellowship."

"Perfect!" Granny's eyes gleamed. "Jeonghan needs someone who can handle him. That boy thinks being CFO means Chief Fashion Officer."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: ALERT! Target sighted in parking lot. Three cups of coffee. Dark circles. Optimal chaos conditions! Boo_CEO: On my way with premium bubble tea and emotional support! Won_NOT_involved: Don't you have a company to run? Boo_CEO: Bold of you to assume I do actual work Rich_Granny_Han: Everyone in position! Anna, increase heart monitor sensitivity! Won_NOT_involved: That's against protocol... Rich_Granny_Han: I'll add another zero to your Christmas bonus Won_NOT_involved: ...sensitivity increased.

Dr. Y/N strode down the hallway, white coat pristine despite the early hour. As the attending cardiologist, she'd already reviewed several cases since 6 AM. Her coffee consumption was legendary among the cardiology department – not because she was a fresh graduate (she wasn't), but because dealing with entitled family members required chemical assistance.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: Target acquired! Our cardiologist looks ready to destroy rich people today Boo_CEO: Jeonghan needs that energy in his life tbh Won_NOT_involved: Shouldn't you be checking on your other patients? Nurse_Anna: Babe, this IS patient care. Emotional patient care. Rich_Granny_Han: Wonwoo dear, go check my IV drip Won_NOT_involved: It's perfectly fine... Rich_Granny_Han: That wasn't a suggestion 😊 Won_NOT_involved: ...checking IV drip now.

Y/N entered Suite 520 to find what looked like a carefully orchestrated scene: Granny Han propped up regally against designer pillows, Anna adjusting monitors with suspicious enthusiasm, and Wonwoo dutifully checking IV lines while pretending not to notice Anna's not-so-subtle winks.

"Good morning, Mrs. Han. I'm Dr. Y/N, your attending cardiologist."

"Please, call me Halmoni," Granny's voice was perfectly pitched between frail and commanding. "Everyone does. Even Wonwoo here, and he tries so hard to be professional."

Wonwoo, caught in the crossfire, focused intently on the IV drip.

The morning assessment went smoothly – suspiciously so. Y/N reviewed Granny's cardiac status while fielding questions that seemed oddly personal for a medical consultation: "Are you married, doctor?" "Do you like coffee? My grandson LOVES coffee." "What's your opinion on dramatic men in expensive suits?"

By 2 PM, all hell broke loose.

The suite's door flew open with theatrical force. Wonwoo, who had been checking Granny's vitals, nearly jumped out of his skin – though whether from the noise or Anna's excited squeal was unclear.

Enter Han Jeonghan, looking like he'd walked off a magazine cover. His Armani suit probably cost more than most nurses' monthly salary – a fact Wonwoo noted with an eye-roll so powerful it could have registered on the cardiac monitor.

"Who," Jeonghan demanded, brandishing his phone, "changed my grandmother's medication without consulting the family?"

Y/N, who had spent years dealing with entitled relatives, simply raised an eyebrow. "I did. Because I'm her doctor, and unlike WebMD, I actually went to medical school."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: OMGOMGOMG IT'S HAPPENING Boo_CEO: The TENSION! The DRAMA! Won_NOT_involved: I'm literally just trying to do my job here Rich_Granny_Han: Time for my award-winning performance! Won_NOT_involved: Please don't mess with the monitors again... Rich_Granny_Han: Too late! Nurse_Anna: Babe just enjoy the show Won_NOT_involved: I still have other patients Rich_Granny_Han: Shush, love is happening Won_NOT_involved: That's not how nursing works... Rich_Granny_Han: It is in Suite 520 😘

The cardiac monitor suddenly started beeping. Wonwoo shot Granny a look that clearly said "I know what you did," but professionally checked the readings anyway.

"Oh dear," Granny fluttered a hand over her heart. "All this tension... it's affecting my poor heart..."

Y/N and Jeonghan immediately stopped arguing, their professional and filial instincts kicking in respectively.

"Blood pressure's a bit elevated," Wonwoo reported dutifully, while Anna practically vibrated with excitement beside him.

"Maybe," Y/N suggested dryly, "certain people could be less dramatic during your recovery period."

"Maybe," Jeonghan countered, "certain doctors could be more communicative about medical decisions."

The monitor beeped again.

"Children, please," Granny's voice was weak but somehow carried perfect emotional manipulation. "Wonwoo, be a dear and get me some water? And Anna, I need my pills... the ones in the far cabinet..."

Both nurses recognized a dismissal when they heard one. As they left (Anna practically dragging Wonwoo), their phones buzzed:

Rich_Granny_Han: Mission proceeding perfectly! Phase 1 complete! Nurse_Anna: They're so cute when they're angry! Boo_CEO: OMW with premium drama fuel (coffee)! Won_NOT_involved: Can we please just have one normal patient? Rich_Granny_Han: No ❤️

Left alone with the feuding doctor and CFO, Granny settled in to watch the show. Her "concerned grandmother" facade barely concealing her glee.

"Since you're so invested in your grandmother's care," Y/N's voice dripped with professional sarcasm, "let me explain the medication changes in terms even a CFO can understand."

Jeonghan's perfectly maintained eyebrow twitched. "Please do. Use small words for us non-Harvard graduates."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: The sexual tension! I can't breathe! Nurse_Anna: Should I come back with the oxygen? Rich_Granny_Han: No dear, that was metaphorical Won_NOT_involved: Thank god, the paperwork for unnecessary oxygen... Boo_CEO: INCOMING with reinforcements! And bubble tea! Rich_Granny_Han: Perfect timing!

The suite's door burst open again, revealing Seungkwan balancing a tray of expensive bubble tea and wearing a suit that rivaled Jeonghan's.

"Halmoni!" he sang out, then dramatically gasped at the scene before him. "Oh my, am I interrupting something?"

"Perfect timing, Seungkwan-ah," Granny's voice somehow conveyed both frailty and mischief. "Stay and help me understand the doctor's explanation. My old heart would feel better with more family present."

Y/N watched as her simple medical consultation turned into what felt like a business presentation, complete with:

One overdressed CFO pretending to take notes while actually googling medical terms

His equally overdressed best friend providing dramatic gasps as punctuation

Two nurses who kept finding excuses to check the monitors

And a grandmother whose "heart symptoms" seemed suspiciously tied to whenever her grandson and doctor moved closer together

"So," Y/N concluded her explanation, "any questions about the medication changes?"

"Just one," Jeonghan smiled his business smile. "Where did you get your coffee? You seem to run on it as much as I do."

Before Y/N could respond, three things happened simultaneously:

The cardiac monitor beeped enthusiastically

Seungkwan choked on his bubble tea

Anna materialized with a coffee menu from the hospital's premium cafe

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: CODE COFFEE! I repeat, CODE COFFEE! Boo_CEO: Their first potential coffee date! I'm crying 😭 Won_NOT_involved: This isn't what medical codes are for... Rich_Granny_Han: Wonwoo, go get me a cardiac reading Won_NOT_involved: Your heart is fine Rich_Granny_Han: Not for my heart, for the drama Won_NOT_involved: sigh

"Oh, speaking of coffee," Granny perked up with suspicious energy for someone supposedly weak, "Jeonghan-ah, that fancy machine you brought me is too complicated. Maybe Dr. Y/N could help you figure it out?"

Y/N looked at the state-of-the-art espresso machine in the corner – probably worth more than her monthly salary. Jeonghan was already moving toward it with the confidence of a man who thought knowing how to make coffee was a personality trait.

"I only drink americanos," Y/N stated firmly.

"What a coincidence," Seungkwan stage-whispered, "that's Jeonghan's favorite too!"

The monitor beeped again.

"That's it," Y/N turned to Wonwoo, "please check the monitor's sensitivity."

"Oh, it's very sensitive," Wonwoo muttered, then quickly added at Granny's sharp look, "I'll... run some tests."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: Progress report!

Coffee connection established ✓

Mutual annoyance at peak levels ✓

Jeonghan fixed his hair 3 times ✓

Doctor checked her reflection in the monitor ✓ 

Boo_CEO: THE EXCELLENCE OF THIS PLOT Nurse_Anna: Should I accidentally spill something so they have to move closer? Won_NOT_involved: NO Rich_Granny_Han: Save that for tomorrow dear Won_NOT_involved: Why am I even reading this chat... Nurse_Anna: Because you love me 😘 Won_NOT_involved: Accurate. Always will be accurate. Rich_Granny_Han: Simp

"Dr. Y/N," Granny called out sweetly, "your afternoon must be busy. Why don't you take some coffee with you? Jeonghan makes excellent americanos."

"I'm quite capable of getting my own coffee, thank you," Y/N replied professionally.

"Are you?" Jeonghan smirked, already starting the machine. "Because that hospital cafe americano you're holding looks tragic."

Y/N looked at her cup, then at his perfectly pressed suit, then at her patient charts. Pride warred with caffeine addiction.

Caffeine won.

"Fine. One coffee. Purely for professional courtesy."

"Of course," Jeonghan's smile was far too satisfied. "Professional courtesy."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: DAY ONE SUCCESS! Nurse_Anna: They're so cute I'm gonna cry Boo_CEO: Already planning the wedding Won_NOT_involved: It's literally just coffee Rich_Granny_Han: Oh sweet summer child Nurse_Anna: Babe, you're so innocent Won_NOT_involved: I hate this family Rich_Granny_Han: No you don't Won_NOT_involved: No, I don't, but I want it noted that I complained and I love Anna, I want it highlighted in the note that I love Anna. Nurse_Anna: I love you! Rich_Granny_Han: This is a Jeonghan fic.

As Y/N left with her admittedly perfect americano, Granny Han settled back against her pillows with a satisfied smile. Phase one was complete. Tomorrow, they'd begin Code: "Accidental Touch."

Poor Y/N and Jeonghan had no idea what they were in for.

- Y/N arrived at the hospital the next morning to find a paper cup from an expensive coffee shop sitting on her office desk. Next to it was a note in pretentiously perfect handwriting:

"Since your taste in coffee is as questionable as your medication choices. - JH"

She crumpled the note, then uncrumpled it, then took a sip of the coffee.

Damn. It was perfect.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: COFFEE SPOTTED! Code: Caffeine Love is go! Rich_Granny_Han: Did she drink it?? Nurse_Anna: She tried to look angry but I saw her save the note Boo_CEO: THE ROMANCE Won_NOT_involved: He's basically saying her medical decisions suck Rich_Granny_Han: That's flirting for rich boys, dear Won_NOT_involved: That's terrible Rich_Granny_Han: That's why he’s single

Suite 520 was suspiciously quiet when Y/N entered for morning rounds. Granny was reading what appeared to be a medical textbook – upside down. Anna was "organizing supplies" while obviously watching the door.

"Good morning, Dr. Y/N!" Granny brightened. "Oh my, is that coffee from Angel-in-us? Jeonghan loves that cafe—"

"Your ECG results, Mrs. Han," Y/N interrupted professionally.

The suite's door opened, and Jeonghan walked in wearing a different devastatingly expensive suit. He paused at seeing Y/N with his coffee cup.

"I see you've upgraded your taste," he smirked.

"The coffee's acceptable. Your medical opinions still aren't."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Boo_CEO: THEY'RE FLIRTING THROUGH COFFEE Nurse_Anna: The tension is ART Rich_Granny_Han: Time for some chest pain I think Won_NOT_involved: Please don't Rich_Granny_Han: Too late, clutching chest dramatically now Won_NOT_involved: That's not how heart problems work... Rich_Granny_Han: Watch and learn, child

"Oh!" Granny pressed a hand to her chest. "Such tension... my heart..."

Y/N and Jeonghan both stepped forward, accidentally bumping into each other. Anna dropped a tray with perfect timing.

"Mrs. Han," Y/N began.

"Halmoni," Granny corrected weakly. "You're practically family now that you're sharing coffee with Jeonghan."

Jeonghan choked. Y/N's professional mask cracked slightly.

Later that afternoon, Y/N was reviewing charts when her office door burst open. Jeonghan stood there, waving his phone.

"Your afternoon consult notes say Halmoni's tired," he accused.

"That's generally what 'fatigue' means in medical terms, yes."

"She's never tired. She once conducted a 12-hour board meeting from a yoga headstand."

Y/N pinched the bridge of her nose. "Mr. Han—"

"Jeonghan."

"Mr. Han," she emphasized, "normal people get tired. Even chaebol grandmothers."

"She's not normal people. She's—" He paused, noticing her empty coffee cup. "You finished the coffee."

"That's not medically relevant."

"I'll bring you another tomorrow."

"Are you trying to bribe your grandmother's doctor?"

"Is it working?"

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: EMERGENCY! They're alone in her office!! Boo_CEO: WHERE ARE THE CAMERAS Rich_Granny_Han: Anna dear, perhaps Dr. Y/N needs some test results? Won_NOT_involved: We don't have any test results Rich_Granny_Han: Then make some Won_NOT_involved: That's literally fraud Rich_Granny_Han: That's literally romance Nurse_Anna: OMW with fake papers! Won_NOT_involved: That's fine, go do your thing babe!

The door flew open again, revealing Anna with a stack of papers. "Dr. Y/N! The results you needed!"

"I didn't order any—"

"Oh look," Anna squinted at the papers, "Mrs. Han's... everything... needs discussing. Right now. With family present."

Y/N looked at the "results". They were coffee-stained printouts of WebMD articles.

Evening rounds found Y/N entering Suite 520 to an unusual scene:

Granny "sleeping" while obviously filming on her phone

Seungkwan pretending to read a magazine (upside down)

Anna adjusting already-perfect monitors

Wonwoo looking like he wanted to transfer departments

And Jeonghan, attempting to understand her morning notes

"That's not how you read an ECG," she said from the doorway.

Jeonghan didn't look up. "I downloaded a medical app."

"WebMD doesn't count."

"This is a different medical app."

"Is it also WebMD in a trench coat?"

A laugh escaped before he could stop it. Y/N pretended not to notice how it transformed his face.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: HE LAUGHED! REAL LAUGH! NOT BUSINESS LAUGH! Boo_CEO: FIRST GENUINE LAUGH IN 84 YEARS Nurse_Anna: They're so cuuuuute Won_NOT_involved: He's still questioning her medical expertise Rich_Granny_Han: Yes but fondly now Nurse_Anna: Babe that's progress Won_NOT_involved: Your standards are concerning Rich_Granny_Han: Shush and help me plan tomorrow's heart episode

Granny "woke up" with perfect timing. "Doctor, since you're teaching Jeonghan medical terms, perhaps over coffee—"

"No," they said simultaneously.

"The heart wants what it wants," Granny sighed dramatically.

The monitor beeped.

"That's it," Y/N turned to Wonwoo, "please check the monitor's sensitivity again."

"It's working exactly as intended," he muttered, then added louder at Granny's look, "I mean, yes, doctor, right away."

As Y/N left for the night, she found another coffee cup on the nurses' station.

The note read: "For your overnight studies on how to be less scary to your patients. - JH"

She definitely didn't smile. And if she did, no one could prove it.

Except maybe the CCTV footage Wonwoo was pretending not to save for Anna’s enjoyment.

- Late that night, Y/N was finishing her paperwork when she decided to check on Granny one last time. It definitely had nothing to do with the possibility of running into a certain annoying CFO.

She found Suite 520's lights dimmed, but not dark. Jeonghan was there, suit jacket off, sleeves rolled up, squinting at a medical textbook like it had personally offended him.

"That's upside down," she said from the doorway.

He didn't even flinch. "I'm teaching myself to read medical terms in all directions. Very professional."

"Is that what CFOs do in their spare time?"

"Only the dashingly handsome ones."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: NIGHT SHIFT ALERT! They're alone! Boo_CEO: At this hour??? SCANDALOUS Rich_Granny_Han: pretending to sleep but recording everything Won_NOT_involved: Isn't anyone concerned about patient privacy? Rich_Granny_Han: Privacy is for people who aren't trying to get grandchildren Nurse_Anna: LMAO GRANNY Won_NOT_involved: I'm reporting this chat to HR Rich_Granny_Han: I own HR, dear. Keep up!

"Your grandmother's readings are stable," Y/N said professionally, checking the monitors. "Though someone keeps adjusting the sensitivity."

"Shocking," Jeonghan deadpanned, watching her work. "Almost as shocking as you being here at," he checked his Cartier watch, "11 PM?"

"I'm dedicated to my patients."

"Just my grandmother, or do you check on everyone this late?"

"Are you implying something, Mr. Han?"

"Jeonghan," he corrected. "And I'm implying you might be as obsessed with my grandmother as I am. It's okay, she has that effect on people."

From the bed, Granny let out a very fake snore.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: The snore was too much wasn't it Boo_CEO: Oscar worthy, Halmoni! Nurse_Anna: Should I create an emergency? Won_NOT_involved: NO Rich_Granny_Han: Save the emergencies for tomorrow Won_NOT_involved: Why are all of you like this? Nurse_Anna: Because we're invested in love Won_NOT_involved: We're invested in medical care Rich_Granny_Han: Why not both?

Y/N was about to leave when Jeonghan spoke again. "I ordered every cardiology textbook available."

"I noticed. The coffee table looks like a medical library exploded."

"I'm trying to understand." He sounded almost sincere. "She's all I have left."

Y/N paused at the door. "Your grandmother is in good hands, Mr. Han."

"Jeonghan."

"Mr. Han."

He smiled. A real one, not his business smile. "You're going to slip up and call me Jeonghan eventually."

"Unlikely."

"Want to bet? Loser buys coffee."

"That would be unprofessional."

"Is that a no?"

Y/N left without answering, but they both knew she was smiling.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: They're FLIRTING Boo_CEO: Through MEDICAL TERMS Nurse_Anna: I'M SCREAMING Won_NOT_involved: This is a hospital, please don't scream Rich_Granny_Han: Wonwoo dear, did you get all that on camera? Won_NOT_involved: ...maybe Nurse_Anna: BABE YOU'RE FINALLY HELPING Won_NOT_involved: It's for medical documention. Rich_Granny_Han: Sure it is, dear. Sure it is. Won_NOT_involved: fine, it’s for Anna. Rich_Granny_Han: BLESSED

The next morning, Y/N found not one but two coffee cups on her desk.

First note: "For accepting that 'Mr. Han' will eventually become 'Jeonghan' - JH"

Second note: "For when you inevitably throw the first one at my head - JH"

She was not charmed. She absolutely was not.

But she kept both notes.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: SHE KEPT THE NOTES Boo_CEO: Not just kept - she SMILED Rich_Granny_Han: Time to escalate. Anna dear, remember that 'emergency' we planned? Won_NOT_involved: Oh no Rich_Granny_Han: Oh YES Boo_CEO: WHAT EMERGENCY?? Won_NOT_involved: I don't want to know Rich_Granny_Han: Trust me, this will be fun Won_NOT_involved: Your definition of fun concerns me Nurse_Anna: Babe just embrace the chaos Won_NOT_involved: I miss my old department Rich_Granny_Han: No you don't. Now, about tomorrow's plan… -

3 AM at Seoul National University Hospital was typically quiet. Tonight, however...

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: Places everyone! Code: Emergency Romance begins! Boo_CEO: At 3AM?? You're evil, Halmoni Rich_Granny_Han: Evil? No. Strategic? Yes. Nurse_Anna: Night shift ready! Won_NOT_involved: This is highly unethical Rich_Granny_Han: Wonwoo dear, just make sure the lights are dimmed romantically Won_NOT_involved: That's not a medical setting Rich_Granny_Han: It is in Suite 520

The cardiac monitor in Suite 520 suddenly went off – louder than strictly necessary. Wonwoo, who was genuinely checking vitals, jumped.

"Halmoni, what did you—"

"Call Dr. Y/N," Granny commanded, looking far too alert for 3 AM. "And someone call my grandson."

"Your readings are actually fine—"

"Wonwoo." Granny's sweet smile held steel. "Make. The. Calls."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: Y/N's on her way! Night shift said she was doing paperwork anyway Boo_CEO: At 3AM?? She needs a life Rich_Granny_Han: She needs my grandson Won_NOT_involved: She needs sleep, actually Rich_Granny_Han: Details, details

Y/N arrived first, looking surprisingly put-together for the ungodly hour. Her white coat was pristine, but the six empty coffee cups on her desk told their own story.

"Mrs. Han, what's—"

"HALMONI!"

Jeonghan burst in, designer pajamas under a hastily thrown-on coat, hair actually messy for once.

"You called him too?" Y/N raised an eyebrow at the nurses.

"Hospital protocol," Anna said solemnly. Wonwoo suddenly found the ceiling very interesting.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Boo_CEO: HIS HAIR IS MESSY THIS IS NOT A DRILL Nurse_Anna: Y/N definitely noticed 👀 Rich_Granny_Han: Time for my performance~ Won_NOT_involved: Please don't Rich_Granny_Han: Too late!

"Oh, my heart," Granny clutched her chest dramatically. "Such worry in young faces..."

"Your readings are actually—" Wonwoo started.

"SUCH WORRY," Granny repeated louder. "Perhaps if you both stayed..."

Y/N was already checking the monitors. Jeonghan hovered nearby, close enough that she could smell his ridiculously expensive cologne.

"Your grandmother is fine, Mr. Han."

"Jeonghan."

"Your grandmother is fine, Mr. Han."

"You're doing this on purpose now."

"I don't know what you mean, Mr. Han."

His laugh was soft, unguarded. Different from his business laugh.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: THE SOFT LAUGH!! AT 3AM!! Boo_CEO: THEY'RE STANDING SO CLOSE Rich_Granny_Han: Anna dear, dim the lights more Won_NOT_involved: That's not safe Rich_Granny_Han: Love isn't safe Won_NOT_involved: That's not medical protocol Rich_Granny_Han: Suite 520 has its own protocols

"Doctor," Granny's voice was weak but her eyes sparkled. "Since you're both here, perhaps some coffee?"

"At 3 AM?" Y/N asked.

"I brought my own beans," Jeonghan offered, then caught himself. "I mean, I happen to have some in my car."

"You just happen to have premium coffee beans in your car at 3 AM?"

"A good CFO is always prepared."

"For middle-of-the-night coffee emergencies?"

"Especially those."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Boo_CEO: HE KEEPS COFFEE FOR HER IN HIS CAR Nurse_Anna: I'M CRYING THIS IS SO CUTE Rich_Granny_Han: Phase 1 success. Anna, initiate phase 2 Won_NOT_involved: There are phases?? Rich_Granny_Han: Of course dear, this is a military operation Nurse_Anna: On it! accidentally spilling water now Won_NOT_involved: Why did I fall in love with a conspirator

"Oh!" Anna's theatrical gasp preceded the sound of water splashing.

Y/N and Jeonghan jumped apart – when had they gotten so close? – only to bump into each other again.

"Sorry, let me—" Jeonghan reached for napkins.

"No, I can—" Y/N moved at the same time.

Their hands touched. Both froze.

Granny's monitor beeped suspiciously fast.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: THE HAND TOUCH!!! Boo_CEO: THIS IS BETTER THAN DRAMAS Nurse_Anna: Should I spill more water?? Won_NOT_involved: NO Rich_Granny_Han: Save it for next time Won_NOT_involved: There's a next time?? Rich_Granny_Han: Oh honey, we're just getting started

"Well," Y/N cleared her throat professionally. "Since your grandmother is stable, I should—"

"Stay for coffee," Jeonghan said quickly. "I mean, since we're both awake anyway."

"That would be unprofessional."

"Everything about this situation is unprofessional."

Y/N glanced at Granny (pretending to sleep), Anna (badly hiding her phone), and Wonwoo (looking like he wanted witness protection).

"One coffee," she conceded. "For medical alertness purposes."

"Of course," Jeonghan's smile was too knowing. "Purely medical."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Boo_CEO: COFFEE DATE AT 3AM Nurse_Anna: Romance is ALIVE Rich_Granny_Han: Mission accomplished! Won_NOT_involved: It's just coffee Rich_Granny_Han: Oh sweet summer child Nurse_Anna: Babe you're so innocent Won_NOT_involved: I want a department transfer Rich_Granny_Han: Denied. Now help me plan tomorrow Won_NOT_involved: ...what's tomorrow? Rich_Granny_Han: You'll see 😈

As Y/N and Jeonghan sat in the suite's sitting area, sharing premium coffee at 3 AM while pretending this was normal, Granny Han smiled in her "sleep."

Phase one of Operation Emergency Romance was complete.

Poor kids had no idea what she had planned for breakfast.

- Several hours and many coffees later, sunrise found the suite in a different state:

Y/N curled up in an armchair, white coat slightly rumpled

Jeonghan asleep on the couch, designer pajamas and all

Files spread between them from their "purely professional discussion"

Two empty coffee cups with a concerning number of espresso shots

Granny, definitely not sleeping, taking photos for her secret Instagram

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: THEY FELL ASLEEP IN MY SUITE Boo_CEO: TOGETHER????? Nurse_Anna: Not together together but STILL Won_NOT_involved: This violates at least 5 hospital policies Rich_Granny_Han: Love violates all policies Nurse_Anna: Time for noisy morning check-up? 😈 Rich_Granny_Han: Make it EXTRA noisy

Anna burst into the suite with maximum chaos energy, deliberately dropping a metal tray.

The effect was immediate:

Y/N jolted awake, doctor mode activating

Jeonghan fell off the couch, rich person grace temporarily absent

Granny quickly pretended to just wake up

Wonwoo, entering behind Anna, looked like he wanted to quit

"Good morning!" Anna sang, far too cheerfully. "Time for morning vitals!"

Y/N and Jeonghan stared at each other, then at their wrinkled clothes, then at the evidence of their all-night coffee session.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Boo_CEO: THE MORNING AFTER CHAOS Nurse_Anna: Y/N's hair is messy I repeat MESSY Rich_Granny_Han: Quick! Someone get a breakfast cart! Won_NOT_involved: The hospital doesn't do breakfast carts Rich_Granny_Han: The VIP floor does now Won_NOT_involved: Since when?? Rich_Granny_Han: Since I ordered it 5 minutes ago Boo_CEO: ALREADY ON IT WITH PREMIUM BREAKFAST

"I should..." Y/N stood, attempting to smooth her coat.

"Yeah, I need to..." Jeonghan ran a hand through his messy hair.

"Oh, but breakfast is coming!" Granny perked up. "You both must be hungry after staying up all night... discussing medical things."

The way she said "medical things" made both of them blush.

Right on cue, Seungkwan waltzed in pushing a cart laden with what looked like a five-star hotel breakfast spread.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Boo_CEO: Breakfast service has arrived~ Nurse_Anna: They're both so awkward I'M LIVING Rich_Granny_Han: Wonwoo dear, check my heart. Make it take a while Won_NOT_involved: That's not how check-ups work Rich_Granny_Han: It is if you want that Christmas bonus Won_NOT_involved: ...this might take a while, doctor

"Since Wonwoo needs to do a thorough check-up," Granny smiled innocently, "why don't you both have breakfast? No need to waste good food."

Y/N looked at her wrinkled coat, her empty coffee cups, and her clearly compromised professional boundaries.

Jeonghan looked at his messy hair, his designer pajamas, and his equally compromised chaebol dignity.

"One coffee," they said simultaneously.

"And maybe some toast," Y/N added.

"And those croissants," Jeonghan pointed.

"Purely for energy."

"Completely professional."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: They're having breakfast together! Boo_CEO: In their sleepwear basically!! Nurse_Anna: ROMANCE LEVEL 1000 Won_NOT_involved: This is still a hospital Rich_Granny_Han: No, this is Suite 520, different rules apply Won_NOT_involved: That's not how hospitals work Rich_Granny_Han: Watch and learn, child

As they awkwardly settled with their breakfast, maintaining a careful distance that fooled absolutely no one, Granny spoke up.

"You know, Jeonghan-ah, Dr. Y/N's americano is getting cold."

Jeonghan immediately reached for the coffee machine.

"And doctor, Jeonghan skipped dinner last night. He should eat more than croissants."

Y/N found herself pushing the egg dishes closer to him.

They caught each other's eyes, realized they were being played, and quickly looked away.

But not before small smiles appeared.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: THE SOFT SMILES Boo_CEO: While sharing breakfast!! Rich_Granny_Han: Young love is so beautiful Won_NOT_involved: It's been like 3 days Rich_Granny_Han: Time moves faster in Suite 520 Nurse_Anna: It's the power of love Won_NOT_involved: It's the power of sleep deprivation Rich_Granny_Han: Same thing dear, same thing

The peaceful breakfast was interrupted by Y/N's pager.

"I need to..." she stood quickly.

"Right, I should..." Jeonghan also rose.

They did an awkward dance trying to avoid bumping into each other, failed miserably, and ended up closer than ever.

"Thanks for the medical discussion," Y/N said professionally.

"Thanks for the coffee company," Jeonghan replied, equally formal.

Neither moved.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: Anna! Emergency cart in the hallway! Nurse_Anna: On it! Won_NOT_involved: Please don't crash any carts Rich_Granny_Han: Just a small crash Won_NOT_involved: That's still property damage Rich_Granny_Han: That's still romance

The sudden crash from the hallway made them jump apart. Y/N hurried out, professionalism back in place.

Jeonghan watched her go, then turned to find everyone staring at him.

"What?"

"Nothing," Granny smiled innocently. "You just look happy this morning."

"It was the coffee."

"Sure it was, dear. Sure it was."

As Jeonghan left to change, Granny turned to her squad:

"Phase 2 complete. Now, about that charity gala next week..."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: Meeting in 10 minutes. We have a gala to plan Boo_CEO: Will there be drama?? Rich_Granny_Han: Oh honey, there will be CHAOS Won_NOT_involved: Why do I feel scared Nurse_Anna: Because you should be 😘 Rich_Granny_Han: Wonwoo dear, you haven't seen anything yet Won_NOT_involved: ...can I transfer departments now? Rich_Granny_Han: Denied. Now, about those formal invitations...

- Y/N stared at her desk in growing concern. Over the past week, a pattern had emerged:

Monday's coffee: "For admitting medical school doesn't teach everything - JH" Tuesday's coffee: "For finally calling me Jeonghan (in your sleep) - JH" Wednesday's coffee: "For pretending you don't smile at my notes - JH" Thursday's coffee: "Because your coffee machine is beneath you - JH" Today's coffee: "Because it's becoming a habit - JH"

She definitely didn't keep all the notes. And she absolutely wasn't smiling.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: WEEK RECAP:

Daily coffee delivery ✓

She keeps all notes ✓

Stopped throwing them away ✓

Actually smiles now ✓ 

Boo_CEO: CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT Rich_Granny_Han: Time to escalate Won_NOT_involved: What's left to escalate?? Rich_Granny_Han: Oh honey, we're just getting started Won_NOT_involved: That's what I'm afraid of

Suite 520 had evolved over the week. Somehow, it now contained:

A premium coffee station (restocked daily)

Medical textbooks (some actually right-side up)

Two comfortable chairs (suspiciously close together)

Granny's "essential" medical monitoring equipment (mostly for show)

Anna's "work station" (definitely for spying)

Y/N entered for morning rounds to find Jeonghan already there, suit perfect despite the early hour.

"You're here early, Mr. Han."

"We're back to Mr. Han? After I brought you coffee all week?"

"Medical ethics don't run on caffeine, Mr. Han."

"Are you sure? Because your smile says otherwise, Doctor."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: The TENSION Boo_CEO: He emphasized 'Doctor' I'M SCREAMING Nurse_Anna: Should I interrupt with vitals?? Rich_Granny_Han: No dear, let them flirt Won_NOT_involved: This is a hospital Rich_Granny_Han: This is Suite 520 Won_NOT_involved: That's not a real distinction Rich_Granny_Han: Tell that to my platinum card

"Children," Granny called out, "if you're done with your coffee courtship—"

"Medical discussion," Y/N corrected quickly.

"Professional interaction," Jeonghan said simultaneously.

"—perhaps we could discuss my discharge?"

Both turned to her so fast they got whiplash.

"Discharge?" Y/N frowned.

"Halmoni, no," Jeonghan started.

"Well," Granny smiled innocently, "unless you think I need more... observation?"

The way she said 'observation' made it clear she wasn't talking about medical monitoring.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Boo_CEO: THE POWER MOVE Nurse_Anna: Halmoni playing 4D chess!! Rich_Granny_Han: Watch and learn children Won_NOT_involved: This is manipulation Rich_Granny_Han: This is ROMANCE Won_NOT_involved: Same thing in this family Rich_Granny_Han: Now you're getting it!

"Your latest tests..." Y/N began professionally.

"Show you need more monitoring," Jeonghan finished.

They stared at each other, surprised by the agreement.

"Oh?" Granny's eyes twinkled. "Both of you think so?"

"Medically speaking," Y/N clarified.

"From a family perspective," Jeonghan added.

"And it has nothing to do with morning coffee?"

"Halmoni!" they protested simultaneously.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: They're in sync!! Boo_CEO: SOULMATES BEHAVIOR Nurse_Anna: Even their denial is synchronized! Won_NOT_involved: This is getting out of hand Rich_Granny_Han: No dear, this is getting interesting Won_NOT_involved: Those aren't mutually exclusive Rich_Granny_Han: Shush and help me plan the gala seating

The tension was broken by Seungkwan bursting in, designer suit somehow even more expensive than Jeonghan's.

"Emergency!" he announced dramatically.

"Medical?" Y/N reached for her pager.

"Fashion!" Seungkwan held up a tablet. "Halmoni, the hospital charity gala needs your approval on—oh, am I interrupting something?"

His innocent tone fooled exactly no one.

"The charity gala?" Y/N blinked.

"Oh yes," Granny perked up. "Doctor, you'll be attending of course? As my physician?"

"I don't usually—"

"And Jeonghan needs a plus-one—"

"Halmoni!"

"—for medical supervision, of course."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: PHASE GALA: INITIATED Boo_CEO: I already called the designers! Nurse_Anna: Need volunteers for the medical team?? Won_NOT_involved: We're not all going Rich_Granny_Han: Check your email dear Won_NOT_involved: ...we're all going Nurse_Anna: YAY BABE! We can coordinate! Won_NOT_involved: I want a new job Rich_Granny_Han: Denied. Now about those table arrangements...

"I couldn't possibly—" Y/N started.

"It would be unprofessional—" Jeonghan began.

"Perfect!" Granny clapped. "Seungkwan, mark them down as attending."

"Already done, Halmoni!"

"I didn't agree—" Y/N protested.

"My heart would feel so much better knowing my doctor is there," Granny clutched her chest dramatically.

The monitor, naturally, beeped.

"This is manipulation," Jeonghan noted.

"Learned from the best, dear."

Y/N looked at her patient (scheming), her monitor (suspicious), and her growing headache (definitely real).

"One hour," she conceded. "For medical supervision only."

"Of course," Granny smiled sweetly. "Seungkwan, call the designers. The doctor needs a gown."

"Already on it!"

"Wait, what—"

But Seungkwan was already speed-dialing, Granny was looking triumphant, and Jeonghan...

Jeonghan was looking at her like he wouldn't mind being supervised. Medically speaking, of course.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: Operation Gala: Phase 1 complete Boo_CEO: Designers on standby! Nurse_Anna: Medical team assembled! Won_NOT_involved: This is excessive Rich_Granny_Han: No dear, this is just the beginning Won_NOT_involved: That's what I'm afraid of Rich_Granny_Han: Don't worry, it gets worse Won_NOT_involved: How is that reassuring?? Rich_Granny_Han: It's not. Now, about those dance lessons...

Suite 520 had transformed into Gala Planning Headquarters. Somehow, between cardiac monitoring equipment and medical charts, there were now:

Three tablets showing designer collections

Fabric swatches spread across medical equipment

Seating charts mixed with ECG readings

Event planners trying to look like medical consultants

And Granny, orchestrating chaos from her hospital bed

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: Status report!

Venue: Hospital Grand Hall

Theme: "Hearts of Gold" (get it? 😉)

Seating: Y/N next to Jeonghan (medical purposes)

Dance floor: Strategically lit 

Boo_CEO: The THEME I'M DYING Nurse_Anna: Should we coordinate the medical team's outfits?? Won_NOT_involved: We're supposed to be working Rich_Granny_Han: This IS work. Love work.

Y/N entered for afternoon rounds to find what looked like a fashion magazine explosion.

"Mrs. Han, this isn't good for your recovery—"

"Nonsense," Granny waved a fabric swatch. "Doctor, which shade of blue brings out Jeonghan's eyes?"

"I... what?"

"For medical coordination purposes, of course."

From behind his laptop, Jeonghan choked on his coffee.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Boo_CEO: SHE'S BLUSHING Nurse_Anna: AND HE'S CHOKING Rich_Granny_Han: Young love is so clumsy Won_NOT_involved: This is a medical facility Rich_Granny_Han: This is a love facility Won_NOT_involved: That's not a thing Rich_Granny_Han: It is in Suite 520

"Halmoni," Jeonghan tried, "perhaps the doctor doesn't want to—"

"Navy," Y/N said suddenly, then looked mortified.

"What?"

"Navy blue. For medical... contrast purposes."

Jeonghan's slow smile should be illegal in a hospital setting.

"Noted," Granny's eyes sparkled. "Seungkwan! Call the designer!"

"Already texting!"

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: SHE PICKED HIS COLOR Boo_CEO: VOLUNTARILY Nurse_Anna: THE DEVELOPMENT Won_NOT_involved: It's just a color Rich_Granny_Han: Oh sweet summer child Nurse_Anna: Babe you're so innocent Won_NOT_involved: I miss regular patients Rich_Granny_Han: No you don't. Now about the dance playlist...

Later that day, Y/N returned to find Jeonghan arguing with event planners while wearing... navy blue.

"It's for a medical opinion," he said quickly.

"I didn't ask."

"You're wondering."

"I'm wondering about your grandmother's blood pressure with all this excitement."

"Liar. You're wondering how accurate your color assessment was."

She checked Granny's monitors instead of answering. Or looking at how right she'd been about the navy blue.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: HE CHANGED SUITS FOR HER Boo_CEO: THE DEDICATION Nurse_Anna: She kept stealing glances!! Won_NOT_involved: I saw nothing Rich_Granny_Han: The security cameras saw everything Won_NOT_involved: ...I may have footage Nurse_Anna: BABE YOU'RE ONE OF US NOW Won_NOT_involved: I hate everything except you Rich_Granny_Han: No you don't. Now help me plan the "medical emergency" during the slow dance

"Doctor," Granny called out sweetly, "about the gala's medical supervision..."

"One hour," Y/N reminded firmly.

"Of course. Jeonghan will pick you up at 7."

"That's not necessary—"

"For medical transport," Granny added innocently.

"I can drive—"

"My heart would feel better knowing you arrive safely."

The monitor beeped right on cue.

"Halmoni," Jeonghan sighed, but he was smiling.

"Fine," Y/N conceded. "For medical purposes."

"Of course," Granny beamed. "Seungkwan! Call the car service!"

"Already done!"

"How are you already—never mind."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: Car arrangements: Complete ✓

Premium vehicle

Mood lighting

"Accidental" traffic delays 

Boo_CEO: EVIL GENIUS HALMONI Nurse_Anna: The POWER Won_NOT_involved: This is getting elaborate Rich_Granny_Han: Oh honey, wait for the gala Won_NOT_involved: I'm scared Rich_Granny_Han: You should be. Anna dear, about those dance floor spotlights...

As Y/N left for her rounds, she found a new coffee on the nurses' station.

The note read: "Navy blue does bring out my eyes. Good medical observation. - JH"

She didn't smile.

(The security footage Wonwoo definitely wasn't collecting said otherwise.)

- Two months after Code: Heart Doctor began, Suite 520 was in organized chaos:

Discharge papers waiting for signatures

Gift baskets from the entire hospital staff

Granny's designer luggage (more than a small hotel's worth)

The infamous coffee machine

And a certain cardiologist avoiding a certain CFO

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: FINAL MISSION STATUS:

Two months of schemes ✓

One charity gala success ✓

Multiple "emergencies" ✓

Countless coffee dates ✓

One almost kiss ✓

BUT STILL NO CONFESSION 

Boo_CEO: HOW ARE THEY SO STUBBORN Nurse_Anna: Even the cafeteria's betting pool is frustrated Won_NOT_involved: Maybe let them figure it out naturally? Rich_Granny_Han: Absolutely not Won_NOT_involved: Why did I even suggest that Rich_Granny_Han: Time for the final play

Y/N stood at the nurses' station, pretending to review charts while actually hiding. The past two months had been... complicated.

After the gala (which definitely didn't end with an almost-kiss during Granny's conveniently timed "emergency"), things had gotten awkward.

Sweet, terrible, coffee-filled awkward.

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Nurse_Anna: She's HIDING Boo_CEO: Our confident doctor? HIDING? Rich_Granny_Han: Love makes fools of us all Won_NOT_involved: Or maybe this whole scheme was too much Rich_Granny_Han: No such thing Won_NOT_involved: Why did I marry into this chaos Nurse_Anna: Because you love me 😘 Won_NOT_involved: TRUE. TRUEST FORM. Rich_Granny_Han: We get it, you love Anna

The suite's door opened, revealing Jeonghan in what had to be his most expensive suit yet. Navy blue, because of course it was.

"Doctor."

"Mr. Han."

"We're back to that?"

"We never left it."

(They both knew that was a lie. Somewhere between late-night coffee and fake emergencies, "Jeonghan" had slipped out more than once.)

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: IMPLEMENT FINAL PHASE Boo_CEO: But what about the backup plan?? Rich_Granny_Han: This IS the backup plan Nurse_Anna: What about backup backup?? Rich_Granny_Han: Trust your commander Won_NOT_involved: Should I be concerned? Rich_Granny_Han: Always, dear. Always.

"Children," Granny called from her bed, "come here please."

They approached cautiously. Two months had taught them to fear that innocent tone.

"Since I'm being discharged—"

"About that," Y/N started.

"Your readings—" Jeonghan began.

"Oh hush," Granny waved them off. "We all know I'm fine. Have been for weeks."

They stared at her.

"You..." Y/N processed this. "You've been faking?"

"Not faking, dear. Strategizing."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Boo_CEO: THE CONFESSION Nurse_Anna: Finally exposing the plot!! Won_NOT_involved: This feels illegal somehow Rich_Granny_Han: Love knows no laws Won_NOT_involved: That's not how legality works Rich_Granny_Han: That's how Suite 520 works

"All those emergencies..." Jeonghan realized.

"The 3 AM calls..." Y/N added.

"The coffee accidents..."

"The gala emergency..."

"The almost—" they both stopped, blushing.

"Yes, yes," Granny smiled. "All part of the plan. Operation Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024."

"The WHAT."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: Dropping the bomb! Boo_CEO: THE CHAOS Nurse_Anna: Should we run?? Won_NOT_involved: I'm already in the cafeteria Rich_Granny_Han: Cowards. Watch the master work

"Halmoni," Jeonghan looked pained. "You've been scheming this whole time?"

"Of course, dear. You think cardiac monitors just happen to beep during romantic moments?"

"The coffee spills..." Y/N remembered.

"Anna has excellent timing."

"The gala emergency..."

"Seungkwan's dramatic skills are underappreciated."

"The security footage..."

"Wonwoo pretends to resist, but he's got quite the collection."

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Boo_CEO: THEY'RE BOTH SO RED Nurse_Anna: The realization!! Won_NOT_involved: Should we call security? Rich_Granny_Han: For what? True love? Won_NOT_involved: For imminent chaos Rich_Granny_Han: That's just how romance works dear

"So everything was fake?" Y/N asked quietly.

"Not everything," Jeonghan said quickly.

They looked at each other.

"The coffee wasn't fake," he continued.

"The medical discussions weren't fake."

"The almost-kiss wasn't fake."

"The feelings weren't fake."

Granny beamed. "Finally!"

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: MISSION SUCCESS Boo_CEO: I'M CRYING Nurse_Anna: WE DID IT Won_NOT_involved: Can we work normally now? Rich_Granny_Han: Oh honey no Rich_Granny_Han: Now we plan the wedding Won_NOT_involved: ...I want a transfer Rich_Granny_Han: Denied.

"You're ridiculous," Y/N told Jeonghan, but she was smiling.

"You love it," he replied, then froze. "I mean—"

"Yeah," she said softly. "I do."

"Oh thank god," Granny exclaimed. "Seungkwan! The champagne!"

"Already chilled!"

"Anna! The celebration decorations!"

"Ready to deploy!"

"Wonwoo! The documentation!"

"...fine."

As Suite 520 erupted into celebration, Y/N looked at Jeonghan.

"Your grandmother is terrifying."

"Wait till you see her wedding planning mode."

"Let's survive the first date first."

"Coffee tomorrow?"

"You've been bringing me coffee for two months."

"Yes, but now I can kiss you after."

From her bed, Granny smiled at her success. As Y/N and Jeonghan shared their first real kiss (finally!), the cardiac monitor beeped one last time.

This time, it was real.

Real love tends to do that to a heart. As Y/N and Jeonghan finally broke apart, the cardiac monitor beeped one last time.

"Your grandmother's monitor is still sensitive," Y/N murmured.

"Actually," Jeonghan smiled, "I think that one was real."

They turned to find Granny beaming at them, not even pretending to sleep anymore.

"Finally!" she exclaimed. "Do you know how exhausting it was to orchestrate all this?"

"Halmoni..."

"The timing of the beeps! The strategic coffee spills! Keeping Wonwoo from reporting us to hospital administration!"

🏥 Get Jeonghan a Girlfriend 2024 !!! 🏥

Rich_Granny_Han: Mission accomplished, everyone! Boo_CEO: The greatest success story of 2024!! Nurse_Anna: I'm crying happy tears in the supply closet Won_NOT_involved: Can we work normally now? Rich_Granny_Han: Of course dear Won_NOT_involved: Really? Rich_Granny_Han: No 😘 Nurse_Anna: Babe you should know better Won_NOT_involved: I really should

"Well," Y/N picked up the discharge papers, trying to look professional despite her smile. "Since your condition has... miraculously improved, Mrs. Han—"

"Still Halmoni," Granny corrected.

"Halmoni," Y/N conceded, her smile growing. "You're free to go home."

"Wonderful! Jeonghan-ah, help me pack. Doctor, you'll join us for dinner to discuss my home care, won't you?"

"That would be—"

"If you say unprofessional, I'm canceling the discharge," Granny threatened sweetly.

Y/N looked at Jeonghan, who shrugged helplessly but couldn't stop smiling.

"Dinner would be lovely," she agreed.

As the suite erupted into celebration, with Seungkwan popping in with champagne and Anna wiping tears while pretending to check vitals one last time, Y/N felt Jeonghan's hand slip into hers.

"Coffee tomorrow?" he asked softly.

"You've been bringing me coffee for two months."

"Yes, but now I can kiss you after."

She squeezed his hand. "Looking forward to it."

From her bed, Granny Han watched her grandson and his cardiologist, her heart monitor beeping steadily with genuine joy. Sometimes, she thought, love just needs a little push.

Or in her case, two months of elaborate schemes, a charity gala, multiple fake emergencies, one almost-kiss, and an army of co-conspirators.

But who's counting?

[saintescuderia]

pancakes (pt. 1)

welcome a new multi-chapter fic. enjoy.

AKA - the story of how the naive australian rookie befriended the gym junkie F1 hospitality worker with the shoe collection - and inadvertently broke the grid's most treasured and unspoken rule: you don't go for y/n.

series masterlist here :) // the pancakes recipe here :)

P1 - bulgarian split squats

Really, the only way to survive Formula 1 was by going to the gym. 

The gym addiction was something that had existed long before joining the circus of a motorsports paddock filled with politics and rumours, as well as the slim fitting uniforms that always seemed to be accompanied by, in your opinion, ugly ass shoes. 

Sure, Puma was the offical sponsor but couldn’t they get anything other than the Speedcat? And what even was that name? Speedcat? It was on brand, sure, but at what cost? Really? If Formula 1 was trying to grow its popularity they could honestly start with their dress code. Seeing Christian Horner in Skechers really took the intimidation out of him when you served him his double espresso during the Spanish Grand Prix that one time last season. 

One of the perks of working in Hospitality - and there were very few far and in between - was that uniform was not so strict. F1 Hospitality only required an all black service with ‘comfortable shoes.’ This you took for interpretation. Dunks. Jordan 4s. Maybe 1s. Never 13s. Forces were good for a night race - that usually meant more stairs - and Vans were what you reached for in the morning when you knew you’d be working the barista shift. Converse were for ‘throw away’ races.

These were the races where you knew the shoe-care was not important. For example, Silverstone with its torrential UK drinkers who were likely to throw up on your beloved sneakers. Alas, you had learned the hard way when you almost lost your job by rushing to the kitchen to start scrubbing the vomit off your blue and red Cortez during peak lunch.

Never again.

Admittedly, you did try to keep at least one pair of Converse in good care since they were the renowned shoe come leg day. 

Another perk of working in F1 Hospitality was that every circuit’s map layout had been drilled into your head. Meaning you always knew exactly where the communal driver’s gym was located at and could therefore get your daily dose of dopamine before dealing with… well, everything.

You silenced the shrill horror that came from the iPhone alarm. 4:00 read the lockscreen, the light shining brightly into your face. It didn’t help that your wallpaper had a photo with a clear blue sky, making the light even harsher in the darkness. You could’ve very well changed it and avoid the pain you routinely go through every morning. But it was this very photo that reminded you why you were getting up in four in the morning in the first place. 

You had snapped it during a free practice in Italy that had miraculously lined up with a break in your shift. The sky was clear and the red car was small, but clear on the circuit. Ferrari, of course. You still remember the buzz that circled around the paddock staff that day. No matter who you routed for or whatever bias you had, there was a unanimously acknowledgement that Ferrari winning at Monza was special. He was special. 

Then again, you’ve known that long before he stood on that podium in Italy and was given his infamous nickname. 

It didn’t even take you ten minutes until you were out the door. Your gym clothes (pump cover included!) were on the one limpy chair that decorated your poor little hotel room, your shaker sat on top of your gym bag with you black high top Converse right beside it. By the time you had made it to the gym, it was a little past 4:15 and you had already scooped in pre-workout into your mouth ready to get through the oncoming pain. 

Your hips were a little tight, as per normal. The left side even more so. The hood of your hoodie was up, headphones on and blasting the hardstyle house music that would see you through the next two hours. You went through your usual stretches but with today’s added focus on the lower body. 

And then you went about destroying your legs. 

It was about an hour or so that Oscar finally sleepily arrived. You weren’t actually sure what time it was but you were up to doing bulgarian split squats - and hating life - and that was usually at the hour mark. You gave him a curious once over, noting the odd choice of clothing. It was a little odd to see a driver in the paddock wearing athleisure that wasn’t their team uniform.

“Bro, it’s five in the morning.” Oscar groaned, shuffling over to come and sit on the bench next to you. You gave another three more reps - Oscar silently watching you groan in pain through the last two - and then finally dropped the dumbbells. You reached over to take a sip of water and checked the phone for the time.

“It’s five thirteen in the morning.” You corrected. It had been just about the hour mark. “Are we training today or?” It wasn’t the first time Oscar had joined you. The reason his neck was getting stronger was because of you. In your opinion, the trainer Alpine had assigned Oscar was a fucking idiot.

“You’re doing legs.” Oscar pointed out, as if that was enough of an answer. He leaned to lay back down on the bench and stared up as he continued to speak. “Drivers don’t need bulky legs. We’ve been over this.”

You had. Many times. You knew he was right. It still would be nice to have someone to go through legs with you, though.

“So train with light weights.” You offered, trying. Oscar just gave you a look that made it clear he was not picking up any type of weights. You shrugged, not deterred. “I’ll do calisthenics with you. Or we can work on plyometrics.” Oscar’s response was to close his eyes and let out a deep sigh. “Fuck it man, do some cardio.” You came to the last resort, coming to kick his legs as you walked past to load up the smith machine with some different plates. 

“Piss off Tezza.” The Australian-ness continuing to shine through with the nickname that Oscar had specifically designed for you in respect of your shared citizenship to the ‘land down under.’

Except unlike the blond caucasian boy who loved AFL, grew up in Brighton East and attended Haileybury, your Australian-ness was less obvious. Your accent, for one, wasn’t as prominent since your parents were African immigrants. This, of course, didn’t just influence your speech patterns and accent.

Dark skin, dark eyes and dark hair, you weren't exactly the picture of a 'true blue Aussie.' The rite of public school bullying from those who did look 'Australian' (whatever that meant) had you scoffing at vegemite and preferring to follow EPL and La Liga than whatever the fuck was Aussie Rules Football.

Why is it called football if the players pick up the ball?

Still, when a homesick Oscar Piastri overheard one of the Hospitality staff yell out that that they were going for a 'Macca’s run' between the practice sessions on his very first F1 race weekend, he instantly picked up on the Australian-ism. And he didn’t let it go. And cue the beginning of a friendship that had Oscar Piastri calling you ‘bro’ and shortening your last name as per Australian rite.

Even if you had sworn off that sort of thing.

“Oscar, man, if you ain’t here to train then why are you?” You said, locking the plates in place on the smith machine. You lifted up your hood up and ducked under the bar to rest the metal against you shoulders, the hood acting as a cushion. The starting weight was light enough that you wouldn't have to worry about music for your first set. Besides, if Oscar was here, he could be the entertainment for this set. “You forget that this is a driver’s only gym. You could get in trouble." The sarcasm was all too clear in your voice.

No one used the ‘drivers-only’ gym. It was something that every Grand Prix had set up. Mobile, communal and high-end, it had enough equipment to rival the local 24/7 studio franchise gym that seemed to exist in every neighbourhood. Despite the fact that every driver preferred to train at their own motorhome gym - or that every team had their own mobile gym set up in conjunction to the motorhome - F1 still went about packing up and moving their own studio gym to every single location come race weekend.

If anything, it was a nice stop during the presentation walk during the sponsorship lunches where good old Stefano Domenicali would show off all the amazing resources that the Grand Prix space has to offer. 

So, no. F1’s Driver Gym was not used.

The only reason it wasn’t gathering dust was because every weekend it was packed up and moved. That and you woke up at 4am every weekend to destroy your muscles in the familiar red and black equipment.

"You're here." Oscar reminded you. "And not a driver."

You ignored him and just kept up with your repetitions, focusing on engaging your glutes and keeping your core tight. Oscar was silent as you finished your first set. When you finished your last rep, he stood up and came round as you locked the machine. He knew you well enough to pick up the 10kg and help add it to the sides.

"Thanks." You said. Oscar nodded and added the weight to the other side. There was a quiet air for a moment and you went to pick up your headphones to put them back on. Things were getting heavier and you would need music to get through the next few sets.

“I might be leaving Alpine.” 

You looked up at Oscar who dropped the bomb and then looked back at your headphones. You sighed and then dropped the headphones back to land in your gym bag. Headphoneless, you went back to the machine and Oscar took your invitation.

“Zak Brown approached me yesterday and suggested something about picking me up for next year.” Oscar said.

You just kept squatting. Oscar was far too removed to yet be aware of - well, everything.

“And with talk of Fernando quitting, I know that Alpine will be calling me up but do I trust that? Honestly Lando has been doing so well and Ocon has always pissed me off.” Oscar watched as you started to struggle.

He stood up and came around to help you but you just shook you head. You pushed through one more rep and then called it. 

“He does have a punchable face.” You said, now out of breath. Esteban had always annoyed you and before meeting Oscar, you used to dread the weekends where you were put on Alpine.

Your friend handed you the water bottle sat beside your gym bag before you could even ask. You gave a two finger salute in thanks as he continued on.

“And Lily and I got into this massive fight again! Apparently I don’t communicate enough!” He huffed. “But I sent her flowers and chocolates because she’s going through finals and she likes daisies and Cadbury."

“Yeah, but is that her love language though?” You asked, dropping your bottle and going to stack up the final set of weights on the smith machine. Oscar stood up again to help you.

“Her what?” He asked, handing you the plate.

“Love language.” You answered, still panting, and explained, “You’ve got physical touch, gift giving, quality time, words of affirmation and acts of service.” 

“Are you saying people love in specific ways?" Oscar asked, quick to process new information as always.

“Exactly. You did something nice for her, an act of service. Maybe all she wants is a nice, long phone call or maybe some texts complimenting her or something.” You shrugged and then brought up your headphones.

Oscar accepted this, knowing the last set would require music.

He watched you as you settled back under the smith machine bar and went on squatting more than his body weight. He shook his head and ran a hand over his face. He really shouldn't have been surprised at your lack of surprise. Little shocked you. That or your might’ve already known and just kept it to yourself. F1 Hospitality were a part of the Formula One Group and, therefore, were not associated to any one team. They had rotations across all teams and, therefore, every member of staff were required to sign an NDA. Not that ever did anything in this damn place.

Still, Oscar knew that you were one of the few genuine people left in this place.

He knew that there would’ve been so many opportunities where you could’ve easily done something for yourself by recounting something you had overheard while pouring Toto Wolff his coffee or serving Mattia Binotto his lunch. It was the reason why so many teams hired their own internal hospo staff.

It was also the reason why Oscar felt comfortable coming to tell you about Alpine and McLaren before he had even told his own parents, or Lily. The argument with his girlfriend had prevented him from getting any sleep, mulling it over in his mind for hours. Oscar knew you would be able to help him through it all.

And that you would be the only one awake at this godforsaken hour.

By the time you had finished your first set, he was Googling love languages and having a quick read through. 

By the time you had finished your second set, he was halfway through doing the love languages quiz.

By the time you had finished your third and final set, he was seeing what the problem was between him and Lily.

“I think Lily is words of affirmation and I'm acts of service." He said, coming up to the machine as you stepped back and pulled down your headphones. You blinked and nodded, still put of breath. "I think I forgot to check in with her and send her some compliments. Tell her I'm proud of her for getting through exams. Especially because she never is one for gifts, really."

You held out your hand to him. "There you go. Growth."

"I don't know what to do about Alpine."

"Call a lawyer."

Oscar pursed his lips and then considered this. That wouldn't be his first move but thinking about it, it was probably for the best. "That's actually a good idea."

"Isn't that why you're here?" You retorted. "Since you're not here to train. Speaking of which, the fuck is that?"

“What?” He asked and realised you were looking at his feet.

“Zak Brown isn’t going to hire you if he finds out that you’re wearing fucking thongs with socks.” You said, finally recognising the flip-flops he wore with some white socks that really needed to be washed. 

“You’ve been a great help, thanks.” Oscar smiled. You rolled your eyes and went to your gym bag. Pulling out a pair of white Adidas Sambas, you tossed them to Oscar.

“Put these on.”

“Is my footwear really that offensive to you?”

“We’ll go run the track.” You said then gestured to all of him. “It’ll help you burn all of this off.”

Oscar sighed and did as he was told. He laced up the shoes you'd given him that surprisingly fit his large feet and followed you out to the track. He used his pass to get through since a driver running the track at 5:30 in the morning would just be seen as the dedication to the grind. A Hospitality staff member would just be accused of breaking in. 

“Maybe it’s a good thing you’re going through a crisis. I’ve always wanted to do a morning run on the track.” You said with a grin as the pair of you came to the starting line that, in a matter of hours, would be full of mechanics, engineers, reporters, camera crew members and, of course, drivers.  

“If I get a seat at McLaren, you can be my trainer.” Oscar said as you both started warming up into a light jog.

"Ha." You snorted. "As if you could afford me, bro."

next ch [2] >

[veronicaphoenix]

IKIGAI — ADDITIONAL CHAPTER

Pairing: Noah Sebastian x Lia Parker

Summary: Lia tells Noah she had sex for the first time, and the news doesn't sit right with him. She doesn't feel very thrilled about it either.

Word count: 2.7k | Reading time: 10mins aprox | Series masterpost ✨

Tags & trigger warnings: best friends to lovers trope, lia has a boyfriend, talks about sex, about lia's first time, disappointment, lia being infatuated with noah, mentions of noah having had sexual encounters before but still being a virgin, sexual innuendos, noah feeling jealous and confused.

This chapter takes place between chapter 13 and chapter 14 of Ikigai (part one of The Inevitability of Love at Second Sight Series). Lia and Noah are 21/22.

The moment his phone started ringing and the screen lit up with Lia’s name, Noah paused mid-typing, slipped off his headphones, and answered. Her hurried voice hit his ears before he could say anything.

“Noah, are you home? Is anyone else there?”

Noah frowned, taken aback by her urgency. 

“Hello to you, too, Gremlin. Yeah, I’m home. Why?”

“Are the boys around? Jolly, Jesse?”

“No, I’m alone. What’s up?”

“Good. I’m coming over.”

Noah’s eyebrows shot up. The way she spoke—it almost sounded like she was asking for permission to come back to her own home. 

“Lia, what’s going on?”

“I’ll tell you when I get there.”

Lia disconected the call. Noah remained frozen in place, still perched on his studio chair, staring at his iPhone as if expecting the screen to offer some explanation. 

It didn’t. 

This was Lia’s house, too. They’d been living together since she’d turned eighteen, so why was she acting like a stranger? She hadn’t been home last night, though. She’d gone out with friends, said she’d stay over at Emery’s. Now it was barely eleven in the morning, and this call felt... strange. Something was off, and the knot of unease tightening in Noah’s stomach told him whatever it was, he wouldn’t like it.

Twenty minutes later, the front door burst open. Lia stormed in, her backpack slung over one shoulder, her hair tied in a very messy bun, her face set in agitation—not fear, not hurt, just stress. As soon as her eyes landed on Noah, standing in sweats and a t-shirt in the middle of the living room, her expression shifted to disappointment.

He raised his arms, wordlessly asking what the hell is happening? She didn’t answer right away. Instead, she dropped her bag and rushed to him, wrapping her arms around his chest with a sigh, melting against him as though she’d been holding her breath for hours.

“Lia, are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

It took her a moment before she spoke. 

“I slept with Leon last night.”

Noah’s blood ran cold. He pulled back, grabbing her shoulders, but she clung to his shirt, refusing to let go.

“Lia,” he said, his voice strained. “You...” His head shook. He blinked rapidly. “You had your first time with Leon?”

She nodded, avoiding his eyes now.

His mind reeled, thoguhts scrambling in every direction. 

“Lia—We said we’d do it together. That we’d have our first time at the same time.”

Lia sighed, already anticipating his reaction. It wasn’t like she hadn’t thought about it, too—their weird, half-serious pact, made when they were younger, with all the naivety and awkwardness of two people trying to make sense of their feelings. But now, standing here, it felt like a relic of something neither of them could hold onto. How could that have ever worked, anyway?

She took one step back to look him in the eyes, trying to be practical.

“Noah, how did you think that would go? You in one room with some random chick and me on the other side of the wall?”

“No, but—” He ran a hand through his hair, pacing. He hadn’t been expecting his quiet Sunday morning to turn into this; whatever this was. “Fuck, Lia.”

It hurt. It hurt a lot. But why? Was it just because she’d had sex? Because she did it before him? Or because she’d done it with someone who wasn’t him?

Lia sighed again and walked to the open kitchen, reaching for the kettle. She hadn’t eaten breakfast and was starving. The subtle ache between her legs didn’t help her mood, either. She reached for the kettle, filling it with water. Behind her, she could hear Noah collapse onto the couch.

“I’m sorry,” she muttered, fingers drumming on the counter as she waited for the water to boil.

Noah stared blankly ahead, his thoughts a mess. The idea that Lia wasn’t a virgin anymore—it didn’t sit right. It felt like a puzzle piece has been shoved into the wrong place, forced, stuck forever. His jealousy, or whatever it was, mixed with confusion. But then, an uneasy thought surfaced, shifting everything inside him. 

He stood up abruplty, the sudden clarity jolting him.

“Shit. Lia, did he hurt you?”

She whipped around, startled by the sudden sharpness in his voice, kettle in hand, steam rising.  

“No,” she said flatly. “He didn’t hurt me.”

Noah studied her face, unsure if he believed her. Whether or not she was telling the truth, one thing was certain—he would have never let that happen. He would’ve made sure she felt safe, cared for. Even if they were both inexperienced, they would’ve figured it out together. They always trusted each other like that, in ways that seemed to run deeper than words.

“Then what?” he asked, his voice softer now but still loaded with confusion. “Why do you look like this?”

She turned back to the kettle, her movements robotic, avoiding his gaze. 

“He just... finished, and that was it.” she said, pouring the water into a mug, her tone hollow. “I’m not hurt. I’m disappointed. I didn’t know it would be like that. I thought it’d be more... exciting. There was some thrill at first, but then it just... faded into nothing. And...” She bit her lips, her cheeks flushed a little. She was glad Noah couldn’t see. “I didn’t come,” she added quietly.

Noah stood frozen a few feet away, his mind scrambling to process what she was saying.

“He didn’t notice. Or maybe he didn’t care.” Her voice cracked with frustration. “He just thought it was over.”

Before he could react, she crossed the room, collapsing against him again, her forehead resting against his chest. Her arms hung limp at her sides.

“Oh, God. Noah, it was so disappointing,” she said. “You wouldn’t let a girl feel like that, would you?”

Noah stiffened. He wasn’t sure how to answer.

“I know you wouldn’t,” Lia murmured softly, her voice thick with a mix of frustration and resignation.

“Lia, I...” Noah began, but the words faltered. He had no idea what to say. He wasn’t much more experienced than she was. Sure, he’d gone down on a few girls, fumbled with his fingers and his mouth. Some cheeky girls had touched him, but that was it.

“You don’t have to be experienced for that,” she interrupted, looking up at him with a spark of hope in her big brown eyes. Noah felt a familiar weight press against his chest. Lia had always seen something in him, something pure, as if he were some kind of angel or hero, when in reality, he was full of flaws, just like anyone else. If she was so infatuated with him because of how he treated her, she should know by now—that kind of treatment was reserved for her.

“You just need to be considerate,” she continued. “You are considerate.”

“Lia,” he said, his voice firm as he gently grabbed her shoulders and pushed her back again, creating a bit of distance. She frowned at his authoritative tone.

“Promise me,” she blurted, before he could say more.

“Promise you what?”

“That you’ll be considerate. That you’ll make her come—whoever she is. Any girl. Every time. Always.”

“Jesus Christ, Lia,” Noah groaned, turning away and heading back to the couch, rubbing his forehead in frustration. 

Lia trailed after him, relentless as she picked up her cup of tea and sat next to him on the couch, close enough that their legs touched.

“You can’t just ask me that,” he muttered, snatching the cup from her without asking and taking a sip. The hot liquid burned his tongue, but he didn’t care.

“Why not?” she pressed. “It’s advice. It’ll be good for you.”

“Maybe I don’t need advice,” he snapped, a bit sharper than he intended.

Lia raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed. 

“Your ego is showing, Sebastian.”

Noah rolled his eyes and handed back the cup. 

“It’s not about ego. I’m just saying maybe it’ll go fine without us having to talk about it like this.”

Lia sighed, slumping slightly against the cushions, conceding the point, though she wasn’t fully convinced.

“Maybe,” she mumbled, her voice quieter.

She hadn’t expected him to feel uncomfortable discussing this—especially with her. But his attitude suggested otherwise. She bit her lip, a twinge of regret flickering across her face.

“I just needed to talk to you,” she said a bit ashamed, and the tenderness in her voice caught him off guard.

Without thinking, he placed a hand on her knee, squeezing lightly through the fabric of her black leggings. His head lolled back against the sofa, eyes locking on hers. Once again, it hit him—how beautiful she had always been. As a kid, she’d been cute and full of energy. Now, as an adult, she was the prettiest girl he’d ever seen.

“I know,” he said, voice low. “I know.”

“I just got worried. I don’t want other girls to go through that disappointment. I know, sometimes, it’s part of the experience, of growing up, learning, but...” She hesitated, searching for the right words. “I don’t want it to happen when they’re with you. You can’t be a disappointment, Noah.”

“You’re setting the bar really high, Lia. I don’t know if I’ll ever reach it.”

“You’d never let me leave the room like that, would you?”

Noah let out a heavy huff, shaking his head.

“Lia, I’ve already warned you. Don’t make this weird, please.” 

“It’s only a question. You can just answer it. Or don’t. I know the answer. You wouldn’t leave me unfinished.”

He gave her an exasperated look, but there was a hint of amusement in his eyes.

“You’re so much trouble, Lia Parker.”

"I’m not, I promise. I’m just a girl asking for equality,” she replied, a playful smirk tugging at her lips. “But if you have your doubts, I could give you more... detailed advice, if you want.”

“No. Absolutely not.”

“All right, your loss,” she concluded, raising a hand in mock surrender.

Noah couldn’t help but laugh, rolling his eyes. He gave her knee a light pat. 

“You’re so dramatic. You know that?”

“I’m not. I’m just... unsatisfied,” she admitted, shaking her head at the memory of how disappointment last night had been. “I need release,” she uttered before she could stop herself. 

His eyes widened as he processed her words. She wasn’t playing around—this wasn’t some offhand joke or a ploy to shock him. She was genuinely frustrated, still reeling from the lack of fulfillment the night before. For a brief moment, a flood of inappropriate thoughts ran through his mind—ways he could help her, ways he could get involved. But he quickly pushed them aside.

“I’m breaking up with him,” she declared, her voice decisive as she lifted the cup of tea to her lips and taking a slow sip. “I don’t care if he thinks I just wanted him for sex. I definitely don’t want him for sex after that.”

Noah could have told her it was only her first time, that things could get better with practice. She could talk to Leon, communicate, learn together like couples were supposed to. They’d only been together for a few months, after all. But deep down, Noah felt a sense of relief. He didn’t want to give her advice on how to fix things with her boyfriend. He was content with her decision, and he wasn’t going to argue with it.

It might’ve been selfish, but single Lia meant more of her at home, more of her for him. Leon could learn how to get a woman to orgasm with someone else.

“Can we spend the day watching movies and eating junk food?” Lia asked, her big puppy-dog eyes making it impossible to say no. She was the queen of that look, and she knew exactly how to use it on him.

Of course they could. He would never deny her anything. But where was the fun in giving in so easily? He leaned back, a smirk curling at the edge of his lips.

“Didn’t you say you needed... release? Don’t you wanna go to your bedroom first?”

“Oh, Noah!” she gasped, giving him a playful punch on the shoulder, her laughter tangling with his. “You’ll never know when I’m doing it. I’m very quiet.”

She was, indeed. He’d be lying if he said he hadn’t strained his ears a few times, hoping to catch something from her bedroom at night.

“Really? So, when you get wet, you don’t go full Gremlin mode?”

“I swear, Sebastian, if you don’t shut up, I’m spilling this tea all over you.”

“I’m already hot enough, thanks.”

She narrowed her eyes at him.

“You’re pushing it.”

“Says the one who barged in talking about sex and orgasms.”

“Ugh, you might be right, but—”

“I am right.”

“All right, fine.” She paused, then leveled him with a serious look. “You have to promise me, though, that you’ll think about them—not just yourself—when it happens.”

“Ooookay.” He lifted his pinky finger toward her, the smirk still lingering. “I promise.”

She laced her pinky with his, sealing the deal. 

“Happy now?” He asked. 

“Not really. It’s still weird thinking about you with other girls, but yeah, better than I was thirty minutes ago.”

Noah narrowed his eyes, studying her face, trying to read her thoughts. There was something unspoken between them, an invisible thread that always seemed to pull tighter the closer they got. 

He let out a breath, feeling the subtle shift between them. It wasn’t the tension that was there earlier; it was something softer, more familiar. With Lia, things never stayed too heavy for long. It was one of the things he loved about her—things could be strange, awkward, but they never broke.

Lia settled next to him, nudging her shoulder against his as Noah turned on the TV. He suggested they play some video games instead of watching a movie, and she agreed, completely unaware of the storm brewing in his mind. Inappropriate images flashed through his thoughts—images of them together, naked, her soft commands in his ear as he obeyed, eager to make her feel as good as she deserved. He wondered what it would be like if she said the words, if she let him, if they crossed that line. How much would he give to her? Everything, if she asked.

Not long after that day, Noah lost his virginity. It was with a girl he’d met at a friend’s house—a black-haired girl who had sparked some fleeting interest in him. He hadn’t thought much of the girl at first, but when they started dancing together, he felt… attraction. 

The night they had sex, they had all been out at a club, Noah, Lia, Matt, Jolly, and their usual group of friends. 

Lia had seen them on the dancefloor—caught a glimpse of the girl kissing Noah’s neck, her lips lingering too long. Something twisted inside her, an unwelcome feeling she didn’t quite understand. She told herself to get a grip and finished her beer in one quick gulp. When Noah and his new girlfriend passed by her on their way out, Lia winked at him, already tipsy, her face flushed from the alcohol.

Noah hesitated. He wanted to stay, to make sure Lia got home safely like he always did, but the girl tugged on his arm, pulling him away. He found himself torn between the pull of his present and the weight of his responsibility to Lia. But for the first time, he didn’t stay.

Later that night, with the black-haired girl in his bed, all Noah could think of was Lia. He tried to focus, to be in the moment, but her presence was a ghost in the room. Every girl after that night would carry the same haunting thread—because every time he had sex, Lia was there. Her promise, her words, lingered in his mind.

He had sworn to her that he’d be considerate, that he’d make every girl feel special, and he did. But what Lia didn’t know was that every girl he touched, every one he pleased, was just a stand-in. No matter whose legs he was between, no matter who whispered his name, his thoughts always circled back to her. Lia was always in his head. The promise he’d made to her—it was her name, her face, her pleasure, that guided every move.

And that secret was one he’d carry with him, long after the girls were gone.

🔖 The Inevitability of Love at Second Sight taglist:

@somebodyels3 | @respectfulrebel | @thecoyotescry | @bluestdai | @lma1986

@sweetwombatpizza | @missduffsblog | @shilohrosechicken | @jilliemiw86 | @alwaysfightforwhoyouare

[the-monkey-ruler]

Club Penguin (2005)

Date: October 24, 2005 Platform: Mac / PC / iPhone / iPad / Android / Browser Developer: RocketSnail Games / Disney Canada Inc. / Disney / Interactive Publisher: Disney Interactive Genre: Action / MMORPG / Platformer Theme: Comedy / Espionage Franchises: Club Penguin / Disney Type: Appropriation

Summary:

Originally launched on October 24, 2005 by Disney Canada (then New Horizon Interactive), Club Penguin was a popular virtual world browser game aimed at kids and teens. The game featured a chat system, customizable penguin characters, virtual pets, several minigames, as well as quests, often connected to the series' standalone entries. The game also featured a premium subscription system, allowing monthly subscribers access to a wider array of clothing items, puffles, and igloo customization options.

In 2013, a mobile app for the game was introduced, beginning with iPad before expanding to iPhone and Android in 2014.

On January 30, 2017, it was announced that services for Club Penguin were to be discontinued in anticipation of Adobe Flash's end of life, as well as to shift players towards Club Penguin Island. Following an in-game party event beginning the day after the announcement, Club Penguin was officially taken offline in March of the same year.

In February 2017, fans of Club Penguin launched Club Penguin Rewritten, an attempted resurrection using files from the original game. The most popular fan-revival of Club Penguin, Rewritten garnered roughly 10 million users, eventually leading the project's team to add new, original content, and in-game advertising. On April 13, 2022, Rewritten was taken offline in response to a copyright infringement claim by Disney.

Source: https://www.giantbomb.com/club-penguin/3030-36105/

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytZI_o8UZyE

[waycaseuk]

The **evolution of the iPhone** since its introduction in 2007 has been a defining journey in the world of smartphones, with significant advancements in design, performance, and features. Here's a brief overview of key milestones in iPhone evolution:

### 1. **iPhone (2007)**

- **Notable Features**: 3.5" touchscreen, 2 MP camera, 4GB/8GB storage.

- **Innovation**: The first touchscreen-only smartphone, removing the physical keyboard seen in other phones at the time. It introduced multi-touch technology and mobile internet.

### 2. **iPhone 3G (2008)**

- **Notable Features**: 3G network support, App Store.

- **Innovation**: Faster internet browsing with 3G connectivity and the launch of the App Store, which opened the door to third-party apps.

### 3. **iPhone 3GS (2009)**

- **Notable Features**: Faster processor, video recording, voice control.

- **Innovation**: Significant speed improvements ("S" stands for speed) and better camera capabilities, including video recording.

### 4. **iPhone 4 (2010)**

- **Notable Features**: Retina Display, FaceTime, 5 MP camera, glass design.

- **Innovation**: A major redesign with a stainless steel frame and glass front/back, and the introduction of the Retina Display, which had higher pixel density for crisper visuals.

### 5. **iPhone 4S (2011)**

- **Notable Features**: Siri, 8 MP camera, A5 chip.

- **Innovation**: Siri, the first virtual assistant on an iPhone, was introduced, along with significant camera and processor upgrades.

### 6. **iPhone 5 (2012)**

- **Notable Features**: 4" display, Lightning connector, LTE support.

- **Innovation**: The iPhone grew in size to a 4-inch screen and introduced the Lightning connector, replacing the 30-pin dock.

### 7. **iPhone 5S & 5C (2013)**

- **Notable Features (5S)**: Touch ID, 64-bit architecture.

- **Notable Features (5C)**: Colorful plastic body.

- **Innovation**: The iPhone 5S brought Touch ID for fingerprint authentication and a powerful 64-bit A7 chip. The 5C was a more affordable model with colorful designs.

### 8. **iPhone 6 & 6 Plus (2014)**

- **Notable Features**: 4.7" & 5.5" displays, Apple Pay.

- **Innovation**: Apple entered the "phablet" market with larger displays, along with introducing Apple Pay, the company's mobile payment system.

### 9. **iPhone 6S & 6S Plus (2015)**

- **Notable Features**: 3D Touch, 12 MP camera, 4K video.

- **Innovation**: The introduction of 3D Touch, which allowed the screen to detect varying levels of pressure, creating new ways to interact with the phone.

### 10. **iPhone SE (2016)**

- **Notable Features**: 4" screen, A9 chip (same as iPhone 6S).

- **Innovation**: A smaller, more affordable model, resembling the iPhone 5S but with the internal power of the iPhone 6S.

### 11. **iPhone 7 & 7 Plus (2016)**

- **Notable Features**: Dual cameras (7 Plus), no headphone jack, water resistance.

- **Innovation**: The removal of the headphone jack was controversial, and Apple also introduced dual cameras on the 7 Plus for improved zoom and portrait photography.

### 12. **iPhone 8 & 8 Plus (2017)**

- **Notable Features**: Wireless charging, glass back, True Tone display.

- **Innovation**: While similar to the iPhone 7, the 8 series introduced wireless charging through the glass back and enhanced display technology with True Tone.

### 13. **iPhone X (2017)**

- **Notable Features**: Edge-to-edge OLED display, Face ID, no home button.

- **Innovation**: A radical redesign that removed the home button and Touch ID, replacing it with Face ID, Apple’s facial recognition technology. It also introduced the first OLED display in an iPhone.

### 14. **iPhone XS, XS Max, & XR (2018)**

- **Notable Features**: Larger OLED display (XS Max), Liquid Retina display (XR), A12 chip.

- **Innovation**: The XS Max brought a massive 6.5" screen, while the XR offered a more affordable option with an LCD display but the same powerful internals.

### 15. **iPhone 11, 11 Pro, & 11 Pro Max (2019)**

- **Notable Features**: Ultra-wide camera, night mode, A13 chip.

- **Innovation**: A triple-camera system on the Pro models enhanced photography, including better low-light performance with night mode.

### 16. **iPhone SE (2nd Gen) (2020)**

- **Notable Features**: A13 chip, 4.7" display, Touch ID.

- **Innovation**: Like the original SE, this model combined older iPhone design (resembling the iPhone 8) with powerful internals from newer models, offering a budget-friendly option.

### 17. **iPhone 12 Mini, 12, 12 Pro, & 12 Pro Max (2020)**

- **Notable Features**: 5G support, MagSafe, Ceramic Shield.

- **Innovation**: The iPhone 12 series introduced 5G connectivity and the MagSafe system for attaching accessories. Ceramic Shield provided increased drop protection.

### 18. **iPhone 13 Mini, 13, 13 Pro, & 13 Pro Max (2021)**

- **Notable Features**: Smaller notch, ProMotion 120Hz display (Pro models), Cinematic Mode.

- **Innovation**: Focused on camera improvements, including Cinematic Mode for video recording, and higher refresh rate displays on the Pro models for smoother performance.

### 19. **iPhone SE (3rd Gen) (2022)**

- **Notable Features**: A15 chip, 5G, improved battery life.

- **Innovation**: Continuation of the budget-friendly SE line with more powerful internals.

### 20. **iPhone 14, 14 Plus, 14 Pro, & 14 Pro Max (2022)**

- **Notable Features**: Dynamic Island (Pro models), 48 MP camera (Pro), Always-On Display (Pro), satellite SOS.

- **Innovation**: The Pro models introduced the Dynamic Island, a new interactive notification area, along with the powerful 48 MP main camera and satellite communication for emergencies.

### 21. **iPhone 15, 15 Plus, 15 Pro, & 15 Pro Max (2023)**

- **Notable Features**: USB-C port, A17 Pro chip, Action Button (Pro models).

- **Innovation**: The transition from Lightning to USB-C for universal charging, along with enhanced performance and camera upgrades.

The iPhone's journey reflects major technological strides and design shifts, focusing on improving usability, camera quality, and processing power with each iteration.

[territorialufo]

i give in can you tell me about that little iphone binch

YESS YES I CAN TELL YOU ABOUT THE LITTLE IPHONE BINCH !!!!!!!!! this is literally just rambling im so sorry. There's a lot of text blocks in the beginning but the end has more pics and silly stuff 

Also ii spoilers but its hard to talk abt mephone without getting into the recent stuff so whatever 

Under cut cause this got. Really long. whoops

Context/background of II/mephone 

“Inanimate Insanity” (ii) is a web animation originally released in 2011, considered the second “major” object show after BFDI. btw an object show is a genre of web series that features anthropomorphized inanimate objects competing for some kind of prize. I am NOT the right person to ask about object shows cause the only one ive ever been invested in to this extent is ii and theres SOO many other ones out there LMAO. Ok sorry i sounded like a bot for a second there JUST PROVIDING CONTEXT!! Inanimate Insanity’s structure is kind of interesting because it starts out as a silly comedy in s1 and most of s2 before descending into a really drama heavy storyline, with tension caused both by mephone’s past haunting him and conflict between the contestants themselves. Then suddenly s2 goes on a four year hiatus and animationepic (main youtube channel) launches s3 with new characters and artstyle, seemingly completely ditching the plot they had in s2??? IM NOT GONNA GET TOO INTO ALL THAT but it all works out timeline wise so its chill the tone switch was just rly funny at the time 😭😭😭 

ANYWAYYYY mephone. Mephone4. Mister phone. Four. The one and only four. MeFon! MePhone4 (parodying the IPhone4) is the de facto host of the in-universe reality show “Inanimate Insanity”!! As the host, he has speaking lines in nearly every episode which is super awesome and epic for mephone4 enjoyers (me). His initial vibe was inspired by Chris McClean from TDI, and was even voiced by Christian Potenza in the first episode before being switched to Mark Katz, who is the father of the creator of II, Adam Katz, which is also pretty cool i think. Since Mark Katz is a grown ass dude, mephone just has. The same voice for like the entire series SHDHF everyone else’s voices are changing and stuff as the creators got older but mephone just sounds like a middle aged man for all of it 😭I love it tho this isn’t a criticism!!! As the years go by it gets more and more expressive :) s1 is. rough. considering it was made by a bunch of kids, its very much a product of its time lol

Lore/character 

Ok lore time cause the thing w mephone is most of his backstory was kind of just hinted at (or implied with the existence of Apple irl). Like in s1 there was the introduction of mephone4s and 5, but otherwise, not much (as far as I can remember. I watched s1 when i was a kid so its been a while lmao). Then there was s2e8 where the contestants go to headquarters and we meet steve cobs (yes, like steve jobs), who’s his creator and dad?? Again some hints are dropped but nothing concrete about their relationship. And then BOOM. SEASON 2 EPISODE 13. “Mine Your Own Business” was my fave II ep for sooo long (idk what my fave is now tbh) cause THE MEPHONE LORE DROP??????? IT WAS CRAZY and also the ending of the episode with fan’s monologue and the soundtrack “shell of a fan” is my fave in the show ANYWAY ANYWAY so begins the remembering of the Horrors. 

He was “born” in Meeple Headquarters, and PLEASE KNOW THAT HE WAS BORN AN ADULT OH MY GOD there are some clowns who think hes literally 14 years old bc thats how old the iphone4 is USE YOUR BRAIN USE YOUR BRAIN AAAAA right so he basically knows nothing about the world, confined to headquarters until his eventual escape. Cobs and mephone have a pretty interesting dynamic, where cobs has most of the power. The way Cobs praises mephone but later shoots him down is so AUHGHGHGH. It’s an oppressive environment he's living in, only expected to do assigned tasks and shamed for any genuine interests, while having the pressure to impress his creator on his shoulders at the threat of being discarded. Mephone grows to hate and fear cobs, but at the same time, cobs is the only person whos known him since the beginning.

The way literally every problem mephone has can be traced back to his origin/how he was raised is so crazy. Like even before the s2e16 twist, it was extremely prevalent??? There are a bunch of analysis posts that explain it way better than I could but MANNNN for a show that the crew started when they were literally 13, they were able to tie things together pretty well, i think! 

It’s been pretty obvious since s2e13 that hosting Inanimate Insanity is just one big escapist fantasy for mephone, one where he is free to do as he pleases while ignoring all the trauma he sustained in “childhood”. Cause it’s implied he escaped Meeple, deleted his bad memories, and then started s1 right after. I mean, it makes sense, since outside of the cold, mechanical nature of Meeple, the only warmth he got was from his enjoyment of reality tv shows. If s1 is an amnesia mephone, and s2 is a spiraling mephone, then I’d describe s3 as “escapism but worse” mephone. It doesn’t ever get as gloomy as s2, but s3 has steady background reminders of “hey guys remember mephone is running away from all his problems right now!!” until it all comes to head in the finale. Some ppl dislike how mephone-centric the show’s gotten, but honestly idgaf more for me

I do want to say that he is very flawed, though. Esp near the beginning, he is really fucking rude and does not respect his contestants at all and frequently belittles them and puts them in mortal danger. he tends to view them and everything that happens to them through the lens of “its just part of the show!!!!”. He tends to brush off everyone’s problems, no matter how serious, even when he’s the one that caused them.

His reality show host personality is all a very big facade to cover up how he feels about the past (thus further submerging him in the fantasy of Inanimate Insanity). Like previous users have mentioned, this is likely due to the fact that he had no one to learn HOW to be empathetic/kind from besides reality television (which is known to be exaggerated for drama) and cobs (who is his abuser) But I famously do enjoy characters who are kind of dickheads, the confidence being a mask is like a tasty bonus to me.

The dichotomy between his arrogant host exterior and paranoid/anxious interior is really interesting and fun to watch. Compared to his relatively sweet/naive beginning personality, it’s wild to see just how much he’s changed since then because of everything that’s happened.  His relationships with the rest of the characters is also interesting, cause despite being their host, he isn’t very close with a lot of them. Other than maybe Bot, who I believe he feels kinship with since they're both robots who freed themselves from the expectations of others. Same with Mepad, since they’re both from Meeple. 

He’s a robot, but in an emotional/psychological sense, is basically a normal person/object (person is synonymous with object in this case). He feels like a person despite being an AI. which makes cobs a lot worse imo, he mistreats all his creations, but at least the other newer mephones are barely “feeling” at all, unlike 4.

Basically, 

Cobs: i have engineered a machine that is functionally a person

Everyone: you fucked up a perfectly good phone is what you did. Look at him. He’s got ptsd. 

Not to get too into ii16/17, but they basically recontextualized the entire series and made what we initially thought about mephone’s escapist tendencies and origins a million times worse. Bro was so tormented he subconsciously made his OCs come to life 😭😭😭all while projecting all his issues onto them??? Psychologically sound individual activities. Additionally, the way he was created is also. Terrible. Cobs basically invaded an alien planet, kidnapped an alien kid, and then presumably used its energy to create mephone4. Outer space colonization? In MY object show? yes!

Ok now im just gonna talk about random stuff i like about him  

His powers are so cool.,.,,. Esp as a foil to cobs/mephonex, who could represent destruction, he represents creation with his generation ability. Also something abt using his powers for non violent reasons when his creation was built upon violence uhh idk. And I think the screen turning green and the sound effect is very satisfying dlsjkfg. Oh and the fact that he canonically had to practice to get better at it? In the flashbacks he’s shown having trouble generating even a simple tree, and now he can make pretty much anything with minimal effort. 

Also MeLife, which allows him to bring contestants back from the dead, is an ability unique to him, which is super cool!!

He can create portals as well and this is never explained. He can just suddenly do it KDLJFGH this kind of renders Mepad’s teleportation ability useless but it's still fun. 

I like when he uses his face as an actual screen :)

Something something robot related stuff

He is not waterproof and will malfunction or even die when wet

His speaking function can be disabled by other people

Glitches while talking sometimes!! Delightful 

Something that gets overlooked often I think is the s1 finale, where mephone4S (mephone4's brother) basically killed himself to save mephone4 by downgrading his own OS. Technically, mephone isn’t even in his original body anymore, he’s inhabiting his brother’s. Fun!

this is unrelated but he got shot in the face with a gun once. there havent been any guns since unfortunately

Get yoinked idiot 

In conclusion, 

I heart him and im sad ii is gonna be ending soon thx for reading

[passionesolja]

So at risk of not sounding like an oldhead, I’ve been a fan of Baldur’s Gate since I was 13-14. Baldur’s Gate is one of those games that I buy on any system I can. I have BG1 and BG2 for iPhone, Computer, switch. Everything I can get it on, I can. Ima be 100 wit y’all, I was in the “DnD game made by Larian” mental frenzy like most mfs was, because end of the day, I think Larian made a great DnD cRPG in THEIR style, but they didn’t make a Baldur’s Gate game.

“Why do you say that?” Because mechanically, gameplay wise, if you’ve never played any other game in the series but BG3, you’re not going to have the proper skills to go back. Game from the 90s or not, I think it’s an issue that Larian made a game so close to Divinity: Original Sin that it makes it difficult for Baldur’s Gate 3 players to go back to play Baldur’s Gate 1 and 2. Because Larian didn’t create the series, BioWare did, they were just given the rights to make the third installments.

I’ve never really tripped over it up until this point because imo, Pathfinder is keeping the Baldur’s Gate/Infinity Engine cRPG torch going. Plus, Larian made a great DnD cRPG but as I’m seeing more and more “Baldur’s Gate 3 is my first cRPG game” types be recommended D:OS 1 and 2, instead of the previous games in a series that introduced them to the genre, I just gotta raise the red flag here.

Fuck the “my fave romance doesn’t have as much focus as Astarion” discourse. This is the real shit that Larian should be dragged for. cRPGs are not sports games or FPS games. The individuality of a cRPG is super important to its existence, whether that be gameplay, setting, story, etc. Game titles and IPs aren’t just flashy names to catch your eye, the names “Pathfinder:”, “Divinity:”, etc. have a lot of baggage and expectations attached to them. When the next Pathfinder or Divinity game comes out, I know what to expect from it because I know the legacy of their respective previous games. cRPGs have their roots in table top games, and if you buy the new DnD 6e rulebook, and it’s Rogue Trader then you’d be like “wait”.

That’s what makes cRPGs so special, is because a new IP in the genre is a new IP in the genre. The most pivotal thing a cRPG has to do is forge its own style. This—imo, in the modern age—is because of all the Infinity Engine games that came out. BG, IWD, PST, are all on the same engine but they’re totally different games.

With the popularity of Baldur’s Gate 3, that ethos is lost on a lot of new players. The game will always be a fantastic DnD cRPG, but it won’t ever be a good Baldur’s Gate game.

[championkoma]

I am once again back on my pokemon bullshit.

Over the past 10 years or so, my love for pokemon has been fading with each new release. Starting with Sun and Moon, I began to feel like pokemon had become too kid friendly for me, as I just graduated high school and was truly beginning my adult life. I enjoyed the story of Sun and Moon but did not enjoy the games mechanics in the totems rather than gyms and what not and did not enjoy the region itself so much. After that, ultra Sun and moon released and I bought it but never even beat it until this year because I just couldn’t get into it. I enjoyed the Lets Go games but wish there was more battling involved so I could see my boy mega blastoise more in Kanto. I was quite excited for Pokemon Sword and Shield but once I began playing I quickly grew bored of it, can’t really place any reason why but it just didn’t stick. I had fun with Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl but they’re nothing to write home about. Then legends arceus released and I was super hyped for it, and now I still have not finished it. I think it’s the best idea the pokemon company has had in years but I can only play for about 30 minutes before getting bored. Now with Scarlet and Violet, I was not hyped in the slightest but bought scarlet anyways and actually ended up loving the story but thought it was an ugly game, the first dlc was fun and I looked forward to the second but once it came out, I quickly gave up once encountering the trials.

Overall, I figured I’ve just outgrown Pokemon but once IOS allowed emulators, I decided to get all the older games again and quickly felt the nostalgia and love for the series in full again.

The Delta Emulator for GB/GBA/DS.

I downloaded delta first, as it was the emulator I was most familiar with. I got all the GB and GBA games first but quickly wanted to try SoulSilver for DS again. At this point I’m not too far but still open it up and grind whenever I have time.

ArcEmu for Apple Watch

I then learned of ArcEmu that allows you to play Gb/GBA games on an Apple Watch. I love this idea and downloaded FireRed for it but don’t really use it for anything, but enjoy knowing that I have it with me if I ever leave my phone.

Folium

An emulator for 3DS games has been fun to tinker with but doesn’t run the best on my iPhone 13 mini. Weirdly, Pokemon Omega Ruby seems to run better than Pokemon X.

Overall, I just like to tinker with the emulators on iOS and prefer the DS and 3ds games on emulators, for some reason GB and GBA feels wrong on phones.

Pokémon Go

I have been a day 1 pokemon Go rural player, over the years I have mostly just used it for transferring shiny pokemon to my main switch games. At this point I’m pretty much done with the game as they continue to make the game a pain for rural players who don’t want to spend money. I have transferred all of my shinies to home and most of the pokemon but will still check the game whenever I’m in new areas and whatnot.

Pokemon TCG Pocket

I started playing the new Pokemon TCG Pocket game and im liking it so far. I’ve never been much of a Pokemon TCG player, just a collector and this game scratches the itch for a casual collector like me who just likes to buy a booster pack occasionally here and there. I pulled a full art Mewtwo card which was cool.

Pokémon Sapphire/GameBoy Micro

About 2 years ago, I bought a GameBoy Advanced and a couple of Pokemon Repro carts. Eventually I pulled the trigger on a legitimate copy of Pokemon Sapphire. I work full time and do full time college so I don’t have much time to actually play. Eventually I decided to get a GameBoy micro, and decided to go for a cheaper and more beat up so that I can take it with me everywhere and not feel bad if it gets beat up.

I have loved having a GameBoy micro with me. I still don’t get to play as much as I’d like but it makes lunch breaks more fun at work and something about playing on actual hardware feels so much better.

Pokemon and the impact it has had on me

I have been a lifelong Pokemon fan, many of my earliest memories include Pokemon. I watched Pokemon the first movie probably over 100 times. I collected and traded Pokemon cards on the playground with many of my classmates. I received Pokemon firered as my first Pokemon game when I was 10, around the time Pokemon platinum was released and put hundreds of hours into it. Once, Pokemon X and Y released I made it my goal to complete the pokedex and was successful. I probably put 300-500 hours per game back in the day and now usually don’t even spend 100 hours on the modern games. Maybe I’m just a grumpy old fan but to me it feels like modern Pokemon is missing the heart that old Pokemon had.

Anyways, just figured I’d make a post for the hell of it and just chat about Pokémon.

[ovmobiles]

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The new A18 chip delivers a huge leap in performance and efficiency, enabling demanding AAA games, as well as a big boost in battery life. Available in 6.1-inch and 6.7-inch display sizes, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus feature a gorgeous, durable design and offer a big boost in battery life. Apple has confirmed that the new iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Plus models are equipped with 8GB RAM, an upgrade from the 6GB RAM in last year's base models. Johny Srouji, Apple's senior vice president of hardware technologies,

How long does the iPhone 16 battery last? Battery size Battery life (Hrs:Mins) iPhone 16 3,561 mAh 12:43 iPhone 16 Plus 4,674 mAh 16:29 iPhone 16 Pro 3,582 mAh 14:07 iPhone 16 Pro Max 4,685 mAh 17:35 The iPhone is a smartphone made by Apple that combines a computer, iPod, digital camera and cellular phone into one device with a touchscreen interface. iPhones are super popular because they're easy to use, work well with other Apple gadgets, and keep your stuff safe. They also take great pictures, have cool features, and hold their value over time. iOS devices benefit from regular and timely software updates, ensuring that users have access to the latest features and security enhancements. This is in contrast to Android, where the availability of updates varies among manufacturers and models in ov mobiles.

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The Google Pixel 9 Pro is the new kid on the block in this year's lineup. The Pixel 8 Pro was succeeded by the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL and the 9 Pro is a new addition to the portfolio - it is a compact, full-featured flagship with all of the bells and whistles of its bigger XL sibling

A compact Pixel is not a new concept in itself, of course, but this is the first time Google is bringing the entirety of its A-game to this form factor. The Pixel 9 Pro packs a 48MP, 5x optical periscope telephoto camera - the same as the Pixel 9 Pro XL. There is also UWB onboard the Pixel 9 Pro. Frankly, it's kind of amazing that Google managed to fit so much extra hardware inside what is essentially the same footprint as the non-Pro Pixel 9.

Google Pixel 9 Pro specs at a glance: Body: 152.8x72.0x8.5mm, 199g; Glass front (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), glass back (Gorilla Glass Victus 2), aluminum frame; IP68 dust/water resistant (up to 1.5m for 30 min). Display: 6.30" LTPO OLED, 120Hz, HDR10+, 2000 nits (HBM), 3000 nits (peak), 1280x2856px resolution, 20.08:9 aspect ratio, 495ppi; Always-on display. Chipset: Google Tensor G4 (4 nm): Octa-core (1x3.1 GHz Cortex-X4 & 3x2.6 GHz Cortex-A720 & 4x1.92 GHz Cortex-A520); Mali-G715 MC7. Memory: 128GB 16GB RAM, 256GB 16GB RAM, 512GB 16GB RAM, 1TB 16GB RAM; UFS 3.1. OS/Software: Android 14, up to 7 major Android upgrades. Rear camera: Wide (main): 50 MP, f/1.7, 25mm, 1/1.31", 1.2µm, dual pixel PDAF, OIS; Telephoto: 48 MP, f/2.8, 113mm, 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF, OIS, 5x optical zoom; Ultra wide angle: 48 MP, f/1.7, 123-degree, 1/2.55", dual pixel PDAF. Front camera: 42 MP, f/2.2, 17mm (ultrawide), PDAF. Video capture: Rear camera: 8K@30fps, 4K@24/30/60fps, 1080p@24/30/60/120/240fps; gyro-EIS, OIS, 10-bit HDR; Front camera: 4K@30/60fps, 1080p@30/60fps. Battery: 4700mAh; 27W wired, PD3.0, PPS, 55% in 30 min (advertised), 21W wireless (w/ Pixel Stand), 12W wireless (w/ Qi-compatible charger), Reverse wireless. Connectivity: 5G; eSIM; Wi-Fi 7; BT 5.3, aptX HD; NFC. Misc: Fingerprint reader (under display, ultrasonic); stereo speakers; Ultra Wideband (UWB) support, Satellite SOS service, Circle to Search. Google also paid some extra attention to the display of the Pro. It is a bit bigger than the Pixel 8's and better than that inside the regular Pixel 9. The resolution has been upgraded to 1280 x 2856 pixels, the maximum brightness has been improved, and there is LTPO tech for dynamic refresh rate adjustment.

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[deathbyautopilot]

We Control the Narrative - On Website Eugenics, Homestuck, and Your Problematic Favs

I entered the digital realm at about 10 years old, just barely witnessing the shift from the web to apps. I played Runescape on a dusty old desktop fitted with Windows XP and would browse through the open forums for games I would never play. But as much as I try to remember the endless dotcom online world and its endless whimsy, works like Kate Wagner’s 404 Page Not Found expose just how far gone that era truly is. For two decades now, the internet has been gradually appropriated by a powerful few, corralling an expansive and free userbase into an easily controlled market.

The shift from the open web to centralized apps has gradually stripped the individual user of the “thrill of the hunt” that characterized the Web 2.0 era. Kate Wagner reflected on the fleeting memories of the open internet, and that nostalgic experience of stumbling upon a single customized site that silently broke down the boundaries of the digital realm. Any website on any page of your search results could yield a treasure trove of groundbreaking new knowledge, media, and community. Sometimes this was finding a new online game, like how it felt to log in to Club Penguin for the first time. But more often than that, it was entire networks of individuals and media that would defy all expectations for what art, and the internet, can be.

This quote pulled from internet historian Olia Lialina summarizes the landscape best:

“It was a web of sudden connections and personal links. Pages were built on the edge of tomorrow, full of hope for a faster connection and a more powerful computer.”

But in a post-iPhone world, the shift towards streamlined and prescribed apps neglected the web into obsolescence. Maximalism gave way to minimalism, UIs gradually deteriorated, urging you to download their new app or subtly manipulating the content that browsers would expose users to. As a 90s kid, Wagner watched this happen in the fall of MySpace, where personal archives were purged simply because it was not profitable to keep them around. For me, it was the fall of Adobe Flash, and the creative media that it took away.

Adobe Flash and I go way back, spanning from Elementary school lunches in the computer lap playing Cool Math Games with all my classmates to late-night exploration on the family laptop. One of my most memorable internet experiences came in the months after I discovered Homestuck, a multi-media webcomic that dominated niche digital communities since its debut in 2009.

Having started only 2 years after the iPhone came out, Homestuck is a legend of early Web 2.0, with a rich and expansive digital narrative that the Atlantic dubbed “a story that could only be told online”. By blending IM chatlogs as dialogue, GIFs as panels, flash media, fully animated videos with complete soundtracks, and a one-of-a-kind narrative, this interactive site would draw in millions of users with each update and bridge the divide between forums, personal blogs, and social networks like Twitter and Tumblr.

I will always remember the day that Act 6 of the series came to a climax with the flash video [S] Collide (April 6th 2016, the best day of my 13 year-old, internet-dwelling life), and of course, July of the next year when it was announced that Adobe Flash would die by the end of 2020.

When Flash went down all those years later — while Homestuck was still being updated on this same site — the new owner of the series’ publishing and printing rights Viz Media made little effort to preserve the 8000+ page time capsule. This prompted fans of the series to come together to compile the Unofficial Homestuck Collection, an optimized, offline version of the original site, even offering language filters to correct its less tasteful writing choices. This was an invaluable act, but it also represents a process of corporate neglect, and the ongoing cleansing of any media online that is deemed unworthy of preservation. Wagner compared this to a series of minor Libraries of Alexandria being burned to the ground, and rich personal narratives being buried beneath a controlled legacy of human history.

“The artifacts of internet life are personal—that is, not professionally or historically notable—and therefore worthless.”

Homestuck fans are split between those who recognize it as a postmodern masterpiece comparable to Ulysses, and those who would be happy to see it left in the rubble of the old web. I understand the desire to leave the unfavourable behind us, but accepting the latter narrative gives in to what Wagner called “Website Eugenics”; A process of devaluing the maximalist, often personalized and gaudy, or in some way flawed in favour of the minimalist, rigid professional class standards being set for the contemporary web. In the case of “dated” media, either cringey personal blogs from middle school or crass lowbrow humour, they will be posited as a damper on material history, when in fact it is deeply human.

The more that we accept a narrative of some digital remnants being of value, and others being a poor reflection of our popular culture, the more that we allow an oppressive power dynamic to play out. Everything, even your cringey middle school Myspace or Tumblr blog, or a webcomic that was drawn in MS paint, deserves to be preserved. If the select few get to control the narrative of the majority, we slowly lose these beautiful connections between ourselves, our media, and our ongoing futures. Internet historians, archivists, and cultural commentators like Kate Wagner are doing what they know combats this agenda; revel in the legacy of the early web, retain all that you can, and do it authentically.

[procreatebrushes01]

There are Gouache-ish Free Brushes for Procreate Download from the Below Link...

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The Gouache MaxPack has been updated to v2! Enjoy 62 natural media brushes including 10 brand new brushes and significant improvements to many of your existing favorites. No matter if you're trying to replicate the flat, bold marks of a mid-century cartoonist, the loose, energetic marks of a concept artist, or the delicate shading of a fully rendered fantasy illustration, this set of brushes has what you need. You will love the velvety marks of the Gouache Smooth as your new daily driver. If you want the beloved look of early animation art, you'll want the Gritty Series for that perfect bit of dry brush on the end of your marks. Capture the effortless looseness of a plein air painter with the Bristle, Split, and Shredded brushes. Or thin out your paint and build up your washes with the Thin Series, each with their own character and grain patterns. Many of the staple brushes of the pack also have alternate Glaze variants which allow you to use the opacity slider to customize how you want to layer your marks. Gouache is a medium as varied as the artists who use it, and the range available in this MaxPack will inspire you to paint exactly how you like. Also included is my absolute favorite new drawing tool, the 600 Series Pencil, inspired by the Blackwing 602. Also new in this update is improved performance across the board in Procreate Pocket for iPhone as a bonus.

62 Brushes Included in the Set:

The 600 Series Pencil

New 2H Pencil

15 Versatile Everyday Favorites

5 Expressive Flats

6 Precise Detail Brushes

3 Blendable Wet Brushes

13 Textures and Shaders

4 Transparent Wash Brushes

11 Complementary Smudge Brushes

Check out our Collection

All Brushes Sets

Collection of all Sets of Brushes including Cartooning Brushes Sets, Gouache Brushes Sets, Pencil Brushes Sets, Sketching Brushes Sets, Watercolour Brushes Sets to unleash your Creativity for Absolutely Free.

Cartooning Brushes Sets

Explore our treasure trove of Cartooning Brush Sets – all for free! Elevate your Procreate creations with whimsy and style. Let your imagination run wild with our versatile brushes. Download now and bring your cartoons to life! 🎨✨

Gouache Brushes Sets 

Dive into the vibrant world of Gouache with our exclusive brush sets – available for free! Transform your Procreate artwork with rich textures and bold strokes. Unleash your creativity and add depth to your designs. Download now and paint your dreams in Gouache! 🎨🖌️

Pencil Brushes Sets

Sketch, doodle, and illustrate with our collection of Pencil Brush Sets – yours for free! Bring the timeless charm of pencil to your Procreate creations. From fine lines to expressive shading, explore endless possibilities. Download now and let your imagination flow! 🖊️🎨

Sketching Brushes Sets

Unleash your inner artist with our Sketching Brush Sets – now available for free! Elevate your Procreate sketches with precision and fluidity. From quick doodles to detailed masterpieces, explore the full spectrum of sketching possibilities. Download now and bring your ideas to life! 🖊️🎨

Watercolour Brushes Sets

Dive into the world of watercolors with our stunning Brush Sets – all for free! Add depth, texture, and realism to your Procreate artwork with ease. From delicate washes to bold strokes, explore the endless possibilities of digital watercolor. Download now and paint your imagination to life! 🎨💧

[govindhtech]

Apple M4 Chip and iOS 18: A Look at Next-Level Performance

Apple M4 Chip Rumors Apple M4 Chip Features

Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman says Apple will add M4 Chips to its Macs in late 2024. Artificial intelligence performance will be improved by the Apple M4 Chip. Apple intends to launch its first Macs equipped with the Apple M4 Chip family of CPUs in that time frame.

M4 Chip Release date Since Apple unveiled the M3, M3 Pro, and M3 Max CPUs all at once in October of last year, it’s probable the Apple M4 Chip range may be shown around the same time. Gurman said the M4 will be arriving in late 2024 and early 2025 for all Macs.

The first to get Apple M4 Chips are the iMac, low-level 14-inch MacBook Pro, elite 14-inch MacBook Pro, 16-inch MacBook Pro, and Mac mini. The 13-inch and 15-inch MacBook Air models will get them in springtime 2025, the Mac Studio’s in mid-2025, and the Mac Pro later in.

Apple is approaching manufacture of the Apple M4 Chip, which will come in at least three flavours. Donan, Brava, and Hidra are the codenames for the entry-level, mid-range, and top-tier chips, respectively. The low-end Mac mini, MacBook Air, and entry-level MacBook Pro will all utilise the Donan chip, while the higher-end MacBook Pro and MacBook mini will use the Brava chip.

Since the Hidra chip is made for the Mac Pro, it is likely a “Ultra” or “Extreme” category processor. With regard to the Mac Studio, Apple is testing variants that include an M4 Brava CPU variant that is likely of a better calibre than the M4 Pro and M4 Max “Brava” chips, as well as an unpublished M3-era chip.

The maximum amount of Unified Memory that M4 models of Mac desktop computers might handle is 512GB, a significant increase above the present cap of 192GB.

Although TSMC, an Apple supplier, is expected to use an enhanced version of the 3nm process for increased performance and power efficiency, the M4 chips will be constructed using the same 3-nanometer technology as the M3 processors. Apple also intends to include a much enhanced Neural Engine with more cores for AI applications.

This week brought news of Apple’s hardware roadmap. They plan to release a complete portfolio of M4-based Macs later this year, along with various iPad models, and should solidify plans for the introduction of newer iPad Pro and iPad Air models next month.

As they examined how things are going with the iPhone 15 Pro now that it is halfway through its flagship lifetime, they also heard some new rumours regarding iOS 18, which is scheduled to be introduced at WWDC in a few months. Continue reading below for all the information on these tales and more!

As to the source, the M4 series of CPUs will be rolled out later this year to the MacBook Pro and iMac lines, and during 2025, additional models like as the MacBook Air, Mac mini, Mac Studio, and Mac Pro are anticipated to get updates as well.

According to a recent report by Mark Gurman of Bloomberg, other models with M4 series CPUs would be introduced in the next year, after the initial release of the first ones later this year. Gurman provided a more detailed plan for these Macs in his Power On email today.

Gurman reaffirmed that the Mac Studio and Mac Pro would be compatible with Apple’s internally tested M3 Ultra processor, but he added that it is “all but assured that at least some of Apple’s high-end desktops” would forego the M3 chip series.

Gurman said that Apple would highlight the M4 processor series’ artificial intelligence capabilities.

iOS 18 iOS 18 Features

According to reports, Cloud Servers Won’t Be Used for Apple’s First AI Features in iOS 18

According to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple’s initial round of new AI capabilities for iOS 18 won’t depend on cloud servers at all.

In the Q&A part of his Power On email today, Gurman said, “It appears that that the first set of features will work entirely on device as the world watches Apple’s big AI unveiling on June 10.” “That indicates that there is not a cloud computing element to the organization’s large language model, the application that enables the new capabilities.”

iOS 18 update Gurman predicts that Apple will likely continue to provide certain cloud-based AI capabilities powered by Gemini from Google or another supplier. Regarding possible collaborations in generative AI, Apple is said to have spoken with businesses including China’s Baidu, OpenAI, and Google. Although it is uncertain whether Gemini or another chatbot will be directly incorporated into iOS 18, it is not anticipated that Apple’s ChatGPT like chatbot would be included in iOS 18.

Given that Apple supply chain experts, like Ming-Chi Kuo and Jeff Pu, have said that the business is aggressively buying AI servers, it is plausible that Apple may eventually provide some of its own cloud-based generative AI capabilities.

New generative AI capabilities for the iPhone’s Spotlight search function, the Siri, Safari, Shortcuts, Apple Music, Messages, Health, Numbers, Pages, Keynote, and other apps are reportedly coming with iOS 18. Previously, Gurman stated that generative AI would let Siri answer more difficult inquiries and auto-complete phrases in Messages.

iOS 18 release date At WWDC, which runs from June 10 to 14, Apple is likely to reveal iOS 18 and other software improvements.

Read more on Govindhtech.com

[nei-ning]

Bullshit I'm dealing with in the Percy Jackson fandom: Had no one else to rant about this to. When people ask me dumb questions about me shipping Luke and Percy. Like do you know about their age difference? Do you know that Percy fictional age first starts as 12/13 and Luke's fictional age starts off at 19. It annoys me soooo much that I have to block people and their stupid questions. Yes I do know the age difference of these two fictional characters that could be any age because you know what? Their fictional!

Ok news flash this is a book series based on Greek and Roman mythology. My gay ships having age gaps is the least problematic thing about the series. I am so sick of Fandom purity culture bullshit. It's not to bad. but when people ask me these dumb questions I'm my comments, even if it's innocent. I just block. Block block block. It's sooooo annoying

It pisses me of too when people pull fictional characters' age in conversations. For God's sake they are FICTIONAL, NOT REAL! None of real world's rules or laws concerns them! How that is so hard for some people to understand? Just enjoy the fandom and let others enjoy it too, all in their own way. There's NO wrong way to enjoy fandom as long as it honestly doesn't harm any living being: No bullying, harassing, sending death threats etc. That not cool and it DOESN'T make you (the bully etc) a better person. Not even close.

Also, you are doing exactly right thing by blocking. That's your right! You have all the rights to block people who come throw shit on you. You have all the rights to block and keep your online experience as pleasant as possible for yourself.

This stupid "online purity culture" seems to be spreading, sadly. Like why? Why every damn place needs to be so "pure and kid friendly"? I remember when internet was created. It was MUCH MORE pleasant place, people were more kind and chill, there were no worries of "But what about the children!? They see porn, boobs, pussies, dicks, violence etc." (they see these in TV a lot more in these days than anything else) Back then it was PARENTS' JOB to watch after their kids and their online surfing. But back then it probably was easier too since people had only huge PC at home. No laptops, iPhones or phones overall with access to internet everywhere.

I bet this "purity culture" is spreading from America (not saying all Americans are on the side of this purification since I've seen lots of them complaining about this too, endangering their income for example - especially those who draw NSFW arts for their living).

[mostlysignssomeportents]

This day in history

Next Tues, Jul 18, I'm hosting the first Clarion Summer Write-In Series, an hour-long, free drop-in group writing and discussion session. It's in support of the Clarion SF/F writing workshop's fundraiser to offer tuition support to students:

https://mailchi.mp/theclarionfoundation/clarion-write-ins

#20yrsago Reality shows: pointing the way to the panopticon future http://www.coherenceengine.com/blog/2003_07_01_archive.html#105830809488576022

#20yrsago How to fight for privacy https://www.schneier.com/crypto-gram/archives/2003/0715.html#1

#20yrsago MSFT provides tools to defeat its own DRM https://web.archive.org/web/20030730184611/http://openp2p.com/pub/wlg/3517

#20yrsago Amtrak is faking it https://web.archive.org/web/20030718092819/https://www.oblomovka.com/entries/2003/07/15

#20yrsago Love in the age of spyware https://www.salon.com/2003/07/16/city_of_angels/

#15yrsago Tiny sovereign Dutch neighborhoods in Belgian town https://bldgblog.com/2008/07/baarle-hertog/

#15yrsago Pedo-crazed parents call father a “pervert” for photographing his own children at a park https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1035315/Father-branded-pervert--photographing-children-public-park.html

#10yrsago Saga: visually stunning, sweet and exciting space opera comic from Brian “Y: The Last Man” Vaughan https://memex.craphound.com/2013/07/15/saga-visually-stunning-sweet-and-exciting-space-opera-comic-from-brian-y-the-last-man-vaughan/

#5yrsago Ben Carson wants to raise rents on public housing tenants by 300%+, attacking elderly, people with disabilities and working poor https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/social-issues/ben-carson-says-hes-raising-rents-to-put-poor-americans-to-work--but-in-the-district-the-majority-are-either-elderly-or-disabled-or-already-work/2018/07/13/b85866a0-8127-11e8-b658-4f4d2a1aeef1_story.html?noredirect=on

#5yrsago Dianne Feinstein has lost the California Democrats’ Senate-race endorsement to a left-wing insurgent long-shot https://theintercept.com/2018/07/15/kevin-de-leon-stuns-dianne-feinstein-wins-california-democratic-party-endorsement-in-a-landslide/

#5yrsago Avowed “utopian anarchist” Elon Musk is also one of the top donors to the GOP “Protect the House” PAC https://www.salon.com/2018/07/14/elon-musk-revealed-as-one-of-the-largest-donors-for-a-house-republican-pac/

#5yrsago Chinese iPhones crash when users try to type Taiwanese flag characters https://objective-see.org/blog/blog_0x34.html

#5yrsago The world’s most popular smartphones are underpowered, unusable hot messes https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/pranavdixit/big-tech-apps-for-the-next-billion-underperform

#5yrsago Sky blue, water wet, porn filters don’t work https://www.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/cyber.2017.0466

#5yrsago America’s largest fast-food chains forced to end conspiracy not to hire people looking for better-paid McJobs https://www.npr.org/2018/07/12/628549616/fast-food-chains-back-away-from-limits-on-whom-they-hire

[the-monkey-ruler]

Bloons TD 6 (2018)

Platform: Mac / PC / iPhone / iPad / Android Developer: Ninja Kiwi Publisher: Ninja Kiwi Genre: Strategy Theme: Fantasy / Modern Military Franchises: Bloons / Bloons TD Type: Appropriation

Summary:

First released for iOS and Android on June 13, 2018, Bloons TD 6 is the sixth main entry in the Bloons TD series, a tower defense spin-off to the Bloons series of puzzle games. Unlike previous entries into the series, which were developed for Adobe Flash, TD 6 was built with Unity. Bloons TD 6 features a number of other differences relative to previous entries in the series, including polygonal 3D graphics, completely reworked tower upgrades and control schemes, and a new leveling progression system centered around "Monkey Knowledge".

Since launch, the game has received a PC release through Steam, co-op support, new towers, and several time-limited event modes.

Source: https://www.giantbomb.com/bloons-td-6/3030-68981/

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=WOWAnBXFGcU

[sieglinde-freud]

for the ask game: 2, 4, 5, 9, 17, 24, 29, 35

OOHHH THIS GONNA BE LONG under cut immediately

2. Least favorite main title?

i think this may upset some people but just of the games that i have finished (i havent played or finished every single fire emblem game… i know i know bad fan shut up) it’s prooobably fe7??? not because it’s bad. i do love that game. i just love it the least of every other game i played? i love all three of the lords a lot!! theyre just not my super favorites. i like the story fine, just not as much as other games. the gameplay is alright, but i dont think it’s anything to write home about. it’s a perfectly average fire emblem game all across the board i think. and that’s probably why i dont think about it too much? though, admittedly, ive only played through it fully once and that was like. five years ago? i could give it another run. i never did try hector hard mode, tbf… also huge shoutout to my lovelies sain and serra i love them so much…

4. What games do you wish to play next?

i dont know how often i mentioned it but i had a computer a while ago that just stopped working. like completely. the hardware is fine it just stopped functioning properly and ive taken it to literally every tech place and handed it to every computer junkie friend i have and nothing can fix it. and very unfortunately, it broke while i was in the middle of playing path of radiance. i dont really have anything else i can emulate it on right now, but if i could it’d be that. and of course, radiant dawn right after :)

5. What games would you reccomend to someone new?

toss up between 7, 8, and 13. they all have their strengths and weaknesses as entry points, but theyre all fairly simple in difficulty, and 7 and 13 were entry points for a lot of people who still love the game today, so theyre pretty easy to reccomend. 7 and 8 are easily accessible being able to emulate on like. most things?? even iphones with little hassle. 13 was also, up until very recently, very easy to grab off the eshop. i guess if someone asked me now compared to last year maybe i wouldnt say 13 for that reason? idk. 16* is also an option though, if only because it’s on the switch and while fairly different from the main fire emblem formula, it is VERY good at grabbing attention. im biased because i have used it to drag a friend into fire emblem hell so. i know it works. personally i’d probably go 7/13, 8, 16*, {the rest} but yeah. those four. move awakening down if hardware is an issue.

9. Least favorite character?

IN THE WHOLE SERIES??????? man… i dont know i dont really dislike a whole lot of characters? i guess the first one that comes to mind is gilbert three houses?? i understand why hes like that for sure and can sympathize but i dont know. everytime that hes on screen i just frustrated. the fact that he treats annette the way that he does bothers me a lot even if i understand why, but then theres also the added fact that he only becomes story relevant to replace dedue, who was a MUCH better and far less ANNOYING character to listen to all the time. like why would you replace one of my favorite students/retainers with this stupid little old man who i really have no reason to be attached to? you cant even recruit him during white clouds! not to mention, hes force deployed with the most garbage base stats (THAT YOU CANT CHANGE. BECAUSE. HE WASNT RECRUITABLE IN WHITE CLOUDS!!) in one of the hardest maps in the whole game in a position you CANNOT EDIT. like just GIVE ME DEDUE??????? you know, the CHARACTER I TRAINED??????? god… anyways so its probably him. this felt good actually i dislike him much more than i thought i did.

17. How did you get into Fire Emblem?

this is really embarrassing actually but when i was younger i was really into kid icarus uprising (i still am but like less so) and i reeeally loved pit like you see me with inigo now? that was pit for me back then. and i wanted more of him but nintendo was not giving me any kid icarus content, so what i looked up his voice actor instead, and i went through a lot of medias just to listen to him (did you know antony del rio did this live performance of maroon 5’s “This Love” that’s actually way better than the original? look it up) (no i dont like adam levine) but the one that stuck the most was this silly little game… you mightve heard of it its called Fire Emblem Fates. and i saw silas fire emblem and i was like WOAHHH. HES CUTE and did a ton of research on the series, having only vaguely known of it from smash bros. bought birthright, having learned it was the easier of the two paths, and then i just. entire life changed immediately and i didnt even know.

24. An FE title you wish would be remade?

all of them in order, which is what they already seem to be doing! so, ideally, fe4 next? of course my bias would LOVE an awakening remake but i dont think thats fair to skip all the other games. plus, i think there are other games that need a gameplay overhaul more. …like fe4.

29. Avatars: yay or nay?

i cant fucking stand the concept of avatars in fire emblem. i like all of them as characters. i think robin, corrin, byleth, and alear as characters (i havent played shadow dragon and new mystery sorry kris!) are fine. but i hate how theyre all implemented into all of their games, to the point where the words “byleth” and “alear” are never spoken in their mostly fully voiced games. its so fucking stupid. and then you have writing problems, like other playable characters not being able to have meaningful and lasting conflicts with the avatars because you have to be able to fuck them when the games over, or even during the game in robin and corrins case. and also the weird incest that has to happen if you want your avatar to have familial ties? god forbid people who just think camilla or ryoma are hot have to justify incest to themselves and read some the dumbest fucking s support bullshit just to have their little otome romance. and then the plot bending around them? robin i give a pass because i dont think awakening was annoyingly centered on them (the grima thing was close but for the most part the focus stays on chrom and i think thats a good thing) but as much as i love these games, fates, three houses, and engage all suffer from being a little TOO player pandering. making your character a god? really? especially when the avatar takes focus away from other potential story drivers (xander/takumi, 3h lords, engage royals) and like for what? i like all of the “avatars” as characters. but the way that theyre used and what little that usage does for any positive story impact is just frustrating!

35. What’s something you wish Intsys would just stop doing?

avatars.