#not really choibaek

[stormdragon23]

Choi Jong-In could have admired Baek Yoon-Ho in the past since Baek Yoon-Ho awakened as an S-Rank years before he did and saw the things Baek Yoon-Ho did through the media

And Baek Yoon-Ho likely also admired Choi Jong-In in terms of both physical appearance and Choi Jong-In's abilities as an S-Rank hunter and guild master

So when they officially met each other, it could have been love at sight

Except they're both idiots who can't communicate their feelings, so they annoy each other instead

They find it cute when the other tries to control their expressions but fail

So ChoiBaek is more "love at first sight" idiots to lovers

[manawari]

Stars |

Ships: Jinhae, Minlee, Choibaek, Heeseok, Woozhi, Taenoru, & Sungpark.

Jinhae:

Jin-woo wanted to share this feeling, this moment, with someone else. The feeling of the world not on his shoulders, but holding it tenderly in his hands, appreciating each detail that made it whole. In every flaw, and in every crease, there was always going to be a person who would cherish it. . . Just like the one beside him. Her touch was warm on his hand, he slowly intertwined their fingers together, admiring how well their hands fit. It was as though he was holding his own world. The world that once drifted from his fingertips, now returned to where it supposed to be. Right beside him, in his arms, under his loving gaze which had never changed since the first time he looked at her that way. Hae-in breathed as she leaned her back against his chest, staring at the sky above them. Jin-woo wrapped his arms around her tighter and pressed his lips on the crown of her head, he felt her squeeze his hand, causing him to smile. He would never wish to trade anything else for this moment — he found peace in her presence, radiating warmth in parts of his soul that had been long shattered. He could spend eternity just only with her as they watched the stars together. And his heart, once hardened and lumpy, seemed to soften and become untangled now.

Minlee:

A circle. A diamond. A flower. Ju-hee traced various shapes with her finger across the sky, filled with bright stars that lit throughout the quiet park. Underneath her was a soft blanket to prevent her bare arms from itching against the prickles of the grass, a jacket was also layered over her lap, protecting the bare skin under her dress against the frigid air. The owner of the jacket itself silently napped beside her. Byung-gyu had fallen asleep after minutes of gazing at the stars with her on the ground. Ju-hee lowered her hand as she glanced at him, smiling at the sight of his handsome face as he slept, not a mere trace of perturbation was found on his features. She wished for him to stay that way. Behind his charming smile was a void of poignant memories. Ju-hee knew she could never erase them, but she could always be his safe place. Placing her hand on his chest, she raised her head to press her lips on his forehead, Ju-hee leaned back again and then saw his hand on top of her own. It was time for him to wake up anyway. Ju-hee chuckled and rested her head on his shoulder this time, Byung-gyu now held her hand with both of his own as he fixed his attention to the sky, fully awake, and watched his lover's finger trace across the stars, drawing an infinity symbol.

Choibaek:

Smoke faintly wafted in the air. His fingers held the cigar between his lips, breathing in another smoke before gently releasing it through his parted mouth, watching it flew away along with his problems. It was only one of those few times Choi Jong-in could get some moment for himself. Peeling off his position as a guild master, a hunter, and become the man whom he really was. Alive. He wondered while gazing at the stars whether or not he truly wished to be left alone, as the heaviness nibbled in his chest, nibbling, succumbing, cold as though the flame had gone out. Perhaps deep inside, he yearned for something more. Perhaps he expected another amidst his time alone. And turned out, the answer he needed was in the jacket that was placed upon his shoulders. Jong-in quickly turned his head and saw none other than Yoon-ho, who glanced at him with his warm orange eyes. The temperature from the jacket ignited his soul once again. Lips curving into a smile, Jong-in removed his cigarette and burned it into ashes with a snap of his fingers; he inched his hand closer until he intertwined it with Yoon-ho's. The night was cold and dark, Jong-in wished to return the same warmth — if not, more — Yoon-ho had given him. After all, what else could he do as a fire mage?

Heeseok:

She was waiting, looking at the stars from the window of her living room, like a silent prayer. For him. She knew it was a futile thing to worry about a person who was as ruthless and powerful as him. But who could blame her? Every night was a repetition she never wished to break — the feeling of his presence arriving in the vicinity, the sight of his warm eyes, the smile that locked the skeletons deep within his soul, and the touch that had been tainted in unimaginable ways. Nonetheless, Hee-jin knew that to love was to risk. . . Then a silhouette appeared in the center of the window. She quickly set her feet on the floor and rushed toward Eun-seok, wrapping her arms around him. He asked her what was wrong, she shook her head and smiled as she faced him. His eyes were gentle, only reserved for her and those whom he trusted, and his arms around her made her feel secured like how she never had. Eun-seok smiled and pressed his lips on her forehead.

Woozhi:

Jin-chul slumped back against his seat, grunting as he rubbed his temples. Small stacks of papers and folders stood on his desk, the left side had taller stacks which insinuated that they were done, but there were still unfinished work to do. It appeared Jin-chul's stamina was now low and he did not think he was able to leave his office spotless. His gaze shifted to the clear window where the stars glimmered throughout the darkened sky. For once, he felt serenity. The sudden homesickness. Without a further debate with himself, Jin-chul got up from his chair, with such force that sent it spinning as he grabbed his coat and exited the office, not sparing a last glance at his messy desk. There were not a lot of employees in the building as most had already gone home, so it was silent when Jin-chul was heading to the exit. His car was at the shop to be repaired, which meant he would be taking a bus on the way home. . . But when he got out of the building, someone was already waiting for him. Jin-chul did not have to guess as his instincts could already tell the face beneath the hat. He went up and gently lifted the brim to face a pair of glowing yellow eyes interlocking with his gaze and lips that was curled into a warm grin. Jin-chul didn't fight back against his smile. Zhigang removed his raised hand and intertwined their fingers together. And at last, Jin-chul's heart became more serene and all pressure had been drifted away. It made him want to lay on the couch and lean on his beloved and then have him rub his arms until he dozed into slumber.

Taenoru:

A shivering air embraced him when he pulled the door shut, Tae-gyu cupped his hands around his mouth to breathe onto his palms, warming it. He shoved them into his pockets as he proceeded to walk. . . Only soon to pause when his caught something near the tree. A hooded figure stood next to it and their head was directed to the night sky. A smile grew on the archer's face, he did not need another second to recognize who it was — someone had appeared to be waiting for him, so Tae-gyu made his way to the hunter and placed his hand on the shoulder, causing the person to flinch from his touch. A chuckle escaped from his mouth while Minoru glared in embarrassment. Tae-gyu leaned forward to plant a quick kiss on his lover's cheek and held their hands, feeling Minoru relaxed; they began walking together afterward. Nobody else had to know their little secret. Only the stars were witnesses to the blossoming romance between the two hunters from different guilds, different countries, yet had their hearts knew no boundaries.

Sungpark:

With her silver dress and long, flowing black hair, Ill-hwan could have sworn he had married a deity. Her smile seemed as though it was as bright as the full moon. And her eyes sparkled like the stars in the dark sky. She reached out to him, he gladly took her hand. . . And for once, Ill-hwan felt as if he was young again. Kyung-hye wrapped her arms around his neck and Ill-hwan gently pressed his forehead against hers, watching her close her eyes as he began to sway their bodies, listening to the music etched on his mind with a memory flushing in. Kyung-hye was in her wedding dress as his newly wedded wife while he was in his suit, standing together beneath the night sky, far from the reception to be in their own world. He'd do anything to be in that moment again. It was the moment of a sealed promise for their eternal love and Ill-hwan cherishing her as part of his soul.

[stormdragon23]

akdjkaka The idea Fem!Choibaek has actually cross my mind once and decided to never came back

I love how you drew Fem!Yoon-Ho! Her hair is so fluffy jdkkskaa

Personally, I like the idea of female Yoon-Ho being a tall and muscular, but I also think Jong-In would be in charge in the relationship (that’s just my personal headcanon haha)

Choibaek’s kids and OC related stuff below, so feel free to ignore

I actually imagine Yoon-Ho’s canon daughter, Mi-Ho, being the type that’s more petite and cute but also insanely strong! I also think her hair is pretty much like Yoon-Ho’s, but she’s not that big a fan of it

On the other hand, in terms of hair style, I think my OC, Choi Jeni, has the exact hairstyle I imagine for female Jong-In but with it down (might post a version of that soon)

Funny how I haven’t really thought about Choibaek as females but made them have two daughters who look like them-

idek if I want fem yoonho being a really tall muscular lady or relatively petite one with slight cute chubbiness to her like

Her being taller and more refined than Jongin is hilarious because she’s clearly the one wearing pants in their relationship and she fits whole ‘wild tigress’ trope

On other hand her being relatively petite and even somewhat cute looking only to be equally strong to the point of being able to throw Jongin across the room with a slap is also hilarious plus whole ‘cat looks cute can murder you if you annoy them’ trope

But no matter what Jongin presenting his wife Will Smith meme style like ‘I love my wife who can break my spine in half’

[stormdragon23]

Solo Leveling AU Ideas

Just random ideas that I haven't really expanded too much on yet

Shadow Monarch!Park Kyung-Hye AU: Park Kyung-Hye awakens as an E-Rank hunter instead of Sung Jinwoo and is the one who ends up in the double dungeon. (It's mostly just her being a mother to everyone around her. Would probably end up adopting a lot of hunters along the way-)

Choibaek Beauty and the Beast AU: Baek Yoonho as the Beast, Choi Jongin as Belle, Cha Haein as Belle's family member, Hwang Dongsoo as Gaston (Jongin being scared? No, Jongin just straight up calls Yoonho ugly to his face-)

Pirate!Thomas Andre x Mermaid!Lennart Niermann AU: Lennart as a mermaid seems cute. Disney princess vibes. That's about it actually.

Chulwoo Princess and the Frog AU: Jinchul as the prince and Jinwoo as the frog (seems in character for them as far as I know-) Can you tell I used to be a Disney fan?

College Roommates AU (platonic pairs):

- Baek Yoonho and Min Byung-gyu (listen, I just want them to be happy, together, and alive-) - Lee Juhee and Cha Haein (they'd have such a cute relationship) - Thomas Andre and Christopher Reed (I'd like more interactions between them) - Sung Jinwoo and Yoo Jinho (You know that meme where one roommate wakes up at 5:30, and the other goes to bed at 5:30? That's them) - Park Heejin and Jung Yerim (also seems cute)

I may have gotten carried away with some of them-

If anyone wants me to expand on any of these/wants to expand on any ideas themselves, feel free to let me know (I like the side characters a lot. Might think of more later)

[stormdragon23]

Choi Jongin and Baek Yoonho (+ ChoiBaek) Headcanons

This is what I headcanon for every AU they're in Choi Jongin:

Is a night owl

Is a coffee person

Has trouble sleeping, so he has eye bags that he tries to cover up

Looks at the stars at night whenever he can't sleep

Love language is quality time

Acts friendly and sly but is actually an emotional and very introverted person

Is most genuine and honest in the middle of the night

Loves and is secretly really good at card games but doesn't get to play often

Hates feeling inferior

Has two or three close friends

Baek Yoonho:

Is a morning person

Is a tea person

Is a light sleeper

Love language is physical touch

Is good at reading people and can get along with almost everyone

Is as smart as Jongin but doesn't show it

Is secretly shy when meeting new people

Hates the smell of smoke

Gets worried easily and tries to hide it

Tends to ignore or avoid things related to personal feelings

Choibaek:

Jongin isn't afraid of Yoonho, no matter what he looks like or does

When Jongin falls for Yoonho, he assumes Yoonho won't feel the same way about him because they don't have much in common

Yoonho assumes Jongin hates him from the moment they met because of his comments (until he learns how to read Jongin)

Yoonho's first impressions of Jongin completely changes the first time Jongin is genuine with him

Yoonho likes giving Jongin kisses to the top of his head

Jongin has to stand up on his toes to kiss Yoonho if they’re both standing

Yoonho likes touching Jongin's hair and does it without thinking most of the time

Yoonho cooks for Jongin often

When Jongin is tired, he clings to Yoonho

Jongin started sleeping better when the two of them started to sleep together

Whenever Yoonho finds Jongin looking at the night sky because he couldn't sleep, he joins him (usually when their most serious and softest conversations happen with Jongin actually being himself and Yoonho being relaxed during those times)

Bonus - Nicknames they call each other (in order from most used to least used):

Jongin: Kitty, furball, Yoonie (only in private)

Yoonho: Fire hazard, pyromaniac, firefly (only in private)

I would fight for these nicknames to be canon

(Might do some Park Kyung-Hye and Sung Il-Hwan headcanons next. Anyone know the ship name for them? SungPark? Is that it?) I think only one person is going to recognize most of these, but that's okay-

[stormdragon23]

ARISE ChoiBaek Brainrot Headcanons

Don't mind me. Just organizing my scattered ChoiBaek thoughts in this AU. Will probably change/add more later. Inspired by conversations with @manawari (Tried to make it in chronological order) When Jongin started falling for Yoonho: - Seeing him perform on stage for the first time - Seeing him be soft with the other members - When Yoonho helped him with a workout routine without mocking him despite Jongin being the weakest member in the group - Eating the food Yoonho made for him for the first time (Fell for Yoonho after about 2 months) - (Asked Byung-gyu and Gun-Hee for advice)

When Yoonho started falling for Jongin: - Seeing Jongin enjoy eating the food Yoonho made for him for the first time - When Yoonho saw Jongin wearing fox ears that someone gave him during a fan meet - When he asked Jongin for help with his makeup - When Jongin accidentally fell asleep against him in the car on their way back from a performance - Seeing Jongin do a demo for one of his emotional songs when Jongin thought no one was around (when Yoonho fell really hard; I could write a fanfic on this scene alone-) (Fell for Jongin after about 6 months (Jongin was not having a good time)) - (Asked Jinchul for advice) How they got together: - Got together about 2 months after Yoonho fell for Jongin - Happened during the holidays when the others went home to their families, so Choibaek was alone with each other - Accidental confession from Jongin? - Yoonho finally notices and asks Jongin how he really feels about him? - A heated argument where one of them accidentally hits a nerve, resulting in them apologizing and a confession? - I don't really know how but it was a huge mess When the others found out they started dating: Jinchul and Gun-Hee: The day they started Byung-gyu: The week they started Jinwoo and Taegyu: A few months after they started (they found Choibaek asleep on the couch together after a long performance; they were either dense or Choibaek was really good at hiding it from them, you can decide) Gay panic moments between them (it's mostly just Yoonho panicking though-) - Jongin trips, and Yoonho catches him by the waist - Jongin and Yoonho practice a duet together that forces them to be close (after Jongin fell for Yoonho, but before Yoonho fell for Jongin), and Jongin's panicking - Yoonho sees Jongin wear contacts for the first time - Yoonho sees Jongin in a crop top for one of their performances - Yoonho accidentally got Jongin's hair wet from opening a water bottle, and Jongin had to brush his bangs back to see clearly - Yoonho starts a habit of fixing Jongin's hair not only before performances but also at random times, catching Jongin off guard - Yoonho hears Jongin laugh around Byung-gyu's dog, Coco (headcanon that Jongin doesn't laugh a lot, let alone in a positive way) This is very much a case of "if I can't find content, I'll make it myself- These could be applied to some other AUs too actually- I should really do something about my ChoiBaek obsession though-

[stormdragon23]

My Top Solo Leveling Ships

Wanted to talk a little about them, so I'll just list three main reasons why I like them otherwise this post will be endless. There are a lot of other ships I like, but these are the main ones

It's a little unhinged, but that shouldn't be new

1. ChoiBaek

This shouldn't be a surprise

They are aware of the other's intentions without needing to tell each other. They both read other people and each other very well. The only reason they don't get along is because when both of them want the same thing (recruiting Sung Jin-Woo, a gate in the area, etc), they are both very willing to fight for what they want and use their perceptiveness to their advantage. One of them doesn't mind having his thoughts being known while the other minds a lot

They both want their guild become stronger but not at the expense of their members. They have the same morals, but the actions they take because of their morals are different. Baek Yoon-Ho wants to make his guild stronger by focusing on what his members need as individuals (paying them more, training new recruits with stronger and more experienced members, etc). Choi Jong-In wants to make his guild stronger by focusing on improving how the teams work together (hunting in a orderly way to minimize injuries as much as possible, taking a leadership role to make sure none of the members are falling behind, making sure the teams are adequately prepared, etc). Both of them care a lot about other people, though they don’t make it obvious to others

Both know the other is strong (Choi Jong-In defends Baek Yoon-Ho when Sung Jin-Woo thinks Yoon-Ho is struggling during the Jeju sparring match while Baek Yoon-Ho is aware of Choi Jong-In's strength during the Jeju Raid) but tend to underestimate themselves (Baek Yoon-Ho believing he wouldn't have been able to win against the Japanese S-Ranks when he held out for a while on his own against two of them, and Choi Jong-In seeing his title as "a joke" after comparing himself to Sung Jin-Woo when he always has to limit how much of his powers he actually uses because of the people around him or the environment he is in)

This got long anyways... sorry. The others are shorter

2. SungPark

I wanted to see them more than the main couple

They are both selfless to the point where they make sure others are alright before taking care of themselves

They both want their family to be safe and happy and make taking care of their children their priority. Park Kyung-Hye tells her son it's okay for him to be a hunter, even though it's the reason why Sung Il-Hwan is gone, and she understands that it's something both her husband and son feel like they need to do

The way Kyung-Hye kept waiting for her husband to return home and knew the exact moment when he wouldn't be coming back Ripped my heart to SHREDS-

They were so in love laskdjfasdlf

3. MinLee

AKA younger!SungPark

Both of them have similar trauma, so they're able to help each other, especially since they're both retired

Even they have trauma, they have put their fears aside to help people more. Both participate in the last Jeju raid despite Min Byung-Gyu being traumatized from the last one and Lee Ju-Hee being traumatized from her previous raids

The way Lee Ju-Hee hardly showed up after she told Sung Jin-Woo she was retiring and Min Byung-Gyu barely being mentioned besides his trip to Japan before the Jeju Raid? There's so much potential for them to actually meet-

I see them as the "bunny couple"

4. ChulWoo

This was actually one of the first ships I really got into

The way Woo Jin-Chul knew Sung Jin-Woo from the beginning and was watching Sung Jin-Woo get stronger without realizing it at first

The way Woo Jin-Chul looked at Sung Jin-Woo in the new timeline when he remembered the previous timeline-

Honestly, in my opinion, Sung Jin-Woo had more potential with Woo Jin-Chul than Cha Hae-in. Like, Sung Jin-Woo avenging Go Gun-Hee not just for his sake but for Woo Jin-Chul? Sung Jin-Woo actually trying to not give Jin-Chul a headache but failing? I love their dynamic

5. HeeSeok

This is probably the most cracked ship out of these, but it's cute

Both of them have a caring, almost parent-like nature (Park Hee-Jin looking after Han Song-Yi during the Red Gate and Eun-Seok looking after and warning Min Byung-Gyu during the third Jeju Raid)

It's actually possible for them to have known each other despite it not being stated in canon (Eun-Seok was a member of the Fiend Guild, and Park Hee-Jin could have been a member of the Fiend Guild as well before leaving for White Tiger. The game might change this part about Park Hee-Jin, but I'll stick with it for now)

The way Eun-Seok wears a scarf with his hunter's outfit, and then Park Hee-Jin gets stuck in a frost Red Gate? And Park Hee-Jin looks somewhat okay despite it being cold, so it seems like both are fine in cold environments

Actually, in my monarch/ruler AU, Frost Monarch!Eun-Seok could be the reason Park Hee-Jin gets stuck there in that Red Gate...hmm

Feel free to ask for more of my thoughts and talk about your own below

[stormdragon23]

ARISE ChoiBaek brainrot/fanfic idea (inspired by @manawari): Context (not needed but a personal headcanon): Choi Jongin and Baek Yoonho have done a lot of duet performances where they had to be close to each other to appeal to fans, and they subconsciously become used to being around each other. Yoonho's getting ready to perform but accidentally messes up his eye makeup shortly before the performance. The makeup artists are busy with Jinwoo and Byung-Gyu, Taegyu doesn't know how to do makeup, and when Jinchul tries to help him, Yoonho keeps flinching. The only person left he hasn't asked is Jongin. Yoonho picks up a makeup kit and goes to find Jongin, who is waiting in another room for the others. Yoonho reluctantly asks for his help, expecting Jongin to just say no, maybe laugh while doing so. Instead, Jongin quickly takes the kit and tells him to sit down since they don't have much time. As Jongin is fixing his makeup, Yoonho asks why he agreed so fast. It's the first time Jongin didn't mock him before saying anything else. At first, Jongin says it's because he would make the group look bad if he performed with a face that's more messed up than usual. Before Yoonho can comment on that, Jongin says that it's also because he knows he is the last person Yoonho would go to for something like this and that he must really need help if Yoonho's willing to ask him of all people for it. Yoonho doesn't know what to say to that and just looks at Jongin as he concentrates on fixing his eye makeup, gently holding Yoonho's face in place as he does so. When Jongin finishes and leaves to put the kit away, Yoonho notices that he didn't flinch at all when Jongin was fixing his makeup. (As much as I find their arguments funny, I'm a big fan of the rare soft moments between them) Might edit this later this wasn't supposed to be that long jsldkfljasdf This is the closest thing I've written to a fanfic

[stormdragon23]

ChoiBaek Headcanon: Future Hairstyles

Minor Solo Leveling: Ragnarok spoilers (not really though)

Context: Choi Jongin has his hair brushed back in Ragnarok. One, to make it easier for Baek Yoonho to kiss his forehead. Two, to resemble his hyung, Woo Jinchul. And Baek Yoonho

So if Choi Jongin has his hair brushed back when he's older, Baek Yoonho gets an undercut when he's older. Probably soon after Choi Jongin changes his hairstyle

I hope we get to see more of them in Ragnarok soon. I was already very happy to see a peak of Jongin. I wonder when Yoonho will show up

[stormdragon23]

ChoiBaek Song #1

Songs for Solo Leveling Ships Pt. 3.5(?)

I didn't know what else to title this (because this might change later), but I think this is the most accurate ChoiBaek song for me in terms of how Choi Jong-In thinks of Baek Yoon-Ho

Context: They have been together for a while, and Choi Jong-In softly singing this to Baek Yoon-Ho when he thinks Baek Yoon-Ho is asleep. Baek Yoon-Ho's not

Explanation of why the lyrics fit:

I got wet in the sun shower and looked up at the night sky

This was stated in a previous post, but in short:

It was quite a lonely night In the blink of an eye, the dark faded out

While I headcanon Choi Jong-In and Woo Jin-Chul to be close friends, Choi Jong-In is virtually never shown to go out of his way to casually speak with someone, which is why I think he is a rather lonely person, mostly due to how I headcanon him to be introverted

All these lights are colored in by you All these times are precious due to you Four sеasons have passed with you Four scents wеre left 'cause of you All the reasons why I can laugh out All the reasons why I sing this song Thankful to be by your side now I'll try to shine brighter than now

These lyrics are exactly how I imagine Choi Jong-In feels about Baek Yoon-Ho. Since Choi Jong-In likely doesn't spend much time with people (also due to him being a workaholic), Baek Yoon-Ho is likely someone who would get him to do more fun activities, especially ones Choi Jong-In has likely never done before. And while he would never directly say it to Baek Yoon-Ho, Choi Jong-In is very thankful for it and tries to show it to him, even though Choi Jong-In is not used to showing affection.

My bitter heart I try to sooth it And get stuck in the night

Fun fact: Choi Jong-In's birthday is January 26, and this is his Korean birth flower:

On a starry night Hope my you sleep tight

This is just a really sweet line. Just imagining Choi Jong-In wanting the best for Baek Yoon-Ho. In general, just Choi Jong-In being thankful for Baek Yoon-Ho being and staying with him but would never admit it directly to Baek Yoon-Ho

Yoon-Ho is one step away from bursting into tears

[stormdragon23]

Song: VOLCANO by HAN Headcanon: Jongin also writes songs, but his songs are definitely emotionally heavy and personal, so he doesn't tell anyone. Until Byung-Gyu accidentally heard him while Jongin was singing one of the songs he wrote in the recording studio when he thought no one was around. He definitely didn't scream when he saw Byung-Gyu. After a lot of yelling and begging convincing, Jongin agreed to release the song as long as they wouldn't explicitly say he was the writer. So as of now, only Byung-Gyu and Jinchul know about this. He later helps Byung-Gyu with writing songs privately, so when some of their later songs take a more emotional turn, the other members are concerned about Byung-Gyu when it was really Jongin who wrote the lyrics (and is trying really hard to not be embarrassed by the comments the others are making). Made his voice deeper than the original here as well Next song will either be ARISE's next romance song or another ChoiBaek song, depending on if I can find more pictures of them (It's so hard to find more pics of Byung-Gyu and Taegyu...I might need to reuse some) I may have a favorite.

[stormdragon23]

Songs for Solo Leveling Ships Pt. 2

I was actually going to put these songs in the previous part, but it got too long-

Choibaek:

It's funny 'cause this song's actually in Japanese, not Korean-

"It's been a long time, without any news It's like our feelings are far apart Though I want to tell you, it won't come true anymore The distance between us, my wishes won't reach Still calling for you"

I imagine this song as a result of a particularly bad argument between them and that they're giving each other the silent treatment.

"Baby, I miss you so much now, no matter what anyone says, ayy Calling you up, I need you even now, say If our feelings are the same, yeah If that time was just a mistake, babe I want you to say that, truthfully Like an old novel This ending I don't think I can get over it"

Except one of them (could be either, but I imagine it's Choi Jong-In) starts missing the other and wants to see him again but at the same time, isn't sure if the other feels the same way yet.

"Left in tears Because there's nothing to hold on to Ring-a-ling I may be a nuisance, but Because there's only one thing I want you to tell me Getting no reply is also an answer, but I'll keep on waiting, even now I want you to come back"

And this is when Jong-In makes the decision to try to mend things between them, but Baek Yoon-Ho doesn't answer. So Jong-In is willing to wait until he gets a response, whether Yoon-Ho chooses to or not.

This song is a direct response to the previous one (don't mind me and my delusions too much-)

"And I can't deal without, I try to see the good in life But good things in life are hard to find"

I'm assuming this song from Yoon-Ho's perspective, mostly because of this line, which reminds me of all the times, Yoon-Ho's lost (or almost lost) people around him.

"Well, I'll try to do it right this time around Let's start over I'll try to do it right this time around It's not over"

I see these lyrics as an indirect apology from Yoon-Ho, saying that he wants to go back to how they were before and that things aren't over between them.

"My life with you means everything So I won't give up that easily

I'll blow it away, blow it away Can we make this something good? 'Cause it's all misunderstood"

Despite all their arguments and some misunderstandings, I see Yoon-Ho wanting their relationship to work out well, even if his emotions get the better of him sometimes

"This love is killing me, but you're the only one It's not over"

I just really like this line, but it also symbolizes how even though they fight, they truly do care for each other and want to stay together

Sorry, the Choibaek songs in this part are more sad than I intended

Heeseok:

"What would I do without your smart mouth? Drawing me in, and you kicking me out You've got my head spinning, no kidding, I can't pin you down What's going on in that beautiful mind? I'm on your magical mystery ride And I'm so dizzy, don't know what hit me, but I'll be alright"

This is basically what happened when Eun-Seok visited Park Hee-Jin for the first time after getting injured, though this is more of a recollection of that moment rather than the moment itself.

"Give your all to me I'll give my all to you You're my end and my beginning Even when I lose, I'm winning 'Cause I give you all of me And you give me all of you, oh-oh"

Just Eun-Seok being smitten with Hee-Jin after they get together and willing to do anything for her (including killing but Hee-Jin doesn't want him doing that for her)

Sungpark:

"In another life I would be your girl We'd keep all our promises Be us against the world In another life I would make you stay So I don't have to say you were The one that got away"

Another song that basically describes their entire relationship in the original timeline. Park Kyung-Hye would want Sung Il-Hwan to stay with her and their children, especially if she knew what would happen. Except they actually were able to be together "in another life" and were able to happily be together <3

Jinhae:

"Missed call from my mother Like, "Where you at tonight?" Got no alibi"

I'm sorry, but I just found this line really funny. Imagine Park Kyung-Hye wondering where Sung Jin-Woo is, and he can't think of an excuse

"I was all alone with the love of my life She's got glitter for skin My radiant beam in the night I don't need no light to see you

Shine It's your golden hour (oh) You slow down time In your golden hour (oh)"

Basically Jin-Woo's thoughts when he looks at Cha Hae-In, especially during that one date when he took her for a ride on Kaisel.

"For the love of my life She's got glow on her face A glorious look in her eyes My angel of light"

More of Jin-Woo's thoughts about Hae-In, but this one is more about him thinking about her rather than him currently looking at her

I was going to add another ship, but Choibaek's section got long-

(Feel free to request a ship though, even if I've already done them. I have a lot of songs in mind)

[stormdragon23]

For the new ask game Choi JongIn question 17

Ya'll really know who my favorite character is, huh klsdjfsdf :3

17. What's a ship for this character you don't hate but it's not your favorite that you're fine with?

I think Choi Jongin x Woo Jinchul? I usually see them as platonic, but they do have potential as a romantic ship. It would really depend on the situation though. I do think Choi Jongin would have a crush on Woo Jinchul at some point, and Woo Jinchul would know about it. Whether or not Woo Jinchul would act on it depends on how Woo Jinchul is feeling at the moment

I think that's the only other ship (the first being Choibaek, but you guys know that) I'm fine with for Choi Jongin. I know there is Choi Jongin x Sung Jinwoo, but :/ I can only imagine them being acquaintances. Barely even friends honestly

I don't think I know any other Choi Jongin ships actually sldkfjdsfs

From the ask game here

[manawari]

As you can guess, I just caught up with your ARISE fics. And it'd be better to leave a comment for each of them separately, but sometimes I get scared of numbers bigger than 20. If you know what I mean.

Kidding.

It just felt right to read them all before saying anything.

It was such a pleasure to read those fics. Especially with Byunggyu and Jinwoo expressing their feelings through art, because both music and dancing are close to me. And I like that all of them are not focused on romantic relationship as such. Yeah, implications, implications are all there peppered over the storytelling, but nothing makes it under the spotlight. Rather paying attention to whatever comes before and surrounds it. Which makes it feel like yet to come, leaving you wanting to see more. Also the atmospheres of the fics are so different, yet they share that thread uniting them like they are perls of a necklace.

The stories felt like a single day, with Jinhae representing dawn or morning, Choibaek daytime or noon and Minlee dusk or evening. Funny thing that I read them backwards. Only (mid)night is missing, oh my—

Anyway.

I'm glad that you decided to write fics on this AU. With them and our fellow SL fans' posts, it really becomes a whole universe :3

Thank you!! I had such a nice time with this AU and especially with the fics. You never stop impressing me, Rei ♡

Hope you're doing well this days. Don't overwork yourself and take rest when possible.

P. S. I admit that at least once I accidentally read "his Haein"

YULIYA!!!!!!

Really, you are certainly one of the most wonderful people I've ever met whom can give the best comments ever! Yes, the boyband au has truly made a place in my heart and deserves its own universe. I miss brainrotting about that au ngl 😂

Oh wow! You made such a nice symbolism! Honestly, that was unexpected, but I like seeing it that way. Yeah, they all share a thread not just the fact that they're in the same AU. I genuinely think that Jinhae is the first ship to form while the rest follow in a gradual blur. Friendship has always been the highlight whenever I write stories where it has romance, yet not officially implied, though the insinuations are palpable. It really shows that Jin-woo and Byung-gyu care about what they currently have with Hae-in and Ju-hee more than what they wished for.

Jinhae - dawn o morning.

Choibaek - daytime or noon.

Minlee - dusk or evening.

Hmm. . . It's probably obvious on who is the midnight 👀

No kidding. I forgot that I should write about Taenoru.

Hehe, THANK YOU SO SO MUCH, YULIYA<33

"his Hae-in"? WHICH PART WAS IT—

[stormdragon23]

ChoiBaek Pride & Prejudice ChoiBaek Pride & Prejudice ChoiBaek Pride & Prejusice ChoiBaek Pride & Prej—

Yes, I'm chanting it so you know I'm eager to read it! (Only if you'll feel like writing something about it, surely) Really, bless you for the idea of placing them into the setting of my favorite book ~♡~

Ahhhhhh I'm so glad you like the idea!!! Pride and Prejudice is also one of my favorite books! It's definitely something I'm considering writing jsdfakldsfd It might be a while before I can get to it since I'm already working on two other Solo Leveling AUs, but I'd love to write this AU as well! Hopefully, I can work on it soon!