#performance director bts

[skeletour2025]

@lasoluzione.contract_

[aricastmblr]

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The weather is nice☀️this Friday🌞 #TheOneShow #JungKook #정국 #JungKook_Seven #BTS #방탄소년단

etiqueto a nickjxseph brianpuspos dom_lashvwn jakekodish noah_nakta

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I’m so grateful to be a part of this!! I’ve had so much fun everyone involved is so great! This performance was so fun and I can’t wait for more! Congrats to everyone involved❤️😭

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Team Seven forever! I’ll never forget the last couple of months. A brotherhood was born. Thank you again to the goats @bangster277 noah_nakta and of course @bboynick90 for this opportunity. Soju soon? 😂

Thank you JK for this full circle experience. You’re a game changer but more importantly, a life changer. I love your respect and care for everyone that shares the stage with you. Didn’t think we would align so much, it feels like we’ve been hanging out for years lol. Until next time!!! Enjoy all this love that you deserve! 🙏❤️🫶

Jung Kook - 'Seven' Live on The One Show - BBC

[honeytbz]

bf!niki who surprises you on set of studio choom aotm

today you are on the set of studio choom, filming for artist of the month (aotm). the director yells “cut” and you sit down to monitor the scene.

unbeknownst to you, your boyfriend stands behind you ready to surprise you. he was the first to know of your aotm performance as you excitedly shared ideas with him and continuously gave him updates.

you had asked him previously if he was able to visit but unfortunately his group’s schedules interrupted, at least that is what he told you. although you were bummed, the food truck he sent filled with your favorites made up for his lack of presence and energized you for this powerful performance.

now, he stands behind you placing his hands on your shoulders. you jump in surprise and turn around to see your handsome boyfriend who was supposed to be shooting for vogue korea. “what are you doing here?” you question as you stand up and hug him. “i thought you were shootin–” before you can finish your sentence your boyfriend kisses you. “surprise” he rushes out. you hit him lightly on the shoulder happy that he is here to watch you perform. “thank you, baby” you smile.

after filming was complete and the performance was aired, the bts was uploaded. everyone was bubbling about the cute interaction between their favorite couple.

[mysterygrl20]

Top Form bts on nc scenes:

Director explained it's the 1st NC that he shot. He wants the safety/protection up to world wide standard. Using zone-blocking method, whoever got a green sticker was allowed to be in scene, whoever w/ yellow/orange sticker can be around the monitor, red means not allow to be in filming area.

Boom said that at first they were worried to film NC in front so many people but the zone-blocking make them more courage to perform.

Director, on improv in scene: Actually there's not really improvisation cause all the choreo are locked, after this pose, we'll proceed with this pose, this pose, it's all discussed so actors would feel safe.

[little-one-eyed-monsters]

Film fact (from a media nerd) part 2- Why actors like Top Form's Johnny fall in love with their co-stars on set

Part 1 here.

Method Acting is deemed by many experts (including the Screen Actors Guild of America) as the most prestigious and difficult acting technique in the profession. It takes years to master, and just as long to shake the after-effects off. Those who perfect the craft enjoy a long and decorated career, but they usually undergo intense mentorship and training for this technique.

We see this in Top Form's main character, Akin. The moment we were introduced to him, we learn that Akin is not just famous; he's a prestige actor. Prestige actors are highly respected for their artistic integrity, and are recognized for their extensive acting portfolio. Akin is classically-trained in the Alba Acting Method by his grandmother (herself a beloved, multi-awarded theater actress), and was working as a child actor long before he received his first breakout role as a full fledged star. Prior to the arrival of his professional rival Jin (and Johnny, in some capacity), Akin had a decade-long foothold in the industry. But best of all, Akin is experienced enough to separate whatever he's feeling from his characters' projections. We see that he still acts wonderfully on stage even though he's going through a breakup with Jin, and can establish onscreen chemistry with anyone, even people who irritate him.

So, what happens when a rookie attempts to do Method Acting without proper training and mentorship? Well, they suffer the after-effects of the technique: sham emotions.

They become a Johnny.

An assaulter? A rapist? A manipulative tool? In this context, no. Just a bad actor.

In the industry, sham emotions go by many names, but they usually pertain to a similar phenomenon. These refer to unexpected by-products of a characters' thoughts and emotions, that some actors mistake as their own. You see, some kinds of method acting demand so much emotional imbibing that actors even forget their own personality and behavior, and mistakenly believe that they are the same as their character.

We see this from Jin in Ep 1, who, after being given a crash course on the Alba Method by Akin so he can cry on camera, imbibed too hard and developed a sham emotion: arousal (see part 1). This in turn, developed into obssession, and finally, actual attraction.

But what about Johnny? He never received Akin's crash course, just his criticism. Why is he attracted to Akin?

(Well, aside from the fact that Akin, and actual Thai actor Boom Raweewit, is drop-dead gorgeous, a genuine talent, and a wonderful human being).

It's quite obvious in the series that Johnny practices a different acting technique from both Akin and Jin. He's trying (and failing) to execute the most EXTREME kind of Method Acting: Dissociation

Dissociation refers to an acting method where the actor completely empties himself of all personal thoughts, personality and emotions, in order to become the literal embodiment of their character. They do not "break character" even when the director yells cut at the end of the day-- they will continue to be their character for the whole duration of the project.

Ideally, Dissociation ends once the project is finished and the actor moves on to another character. The actors who do this often win awards for such convincing performances, BUT they usually have a hard time distancing themselves because of the physical and psychological impact of their transformation. They develop weird quirks, or find it difficult to move on from emotional scenes like crying or confrontations.

Famous Hollywood actors who practice Dissociation (based on interviews):

Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Lady Gaga, Meryll Streep

Oh Lord, here's where it gets dicey- Famous Thai BL actors who practice Dissociation (based on how they personally describe their performance, and some bts):

Mew Suppasit and Gulf Kanawut

Boss Chaikamon and Noeul Nuttarat

For this, I absolutely blame Mame Orawan and her team. They're demanding that these actors disappear so much into these characters that both Mew and Boss are seen in behind-the-scenes videos unable to stop crying after they end an emotional scene. Mew had to be comforted by at least five Tharntype cast members in order to calm down. Gulf adapted his character Type's mannerisms so much that he admitted in a radio interview that it took him two months to return to his normal speaking voice. And Noeul admitted in a LITA bts interview that he once forgot they were filming an NC mid-scene, with how much improvisation he and Boss were doing on set. These are all signs of unsafe work environments.

Also, take note that sham emotions aren't just manufactured in actors, they can be elicited from the audience, too, if Dissociation is highly effective.

Anyway,

Johnny, Johnny, why Akin?

Johnny practices Dissociation every time he sleeps with his producers. He sheds all of his personal thoughts and emotions in order to adapt to the role of obedient sexpot. In the stage play, he uses exaggerations in his portrayal of Monte-- a scrunched facial expression, a lower-register voice, an overenunciated accent, slower, bigger movements-- anything to remove Johnny and replace it with Monte.

Akin's Alba Method is the DIRECT OPPOSITE of Dissociation. It removes the character altogether, and focuses on natural human reactions based on movement. Akin doesn't pander to Johnny's emotional (stunted) smirking-- instead, he focuses on eliciting a visible reaction from Johnny, that may not be related to his character at all.

Remember the first time they met?

Akin during the practice swordfight is not channeling his character's emotions. His character, in the script, is supposed to be enraged, and Akin here is personally annoyed. But instead of channeling either emotions through facial expressions or words, he moves instead. He challenges Johnny by tossing him the prop, then lets the natural adrenaline of the fight build his anger. In the end, he actually encouraged scene partner Johnny to be mad, too.

Just like Jin, Akin Alba'd Johnny into another sham emotion: anger.

But for Johnny, this was the first time someone actually removed him from his Dissociation. Someone elicited an emotion from him that felt natural. He was annoyed and cocky when he came in. At the end, he was angry.

And much like how crying mimics arousal, in the Alba Method's emoting chart, anger mimics sexual tension.

(The difference in the chart is that arousal is slow-building. Sexual tension is sudden. This would explain why Jin wanted to woo Akin, while Johnny wanted to have sex with him immediately).

Additionally, dissociation practitioners in HOLLYWOOD often find themselves vulnerable to sham emotions. The five I mentioned up there went on to couple up with or marry (multiple) people who were present in their films--costars, producers, directors, etc. Notoriously, these relationships do not last because again, they are shells for their characters. The moment they FEEL that someone is making them experience a human emotion outside of their character, they get attached. But do these last? No, because they are sham emotions.

Johnny's attraction for Akin is a sham because he's so dissociated, he can't determine what's real and what isn't. All he has is his reaction to Akin, and Akin makes him feel something different. In another universe, one without a Jin and one where Johnny is a decent human being, maybe he would've been able to pursue Akin. But just like Brad and Angelina' marriage, or any of Johnny Depp's five co-star girlfriends, I doubt it would have lasted very long.

Disclaimer: I am not implying that MewGulf or BossNoeul are ACTUAL COUPLES. I believe the opposite-- you can check my dash for previous posts on the matter. I respect all of their past, present, and future significant others. I mentioned them as examples-- please don't come after me stans.

Trust Johnny to give me a hard time analyzing his trash character. This was so long and I apologize. Stay kooky, folks.

[sayitaliano]

Sanremo 2025 - the post!

Hello everyone!

Here you’ll find this year’s Sanremo’s stuff and news (I’ll be updating this post through all the week). The Festival will start on Tuesday February 11th at 8:30 pm, and end on Saturday February 15th, when the final will be broadcasted.

/ Official website / you can find loads of videos and interviews here + the latest news. You can already find the presentation videos of the songs made by the artists.

Rai’s website dedicated section (here) | youtube playlist | spotify playlist

TikTok official channel: @/sanremorai; @/sanremoesc Instagram official: @/sanremorai Twitter official: @/SanremoRAI; @/SanremoESC Facebook: festivaldisanremo Youtube: @/rai (to check also the latest interviews)

Each night from February 8th to February 15th, before the start of Sanremo at around 8:25 PM (GMT+1), on Raiuno will be broadcasted the usual PRIMAFESTIVAL. The hosts are: Bianca Guaccero, Gabriele Corsi e Mariasole Pollio (tv hosts, actors/actresses -Gabriele is the Eurovision's host as well iykyk) (you can rewatch it on raiplay)

There’s gonna be the usual DOPOFESTIVAL, with Alessandro Cattelan (tv host, veejay) starting right after the end of each Sanremo’s night (11th-15th Feb.) on Raiuno. Some of the guests are: Selvaggia Lucarelli, Anna Dello Russo and Street Clerks.

As every year, on the Sunday after Sanremo's final (Feb. 16th 2025 this year) DOMENICA IN hosted by Mara Venier will take place in Sanremo: all the singers will get to perform their song once again and answer a few questions. It'll be broadcasted on Raiuno starting from 2:00 PM (GMT+1). At around 8:35PM (GMT+1) always on Raiuno, DIETROFESTIVAL will show an hour of behind the scenes from Sanremo's competition.

CasaSanremo- A website about Sanremo and all the artists who will take part, with more infos and interviews (also Italian places and food specialties will be shown). Follow them also on their Social Media Channels, usually they make live video/interviews/shows on FB for example.

On Sorrisi&Canzoni you will find also other infos about Sanremo and every lyrics’s explanation (ofc ask me if you need a translation)

"Il Podcast di Sorrisi a Sanremo" - the famous media outlet will host daily starting at 7 PM (GMT+1) from February 11th to February 15th on RealTime TV a podcast about Sanremo with Rettore, Coma_cose, Francesca Michielin and Alessandro Amoroso as guests, sharing infos and special bts of the competition. The hosts are Lodovica Comello (radio/tv host, singer, actress...), Tommaso Cassissa (actor, youtuber...) and the director of Sorrisi Aldo Vitali.

The # on this blog is #sanremo 2025, #sanremo, #sanremo2025 you can black any of these (the first one in particular) if you want.

To watch it live:

Raiuno -> just click on the second video on the left, or here, to open the Raiuno streaming immediately (I added the whole Rai channels things in case you had troubles connecting directly and wanted to try from there). RAI’s geoblock is usually removed for Sanremo’s week, no need to create accounts or whatsoever to enjoy Sanremo online!! Remember you can rewatch the whole event and each performance on Raiplay few minutes after it has happened and for the whole week too (after the end of Sanremo, there will be only 1mins vids of each performance avaiable).

You can also follow the whole competition on Radio2.

FESTIVAL LIS - songs and whole exhibition explained in signs language

FANTASANREMO - this year as well you can play while enjoying your Sanremo! How does it work? Every person “buys” 5 artisti and marks one of them as a captain. As in the last years, artists will have to do or say something while on stage to help you gain points (and also classification will have a say). Subscriptions open on December 27th 2024. It seems there are some new features in the game too.

I’ll try to write down some more infos/links through the week.

——-

HOST & GUESTS & Other stuff

This years’ host will still be Carlo Conti (who choose the songs taking part into this Sanremo), a TV and radio host/deejay. He already hosted for 3 years (2015-2017). He will be accompanied by a different co-host each night (check the schedule below). Together with them, as usual, during each night there will be different guests. Some will be announced only right before the start of the evening so keep an eye on the schedule.

There won't just be the competition inside the Ariston: the Suzuki Stage will be held in Sanremo's piazza Colombo and every night there will be live performances (they may show something during Sanremo as well). Mattia Stanga and Jody Cecchetto (tv/radio hosts) will be the hosts, while the performers will be: Raf (Feb.11th), BigMama (Feb.12th), Ermal Meta (Feb.13th), Benji & Fede (Feb.14th), Tedua (Feb.15th).

How it works:

There will be 29* singers in the ARTISTI (artists) section. There will be again 2 sections: BIG/CAMPIONI (already known artists) and NUOVE PROPOSTE (youngs). 29 artists of the BIG section were chosen by Carlo Conti, while the 4 of the NUOVE PROPOSTE are the finalists of Sanremo Giovani (held in December 2024). The winner of the BIGs competition will represent Italy at the Eurovision Song Contest (May 13-17th 2025, in Switzerland): if he/she/they won’t accept, the choice will be another artist, usually the 2nd classified or the next (the first one accepting).

-> *Originally there were 30 BIG but Emis Killa withdrew since he's being investigated

This year we’re gonna listen to the 29 BIGs' songs on the first night and get a top 5 rank at the end. On the 2nd night we’ll get to listen to the 4 NUOVE PROPOSTE's songs. The two with the most votes will perform again in the final on day 3: on that same night we'll find out the winner of the category. On day 2 and 3, we'll also listen again to 14/15 BIGs' songs and get another top 5 rank. People at home can vote for both sections. On the 4th night there will be the usual “covers” night: the BIGs can choose any song published until December 2024, national or international, and will be accompanied by another artist. From this year, artists can also decide if to duet with another Sanremo's contestant. We'll get the winner of the covers' night but the rank will be a separate rank from the one of the real competition. People at home can vote for both sections again. On day 5, all the BIGs will perform again. At the beginning of the night we'll get the general top 5 rank of the past days, and at the end of the night we'll get the positions from 29th up to 6th. The first 5 will be not in order. Another vote will take place after which we'll find out the first 5 positions order and Sanremo's winner.

Day 1 - co-hosts: Antonella Clerici (tv host, former Sanremo host), Gerry Scotti (tv host, deejay) Prob. guests: Lorenzo Jovanotti, Noa and Mira Awad (singers), Gimbo Tamberi (athlethics) We’ll listen to all the 29 songs (in order of performance: Gaia; Francesco Gabbani; Rkomi; Noemi; Irama; Coma_Cose; Simone Cristicchi; Marcella Bella; Achille Lauro; Giorgia; Willie Peyote; Rose VIllain; Olly; Elodie; Shablo Guè Joshua Tormento; Massimo Ranieri; Tony Effe; Serena Brancale; Brunori Sas; Modà; Clara; Lucio Corsi; Fedez; Bresh; Sarah Toscano; Joan Thiele; Rocco Hunt; Francesca Michielin; The Kolors).

Top5 rank (casual order) : Brunori Sas, Giorgia, Lucio Corsi, Simone Cristicchi, Achille Lauro

Day 2 - co-hosts: Bianca Balti (model), Cristiano Malgioglio (singer, host, producer, songwriter), Nino Frassica (tv host, actor) Prob. guests: Damiano David (singer, former Maneskin's singer), "Follemente" movie's cast (actors: Edoardo Leo, Pilar Fogliati, Emanuela Fanelli, Maria Chiara Giannetta, Claudia Pandolfi, Vittoria Puccini, Marco Giallini, Maurizio Lastrico, Rocco Papaleo, Claudio Santamaria); "Champagne" tv serie cast (actors: Alessandro Gervasi, Francesco Del Gaudio); "Belcanto" tv serie cast (actors: Vittoria Puccini, Giacomo Giorgio, Carmine Recano); Carolina Kostner (ice skater) for the Winter Olympic Games 2026 in Italy The 4 NUOVE PROPOSTE will compete (in order: Alex Wyse VS Vale LP e Lil Jolie; Maria Tomba VS Settembre). The 2 NUOVE PROPOSTE FINALISTS are: Alex Wyse, Settembre We’ll listen to 15 BIG (in order of appearance: 4 nuove proposte; Damiano David sings Lucio Dalla; Rocco Hunt, Elodie, Lucio Corsi, The Kolors, Serena Brancale, Fedez, Francesca Michielin, Simone Cristicchi, Marcella Bella, Bresh, Achille Lauro, Giorgia, Rkomi, Rose VIllain, Willie Peyote)

Top 5 rank (casual order): Giorgia, Simone Cristicchi, Fedez, Achille Lauro, Lucio Corsi

Day 3 - co-hosts: Miriam Leone (actress), Elettra Lamborghini (singer, tv host), Katia Follesa (comedian, tv host) Prob. guests: Duran Duran, "Mare Fuori 5" tv serie's cast (actors), Iva Zanicchi, Edoardo Bennato (singers), Compagnia del Teatro Patologico (theatre and mental health), Simone Parodi (kid who knows everything about Sanremo), Victoria De Angelis (Maneskin's bassist) The remaining 14 BIG (in order of appearance: Bennato; Clara, Brunori Sas, Sarah Toscano, Massimo Ranieri, Joan Thiele, Shablo, Noemi, Olly, Coma_Cose, Modà, Tony Effe, Irama, Francesco Gabbani, Gaia; finale nuove proposte)

The NUOVE PROPOSTE WINNER is: SETTEMBRE!

Top 5 rank (casual order): Coma_Cose, Brunori Sas, Irama, Olly, Francesco Gabbani

Day 4 - co-hosts: Mahmood (singer), Geppi Cucciari (tv host, comedian, actress) Prob. guests: Paolo Kessisoglu (from Luca & Paolo, comedians/actors) and his daughter, Roberto Benigni (actor) The 29 BIGs Covers’ list (in order of appearance):

- Rose Villain con Chiello - “Fiori rosa, fiori di pesco” (Lucio Battisti) - Modà con Francesco Renga - “Angelo” (Francesco Renga) - Clara con Il Volo - "The sound of silence" (Simon and Garfunkel) - Tony Effe con Noemi - “Tutto il resto è noia” (Franco Califano) - Francesca Michielin con Rkomi - “La nuova stella di Broadway” (Cesare Cremonini)  - Lucio Corsi con Topo Gigio - “Nel blu dipinto di blu” (Domenico Modugno) - Serena Brancale con Alessandra Amoroso - “If I Ain’t Got You” (Alicia Keys) - Irama con Arisa - "Say something, i'm giving up on you" (Christina Aguilera) - Gaia con Toquinho - “La voglia, la pazzia” (Ornella Vanoni)  - The Kolors con Sal Da Vinci - “Rossetto e caffè” (Sal Da Vinci) - Marcella Bella con i Twin Violins - “L'emozione non ha voce” (Adriano Celentano) - Rocco Hunt con Clementino - “Yes, I Know My Way” (Pino Daniele)  - Francesco Gabbani con Tricarico - "Io sono Francesco" (Tricarico) - Giorgia con Annalisa - “Skyfall” (Adele)      - Simone Cristicchi con Amara - “La cura” (Franco Battiato) - Sarah Toscano con Ofenbach - “Overdrive” - Coma_Cose con Johnson Righeira - “L'estate sta finendo” (Righeira) - Joan Thiele con Frah Quintale - “Che cosa c'è” (Gino Paoli) - Olly con Goran Bregovic e la Wedding & Funeral Band - “Il pescatore” (Fabrizio De André) - Achille Lauro con Elodie - "A mano a mano" (Riccardo Cocciante) e “Folle città” (Loredana Bertè) - Massimo Ranieri con i Neri per caso - “Quando” (Pino Daniele) - Willie Peyote con Tiromancino (Federico Zampaglione) e Ditonellapiaga - “Un tempo piccolo” (Franco Califano) - Brunori Sas con Dimartino e Riccardo Sinigallia - “L'anno che verrà” (Lucio Dalla) - Fedez con Marco Masini - “Bella stronza” (Marco Masini)  - Bresh con Cristiano De André - “Crêuza de mä” (Fabrizio De André)  - Shablo feat. Guè, Joshua e Tormento con Neffa - Mix di “Amor de mi vida” (Sottotono) e “Aspettando il sole” (Neffa)

[original songs here]

Covers' rank:

Day 5 - co-hosts: Alessandro Cattelan (tv host, veejay), Alessia Marcuzzi (tv host, actress, model) Prob. guests: Vanessa Scalera (actress), Antonello Venditti (singer), Edoardo Bove (soccer player who suffered from heart failure during a match), Alberto Angela (tv host), Gabry Ponte (dj), Planet Funk (dance/electronic), Mahmood (singer) All the 29 BIGs will perform their songs (in order of appearance: Gabry Ponte with Sanremo's jingle; Francesca Michielin, Willie Peyote, Marcella Bella, Bresh, Modà, Rose Villain, Tony Effe, Clara, Serena Brancale, Brunori Sas, Francesco Gabbani, Noemi, Rocco Hunt, The Kolors, Olly, Achille Lauro, Coma_cose, Giorgia, Simone Cristicchi, Elodie, Lucio Corsi, Irama, Fedez, Shablo, Joan Thiele, Massimo Ranieri, Gaia, Rkomi, Sarah Toscano) and after midnight (prob. more like 1:30-2:30 am or later) we’ll know the competition’s final standings. The winner will go to the #ESC2025.

And the winner is: OLLY!

Final standing: 1. Olly 2. Lucio Corsi 3. Brunori Sas 4. Fedez 5. Simone Cristicchi 6. Giorgia 7. Achille Lauro 8. Francesco Gabbani 9. Irama 10. Coma_Cose 11. Bresh 12. Elodie 13. Noemi 14. The Kolors 15. Rocco Hunt 16. Willie Peyote 17. Sarah Toscano 18. Shablo ft. Guè Joshua Tormento 19. Rose Villain 20. Joan Thiele 21. Francesca Michielin 22. Modà 23. Massimo Ranieri 24. Serena Brancale 25. Tony Effe 26. Gaia 27. Clara 28. Rkomi 29. Marcella Bella

Olly refused to go to the ESC so LUCIO CORSI will take part at the ESC 2025!

Other Awards: - Premio della critica “Mia Martini” : Lucio Corsi - Premio della sala stampa “Lucio Dalla” : Simone Cristicchi - Premio miglior testo “Sergio Bardotti” : Brunori Sas - Premio miglior composizione musicale “Giancarlo Bigazzi” : Simone Cristicchi - Premio alla carriera: Iva Zanicchi - Premio alla carriera: Antonello Venditti - Premio Lunezia per Sanremo 2025: Simone Cristicchi - Premio Tim - La forza delle connessioni: Giorgia

————————

BIGs (+ lyrics):

Achille Lauro - Incoscienti giovani

Bresh - La tana del granchio

Brunori Sas - L'albero delle noci

Clara - Febbre

Coma_Cose - Cuoricini

Elodie - Dimenticarsi alle 7

Fedez - Battito

Francesca Michielin - Fango in paradiso

Francesco Gabbani - Viva la vita

Gaia - Chiamo io chiami tu

Giorgia - La cura per me

Irama - Lentamente

Joan Thiele - Eco

Lucio Corsi - Volevo essere un duro

Marcella Bella - Pelle diamante

Massimo Ranieri - Tra le mani un cuore

Modà - Non ti dimentico

Noemi - Se ti innamori muori

Olly - Balorda nostalgia

Rkomi - Il ritmo delle cose

Rocco Hunt - Mille volte ancora

Rose Villain - Fuorilegge

Sarah Toscano - Amarcord

Serena Brancale - Anema e core

Shablo con Guè, Joshua e Tormento - La mia parola

Simone Cristicchi - Quando sarai piccola

The Kolors - Tu con chi fai l'amore

Tony Effe - Damme 'na mano

Willie Peyote - Grazie ma non grazie

NUOVE PROPOSTE:

Alex Wyse - Rockstar

Maria Tomba - Goodbye (voglio good vibes)

Settembre - Vertebre

Vale LP e Lil Jolie - Dimmi tu quando sei pronto a fare l'amore

[more infos on the lyrics as on December 2024]

[all the lyrics can be found on this page]

(will edit with more updates, corrections and links as we get closer to the event)

[themattress]

Linking to this to honor Takakashi-san. It's a fascinating BTS look at Yu-Gi-Oh!'s production.

Most interesting points for me:

- He officially classifies the manga into 7 arcs, much like the 7 Millennium Items:

School Arc (20 chapters / Vol. 1-3) DEATH-T Arc (20 chapters / Vol. 3-5) RPG Arc (19 chapters / Vol. 5-7) Duelist Kingdom Arc (74 chapters / Vol. 8-15) DDM Arc (12 chapters / Vol. 16-17) Battle City Arc (133 chapters / Vol. 17-31) Pharaoh's Memories Arc (65 chapters / Vol. 32-38)

Battle City is the length of School, DEATH-T, RPG and Duelist Kingdom combined! O_o

BTW, there is clearly a "lost chapter" in the RPG Arc. Wonder what kind of game it had...

- The manga was on the verge of cancellation after the conclusion of the School Arc due to the multi-chapter battle with Shadi that was unpopular with readers, and upon re-reading it Takahashi actually agreed with those readers because he had tried too hard to make things mysterious and instead made them "surreal and abstruse". Because the two-part card game battle earlier had gotten the best reader reception, Takahashi decided to save the manga by bringing Kaiba back and fleshing him out into a proper nemesis. Interestingly, his first idea was to have him as an arch foe challenging Yugi to different games, which actually got used in the Toei anime, but instead decided to go with the DEATH-T tournament idea, which had long been an idea in the back of his head for a potential series finale. Of course, since he was utilizing it with Kaiba now, the final game played would have to be another card battle.

- DEATH-T is Takahashi's favorite story arc in the manga. He enjoyed it so much that he actually planned on it being longer, but his editor made him shorten it so that it could reach the card battle faster, which Takahashi concedes in retrospect was the right choice since it kept the pace appropriately tight. He also notes that because he was using his original idea for a series finale now, he ended up thinking of the new potential finale which would end up sticking: Yugi having to face Yami Yugi in order to achieve full independence for himself. Because of this, Yugi and Yami Yugi's bond became the series' focal point going forward.

- Upon returning to one-off adventures after DEATH-T, Takahashi found himself running out of ideas and thus made the fateful decision to craft a long-term Myth Arc for the series to follow - no more loose mysterious ideas like with Shadi; he actually had to plan things out. Thus he decided on how many Millennium Items there were and who had them, the story behind their creation and purpose, how the monsters of the card game connected to them, and of course the overarching antagonist Yami Bakura. So from the RPG arc through the Duelist Kingdom, DDM, Battle City and Pharaoh's Memories arcs, the series finally had a consistent narrative.

- As far as the anime adaptations of his work are concerned, Takahashi prefers Megumi Ogata as Yami Yugi, and Shunsuke Kazama as regular Yugi. And fair enough - though on paper, Megumi Ogata should have been perfect for regular Yugi as well; I don't know what the Hell the Toei voice directors were thinking in having her give the annoying high-pitched vocal performance she did for him. Takahashi also thought up a pitch for a crossover between Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters and Yu-Gi-Oh! GX where the main characters would team up to face Sartorius, though it sadly never came to pass. A shame since it sounds awesome.

- He conceded that most of the fathers in the series were garbage, and said looking back on it, it was something of a commentary on toxic masculinity: the expectation to adhere tightly to their gender role, particularly where their sons were concerned, wore all these fathers down, and the focus then was on the sons to not fall prey to the same mistakes. Tellingly, open emotion and bonds of friendship were the key to this. Takahashi also flipped the script on the mother figure, noting that the male symbol ♂ is a man holding a spear to go fight while the female symbol ♀ is a woman with a cross praying for his safe return, yet his story's ultimate mother figure, Horakthy, is instead the one who obliterates the Big Bad once called forth by the power of friendship. Honestly, Takahashi is one of the most feminist writers in shonen!

- He talked about the full backstory of both Pegasus and Kaiba, with the most interesting parts respectively being that he personally believed that between his talk with Yami Yugi and his death that Pegasus repented of his sins and got to join his wife in Heaven, and that Gozaburo noticed Kaiba cheating at chess against him and that was in fact why he adopted him and Mokuba...someone willing to do something that brazen was worthy of being his heir.

- Dark Magician Girl was originally sketched as a beautiful woman, but he felt that this didn't reflect her being Dark Magician's pupil enough so he changed her into a cute teenage girl.

- One of the underlying themes of Battle City is how religion, which should be a force for good, is often a force for bad in the world as it leads to people fighting over their personal vision of God. Thus a story where characters are fighting over the God cards, with Yami Yugi, Kaiba and Marik trying to prove their respective God's superiority and defeat the others.

- Takahashi shares a heart-wrenching anecdote about his childhood, where he lost a friend by stealing a block from him and his big brother then being too scared to confess and return it. His guilt over it lasted until adulthood, and drawing Jonouchi returning the piece of Yugi's puzzle that he stole in the first chapter was his way of achieving some sense of emotional closure on the matter. All things considered, I'd say that he more than redeemed himself.

- Originally, Takahashi considered ending the final chapter with a flashback to the duel between Yami Yugi and Jonouchi at the end of Battle City, with the implication that Jonouchi won and the last panel being Yami Yugi smiling at his first true defeat, foreshadowing his later defeat at Yugi's hands. However, Takahashi conceded that although he began the story with Yugi and Jonouchi's bond front and center, it ended up being more about Yugi and Yami Yugi's bond, so he is glad he didn't do this ending and instead ended it with Yugi's internal monologue after saying goodbye to his other self, which feels like a more natural send-off.

- When embarking on the final arc, Takahashi decided to limit the card battles as he was understandably exhausted from Battle City, with more focus being on the monsters from said cards battling each other for real without any rules. He considered just having a long flashback to true history and then some sort of final confrontation with Zorc, but felt that would be way too long without Yugi and his friends doing anything, which led to the creation of the Memory World. This strengthened the conclusion since the key to defeating Zorc, who was trying to fully merge with the evil power within the Millennium Puzzle and resurrect himself, was for Yami Yugi to merge with the good he had found outside the Millennium Puzzle, the good that gradually vanquished the evil power's influence over him. Takahashi says that Yugi was destined to be the one to complete the Millennium Puzzle, since if anyone else had done so it would have been Zorc's soul that awakened and possessed them rather than the Pharaoh's. This accounts for why Yugi has the same hairstyle as the Pharaoh!

- Takahashi was drawing the Pharaoh and his priests facing Bakura in Kul Elna when he suffered a stomach ulcer that he had to go to the hospital for. Although discharged after three days, the recognition of his poor health made Takahashi worry about dying before finishing his story, which in turn made him give in to his editor's demand that he quicken the pace and reach the end of the series faster since reader interest had declined after Battle City wore them out. This caused him to change the story from his original plan. Originally, the Memory World would have stayed a projection of the past within the Millennium Puzzle and follow the true events of history. Akhenaden and Seto would get into a fierce fight over Kisara, with Akhenaden insisting she be tortured to free the Blue Eyes White Dragon, under the claim of so it can aid the Pharaoh, while Seto wants to protect her. Akhenaden would end up killing Kisara, then decide that with the White Dragon's power Seto should be king and thus head off to Kul Elna to forge the contract with Zorc, leaving Seto behind to grieve and remain susceptible to his Millennium Rod's corruption. From there we would have seen things we ended up not seeing: Bakura being sealed into the Millennium Ring, Shadah becoming Hasan, Akhenaden and Zorc having a different dynamic where Zorc's monster form is more akin to Akhenaden's ka rather than an individual opponent, Seto fighting against both the Pharaoh and Zorc while under the influence of darkness, and likely even a flashback to Atem's sacrificial death to seal himself and Zorc inside the Millennium Puzzle - a scene Takahashi imagined quite vividly and had even initially considered opening the whole arc on.

But instead, the Memory World is retconned to actually be a Shadow RPG board that the Millennium Puzzle is suspended above and projecting onto, which has a rule system that allows for events to go in a completely different direction from how they historically did rather than simply having a different ending affected by Yugi and his friends. Zorc the monster becomes an individual foe that Akhenaden separates from, which leads to events between him, Seto and Kisara changing drastically from the original plan and what was earlier glimpsed in the Battle City arc. While the arc still works on the whole, Takahashi admitted that he still has regrets over his decision, especially considering that in hindsight his fears over dying of illness proved to be wrong. Although he humorously notes that in his ill, hazy state of mind, he designed Zorc to look like...that, something he modified in these bankoban editions.

- Finally, he notes just like he did in the original final volume's afterwards that while Yu-Gi-Oh! is now a worldwide franchise centered around a card game and containing multiple manga and anime series, to him it will always just be the original manga that he made, always just be the story of a boy named Yugi and his friends. And that Yu-Gi-Oh!, IMO, will never be topped.

[magic-shop-stories]

Bts father headcannon where their child wants to become an actor/ actress and how they would react to their child being in the public eye

💌 Reply:

Hey there, THANK YOU SO MUCH for your request, I'm a bit late but I hope you dont mind and can still enjoy these headcanaons... hoping it's what you imagined and wanted. I was in the theater today and got a bit inspired (tho the play wasn't too good ...content-wise xD) Feel free to reach out again and have fun reading XO -c-

NAMJOON

HOW HIS CHILD TELLS HIM

Setting

after their high school’s production of Hamlet

his child plays Ophelia/Horatio with chilling vulnerability

he sits in the front row

clutching a dog-eared copy of Shakespeare (he’s annotated since years)

post-show, his child meets him backstage

still in costume, face flushed under stage makeup

Confession

they hand him a handwritten letter 

tucked inside a vintage copy of King Lear

note reads: “Appa, You taught me words have weight. Now I want to give them wings. Let me act. Love, Your Hamlet (Not Tragic)”

INITIAL REACTION

First 10 Seconds

freezes

eyes scanning the letter twice

his grip tightens on the book

knuckles whitening

voice low, almost a whisper:

“This… this is your truth?"

Next Minute

sinks into a backstage folding chair

gesturing for them to sit

“Explain. Why acting? Why now?” 

leans forward, elbows on knees

debate mode activated

After an Hour

paces the empty theater aisle

muttering quotes: 

“‘All the world’s a stage’… but the audience can be cruel.” 

stops abruptly

“You’re sure? Unshakably sure?”

EMOTIONS

Pride

texts Jin at 2 AM: 

“Hyung. They’re… brilliant. Like, Shakespearean brilliant.”

sneaks into their room to watch their old play recordings

smiling at their Prince Hal monologue

Fear

wakes from nightmares of tabloid headlines: 

“BTS Leader’s Child: Nepo Baby or Genius?”

journals: “How do I armor their heart without crushing their spirit?”

WHAT HE SAYS & DOES

Immediate Response

Verbal

“Talent is a gift. But this industry… it’s Sisyphus with a spotlight. Can you carry that boulder?”

Action

buys out a small indie theater for a private workshop

hires a Tony Award-winning coach

specialized in mentoring LGBTQ+ youth

“Learn here first. Safely.”

Two Weeks Later

creates a ”Artistic Integrity” contract with them over banana milk

“Never apologize for your craft.”

“If a director dims your light, walk. I’ll handle the fallout.”

“Grades stay up. Philosophy minors make better actors.”

LONG-TERM SUPPORT

Education & Art

enrolls them in a hybrid Ivy League/acting conservatory program.

“You’ll need both to dissect Ibsen and survive TMZ.”

hosts Saturday Seminars

they analyze A Doll’s House

he connects it to Marxist theory

Creative Safe Spaces

builds a new home studio with soundproof walls

adds a library of plays

door plaque: “Rehearsal Room / Existential Crisis Zone.”

co-writes a modern adaptation of The Tempest 

but Prospero is a K-pop idol

“Hyungs will cameo. No pressure.”

PROTECTION FROM THE SPOTLIGHT

Media Strategy

insists their debut is a stage play

not a Netflix show !!!

“Theater audiences respect boundaries. Mostly.”

leaks fake scripts 

to Dispatch about them playing ”a time-traveling barista”

diverting attention

Paparazzi Protocol

teaches them ”The Kim Namjoon Evasion”:

= wear oversized scarves (distracts cameras)

= quote Foucault (confuses reporters)

= summon ARMY (via a secret Social Media code)

hires a bodyguard disguised as a ”philosophy tutor”

“Sunbae will quiz you on Kant and karate.”

EASTER EGGS

Lyrical Nod

sneaks “you showed me I have reasons I should love myself” into their opening night card

Bookmark Gift

golden bookmark engraved with their childhood nickname: ”My Little Army-Princess”

Secret Cameo

appears in their student film as ”Disapproving Librarian #3”

blinks Morse code: “P-R-O-U-D.”

JIN

HOW HIS CHILD TELLS HIM

Setting

years of “living room Broadway” performances

(starring Jin as the unwilling villain and his child as the dramatic hero)

his child ambushes him during his Saturday skincare routine

they toss a crumpled acceptance letter from a prestigious acting conservatory into his lap

along with a plastic Oscar they stole from his “Dad Joke Trophy Shelf.”

Confession

Jin pauses mid-sheet mask application

“Appa. I’m doing it. For real this time. And you’re gonna cry at my Oscar speech.”

“Yah! My Oscar speech is already written! Fine… let’s hear your draft.”

INITIAL REACTION

First 10 Seconds

gasps

sheet mask slipping off his face

“Finally! I’ve been waiting to say, ‘My kid’s the star!’ since you were three!” 

flexes in the mirror

“But I’m still the lead in this household.”

Next Minute

scrolls through the conservatory’s alumni list

“Hmm. This one did a toothpaste commercial. You’re already better.

After an Hour

forces the family to reenact “Goblin” 

dish towels as capes

casts himself as the handsome deity

“Method acting, baby! Cry like you’re chopping onions!”

EMOTIONS

Pride

updates his Instagram bio to “Proud Appa of Korea’s Next IT Actor” within 5 minutes

texts his last TV show co-star Gong Yoo: 

“Hyung. My kid’s stealing your roles. Sorry not sorry.”

Fear

secretly watches child star burnout documentaries 

mutters, “Not my baby.” 

buys 17 self-help books titled “Raising a Nepo Baby (But Make It Humble)”

Nostalgia

digs up old photos of himself in college theater

(pre-debut Romeo with tragic eyeliner)

“See? You get this from me.”

WHAT HE SAYS & DOES

Immediate Response

Verbal

“You want to act? Great! First lesson: Always angle your left side to the camera. This side.” 

points to his cheekbone

Action

hosts a “Debut BBQ” with all HYBE staff

forces Bang PD to watch their student film

“Invest in this face. Future CF king!”

Two Weeks Later

creates a “Jin-Approved” survival kit

portable steamer “Wrinkles are the enemy”

script highlighters with ARMY bomb sketches

emergency Snacks labeled “For When Co-Stars Are Rude.”

LONG-TERM SUPPORT

Coaching & Connections

co-stars in their college thesis film as a washed-up idol (typecasting himself)

“I’ll be your tragic comic relief. Again.”

drags them to celebrity golf tournaments to network

“That’s Director Bong. Laugh at his jokes. Even the bad ones.”

Public Advocacy

wears a “Proud Appa” button to their premieres

interviews himself on the red carpet: 

“Yes, they’re talented. Yes, I’m jealous.”

starts a YouTube series: “Appa’s Acting Academy”

where he “trains” them in over-the-top melodrama

episode 1: “Crying on Cue (While Eating Spicy Noodles).”

PROTECTION FROM THE SPOTLIGHT

Media Strategy

leaks fake scandals about himself to divert paparazzi

(“Jin Spotted Buying 100 Melons”)

teaches them the “Dad Joke Defense”

when reporters ask invasive questions, respond with:

“Why did the actor cross the road? To avoid you!”

Paparazzi Protocol

hires a decoy child (a lookalike cousin) to attend fake auditions

“Let them chase the wrong Kim.”

parks a pink Lamborghini outside tabloid offices daily

“Distract them with my beauty. Classic misdirection.”

EASTER EGGS

Signature Sass

sneaks his catchphrase “Worldwide Handsome” into their character’s dialogue

“It’s method acting. My method.”

MV Nostalgia

recreates their childhood “No More Dream” parody video for their 18th birthday

“You’ve always been main character energy.”

Dad Joke Legacy

stuffs their script margins with pun annotations

“Hamlet’s ghost? More like Hamlet’s host… of issues!”

*two GIFS for Yoongi bc I just couldn't resist the first one lol

YOONGI

HOW HIS CHILD TELLS HIM

Setting

his child has secretly joined an avant-garde theater troupe

reimagining classics like Medea as dystopian tech tragedies

they win a regional competition for their role as a cyborg Medea

channeling rage through glitchy, mechanical monologues

they arrive home late one night

trophy in hand

places it on Yoongi’s studio desk beside his unreleased mixtape drafts

Confession

no words

just a playbill tucked into his notebook with their role circled in red

Yoongi finds it at 4 AM

coffee cold

stares at the stark graphic design: “MEDEA 2.0: Humanity Optional.”

INITIAL REACTION

First 10 Seconds

eyes narrow at the trophy

flicks to their shadow in the doorway

“You’re back late. This why?” 

voice flat

tho fingers trace the trophy’s edges

Next Minute

watches their performance clip on his phone

jaw tight

“Hm. Intense. You cried here..." 

pauses the video

“Real tears or glycerin?”

After an Hour

sits at the piano

improvising a somber melody

“Medea’s a heavy first role. You understand her… or just memorized lines?”

EMOTIONS

Pride

texts BTS group chat: 

“Got a kid who’s better at angst than me. Unrelated.”

saves their performance video as “track_idea_97.mp4” for future sampling

Fear

researches the troupe’s director

grilling them over coffee

“You let minors play suicidal androids? Cool. Let’s discuss boundaries.”

nightly ritual

checks their phone for burner accounts 

tracking toxic fan forums

WHAT HE SAYS & DOES

Immediate Response

Verbal

“Acting’s a contract. You give pieces of yourself away. Sure you wanna sign?”

Action

buys the troupe’s script rights to prevent exploitation

“Now you own Medea. Fix the ending.”

Two Weeks Later

builds a home recording booth rigged with acting software

“Practice here. No audience.”

leaves a therapist’s card on their pillow

“For when the role… sticks.”

LONG-TERM SUPPORT

Artistic Integrity

funds a short film they co-write

a meta-commentary on celebrity culture

directs the soundtrack himself

“No autotune. Raw.”

connects them with indie auteurs who value anonymity

“Art’s not a brand. Remember that.”

Practical Safeguards

sets up a shell company to manage their projects

“Stage name: Min (name). No ties to me.”

teaches them to encrypt scripts and emails

“Paranoia’s a tool. Use it.”

PROTECTION FROM THE SPOTLIGHT

Media Strategy

insists their debut is a voice role in an animated film

“No face, no gossip. Just talent.”

they flood the internet with AI-generated deepfakes of their “public outings” to confuse paparazzi

Paparazzi Protocol

loans them his black face mask collection

“Wear these. And hoodies. Always.”

hires a cybersecurity team to scrub their digital footprint weekly

“You exist offline. Period.”

EASTER EGGS

Lyrical Nod

samples their Medea monologue in a BTS intro track

lyrics: “Burn the script / Rewrite your own fire.”

Studio Secret

names a synth preset “(name) Fury” after their performance

uses it in Agust D’s next album

Hidden Message

etches “민 (name)” (their stage name) into his mic stand

“For luck. Don’t tell.”

J-HOPE

HOW HIS CHILD TELLS HIM

Setting

his child auditions for a modern retelling of "Romeo and Juliet" as a dancer

tho lands the role of Mercutio

after the director spots their raw emotionality during a sword-fighting rehearsal

they send J-Hope a vague text: 

“Appa, come to the Seoul Arts Center at 7 PM! Surprise! Wear something sparkly.)

Confession

J-Hope arrives in a sequined bomber jacket

expecting a dance showcase

lights are dim

his child appears onstage

delivering Mercutio’s death scene with a ferocity that leaves the audience breathless

post-curtain call, they find him backstage

frozen mid-clap

glitter tears streaking his cheeks

INITIAL REACTION

First 10 Seconds

stares, mouth agape

“Wait... you?! Since when do you act?! I thought this was a dance thing!” 

voice rises an octave

Next Minute

laugh-cries

shaking their shoulders

“YAH! You lied to me! Genius! But also grounded!”

After an Hour

replays their monologue on his phone

zooming in on their face

“You got Mom’s angry eyebrows. Perfect for tragedy.”

EMOTIONS

Pride

texts the members: “MY BABY’S A STAR!!!!” 

spams 50 heart emojis

Jungkook replies: “Hyung. Chill.”

buys a custom neon marquee sign for their bedroom: 

“Future Oscar Winner Sleeps Here.”

Guilt

replays old videos of them dancing together

“Did I push too hard? Was it my dream?”

Protectiveness

memorizes every cast member’s Instagram

“That Tybalt guy better not be a fuckboy.”

WHAT HE SAYS & DOES

Immediate Response

Verbal

“You’re amazing. But why hide it? I’d have choreographed your sword fights!”

Action

drags them to a 24-hour diner

ordering pancakes shaped like Oscars

“Eat. We’re celebrating.”

Two Weeks Later

surprises them with a collab

rechoreographs the play’s fight scenes into hip-hop battles

“Mercutio b-boys into the afterlife. Yes.”

hosts a “Dance-Acting Bootcamp”

teaches them to “cry while popping” for emotional auditions

LONG-TERM SUPPORT

Creative Coaching

convinces Bangtan to cameo in their student film as background K-pop idols

“Just act natural. Which is… unnatural.”

designs their red carpet debut outfit

a sequined jumpsuit with light-up sneakers

“They’ll see you coming. Literally.”

Public Cheerleading

starts a TikTok series: “Appa’s Backstage Diaries”

filming their rehearsals

trendy hashtag: #HobiRaisingHollywood

sneaks into their Zoom auditions as a “technical assistant”

mouthing “YOU GOT THIS” behind the camera

PROTECTION FROM THE SPOTLIGHT

Media Strategy

organizes flash mobs outside paparazzi hubs

“Distract them with my moves. Classic Hobi.”

teaches them the “Hope on the Street Evasion”

a dance combo that doubles as a crowd escape route

Paparazzi Protocol

parks a neon-green convertible outside their auditions

blasting “Chicken Noodle Soup”

“No one hears your lines over this beat!”

hires a bodyguard who moonlights as a dance instructor

“Learn the running man and self-defense in one lesson!”

EASTER EGGS

Lyrical Nod

whispers “I’m your hope, you’re my hope” before their auditions

Legacy Accessory

gifts them his iconic rainbow Gucci sweater

“For luck. And branding.”

Secret Project

drops a remix of their Mercutio monologue over a J-Hope beat

SoundCloud title: “Hope World Meets Shakespeare.”

JIMIN

HOW HIS CHILD TELLS HIM

Setting

months of rehearsing alone in their room

his child auditions for a modern adaptation of "A Midsummer Night’s Dream"

set in a K-pop training academy

they land the lead role of "Hermia"

a trainee torn between love and ambition

the night before rehearsals begin, they leave a script on Jimin’s pillow

highlighted lines marked

“I fear my passion will eat me alive… but I’ll let it.”

Confession

Jimin finds it after a late-night shower

hair damp, wearing his ratty BT21 Chimmy pajamas

he sits on the edge of the bed

tracing the highlighted words

his child tiptoes in

he pats the space beside him

“Come here. Let’s read your lines together.”

INITIAL REACTION

First 10 Seconds

eyes widen, lips parting

“You’re… Hermia? My baby?” 

voice cracks

pulls them into a hug so tight they squeak

Next Minute

recites their lines back to them

improvising exaggerated gestures

“No, like this... passion, jagiya! Throw the script!”

After an Hour

sits cross-legged on the floor

dissecting the character’s motives

“Hermia’s scared? So are we all. But you… you’re braver.”

EMOTIONS

Pride

texts Taehyung: 

“They’re better than me at 16. Cursed genes.” 

attaches a blurry screenshot of their audition tape

buys front-row tickets for all BTS members

“You’re our idol now.”

Anxiety

stares at their rehearsal schedule

circling scenes with intimacy coordinators

“If anyone touches them...”

wakes at 3 AM to watch documentaries about child actors

muttering: “Not my baby. Never my baby.”

WHAT HE SAYS & DOES

Immediate Response

Verbal

“You’re made for this. But if it hurts… we stop. Promise me.”

Action

rearranges his world tour schedule to attend every rehearsal

brings thermoses of honey tea for the cast

“Hydrate. Or I’ll cry.”

Two Weeks Later

hosts a “Confidence Bootcamp” in their living room

mirror work: 

“Tell yourself you’re enough. Louder.”

breathing exercises stolen from his idol days:

“Inhale courage, exhale doubt.”

improv games where he plays an overly critical director

“Now roast me. Harder!”

LONG-TERM SUPPORT

Creative Coaching

coaches their emotional scenes by sharing his own struggles

“I threw up before debut. Twice. Now… look at me.”

connects them with BTS’s vocal coach for projection lessons

“Sing your lines. Own the room.”

Public Advocacy

wears a custom “Proud Appa” silk robe to their premiere

paparazzi swarm: 

“Yes, they’re mine. Yes, I’m sobbing.”

starts a YouTube series: “Behind the Curtain with Y/N and Jimin”

showcasing their rehearsals

Ep. 1: “How to Cry on Cue (Without Ruining Your Eyeliner)”

PROTECTION FROM THE SPOTLIGHT

Media Strategy

leaks old baby photos of himself to overshadow their debut articles

“Let them laugh at my chubby cheeks. Not your talent.”

teaches them the “Jimin Evasion”: 

smile brightly, wave, then bolt

“Works every GDA.”

Paparazzi Protocol

hires a former MMA fighter as their “personal stylist”

“She does wings and roundhouse kicks.”

parks his car outside tabloid offices with a sign: 

“Park here and I’ll serenade you. Warning: Off-key.”

EASTER EGGS

Serendipity Symbolism

gifts them a butterfly bracelet

“For when you need magic.”

Lyrical Comfort

whispers “You never walk alone” before their curtain call

Secret Cameo

appears in their play as ”Mysterious Dance Mentor”

credits list: “Special Thanks to Dad"

TAEHYUNG

HOW HIS CHILD TELLS HIM

Setting

it's their high school graduation project

his child writes and stars in a self-written play 

titled “The Melody of Lost Things”

a surrealist story about memory, identity, and a jazz musician who communicates with ghosts

Taehyung is dressed in a beret and silk scarf

he sits in the front row with a vintage film camera 

post-show, his child finds him backstage

they're clutching a folded program stained with tear smudges

Confession

they hand him a script annotated with doodles and a note:

“Appa, You taught me stories are spells. Now I’m casting mine. Let me act. P.S. The jazz ghost is totally you.”

INITIAL REACTION

First 10 Seconds

smirks, eyes glinting

“Knew it. Knew you’d steal my artistic angst.” 

tugs them into a hug, beret askew

Next Minute

examines the script like a rare vinyl

“This line...‘ghosts hum in minor keys’...chef’s kiss. But page 32 needs more… saxophone.”

After an Hour

drags them to a 24-hour jazz bar

reciting their lines over live music

“Feel the rhythm. Now you’re living it.”

EMOTIONS

Pride

texts Park Seo-joon: 

“Hyung. My kid’s writing better scripts than us. Adopt them.”

buys a theater marquee replica for their bedroom

lights it up nightly: “TAE JR. TONIGHT!”

Protectiveness

sits in on rehearsals

glaring at any castmate who flubs a line

“Yah. Respect the art.”

creates a secret scrapbook of their reviews

labels it: “Proof the World is Wrong Sometimes.”

WHAT HE SAYS & DOES

Immediate Response

Verbal

“You’re a storm. But storms need direction. Let’s chase the lightning.”

Action

gifts them a 1930s microphone and a Gucci/Celine trench coat

“Wear this to auditions. Confuse them into hiring you.”

Two Weeks Later

co-writes a short film with them:

asilent movie about a time-traveling painter

casts himself as the mysterious art dealer

“No pay. Just exposure.”

hosts a “Vante Film Fest” in their backyard

screens their play on a projector

serving champagne in mason jars

LONG-TERM SUPPORT

Creative Collaborations

connects them with indie directors who specialize in magical realism

“Tell stories that hurt and heal. Like us.”

turns their play into a graphic novel

illustrating it himself

dedication page: “For my ghost, who taught me to sing.”

Public Advocacy

wears a custom suit to their premieres

their play’s title embroidered in gold thread

“Subtle? Never!”

starts a YouTube channel critiquing their performances

“Scene 3: Flawless. Scene 4: More eyeliner.”

PROTECTION FROM THE SPOTLIGHT

Media Strategy

invites paparazzi to fake art exhibits 

featuring AI-generated photos of their “new projects” 

“Chase this masterpiece.”

teaches them the “Vante Vanish”:

disappear into crowds by wearing head-to-toe prints 

humming “Singularity”

Paparazzi Protocol

loans them his vintage sunglasses collection

“Hide your eyes. Keep your soul.”

hires a mime troupe to follow them in public

“Distract the press with silent chaos.”

EASTER EGGS

Jazz Soul

samples their play’s dialogue in a SoundCloud track 

titled “Winter Bear: Remixed”

Legacy Accessory

gifts them an iconic blue silk scarf  

“For when you need drama… or a tissue.”

Secret Nod

names a stray cat in their play “Tata”

“BT21 cameo. Shhh.”

JUNGKOOK

HOW HIS CHILD TELLS HIM

Setting

Jungkook’s child stars in a viral school play parody of “Dynamite” 

he mistakes it for a "fun project"

months later, Namjoon visits

he spots a local theater flyer for “Macbeth: K-Hip-Hop Edition” with JK's child’s name

bolded as Lady Macbeth

he corners Jungkook mid-workout: 

“You do know your kid’s the next Lee Byung-hun, right?”

Confession

child drags Jungkook to their dress rehearsal

he sits in the back row

snacking on gimbap, until Lady Macbeth’s soliloquy

“Out, damned Spotify streams!”

= blasts through the speakers

Jungkook drops his rice ball

“…That’s you? Since when?!”

INITIAL REACTION

First 10 Seconds

stares blankly

squints at the stage

“Wait...you’re acting? I thought this was… dance practice?”

Next Minute

leans forward, eyes widening

“You’re good. Like, really good. Why didn’t I notice?!”

After an Hour

texts the BTS group chat: 

“Hyungs. My kid’s a genius. Am I… failing as a dad?” 

Jin replies: 

“Yes. Buy them lamb skewers.”

EMOTIONS

Guilt

rewatches every school play recording he’d archived as “cute hobbies” 

“How did I miss this? Idiot!”

buys parenting books titled “How to Not Be Oblivious 101”

Pride

forces Bangtan to watch their play via Zoom

“Hyungs, clap louder! They’re my DNA!”

sneaks backstage after shows

leaves golden star stickers on their script

WHAT HE SAYS & DOES

Immediate Response

Verbal

“You’re… amazing. But why hide it? I’d have built you a Hollywood set!”

Action

turns his gaming room into a mini-theater

complete with spotlights

“Rehearse here. I’ll be your audience.”

Two Weeks Later

challenges them to a ”Act-Off”:

he performs Hamlet while bench-pressing

“Multitasking! You try!”

hires a dialect coach to perfect their English for international roles

“You’ll slay Hollywood and Korea.”

LONG-TERM SUPPORT

Hands-On Coaching

learns stage combat to spar with them 

“Mercutio’s death scene needs more flips.”

records their monologues for his late-night gym playlist

“Motivation and pride!”

Creative Collaboration

directs their college film project

a meta-drama about idol families

casts himself as the “overprotective appa” 

“Just… act natural.”

samples their Lady Macbeth laugh in his solo track

credits: “Feat. My Kid’s Evil Genius”

PROTECTION FROM THE SPOTLIGHT

Media Strategy

posts thirst traps timed with their premieres to hijack headlines

“Let them thirst over me, not you.”

teaches them to ”VLive Distract”:

go live eating ramen if paparazzi swarm

“Fans love noodle ASMR.”

Paparazzi Protocol

gifts them a black face mask with ”Golden Child” embroidered inside

“Wear it. Always.”

parks his Mercedes G Class outside auditions

engine roaring

“No one stalks you through this noise!”

EASTER EGGS

Golden Touch

swaps their silver trophy for a custom gold-plated one

“Only gold for my kid.”

Lyrical Nod

whispers “You’re my golden hour” before their curtain calls

Secret Signal

develops a finger heart code for crowded events

“Two hearts = I’m here.”

[gentlebeardsbarngrill]

05/21-25/2025 Daily OFMD Recap

TLDR; Rhys Darby; Con O'Neill; Nathan Foad; VIco Ortiz; Ruibo Qian; Anapela Polata'ivao; Bronson Pinchot; Andrew DeYoung and Andy Rydzewski; Gypsy Taylor; Cohen Holloway; Articles; TinyCrewBigRaffle2 Winners; Fan Spotlight: BrainBowie/OurFlagMeansFanfiction cast & crew interviews; Love Notes;

Well this is a new one...now I'm hitting the 10 video limit on Tumblr! Crazy! Apologies ahead of time for the buffering!

= Rhys Darby =

Rhys shared a clip of one of his recent performances, gotta love those sound effects!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rhys Darby (@rhysiedarby)

Source: Rhys' IG

He's also reminding us that there's shows coming up in UK and Ireland from May 30-July 3!

Source: Rhys' IG Stories

= Con O'Neill =

Con is going to be joining the Netflix series "Legends!"

Source: Adopt Our Crew's Bsky

= Nathan Foad =

Source: Nathan's IG Stories

= Vico Ortiz =

Our beloved Jim is keeping us fed with more OFMD BTS! This has Joel, Madeleine, Samba, and more! Check it out on their Paid Substack!

Source: Vico's Paid Substack

Vico's also been busy with more Today in Gay News! May 22 / May 21 / May 20

Source: Today In Gay Podcast Substack

= Ruibo Qian =

Ruibo knows that we can't resist cat content, look at that fluffy belly!

Source: Ruibo's IG Stories

= Anapela Polata'ivao =

Guess what? Tinā won BEST FILM at the Seattle International Film Festival this year! CONGRATS AUNTIE!

Source: Tinā The Film IG

In addition, an absolutely stunning new mural was added in Ōtautahi!

And just a little behind the scenes of Anapela <3

Source: Tinā The Film's IG Stories

= Bronson Pinchot =

Our dastardly Ned Low was being Interviewed by Still Here Hollywood Podcast, and he had a pretty fun story regarding the late Space Mom aka Carrie Fisher I thought would be fun to share. I miss you Space Mom! You were one of a kind and everyone remembers you fondly!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Still Here Hollywood (@stillherehwood)

Source: Bronson's IG

= Andrew DeYoung and Andy Rydzewski =

Absolutely amazing reviews have been coming in for Andrew (OFMD Director) and Andy's (OFMD Cinematographer) new movie Friendship! They were kind enough to also share some BTS of the two of them on set!

Source: Andy and Andrew's IG Stories

= Gypsy Taylor =

Gypsy designed a really cute tattoo for a friend!

Source: Gypsy's IG Stories

= Cohen Holloway =

Pop pop has blessed us with a throwback to lock down and more goofy comedy, this time with Sam Neill.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by SamNeillTheProp (@samneilltheprop)

Source: Cohen's IG

= Articles =

As always, our dear friends over @adoptourcrew are keeping us up to date with articles that mention OFMD! Thanks Crew!

Source: Adopt Our Crew's Bsky

= Tiny Crew Big Raffle 2 =

The Tiny Crew Big Raffle 2 winners were announced! Check out who won the awesome prizes below!

Baby Monkey Draw from Megan Vertelle!

Ed's Necklace from Harlams Emporium

Gentlebeard Pop Up Zine by @lumiilys!

Fixed up Tiny Boat

Ed v Snake Embroidery by Owl Trousers!

David Jenkins Signature

Also, thank you so much to the wonderful folks behind Tiny Crew Big Raffle @tinycrewbigraffle , I know all that was a lot of work and coordination and you really are stellar keeping up with all of it! Thank you for continuing to let us have a chance at winning wonderful pieces of OFMD History!

== Fan Spotlight ==

So tonight's spotlight is on the wonderful BrainBowie aka Petrichor aka GheyandWoke aka Chloe and the Our Flag Means Fanfiction group! Chloe set out on a mission to get her flagged signed by several of our beloved Cast & Crewmates including Dominic Burgess, Damien Gerard, Samba Schutte, Lindsey Cantrell, and Christopher Corbin! Thank you so much for sharing these with us Chloe, they are amazing!!!

Source: Petrichor's Bsky

Source: Brain Bowie's IG

= Our Flag Means Fanfiction =

During this awesome excursion, Chloe and the OFMDD team asked the cast & crew some very important questions! Thank you so much to the Our Flag Means Fanfiction team for getting these questions answered! So fantastic! First up Samba gave some ideas he'd love to see come to life with Roach!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Our Flag Means Fanfiction (@ourflagmeansfanfiction)

Source: OFMFF IG

Next up was Damien Gerard, aka Father Teach -- with the question: What would you like to see your character do in fanfiction?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Our Flag Means Fanfiction (@ourflagmeansfanfiction)

Source: OFMFF IG

Dominic, Jeffrey Fettering, got the same question!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Our Flag Means Fanfiction (@ourflagmeansfanfiction)

Source: OFMFF IG

In addition, Christopher Corbin, aka Magic Man answered "What would you envision your character doing in fanfiction?"

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Our Flag Means Fanfiction (@ourflagmeansfanfiction)

Source: OFMFF IG

= Harold's Haunt Calypso's Birthday =

Our friends over at Our Flag Means Fanfiction went live with @ringasunn for Calypso's Birthday over at Harold's Haunt in PA! Did any of you get to go?

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Our Flag Means Fanfiction (@ourflagmeansfanfiction)

Source: OFMFF IG

== Love Notes ==

Hey lovelies! Back again tonight. I swear I'm going to at least get caught up to June tonight if I can! There's so much going on right now with the end of May and the start of pride month.

This is a short one, but I did want to share this love note with you because I think it means a lot, especially during pride month. But please remember, if you don't feel safe, do what you need to feel that way okay? We're here celebrating pride with you in, or out of the closet-- but your safety is the absolute most important thing <3 Love you crew!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steph Jones | Self Care Visuals 🌈 (@selfcarevisuals)

Source: SelfCareVisuals

[lenalenouilleisblogging]

2024 feminist movie retrospective ~ day 10

It's RAPID FIRE REVIEWS TIME !! ROUND 3

I don't have enough to say about these next films to write full reviews, but i still want to mention them, these are some of the ones i watched in theaters in May/June of 2024.

Sooooo fucking fun. Also the romance is actually, like, good?? Romantic subplots are always a chore in action movies but this was so sweet and cute?? It's barely a subplot actually, it's pretty important to the narrative. Which is probably why it works. I've loved every David Leitch feature that I've seen (so, everything but the Fast & Furious spinoff) and this one is no exception. Great dynamic camera work, fun editing, just a really entertaining good time. Will put you in a good mood. You can tell all the cast is having a lot of fun. Also this movie pays homage to stunt work and stunt workers and that's needed! These people rock. Loved that this had BTS footage in the end credits, I missed that. My little brother has a crush on Winston Duke AND Ryan Gosling AND Aaron Taylor Johnson so needless to say he had the time of his LIFE at the cinema 😹😹

trailer

The most successful film of the year in french theaters. I can see why, this is exactly the kind of simple thing the french public just eats up. The movie fulfills its mission pretty much perfectly. It's about being heartwarming, funny, and to give visibility to people with certain disabilities. Apparently non-profit organizations for disabled adults (like the one we see in the film) saw a massive increase in support, donations and volunteers after the release of this film. That's great, I hope it keeps going! There was a bit of a scandal at Cannes film festival because not a single brand wanted to sponsor the cast on the red carpet, but the director got pissed off. Not only did they end up getting their haute couture sponsor, they ended up being the biggest sensation on the red carpet! Look at them! 🩵🥹

Watching this in theaters was sooo fun. Fullest showing i've seen all year. I've also never seen so many people in wheelchairs at my theater at the same time?? The crowd was laughing at every joke, such a fun community moment. I cannot believe some people are calling the movie insensitive because there are mean jokes towards the characters. THIS IS A FRENCH COMEDY. Of course it's gonna be mean as fuck. AND ALMOST THE WHOLE CAST IS DISABLED. Saying that mockery is fine except for some groups because they "can't take it" is fucking insane especially when no one from said group agrees with you. Performative "activists" are so annoying.

trailer

Japanese humor usually works well on me so I expected a good laugh. What I didn't expect were the feels? Right in the kokoro omg. Loved the editing, loved the rhythm. Very dynamic and full of fun, entertaining ideas. On top of that there's a layer of commentary about (japanese) work culture that's very interesting and works SUPER well with the concept. The characters are very archetypal but they're also very interesting and watchable. The two female characters in particular stayed with me. The third act was so touching and original. Completely unexpected but so sweet and profound. A great time. I LOVE TIME LOOP STORIESSSS

trailer

A bit like Das Lehrerzimmer, this feels like a 2 hour long panic attack. So claustrophobic, so effective. The whole cast is acting its ass off. The dialogues and the interactions feel so real. That ending too! One of the best endings of the year lol. Such a competent, tightly-nit project! What a ride. I ate my fingers to the bone watching this x)

trailer

I low-key expected to hate this 😭 I only knew that this is supposed to be like, THE "polyamorous" movie. But it's not that at all, it's much more interesting??? Everyone who watches this film has an opinion on which ship is endgame, I'm in the gay team 💪 I love the female character but I don't like the vibe between her and either of the guys. The two guys tho??? Immaculate chemistry I NEED them to fuck on-screen. That being said, the story wasn't fascinating to me. The writing is great, but it's just not my style at all. If that story had been in any other film I would have forgotten everything about it a week after seeing it. BUT it's not the case.

This was one of my FAVOURITES film of the year in terms of film-making. Like, top 5 maybe. This is EXTRAORDINARY. The soundtrack is fucking balls to the walls insane and it's unlike anything I've heard before in a movie. It's great to listen to by itself but in the film it's just... It's perfect. I never would have thought i'd ever see homoerotic tennis matches set to trance music in theaters but there's a first for everything lol. The editing, the shot composition, the pacing ARG I WANNA EAT THIS MOVIE IT SCRATCHES MY BRAIN SO PERFECTLY. Watching this in theaters with my mom (a huge tennis fan) was one of my best experiences last year. I KNOW that 10 years from now i will still remember that final match point scene. Hoooooolyyyyy shit go watch this.

trailer

You can definitely tell it's a novel adaptation. I don't say that as a compliment unfortunately. Way too much explanation and talking from beginning to end. It feels like the exposition never stops. That being said, the movie has some great design ideas, some beautiful shots and beautiful photography. Also it's cool that one of the main characters is an older woman. I also REALLY admire the film for its commitment to its own narrative. It's very trendy right now to make horror/somber movies as cryptic and nonsensical as possible just for the sake of it. This film has a very detailed lore and wants you to understand it. Not the film of the year, but will appeal to those of you who like interesting fantasy concepts and spooky vibes. A pretty fun watch.

trailer

I was told this was THE lesbian film of the year. Is it? Well, maybe… 😳 Be warned tho ! This is first and foremost a violent revenge film. Drugs are also a big theme, which made this a bit of a hard watch for me. (I have my personal issues with this subject and I generally avoid it. I didn't know it was in the film. But oh well.)

In yesterday's review, i said that i LOVE when SSA characters are in stories that aren't specific to "gay cinema". And this film is exactly what i like! This story COULD have been about a straight couple, but it isn't. Very cool 😎

It's horny, it's violent, it's weird, it's original, it's super satisfying. I loved the use of color in this. The actresses are GREAT. And also, I happen to have a thing for super buff women. So.... Mamma mia.... 😳🏳️‍🌈 It's a destructive and toxic love story told in a super interesting way, all wrapped up in a great 80s aesthetic. Not for the faint of heart.

trailer

My mom really wanted to go see this because she had heard good reviews and she loves the main actress. This is THE WORST thing I've seen this year, bar none 😭😭😭 My brother and I just couldn't take the film seriously and we kept laughing. That put my mom in a SUPER bad mood and she pouted the rest of the evening...

More thoughts here.

Holy shit Disney. Fucking yikes. This is genuinely embarrassing. The quality drop of the animation is fucking insane. This looks so much worse than the previous one, the textures are worse, the movements feel more clunky and the facial expressions aren't as dynamic. Why were some members of the cast replaced by less famous actors? Did the Walt Disney fucking company run out of budget to pay the original ones? Literally one of the only things i was excited about was hearing Bill Hader and you took that away from me!! Where the fuck is Michael Giacchino?? His soundtrack for the first film is beautiful and super iconic!!

Narratively it's a clone of the first film, but with less stakes. It feels like an AI generated sequel. It doesn't even make sense in the universe of this story, because those concepts SHOULD have been introduced in the first one!! Ayo Edebiri's character serves NO purpose in the film. If you remove her from the script NOTHING CHANGES. She just exists to look cute on the poster and so they can say they got Ayo Edebiri in the film. I love her as much as the next lesbian, but this is fucking awful. The only thing i liked was Adèle Exarchopoulos's character. She was cute. It's funny that one of the emotions is french for no reason. She made me laugh. But apart from that it was all just fucking cancer. Sure it has fun and heartwarming moments, but it's so cynical and disgusting.

And OF COURSE, this broke the record for most successful animated film ever. I hate hollywood. Thank glob the record was broken again 7 months later. This is the quality of a straight to DVD sequel. Like in the good old days 🤪🤪 Except it came out in theaters. AND IT MADE 1.6 BILLION DOLLARS. I'm gonna kms. If you wanna watch a good film, watch the first one. It's not perfect but almost. It was fresh and original, it was genuine and emotional. THIS one is just... What if capitalism was a movie?

That's it for May/June! I also saw The Dead don't Hurt, Le Deuxième Acte and the Bikeriders but I got nothing to say about those

[rainbowsky]

GQ & ADLAD CPN

@accio-victuuri has a post about some of the CPN from the GQ feature on GG. There are a couple more CPNs that I wanted to talk about because - with the exception of a couple of tidbits - I haven't seen turtles talking about some things that really stood out to me.

Both of the tidbits being discussed by BXG are based on fake rumors from the past.

Godly Back

Turtles feel that the backless jacket might be what was referred to in the recent LRLG rumor (Apparently wangwang senbei can be a homophone sounding like 'godly back').

In this context, "You saw what I wore, can you please choose something normal" becomes hilarious. 😅

If he really was talking about GG's back, well... DD, the rest of the internet agrees with you given the hotsearch that was trending on both the main and entertainment hotsearches. 😅

Xiao Zhan's back ditch is so deep

GGDD and ADLAD

This one I wanted to dig more deeply into because it's connected to a few different CPN from a long time ago, and a lot of turtles might not be aware of all these connections.

In the GQ interview GG mentioned he was really nervous for the first performance of ADLAD.

At the time a LRLG rumor came out with some exchanges between GG and DD in the days leading up to that first show. GG talks about being nervous, DD and his staff video call him to wish him Jiayou, and at one point - presumably the last time they talk before that first show - DD video calls with GG and closes off by giving him a high 5.

The day after the first show, GG posted on Weibo.

At the time there was a lot of speculation about what that second photo was. One of the theories was that GG had screen capped DD's hand high-5-ing his phone. Some fans even tried doing that themselves (screencapping their hands up against their phone cameras to see what would happen) with somewhat similar results - photos that were an ombre of pale pink to red.

Some additional CPN

When I saw GG talking in GQ about the first ADLAD show and how nervous he was and I saw turtles looking back over the LRLG rumors from that time, I decided to look over those rumors myself. I found a couple things there that really hit me in the gut, but which I haven't seen other turtles discussing.

Magician DD

One thing that stood out to me from the ADLAD LRLG rumor was when DD told GG he could do magic, and told his staff that only GG believed him.

Back in 2021 a series of pages called the 300G were released, which claimed to be transcripts of some of the best unseen moments from The Untamed BTS (300GB of BTS footage was reportedly sold to BXG fansites). They were translated by an all-star team of some of the best BXG translators and overall fandom MVP on Twitter back in the day (god I miss those days of Twitter 😢).

Disclaimer: We must remember that these are unconfirmed transcripts. As far as I know, none of the footage that could substantiate these transcripts has ever been released, so it could just be someone's fanfic.

Anyway, my absolute favorite moment in those transcripts was an exchange between GG and DD, when GG had been struggling with nailing a scene. My synopsis from a post I made about GG and DD's personalities a while back:

GG is having a hard time getting a take right for a scene, and the director tells him to take a break. DD scoots over to where GG is resting and holds out his two fists facing downward in front of GG and asks him to pick one for a surprise. GG agonizes a bit over which one to choose, but finally picks a hand. DD gives GG a mysterious smile and asks GG to hold out his hand. GG does, and DD opens his fingers over GG’s palm. There’s nothing there. DD says, “I’ve just given you some luck, so that on your next take, you will succeed.” GG asks what is in the other hand and DD turns it over and opens it and says, “See, there’s nothing there! Zhan-ge is so good, you guessed right on the first try!” GG rolls his eyes at DD and says, “WYB, in your heart, do you think I’m more than 10 years old?” On the next take, GG nails the scene.

So it's just possible that DD and GG have a long history of this type of exchange, of DD giving GG his 'magical' support. GG is just superstitious enough that it might genuinely help him, and anyway, who could fail to be soothed by such sweet magic? 🥹

GG and Sleep

Another thing that stood out to me is when GG talked about being unable to sleep. Honestly this part of the interview really got me because I have always struggled with extreme insomnia and I could totally feel his pain. I've tried so many of the things that he's tried, and have had similarly mixed/poor results.

Anyway, aside from the aromatherapy candle CPN that's been heavily discussed in the fandom, what stood out to me CPN-wise was the fact that LRLG rumors have (I think this has happened at least a few times, but I can't recall specifics), featured moments where it seemed like GG and DD left their phone/video calls active to keep each other company when the other one was sleeping.

In the ADLAD LRLG rumor there's a moment when it seems like GG might be having difficulty sleeping and DD keeps him company.

Find someone who will keep you company over the phone while you try to take a nap. 🥹

Firecrackers

Just another quick thing from that same rumor, DD talks about wanting to set off some firecrackers for GG, which... ugh, so sweet. My god.

His staff encourages him to do it, and he says he will be 'taken away' if he does (maybe get into trouble, likely exaggerated a bit), and his staff says he'll cover for DD.

In Chinese culture (and in fact, in many cultures), firecrackers are considered very lucky because they are believed to drive away evil spirits and bad luck (which is why they're such a feature of Spring Festival celebrations).

GG and DD always look out for each other, and this CPN around ADLAD and around GG's sleep struggles really hit me hard. I love them both so damn much!

[bts-trans]

250323 J-Hope's Instagram Stories

Story 1: '퍼디팀' Letsss goooo https://www.instagram.com/stories/uarmyhope/3594081221554409720

'Performance Director Team' Letsss goooo

Story 2: 진짜요정음식또먹고싶어요형…🫶😇 https://www.instagram.com/stories/uarmyhope/3594681915874725921

Hyung I wanna eat the fairy food again…🫶😇

(T/N: Reference to Jung Jaehyung's show 'Fairy Table', which J-Hope appeared on.)

Trans cr; Aditi @ bts-trans © TAKE OUT WITH FULL CREDITS

[seoul-bros]

Happy Special Stage Behind

Those editors are at it again! They obviously keep close tabs on ARMY conversations on social media.

Jin's shyness sharing the stage with Wendy was no joke. The director even asked had to ask him to make sure he made eye contact during the performance. I like the song a lot so I hope they get to perform it together again, this time with a little more interaction.

It kind of reminded me of Jin at Hobi's listening party. Keeping out of the spotlight and going home early to play video games.

Finally with Jimin and JK's enlistment anniversary today, there seems to be a the end is finally in sight kind of vibe going around and BTS back together is beginning to feel like an imminent event.

Here is Jin echoing what they have all said one time or another over the last couple of years. They mean it sincerely but I also suspect that Big Hit is playing heavily into that sentiment to create expectation and build the suspense as we count down to that day in June 2025 when all of them are together again.

Post Date: 12/12/2024

[jeonscatalyst]

One thing I've wondered for years with Jikook, is why if they're only "friends", do they volunteer or purposely go along with presenting themselves as a couple/duo in OT7 content? This is what I'll never get if they're only "friends/coworkers". Its one thing to be paired with another member as a subunit, or to want to film together just cause you enjoy being around that member etc, its another to wear couple PJ's & JK purposely direct a scene in LGO (his vision) of him & Jimin wearing them couple PJ's waking up together in Jimin's dorm room starting their morning routine together, knowing the rumors surrounding them living together at that time, in an official video for the group, that he is director of. Something Jimin purposely teased JK about & asked why he did it and JK said he wanted to show reality. Hmnn. Yet you didn't do it with you and another member, only Jimin. Interesting. More interesting the scene JK directed of him and Jimin parallels Troye Sivan's "There For You" opening scene in his music video. Same song JK used for GCF Tokyo. I don't think its a coincidence. Or them on the bed together during Home or the Black Swan eclipse/sun/moon duo dance with that romantic lift. Who's idea was that and why did they just volunteer to do it knowing that dance is typically a male/female couple dance. The "I caught you bae, bae" Jikook again. Or here's what I often think about. During the 2020 MMA performance of Dynamite, why did Jikook use the same colors during their solo bits, but the other members had their own separate individual colors, but Jikook both used the same exact color pink which singled them out again as a duo in a OT7 video. Did they run out of colors or is it Jikook wanted to be presented TOGETHER in the performance? And Why you have matching colors in the first place in a OT7 performance anyways? Why during the Dynamite Christmas special were they dressed in Identical suits and no one else was, which made them stand out? Why did Jimin put his arm around JK and make it look like he was snuggling him during the holiday remix? Jikook coming out like Rose & Jack during run bts with Jk holding Jimin and members singing the titanic song. Its like playing spot the couple, but its always Jikook. Others tease and pretend this about their ship, but its only ever Jikook with real proof of it for years. Again you can call it fanservice, you can say company is behind it, but why do they go along with it and WHY IS IT ALWAYS JIKOOK being presented as more of a "couple unit" over more popular ships or why as a "couple unit" and not just a friend/member subunit and act normal? Matching clothes (Jk asking Jimin to buy the same clothes in AYS). Matching colors for OT7 performances. Constantly doing the black and white clothes combo. BTS members always referring to them as a package deal when talking about them and not only that asking if they are a couple, teasing if they are dating out right directly. Enlisting together when other members enlisted separately. Okay Jikook. Kinda hard to ask if I'm overthinking, when they keep doing this kind of sus stuff for years. I get it Jikook. I see you.

Hey anon,

I don’t think Jikook intentionally try to present themselves as a couple. I think they just behave the way they normally do and people perceive their behaviour as couple-like.

From the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaketh anon. People can only hide how they feel and who they are for so long. Throughout the years, some people have doubted Jikook because they were too “obvious”. They pick moments like GCFT, Hickeygate, Rosebowl etc and claim that Jikook couldn’t be a couple because if they were they wouldn’t be that obvious but they forget that when people are forced to hide how they feel and who they are for too long, those feelings come out in explosion.

If we are right about Jimin and Jungkook being more than friends, then those two have had to hide who they are and what they feel for so many years so it is normal that they would find unconventional ways to express those feelings or ways which they consider “safe”. I believe that Jungkook’s GCFs were one of the ways he used to express how he felt about Jimin. One is means nothing, two could be a coincidence but more than two is definitely a choice. When you watch GCF Tokyo and then you watch GCF Saipan and pay attention to the way Jungkook uses lyrics and how he intentionally places footage of Jimin with certain lyrics repeatedly, there is no way you don’t scratch your head. That wasn’t him trying to intentionally portray himself as someone who was in love with this other guy from the same band. That was him simply probably expressing what he felt and us picking up on clues.

When it comes to color coordination and stuff like that, I can’t say for sure whose idea it usually is. I know that there are times when Jikook probably do things like that themselves and other times those are stylist’s doing but I wouldn’t place stuff like that at the top of my list because that is not something exclusive to people possibly in a relationship. Other members match colours too and even wear matching clothes. It doesn’t always mean anything.

For LGO, Jungkook was clear about what his intentions were when he directed the MV the way he did. He said he wanted to replicate real life and in the MV we saw him wake up from the same room with Jimin and just Jimin. That wasn’t him necessarily trying to portray Jikook as couple but him just showing how things were in reality and us putting two and two together and perceiving it as couple-like. This of course doesn’t necessarily mean our perceptions are correct cuz it might mean nothing but we still perceive it as more.

Some other stuff like the rose and Jack titanic move from the run bts episode could just be them goofing around but also leaning into their real life dynamics and the members comments from the back could come from them knowing what we don’t know or merely just them goofing around too but ofcourse we perceive it as romantic because that whole scenario originated from a romantic movie.

So anon, I don’t think Jikook intentionally try to portray themselves as a couple. I think they just do the things they normally do and we pick up on somethings. They do have a very questionable and eye brow raising dynamic, this is something almost everyone can agree on. Also, Jikook are close, arguably the closest members of the band and they have been joined at the hip for years. When people are that close and spend that much time together with the other members always seeing them together or knowing that they are together, it is normal that they start talking about them like they are a unit. Regardless of what antis say about Jikook’s dynamic in real life, one of the biggest prove that they are insanely close on and off camera is the way members can’t seem to mention one without mentioning the other. That’s not something anyone could fake.

If they are not a couple, maybe they are just those annoying kinds of friends who have little to no boundaries with each other and do things which people will naturally interpret as coupley. There are so many people like that.

[bittersbloom]

LOVERGIRL is the debut album by cheri. Released October 3, 2022, the album consists of 14 tracks. The album received favorable reviews from critics, most praised the album for its versatile pop sound and overall lyrical themes.

LOVERGIRL marks cheri’s first release after departing from Big Hit and her indefinite hiatus as a BTS member. Many netizens speculated that cheri would not return to music when she was confirmed to appear in the Don’t Worry Darling. cheri confirmed she was working on her first album in late 2021 with former Big Hit producer and CHROMATIC CEO Kayla Hwang. Hwang and cheri served as co-creative directors and producers on the album.

She began teasing the album by posting a video of her walking on a beach at sunset on August 20th. cheri announced STAY TONIGHT two days later and officially released August 25. Two more singles were released from the album following the release — 보라빛 밤 (PURPLE NIGHT) and CONFETTI. The album includes collaborations with CL, BIBI, and Saweetie on a remixed version of CONFETTI.

LOVERGIRL explores themes of love, freedom, and self-discovery, inspired by cheri’s journey of finding her identity as a solo artist. She tapped into disco and pop subgenres.

In an interview, she explained, “I’m really trying to embrace the emotions I’ve felt in various relationships — whether they were romantic, platonic, or… whatever. I was really inspired by 80s pop. I wanted an upbeat, poppy sound, and that kind of contrasts with some of the lyrics and overall theme.”

Promotions kicked off with a performance and her U.S. television debut of STAY TONIGHT on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon as well as an interview with him. She hosted private listening sessions for the album in Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, London, Tokyo, and Seoul. Throughout October, pop-up stores were opened in these cities as well.

Along with the usual K-Pop album packaging, cheri released six vinyl variants of the album — four standard editions and two deluxe editions.

The music videos for STAY TONIGHT, 보라빛 밤 (PURPLE NIGHT), and CONFETTI were all inspired by various movies — PURPLE NIGHT, most notably, by La La Land. cheri was praised for her aerial silk skills in the STAY TONIGHT video. she also released performance videos for DREAM OF YOU and SWEET MELODY, as well as a live band performance of HONEYMOON FADES.

TRACKLIST

1. DIZZY

2. RED LIPSTICK (Feat. CL)

3. 보라빛 밤 (PURPLE NIGHT)

4. HONEYMOON FADES

5. CONFETTI

6. MAGNETIC

7. CRAZY LIKE YOU (Feat. BIBI)

8. STAY TONIGHT

9. OUT LOUD

10. DREAM OF YOU

11. ALL NIGHT LONG

12. GODDESS

13. LETTER OF LIGHT

14. BREAK UP SONG

15. CUT YOU OFF - deluxe track

16. SWEET MELODY - deluxe track

17. CONFETTI (ft. SAWEETIE) - deluxe track

ALBUM CONTENTS

cheri released four standard versions of the album. The deluxe version was available digitally and on vinyl. Each vinyl version came with polaroids that correspond to the album cover. The glow in the dark vinyl was limited edition only, but has since been released for Record Store Day in 2024.

dusk ver.

outbox ( 105 x 102 mm. ) + photobook ( 80p ) + mini poster + sticker sheet ( 1ea ) + lyric poster ( 1ea ) + cd + photo cards ( 3 out of 18 ) + handwritten letter ( 1ea ) + charm bracelet & charms ( 1ea )

honeymoon ver.

outbox ( 105 x 102 mm ) + photobook ( 80p ) + mini poster + sticker sheet ( 1ea ) + lyric poster ( 1ea ) + cd + photo cards ( 3 out of 18 ) + hair clips ( 4ea ) + acrylic rings ( 2ea ) + charm bracelet & charms ( 1ea )

dream ver.

outbox ( 105 x 102 mm ) + photobook ( 80p ) + poster + sticker sheet ( 1ea ) + lyric poster ( 1ea ) + cd + photo cards ( 3 out of 18 ) + sleep mask ( 1ea ) + charm bracelet & charms ( 1ea )

confetti ver.

outbox ( 105 x 102 mm ) + photobook ( 80p ) + poster + sticker sheet ( 1ea ) + lyric poster ( 1ea ) + cd + photo cards ( 3 out of 18 ) + fragrance card ( 1ea ) + charm bracelet & charms ( 1ea )

STYLING

ERA NOTES

The hate boner for cheri is great, but the tunes produced by her are greater. She had retirement allegations left and right. People were still calling her a nobody who wouldn’t get anywhere without a group. Talentless. But here we are.

Obviously the nosy people want to know what the fuck went down for her to just… not promote with the group for a year — and for legal reasons, cheri, the d1 yapper, is not allowed to say.

This album is very obviously a relationship heavy album theme wise, and cheri is publicly down bad, so people were kinda like wtf is going on. Then it’s a major light bulb moment when it finally clicks that some of these songs are actually about the former company and she is indeed happy to be free from their clutches. Kayla being her CEO and producer and close friend is literally like H*BE’s worst nightmare because those mfs HATE the both of them.

It was absolutely no surprise to beotkkots-cherbuds that she was being held back, especially since the only solo work she’d released was pre-pandemic and received major pushback from the company. If you told cherbuds on stan twitter in may 2019 that they would not have to defend cheri’s debut with their life, they’d absolutely not believe you. They have been in the trenches for YEARS.

She was announced as a Tom Ford Beauty ambassador a month after the album released and then it was announced she was working on a perfume collection with them.

The fandom name was officially announced/changed on November 11 — beotkkots forever, but cherbuds reign.

This was truly an album for the arts and charts. The numbers were unbelievable. By award season she was racking up the nominations, but received very few non music show wins.

It definitely seemed like overnight she went from public enemy number 1 to the people’s princess — the origin of chaeprincess, actually.

[chimini3]

Acouasm

Acouasm (n.) a ringing noise in your head

Synopsis: When your relationship with Kim Taehyung goes public, a walk down the red carpet turns south when you are attacked.

Notes: I had so much to write in this fic but it ended up being sub par and I wanna release it on V’s birthday, so I’ll probably work on another one similar to this situation. I even had another draft but I thought it was too gorey and violent 🥲 Anyways HAPPY BIRTHDAY V! Enjoy reading and thank you so much for liking my past oneshot Saudade.

Word Count: 11.9k

Your relationship with BTS’ Kim Taehyung had a long story.

You came from the same highschool and had been acquainted before, though you hadn’t interacted apart from a few glances in the halls. He was a few years older than you and Korean Arts High School was populated with soon to be popular faces, so you didn’t expect him to remember much about you. However, that didn’t stop you from having a massive crush on him as he seemed to be way different from his fellow BigHit trainee, Jimin.

Taehyung was more reserved and usually kept to a close knit of friends during school hours, though everyone seemed to know him and he knew everyone. He didn’t have any official relationships with anyone during highschool, yet it wasn’t like he was coined a loser. He was oh so much your type, though your crush on him didn’t last long after he graduated.

You knew he debuted in a boy group with his friend Jimin, and that was as far as you knew about his whereabouts. You didn’t have time to worry about him when you were already facing some difficulties in your own life at that time.

You were picked up by a more trustable agency in your third year of highschool. They were adamant on debuting a girl group and you were determined to be a part of that, so you trained harder than you have ever trained, worked harder than you’ve ever worked, and you finally got your pay off when you debuted three years after.

It was 2017 and your debut went smoothly. You weren’t an instant flop, though you weren’t an instant pop either. However, with enough work in producing three albums for your first year, you managed to come through and win the Mama 2017 Best New Artist Award.

Winning an award and enjoying your time performing songs and watching the other idol groups perform in the 2017 Mnet Asian Music Awards also meant that you would make a few new friends during the event. Your group had to switch seats often during the first half, so you had a lot of interactions with other groups. Coincidentally, landing seats right in front of a particularly cheery idol group for the rest of the night.

“Bangtan Sonyeondan! Congratulations!” The woman speaks onto the microphone as the group of boys behind you cheered and gathered into a group hug before they all started making their way out to the stage, and a specific pair of bright eyes catches yours as he passes by. Kim Taehyung.

You didn’t hold back a smile when you realized it was his group who had won a daesang. You clapped your hands even louder to congratulate him as he bows to you and your group and fixes his blonde hair that was held back by a cloth headband.

Later that night when a message from him surprised you. It turns out a director had forwarded your KakaoTalk to him after he asked, and he had made the time to message you despite the fact that they should be celebrating after their win by now.

A few messages at night had turned into friendly calls when no one was around. It was damn obvious that he was interested in you and you couldn’t say that your highschool crush on him had gone away after all these years. He was charming and he understood the struggles of being an idol.

When you and your bandmates would fight then he would drop anything to message or call you to listen to you vent. When he was having a particularly rough time with his schedules, he made sure that you would know and yet still made time to check up on you. Both of you would even be preparing for a comeback at the same time, and yet both of you supported each other through all of it. He was a rock you could lean on and you were an ear for him to rant to.

Soon after, you started hanging out with each other in your free time. It wasn’t a date or anything of the sorts. He just so happens to want to buy something when you would go on errands. He would joke that a popular idol like you shouldn’t be grocery shopping alone despite the fact that he was in fact more popular than you, though you never held jealousy over that fact. You were actually proud of him and his group after you learned of their earlier hardships, and you were even prouder when he would vent to you about their contract problems early 2018.

You two would try new coffee spots together and even watch the new Marvel movies together. Taehyung was certain that Doctor Strange was his favorite Marvel superhero because of his amazing cape, and didn’t hide that fact when he went on an interview in LA that asked him about it. You two even commented on each other’s interviews from time to time since you were both learning English and you two found it helpful to learn from each other.

And don’t start about how you couldn’t take your eyes off of him during Mama 2018, not when you two were on a call the night before he got his hair colored and you sent him a picture of the brightest pink you could see on Google to dare him into changing his hair that same hue. It was a funny joke, yet he called you the night after with the same hue on his hair. You would watch the American movie Trolls together through the call that night and his nickname on KakaoTalk would be changed for the very first time to ‘Poppy Imposter’ alluding to the pink haired Troll in the movie.

After a year of steadily getting closer and calling each other friends, he finally confessed to you. You knew he liked you and he knew that you knew he liked you, yet it still seemed like your heart was palpitating out of your chest. He didn’t kiss you. He simply stated a fact and said that he wanted to court you, and God did you fall for him even harder.

When he asked you out on a first date, he also asked for your parents’ permission. He made sure to make it known that he was serious about you and you were sure that this man couldn’t do anything more to make you fall for him more.

He was such a romantic. He made sure everything was done how it should be. He made sure to pick you up for your date with a bouquet of flowers for you and your mother. He made sure to greet your parents by the front door. He assured your father that he would keep you safe and take you home by your curfew. Despite the fact that you were a full-grown adult and had your own apartment to go home to. He opened the door of his car for you and he pulled the chair of the fancy restaurant for you. He was a true gentleman, and it didn’t take more than five months for you to answer him.

Both your companies knew of your affairs. Taehyung wasn’t exactly quiet about you and you can’t say no to him when he would ask you to go on a late night walk with him whenever you were in the same city. Your companies would help payout any media networks that saw you two in your public dates, though that didn’t stop other idols from gossiping about your relationship. It was getting harder for them to contain you two especially when he went on longer promotion stints outside Korea, and your appearance near his apartment anytime BTS arrived in Korea didn’t go unnoticed. You were two lovers deeply in love, and it got worse during Mama 2019.

“You’re up in ten minutes ladies!” A stage director yells to the hallway over the chaos of staff around us. You and your group were about to enter the dark backstage to prepare for the penultimate performance of the evening, right before BTS.

You had seen your boyfriend and his group leave the artist area earlier, though it seemed like they weren’t going to the waiting rooms directly. You just hoped he could watch your performance on his phone. Despite already seeing each other’s performances during rehearsals.

“Wait! Don’t go up yet! The backstage is still not ready!” Another staff member yelled as an older member tried to make a move to get inside the backstage.

You sigh as the crowded and loud surroundings begin to make you nervous. You could feel sweat gathering on your forehead as a makeup artist tried to dry it down. How long were they going to announce the awards?

The makeup artist by your side leaves to fix up your other members and you take the opportunity to find something in the hallway to keep your attention on. The more you could distract yourself from the chaotic environment the better, so you looked down both sides of the hallway and watched props and staff pass by.

There in the busy and harshly lit hallway was your messy haired boyfriend with a bright red cardigan, that he specifically wore for you to notice him in the crowd of idols, push past the crowd to look for you. His bandmates seemed to get inside their own waiting room to prepare whilst Jimin and Jungkook waited by the door to watch him find his way to you. His overgrown and curled hair was doing nothing to help him find you, though once his eyes met yours at the end of the hallway, you could feel a smile creep onto your cheeks.

“Hey!” Taehyung greets as he walks a few more steps to stand in front of you. He brushes his hair aside and shows you his warm brown eyes, void of any colored contact lenses. His smile was bright as you notice sweat on his forehead.

“Good luck out there. You’re going to kill it, I swear.” Taehyung cheers as you smile at him and nod. He reaches to hold both your hands as you only realize that they were shaking when his gentle and steady ones encapsulates them.

“I should be the one calming you down. You have five songs to do!” You say with a chuckle as he chuckles with you and brings your hands to kiss its knuckles. His lips hover a little longer over your left ring finger, though you don’t notice.

“I perform five songs, but I’m not the popular worldstar that South Korea votes as number one on the most beautiful female artists.” Taehyung says with a shrug as a more boisterous laugh comes out of you.

“Okay, and you talk as if you aren’t internationally known for a handsome face.” You throw back as Taehyung rolls his eye and lets go of one of your hands to throw his hair out his face and show you one nasty pimple that had been growing on his forehead. He had actually been pulling back his dermatologist and facial appointment, so that he could do both of them with you. He wanted to keep your dates ‘unique’ he says.

“Don’t show that around here Tae! You’re going to get exposed!” You scolded as he laughed and shook his head to glance at the even more incriminating position you both were in. Closely standing next to each other with your hands held together and both your eyes shimmering with that profound love. If someone was to take a picture to expose you two then could they send it to him too because he wants to take this moment and make it his phone’s lock screen.

“Taehyung! You have to get ready!”

“Y/N! We can enter the backstage already!”

Both your bandmates say at the same time, though neither of your eyes fall to look away from each other.

“I love you. Be careful in performing and don’t be nervous. You’re amazing and always will be.” Taehyung says as his soft hands grab hold of your jaw to direct your lips to his. The kiss was soft and ended quickly, though the energy and ease it gave you was a pill that made you feel like you could do everything you put your mind to.

“I love you too. Be careful in your performance too. I know you’ll do great already. I might miss the first part of it though, since they won’t let us out immediately after.” You pouted as Taehyung chuckled and pecked a kiss on your forehead whilst rubbing your shoulder to assure you that he didn’t mind.

“I can’t even watch yours live. I have to watch it in the waiting room, but I’ll make sure to cheer for you just as much. We’ll watch the replay later on the TV anyways. My place and some good takeout?” Taehyung proposes as you were always welcome to a night at his place.

“We’ll see if you aren’t blackout drunk from the celebrations.” You chuckled as you were slowly inching away from your lover. You can hear your leader call out to you multiple times already and your manager was coming down the hall, so you really had to close this off.

Thankfully, Taehyung only laughed and let you go. He even waved to you as you disappeared backstage. He wasn’t going to get drunk tonight, perhaps tipsy, but he would much rather remember a night with you than drink. He wasn’t much of an alcohol fan anyways. A glass of wine with you seemed much more his taste.

And that was what ended up happening. The two of you sprawled out on his sofa at six in the morning. Takeout food littered the coffee table along with glasses of wine and a replay of your MMA performances.

After the event, the two of you parted ways to go to separate afterparties for a few hours before you both excused yourselves and got to Taehyung’s apartment. You two had laughed over some funny playbacks that you missed during the event, and you celebrated on your own two ways.

Taehyung had brought you out to his balcony when he saw the sun rising. He felt like a true winner as he watched you bury yourself in his hoodie under a thick blanket on his balcony’s couch. The silence engulfing you two as sleep ate away at your high. Events like the Mnet Asian Music Awards and Melon Music Awards always had your sleeping schedules messed up, though he didn’t mind. How could he mind when the award shows were the reason why he had seen your beauty in the first place.

He thinks that even if you weren’t there in MAMA 2017 then he would have still fallen in love with you some other way. He believes that in different dimensions he still finds a way to find you and love you. He always will, and there was no universe out there that Kim Taehyung existed without you.

“Hey… look at me.” Taehyung breaks the silence as you turn to face him. The sky was only beginning to get lighter, though you were both still enclosed in darkness and the warm lights he had around his balcony.

“I would have never thought that the sophomore I saw in the hallways during break would have me wrapped around their finger in five years time. I would have never thought that the all-rounder of the girl group who won best new artist in MAMA 2017 would have me asking multiple staff members for her number. But what I now know is that I love this sophomore and I love this all-rounder. I love you. I love you so much, and I know for a fact that there is no one else I could love this much. Kim Taehyung in other realities always falls in love with Y/L/N Y/N and I don’t need to be Doctor Strange to know that. So…” Taehyung pauses as he stands up and grabs a box from his sweatpant’s pocket.

You were staring at him in shock and awe as you processed his words whilst trying to process his movements. You two were too young to get married. He knew that and you two had jokingly discussed that, so what the hell was he doing?!

“I’m not proposing. Don’t worry.” Taehyung chuckles as he bends both his knees to crouch on the floor and presents you with a cream box. He opens it to reveal two gorgeous Bvlgari Couple Rings. Both were of the color silver, though one was littered with gems and the other was plain.

Taehyung places the box on the table in front of the couch as he takes the ring littered with gems and softly reaches for your hand just like earlier. He takes your left hand and kisses the knuckle right above your ring finger as he looks up at you with doe eyes. The sun’s rays appeared higher up the horizon now and its soft hues colored his face perfectly.

“I want you to take this promise ring because with this you hold the promise of my heart forever loving yours. All my beauty and imperfections. My tight schedule and long rants. My overly romantic and cringey actions and my eyes that look for you in every crowd.” Taehyung says and a stinging sensation catches up to your eye.

“It will also keep your finger warm until the time I propose to you and marry you, so… will you—“ Taehyung’s slight joking and following question was cut off by your voice cracking. He looked back up to you after eyeing your bare finger and you had tears in your eyes. His eyes immediately fogging as it copies yours.

“Yes. Yes, Tae.” You nod your head to help rid your eyes of tears as Taehyung slips the silver ring through your ring finger and a happy tear slides down his cheek.

“And you, Taehyung. I want you to keep this promise ring until the time I marry you because God knows I’ll save up for a really expensive ring.” You joke as Taehyung laughs boisterously. You reach out for his left hand and take the remaining silver ring.

“I love you so much, baby. I’ve always loved you.” You say as you slid the ring through his fingers and something in your heart locks with security. It was as if life was completed with a simple ring even if it was just a promise ring.

You two had tear stains on your cheeks from happiness and Taehyung immediately stood up, farring you along with him, and brought you in for a deep and passionate kiss on the lips. His lips soft against yours as it held so much love for one another.

When you two parted you simply rested each other’s foreheads against one another as the sun fully rose from slumber. The sun’s light encapsulates the two of you in its beauty and peace. If only someone could take a picture of this moment right now…

Everything changed after these leaks. Both your management team had reached the agreement to put some space between the two of you to avoid any more evidence that could support the strong claim of your relationship. This meant lesser visits to Taehyung’s compromised apartment and lesser events where your group and BTS could have any interactions.

You barely saw Taehyung now and it felt like you had been thrusted back in time to when you were both getting to know each other and only calling and texting each other at night. Back then it felt like the right amount of time to spend with him, but now it felt too little. You missed him and not being able to see each other for months even when you were both in the same city hurts. You felt so close, yet so far.

BTS had also started growing internationally and Taehyung was spending more time abroad. Especially with their Map of The Soul world tour. You had your world tour too, but you two always made the effort to see each other once a month at most. Now, you barely saw each other in three months.

You didn’t understand why they needed you two to be separated after the rumors. There were always rumors in the Kpop world and they had always managed to payout news outlets, so why this ridiculous rule now? It was making you more and more frustrated by each meeting that you asked them to stop.

It all came to a breaking point in late September 2020. It had been ten months and the BTS world tour had ended in September, yet Taehyung and you hadn’t even seen each other since the summer. You were sick and tired of it and your latest comeback failing to reach the charts had stressed you out immensely.

“You know the question I’m about to ask.” You said coldly as your management team didn’t spare you a glance. Your general meeting had ended and though the other members and staff were still in the same room you didn’t stop yourself from speaking your mind.

“And you know what the answer is to it always.” Your lead manager says as you close your eyes to stop any tears from falling down your cheeks.

You were exhausted. You were exhausted from not making it to the charts and feeling as though all your hard work had turned out to be a failure, and you knew that perhaps a small break to be with Taehyung could fix you up nicely. A cuddle and a kiss could boot you right up to start producing and writing songs again. His touch could ease all your sore muscles and his voice humming songs to you could free your ears from the annoying buzz in your ear. A buzz that you think came from the amount of time you spent sampling beats in the studio, and then listening to the same beats during dance practice. Your head was a mess and you could only hear music through a broken filter.

“It’s been ten months…” You say quietly, though the founder of the company abruptly stands up and slaps his hand on the table.

“We can’t risk it!” He sounded angry as his loud voice shushes everyone.

“All of you! We can’t risk it, and you better listen before I put all of you on a dating ban!” He threatens as collective anger boils between all of you girls. You knew that each and every one of you had committed relationships, so there was no way in any universe would you agree to a dating ban.

“What the hell?! You can’t do that so abruptly! What’s really going on? Why is everyone so tense?!” Your leader speaks up as all staff members quiet down and the room is filled with silence. The clock on the wall could be heard ticking and if you really listened in, you would hear your own patience decreasing with each click.

“We’re nearing bankruptcy, okay?! Your album flopped, we’re losing sponsors, and I can’t afford paying out the media for your issue, okay?!” Your boss snaps as he seems to be on the verge of breaking down.

All your group members were at the same amount of shock as you were, though every

“How much time do we have?” Your leader asks as your boss breathes in a heavy sigh.

“6 months at most. We’re reducing staff and we can push for one more studio album. If it doesn’t chart then we’re done. I’m sorry.”

You left the meeting that evening with tears in your eyes and your head feeling agitated. How could they keep this very important news from you and the girls?! This was your job and your future. You had the right to know what was internally happening. Now, all of you had to give your best for the new comeback or else you would be left jobless.

This fury of emotions in you was getting overwhelming and as soon as you arrived in your apartment you called Taehyung for some comfort. Perhaps you could even see each other tonight. A good takeout dinner and a few kisses and cuddles could fix you right up for the new comeback.

“Hey babe, I’m at a shoot right now.” Taehyung answers the phone as you nodded and mentally noted that he would probably be called to hang up on you at any moment.

“Hey…What time do you end?” You asked meekly before you cleared your throat and leaned on your kitchen counter with a glass of water on your other hand.

“Ten or eleven. Why?” Taehyung seemed to be moving on the other side as you sigh. Late dinner would be fine, as long as you were with him, right?

“I was wondering if we could have some dinner at either of our places. I’ve had a bad day and I miss you.” You say truthfully as you closed your eyes and hold the tears that want to push past your eyelids.

“I’m sorry to hear that baby, but I don’t think it would be good for us to see each other right now. Management—“

“Please Tae. I need you.” You interrupted him as a sob coursed through your throat. You felt pathetic for asking for your boyfriend’s attention when you knew how busy the industry is during this time of the year, but you just heard your dreams are in danger and you needed someone you could vent to.

“Baby… I think it would be better if we follow our mana—“

“God! Do you not want to see me?!” This unexpected rage filled you as you began to see red behind the tears that dripped down your cheeks. Your apartment felt too hot. The heat made you agitated. You wanted one thing and the world couldn’t even give you that.

“You know it’s not like that.” Taehyung’s small voice sounded hurt from behind the phone’s speaker, but it enraged you more knowing your hurt was hurting him. You couldn’t do one thing right, couldn’t you? No. How dare he act hurt when you doubt he even fights for you in their meetings. It was always you asking to see him and he would remind you of both your management team’s warnings.

“Really?! Because I’m starting to think that you don’t even want to see me anymore. We haven’t even seen each other since summer! God knows where you’ve been during your tours.” Your last statement was uncalled for. You knew that. Your anger shouldn’t start accusations especially when you know that the man on the other side of the phone was deeply in love with you, but rage makes you do unexplainable things.

You were angry at everything and everyone, and the words that spilled out of your mouth had no further value but the vile that it carries. Taehyung knew that, but he was in the middle of his fifth shoot of the week. He was trying to be as patient as he could be with you, but a nerve had been touched when you questioned his loyalty. How could you question his loyalty when he has done everything in his power to show you how much he was in love with you? He had asked countless times when he could see you, but rejection was always the answer of his managers.

He hated this year just as much as he hated himself for bringing you out to the balcony that night. Not because he regretted giving you his promise ring, but because he wasn’t thinking properly. He should’ve known that neighboring people could see him with you. He should’ve thought about it clearer. He shouldn’t have placed you in that vulnerable situation, and that idea manifested itself to why he was so willing to follow the rules of his managers. He didn’t want to put you in that place again. He didn’t want both your names to go under fire on Twitter again.

“I don’t want to fight with you right now.” Taehyung says dejectedly as the glass on your hand slips to land on the floor. The sound of the glass shattering on the floor and the water spilling on tiles reached Taehyung’s ears as a shock filled him.

“Baby?! What was that sound? Are you okay?” Taehyung sits up straighter from where he was seated in the waiting room with the rest of his band members. All their eyes went to him as he looked panicked whilst on his phone call.

“Yeah, just a glass of water. I’ll talk to you later, V.” Your voice was monotone and the usage of his stage name had caused a frown to rest on Taehyung’s face. It felt strange. It felt as though you were placing a barrier between you and him when you used his stage name. The same barrier an idol had with their fans, but your relationship wasn’t like that. You were the love of his life and the keeper of his promise. Getting called his stage name by you felt cold.

Taehyung turns his phone off after you hang up on him and he leans back on the sofa he sat on. Yoongi sat asleep on his right whilst Jungkook was nearing sleep on his left, though Jimin sat across the room on another sofa with his eyebrow furrowed as if asking the younger for what that was about. However, Jimin was beaten to ask Taehyung about his call as Namjoon pipes in from sitting beside Jimin.

“What was that about?” Namjoon asks as Taehyung sighs. He didn’t want to answer, but now five pairs of eyes were on him and the ears of their makeup artists were pressuring him to answer with something.

“You already know.” Taehyung says in a low voice, though his hyungs nod in understanding.

“I don’t get why you don’t just go see her. You know, I break Sejin’s rules all the time.” Jimin says as he earns a warning shove from Namjoon and a laugh from Hoseok. They all eventually break Sejin’s rules and Taehyung himself even broke his rules earlier into courting you, but he shouldn’t risk it now. Not when your names were out there and any signs that you were dating would be taken as the truth.

“We’ll help you sneak out later, Taehyung ah.” Jin offers as he flashes the younger a playful grin and a wink from his seat in front of the mirror surrounded by makeup artists.

“Sejin will pay you out of everything.”

“You have to be careful though. Our company could buy you out, but hers might not have the funds for it.” Hoseok pipes in as his sudden negative input has everyone turning to him with questioning looks.

“Don’t you guys look at their stocks? It’s been getting lower since last year. It might be the reason why you weren’t protected from the balcony incident.” Hoseok says as he flashes the boys his screen that is filled with stocks.

“No, the balcony incident was because the people who caught us immediately posted it without the help of media outlets. Our management can only protect us to an extent.” Taehyung now speaks as he shakes his head and massages his forehead. They all knew that. If fans capture them then it would pose a larger threat because they were willing to release any media without sending an email and deal to companies.

But what Taehyung did take note from what his hyung said was how your company’s stocks were lowering. You never told him that problem so he thinks it isn’t a major problem, though if his hyung knew about it then the changes must be drastic.

And they were drastic. After you hang up on Taehyung, you have turned your tears into a driving power to get working on some lyrics in your notebook. You didn’t even realize the amount of time that had passed as you spent it hunched over the coffee table writing away. The glass shards still littered the tiles of the kitchen and your mascara still darkened your eyes.

It was already one in the morning and Taehyung carefully got into your apartment building as both his hands held your favorite takeout paper bags with drinks. The boys had in fact helped him sneak out of the dorm that night, and it took him a few minutes and taxi rides to finally get everything he wanted to buy for the night.

He was going to apologize tonight. He was going to tell you the truth of everything on his mind and he would listen to everything you had to say. He wanted to make things right and it starts with giving you a kiss as soon as he enters the door.

The knock from your apartment’s door was the first sound you’d heard in the past few hours. It brought you to consciousness from your endless writing, and when you looked down to see your work everything was only an incomprehensible mess. Dried tear stains littered the pages and the callus on your finger grew thicker from friction.

You pushed yourself up from your spot on the carpet and walked carefully towards your front door. Another soft knock followed after some silence and you wanted to tell the person on the other side that you were coming, though your throat was raw from lack of usage.

“Hey baby.” Taehyung’s figure greets you as you open the door. His freshly trimmed dark hair covered his forehead as his mask was discarded under his chin. His figure was engulfed in a black jacket with its hood unused. A soft smile played on his lips, though it fell as soon as he saw your figure. The smile instead was replaced with a look of worry as you can only imagine what state you looked like.

“I— I’m so sorry I didn’t come any sooner…” Taehyung immediately sets down the paper bags of food by the doorway before approaching you to engulf in a big warm hug. The hug that you had wished for earlier, and finally your emotions were put to ease.

The little droplets of rain left on his jacket and his steady heartbeat got rid of every pain and anger you had in your body and you finally let your eyes close as you hugged him back. His breath on top of your head slowly brings you back to the love and warmth you always knew would come to you.

“Tae, my— my company…”

You both had let everything out through dinner. In the early hours of the day, you both cried and laughed. You catched up with the happenings of each other's lives and you forgave each other.

“You know what would be great right now?” You spoke as Taehyung looked up to you from his place on your lap. His head rested on the valley of your thighs as his Hwarang drama played on the TV in your living room. His eyes bright and a soft smile permanently plastered to his lips.

“What?”

“A cone of ice cream.” You say as you watch his eyes brighten at the idea. So what if he just got his teeth cleaned and they were sensitive to cold food? If you wanted ice cream then he wants it too.

“What are we waiting for? Let’s get some ice cream!” He says as he sits up and turns off the TV.

“Tae, we can’t go out.” You remind him though the brow he raises and smug look on his face just makes a smile break your lips.

“I don’t care. No payouts, no worries. If they know then they’ll know. I’ll get my girl her ice cream!”

You giggle as Taehyung goes into your bedroom and comes out with a large black puffer jacket, a pair of warm socks, and a scarf. He ordered you to stand up as he wrapped the warm jacket over your figure and wrapped your neck up with a scarf. He pulls out a wet wipe to gently wipe your face with any dried tears or mascara before he pulls you towards the front door.

He doesn’t even let you crouch down to tie your own shoes or put your own socks on because he does it for you before he does his own. And soon you were already walking out your apartment building with his hand playing with yours.

You ended up grabbing a cone of your favorite ice cream from an ice cream place that was open 24/7. It was roughly a fifteen minute walk from your place and when he sensed your pace slowing, he took a detour and took you to a riverside road that had benches looking out onto the river.

Light bulbs tied into strings hung from trees and the gentle flow of the river made the place serene. You two sat on a bench and ate your ice cream by the river as silence engulfed you two. A comforting peace hugging you tightly as time seemed nonexistent when you were with him. You leaned your head on his shoulder and basked in the moment. A buzz of restlessness ringing in your ear, though it didn’t matter whenever he was near.

If someone took a picture of you now then you wouldn’t care anymore. As long as you were with him then you would be fine.

Everyone was convinced that the two of you were dating and ever since then you were a bit more shameless to post pictures on your instagram with a few too many similarities to deny that you two weren’t in the same place at the same time.

With the news of your unconfirmed relationship reaching new lengths with more leaked content, you two became somewhat old news. Everyone knew there was something undeniable between you two, though nothing had been confirmed. Your two companies stayed out of it after their first statement that only clarified that both of you weren’t engaged, though it also said that your companies had no rights in your personal engagements.

A month after, your latest comeback had been released and it was a massive pop. It had landed the charts and stayed on the Top 5 even with rising competition and BTS’s unstoppable Dynamite single. And Maybe, just maybe, it could save your company’s decline.

The end of November was the season of awardings and your latest comeback just manages to squeeze into the eligibility period of the criteria. Which meant your hit comeback had actually landed you multiple nominations, and perhaps your first ever Daesang? If that was possible against BTS’s unstoppable year.

It felt as though your struggles through the year were getting set to rest, and whatever happens now was up to the world’s hands.

Arriving in the 2020 Mnet Asian Music Awards felt like a reward. You could finally relax and enjoy the event of your year’s work. In these events you would always remember how it changed your life by letting you and Taehyung meet gazes. How it made you meet your closest friends and interact with fans from different fandoms. It was a celebration whether you left as a winner or not.

Taehyung took his first step out to walk the red carpet as cameras flash all around him. The crowd of fans behind the media outlets raised their phone cameras as cheers roared. His bandmates smiled and waved as they took a spot right in front of the banner backdrop.

They were missing Yoongi that night. The rapper was absent to recover from his long due shoulder surgery that he got in an accident years ago. This small change in their usual order had all the staff and management team on edge. They already had to relearn their choreography and positions for the performance tonight, and the staff were busy all week to find ways on how they would spend Yoongi’s rap parts of the song without him, so it was an understatement to say that everyone was a little tired and on edge for tonight.

The six remaining members all arranged themselves into their familiar order, with Taehyung leading the line and leaving a space for Yoongi before Jin, Jungkook, Namjoon, Jimin, and Hoseok followed in order.

They all stopped at the first spot where semi-popular outlets took pictures of them and their different colored suits. They all had a mix of muted navy, white, and some accents of maroon, a color scheme that stood out from the classic black suit. Taehyung wore navy trousers and a matching suit jacket whilst his undershirt was a satin white. His suit jacket was buttoned up to his chest and had a maroon colored handkerchief in its pocket.

After a few seconds, a director had signed for Taehyung to continue walking along the carpet as the boy group Seventeen, that was ahead of them in the queue, moved towards the part of the carpet where the event hosts would interview them.

Taehyung glanced behind him to make sure his bandmates were following him as he moved further up the queue. They stopped once again with their line still intact and they posed for the more known media outlets.

At the same time, their junior’s Tomorrow X Together arrived and followed them in the queue by taking their previous spot. Their hoobaes dressed in fitting black suits as they arranged themselves in a line and posed for the cameras. The crowd also cheered for them, before they reverted their attention to the short interview held on the members of Seventeen.

Another cue of a director made Taehyung turn to watch the Seventeen walk inside the building. He waited patiently for all members to enter before he followed to occupy the spot they had left. The host, Song Joong Ki, greeted the members as Taehyung was handed two microphones that he passed to his bandmates. He would let his hyung’s take care of the interview answers, though he still smiled to the cameras that flashed and broadcasted the carpet.

“Welcome! Bangtan Sonyeondan!” Song Joong Ki announces as classic questions fall from his lips, though he has lost all of Taehyung’s attention when he saw you enter to lead your group on the queue of the carpet.

Your body clad in a white angelic like satin material dress. It had thick bows as spaghetti straps on your shoulders, though it kept the skin of your collarbone and shoulders exposed. It hugged your torso tightly almost like a corset before it loosened below your waists and made you seem like a doll. Hemline details on your skirt had separated the silky fabric of the bodice and majority of the skirt to the more flowy and scrunched material that gave your dress an airy aura. Your white heels polished to shine as bright as the cameras, and your angel-like makeup made Taehyung feel like he was actually seeing an angel.

He didn’t care if people saw how his mouth stood agape and how his gaze stayed on you for a moment too long. It was the only appropriate reaction to your outfit. Your bandmates also had varying white dresses on, yet you seemed like the star of the show. A true beauty that he was blessed to witness in his lifetime.

“Taehyung ah, stop staring at your girlfriend and move.” Jin had whispered to Taehyung. The space for Yoongi in between them had disappeared as Taehyung snapped his gaze back to his hyung. He could see you posing for pictures on his peripheral vision, though the slight nudge of Jin pushing him along to enter the venue was enough for him to stop watching you.

He could even see Jimin flashing him a smirk as it was quite obvious who had stolen all his attention. Taehyung was shameless as he only smiled and calmly walked towards the small steps leading to the venue.

He wondered how he would celebrate tonight. The Mnet Asian Music Awards always have been an indicator to him that it had been another year since he met the most beautiful angel on Earth. He would always replay the moment he caught your eyes when he received an award, and sometimes, if he was lucky, your eyes would meet and he falls for you deeper than he had the first time you met. Gosh, he hoped one of the cameras had gotten a good picture of you because he can’t wait to make it his homesc—

Bang.

And screaming was all he heard as his head snapped to find out what the commotion was about. Everyone’s handheld cameras had turned to the start of the queue, and the cameras that were on fixed stands to face the carpet in front were left unattended by the camera directors. All their eyes widening at a sight that Taehyung couldn’t see.

Security guards that stood near the venue entrance had run past Taehyung to get to the commotion, though Taehyung couldn’t see through a combination of his hyung’s heads and the bodies of managers and staff that filled the red carpet.

Taehyung was more curious than worried about the commotion. All he knew was that the commotion had taken place at the start of the queue where he stood just a few moments ago. Taehyung watched as all his members tried to raise their necks to see past the crowd.

Namjoon had tapped a staff member to ask what happened, and Taehyung would have intently eavesdropped the conversation if not for the face Jimin had flashed Taehyung as he turned with a worried look. It was a look that knew something.

How did Jimin see through the crowd? They didn’t know.

“What is it?” Taehyung asked as Jimin stopped stretching his neck and stared at him with wide eyes whilst licking his lips as if he was finding the right words to describe the situation he saw.

But Taehyung didn’t need to hear it from him as Jin soon found a gap to see what happened, and the loud ‘woah’ that involuntarily left his throat was enough for all members present to look at him.

However, just like Jimin did after seeing the commotion, their eldest member flashed Taehyung worried eyes before grabbing Taehyung’s wrist as if he could bolt at any moment. These glances and actions were starting to worry Taehyung now. He would understand if the members who saw something happened wouldn’t want the other members to know, but why did it look as if they didn’t want him specifically to know or react.

“What?” Taehyung’s Daegu accent came out as he was getting worried at what was happening.

Then a few gasps came from the crowd that watched and Taehyung finally found a gap to see someone on top of another person at the start of the queue. Right where your group was standing mere seconds ago.

Taehyung tugged at Jin’s grip as he finally saw someone pull the erratically moving person off the floor and the person she had pinned to the floor.

Who was getting attacked? Taehyung didn’t know yet, but something in his stomach told him that his hyungs knew.

The crazy woman was pulled off the floor by a security guard. Taehyung's gaze went from the woman fighting the guard to one of the barriers that separated the general crowd of fans from the photographers, carpet, and artists. The barrier was on the floor as other fans didn’t dare cross it, though he had figured that the loud bang was from the barrier falling to the floor.

Taehyung then let his gaze wander to whoever the woman had pinned to the floor and lo and behold… it was you.

Seeing your messy hair and disoriented figure had blood surging through Taehyung’s body. A different type of adrenaline flowed through him unlike the ones he experiences at concerts. No, this one made him want to fight and flight at the same time.

Taehyung easily pulled away from Jin’s grip as he walked past Jimin before he could block his way. The call of his name from Hoseok and Jungkook fell on deaf ears as he continued his fast strides towards you. His eyes fixed on your figure before it was lost behind a crowd of people.

Taehyung pushed past TXT with little to no problems. He simply murmured an apology and an ‘excuse me’ as he passed through.

A ring of people had circled where you were supposed to be as Taehyung pushed past people in his goal to reach you. It felt as though his body was walking through quicksand at how he had to forcibly get his body past the crowd.

He can feel his suit get wrinkled and his shoes get stepped on. His hair must be ruffled by now and perhaps one of his prop rings had already slipped past a finger, but it didn’t matter. As long as the silver band he had as your promise was fine and he gets to you in the least amount of time then anything else could be replaceable.

With one more push he finally got to the middle of the crowd. The air felt less dense, though Taehyung couldn’t get a proper breath in until he could see that you were okay.

It didn’t take long for your eyes to meet each other though. Your wide blown out eyes reach peace as your eyes meet his, and he would be lying if your eyes didn’t give him just a small bit of ease running through his body.

He immediately took a step towards you as a few gasps were heard followed by a louder bang rang and silenced his surroundings. A disorienting buzz ran through his ears as he turned towards the woman to see her get tackled to the floor by multiple security guards and a gun slipping past her grip.

The bang wasn’t another barrier falling…

She shot a bullet

And he didn’t know where it landed.

Taehyung reached for you to engulf with his body and shield you from the direction the woman was. You immediately collapsed into his grip as you brought your hands to cover your face and bury yourself in Taehyung’s suit.

“Baby, are you okay? Are you hurt? D—did you…” Taehyung couldn’t finish what he wanted to ask you as he opted to skim your body for any obvious injuries.

He wasn't going to admit it but he was looking for a bullet wound under the fabric of your dress, though all he saw was the ruffled satin material as you cried onto his chest. His grip on you tightened as he turned his head back to see proper police men restrain the woman in handcuffs.

“You’re okay now. You’re fine. You’re safe, baby. She’s gone.” Taehyung repeats his words over your hair. A kiss landing on your messy hair. His whispers of comfort placed ease into both your bodies, though you could still hear his heart pumping heavily.

“Tae…” You were breathless as tears uncontrollably dripped down your cheeks. You were just thankful that Taehyung was blocking you from the media. Now that the woman was gone, the media was bound to get an aftermath photo of you so you were just glad they couldn’t see you in the middle of a breakdown.

“Yes baby? Are you hurt? Do you need an ambulance?” Taehyung asked as he rubbed a hand on the top of your hair to soothe down some loose strands, though the action was more to comfort you than fix up your appearance. He was well aware of the cameras and whispers around you.

“Are— are you hurt? The g-gun…” Your voice shakes as you wipe your tears and look up at him.

The sounds of cameras flashing, managers and staff speaking loudly, and police, was the loud buzzing of your ear. It started right as you were tackled to the ground with a twist of your ankle and your head hitting the not so soft red carpet. It still heavily buzzes in your ear over any other noise, excluding Taehyung’s calming voice which you can hear just as clear as the vibrations of your heart pumping.

“No. No, I’m not hurt, baby. Please answer me now. Are you okay?” Taehyung repeats himself whilst placing emphasis on the word ‘you’. He brings a gentle hand to wipe tears sliding down your cheek as you take in the condition of your body.

“My— my ankle… I think I twisted it when I fell, but I think I’m fine.” You say as the adrenaline wears off and an uncomfortable sting comes to your left ankle. You still stood on your heels effortlessly, though a growing tingle had started to spread from where the heel’s strap held onto your ankle.

“Okay. Thank you for answering.” Taehyung kisses your lips swiftly before he raises a hand to call for attention, and looks towards the direction of the venue. Paramedics and staff that were on standby were already walking down the carpet as your eyes even catch Jimin’s worried eyes skimming over both you and Taehyung. The medics were by your side in no time as the crowd around you disperse.

“She said that she might’ve twisted her ankle.” Taehyung says to the paramedics who nodded, though they didn’t signal him to let go just yet.

“Let’s go to the back to check for further injuries. The media is out of control.” A manager suggested to the paramedics who agreed.

“Can you walk?” Taehyung asks as you merely nodded before you were led to a private space behind the wall of the red carpet. Taehyung continued to support you as you took heavy steps in your heels.

The small space behind the backdrop wasn’t too spacious though it was enough to shield you as the paramedics opened a kit and let you sit down on a small plastic stool. Taehyung stood right beside you. Your fingers intertwine as your fingers meet the cold material of his promise ring, and that’s when it hits you.

“Sh-shit.” Your once dried cheeks had now turned wet again as you looked down to your hand and found all your fingers were bare from any jewelry.

“Shh… You’re fine, baby. You’re getting treated.” Taehyung rubs your head to help soothe you though your sobs start to grow as the paramedics ask you what’s wrong, though you only shook your head to dismiss them.

“Tae… I lost the— the ring. It— It must have fell when I—“

“It’s fine, baby. I can buy you a new one.” Taehyung reassures you, though you were inconsolable.

“Please, say something if this hurts Miss.” The medic speaks as she caresses the skin of your ankle. A yelp leaving your lips as the medics nodded and continued to assess your shin.

From the way your chest heaved with each sob and the way tears fell from your eyes, the medics couldn’t assess you properly though they made the best of the situation and made the decision to take you to the hospital.

“Taehyung, you need to get into the venue. The event is going to be delayed, but groups need to be inside the venue for security checks and safety.” His manager speaks as his head pops from the other side of the backdrop. A wheelchair strolling behind him as the medics explain to you that they were taking you to the hospital.

“What? I can’t leave her right now. Did you see what happened?!” Taehyung didn’t mean to raise his voice, though he couldn’t leave you right now. Perhaps you were physically okay, but that must have been mentally shocking and he wants to be there just to comfort you even if it doesn’t make a big difference.

“Yes, I did see. Everyone saw. And we don't know if there’s another sasaeng out there, so we need you to get in the venue now.” The manager said sternly, though Taehyung continued to ignore the orders.

He instead opted to help guide you to sit comfortably on the wheelchair. His finger grazing over red scratch marks on the skin of your forearm. He hadn’t seen those earlier, though he doubts the paramedics had missed it.

When they exited from behind the backdrop they were met with security guards escorting them to the road where the ambulance was parked. Taehyung walked alongside the wheelchair as the paramedic wheeled you to the ambulance. His manager followed a few paces behind.

You writhed with shame as you thought about all the news that could be written on this night alone and you hadn’t even entered the venue yet. You weren’t sure you could.

Taehyung was held back by his manager before he could enter the ambulance with you. His gaze in question and slight irritation as he was met by the face of their manager once more, though this time his members were walking out the venue in search of him.

“Kim Taehyung don’t go. For her sake. You can see her after, but right now we need you inside for the media's sake.” Their manager says more desperate now as he turns to meet your eyes that were inside the ambulance.

He was all too aware of the eyes watching both of you and he could tell that you were too. You gave him a slight nod as a sign that you’d be fine as he nodded more to himself and took a step back to be with his manager. For your sake, he wasn’t going to be with you right now. Not when the media would be having a frenzy already. For you, your company, and your reputation.

“Come on, get inside.” The manager nudged Taehyung to follow behind him as he kept his gaze down on the floor when a few cameras took pictures of him walking to the entrance.

A shiny piece of jewelry caught his attention as he bent down and found the promise ring he had given you last year. A promise ring that had caused you more tears than he wanted you to have.

“Come on, V.” Jimin says as he reaches out for Taehyung to accompany him in walking to the venue behind the rest of the members that flashed him pitiful looks.

“You did the right thing. She needed you, and you’ll see each other after this.” Jimin reassured, as Taehyung’s eyes began to sting from behind, though he tried to stop the emotions from showing in his eyes.

“They said it was a sasaeng?” Taehyung asked as the security guards opened the door for them and they entered the dark and cold doors of the big venue that the 21st Mnet Asian Music Awards would take place in.

“Apparently. I tried my best to eavesdrop and they said that the motive might’ve been because of your relationship. She was ARMY.” Jimin summarized everything he had heard as they both stopped in a dim hallway to wait for staff to open a door that led to the artist area.

“I still don’t get how she managed to walk past security, staff, and camera directors. How did she even have a gun?!” Taehyung was exasperated as the two ‘95 liners leaned against the padded walls. Taehyung leaned his head on Jimin’s shoulder as Jungkook came up to squeeze his shoulder.

“Is she okay? We heard guns were involved.” Jungkook asked as it was obvious that the rest of his bandmates were listening from behind the maknae.

“Yeah. She’s shaken up. Maybe even have a twisted ankle and a few scratches.” Taehyung says as his eyes zone out on the pattern of the carpet and his fingers play on the ring he held on his finger.

“Are you okay?” Namjoon shows himself from behind Jungkook as Taehyung simply nods.

The night had gone by like a blur. It was obvious to everyone watching that he was not as present as he should have been, though nobody blames him. The views of the event had skyrocketed after news broke out that an artist was attacked and yet the event continued on. Hashtags about the event and incident even went viral prior to the awards finishing because clips of Taehyung running towards you and escorting you to the ambulance had gone viral. It practically happened in front of everybody so it was bound to get posted, and technically no blood or gore had been shown so the content wasn’t blocked as quickly as both your companies and the event organizers wanted them to be.

Taehyung walks through the hospital hallways with paper bags of your favorite takeout food, your favorite drink, some spare clothes of his that you could change to in case your personal assistant didn’t bring good comfy clothes, and a small cake of your favorite flavor. He had made do with how late it was and how your favorite bakery was already closed.

It felt like deja vu once again. However, this time he wasn’t riding the elevator to your apartment but rather riding it to your hospital room.

Your absence from the event was so painstakingly obvious for him and everyone. He was jittery all night, and your group seemed so small when they occupied the stage for their performance. It was obvious that they had done last minute blocking, and the bactrack had been used for your solo parts. They seemed so small when they walked down the artist area and got to the stage to receive the Best Female Group award and the Best Female Group Dance Performance award. Your group wasn’t small in the sense that they had little members, though it felt like something was missing. Your big bubbly smile and your funny yet carefully worded speech was missing, and Taehyung could speak for everyone that your presence was greatly missed.

He had received a text from you as soon as the event ended and when he got his phone back. Your text contained your congratulations for him and his wins and performances. Jimin even showed Taehyung a message you sent that congratulated Jimin and the rest of BTS. It was certainly a good year for them, and you had grown closer towards your boyfriend’s close friend despite only interacting a few times.

You told him that he should probably visit later into the evening since your group would be visiting you after the event, though Taehyung didn’t listen and still went as fast as he could when ordering food.

He arrived at your hospital room at almost two in the morning and from what he could hear, your bandmates were still in your hospital room talking to you.

He knocked on the door and heard the girls quiet down as one of the members opened the door to see Taehyung standing in the middle of the hallway with his PA behind him holding the bag of clothes and box of cake.

“Hey, sorry to intrude on your celebrations but can I come see my girlfriend?” Taehyung says as a smile couldn’t help but creep up his face as his heart swells with pride with how he openly says that you were his girlfriend.

“Yah Y/Nah, your boyfriend is here.” The member smiled brightly as she opened the door wider to show you laying in the hospital bed with wide eyes from Taehyung’s early arrival. Your other bandmates had visibly smiled brighter when Taehyung entered the room.

“Good evening.” Taehyung greets as he places all of the paper bags on a nearby table and bows deeply to your bandmates.

“Congratulations on your wins and performance!”

All of your bandmates greet the same words as they bow just as deep to their sunbaenim.

“You should have told us Kim Taehyung sunbaenim was coming. We should’ve ordered more food for him—“ You leader speaks as you stay silent yet a small smiles lingers on your lips when Taehyung doesn’t let his eyes leave you.

“It’s okay. I brought some takeout to eat, and a cake to celebrate your wins.” Taehyung opens the small cake he had brought as his PA takes his leave and walks out the door.

“Oh V sunbaenim, thank you! We already had some cake, but I’m sure Y/N would love that. She barely ate anything tonight.” One of your members discloses as you send her a warning gaze as her face contorts into a look of apology.

Taehyung’s brown doe eyes met yours once more and this time it held the same worry it had earlier in the evening. You hated that. You hated seeing him worried over you, though at the same time it made you feel so cared for.

“We should probably get going. We need some rest and we can celebrate properly when you’re feeling better Y/N.” Your group’s leader says as they all excused themselves after they bid you well and congratulated Taehyung once more.

You were left in the silence of your hospital room with Taehyung at last. It felt like a decade just to get some time alone ever since the incident, and it felt like a reward to finally be alone together after the stressful night.

“Why aren’t you eating?” Taehyung asks as he comes towards the side of the bed to give you a kiss on your cheek.

“Not in the mood for it.” You say honestly because you really didn’t feel hungry, though Taehyung’s brow raised to doubt your answer.

“Come on, don’t let me eat all of this alone.” He says as your favorite food reaches your nose. The aroma turns the wheel of your appetite as Taehyung moves the table closer to the side of your bed.

“Seriously, Tae…”

“Please baby? Let me food you a few spoonfuls at least? It would help me feel better.” Taehyung asks as you nod willingly.

He opens up a container and grabs a wooden spoon to fill with the right amount of everything before guiding the spoon to your open mouth. The warmth of the food immediately landing in your stomach as a satisfied hum left you. Taehyung smiled at that and took his own bite with a smile.

“How’s your ankle?” He asks.

“It’s twisted, but it should heal well. I’ll be walking around with a brace, but it's not like we have a comeback coming.” You say as you move your leg from under the white blanket and show him the brace that keeps your ankle straight.

“I don’t know how long I’ll be here though. They said that I’m showing symptoms of an acute concussion, so it would be better to keep me under observation. That’s why I’m not really eating food right now. I don’t want to throw it up in case this does happen to be a concussion. ” You shrug as you eye the movie that showed on the TV.

Taehyung took your left hand in his and raised it to meet his lips. His breath grazing over your ring finger as you feel him slide a familiar metal back to its place.

“What— Woah! You found it!” You smile as you check the ring to truly see if it was the same ring he had given you a year ago. The same small dent that you had accidentally struck against the wall had grazed the design and you knew for a fact that it was the same ring you had worn as a promise.

“It’s kinda hard to miss. No wonder everyone saw it when we wore it.” Taehyung chuckles as he kisses your hand again before you pull him closer to you to kiss on the lips.

His usually soft lips still had some remnants of lipstick from the makeup of their performance. However, the surface wasn’t the soft flesh you’ve come to be familiar with. It was bitten and cracked in some places. Some skin was freshly peeled and others were dry and waiting for the time to be peeled. It was a sign that he had bitten them off prematurely as a coping mechanism from anxiety.

“I’m sorry, baby. I— I heard the fan was a sasaeng and I didn’t even try that hard to join you in the ambulance, but I— I didn’t want the media following and— and our companies… It’s not an excuse—“

“Tae, it’s not your fault.” You state sternly with your expression straight. You didn’t know where this reaction was coming from, but you had to shut down all those thoughts.

“She was a sasaeng— an ARMY…” Taehyung was teary eyed as he sat on the side of the bed with his hands wrapped around your waist as your arms rested on his shoulders.

“You can’t control them and you can’t control what our agencies tell us to do. Just like how they told us to keep some distance when we told them about our relationship. We can break what they say sometimes, but eventually we know we have to follow them. Like how we still kept on seeing each other and how you still had to join the event.” You explained as he nodded.

He was tongue tied or perhaps he didn’t have anything more to say. He just wanted to hold you and tell himself he did everything he could to prevent what happened and that at the end of the day you are fine with injuries that could be fixed. He wanted to kiss you and feel your skin against his. He wanted to breathe in your scent and feel your chest move with every inhale and exhale.

So he did just that. He laid beside you and brought your body down with him to embrace. Your skin against his as you both settle in a comfortable position.

“What if we weren’t idols?”

“Don’t say that Tae. We met because we were idols. We met because we wanted to study being idols and you saw me because you are a damn good idol.” You say as Taehyung laughs and kisses your cheeks.

“I know, but like what if we went away for a while. Just the two of us and some place we don’t know.” Taehyung proposes as you tilt your head to think over the idea as you signal him to continue his brewing thought.

“Just for a few days or a week. We deserve it after a long year. Besides, it’s my birthday soon.” Taehyung smiles brighter when he mentions his birthday as if you hadn’t been saving up for his birthday gift already.

“That does sound nice…”

“So it’s settled! New Year’s and my birthday in some place we don’t know! I’ll start planning it tomorrow.” Taehyung smiles as you laugh with him, but really he was planning on replacing your dented ring with a new one.

“Also I brought some clothes. I was wondering if I could sleep here tonight.” Taehyung asks as you smile and land a kiss on his lips.

“I was waiting for you to say that. My parents are visiting early in the morning though, so you better be up by then.” You both chuckle as he kisses you once more.

“Are you comfy in your clothes? I have your favorite sweater in the bag, and a coat in case you ever feel like having ice cream again.”

You chuckle as you slightly nudge his shoulder. This man truly was something else.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY V!

And

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!