#seo taemin

[04emptiness]

𝕮✮𝖗𝖙𝖎𝖋𝖎✮𝖉 𝖑𝖔𝖘✮𝖗

[sixaus-meaa]

SIX THE MUSICAL - MODERN!AU: illustration

Maggie's family tree

[shangyeoms]

[hobeemin]

KPOP Zodiac Series Cancer: June 22nd-July 22nd

sources found here: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

[tangerinedream22]

Tae-man's GUILTY: A True-man Show?

Guilty was a challenge. In every sense. This CB left me with a lot of lasting impressions and mixed feelings.

Above all, after watching the MV for the first time, a feeling of...despair??? But also liberation? I think I can already say that GUILTY is one of my best songs of 2023. Not just because I like Taemin so much. A song has to 'hit' me emotionally if I think it's really good and GUILTY did this.

I saw and read some song interpretations and there was a lot of interpretation put into the song, but I think the best always comes from the artist themselves.

"Everyone is guilty, whether it's a little or a lot, but it's truer to show it rather than hide it," he adds. "[The single] 'Guilty' is about a selfish love that hurts the other person. It doesn't come from my experience, but I used it as a way to define what love is and express it on stage."

It doesn't come from his experience, Taemin said. With this sentence, all speculation should be superfluous as to how much of Taemin's drama is in this drama like song, MV and the teasers. This still leaves me with doubts even though it shouldn't be :)

It's about sacrifice, making sacrifices, sacrificing yourself out of love for someone or for something you love.

''But there is always a sacrifice, and forcing someone to sacrifice is also love." Admitting the side of love, the side that no one wants or expects, is a wisdom he has acquired over time. "There are a lot of things I get from being a singer, but at the same time there are a lot of things I have to give up and those are the ones I emphasized in this single."

But maybe it's also because someone, for example a very young person whose great passion is music and dance, is made a victim of all this. From the entertainment industry, the artist agency, PR people, the press, the public, the fans, the antis, etc.

Feminization, sexualization of very young (way too young) KPop idols? I remember the jaket shoot for 'Sherlock' and the photos for Sherlock and Guilty have a lot of similarities. The colors, the lasciviousness, Taemin looks like a teenager again in GUILTY, even the grapes and a flowery sofa. I remember him saying back then that he wanted to look like a man, but his body ended up looking like a child's. Yes it really did and I think it was intentional. And I think that's the real problem with these photos. Other than that, I thought the Sherlock photos were just awful. Who was behind this concept??? I think it was no coincidence that this concept was revisited for GUILTY.

I don't want to unnecessarily interpret anything into this song, I sometimes thought to myself that all these metaphors and symbols (he really is a true INFP :)) that he uses here speak their own language.

And at the same time I'm thinking of songs like 'Internet War' (listen to the lyrics, this performance (in the end it was nothing than a rehearsed, predetermined performance, they did their duties) in connection with the lyrics drew attention to a lot of things.

And I think of 'Narcistic Cannibal' as well. The lyrics are quite interesting. But it doesn't have to mean anything for him personally. But I think there are often things in life that haunt you and take up a lot of precious and sweet time. Whatever it is.

Sometimes people say things through metaphors, symbols, song lyrics, hints ( i do that a lot, too) that you can't or want speak freely about, aren't allowed to speak about.

I'm still left with a feeling of despair. And a lot of question marks :) But I think for Taemin, GUILTY was really a kind of liberation and releave. And only he knows if so and for what.

[sanstropfremir]

bit of an odd question, if you could make your own group from already existing idols and songs what would you pick? something like idk taemin kai and boa performing nobody by wonder girls or what not, just whatever number of ppl and whatever song you think suits them 👀

LKJDASFLKJF you know, i'm tempted to just stick with your example answer bc i think that would be sooooooo fucking funny to see and makes zero sense. tbh i don't really think about 'ideal' covers bc i much prefer that people have original work that's made for them and takes their strengths into account. so i don't really know of any songs specifically that i want people to cover, but as far as person combos, i would LOVE to get shotaro, hwanwoong, and soul from p1harmony to do something! like a best of 4th gen dance crew, basically. oh and actually on the topic of dance crews i want to get ten and winwin in the same room as seowon and minjun from nine.i and have them do a modern dance routine! or even just a contemporary routine, but i want them to do something weird. OR get them to do a huang xiao routine. he can choreo a routine for them i think he and ten would have a great time together being elegant and serving cunt. would LOVE for donghun and jun to sing with forestella, i think we deserve that and they're literally labelmates it can happen. would love for donghun and jooan to do something together, maybe like feel you (the flower of evil ost) ohhhhhhhhh or something like fei's fantasy!! honestly you could give them anything and i'd be happy. idk, there's a lot of options.

[tangylemonade]

Nah because the army is gonna have to give me back Taemin and Seo Kang Joon. Like where are they? I need them🥺🥺

[ohmuqueen]

A good source of background info about Jongtae’s performance of “Internet War” from the SHINee reddit

transcript below:

[comment by user @/xiola_azuthra on reddit]:

The following is mainly copypasted from my comment in a thread here from 2 years ago, so please don't think any of my generalizations about fans-in-general is directed specifically at you or your own assumptions (I don't know what your assumptions are and whatever they are they're totally okay!). Some references are below as well.

I just always like to take the chance to bring this up since much of the fandom (especially the international fandom who haven't read the lyrics) has a tendency to always frame the discussion of this performance on the fanservice and homoeroticism elements, when it's actually MANY more layers than that (and the deeper layers are arguably the more interesting an important ones IMO); IMO Internet War is actually the opposite of "pure" fanervice; the fanservice is just the medium they used, but the piece actually has a strong message and some pretty clear symbolism once you check out the lyrics. This is my own interpretation from my own understanding of Jonghyun, the industry, and the lyrics, but YMMV:

--------------------

As much as it's definitely a great performance, everyone seems to laud it as "homoeroticism and fanservice" without reading the lyrics and thinking about what it could mean - which, to me, is the more important and interesting part, and I think central to why Jonghyun defended it, why they kept performing it, and why the handcuffed moment at the end is the iconic part for him (the image he chose to post on his twitter during the backlash).

I've linked the lyrics below, they're by Seo Taiji and very, very non-idol like. They're extremely harsh/rude/angry and largely to do with toxic netizen culture; I think you could apply it to both internet trolls and chronically online netizens vs. each other as well as idols-vs-fans or celebrities-vs-the-public... how they are trapped in this cycle of mutually influencing each other, often in toxic ways. I definitely love me some fanservice as much as the next girl (I've been a BL fan for over half my life) and Jonghyun is a king of bi energy and I love him for it, but honestly after reading the lyrics and looking at the symbolism in the performance, I feel like the 2 most notorious parts of this performance are actually far less about the "edgy homoeroticism" and far more of a pretty *direct metaphor* acknowledging the often toxic bondage between idols and fans/netizens/public opinion.

If you add up the lyrics, the words of Jjong's fake tattoos with the names of his fansites, the symbolism in the fact that he's stripped down (vulnerable) while Taemin is fully-clothed (holds the balance of power), then you get this:

Jonghyun is the idol (the fake tattoos say "ideal boy/one in a million/many (all?) of them are the names of his fansites; his job is to seduce the public with an idealized image), and Taemin is the "public" who now wants everything he can give, can't be sated, wants to take ownership of him (cue Taemin feeling him up)... which makes the handcuffs at the end a very literal symbol; I feel like this performance acknowledges a lot of conflicts they are all aware of, but perhaps specifically Jonghyun... anger at all the toxicity they see online, awareness of how they know that they're selling a falsely idealized image, awareness of how a lot of this system is broken for both sides in many ways (ever-deepening parasocial relationships and everything good/bad that that entails), acknowledgement of how the idol/fan relationship changes both of us...

Which is to say, in the end, (IMO) the handcuffs are acknowledgement of the fact that he is quite literally *giving (or selling) his body to the fans (and the public) as a part of this cycle and and is beholden to this metaphorical bondage of idol-and-public-opinion.* And that obviously this is... neither an easy nor a purely "good" thing, despite how idols normally have to present themselves.

I just feel like this gets ignored because "omg Jjong is hot" and "omg JongTae" but... I think it's far more serious than that. It's actually incredibly ironic that there was so much netizen backlash over this at the time, since that's kind of exactly what it's about. >_>

----------

Lyrics: https://kpopchanted.wordpress.com/2012/09/21/internet-war-%EC%9D%B8%ED%84%B0%EB%84%B7-%EC%A0%84%EC%9F%81-seo-taiji/

---------

Jonghyun's response to backlash (two translations; he posted this comment + changed his profile image to the back shot of their handcuffed hands) http://www.twitlonger.com/show/itpphd / http://www.twitlonger.com/show/itpqqj

---------

(P.S. In retrospect it's a little amusing that Jonghyun got backlash for "corrupting" Taemin and pulling his hair, since the Taemin we know now leads me to believe that he totally suggested that bit himself ^^;;;

P.P.S. To address another concern I have seen before - in case anyone is concerned about Taemin's neck; note that there are stage-fight ways to do this sort of thing and they did it for a whole tour with no injury so it was clearly very choreographed. Jonghyun always pulls straight back, not at an angle (angles are less safe for the neck), and in order to make this move look dramatic in a safe way, the person having their hair pulled can throw their *own* head back, with the other person's grip much looser than it looks; if you time it correctly it looks the same.)

[dlstmxkakwldrlarchive]

ONEW 3rd EP 'FLOW' Credits

ONEW is credited in every song as a lyricist

매력 (lit. Allure/Charm/Attraction) Beat Drum! co-wrote the lyrics with Rang Park (from XYCL lyricists group), she previously worked in D.O.'s My Dear

Hola! - co-wrote with Kim Eana, who wrote ONEW's Circle, IU's The Red Shoes and IVE's I AM

Maestro - co-wrote with Seo Jeongah, she previously worked in IVE Accendio, in Fromis_9 Attitude and Oh My Girl Dolphin

Shape of My Heart / All Day - co-wrote with Jeon Ji-eun who also wrote Onew's No Parachute and Red Velvet Seulgi 28 Reasons

Focus - Cowrote with Joo Yoo Kyung, her representative songs: SHINee's Sherlock, Red Velvet's Rookie and SNSD Taeyeon's U R. She also wrote Onew's Sunshine; SHINee's Good Evening, Everybody, Chemistry. Taemin's Identity, Mistery Lover, Artistic Groove and 2kids; Key's Good Good; EXO's Love Shot; Red Velvet's Perfect 10, Campfire and Butterflies, SNSD's Mr Mr, Kiss of Life Nobody Knows

[talkingsaxy]

𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐩𝐬 𝐈 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫

kpop:

8turn, 82 major

aespa, all(h)ours, ampers&one, arrc, ateez

b.d.u, big ocean, blitzers, bts, boystory, boynextdoor

cravity

dkb, dxmon

e'last, enhypen, epex, evnne

fantasy boys

hori7on

le sserafim, lun8

nct 127, nct dream, newjeans

one pact, onlyoneof

p1harmony, pow

riize

seventeen, stray kids

the boyz, the wind, tiot, toz, treasure, twice, tws, txt

unname

woodz

x1, xdinary heroes, xikers

zerobaseone

jpop:

&team

buddiis, bullet train

gnjb

icex

jo1

lienel

m!lk

nct wish

super★dragon

cpop

boystory

loong9

wayv

solo:

ash island

cha eunwoo

cha woongki

changmo

dpr ian

kai

kim yohan

son dongpyo

taemin

woodz

project 7

andy, asaka kotaro, ayalon adam

binghua

fong atilla

jang yeojun, jeon minwook (j-min), jung seyun

kang minseo, kim hyunwoo, kim sungmin

lee hanbin

park junseo

sakurada kenshin, seo jinwon, seo kyoungbae

yeom yechan (jake)

[slytherinshua]

　　　my biases (and wreckers) ⟡₊ ⊹

bold = bias italic = wrecker updated frequently because ults/semi ults are always changing + i stan new groups regularly !!

　　　　　ult of ults ⟡₊ ⊹

onf　⋮　yuto ot5

verivery　⋮　gyehyeon yongseung

lucy　⋮　wonsang sangyeop

txt　⋮　taehyun hueningkai

　　　　　ults ⟡₊ ⊹

astro　⋮　sanha minhyuk dongmin

&team　⋮　maki yuma fuma

victon　⋮　byungchan subin seungwoo

　　　　　semi ults ⟡₊ ⊹

sf9　⋮　youngkyun jaeyoon sanghyuk

the boyz　⋮　jacob changmin kevin

boynextdoor　⋮　ot6

　　　　　stan ⟡₊ ⊹

seventeen　⋮　joshua seokmin chan

zerobaseone　⋮　gunwook matthew

the kingdom　⋮　louis ivan

nct wish　⋮　daeyoung sakuya

wayv　⋮　ten kun

mcnd　⋮　minjae

n.flying　⋮　hweseung dongsung

day6　⋮　wonpil

nomad　⋮　junho ot4

tws　⋮　kyungmin jihoon

nu'est　⋮　aaron minhyun baekho

ampers&one　⋮　seungmo ot6

　　　　　casual stan ⟡₊ ⊹

riize　⋮　shotaro sohee seunghan

nct dream　⋮　chenle mark

nct 127　⋮　mark

cix　⋮　seunghun jinyoung

ab6ix　⋮　daehwi woong

xdinary heroes　⋮　seungmin jungsu

p1harmony　⋮　jongseob jiung

wei　⋮　seokhwa

epex　⋮　yewang ayden

nexz　⋮　sogeon

　　　　　not in the fandom ⟡₊ ⊹

bts　⋮　hoseok jungkook

enhypen　⋮　jungwon riki

stray kids　⋮　seungmin

shinee　⋮　kibum

monsta x　⋮　i.m

hoppipolla　⋮　hyunsang

got7　⋮　bambam

ateez　⋮　jongho

ghost9　⋮　junhyung

pentagon　⋮　kino

exo　⋮　d.o chanyeol

the rose　⋮　hajoon

oneus　⋮　hwanwoong

xikers　⋮　minjae

cravity　⋮　hyeongjun

　　　　　girl groups ⟡₊ ⊹

billlie　⋮　siyoon

aespa　⋮　ningning

iz*one　⋮　chaeyeon minju

ive　⋮　yujin

le sserafim　⋮　ot5

mamamoo　⋮　ot4

newjeans　⋮　minji haerin

red velvet　⋮　yeri joy

gfriend&viviz　⋮　umji

xg　⋮　hinata harvey

(g)i-dle　⋮　miyeon

itzy　⋮　chaeryeong

twice　⋮　dahyun

girls generation　⋮　taeyeon

oh my girl　⋮　arin yooa

nmixx　⋮　kyujin

kiss of life　⋮　haneul belle

　　　　　soloists ⟡₊ ⊹

ha hyunsang (ult)　⋮　woodz (ult)　⋮　park jihoon (ult)　⋮　kim woojin (ult)　⋮　seo inguk　⋮　kim wooseok　⋮　hwang minhyun　⋮　baekho　⋮　gaho　⋮　eric nam　⋮　dean　⋮　han seungwoo　⋮　bambam　⋮　rocky　⋮　kang daniel　⋮　dpr ian　⋮　kino　⋮　jackson wang　⋮　taemin　⋮　key

yerin baek (ult)　⋮　seori　⋮　youha　⋮　iu　⋮　kim sejeong　⋮　lee chaeyeon　⋮　taeyeon　⋮　sunmi　⋮　bibi　⋮　heize　⋮　chungha

[hyunin]

every month of 2023!

got tagged by @strayklds to do the classic yearly wrap up of my most popular and/or favorite things i made this year and it's always fun so i will do both 💓 plus some commentary because i can't shut up. i'm going to do it on this acc instead of yangjeongin so i can tag my non-skz cc friends properly, but i'll include stuff from across all blogs 🥳

i'm not sure who got tagged to do this already and who didn't so i will just tag some pals/favorite ccs and anyone that sees this should feel free to do it and say i tagged them if u would like!

@foxinys @seo-changbinnies @miyawaki @wahgifs @twoce @dinoboos @agibbangs @xiaojuun @exocean @hyunsung @huiracha @seungs

putting everything under the cut let's go

JANUARY popular: slutty hyunchan. i get it. also didn't realize this got That many notes asdlfkasjdlgk favorite: 2022 mbc gayo hyunjin. i just thought my coloring was neat for this. first set of the year also!

FEBRUARY popular: wolfgang ending fairies. these are ugly idk what y'all were on about but okay it do just be like that sometimes favorite: yellow wood era hyunjin bday countdown set. this was in the top 3 of my fav sets from this countdown in general

MARCH popular: hyunjin's 2023 bday set. thank god. looking back at this is making me emotional actually just kidding it was this one. boooooo fine he's cute i get it. favorite: i had a ton of countdown sets this month and i liked a lot of them but in retrospect i think my fav is the christmas evel era one. shoutout to oddinary and in life too.

APRIL popular: this random hyunin set for some reason. ok favorite: dfesta the movie 12 set i guess. these were good hyunjins and april was a flop month for me lowkey

MAY popular: hyunjin just standing there at the one versace event. i still hate y'all for this favorite: i think the hyunjin maniac tour mini vlog actually. kinda surprising myself with this one but i just think it's very cute. makes me happie. maybe this one tho. idk. i like the coloring on these too. whatever! this month was kinda mid no standouts to me

JUNE popular: hyunjin doing That move in s-class. so true favorite: the introducing skz gifset of the era. not my best of these but still my fav this month

JULY popular: TAEMIN AND HYUNJIN DESERVEEEE favorite: maybe taemin and hyunjin as well bc it changed my life but hyunjin's cardboard cutout of chan is also a fav because it makes me laugh every time

AUGUST popular: hyunjin at kcon la. i get this too favorite: hyunin squish compilation. very important 2 me. but a rare main blog contribution, i love this eunbi set i made.

SEPTEMBER popular: we had multiple sets do numbers this month actually but precious nacific hyunjin wins somehow. i made this set so randomly but it be like that sometimes (2) favorite: 230908 hyunjin not even because i like the set that much but just because it's a hyunjin of all time and he deserves recognition

OCTOBER popular: angel rockstar trailer hyunjin. yeah favorite: i don't know guys. everything i made this month was so mid. nothing notable at all. so i'll agree w the people on rockstar trailer hyunjin

NOVEMBER popular: dramatic hyunjin. i don't like my coloring for this but he was so funny so i can accept it favorite: i think 231118 music core hyunjin?? i like the nine set i made for this day a lot as well bc i'm just obsessed w this look but i think i like the stage gifs better

DECEMBER (so far) popular: dancing sweaty hyunjin. y'all are so weird but i'm the one who giffed it so, favorite: hmmm i think the hyunin set just because they r so important to me and i had fun giffing it

thank u to everyone that read all of this and that liked and supported my content this year 🫶 looking forward to what 2024 brings <3

[dibidibifiction]

Give Me A Hug: Chapter 1

Pairing: Taemin x Female Reader Word count: 2.3k

DISCLAIMER: This is a work of fiction made for the personal entertainment of readers. The writer does not ever intend to offend her readers nor does she aim to spread false information about anyone so as to pay any disrespect to the real-life persons on whom the characters are based. She also does not claim ownership of any of the images that are being used.

masterlist general masterlist

. . .

Y

It’s like a huge thunderbolt just hit my face. His hands are so monstrous he got my entire head. I fall to the floor, sensing I’m about to pass out. But I immediately feel him picking me back up, grabbing my arm like he’s going to break it. He tries to stand me up but I’m too weak. I feel too dizzy from all the hitting I received just tonight. 

“You are not getting away from me! We are not getting a divorce. Got it?” he whispers. His voice shakes from fury. His face is just an inch from mine. His eyes pierce through mine, his teeth clenching.

Before I know it, I give in. 

Everything fades to black.

TAEMIN

“Taemin! I’ve been looking everywhere for you,” Jinki Hyung taps my shoulder to turn me around.

“What is it?”

“Director Choi has been brought to the police station again. He needs you. I’ll take over from here.”

“Ugh, Jesus. What has he done this time?” I complain while I take off my headset and pass it to him. 

“I have no idea.”

Choi Minho is the director of my and Jinki Hyung’s production team and my best friend since high school. He was a junior and I was a freshman when we first met. His father is close to my parents and one of the board members of the production company we’re working in. He and I had gone through a troublesome phase when we were younger but apparently, he was stuck in that phase until his long-term girlfriend dumped his marriage proposal recently and eventually grew up. 

I start to run along the halls of the building and to the parking lot. I hop into my car, and drive as fast as I can to the police station. It’s been almost a year since I’ve last been there.

I hurry inside once I arrive to find Minho Hyung sitting by one of the policemen’s desks. 

“Hyung, what happened?” I call out as I approach and sit on the chair across from him.

“I swear, it’s nothing,” he says defensively. “I just got in the middle of a fight at the bar and the guys got away.”

“Why are you still here then?”

“The police won't believe me because of this,” he points to the big bruise on his face. “So then I had to explain that this happened days ago and I didn’t get involved this time.

“Hey, Choi Minho!” I hear someone shout from the entrance. Kibum rushes toward us and pulls me out of my seat for him to take it. “What the fuck happened to you?” He hits Minho in the arm.

I roll my eyes and cross my arms. Ever since Minho Hyung came out as bisexual, Kibum has been after him, especially now that his girlfriend called it quits. 

We three went to university together. Kibum Hyung is the craziest among us and always led us to the most raging parties. He was, most of the time, the reason we ended up in the police station. 

While they both are being all annoying and shit, I catch a glance of a woman, perhaps in her late twenties, sitting on the bench by the entrance. She has a big bandage on her forehead just above her left eye. She’s got cuts on the right side of her lips and a cast wrapped around her right arm.

“Well, well, well. How nice to see the trio back together again,” an officer sits behind his desk.

“Wow, you’re still alive?” Kibum says savagely.

“Sir, I swear, we have nothing to do with this one. I’ve started my life over,” Minho pleads.

“Son, I’ve always heard that bullshit from you,” Officer Seo shakes his head. “Seven years ago you three were arrested for breaking a windshield of a Maserati and for stealing one of its wheels.”

“What? That guy deserved it for cheating on me,” Kibum interrupts.

“Shut your fucking mouth. I’m not talking to you.”

Kibum just rolls his eyes at him.

“I don’t know. I’m going to have to call your father,” Seo turns back to Minho Hyung.

“Sir, please! I-”

Another police officer approaches and whispers something into Seo’s ear.

He gives all three of us a weird look as if he’s heard something he can’t believe. He nods to his fellow policeman and turns back to us. 

“I never thought I’d say this, but you’re free to go,” he sighs, showing his disappointment.

Y

For the first time in years, I’ve slept so soundly and awoke to a peaceful morning. The sunlight pierces through the curtains. It’s a beauty I hadn’t seen when I was with him. It was always dark under that roof.

This time, there’s less fear, less anxiety. Just serenity and safety.

There’s a knock on my bedroom door.

“Oh, good. You’re awake,” Jonghyun says, only his head showing. It’s so nice to see his smiling face this early. He sits on the bed next to me. “How are you feeling, Noona?”

“Better,” I nod. I grab his hand and give him a slight smile. “I hope I’m not burdening you by staying here. I promise I’ll leave as soon as I can.”

“Hey, we’ve been over this a thousand times. Don’t mention it. Just stay as long as you need.” He then places a smack on my forehead. “It’s just great to have Noona back.”

“You mean your assistant?” I giggle.

“That too,” he laughs as well.

“What would you do without me?” 

When I was still living with my husband, I never got to hang out with Jonghyun because he forbade me to get out of the house. He didn't even allow me visitors. I had not seen Jonghyun in a while until he picked me up at the police station three months ago. 

That one last slap in my face before I passed out is the worst thing I remember. Next thing I knew, I was in the hospital confined for two days. My face was covered in stitches, I could barely open my left eye, and my arm was in a cast. As if I can still feel his tight grip. 

Every time I looked at myself in the mirror, I hated myself. But at the same time, I felt sorry for my body. His fingerprints in the form of bruises on my arm still show. The scars on my face will remain. The memories of being hit by a dining chair will be remembered by the big dark diagonal scar across my back. All these traces of him will never leave me.

I couldn’t speak in over a week, but Jonghyun says I could respond by shaking my head and by nodding. He also tells me about what the doctors said about me, that I’m pretty strong for someone who had been mistreated for years. It was the physical torture that traumatized me to hold my ability to speak.

Some days I stayed in bed until evening. Some days I spent my time reading and painting, which I have not done in a while. 

Now, it’s been more than a month since I last saw my husband. The police have been looking for him but he’s nowhere to be found. I don’t care where he is as long as he doesn’t bother me anymore.

“Hey, you should come with me to my schedules today. Meet some old friends and colleagues, be my assistant again like in old times. What do you say?”

“Hmm, well, my meeting with my divorce lawyer isn’t until this afternoon. So, sure.” I genuinely smile at him.

There’s not much has changed in the station. Except for the lobby and the front desk. There used to be a small space between it and the path through the elevators so it was a hassle getting through there especially when it’s crowded and you’re in a hurry.

Four years ago, my soon-to-be ex-husband forced me to quit my career as a makeup artist and stylist. I had a hectic but fulfilling career as an artist. I got to work with designs and aesthetics for different companies and different pop groups and soloists. Besides being Jonghyun’s manager on the side, I had a magical life.

Jonghyun and I walk into the elevator. It kind of feels weird to be back here and I’m a little nervous to see everyone again. 

“Wait! Please hold the door!” someone shouts before the gates completely shut.

So I press-hold on the open button. A young man carrying thick extension wires (or whatever that is) wrapped around his shoulder down to his wrist and a wireless headset around his neck. 

“Thank you,” he says breathily. “Excuse me.”

“Which floor?” I ask.

“Oh, there,” he points to the same floor as us. “Thank you,” he gives me a respectful nod.

“Okay,” I smile back politely.

As we wait to get to our floor, the guy takes a glimpse at me. Before I realize it, he keeps looking at me every five seconds.

Do I know him? He’s not at all familiar. I haven’t seen him even when I was still working here before.

Or does he know me? If he does, I wouldn’t know where from.

It was the longest uncomfortable minute of my life. I exhale in relief once the elevator dings and the doors part. 

As I continuously walk, I hear the young man call out to Jonghyun formally. I halt to listen carefully, but his voice is so soft that I can’t hear what he’s saying.

“Who? Y Noona?” Jonghyun responds loud enough. “She’s my assistant for the day. Also a close friend of mine. Why?”

They are speaking about me. I’m not sure how I feel about this. It’s been a while since I heard people in the workplace talk about me behind my back.

I was inside a cubicle when some girls gossiped about me. They were ridiculing me, saying how stupid I was to stay in an unfaithful relationship. They said they pitied me yet they mocked me. 

“Jonghyun-ssi,” I say formally but in a sarcastic tone. “Shall we go?” I fake a smile and widen my eyes at him to send a message that I’m uncomfortable. 

So he nods politely to the young man. He and I proceed to one of the dressing rooms. I put down the gym bag with all the things he needs for today as I sit him down in front of a vanity mirror to start dressing him up for the reality show filming. 

“Noona, where’s the suit that I’ll be wearing?” Jonghyun asks.

“It’s here.” I pull up a stunning blue two-piece suit.

“That’s what I’m going to wear to Lee Jieun’s event this evening,” he corrects me. “I’ll wear the gray one. It hangs in the back of the van.”

“Oh,” I laugh at myself but I cringe inside because I feel stupid. “Sorry. I’ll get it right now.” 

“Maybe this isn’t a good time to wear those heels,” Jonghyun teases me as I make my way out the door.

Catching for air, I get to the van and open the back door. Six sets of gray suits appear before my eyes. Plus, the paper bags of meals and snacks I was supposed to take too to give out to the crew.

I sigh deeply. I reach for my phone from my jeans’ back pocket and then dial Jonghyun’s number to ask him which of them he’s wearing for the show.

No answer.

I growl dreadfully. I forgot what it’s like to be a famous singer’s personal assistant. 

I sigh once again and eventually decide to bring up all six. They’re quite heavy. This was way easier when I was younger. I was in my twenties and could carry a heavy backpack, a gym bag in one hand and his lunch and coffee in the other. And I could run up and down the elevator several times without my body giving in. Even in high heels.

Now, it feels like I want to quit already. I’m running out of strength.

So I hurry all the way back to the floor with these suites hanging on my shoulder and two heavy paper bags in my other hand.

Almost to the hall of dressing rooms, my heart drops as I almost fall backward. The hook of one of the hangers is caught on someone’s t-shirt making me drop some of Jonghyun’s suits while the person shouts out loud in shock. 

“Oh, no! I’m so sorry!” I say as I pick the clothes up off the ground one by one.

“What the fuck?” he mumbles in confusion and a little panic, reaching for the thing that’s caught on his back.

“Let me take that.” And when I do, I notice that his shirt is torn from below the neckline down to the middle of his back. 

I gasp.

The guy turns around to face me, I recognize him right away. He’s the staff member from the elevator who kept staring at me.

“You?” We both say almost at the same time. 

“Shit. I am so sorry,” I say again as he notices the tear as well. “Let me help you. I have an extra t-shirt back in the dressing room. I’ll go and get it.”

“No, no. It’s okay. This top is really old anyway. Been planning to buy a new one,” he says so politely, grinning at me.

“Please, I insist. Let me-” 

My phone suddenly vibrates on my ass. It’s Jonghyun calling.

“Okay, I have to go. But when I see you again, maybe I’ll buy you a cup of coffee or a new t-shirt. Yeah?” I’m talking so fast I’m not sure if he still understands what I’m saying.

Without waiting for his response to my offer, I run to the halls and back to Jonghyun.

It’s my first day back to work and I’m already slipping. Literally.

chapter 2

[vacantgodling]

✨CAGE PLAYLIST✨

the way this playlist is set up, each song represents the same chapter its number corresponds with. so the first song is the song for chapter 1 and so on. these songs capture the vibes or the message or the main point of each chapter and when put together illustrate the… emotional journey i hope readers will experience when they read the ups and downs of cassidy and hanzo’s trials and tribulations in cage!

(all songs will have youtube links for ease of access)

人間を被る — DIR EN GREY

GABRIEL ON THE GALLOWS — The GazettE

Wasteland — 10 Years

Liar — ONE OK ROCK

So Far Away — Staind

Before I Forget — Slipknot

VACANT — The GazettE

Breath — Breaking Benjamin

Duality — Slipknot

Lonely Day — System of a Down

The Bird and the Worm — The Used

Bother — Stone Sour

Day and Night — TAEMIN

Dust — Samuel Seo

QUIET — The GazettE

Through Glass — Stone Sour

How You Remind Me — Nickelback

Happy? — Mudvayne

Cage — DIR EN GREY

LAST HEAVEN — The GazettE

[acebytaemin]

it’s giving seo taiji and the boys it’s giving shinee if they debuted as intended (hip hop group) and it’s also giving taemin plays the piano (canonically)

[vesvosmozhno]

Okay I decided to actually make a list

Now presenting:

Top 10 Kpop Songs I Want To Be Fucked To

10.

Hear me out.

9.

Leedos vocals in this. Daddy? Sorry.

8.

Can this man fuck me to his own song? Thanks.

7.

I specifically want Choi San to fuck me to this song.

6.

If you're not fucking me to Joohoney's vocals are you even fucking me?

5.

If you're not fucking me to Song Mingi's vocals are you even fucking me? NO WAY THIS SONG JUST CAME ON MY SHUFFLED PLAYLIST 😭

4.

But the ot8 version because if you're not fucking me to Seo Changbin's vocals in this are you even fucking me???

3.

You had to know this would be on here.

2.

This song was written to be fucked to. Argue with the wall

1.

THE SEX ANTHEM. I could get pregnant to this song (I am a man)