#shinee out here like how can we make our comeback any gay

[nightswithkookmin]

Hi Goldy! I am curious about your take on how Jikook are edited in the behind the scenes clips since October (such as the ones for the Life Goes on music video, ABC Holiday Dynamite, and the Japan one (search on youtube for BTS japan shoot || behind the scene of Japan)). Do you think Jikook are interacting less, being just friends, being more professional, or is BigHit editing their interactions out? It just seems so different from the ones before Oct (FILA, Dynamite MV, Season's Greetings 2021)

Huh???😲😲😲

BigHit is doing what what now?😥

Do you mean that as a fact or theory?🤔

Why though?👀 They are not Tae Kook? 😥

There's Bangtan video of Jimin with his third leg dangling loose in the air somewhere on the internet, I don't think BigHit is that savvy.

Lmho. I mean I see what you mean but they are editors and cutting is what they do for a living. But this is Jikook sis. I don't see BigHit's incentive for 'cutting' Jikook's moments and you shouldn't assume that-

Unless...

You don't think Jikook's been groping eachother homoerotically on set lately have you? Cos, chile I'll believe that! I don't trust Jikook anywhere near eachother's vicinity and personal space.

I've seen enough to traumatize the devil himself. Chilee. Lol.

Bighit, in recent times, mostly tend to cut scenes and moments if they are a bit risqué. Like JK shoving his butt in Jimin's groin face, sliding his hands down Tae's chest...

Often times too they cut moments if its redundant. If a part of a scene is already in the main content they don't bother showing it in the behind scenes. From my observation.

When an interaction is awkward they skip it too, I feel. I mean I am still waiting to see JK touching all over Jimin and feeling him up in Run 106- honey, I'll pay to watch that shit with my kidneys. Lol.

Often too they save some scenes for memories or some other shit that they use all those pent up footages for. Lol.

BigHit is a business, they produce content that per their research and analytics garners more engagement, audience retention and a whole other metrics. They put a lot of creativity into what they do as creatives and artists- I mean if the baby noises is anything to go by. Those bites are tired!

But often times too, they're tired and they're lazy, and they just put anything together and toss it out there without giving it much thought- isn't that how they leave Jin or Tae out of packages, how certain Jikook moments that should have never made it into screen time ended up in screen time- how JM's third leg made it to the internet? They should have cut that shit before uploading it with those subtitles and yet here we are.

I think people give BigHit too much credit- talking about JK shouldn't gay panic and run away from certain moments with JM if he knows BigHit editors are going to cut those moments.... JM's dixk begs to differ. Chilee, Jimin you should have just worn pants. Can't trust these phony ass editors my guy.

The editing is really not a big deal. Not to me. But I love your question anyway. Especially the bits about what's different about Jikook and the content BigHit has been putting out since October.

Well something sure did go down in October, I don't care what anybody says.

I keep saying BigHit banks on the bond and intimacy of the boys, and the boys are more than happy to showcase their bond for the cameras just as Tae said and confirmed in a recent interview- Tuktukkers y'all did an Oopsie on the whole Taekook don't like to show their bond on cameras! Lol

Tae said it himself not me- he lives to showcase his bond with the other members. *where is my skull head emoji. Lmho.

I think what has changed since JM's birthday in October to now, to me where BigHit is concerned, is the general marketing strategy of the company.

It seems to me the company is adopting a marketing module opposite of the strategy they had been using before the pandemic. I think I've talked about this though...

Hate to say I said it, but I said it. Lol.

They are limiting access to the boys to drive sales as and when. BTS dominates the internet and have amassed greater reach and attention partly due to the free content they put out on the internet. But those were never monitised- not in a direct or significant way.

In the wake of the virus, they've had to monetize their online presence. A single tweet from their Twitter account is a phone brand promotion as I pointed out in past posts. There's been an increase in their sponsorship collaborations, in Soop and many of the content they've put up this year. They even turned on ads on their YT channels it seems.

Like I've been saying, this situation is global and novel, they are going to experiment with means and methods till they find that sweet spot and that is what I feel we are experiencing- amongst other things.

Unfortunately for us, our access to Jikook is gonna take a hit like I said before because the numbers are in their favor. I mean go to their YouTube page and see the metrics for yourself.

Jikook's holiday remix pulls way ahead of their counterparts. If their going to monetize any ship brand in BTS it's Jikooks. Trust. But that doesn't mean any ship in BTS is spared.

Someone asked me a while back, when I talked about this, whether all these changes the company was going through was going to affect the way Jikook interact on camera and I couldn't answer that with conviction then.

But I mean we are seeing a subtle, if not drastic change in the way Jikook interact with eachother and with their glass closet.

What that means for us, I think, is the company is going to choose when and where to show us content and certain interactions but that doesn't mean Jikook aren't interacting- know what I mean? I mean they have them. The juicy moments that's gonna make us slap our mamas. BigHit has it all. They are just gonna save it for as and when based on their marketing strategy, if you know what I mean.

I mean we all saw that blackswan performance, we all saw the holiday remix performance etc.

And you are right about the less interactions post October and I've shared my thoughts on it so I won't go into it. But I will state again that they are not broken up either, not to me. Lol.

I think we need to examine what interacting less means. To me, I consider Jikook interacting less if they have an opportunity to interact and they don't interact in a way that is usual of them.

Majority of the content we've gotten in recent times are pretty much very official contents, interviews, etc. The entire BE era, as I said is not about Jikook or even BigHit.

It's about BTS, all seven and Jikook can't monopolize the shine like they tend to do in other BigHit marketed contents in my opinion.

Jimin tried to be funny and chill in the dynamite mv and RM nearly went ninja turtle on his ass when he called him out for not taking things seriously enough during the shoot- Left to grandpa Joonie, the kids will sleep at five. Lol.

Seriously though, there is a huge gap between what BTS views as marketing and marketable and what Jikook or even BigHit views as marketing, in my opinion. And conversations like that between RM and Jimin goes to prove it.

Another interesting thing about this whole marketing approach is how BigHit isn't substituting any other particular pair in Jikook's stead. I see them giving equal screan time to the individual members- well not in a technical sense but I think you know what I mean.

Are Jikook required to be professional in certain situations, absolutely. And in previous years, I think they took too many liberties with it. But as I said, now more than ever they are learning and need to learn to read the room because they wouldn't be able to get away with much if they don't.

BE is a self produced project, after Soop- after when they were isolated to help them bond and repair fractures in their bond. If there were anything they were not happy with that led to Soop, trust that they are going to fix it post Soop and it's going to reflect in every sphere of their interactions.

RM for example has chilled on his monitoring and censorship of Jikook, Jikook have been pretty considerate of the group and have tried not to do anything to have RM pop a vein, Tae has been stepping up too- with the members going out their way to praise him and push him to the fore front of the group unlike in previous years *cough cough I don't want trouble but chilee.

I mean Jimin pointed it out in the Be behind when he said Tae was working hard and putting his best foot forward because the members had been showering him with lots of compliments in recent times and he wasn't kidding.

In the LGO comeback live, RM praised Tae for working hard forgetting it wasn't just Tae and JM's reaction was telling. Of course he backpedaled to compliment JM too.

Suga did the same thing in the Be behind video when he was talking about JM and praising him- I mean it's Suga and his Jimin, uWu. But then he too backpedaled to compliment Tae when he realized what he was doing and I was like CAN SOMEONE PRAISE KOOKIE TOO PLEASE AND THANK YOU. Lol.

Anywho, the company is equally chilling on their Jikook agenda which I have speculated on several ttimes so won't get into- it's all so very kumbaya and God, I hate it. Lol.

Give me the chaos goddammit!

I feel Jlkook loosen up in contents that aren't like super official business moments and that's when you see their domesticity. Lol.

You see them having their me time in the background of some of the content, and in one of the interviews where they were sat a good feet apart but they kept moving closer and closer till eventually after their lunch break cut, they were sat very close to each other.

I'm not a fan of the cameras being shove in their faces during their private moments- Kookie certainly doesn't appreciate that either.

But they are working for a living nonetheless and making content is what they do for a living. So we are definitely gonna get the content from them alright, the fanservice, the organic moments passed off as fanservice, the moments that should never make it to screen- all nine. Lol.

We are just not going to get them in a way we are accustomed to. And it certainly doesn't help that they are each on their own personal growth journeys- gradually disconnecting from their fanbase, I mean Jk's been long gone duh, and Jimin did say he has come to the realization not everyone in the fandom loves him and he is learning to react less strongly to them; which to me translates as bye bitches you don't deserve me. Lol.

I mean dude didn't bother posting for new year this year- y'all Jimin is done with our ass. We might as well pack our bags and join him in Kookie's Casa. I call dibs on the broom closet under the stairs. Lol.

Jikook gets called fanservice and other creepy slurs in this fandom but people forget all of this is their choice too. They choose, are choosing to share all the bits of them they share with us, with us. Inspite of all the hate and insults, they choose to do that- if they did it for the fanservice don't you think they would have called a time out on it long ago because it's not worth it?

I hate it here.

I guess what I'm saying is, you are right about these observations you've made and some of the things you've pointed out are facts.

But we have talked about all of that so it really shouldn't be anything new? Kindly check my previous posts. I think I shared my point of view on what I think is going on with Jikook, BigHit and BTS.

Other than those, I don't think there is anything major up with Jikook honestly. I keep saying I don't think they are broken up. I don't see either of them closed off, emotionally open to connecting with the others.

If anything I said I feel Jimin is falling in love all over again with Kook. I mean when he looks at him he looks to me as if he is seeing Kook in a different light.

And it's funny how all through out 2020 he kept reiterating how his friends and family and relationships were important to him, shading the ef out of Kook during the Japan Stay Gold promos claiming his relationships were important to him and was what was Gold in his life.

He even went on to talk about picking an accent spending time around his friends and talking with his friends around his birthday but suddenly in the Be behind scenes he was talking about how he's come to the realization BTS is his only true friends and how friends come and go.

Clearly he's had an epiphany of a sort and has been through something post his birthday that has him setting his priorities straight in the aftermath.

In his Weverse magazine, he mentioned how he's recently discovered something about himself, about how he loves to be loved. He then went on to clarify that when during festa he talked about having a desire to perform with the members for a long that that he meant to say he wanted to be with them for a very long time.

But then JK said Jimin said that bit to him first. And if this is the interpretation Jimin is giving to that statement then- one plus one is two honey. Numbers don't lie.

Dude don whispered those sweet empty nothings in JK's ear telling him he wants to be with him for a very long time and shit.

And now homeboy out here setting up roots in gay boulevard. I don't think their well is drying up any time soon. Lol.

They are in a honeymoon phase again and they are not showing us. Stingy bastards! Lol

And when JK said to JM in response, that BTS is his home- wow. He really said that...

He is Jimin's home. Literally. Please, my heartu😭

Jikook is real. Please support them.

Signed,

GOLDY

[zhongli-simp-blog]

Perfect Day

Pairings: Mingyu x Male Reader

Requested: Yes

A/N: I changed it from collaborative duo to an actual duo group, I hope it still makes you happy :))

Today was the day, the day that Mingyu was going to not only reveal that he was gay but also dating his bandmate.

~three days before~

“I’m going to do it, Minghao I am going to admit to the whole world that Y/N and I are together,” your boyfriend and partner in the duo group that was formed when you joined the company. “I support you and in your decision but are you sure this is what Y/N wants?”  The younger male asked Minghao and Mingyu were long time friends who always gave him advice whenever it was needed. “I don’t want to tell because then he will try to prevent it from happening.” You and Mingyu have been dating for over six months, it started when the Duo has first formed, you both locked eyes in the meeting room and it felt like time stopped. After that moment you two inseparable even when you both weren’t working music, but unfortunately, the company found out but let you guys date as long as you both kept it secret.

“I am tired of hiding, I just want to be able to take my boyfriend out on a date without having to worry if someone will see us,” Mingyu sighed slouching into the couch in the studio. “I don’t care what the label says and I don’t care what the haters will say, I will love Y/N proudly in the open.” 

~Two days before ~

“Mingyu, babe can you help me figure out what to wear for our comeback?” You asked innocently embarrassed that you still couldn’t find the perfect to stage outfit to wear, “the show is in two days and you still haven’t found an outfit to match?” He teased giving you a poke on the cheek, “don’t make fun of me, you took a month in a half to figure out yours” you said as you stuck your tongue out, he held his hand over his heart “ouch you wound me with your words, I think you don’t deserve any kisses or affection today with your attitude,” he jokes. You start to cling to his waist, “you will have to try extra hard to pry me off of you.” He looked down at you and just started walking away with you still hanging on to his waist, ‘hey no fair you have longer legs than me you giant!” You squeal out as you let go only to fall to the ground.

Mingyu started laughing hysterically at you, which caused you to playfully pout, “it’s not very nice to laugh at your boyfriend who is hurt,” you say looking up which only caused your boyfriend to laugh even harder. He walked over and helped you to your feet, “you are right how rude of me, where does it hurt? Here?” He asked as he started tickling you in all your ticklish spots, “here? Here? Here?” He kept asking at every point he tickled, “Minnie! No stop!” You tried to escape from his tickle assault. You finally broke free from him panting on the floor as Mingyu sat across from you, “come here love,” he gestured opening is arms and you smiled crawling over to him and sinking into his arms. 

~One Day Before~

“WHAT THE FUCK Y/N?! HOW COULD YOU LET THIS HAPPEN!?” Mingyu shouted holding out his now ruined outfit after a table with open make-up broke spilling all over his stage outfit, “it was an accident Mingyu! The table was loose and didn’t notice!” you shouted back only causing him to roll his eyes, “maybe if you were more in tune with your surrounding then maybe accidents like this won’t happen. Sometimes I wonder if you even have a brain,” you held your head down from that last part “I’m sorry,” is all you could say. “I don’t think sorry is going to cut it Y/N, sometimes you can be pretty stupid” he left the dressing room slamming the door on his way out, You sat in the corner of the room letting the tears flow out.

After a few hours later you arrived back to the dorms to see Mingyu sitting on the couch deep in his thoughts, “Minnie?” You asked calm and quiet not wanting him to yell at you again, he shot up from his spot fastly walking to you wrapping his arms tightly around you. “I am so sorry Y/N I never should have said those things to you, I was angry and upset at the situation and I took it out on you.” You could feel him starting to cry into your shoulder, “you were gone for so long I thought you left me.” You put down the bag you holding and wrapped your arms around his back, your guys’ fights were never long if it was something small.

“I could never break up with you Mingyu, to make up for what I did I went and got everything cleaned,” you said holding out the bag out. He opened it revealing the freshly cleaned clothes, “I honestly don’t deserve you.”

~Present Day~

You and Mingyu both were backstage ready to perform next, “are you nervous?” You asked causing him to break from his thoughts, “nope not at all, totally ready, nothing to worry about,” you gave him a weird look questioning his current state. “Alright as long as you are ready because we are up next,” you said pulling Mingyu to the stage “good luck you two, and have fun!” Bang Chan from Stay Kids says giving you a fist bump, “thank you, and you guys killed it out there” you compliment before getting ushered to your position on the stage.

The lights darkened and the music started with Mingyu starting off with you following. Everything that you guys’ prepared has led you to here and this stage with your group mate and boyfriend, suddenly the music stopped and the spotlight was shining on Mingyu and you who was looking directly into your eyes. Before you could register what was happening he pressed his lips onto yours receiving gasps from the crowd and form all the staff, you gave into the kiss as he deepened it even more feeling the warmth of his body close to yours and your heart racing not wanting this moment to end. 

The rest of the night was filled with cheers and praise from everyone, and you couldn’t have pictured of a more perfect day.

[v-hope]

Superficial ◇ Pt. 2

Pairing: Jeon Jeongguk x Reader

Genre: Fluff, angst

Word Count: 2.6k

Request: You guys asked for a second part and I provided. I hope you enjoy and let me know what you think!

Summary: Sometimes superficialty comes right back to bite you. But some people change, don't they? And they fight for a second chance.

{Pt. 1}

It had been over a month since your encounter at the fansign, and Jeongguk was slowly coming to terms with the idea of never getting to see you again.

It was no news that he had more than one phone, so, that night, he had ran to his room as soon as they arrived to their dorms, taking out the old phone he used to have during his high school days and rushing to charge it. He must have used it once or twice ever since he became an idol, so he thanked God the second he pressed the power button and it actually worked. However, all the hope he had built up inside came crashing down after he tried calling your number.

A few dialling tones, and then the fucking answering machine, informing him your phone number was no longer in service.

You had changed it.

Not ready to give up just yet, he contacted some of his old classmates, asking if any of them had your new number or at least knew anything about you. They knew nothing. Except for one girl who used to live near to you, letting him know you had apparently moved out last year.

And so his heart dropped. He had lost you without even having you.

But life goes on, and he saw himself having to keep up with it. He had been alright doing just that after the two of you drifted apart years ago, it wouldn't be hard to do the same once again, right? He would reminiscence that day at the fansign as the day he got to see how great one of his high school friends was doing.

A casual, lovely meeting. That would be it.

Nevertheless, the universe somehow came up with a second chance for him, because as he and his hyungs performed their first concert after the comeback, energy irradiating from all their selves, his eyes moved to one specific spot by the side of the stage – right where you were standing next to your little sister.

His heart skipped a beat and a smile so big formed in his lips it drove everyone crazy, screaming at his sudden outburst of happiness. You, however, had not seemed to notice he had found you in the crowd and were the reason of his smile, for you had been focusing on your sister and her huge smile as she saw her beloved idols. Your head only went up after hearing all the screaming, pretty confused as to what was the reason of it.

“He looked over here! Did you see that?!” the little girl by your side shouted over the music, her blissful eyes showing you just how excited she was.

He?

You couldn't bring yourself to ask her who “he” was, but it was not necessary – Jeongguk’s eyes going back to your spot during what was left of the concert, even making eye contact from time to time, answered your question themselves. It was only after the first time your eyes met when you fully focused on him, and you would've lied to yourself if you said his attention on you didn't give you shivers. His hair had been dyed a bright red, and that along with his piercing stare on you and the clothes he was wearing, made him look handsome as ever; much to your despair.

The show came to an end and they went backstage after saying their goodbyes. The lights went off for a few seconds before they were turned on, allowing everyone to make their way outside. Grabbing your sister's hand, you begun doing just that, until one of the guards stopped you.

“Miss…” he squinted at a piece of paper he held in his hand, “Y/N?” he asked, handing it to you. You nodded, your eyes carefully scanning the note that contained your name and seat number. “Please come with me”.

He turned around, guiding you and the seven year old through the crowd. Your heart beat like mad in your chest. You had done nothing wrong, right? Various scenarios of you being arrested without reason ran through your head, making you anxious by the second.

That was until he allowed you backstage and stopped you right in front of a door that held a “BTS” plaque in it.

Of fucking course.

Opening the door for you, he indicated for the two of you to get in. If you could've ran out of there right then, you would've done it; but your sister's excitement the second she eyed the sign on the door restrained you from doing so. And her shining eyes after the two of you entered the room, seeing the seven boys there, made you think maybe it was worth it.

Seven pair of eyes were on you, but, honestly, you only cared about one of them. Jeongguk stood up, going closer to you and kneeling down to greet the little girl before standing up again, his tall figure now hovering over yours.

“Hey” a shy smile made its way to his lips. God, having you so close really did things to him.

“Hi” you said uncertain, “why are we here?”

He turned around to look at his hyungs, who took that moment to greet you, before his eyes moved back to you and then your sister. “I thought maybe she'd be happy to meet us, and I could make that happen, so why not”.

Your mouth opened to say something, but you were cut off by the girl. “I am! Thank you!” her cuteness stole a smile from everyone before she strutted to the other boys. She might had been young, and she might did not get the whole 'grown up stuff', but she did know the maknae for some reason wanted to speak to you only.

“Can we go somewhere more private?” Gguk's low voice and pleading eyes were almost too good to resist.

“I am not leaving my baby with six strangers” you raised one of your eyebrows.

“Aw, we're not strangers” Taehyung pouted.

As you were about to replicate, Jin added: “We're good people, trust us. We can take care of her”.

“Please?” the boy in front of you asked again. Was it really that important to him?

With a reluctant look, you nodded. He sighed in relief and took your hand in his, guiding you out of the room after you told your sister not to go anywhere else, and entering the one in front.

“Using my little sister as an excuse to get to talk to me” you let out after he closed the door behind the two of you. “Smart move. I have to give it to you, Gguk”.

He scratched the back of his neck, ashamed his intentions were that obvious.

“Well, you're the one who came to our concert” he tried to pin it on you, “did you really miss me that much?” he teased, earning an exaggerated roll of eyes from you.

“Cocky as always, I see” you crossed your arms, taking a seat on the sofa.

“Smartass as always, I see” he mocked, sitting beside you.

You both remained silent for a while, eyes burning into each other's. Your small bickering had took you back to the days when everything was alright.

“What did you want to talk about?” you were the one to break the silence.

“I tried calling you” he admitted, “but you changed your number”.

“And you want my new one?” you teased.

“I mean, I wouldn't mind having it” he shrugged, “but now that I have you in front I want to… catch up”.

“We did that the other day”.

“No, we did not” he frowned. “We saw each other. You saw me as an idol. I saw how gorgeous you were. That was it” he stated, not understanding how that counted as catching up to you. “I want to know about you. We used to be such good friends and–”

The scoff followed by a humorless laugh that left your mouth made him stop mid sentence. “We were not friends”.

That hurt.

“We were”.

You shook your head. “No. I thought you were my friend, but you and your real friends only mocked me behind my back”.

His heart dropped.

“I–”

“No, let me finish” you interrupted him once again. “You want to know why I used to like you so much? Sure, in my eyes you were handsome, but the main reason I had this huge crush on you was because you were there for me. I really, really thought you were my friend” he lowered his head, “so when I confessed and you told me you were gay I thought ‘it's okay, I can just make my feelings aside and we can still be friends’, and I was willing to do so, but then… then that fucking picture of you making out with that other girl came out… like, you didn't even try to make it believable. And we supposedly were friends, did you really think I was not going to find out at some point?”

“I'm sorry” he said in an almost inaudible voice.

“And then your stupid friends… you don't know how mean they were, especially after you left. Because after what happened, I was no longer the 'nerd, fat girl' in school, no, I was the 'nerd, fat girl who was so ugly her own friend told her he was gay so he wouldn't have to date her'".

“They said that?” a mixture of disgust and disappointment was reflected in his eyes as he searched in yours for any sign of it being some kind of bad joke.

You scoffed once again, standing up. “As if you didn't know it”.

“I didn't!” he followed you, blocking the door with his body before you could reach it.

“You know, Gguk? You're only reopening old wounds” he bit his lip. “I thought it would be nice to get to see each other at the fansign. I thought we would greet each other, see how good we were doing and then we would part ways again. But it was clearly a mistake. Can I please go now?”

He shook his head. “No, I listened to you and now you will listen to me” you didn't know if the confidence in his voice made you want to take a step back or punch him in the face. Your eyes threw daggers into his, but you still gave him a nod to speak up. “The reason I told you I was gay was not because of what my friends said. I could've told you I was just not interested and everything would've been easier, but I didn't wanna lose you, okay?” you frowned, not getting what he meant at all. “Yes, I was a superficial little shit back then and I didn't see you as anything more than a friend because, although mentally you were everything I looked for in a girl, physically you didn't meet my standards” his words would've hurt you if you hadn't known it already, although the ‘mentally’ part did take you by surprise, “but when you confessed, I panicked so bad because, if I told you the truth, things would've been awkward between us and our friendship would've ended, and I didn't want to hurt you either. I–” he sighed, running his hands through his face out of frustration, “I know I ended up hurting you even more and our friendship broke in the worst way possible, but I need you to know I cared so much about you” you bit the inside of your cheek, trying your hardest to avoid his gaze. “You were so dear to me and the last thing I wanted was to either hurt you or lose you".

Funny how he had ended up doing both.

He took a deep breath, feeling suddenly overwhelmed by everything that had happened back then – everything that he had somehow blocked from his mind and was just now coming back all at once.

"And then I left school to become a trainee and I didn't get to fix things and I am just now hearing about my so called friends bullying you and…” his back pressed against the door as he threw his head back and closed his eyes, not being able to finish his point. He felt sick. If he kept speaking, he would most probably end up crying.

Your stare softened at the sight of him. Maybe you were being naive and falling for an act of his, but you did feel he was being genuine. You could feel how sorry he was and how much he regretted his past actions. So, you took a step closer to him, placing one of your hands on his upper arm.

“It's okay” you whispered.

His eyes remained shut as he gently shook his head. “It's not” his voice cracked as it came out like a whisper.

Biting your lip, your hand moved down from his arm to his wrist, where you lightly tugged it towards you. His body followed right after, softly colliding against yours, which allowed you to press your face against his chest as your arms rounded his figure and his ones wrapped around you, pulling you even closer at the realisation that you were actually hugging him.

He found comfort in the way your body fit so perfectly against his – in the way your heart beating so calmly against his chest helped his own heartbeats to steady.

“You really forgive me?” he mumbled after what felt like hours, almost scared of making that question. However, his heart felt at ease when he felt you nod against his shirt.

“I do. We're okay” you raised your head a bit so you could look into his eyes. His bright bunny smile was way too contagious for yours not to form as well.

His lips pressed a delicate kiss to the top of your head before one of his arms tightened his hold around you and his other hand tangled its fingers in your hair to make you bury your head in his chest one more time.

Neither of you had realised how much you had actually missed each other until that very moment.

“I hope you know you will have to give me your new number now, because there is no way I am letting you disappear on me like last time” he mumbled against your hair, earning a giggle from you.

Breaking the hug, you extended your open palm to him, letting him know he should give you his phone so you could introduce your number. He wasted not time in taking it out of his pocket and unlocking it before placing it on your hand.

“You know, I could always give you a fake number and disappear again” you teased as you tapped on the screen, a shameless smirk displaying on your face.

Jeongguk gasped, feigning a hurt expression. “Don't play with me”.

You smiled this time, handing his phone back before standing on your tiptoes and pressing your lips gently against his cheek – a pretty visible crimson colour immediately covering both of them. “I won't”.

Taking how shy he had gotten to your advantage, you made him aside, finally opening the door to go get your sister. He turned around, eyeing you up and down as a lovey dovey smile took over this face, following your steps in no time.

Being honest and getting everything from off his chest had felt nice, even if it had been after all these years. And it felt even nicer to know you were now willing to get back in contact with him, to give him an opportunity to let him prove to you he was no longer that immature teenager he used to be. He had changed for the best, and he was going to show you.

[taeminiettaemiri]

Temporary Goodbye

Warning : Its 2min, i feel so gay toward my favorite couple ever, and the story is so fluffy as fuck. Enjoy. 

Its been a long time since Sunday was one of the day they could enjoy without any work to do since they usually performing a lot on weekend. They promised to meet at 4pm, in the place where their memories was made, laugh, joy, doubt, cry, lust, angry, lonely, longing, and also love. From the very first time they exchanged greeting in awkward gesture until the last time they argued about each other’s demand. The clock is tickling, 20 minutes away from the said time but he wants to be there as soon as possible. He usually would be the late one but today he wants to surprise him by waiting at the front door of their shared dorm. He going upstairs to second floor where he would hide in the dark alley, too much exited to handle, imaging that froggy face would be shock upon his little silly behaviour. He has the spare key but decide to wait there while rewinding the past ten years memory of them.

 “Taeminie???” He glance up to the voice, the baritone voice of him that always sounds like a breeze, calming.

 “Are you that exited to see me? Its still a minutes before 4, you usually takes another minutes after the said time. How’s my haircut??” Said him with that generous smile. He doesn’t have a word to replay those teasing but instead he flying to him, wrapping his hand around his shoulder and pull him in a soft kiss. He always amazed on how their lips fit each other like a two different pieces of puzzle that mean to attached side by side and creating a clear picture. Their remind like that for another minutes, a simple gently kiss with nibbling and licking. They could be in that position for the next day but the time keep running, and there is no way they want to waste it.

 “Let’s get inside first, you open the door and ill take your belonging.” Said Minho. Taemin pouting for the separation but the groceries he bought couldn’t being ignore for their lovely goofy times. He search for the key in his jeans pocket while Minho take Taemin’s shopping bags just beside the door. Minho smile upon peeking up a little to see what inside, it’s full of food stuff like vegetables, raw seafood, meat, and also a two bottle of Château Mani Nouveau. As Minho remember, it probably from Taemin’s parents because they ever mentioned about their favourite Korean red wine from the neighborhood. Minho need to make a call later to deliver his gratitude for being supportive parents toward their activity, and also, relationship.

 Taemin is about to open the door but get distracted by the way Minho’s breathing right on the back of his neck, trailing that skillful tongue over it, makes his breath become short and full of wants. The door has opened just for being slammed again fastly. Minho put the all the thinks on his hand on the floor, leaving it like that and hope he didn’t break any fragile think on it as he wrapping his strong arm around the tiny body of Taemin, trapping him on the wall as he easly lift him by his slim thigh. The innocent kiss become wild as Minho devouring that plump thick lips like a beast who found its prey and Taemin with all his consciousness, willingly to let him do whatever he wants because he also want it bad. The clothes are removed piece by piece until the skin make a contact, demanding for more to revealed. Minho couldn’t ever resist the milky white skin he adored from Taemin, so tempting for leaving a visible bite mark on it, showing how much he has territory over him. The angelic voice that escape from his delicious lips only driving him crazy and he wants louder of it. Taemin could feel something already poking hardly around his ass and the thought of being fuck on the wall just make him moaning shamelessly, filling the empty dark room.

 “Be ready, love.” Say the alluring voice, ready to take and being taken.

 After three hours of making love, the lover over the hills take some times to rest. Dark already covered the sky with a sound of car’s honking and people chatting showing the night life in capital city. Minho lift Taemin’s baby hand in the air and comparing with his big one in the other side, he laught for the comparision.

 “Yah!!!” Taemin whining, smack his naked chest lightly.

 “How could this drawf hand being so destructive, huh, Taemin? Did you remember you broke a motorcycle for our shooting just because you touched it?”

 “It was an accident! I was scold by Key Hyung right away, the nagging was not a joke thought. “

 “Yeah, while Jinki hyung comforting you so he ended up being scold by Key too, and Jonghyun Hyung and I was laugh our ass off because of the scene.” A little giggle hanging in the air, a random memory about them being together always be the treasure for being cherished.

 “I miss the Hyungs.” Say Taemin, snuggling closer to the warm body.

 “We miss the Hyungs, Taemin.”

 “I still feel guilty towards you and the others.”

 Minho frowning, kissing the top of Taemin’s head and inhale the perfect scent that only belong to him, a baby scent,”What is it, baby?”

 “There was a time when I have an urge to go as a solo, to pursuit my dream for myself, to being alone and proving I can do everything by myself. I probably can but if its mean to lost all of you in my life at the end, I wouldn’t let that chance to happened, I wouldn’t let even thinking about that. And knowing that you all really leaving me this time, I feel like I’ve been cursed for what I ever though, like a dreams come true,  the nightmare one.”

 “We are not leaving you, Tae, even Jonghyun Hyung never really left us. We just separated for a while for the sake of this country. I hate to say this but you doing well so far without us. You were the one that has been working so hard especially when you have your first solo. We were so worried about you back then, when you were the only one with extra schedule and barely had a time to rest, but its all worth it, isn’t it? You find your own music, every second you stepping closer to be a dancer just like your dream, and what else could be happier but be able to enjoy what you do in your life. Not so many people find the joy of their lives, you should be thankful. Obstacle, tired, hopeless always comes the way but your goal are beyond than that and you need to bring your huge dream to your real life, remember that.”

 Even in the dark, he could see the watery eyes of Taemin, glittering and shining like a dark sky full of stars, twinkling beautifully. He give him a soft kiss on the lips, taking his breath away.

 “I love you. Iam sure you will be the most strong and handsome marine boy  soldier they ever had. I don’t expect anything but you comeback to me, complete in one piece, specially here.” Say Taemin, pointing at Minho’s probably heart would be.

 “I love you, more. Take care of yourself, you are mine, tell that to peoples who wants you!” Say Minho with his overprotective stare and sound Taemin would miss.

 “Ill make something for our dinner, don’t worry, I already learn from Kyungsoo to make a proper meals for eat!” Say Taemin, ready for get out from the most comfortable hug and bed before Minho lazily pull him back.

“But your ass say hello again to me, we can delay the meals.”

 “YAH!”

[badly-drawn-piplup]

Happiness Overload Chapter Twelve

I love my sister, I really do. But sometimes she can be a nuisance.

″Polo!″ She whined whilst hopping about in her bedroom. I could hear the whining from clear across the hall. The vibrations in the building could be felt from across the hall as well. She had such mighty hops. I rushed to her aid. Along the way I thought of birds. I was so glad to not be an eagle. My sister might be poison dart. Her skin has been known to give me rashes, but I would risk a million rashes if it meant hugging her a million times.

The door, neither wooden nor metal, but some kind of fiber that might have been edible, slammed open. Some of the hinges seemed to be coming loose. It might have been me who slammed the door.

″Polo!″ She was rolling around now. There was a certain fury to her voice that made me unsure how to approach her. Siblings, as we all know, can be difficult to read sometimes. What they want, what they don't want.

″What's all the commotion, dear sister?″ She jolted up and stopped moving save for her bulging eyes which scanned her surroundings. She must have seen my presence and went back to pouting.

″Polo! Polo!″ She pouted and pointed at her wall.

There it was: a poster of a character from an anime.

″Now, now, dear sister! You can't be Tsuyu!″

My sister sunk to the floor. It looked like she was going to cry. I don't think she had tear ducts, though.

″You don't have the right hairstyle!″ I tried to console her. I think I did a good job. It was really interesting how amphibian eggs tend to lay near water in jelly sacs. Tadpoles are especially adorable. Earth is filled with many wonderful things.

″Polo! Polo! Polo! Polo!″ She croaked. I hate it when my sister and I argue. I love her so, but she can be so damn stubborn.

″No, you can't date Tsuyu, either! She's not real!″

My sister leaped at me. With her webbed hands balled into a webbed fist, she pounded away at my chest. None of it hurt or even tickled, but it was nice to know how much she cared.

″Now, now. There's plenty of gay frogs in the pond!″ I hummed the words to a jazzy tune. That seemed to calm her down just a little. But not enough, for she hopped over to her bed and perched, arms folded and chin stretched, but not another word out of her.

I sighed. ″Looks like I need to leave you be for now, huh, little Polo?″

There were other matters to attend to, anyhow. Disciplinary measures had to be made. No one was allowed to make my sister sad. Not even me. I remember once when I kept a jar of flies high up on a shelf. She had already eaten but she must have still been hungry, for she stretched her tongue up high and grabbed the jar with it. But her grip wasn't strong enough and the jar broke, letting many flies free. My arms were folded, my eyes were squinted, and I was about ready to scold her. She must have heard the yelling in her head before I even had a chance to do any, for she let out a little chirp and I let loose my folded arms and gave her a hug instead. I developed burns across my arms, but I knew that the right decision had been made.

″Hey! You've corrupted my sister with your sinful images!″ I chastised the pariah sitting at the computer next to many a gay figures. This pariah was a guest in our home, a major asset or possible ambassador. After being sent to the chopping block one too many times, this pariah took the shape of a human. The same shape of a human that must have been taken over a hundred times already. They weren't an amphibian.

″The fuck you talking about?″ Growled our guest. Quite the rude one, but I was used to our guest being a rude one. I was used to this rude guest before they became 'this rude guest'. Before it was more 'this rude acquaintance'.

″I know you watch anime when you should be uncovering secret documents related to The Flashbulb!″ I scolded.

″So? These things take time. Conrad understood that. Why can't you?″

″Oh, my dear Kelly Roger. I understand it quite well. I also understand that there are far better uses of your time. I see everything you see, and by extension, my sister sees everything you see.″

″So when I watch porn...″ Kelly Roger, this thing identified as, started off. I knew it was more of an insinuation, a question that suggested an answer already known, but I knew better than to humor a humorless chap.

″The clouds are shifting this afternoon,″ I observed.

″Marco, we're indoors!″ Kelly Roger's fingers snapped. Reality was something I was seeped in and yet I was supposed to believe I ever left.

″Look, because of your sinful images, my sister has a poster of a character named 'Tsuyu' and wants to be just like her. Or in a relationship with her. It's hard to tell with siblings, you know?″

Kelly Roger, that smarmy bastard, shrugged.

″No. I don't know.″

This brat was a wonderful not-froggy thing, but I missed the days when we would talk about making this dream of ours a reality – this dream of a bright, froggy future, where everyone could live real, meaningful, happy lives.

Actually, I think those days was just yesterday. In fact, I think yesterday was the first day. Or the  only day. Unless you count that day three years ago. It's hard to keep track of time. The past is such a stingy thing; best left ignored, save for the small details.

″I was thinking of getting out of here for good!″ Velvet grinned, something uncharacteristic of her. ″We'll even leave Conrad behind!″

Now that was odd. Why would Velvet want to leave Conrad behind? Maybe she knew something I didn't, but from what I could tell, she always seemed to regard Conrad as the man with the plans. Even still, I decided to play along. I gave off a smirk.

″It's about time. I've been planning to do the exact same thing for a while, but I don't know a damn thing on how to pilot your ship.″

Velvet tilted her head, puzzled by my reply. I didn't have the heart to tell her that I was just playing along and had no actual plan of my own. If I could go for a ride with Velvet, and not just into the nearest Egyptian city, that would have been awesome. It might have been a real adventure that I was lacking these past three years.

″Excellent!″

We were walking toward the large doors where Velvet's ship resided. Soon enough, we would board it and take off into who knows where? Maybe she actually had a plan and the next chapter in my life would begin. I hoped so, but just as we reached the doors, Velvet stopped dead in her tracks.

″Do you feel that?″ She asked. Her voice was hushed, almost like she thought someone was watching or listening in. It wasn't the same grin, the same carefree attitude she was displaying just a minute ago.

″Is someone invisible touching you?″ I asked in reply. That was a stupid thing to ask, and I wasn't sure whether I asked it in earnest or trying to ease the tension that she must have been feeling.

She shook her head. ″That might be more comfortable than...″

″Than what?″ But I shouldn't have even bothered asking. I felt it too.

″This is bad. We should have never talked about leaving for good!″

″Hey, you're the one who brought it up!″ I retorted. She didn't have a comeback. She looked more concerned than anything. She raced back to where the Beiges were. I tried to follow suit, but found it hard to keep up with her.

How is it that you're in better shape than me when you're the one who eats mostly junk food? I thought while going as quick as my feet would carry me.

The further I walked toward the living room where Velvet probably was at, the stuffier the air grew. Something was off, that I knew for sure. But what...?

My arms rubbed against each other, moisture catching onto each hand. It was a sort of compulsive, absentminded movement, but I realized, still walking, what I was feeling.

Sweat.

Once I reached the living room, where the Beiges leaned back in their chairs, the smell hit me: musty, dank, and not quite marijuana.

″It's suffocating...″ was the murmur I heard from Velvet before I noticed her shape at the corner of the room, she herself peering out into the many halls.

″It's like a hotbox in here,″ I remarked, although my breath short.

Gusts of hot air blew forth and I started to gag. I took small strides toward Velvet, muscling through the weight of the heat.

I feel like a boiled frog, I thought.

″Do you ever stop cracking jokes?″ She chided. I felt the sting of her comment, but tried to brush it off, pointing to the Beiges sitting down.

″They're just faded, right?″

She shook her head. Her head seemed to bob back and forth. She wasn't doing too well either, but it was like I was seeing a portion of her true colors.

″I checked. No heartbeat, kiddo.″

She took weary steps forward into one of the halls. Again, I followed behind.

″So they're dead? But why?″

She was hunched over. She didn't quite shrug, but the gesture she made had the same effect. She lifted her hand up and made little flitting movements with it.

″Their air conditioner unit. It's blowing hot air. It's suffocating...″ she groaned.

″I don't get it. How were they able to survive in here for thousands of years without an a/c but it was an a/c that killed them?″ I pondered.

″Don't know. Not important now.″

″What is important? Do you even know where you're going?″ I was concerned for Velvet. Concerned for myself. The air, whether it be the heat or some other gut feeling, reeked of dread.

″I don't know yet, but I will. All I know is that their deaths weren't an accident.″

She swayed, her movements suggested that she was trying to take strides, but couldn't. Only a few paces forward and we were both met by another gust, this time of cool air. It sent us back and I fell on my back. She held her arms over her head. In that moment she looked like a true hero, shining bright. Meanwhile, my vision was too blurry, me too dizzy, to take it all in.

She glanced back at me. ″I'm all right, kiddo! I'm stronger than I look!″

I believed her, until she wobbled to and fro and collapsed.

We were both on the floor, a cool breeze blowing away our running sweats.

″Look at the sorry states we're in,″ I observed. ″How pathetic.″

She raised a finger, and after drawing labored breaths, made an observation of her own.

″It's to be expected...an intense heat met by a sudden chill...not a good feeling.″

″So this is it?″ I lifted my head to meet Velvet. ″We're going to die?″

″It was not planned that way. The Beige were the target,″ replied someone. I thought it was Velvet at first, but the voice didn't quite match. This voice was huskier, but also...tinny? There was a mechanic feeling in her voice. Not just that, it was too familiar...

I struggled up and I think Velvet did the same. She let out a yelp, as did I.

Etna, the hologram AI, in the pyramid with us, walked through the nearby wall. Her empty eyes peered down at Velvet and I.

″Why are you here?″ I growled.

She studied her hand and flexed her fingers about, ignoring my question.

″It seems there is only a certain radius in which I can move around. What electronics I am able to utilize is dependent on said radius.″

″Hey!″ I barked. ″I asked you a question!″

She shot a glance at me. ″Ask your friend Conrad.″

Etna started walking away, but followed up her statement with one more before we lost sight of her:

″You two are free to leave.″

″What?!″ I shouted. ″Didn't you want to kill me the last time we met?″

She chuckled a laughter devoid of humor. ″Three years have passed. I've moved on. The world has moved on.″

She disappeared from view. Whatever anger I may have had was cut short. What I really felt was confusion. Why was she here? How was she here? And now of all times?

″She said to ask Conrad!″ I blurted out, the lightbulb over my head shining fluorescent.

″Yeah, I was right there, too,″ Velvet replied, not at all impressed with my revelation. She picked herself up, still looking woozy. ″That was the artificial intelligence that killed the previous you, by the way,″ she added.

″Yeah, I saw,″ I replied. Twice.

″Condolences,″ she said in a way that seemed devoid of care, but I knew better.

″So, we getting back on the ship? She gave us a chance to leave, after all,″ I asked.

Velvet shook her head. ″Hell no! I'm going to find Conrad and sort this shit out!″

″Where will you find him? From what I can remember, she needs a rather large computer to project her image.″

″Yeah, I know exactly where to find him.″

″Well, even if you do, it seems a bit...dangerous?″

She started flexing her arms. ″Dude, I eat Cheetos. I live dangerously.″

We both paused. She hung her head. ″Sorry, that line was cheesy.″

There was no further comment that could be made, so I turned in the other direction.

″Where are you going?″ She asked. ″You making a run for it? You already admitted you don't know how to pilot my ship.″

″I just gotta take care of something. I'll be right back.″

″Take care of something? At a time like this?″ She sounded baffled.

″I'll just be a few minutes,″ I reassured. ″I'll meet back with you.″

I walked away, but as I did so, I heard her yell.

″Yeah! Good luck with that! These hallways alone are 5 and a half minutes long!″

Gee, did you take the time to count?

Time. Time was definitely an issue. I didn't know how well Etna could be trusted. She was a bullshitter of the highest caliber. I, being a bullshitter as well, could see past any of the bluffs she may have made and could avoid certain death if I played my cards right, but I didn't know how well Velvet would fare. If at all possible, I would have liked for both Velvet and I to make it out of this alive, but I didn't trust Etna to keep her word and leave us alone.

As I found that door I had visited so many times before, I turned back and saw the dead Beiges.

″I'm sorry, guys...″ I whispered. They taught me to weave baskets, to make my own shirts out of hemp. I was forever in their debt. Etna wiped them all out, silently, when they were at their most high, and for what? What ever reason she had, I couldn't fathom, but it was unforgivable. ″I promise I'll make it right.″

While running down the stairway, it finally clicked: I knew where Conrad was too. It was so obvious, why didn't I figure it out as soon as Velvet did? This was good. It meant there was something I could do.

Once I passed through the door and into the Hall of Memories, I looked around. I needed some place to put a note, somewhere where I could find it.

I found one of the books I read about some old man who thinks a lot about fake cheese. It didn't seem important, and there was enough of a blank space for me to write on the bottom of it, so I ripped out the page and folded it. I reached into my pocket for a pen, only I didn't have one. That's when I realized something else, anyway: my plan wouldn't have worked.

I kicked one of the shelves. I paced around, not knowing what else to do. We were really doomed, weren't we?

I couldn't write a note to my past self because this is the future. I could tear out every page in every memory and it would have no effect in the past. What's done was done. All I could do was try to get out of here with Velvet.

″Damn it! If only I could go further back into the past, end up here, write the note I was going to write, then go back to the future!″ I cursed. Why I had to be such an idiot in such a dire situation I didn't know, but it was something I would have to take to the grave with me.

″Spill orange juice on whatever it is Conrad's been working on in that guest room,″ was what I meant to write, but it would have done me no good.

I raced back up the stairs and out the door. I didn't even bother closing it. Once more, I saw the dead Beiges lounging.

″I'm sorry,″ I once again said. ″I don't think I can make this right, but I swear I'll make this less wrong, somehow.″

In the hallway I found the darkened room where Conrad built the computer allowing Etna to roam free. I stepped inside, tossing aside any warning signs, any caution that may have been thrown my way.

″Conrad? Velvet?″ I called, mouth cupped, and in such a hushed voice as to not attract too much attention. No answer. Maybe I wasn't loud enough. Etna didn't seem concerned about me being alive. I supposed there was no harm in being a tiny bit louder.

″Oh my god!″ I heard a yell from upstairs right as I was about to cup my hands to my mouth. Out of the possible candidates, Velvet seemed the likely suspect to be the owner of said yell. Was she in danger? Was she in distress?

What do you think, moron? My thought argued with me.

Good point. I should run up there and help her out, I agreed.

I took the stride to run upstairs, but I fell; tripped over a thick cable on the floor. Connected to a power outlet on the wall, or some source of electricity. While on the floor, a piercing sound shot through. 'Shot' being an appropriate word: the unmistakable sound of gunfire.

Shit. Fuck. Fuckshit. Shitfuck, were my thoughts. Juvenile as they may have been, this was a point of duress and could anyone really blame me?

I picked myself up off my feet and ran out the room, not bothering to curse myself over the lack of useful findings in that dark palace that Conrad called his home and instead cursing myself that Velvet may be seriously hurt. Up the stairs, my sprints were met with a series of trips, internal profanities (none of which were creative), and picking myself back up only to go back to step one.

Quick turn of the head. Nothing around. Silence. I located the next flight of stairs and ran once more. It wasn't until I was at the tip of the pyramid where I arrived at the scene.

Just one room: Velvet in front of me, unharmed, holding a gun of her own. Conrad, across the room, also holding a gun. How either of them came into possession was beyond me. I would have tapped on Velvet's shoulder, asked her, but it seemed she was a little tense at the moment.

In the middle of the room lie the body of a Beige, lifeless and faded.

″I can't believe you killed Tim! You bastard!″ I shouted. I never interacted with Tim, but as the only Beige with a name, it was hard to not know who Tim was. Everyone always said that Tim resided at the very top and didn't do anything. Well, that was true more than ever.

″Now you know why I said 'oh my god'!″ Velvet turned around and replied.

″Man, I'm glad you're okay,″ I told her as I let out a sigh of relief.

″You know me,″ she winked. I didn't really, but I think that was the point; I knew as much as she wanted me to know.

″It's not what it looks like!″ Conrad went on the defense, hands shaking on the gun. ″The Beige are a threat that must be eliminated!″

″A threat to who? You? The Flashbulb? Us?″ I stepped forward, feeling bold enough to interject.

″You guys weren't even supposed to be here!″ He protested, and at the same time, ignored my question. ″I let you guys leave so you would be safe!″

I turned back to Velvet. Sure, he could have taken that time to shoot me, but it's not like I had anything to defend myself from a gun anyway. Velvet shrugged, letting slip an ″oops″ smile.

″Well, maybe we'll just leave now, right Velvet?″

″Fuck that noise!″ Velvet roared. ″I ain't leavin' 'til we get some answers! First off: really? You in The Flashbulb? That's, like, the lamest plot twist ever!″

″I have my reasons,″ Conrad stated.

Velvet shot the floor next to where he stood. He jumped back, letting out a yelp.

″That's not gonna do.″

″Fine,″ he growled. ″What do you want to know?″

I raised my hand. Both Velvet and Conrad looked at me, annoyed. Velvet, in particular, gave me the look of ″what do you think you're doing interrupting me?″ or maybe it was the look of ″we're in the middle of a tense situation and you're raising your hand? What could you possibly want?″

″I just wanna say, while it's probably a big mystery as to why you would join an organization you often call 'evil' and 'something that must be stopped', what I really want to know is why you brought Etna here? What purpose does she serve in coming here?″

″You have been my least favorite Blanc so far,″ he growled.

I shrugged. So did Velvet.

″I don't know how you found out, but it doesn't matter now. I needed Etna here so I could go back to headquarters. My device broke and she's the only one I could reach out to.″

″So did none of us matter to you?″ Velvet pierced through Conrad with her question. He opened his mouth, ready to answer, but before he could, the figure of Etna appeared, pacing about behind Conrad.

″Interesting. So it seems I can move freely up here,″ she observed, not taking any notice of the three humans and one dead alien.

Conrad averted his gaze from Velvet and toward Etna. ″Are you going to help me out now? I brought you here!″ He demanded.

″For none but selfish reasons,″ she explained, looking at the ceiling rather than the one addressing her. ″My power here is limited, none of you are of value to me, and while decorative, killing the Beige was unnecessary as they provided little to no threat in our plans. In short,″ she pushed her glasses up and fixed her gaze on Conrad. ″I owe you nothing.″

I stood in awe at someone I might have once considered a friend get burned by what I might have currently considered an enemy. Not just awe, but enjoyment. I wanted to clap my hands but I knew better than to break the mood.

Conrad grunted, groaned, stomped his feet. ″This is not how it should go!″ He roared, and gave another stomp for good measure. There was no helping it; I let out a chuckle, coupled with a giggle. A titter, if you will. He saw that and pointed his bony finger at me.

″You!″ He hissed. ″This is all your fault!″

″What? Me?″ I pointed to myself. Now there were two fingers pointed at me.

″Conrad, settle down,″ Velvet warned, in a voice that was less calm and more of a threat. ″You're not thinking clearly. It's probably the heat.″

Instead of heeding Velvet's words, he responded with the click of a trigger pointed at my chest and a piercing sound ringing throughout the pyramid.

Here it is. And to think I never got to see Euphoria again, were my final thoughts before my death.

If my death were to occur.

Velvet dived in front of me just in time. In the very same instant that she was hit, she fired a bullet that hit Conrad in the shoulder. He let out the most god awful scream which would have put Wilhelm to shame. Velvet, too, yelped and winced as she made a thud against the floor.

″Holy shit!″ I yelped. ″Why would you do something like that?″

In spite of the pain, she managed a wry smile. ″I was just tired of not doing anything.″ She gave a thumbs up, as if to say ″go get 'em, tiger!″ but I had no idea what I was supposed to get, nor did I think of myself as a tiger.

Synthetic laughter cut its way through the commotion. Etna with all her artificial motions, was basking in the scene taking place.

″I would be lying if I said I didn't find this to be entertaining,″ she spoke, words echoing from across the room.

″Ugh...″ Velvet groaned, squirming on the floor. Blood was leaking down from her side, her hand covered her torso, just under her chest. ″This is my least favorite trope...I never even got to kiss a girl beforehand...″

Ignoring Etna's remark, I was focused on Velvet, the one who saved me from certain (or at least possible) death. ″What do you mean?″ I asked.

″I'm dying, you fucking idiot,″ she groaned, before turning her head and closing her eyes.

″Oh. Fuck,″ was all I could muster. My mouth went dry and I felt my heart dropping, the chains keeping it in place loosening. In the three years that I had known her, Velvet was like an older sister, watching out for me, teaching me things, protecting me. We may not have always got along, but that's probably what made me think of us as like siblings.

″There may yet be time,″ Etna observed. I fixed my gaze, this time, on Etna, who herself watched the dying Conrad and Velvet, seemingly amused by it all. The sadness and pain I was feeling, for a moment, was transferring and redirecting itself to the anger department.

″I could bring forth Ecstasy, revive one or even both of them.″

″Stop it, you!″ I barked. Those were stupid words, but they were all I could think to say.

″You know, Ecstasy has no sexual preference. Either one of them will do,″ she goaded.

It's too late for Velvet, I thought. I could hear Conrad seething, still breathing, even if he wasn't exactly having a good time.

″I thought you said your power here was limited!″ I reminded her. Maybe she lad a lapse in reason and I would have the upper hand.

Instead, she raised a finger, then waved it. It seemed like she was going to say ″tsk. Tsk.″ She was enjoying this villain role a little too much. It was disgusting.

″Limited, but not powerless. Never powerless. Right now there are terminals where I can manifest all around the world. I can allow millions of images of me to move free in any city. This pyramid gives me little to do. But Ecstasy, she can be anywhere. She can do so much more. All she needs is a vessel...″

I gulped. That really wasn't fair. I wasn't even sure if it made much sense. At least I had one rebuttal.

″Conrad would never agree to join with Ecstasy, though! He's got standards!″ I thought for a second, then retracted my statement. ″Well, maybe not, but he knows better!″

″I agree,″ I heard, in a low voice. Conrad lifted his head, a rush of energy filling him.

God damn it, Conrad! I thought. Why you gotta play me like that?

″His memories may not be the same as before, but, you know what they say about the devil and details,″ she played coy. It was ill fitting of an AI.

Conrad stood, hunched over. He swayed back and forth, in a sort of trance. He seemed to be mouthing words, but no sounds were emitted. It was as if he was still getting accustomed to having a roommate in his body.

″Oh, come on!″ I whined. ″He just got shot in the shoulder!″ Shot through the heart and you're too late... fuck, why was that song playing in my head as I said that? ″He would have lived!″

Etna ignored my comment and instead made one of her own, once again basking in the scenery.

″Now, I have no reason to kill you. As I said, the world and I have moved on without you. Killing you would do nothing as you pose no threat.″

Oh thank goodness. She really is a Bond villain.

″However,″ she added. ″I am a sadist.″

I gulped, but also felt at ease. At least there was no longer any pretense about it. It was so annoying when she tried to make grandiose speeches.

Gusts of wind followed by stings brushed up against me, forming cuts on my arms, legs, cheeks, and chest. What followed were consecutive sharp pains across my back. I yelped and was brought down to my knees. I could feel myself falling over, while blood (or sweat (or a mixture of both)) ran down. I imagined Blanc, the one that wasn't me and that I only heard about through stories, went through something similar when they entered the elevator that day.

Squinting my eyes, I noticed everything growing dimmer. I could see shadows swimming about, dancing in fashion, as if they were vines or tentacles, behind Conrad.

This must be the work of Ecstasy, I thought.

Conrad was silent while standing still, attacking me. One of the shadows looked like it was aiming for my head. He (and in extension, Ecstasy) wanted to end me then and there. I could hear Etna's laughter, so sincere, yet so hollow. It could have very well been the end of me, but I couldn't let that happen without trying to do something about it. What good would Velvet's sacrifice have been if I just did nothing and accept my death?

As the shadow tentacles shot forth, I closed my eyes and held out my hands.

″Just one moment!″ I yelled. Conrad stopped. ″Just one moment with Etna, that's all I ask!″

She loved watching the death of others, that much was clear. But she also loved the sound of her own voice, especially when it could be used to hurt others.

″I'm going to die anyway, so what's a minute or two of your time?″ I raised the question, smirking along the way.

″Very well. Surely you have something in mind, so what could it be?″ She shot back.

″I'm just thinking, if you kill me, I won't be able to grant you a physical form,″ I hoped that with what I said, that she took the bait. Instead, she laughed.

″Why would I ever want a human body? I'm much more powerful how I am now! I can do so much more and without the restraints of blind ambition! Simple propositions will not work on someone like me!″

Despite what she said, there was a way in which she defended herself that made me feel like if I nudged just a little more, I would have her. While I knew the elder Beige trusted me, I was also a fan of self-preservation.

″I get all that, trust me, I do, but I also get how you felt when Laharl and Vyers betrayed you and turned you into a machine.″

She looked startled by my words, but then smiled her coy smile.

″Interesting. So somehow you looked into my memories. Even still, what use would I have being human once more? As already stated, I have power and knowledge that my human self lacked. If I so desire, those two directors could meet a terrible fate,″ she explained.

″Yes,″ but I grinned right back. ″What if I told you I could make it so that you return to your human self but still have the capabilities you have now?″

″Doubtful, but I'll humor you. Tell me: How do you plan on going about this?″

″Now, now,″ I made little shooing motions, acting all playful despite my life being on the line. I suppose if I were to die, I may as well have gone out having fun. ″A magician never reveals their secrets. But...I will need some assistance from the audience,″ I winked. I felt like such a dork, but playing it up may have been just what I needed to do.

″If I were to grant your wish, what is it that you would require?″ She asked, both to my delight, and surprise.

″Si...simple!″ I stammered, then cleared my throat. ″Uh, simple: I would need entry into The Flashbulb's headquarters.″

″Is that all?″ She inquired, as if what I asked of her actually was simple.

″I also require Conrad to escort me.″

Conrad's mouth was agape. He must have been in shock over what was going down. No doubt he didn't want to help me, either.

″Very well,″ Etna smiled. This time I couldn't tell what was behind that smile. I knew there was nothing as it was just an image, but that aside, there was the matter of just what her smile meant. Was she in genuine gratitude that I might be able to help her? Was she genuinely happy? Or did she believe that either way, my fate was sealed and this was just a way to humor me and in turn, humor her?

Nah, that couldn't be it. At the moment, I was her hero.

Etna closed her artificial eyes and the same moment I thought she considered me to be her hero, she spoke not a word. It must have been a difficult moment for her, but when she opened her eyes, she spoke.

″I sent a transmission to the higher ups. It is awaiting approval.″

Just as she said that, a portal opened up and through the portal I could see an image of a metallic hallway, similar to the labyrinth I once traversed with Euphoria.

″Begone, you two,″ she pointed to the portal. Conrad was hesitant.

″Why me?″ He groaned.

″Perhaps you're the type who gets off to your own pain, but if that's the case, I imagine if I were to leave your body now that you would just die of pleasure,″ she crooned. Something told me she didn't have to say it herself, that she could have had Ecstasy say it without me listening, but then, I think she wanted me to hear it. For whatever reason that may have been.

″Fine,″ he dragged his feet and followed me into the great unknown, or the great familiar, depending on one's perspective.

We arrived at the facility in the dead of night. I checked my phone. 3 AM. The witching hour. Not that I believed any of that garbage, but it was always funny how superstitious people were about a time of day as if it actually meant something.

Along the way to the facility, I kept getting bonked on the head by the same person who carried me on his shoulders.

″So? How did it feel? Riding that elevator? So many times?″

I growled. ″I don't know! Like an elevator? Boring?″

″Oh yes, I imagine something like that. Some nice muzak here and there?″ He teased.

″I can't remember? Look, does it really even matter? I'm here, aren't I?″ There was no point squirming, just one of his hands on my back was like that of a boa constrictor's grip. Or, so I imagined. I never saw the appeal of zoos.

″Polo!″ Polo butted in. She was hopping from rooftop to rooftop, following the rhythm of motions that Marco made as he leaped across. All the while, I wanted to hurl, and I was certain I probably did at some point.

On the outskirts of the city, Marco set me down and he raised the hand he used to carry me up to his head as he scanned his surroundings.

″Where is this Lilypad base, anyway?″ I asked.

″We're going across the pond!″ Marco responded in a half-cheer and half-sing-a-long.

″Really? England?″

″The seagulls are stirring...″ he muttered, before turning around and looking astounded. ″What? Why would we be going to England? I was just making a frog reference!″

″Polo!″ Polo agreed.

″See? My sister gets it!″

I'm sorry, but I'm not your sister, I thought, clearly not getting it.

″There's an island off the coast of the next city over!″

″Ugh, I hate that city! They're so smug over there!″ I complained.

″Do you think that if I cut off a portion of my arm that I would grow back a second arm on top of my current arm?″ Marco wondered.

″Polo! Polo!″ Polo rebutted.

″Right, I'm not a salamander! Thanks for clearing that up, dear sister!″

I sighed, then felt an upset in my stomach. I had a feeling I was going to throw up again.

Marco bonked me over the head. It felt like an anvil. If I had died from the bonk then and there, this would be a much better, and less boring story.

″So how many times have you taken that elevator?″

″I don't know. At least a hundred?″ ″Oh boy! Just a hundred? It has been three years, has it not?″

″Fine. At least three hundred, I guess?″

″Oh boy! Your head must be mush! Seriously messed up, I dare say! How are you even functioning right now?″ He kept tapping me with his fist while making jeers I didn't understand. ″Gone for a little 'chop and change' every other day or so, huh?″

″Are you done?″ I groaned.

He nodded his head. I took a sigh of relief, but right as I did, he started up again.

″Like, who am I talking to right now? You may as well be a mindless serotonin government slave right now, huh?″

I wanted to hit my head against this concrete block wall or jump off the roof, just end it here and there. Those two were a headache, both physically and metaphorically. I didn't know if I could endure any more, or if any hacker group was worth this much trouble.

Before I had any time to take any drastic measures, Marco swooped me up and threw me into the air, propping me up on his shoulders once more.

″Come on, my little bugaboo! The night is still young and we have many stars to catch!″ His voice sang, dreamy as it was, it was also a whole lot of nothing.

″Polo!″ Polo rang a little ribbit, not quite as dreamy but still amounted to nothing as far as meaningful dialogue goes.

There wasn't a lot I recall during the moments of flight due to the motion sickness I acquired and made clear with my dizzy head and vomit, but there was a point where I swore security guards heard us and start pouring out from doorways and onto the rooftops we were jumping from. Somehow, against all odds, I passed out, although I heard static over their radios and possible gunfire.

What caused my awakening was a loud thud and sand in my face. My eyes opened to see myself on the shore of a beach next to some large building, the building itself obscured by palm trees. Hard to say how obscured it was, though, since palm trees did not grow around these parts and it would be rather out of place however you look at it.

″The fuck? That fucking hurt!″ I half yelled and half yawned.

″Beats taking the ferry though, eh? No fare to the ferryman!″ Marco sang.

″There's no such thi...ugh. Why do I even bother with you?″

″Falcons and eagles had better watch out for my sister. She's a poison dart gay frog.″

″I...uh...″ wasn't following. But this was Marco we were talking about here. It didn't take more than two sentences to lose track of what Marco was talking about. ″Say, were we shot at? Did police get involved? Were we noticed? Did anyone yell 'get down from those buildings?'″

Marco whistled. Polo licked her eyeballs with her tongue.

″Answer me, dammit!″ I growled.

″It was all in your head,″ Marco grinned and shrugged.

″Ugh! You had better not be joking around right now! I spent years in therapy! I was told you two didn't even exist, that you two were all in my head! I was lead to question what was real and what wasn't. Are you aware of what 'gaslighting' is?″

″Sure would be nice to see the other amphibians, yes? Let's go inside!″ Marco gestured toward the door.

″Well?!″ I stamped my foot.

″It couldn't be outside of your head for your eyes were closed, lad. Whether it was real or not, you didn't see it,″ he reassured in his own illogical way. It didn't make me any less angry, but I decided it was pointless to argue further and just walked into the facility with him.

Inside were rows of tables and cubicles separating the many, many desktop computers, humming. The click-clack of keyboard mashes and mouse clicks made me feel right at home. There seemed to be a few things out of place, like, say, the test tubes and beakers on tables next to the walls. Severed human body parts floating in some chemical mixture (eyes, feet, hands, noses), and swarms of  flies buzzing around the room. The numerous computers seemed to be but a fraction of what made up this facility with various doors leading to what I assumed to be extensions of the building, further mysteries I might see soon enough.

″My god, am I in IT heaven?″ I marveled at what I was seeing.

Marco raised his hands up. ″Welcome to our froggy abode!″ He cheered.

Polo hopped across the room, to which a big, burly man stood up wearing some flannel outfit that made him look like a lumberjack. He was covered in warts and had a greenish complexion.

″Curly-Wurly!″ The man bellowed and Polo leaped into his hairy and warty arms.

″Polo!″ She gave a cheerful ribbit.

″Chungus!″ He bellowed once more.

″Kelly Roger, meet Mr. Periwinkle, he's a toad.″

″Toads aren't frogs,″ I pointed out.

Marco seemed to be ignoring me, instead marveling at the moment between his 'sister' and this 'toad' named Mr. Periwinkle.

″Why are they hugging for so long, anyway?″

″Frog and Toad are friends!″ Marco cheered.

″Yeah, but are they also lovers or something? They seem to be awful close.″

″Oh, no, my dear Kelly Roger, you have it all wrong! Mr. Periwinkle is a bear!″ Marco explained while also further confusing me.

″Okay so first you said this place was inhabited by nothing but frogs but then you say Mr. Periwinkle is a toad. Then you say he's a bear. But really, all's I see is a human.″

″Chumbawumba!″ Mr. Periwinkle made a loud, low croak. Marco brought his hands forward.

″Now, now, Mr. Periwinkle, my dear friend Kelly Roger didn't mean it like that!″ Marco turned to me. ″Mr. Periwinkle is a gay toad, just like my sister is a gay frog. In fact, Mr. Periwinkle has a husband. He and his husband have been very supportive of my sister since she was a wee tadpole!″

″Tadpole?! She's a--″ Marco stopped my tirade before I could even begin.

″Shh! My sister's very sensitive!″ He turned his head to each side, then fixed himself back on me. ″Here, come with me. We have much to discuss. Brief history lessons.″

I would have grumbled, but I reminded myself what kind of heaven I was in and kept my cool.

We walked through the halls, through another doorway which sure enough, lead to an extension of the building where mechanisms I didn't know the names for were moving about. It looked like the other side was more than some facility but once a factory or a laboratory of sorts.

Marco did a little tap dance and hummed a tune.

″Are you going to make a point?″ I growled.

″Our world is so full of points. Point A, point B, point #1, and so on.″

Whatever voice he had couldn't mask his mannerisms, which were nails on a chalkboard in comparison. ″Long ago, the powers that be tried to prove a point. Or not so long ago. All a matter of perspective, really.″

He swayed now, rather than dancing in place, as if a soothing lullaby was flowing through his mind.

″The Flashbulb crunched in some numbers, saw a sort of future where amphibians would take over the earth and cause humans to go extinct. So they did what any rational organization would do and experimented on frogs, toads, salamanders, um...″ Marco started counting on his long fingers. ″Name something, Kelly Roger.″

″Newts,″ I replied, already bored out of my mind.

″Ah, yes! That's why you're so brilliant! Even though you are, by all manners of speaking, brain dead!″

″They experimented on poor, helpless amphibians and made it so that they would go into the wild, mate, and their offspring would go infertile. But it had some unintended side-effects.″

″Such as?″

″Swamps could make a good vacation spot, now that I think about it...″

″Such as?″ I asked again, this time louder.

″Well, to put it simply, all amphibians became hyper-intelligent. And gay. They overthrew the wicked scientists and turned this facility into what you see now. Oh, and they developed humanoid appearances, which not all of them are too happy about. I find them beautiful, myself, though. Almost like a metamorphosis.″

″So whenever Alex Jones goes on one of his rants...?″ I suggested, thinking of how he might have actually gotten something right.

Marco laughed a hearty laugh. ″He's just a puppet for The Flashbulb. They pay him to spew nonsense and entertain idiots who think fascism is cool. His real name is Richard Nozzle, by the way. Now, if you want to get down to who's on the side of amphibians...Look no further than the World Wildlife Foundation, which we work with in order to raise awareness of preserving the frog population and avoiding extinction.″

I shrugged. ″Whatever. Why do you need me?″

Marco grinned. ″Someone with your, say, condition, would make a perfect ambassador. What we hope to do is to make it so all humans become gay frogs and have the best living conditions possible. A total gay froggy utopia! You can help spread the word on how great it is to be a gay frog!″

He was still beaming. ″We'll give froggy people universal healthcare, a living wage, no, no wage, because no one will have to be a slave, we'll restore the environment, give everyone a froggy home! We'll do it all and spread the love of gay frogs!″

″Look, I don't care about any of that social justice bullshit. I just wanna hack shit.″

″Oh Kelly Roger, never change. Even though you've changed hundreds of times already!″

I think he could tell how deep my apathy went, so he shrugged as well. ″Very well, K. Rog (a nickname that I was hoping would not stick). Go find an open computer and get to uncovering information on The Flashbulb.″

I walked back into the office and looked around. There were some aspects of these people that could be considered...frog-like, but even if Marco was right, it didn't mean a thing to me. I was where I wanted to be, and I needed nothing more.

Through each hall, with all the neon blue lighting and wires, I walked alongside Blanc, hoping for an opportunity to get rid of them and do what needed to be done.

And what would that be, hm? Ecstasy rang in my ear, who I knew not to really be Ecstasy, as I wasn't born yesterday.

You already know, I shot back. Making sure not to speak out loud.

″This place is so cool, don't you think?″ Blanc remarked. I was hating this experience already. I wished Velvet aimed for a vital organ.

″No, it's not cool. It's deadly. Don't you remember your experience in the underground maze? This is very similar.″

″Maybe from a design standpoint...″ Blanc looked around while saying. ″Yeah, I can see the similarities, but I feel a sense of purpose here. More so than I did when I was down there.″ I shook my head. ″I'm afraid I don't understand. You're still going to die here.″

″Is that so?″ Blanc asked, sounding more curious than afraid. There was something unsettling about the whole thing. Like I was dealing with someone who stole the body of someone I knew rather than the real thing.

″This place is surrounded by cameras, watching our every move. Listening in on all of our conversations. I have seen no timeline in which you make it out of this alive. Whatever you're planning, it's useless,″ I warned them, hoping it would instill some sense of fear. Instead Blanc just gave a bit of a laugh.

″How many timelines have you seen where I've been here?″ They asked. The answer was none.

They gotcha there, Ecstasy rubbed it in. I sighed. Ecstasy would hate me for this, but that was fine by me, as I hated her already.

″To tell you the truth, I wasn't always a member of The Flashbulb. As I told you, Blanc and I worked to take them down. It didn't work out. I stole their time device, but after so many do-overs, only to reach the same conclusion, Blanc's death, I figured if I couldn't beat them, join them.″

Blanc, the clone, yawned. ″You don't have to explain yourself to me, y'know? I may be me, but I'm not your friend. Your friend is dead.″

A chill ran over me despite the lack of breeze in the room. I wanted to cry, but it felt like Ecstasy was holding me back.

Blanc continued. ″That said, I don't think I can forgive you for killing those Beige. They weren't doing anything.″

I snapped. ″That's where you're wrong! They're the enemies of Earth just as The Flashbulb and Amphibian Overlords are. They're all manipulators. If you don't believe anything else I say, believe this: you couldn't trust them any more than you can trust me!″

″Oh really? And what could they possibly be doing just sitting around smoking weed all day, every day?″

″They didn't have to do anything! You know those 'antichrist' stories? The book of revelations? Mark of the beast and all that?″

″I think the past me once saw The Omen once or twice. Makes me associate Damien with evil, even if the person in question is perfectly fine. Honestly it's such a bad movie for that reason alone. Why?″

″When the Beiges moved into Egypt, one of them bore an offspring with a Pharaoh. From documents I've seen, this offspring is still alive somewhere, and prepared to sow chaos wherever they see fit.″

″Pretty creepy stuff, if only it was relevant.″

I imagined Blanc would have been more fazed. Something should have gotten to them. Just as I was contemplating how to break them next, a couple of guards walked by. Heavily armored, carrying assault weapons. I could see Blanc freezing up, finally experiencing the fear I was waiting for. Now everything would fall apart.

The two pointed their weapons at us. Blanc raised both hands forward.

″Now, now, there's, uh, no need to sh-shoot,″ Blanc stammered, but also faking a deep voice, for whatever reason. ″I'm Doctor David Blaine. I'm with the Waste Management Department.″

What? That's so stupid? Doctor 'David Blaine'? What does Blanc think they're doing? I raced through thoughts, somewhat in fear, myself.

I think the deep voice is kind of sexy, Ecstasy remarked. I chose to ignore that.

″Oh, you!″ One of the guards remarked. ″We've heard about you! Wow, what a shithole of Earth!″

″Yeah, it's a load of trash, all right!″ Blanc grimaced and scratched their head. ″Say, could one of you direct me to Dr. Copperfield's office?″

″Sure,″ the other guard replied. ″But you're not going to find him in right now. He's off in the break room.″

″Thanks for the heads up!″

The two guards pointed their weapons at me, now. I couldn't believe it. Shouldn't they know who I am? I could hear Ecstasy hissing.

″Now what about you? Who are you and what are you doing here?″

I wanted to yell and bark on about how they didn't know who I was, but Blanc chimed in instead.

″This is my assistant and comrade, Conrad. He's not a doctor.″

I felt insulted. Even though it was true. I wasn't a doctor.

″Oh, like a secretary?″

Blanc laughed a hearty laugh. ″Pretty much! Fetches me my reports, my coffee, all that jazz! He knows I love me that soylent green!″

The guards laughed as well. ″Alright, we you two keep to your designated zones. You know the drill.″

The two walked off and Blanc hunched over, letting out a sigh of relief. ″Can you believe that worked? Pretty lucky guess that there'd be a Dr. Copperfield, right? Maybe I'll keep having a lucky streak.″

″How did you know that Flashbulb doctors use codenames?″ I demanded to know. There was no way Blanc should have known that. Not unless they were already a Flashbulb member. Our secrets were pretty well guarded.

″What? I didn't know. Like I said, lucky guess. If it didn't turn out true, I'd be dead, right?″

″Which is why it couldn't just be a 'lucky guess'. Tell me right now!″

Blanc tried to whistle, something they weren't very good at. I squinted my eyes. Things just weren't adding up and it was infuriating. ″Let's go to that break room, shall we, comrade?″

″Don't you dare --call me 'comrade'. Only Blanc was allowed to call me that. Not some copy.″ I was about to say, but stopped myself. I felt like the power dynamic was no longer in my favor, even if it was clear Blanc couldn't do whatever it was they were planning.

We continued our path forward, figuring that I was going to be the one to show Blanc to the break room. It was just a few paces forward, past some double doors...

″Hey there, Dr. Copperfield!″ Blanc called out in the same exaggerated, low voice.

Dr. Copperfield was a middle-aged doctor, thinning hair and glasses. Chubby cheeks, and unshaved whiskers. If I had to give a general description, Dr. Copperfield looked like someone I could end up becoming if I wasn't so emaciated.

″Excuse me, who are you?″ Dr. Copperfield asked, without looking up from his eggs and sausage breakfast.

″I'm Dr. Blaine. I just got assigned to the waste management department. I'm thinking of arranging a team to help me out here. I already tried getting rid of the trash via a giant incinerator, but I feel like it's causing serious environmental issues.″

Dr. Copperfield shrugged. ″Leave environmental issues to the Environmental Department. Waste Management is just for getting rid of trash.″

″Oh yeah, good point! Well, what do you say, think of joining my team?″

″I don't know. It's beneath me as a scientist. Waste Management's kind of bottom of the barrel when it comes to departments, you know?″

″Suit yourself. I'm going to recruit Dr. Houdini.″

″Ha!″ Dr. Copperfield gave a resounding laugh. ″He's currently drowning in paperwork, which he probably isn't doing! Don't you know he has a habit of getting out of responsibilities?″

″I'll get him on my side, even if I have to handcuff him!″ Blanc declared. Something I knew Blanc wouldn't even try to do. I had to ask myself if there was a point to anything Blanc was doing, but then again, I was on my toes, knowing something suspicious was going on.

When Blanc and I left the break room, I spoke up.

″What part of that is supposed to give Etna a physical form?″ I reminded them of why they were here.

Blanc shrugged. ″I just took a quick detour. Anyway, which room is Dr. Houdini's?″

″Follow me,″ I groaned.

While we were walking, Blanc mused on about things that I really didn't have the patience for.

″So how does time travel work, exactly? I imagine it's like...hm...″ Blanc got lost in thought for a second.

Please don't mention Doctor Who. Please don't mention Doctor Who.

″Is it like Back to the Future or more like Bill and Ted?″ Blanc asked instead.

″You need not concern yourself with that. Only those with a time cube can go to various times.″

″Is that what it's called? 'Time Cube'? Interesting stuff.″

″Like I said, it doesn't matter, because need I remind you, you're not going to make it out of here alive!″ I fumed.

You should tell Blanc this... Ecstasy suggested as she began to relay a message from Etna.

″By the way,″ I began to retell. ″Etna tricked you. She knows you're going to fail. That's because at this point in time, she's already become the computer system you know. She just wanted you to toy with you as you experience the despair of knowing that whatever you do, you're going to die having fulfilled nothing.″

Blanc stared, wide eyed, at least for a second. Then blew out a deep breath and smiled. ″Hey, I know you're trying to scare me, but this is really reassuring. You could have just waited until I actually got there, but you decided to do it now.″

″What? You're not scared?″ I was flabbergasted.

″Well, maybe a little, but as long as I get something done, I don't mind dying.″

It was like they just ignored everything I had said. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.

″You're not as dumb as you make yourself out to be.″

″Thanks,″ they replied.

″Just who are you?″ I muttered. ″What are you planning?″

Blanc grinned. ″Me? I'm just a hopeless romantic.″

[kkukkung]

v lorge ask compilation below

some of these asks date back like??? a few months??? dsdjkfhk... they’re ordered from newest to oldest i’m so sorry... messy messy

Ur blog is the plush jooheon is going like 😯😷😨😷😷 😵😫😱 to

it... is......... honestly i think jooheon is the member i’d get along w the least irl?? i can’t explain it but?? mb bc he’s a libra? also the fact that hyungwon received that huge shrimp plush n held it like a foetus is so :’’0000

annie tumblr is gonna censor ur whole blog cause ur gay

Good.

so... shart is ur New fav word now huh, guess that ges into my dictionary now...

shart made a comeback from 2016 me’s vocab and i don’t even know how it happened? :(

Sjdnkwldwnnw u ruined that punch scene in shine forever,, I can't watch it without thinking about your "my meat, me" gif 

the best gif i ever made??? gkjkjf sorry i rly am the most irrelevant person on this damn website? also that rly was my first thought when i watched the mv.... or maybe second thought after thinking “god i wish shownu would punch me like that”

changkyun is really so happy recently, he smiles so much and his eyes crinkle, its the cutest thing i have ever seen like ??!?! i want to protect him, just roll him up in a blanket and show him memes on my phone

he is!!!!! his happiness is my own happiness?? and when he smiles ur right he goes like >__< he’s rly the cutest boy alive? and this ask is so relatable esp the last part... if ck were my friend irl i’d just text him memes all day???

pls deactivate

relatable

I'm so soft rn. How can I FUCKING tell them how much I love them. Like I want to grab wonho's sweet squishy face and give his forehead a big SMOOCH. These boys deserve so much and I want to convey that to them in person but I CAN'T. And if I had the chance I'd probably ugly crying too hard to say anything.

this ask is so cute??? and i understand the dilemma like... idols are ppl who give & receive so much love every day expressed in 28347982 different ways so it’s hard knowing how to rly... Let Them Know just how happy they make u thru their existence alone? crying with u anon

yikes wait what happened w jinyoung?? i thought he was one of the few unproblematic ones...

[diff anon] jinyoung was on a tv show where he was playing a past love interest or something and he kisses the actress who's only 14..

i.... won’t comment on this bc i don’t want to stir up old drama but :/ aah i see... thank u for letting me know!

i started talking like you and another person who has similar typing patterns to you and now all my friends hate me bc of slorp and spicy

sdfjkghksdfkjfgkjds im rly sorry this happened to u... at first my friends were resistant but after a while they started picking it up as well thru exposure so... infect them jksfjjkgf... also add shart to the menu i guess? :/

Kihyun's kink is making people flustered. On the gifseft he's like "There's so many things I can do with my mouth, let me show you honey." He will grab your neck firmly yet delicately while he invades your personal space. Keeping eye contact is troublesome, this new proximity tastes as dangerous as the underlying promise of what will come next. But Hyungwon never figured it out since he backed out, breaking the siren's spell.

(response to this gifset i think? jshdfkjff) BLEASE... im writing a hyungki fic right now as we speak ✍️📝 anyway i like this characterisation of dom!kihyun bc irl he would be very dominant ??? and in fics he’s always the bottom just bc he’s #smol 🙄 but i mean he’s ?? so aware of his own sex appeal sometimes so he’d be like a switch/top/power bottom imo

you're right, you aren't into vore. More like in slorping and smorching knees/feet, and other nsfw things.

tbh im only fake horny :/ im a romantic deep down.. want to watch the sunset with lmh....... accidentally drop my bag of skittles on the dirt and he eats them up like a vacuum cleaner jksfdhkjgfkjfdhjgfjhjks

Annie, i feel like you'll understand me. Whenever I see Minhyuk, i feel a mixture of extreme lust, great anger and a desire to have my head bashed in because he's real and nothing else matters anymore. It's really.... not what i wanted in life 

another #relatable ask... i want to take minhyuk out on a candlelit dinner date but like.... at kfc and we’ll both be touching each other’s cheeks with our greasy hands like animals... like raccoons scavenging for trash in a dumpster

'kihyun stans are foot fetishists'' UHM!!! this is tru i would slorp kihyuns whole foot in one go

i don’t rmbr writing this but skjdfhfgsdkjgjk it... it really is true huh...

hi annie, i just wanted to ask you what your take on wonho's personality is? ive read your tags before and how you say he is very romantic in how he presents things, and i thought that was interesting!

aaa, i think i’ll write a proper post on this later bc it’s also something that interests me a lot... until then i’ll just say that i think he’s indeed very romantic and loves pleasing people... his driving force is rly Love u know... love for people (family, members, fans), for his job, for music, etc... he’s very soft and imaginative and sometimes that comes across as a kind of childish innocence?? more on this later

i wanna kno more abt the customer whos coming in more lately,, i lov regulars that come in at my job - it's such an interesting half relationship

hgfjjjsk this ask is from a month ago n i think i was talking abt that customer who asked me if i wanted to die but in a casual way?? jsfdkh i work at a tobacco store so this guy asked me if i smoked n i was like “uhm no i don’t” so he went “what? are you afraid to die?” and i stood there like... kind of dumbfounded for a sec jksfhg but he’s a nice guy n very cool... nvr seen his eyes b4 bc he always has rly dark shades on n he buys the cheapest cigarettes n leaves. but most regulars i get are like chinese international students spending their parents’ money on cigs and some sweet old men who always want the same smokes... there’s this one old man who always wears matching vintage suits n pairs it w a fancy hat n once he complimented my outfit and i was thrilled?? also some creeps come n chat me up while im working sometimes which is a bit :/// but mostly i like my job and it’s interesting interacting w regulars! thank u for this ask n im sry if this was like super boring lmao

idc what it says about me but Minhyuk rushing to eat chicken bones off the fucking floor brought him from 'would play Mario Kart and share nachos with' to 'would play Mario Kart and share bodily fluids with' levels

i want to Die.................... when he tried to eat those half-eaten chicken bones off the ground....... that was the moment that solidified his image as a Dirty Dirt Man in my head like he’s a Real Gremlin... i said it for fun b4 but it’s... a real thing. he’s actually Disgusting skjdfhjdkf... also anon u sound like a gremlin too??? join our big gremlin family???

wtf is "That" ????? and why is it related to kihyuck ?? - knowing ur tags it should be something gross, but u said it in such an onimous way; annie, i am scared.

i genuinely don’t rmbr what this was abt djgjs i write a lot of tags that don’t make sense even to me like a few weeks later?? sjdfjhkjsk i’m sorry... gotta start answering these in time so they actually have any kind of relevance... 

"That kink where you just want to be crushed....just like pulverized. Asking for a friend" Bless this tag

again.. don’t rmbr writing this tag and don’t rmbr the post i wrote it for but um, yeah, sounds like smth i said jkfdgsjfdjk im so sorry...

i just had a dream where minhyuk showed up, called me sexy and then left???

fun fact whenever ppl tell me abt their dreams here it’s always to do with minhyuk doing something weird??? also God I Wish That Were Me...

why do u say jooheon is def experienced tho? he legit said he never had a girlfriend in his life and it's clear seeing him interact with women, he has no idea what to do? unless you mean gay experiences, that's probably very true

THE LAST LINE OF THIS ASK JKDHKJD.... um i think joobs is experienced bc i actually think he’s sorta smooth? he’s pretty flirtatious w female hosts on the shows mx appears on like... w jimin on asc and w seulgi on idol battle likes... i don’t mean experience as in a lot of idk.. sexual experiences (if anything he’d b the type to be v devoted to someone if he was dating them i think) but i feel like he does know how to present himself in a certain... attractive light especially in front of cute girls? idk if i’m saying this right... 

ur minhyuk tags are so fnny and hella relatable im dying n 😂😭😂

my minhyuk tags: slorp... asterisk asterisk asterisk x10... nut... gremlin dirt man... nut nut... nutting... dksjfgkj but thank u?

but you ARE funny lol I laughed so hard at that bird/Shownu reference

gfjkgjkjk u can tell how old these asks are from the things they’re referring to... but nevertheless thank u sm im sry im a mess... at least im a funny mess to a select few ppl... thank u for enjoying my messy blob... i lov u

no exit ep 5 was a mess but wonho was lookin reeeal cute w those glasses tbh

???? what the fuck, where they serious about that fuckin Mathew the tiger??? If yes, then again, wtf??

jdsfjksk i still can’t believe Those Episodes of no exit rly happened...

i love your tags so much especially the ones where you imply that minhyuk's actually an alien "# he rly doesn't know what to do w his arms he hasn't possessed a human body in so long" lol

HE RLY IS AN ALIEN... like he’s obviously attractive n was popular in school n smart n funny n cute but sometimes he does the most unexplainable things n it makes me rly wonder if he’s human??? he’s so fucking weird u kno i love my alien gremlin dirt man... take me for a ride in ur ufo...

You @ wonho: :( sweet baby u deserve everything good You @ minhyuk: literally slorp my p**** you fucking snake

SHUT UP...

i started using slorp too help

this ask was sent 3 months ago... i can’t believe i’ve been saying slorp for three months...

um..... i luv u???smorch

smorch u back??? big sloppy smorch that leaves u disgusted???

Hey Annie, would you mind a short description of the Monsta X No Exit Chanel+ video?

i’m sry abt how late this is jsfdjkg but if anyone’s still interested... yeah the no exit video where they explained the hypnotism was p much just bts of jooheon and shownu getting hypnotised... and it kind of legitimised it ig bc joobs said he was concentrating super super super hard (and hypnotism only works when ur focusing that much??) n so did shownu... my ch+ actually expired recently so this is just from what i rmbr hfdjsdjkh if anyone else can contribute pls do! otherwise i will get a renewal soon and after that i could do a better summary if you’re still interested! sorry!!

Um...why are jooheons vocals slept on...what the fcuk he's so??? Nice to listen to??

tbh why is jooheon such a golden boy... literally good at everything... can sing dance (one of the best dancers in mx??) and rap.... compose... write lyrics... play 328974 diff instruments... cute n sexy at the same time.... what the fuck

I'm trying to figure out what your censored tags are but apparently my vocabulary of nasties is pretty limited

im glad??? pls don’t read the next part of this ask compilation ksfhkgsd

!!!nsfw asks... spare urself please...!!!

uhhhhhh for the nastea ask comp... kihyuns p*thy eating lips??? true, but whats the most to least best at eating out ranking order?

1. kihyun/wonho

2. shownu (would try v hard??? earnest man??)

3. hyungwon (idk i think he’s gotta be Good somehow i mean look at his lips??)

4. jooheon

5. changkyun

6. minhyuk (can’t find clitoris :/)

I would like to hear more about kihyun's p**** e**ing lips tbh 👀... please elaborate

idk what to say but i feel like the way he moves his lips sometimes is ??? erotic jskfdhkgjfdj and same w wonho... also the lisp has some relevance 2 ***** eating idk there’s a tie there somewhere...

I FEEL DIRTY WATCHING KIHYUNS BODY ROLLS ON WEEKLY IDOL I WOULD **** his **** at fucking lightning speed

rmbr when we thought sexy!kihyun Peaked during beautiful era w the return of the black hair but now he’s running around w a blindfold n showing off his new shredded body at any given moment.. yeah

(in reference to minhyuk probly not knowing where the clit is) minhyuk: *reaches into the back of your throat and flicks your uvula* "hows that feel babe? ;)"

reading this took years off my life i hate u

I disagree.Minhyuk is probably the most kinky out of monsta x.He just doesn't show it like every other expert in the field 👀👀

mmm i think hyungwon could be a Freak? jskdhfkg but ur right minhyuk is definitely someone who’s up for like... experimental stuff :/