#since it's currently the most active place for me and I'd like to maintain that

[jemichiart]

I should be working on zine projects (or just sleeping, since I'm ill), but I really felt like drawing a tiny little owl, so this happened. xD

If you like this little owl, you can get this design as many kinds of prints or products on:

[joonsytip]

Left for Ruins || Seungcheol [Teaser]

Pairing: Seungcheol x Fem!Reader

Genre: Angst, Crime, Smut, Fluff, Office Worker Husband!Seungcheol, Investigative Journalist Wife!Reader

Synopsis: Being an investigative journalist, you would do anything to unravel the truth, even if it means getting married to the timid office worker Choi Seungcheol, who was in fact the best friend of your brother who went missing seven years ago.

Warnings: Mentions of all sorts of criminal activities, reader and Seungcheol are two people with contrasting personalities, exploitation, gaslighting, heavy themes involving syndicate etc.

Thanks to @diamonddaze01 for the amazing banner! ♡

Comment or send an ask if you wanna be tagged.

[ SVT Masterlist ] [ SVT Flick - Fic Masterlist ]

“I want you to marry me.”

Seungcheol is currently cornered, shying away from the proximity, unable to meet eyes even.

“W-Why do you want me to marry you?”, he manages to utter, body leaning back in reflex as you close in further.

All he gets from you is a very known cunning smile.

As you watch him like he's a prey, he pleads with you to give him some space.

“You're in your thirties, don't have a partner, got a stable job and a clean image. Don't you think we'd look good together?”, your hands take off his glasses, making him look into your eyes, “You are handsome and I've known you for as long as I can remember.”

Seungcheol finds it hard to maintain eye contact. Always soft spoken, he hesitates to ask you questions.

He needs time, he needs a push. You know it all and you know him all too well.

As expected, his hands reach yours to get back his glasses. He gently takes it and puts it back on. His eyes meet yours at his own will, for the first time that night.

“I’m practically blind without my glasses.”, he says softly, “Can I ask you some questions? Will you please answer them? And I have a lot to ask.”

You find it amusing, the way he awaits your response. If you deny, you're sure no questions will be asked. You're confident that you'd be able to coax him into marrying you with no such difficulties anyways.

You're known to be ruthless. You don't bat an eye before deceiving people, lies naturally flow out of your mouth.

When you give a nod, he asks you to take a seat, mainly for himself so you could back off and he could finally breathe.

“You've known me for years, Y/N. And I'm sure you're not asking me to marry you because you have feelings for me. Tell me the truth and I'll consider it.”

Your eyes glint dangerously but it's gone suddenly.

Your face falls, melancholia starts pouring into the atmosphere.

“I’ll be honest.”, you say, sounding sincere, “You were closest to my brother. It's been seven years since I saw him. I heard time heals but for me it's making things worse. I still can't believe that a good person like Daon would disappear overnight.”

Seungcheol takes the seat beside you, his heart aching in the memories of his best friend.

Your gaze drops at your lap, letting the sudden wave of tears stream down your face. It's a wound, unattended, always fresh.

With a croak in your voice you continue, “My brother trusted you the most and for me, I know that you've always tried to be a shelter, looking over as a guardian figure.”

Seungcheol’s demeanor is similar to yours, as he says, “When Daon disappeared, I just couldn't forgive myself. It always occurred to me that I should have searched more, did I give up too early? What if he's still waiting for me? I'll always live with this guilt.”

You both sit in silence.

“We could never repay you, what you did for us back then is something not even family members do.”, you feel Seungcheol go stiff when you place your hand on top of his, “My mom is nagging me to get married and I realised I trust you a lot. That if I gotta do this, I'd rather do it with you. I feel safe around you, Cheol.”

His ears are turning red, mouth going dry. His entire body screams for help.

You study him carefully, lips twitching as he excuses himself out of his home office for a moment.

As soon as he's out, you're off your seat.

“You're insane, Y/N.”, you could sense the disbelief in the voice coming from the earpiece, “You should be an actress.”

“Shut up, Jeonghan.”, you say through gritted teeth, “I have never let my hair down for this long, it's starting to irritate me. My ears are itching.”, you fix your hair so it covers the device in your ear.

Your mouth launches a string of complaints while your hands place work effortlessly to plant bugs over several places.

“The guy seems like a decent person. Throwing a marriage proposal just to wiretap his office seems a bit too much.”, Jeonghan keeps on speaking through the earpiece, "What if he agrees to the marriage, how are you so sure he won't?

You pay no attention to his rambles, skimming through the papers and files, eyes often darting to the door.

“Make sure the devices are working fine. I placed only one camera though, no place to hide others.”, your brows furrow as you go through the files, “Nothing useful here. Maybe I could get something in the drawers.”

But the sounds of footsteps approaching makes you halt.

Seungcheol on entering back notices you in the same stance as when he leaves you.

He carefully walks towards you, almost guilty when he kneels in front of you, “I appreciate that you think so highly of me but we're exactly opposite in terms of personality and aspirations. We won't work out. I'm sorry, Y/N but I can't marry you.”

You hear Jeonghan sighing in relief.

“Woah, he really didn't take the bait.”, you hear him mumbling, “We're done here. It's time for you to leave.”

Jeonghan is about to speak again but he hears sobs.

Seungcheol eyes you in horror as he watches you sob hysterically. Your eyes are red, nose flaring.

“Why don't you understand, Cheol?”, you choke, struggling to speak but do nonetheless, “Do I really need to spell it out for you!!”

Jeonghan shrieks on the other side, this wasn't on the card.

“Calm down Y/N.”, Seungcheol hesitantly holds your hands.

A second later he's about to turn to grab water for you but freezes.

“I like you, Choi Seungcheol! I really like you, a lot.”

Seungcheol's shaky hands somehow manage to grab your face, his eyes searching for yours, “Do you mean it?”

You scoff internally.

“Do I look like I'm joking?”, you say wiping your tears.

He observes you for a moment then you're being pulled into his embrace. Your lips curl up instantly.

Good for you, your tears flow as swiftly as your lies.

→ Do not copy, re-post, translate, or share any of my works on other platforms! All stories are copyrighted, joonsytip. ©️

[snoopyrpc]

CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT ACTIVITIES FOR WHEN I FEEL STUCK OR BORED. most people, myself included, are prone to writer's block, and while this can be an extremely frustrating process to get to, i try to use this as an opportunity to approach it in a fun way. i thought i'd share some of my favourite activities that might be of use to other people.

create a movie library. if your muse is someone who likes movies, make a list of their favourites on letterboxd or imdb, or even serializd for those that prefer tv. you can make lists for ones they've seen and enjoyed or haven't seen but would like. i use letterboxd for this quite a bit and sometimes even add some notes within my lists detailing my muse's thoughts and reviews of the movies.

make a sideblog. i know that many people do this already, but aesthetic sideblog for your character can be extremely helpful and fun to maintain. you can build these however you like! i like to use mine to post photos that my muse would like, faceclaim content, playlists and songs, ships/dynamics inspo, headcanons, silly text posts, and a variety of other things. if you're unsure where to look for content you can post on your sideblogs, @museinspo has a variety of things for many types of characters and is a really helpful place to start. they have a great detailed tagging system to make it easier to find content best suited to your muse. some tags that you can also look through could be #character inspo, #ship inspo, and #muse inspo.

play a barbie dress up game. most people who know me can attest to how much i love this — building a closet for my characters' style. every muse is different, so this can be a fun exploration activity. pinterest is a frequently used resource, but what i like to do most often is browse resale websites like depop or poshmark because i like the variety of styles and the fact that you can find some things you might not see in every store! i have many muses who like to wear silly graphic t-shirts, handmade, vintage, and eclectic styles, so this tends to be the best place to search. you can also do this with any website that sells styles you like for your muse. i like to think of this as a dress up barbie game since that helps me maintain the fun aspect of it all.

build and decorate a barbie dreamhouse. on the topic of barbies, you can do the same activity with furniture, homewares, trinkets, toys, art and decor. build your muse their barbie dreamhouse, fill it with things they would collect and feel at home with. browse furniture websites. ikea, crate and barrel, pottery barn, anthropologie, and west elm are all great places to look for ideas. if you really want to get into it, architectural design (i particularly like this article listing recommendations for furniture retailers) and dezeen (has the added bonus of being able to search for things based on location, if you're looking for example of interior design specific to your muse's city of residence) have extensive articles on both exterior and interior design. etsy is also a great place to look for antiques, vintage style, and more eclectic items.

feed them. if your muse is a foodie or likes to cook, come up with a menu for them. read food blogs and restaurant menus, think of what they'd like if they went out for dinner or what they'd cook at home. i will sometimes make up an imaginary dinner party for muses when its applicable and plan out what they'd like to serve or be served in that situation. food can be a great way to get to know your muse because it can tell you so much about their personal tastes, their current lifestyle, and their cultural background. while food is something that is prevalent in everyone's life, different people will have different approaches to it. this can be especially fun if you look at the menus for restaurants and shops local to your muse's area! read about what's popular in their neighborhood, take the specifics of that culture into consideration.

consider history. think about the time and place in which your character was born and raised in. how would things like pop culture, trends, media, neighborhood, and society affect them? this will differ with every character's upbringing and background, so take all that into consideration as you explore resources. for example, say that your muse is inspired by something like punk subcultures in the 1990s. what music, movies, and clothing styles would have been prevalent at the time? try looking into the history of the underground scene, you can even look further back than that particular decade to understand its roots and how the subculture go to that present moment. how would current events of the time affect what's being put out there and how would the changes within the world cause your character to evolve in their mindset or interests?

study movement. often times we study physicality in terms of what the character looks like as a static image (their hair colour, face shape, clothing, etc) and less about what it looks like when they look like when they are in movement. consider things like their gait, posture, facial expressions, or even specific tics. how do they move when they're on the go and in a rush, compared to when they're confined to a room? how do they position themselves in a bed or on a couch? what does their face tell you about them when they speak? what does it not tell you? a lot of behavior and emotion is not limited to dialogue, but rather how a person composes themselves through body language. you can learn so much about someone by being observant of them even without dialogue. it can be helpful to watch videos or movies and study an actor's movements with all this in mind. i often find myself watching videos with the sound off, just to pay closer attention to body language and try to understand what they are saying without verbal communication.

feel free to reblog if any of this is helpful to you. i maintain the belief that roleplay should always be fun and the best way for me to do that is to treat it like a barbie game. remember that not all character development revolves solely around written words, but rather the environment and details you put into them.

[system-of-a-feather]

Re-establishing Baseline Plan

Since moving, I've (completely understandably and expectedly) had my baseline kinda fucked (did not help by with financial stress + job incompatibility + ear infection + really bad post ear infection cold + probable norovirus in literally one month) and so I've been really overloaded, stressed, and just in a place of mostly survival mode where most of my energy is focused on maintaining my mental and physical state in the easiest manners possible

I have been holding up well all things considered and have set up for a probably more compatible job + my fiance has managed to get a job again that he feels will probably work out well for him and I have at least like a week off between jobs to reorientate myself

So to take a good and active effort to make the best of this time, I want to make a plan to set myself up for success. I actually do this every so often when I really need to pick myself up (historically Lucille would usually do it but pros of being basically fully integrated is that I am Lucille as well as me) and I figured it would be a neat thing to display and demonstrate here cause I'd end up making it *anyways* so why not share with the class

If anyone likes this, yall can borrow it ^^

-----

Question One: What current coping skills and hobbies am I currently doing and trying with my time? Are they affective and would I like to change them?

Art, Drawing, Character Design, Art Fight Prep, Story Planning and Writing

This is one of the easiest and most reliable positive coping mechanisms and has gotten me through the majority of the month mostly on it's own. Compared to other coping mechanisms, this one is almost always something I can drag myself to do or at least ask someone to supervise me to make sure I do it when I feel I need some sort of self care. It serves greatly as an alternative when I find that I am doing maladaptive coping that I would rather not do and when in doubt, it has access to some level of social engagement should I feel I need that. With that being said, having relied largely on this for a month, this is suffering diminishing returns and starting to lead to general lack of inspiration and so diversification from this coping mechanism would be ideal

Weekend Gym Trips

This is actually a really good way for me to release energy, give myself space and time to think, and just feel better moving and existing in my body. It also mandates time for me to listen to music and serves a meditative purpose. That said, I have only been doing this on Saturdays and only once on Sunday and I would like to expand that to be at least 3 times a week or at least more spaced out.

Reading Semi Regularly

This is a new habit and coping I picked up and its actually really good! It provides a unique sense of calm when I need it. Unfortunately I've started to drop off the past week due to general stress and illness, so I think its important to return to this. Perhaps set a general goal of "every other day" rather than every day to lessen the pressure.

Video Games

This was helpful but lately I have been not motivated to play anything and I believe its been burnt out. I think it would be good to resume this but it is currently impractical to force at the moment until overall wellness has returned.

TV with Boy

This is helpful but unforunately nothing seems to interest either of us to watch right now. (cri life is hard /lh)

Board Games with Boy

This is a new one and has actually been very nice. That said, it isn't always available and dependent on my fiance's ability to have the energy, time and interest to play them, particularly since I know he is less interested in board games than me. It is good to maintain the interest and offer, but not a coping skill to become reliant on.

Question Two: What sorts of things that I am currently not doing do I know tend to define behaviors, habits, hobbies, and interests that are done when I am out of survival mode and genuinely enjoying life?

Regular Birding, Particularly with Peers

Interest in watching anything on my own, youtube, TV shows, etc

Engagement in Music, Particularly my Musical Instruments

Engagement in Exploration and just independent travels without individuals

Engagement and interest in occasionally reaching out to Buddhist environments

Producing art work for the story that is more developed and inspired rather than "quick" or "reference" focused - actually focusing on the creative and artistic expression rather than the practical expression

Increased social circle communication irl beyond my online bestie, fiance, and online friend group chat; reaching out to individuals and developing new irl friendships

Question Three: Which of those hobbies do I think could be the most reasonable and easy to meet sooner than later (even better if I can make steps to start that right now / today)? In what ways could I make steps to make those first changes and help set myself up for success on expanding my engagement with life beyond survival mode?

Interest in watching anything on my own, youtube, TV shows, etc

While I am not extensively motivated in any manner to watch anything in particular, I am starting to randomly get a lot of bleach related stuff on my youtube and I have been meaning to watch TYBW arc. I have been postponing it because of arbitrary "I wanna read the manga first" and just general other excuses, but realistically those are putting up barriers that I may not get to at this rate and currently I could just use something I'm somewhat interested in to give me some independent relaxing engagement. I think I can set the goal of actually watching Bleach TYBW at least an episode a day starting either today or tomorrow and see if that can bring a momentum and habit into actually being able to watch things that interest me on my own.

Engagement in Music, Particularly my Musical Instruments

I can probably actually take my violin back out. The guitar would probably be better but for whatever reason I feel that my brain thinks that would require more - for a lack of better word - work, so I think I can at least try to find time this week to at least play a little bit of my violin.

Regular Birding, Particularly with Peers + "increased social irl connection [...]"

I can reach out and text my new irl birding connections to see if they are interested; if not I can at least plan to take a birding trip later

Engagement in Buddhist Stuff

I know there is an area I've been thinking of visiting that has free english services on Tuesday, I can make plans to go there that day, particularly since my Fiance should be working for the first day then anyways.

Question Four: What are additional goals and check points that we would like to try to bring us closer to the life style that we know tends to support a thriving mental state and life satisfaction rather than one of survival?

Independent Travels

During the time I have, I can keep in mind this goal and if I have down time think of potentially interesting and alternative places to go to explore; additionally I can plan birding trips to places I have not yet checked out.

Increased Social IRL Connection

It is dependent on if my now-ex-coworker still is interested, but I can follow up and see if we want to still play board games; if not I think potential more ways to reach out will be more viable to plan once a higher level of baseline is established; potentially see if there are any in person DnD groups around that I could make a habit of going to or any martial art dojos that we can afford

More Inspired Art

I think this is something that will come with time between lessening the burn out of my current art-as-a-coping mechanism goal as well as actually engaging in more media and independent interests as to gain more inspiration.

Question Five: Summarize the Key Points and Plans Discussed in This into a Bullet Points of Take Aways

Modifying Current Coping:

Diversify and lean off of using art as a main coping mechanism; give that one a break

Attempt to go to the gym more frequently or at least space it out more throughout the week

Continue reading; lessen the ideal to every other day in case demand pressure is adversely affecting it

Keep an open interest in playing board games with fiance

Changes I Want To Make Soon:

Start watching Bleach TYBW w/ at least one episode a day

Bring out my violin and try to at least play with it for one hour this week

Reach out to new bird peers to see if they want to plan a birding trip sometime, if not then plan one independently

Make plans to go to that place on Tuesday for the open Buddhist service

Changes to Keep an Eye Out For:

Opportunities to go somewhere new randomly for no particular reason or goal in mind other than to just see whats around us

Spoons and time availability to see out places to expand our irl social circles

Inspiration for art in general

Question Six: Set for Regular Follow Ups to Check Progress

Isn't tumblr's queue / schedule function super neat for this

[dayseedrawz2]

Someone gave me the prompt of Caine and Pomni Ice skating on the digital lake. I'm not exactly sure how to go with this one, but it's worth a shot!

Skating - Showtime (C×P) One-shot!

Requested by: @marvosa-yroz

[ASKS/REQUESTS: OPEN]

☆Caine☆

♧Pomni♧

Tha day started off normal. Caine rallied up all the players for the adventure

☆Good morning, superstars! Who's ready for today's show?!☆

His enthusiastic tone was followed by awkward silence

☆Wonderful!! Let's take a look at the agenda for today!!☆

Snap! Caine teleported everyone out to the lake

☆Since this so-called "winter" is coming to a close, I thought I'd make today's adventure just for the occasion!☆

With another snap, the lake was frozen over and surrounded by railings and a gate in front, and the cast was all given ice skates

☆Today's adventure is ice skating!! The rules are simple! Get into pairs, and have a blast! But watch out for thin spots! Bubble and I will be here to supervise! Have fun!☆

Then off Caine went. Outside of bounds, leaving the others to their own devices.

Most of the cast found partners to skate woth. Gangle with Zooble, Ragatha was with Jax (unfortunately), and Kinger brought a picture of... someone from his room leaving Pomni by herself.

She didn't mind. At least - not that much... I mean, what else was she gonna do? Partner up with kinger? He seemed content with his current "partner." She didn't really have a choice other than to lean on the rail and watch the others. Better than making a fool of herself! Still... she couldn't help but feel lonely...

Caine was on the other side of the lake watching the others from outside the arena. But he couldn't help but glance over at Pomni. One of his members was partner-less?? Now, we can't have that!! So he hesitantly took initiative

☆Hiya Pomni!!☆

The Jester was caught off guard

♧GAH!!! oh... It's you...♧

☆...Pomni, why aren't you with the others?☆

♧Well, for starters, I don't have anyone to skate with... not that I wanted to anyway.♧

☆Oh, come on now, who doesn't like to skate? I hear it's a very popular activity for humans around this season! Besides, I've been working very endlessly on getting the physics to be just right!☆

♧How would you know? It's not like I'd remember how to skate, let alone I'd I ever did. Whatever... it's fine. I'll just stay here.♧

The Ringmaster could tell something was definitely wrong. Not like he'd know exactly what or how to fix it. But may as well do what he could!

☆...Well, I suppose this is a first for the both of us!☆

With a snap of his fingers, he acquired a pair of skates of his own

♧Wh-what are you do-WOAH-♧

Caine took her by the hand and dragged her towards the center of the lake.

☆I don't usually do this, but I couldn't stand to see you miss out on this adventure! Consider this a small prize for your participation! Or... lack thereof...☆

Pomni continued the conversation while still trying to maintain her balance

♧ I can certainly tell... W-well, thanks, I guess...♧

They continued to skate together for the rest of the adventure. Not very well, but hey, they only fell like once... maybe twice.

Maybe this place wasn't so lonely after all...

OH MY WORD FINALY IM DONE IM SORRY THIS TOOK FOREVER I WAS HAVING TROUBLE BRAINSTORMING-

Thanks again for the request!!

[tokiro07]

Redid the character sorter without copping out with "I like both" or "no opinion" and with the recent revelation that Gina is my current favorite (until someone else gets development that shoots them up to the top)

Gina, obviously

Fuuko. She's easily the best female protagonist, and even one of the best protagonists period that I've ever seen in Jump, so gun to my head, I couldn't really say I like anyone else more than her right now

Andy, obviously right behind Fuuko

Isshin/Haruka. I realized that my insistence that Isshin is my favorite came pretty much entirely from the shock value of the reveal of her design, and while her personality and development have been pretty solid so far, she hasn't gotten to do as much as I'd like her to while other characters have continued to evolve. Right now, she's as high as she is out of fondness, but I have to accept that she can continue to fall down the ranks if she doesn't get a killer scene soon

Feng. The amount of growth and change he had since the first half of the series was so phenomenal that I can't help loving this guy, and the realization that there's still room for him to grow more makes him an easy top 5

Sean. Similar to Feng, except he seems to have done most of his development already. The gap also wasn't as huge since he was barely present in the first place, but the flip from being absolutely unlikable to one of my favorites can't be understated

Anno Un. Similar to Isshin, Anno Un's lack of involvement in the story has made it difficult for me to maintain my enthusiasm for the character that I initially had. The small part of the story that he's actually involved in is great, certainly enough to hold him in the top 10, but there's a lot of room for other characters to overtake him

Billy

Nico. Honestly could have gone either way between him and Billy, I think right now it's just that Billy's arc is more interesting, but Nico has plenty of room to climb the ranks

Rip

Latla, right behind Rip of course, but she could have jumped above him easily

Julia

Tatiana

Juiz. Not sure how Juiz fell below Julia. It never asked me to pit them against each other, I think it might be because it pitted them both against Tatiana? Funny how that works, I like Tatiana more than Juiz, Juiz more than Julia, but Julia more than Tatiana? I guess my criteria for comparing them was different

Shen

Void. Huge jump from last time, this feels a lot more appropriate for him

Mui. I do feel like she should be above Void, though, but it's close enough that I'm not worried about it

Phil. Baby boy, baby

Top. I expect his stocks to rise with the current arc, but I'm still not super attached

Victor. He's lower than I think he should be this time given how interesting his story is, but I think the criteria I was going with may have hampered his chances (I was going for a "sparks joy" metric)

Chikara. I actively tried to make him higher than last time by remembering his character arc and not just considering how little I care for his design (he's a bit too plain for me)

Yusai. Everyone past this point has so little development that it almost completely came down to either how cute/pretty they were or how funny they were, and Yusai's pretty and silly

Creed. Not cute or funny, but he's pretty cool

Tella. Pretty boy, strong yaoi energy with Billy, needs more screen time

Bunny. Baby girl, baby

Ichico. Pretty lady, fun dynamic with Nico, but hasn't done quite enough on her own to stick out in my mind as a character

Enjin. Nice short arc, but I think we need more of him to really endear me to him

Kururu. I expect her to rocket up once we get to know her better, but for now, her lack of characterization and screen time holds her back

Ruin. Does not spark joy, deserves to be down at the bottom until he pulls a Feng and becomes the number one Fuuko simp, then he'll probably jump to at least top 15

[akihabaradivision]

Keiko's Thoughts on Party of Words

Otome Tohoten

"Otome-sama, the Prime Minister of Japan, and my current Commander and leader. I truly do value and appreciate everything that she's done for me since joining the Party of Words. She was the once who financed and helped me to create my manga, Yashin-ka no aka (Red of the Ambitious). I consider her something akin to a... 'mother figure'." Keiko then looks away, mumbling under her breathe. "She's certainly steps above that woman that actually gave birth to me." She then looks back to the camera.

"As stated, Otome-sama is a revolutionary person. I will admit, some of her decisions and choices, I don't fully understand. Some have even made me question just exactly what is going on inside her head. But I suppose that is why she is the Prime Minister, and I am not. Her plans and ideas are another spectrum and it's not my place to question them. I just have to maintain hope that everything she is doing is all for the good of Chuohku and Japan. I've no doubt that they are."

Ichijiku Kadenokoji

"Ichijiku-sama, the Deputy Prime Minister, and the second most-powerful person in Chuohku and Japan, after Otome-sama. I see more of her than I do Otome-sama. Of course, that's no surprise since Otome-sama is often busy in meetings and with her duties as the Prime Minister. Whenever she is absent, Ichijiku-sama often takes over. She is a true loyal servant to both Chuohku and Otome-sama. I've seen for myself how often the Prime Minister relies on her.

"...I have to admit, when I first met her, I was worried that she'd be the type of woman who would abuse her power or position. But thankfully, she's not like that at all. Though she often demands much from us, it's simply because she knows we can do better for Chuohku and the Prime Minister. And I agree with her wholeheartedly.

"One thing I will say about Ichijiku-sama, however, is that I often have to worry about her misandry. It's no secret that she hates all men, or doesn't hold them in the highest regard. I don't think she'd shed a tear if all the men in the world suddenly just vanished! From what I heard and read about her, apparently Ichijiku-sama's younger sister and best friend were both killed by a corrupt male pale politician. I can understand how she feels. I'm an only child, but if someone killed one of my best friends, I'd have reason to hate them too. But still, I hope that someday she can see that not all men are as evil and devious as she believes."

Nemu Aohitsugi

"Nemu-san, the one that I currently work under as her secretary and assistant. Even though I'm older than her, I still consider her above me, and therefore, give her the respect that she deserves. Working under her is a blessing and one that I don't take for granted. She takes her role as the Vice Chief of the Administrative Inspection Bureau seriously, and often has me come alongside her whenever we are investigating any suspicious activity. In a sense, I guess you call us Japan's 'GAO' (Government Accountability Office). Without revealing too much on-screen, we receive complaints, opinions, and requests from the public regarding government action and offer mediation necessary for their resolution. We also periodically deal with big-time problems, like the Yakuza.

"...Speaking of the Yakuza, I still find it hard to believe that a woman like Nemu-san is actually related to Samatoki from Yokohama. I remember after our failed attempt to arrest her brother, Nemu-san was dismissed from work for a week while she recovered. Ichijiku-sama chastised us both for doing that without her or Otome-sama's permission. Still, despite who she is or isn't related to, I still value and follow after Nemu-san. And if she ever needs my assistance, she only has to ask."

[xtruss]

El Hierro: How The Youngest Canary Island Escaped Mass Tourism

While Protests Against Mass Tourism Rage on Neighbouring Islands, El Hierro – The Wildest and Most Westerly of The Canary Islands – Has Quietly Chosen To Do Things Very Differently.

— Sarah Gilbert | Monday 26 August 2024

El Hierro is Located Around 500km Off the West Coast of Africa (Credit: Getty Images)

I had only been hiking for two hours but already I'd passed through a fairy-tale forest of ancient laurels, trunks wrapped in velvety moss and branches dripping with lichen, walked along trails flanked with luxuriant ferns and reached the black ash slopes of a volcanic caldera. Now, before me was yet another scene of jaw-dropping natural beauty: the vast amphitheatre of El Golfo, whose brooding cliffs loomed over a fertile plain and craggy coastline lashed by white-tipped turquoise waves. It was one of the most wild and beautiful places I'd ever seen.

I was in El Hierro, a heart-shaped rock formation off the west coast of Africa that's the youngest, most westerly and second smallest of the Canary Islands. The island emerged from the Atlantic Ocean around 1.2 million years ago following millennia of violent undersea volcanic eruptions, creating a wild landscape of fertile valleys that yield to evergreen forests, sky-high cliffs, volcanic cones and lunar-like badlands.

But what's especially distinctive about this tiny isle is that in a year when protests have raged against mass tourism on neighbouring islands and other regions of Spain, El Hierro has chosen to do things very differently.

El Hierro's population hovers around just 11,000, and its dramatic topography doesn't lend itself to sprawling resorts or skyscrapers. In addition, the island has no direct flights from outside the archipelago, which means it receives only a handful of visitors compared to its neighbours – approximately 20,300 visitors in 2023, while Tenerife, the largest Canary Island, saw more than 6.57 million.

The Island is home to Natural Volcanic Rock Pools protected from the powerful ocean currents (Credit: Getty Images)

During my visit, I zigzagged up and down vertigo-inducing volcanic stone paths and trekked through forests of soaring Canary pines, fields of fiery red poppies and past plots of pineapples. And I crunched over black lava sprinkled with vivid green succulents then swam in a luminous-blue natural rock pool – all with barely another soul in sight.

El Hierro's aim was always to grow visitor numbers gradually. The forward-thinking island has been committed to a wide-ranging sustainable development plan since 1997, including creating museums and visitor centres (there are seven now) that promote its culture and traditions, focussing on activities with limited environment impact and improving the island's infrastructure while preserving nature (it didn't get its first paved road until 1962 and there's famously only one traffic light).

"We want to increase tourism and continue to improve the island's standard of living, but not to the detriment of the residents' quality of life or the island's natural resources," said Davinia Suárez Armas, island director of tourism and transport. "We prefer to maintain our culture and share our quiet way of life with visitors."

The landscape here changes as quickly as the weather; you can travel from the sun-baked southern coast through barren volcanic badlands and sun-dappled forest, arriving at its diminutive mist-shrouded mountain capital, Valverde, in less than an hour. The island has a multitude of microclimates as well as more than 100 endemic species of flora and fauna, including the critically endangered El Hierro giant lizard, leading Unesco to declare the entire island and a large area of its waters a Biosphere Reserve in 2000 and a Geopark in 2014.

Valverde is the only Canarian Capital not located by the sea (Credit: Getty Images)

There are several striking beaches – the black-pebble Timijiraque on the east coast, the red-hued Playa del Verodal on the west, and the white-sand Arenas Blancas at the western tip of El Golfo – but the island is better suited for those who want to get active, rather than fly-and-flop.

I took a white-knuckle drive up a series of hair-raising hairpin bends to reach La Dehesa, a windswept high pasture of hardy shrubs, sculptural volcanic stone and El Sabinar, the most famous of a group of ancient juniper trees in the area. A symbol of the island's resilience, their branches swept the ground and the tortured trunks were twisted and bent by centuries of savage trade winds.

Self-sufficiency and sustainability go hand-in-hand with life on a remote isle, and it's been in the islanders' DNA since the first settlers, the Bimbaches, arrived from North Africa around 120 CE. They survived by farming, fishing and foraging, and discovering an ingenious way to collect fresh water – a challenge on an island without rivers or natural lakes.

The tale of the Árbol Garoé, a sacred tree that supplied the Bimbaches with all the water they needed, is rooted in herreño legend, and I discovered how every drop of water counts along the Ruta del Agua (Water Route), a 16km circular trail that begins in El Hierro's highest village, San Andrés.

In El Sabinar, Gnarled wild Juniper Trees have been blown into surreal shapes by fierce trade winds (Credit: El Hierro Tourist Board)

The island's history is plagued by devastating droughts that led to mass emigration as far afield as Venezuela, most recently in the mid-20th Century, and this route signposts everything water-related from Los Dornajos (aged wooden water tanks) to dams and divine intervention. The Virgen de los Reyes, the island's patron saint, is said to have ended the drought of 1741, and is celebrated every four years during the Bajada de la Virgen, a month-long, island-wide fiesta.

As I hiked through mist-wreathed pastures to the Árbol Garoé's moss-lined mountain grotto, the ground squelched underfoot, and my clothes and hair became as damp as if it was raining.

"It's a phenomenon known on the island as 'horizontal rain'," explained my guide Enrica Baudino, co-founder of Atlantidea hiking company. "When the moisture-laden north-east trade winds hit the mountains, they are forced to rise, and when they cool, they create a mist that leaves tiny droplets of water on vegetation – and hikers. The Bimbaches built tanks underneath trees and bushes to collect the water."

At a high point on the route, between Valverde and Tiñor, I looked over Gorona del Viento, El Hierro's pioneering wind-pumped hydropower station. Inaugurated in June 2014 with five 60m-tall wind turbines, two water reservoirs, four hydraulic turbines and one pumping station, it takes advantage of the island's unique topography – combining intermittent wind power with water power to create a constant supply of electricity – to fulfil the island's long-held dream of meeting all its energy needs from renewables.

The island’s dramatic topography includes sheer cliffs, arid volcanic cones and evergreen forests (Credit: El Hierro Tourist Board)

Cristina Morales, Gorona del Viento's head of communications, explained how it works: "Surplus wind power pumps desalinated water from a coastal reservoir to the upper reservoir set in a natural volcanic crater 700m above sea level," she said. "When there's no wind, the water is released back to the lower reservoir where the hydraulic turbines generate any electricity shortfall."

And the island is hitting its goals. In August 2015, for the first time, the power station generated all the electricity on the island for four hours and it made history in 2023 when it became the only island in the world to operate solely on wind and water power for 24 consecutive days, saving 13,708 tons of CO2 emissions and 4,509 tons of diesel.

But the wind turbines are spinning less and less in the face of climate change.

“During September and October, We have a Period Known as the 'Calms of September' – A Time of Calm Seas, Pleasant Temperatures and Little Wind” — Cristina Morales

"Our production was lower in 2023 because we had a very long summer, with high temperatures and less wind. During September and October, we have a period known as the 'calms of September' – a time of calm seas, pleasant temperatures and little wind. Last year, they lasted almost until January," said Morales. "That's why we are working on implementing other energy sources, such as photovoltaics."

Orchilla was considered a prime meridian for early map makers, and was known as the western extremity of the known world (Credit: Getty Images)

This innovative island wants to be the first Spanish destination to achieve net zero emissions. "We're developing a climate action plan," Suárez told me. "The aim is to reduce emissions by 50% by 2030, and achieve zero emissions by 2050."

These are big ambitions for such a small isle, but its achievements in sustainability are being recognised. Gorona del Viento has long been a role model for renewable energy projects around the globe, and in September this year, El Hierro will be presented with the Canary Islands Tourism award for Sustainable Tourism Destination, thanks in part to its long-standing environmental policies.

"We want to continue to be pioneers," said Suárez, "not just in the Canary Islands but around the world."

That evening, I headed to Faro de Orchilla, a clifftop lighthouse ringed by rippling red-hued lava, and looked out onto the vast ocean. In the 2nd Century, Greek mathematician and astronomer Ptolemy put El Hierro on the map after declaring that the prime meridian was here at Orchilla, the westernmost point of the island that was – before Columbus set sail in 1492 – the limit of the known world. Longitude zero may have moved to Greenwich in 1884, but as I watched the setting sun streak the water pink and gold, I knew that El Hierro would never lose its wild, edge-of-the-world feel.

[esandcasg]

T Man's Exercise Routine, Spring 2024

OK, I guess I'll join the party!

Needless to say, parenting has made it very difficult to keep to a routine over the last few years. But actually, even prior to that I'd been on something of a downward spiral. Running has suffered...or, rather, felt like suffering...since about 37. I'm now 44!

My current working theory is multi-factored - yes, the aging process is largely to blame. But also, I think my non-exercise activity has been on a gradual decline as well. I don't think this helps at all. I used to go to the gym, go for walks, surf, and running too. Perhaps not every week, but that combination of activities I think just maintained a baseline of CV fitness. And also just general robustness of my muscles, tendons, ligaments, etc. I was doing something most days.

Nowadays, especially in the last 3+ years, there's been far too much sitting around waiting to get out. Probably exacerbated by not having nearby family to assist with childcare, and we certainly can't afford 9 to 5, 5 days a week. Lots of time spent not moving my limbs through full range, I think also plays a role as well. I find that we need some kind of low-level movement practices, going through full body movements, to prevent things from ceasing up - this certainly features in my sessions as an injury therapist, too. Some people take up yoga, others...whatever the f*ck gets it done!

So now I'm trying to get some sort of routine practices in place. One, preferably two runs (jogs?) each week. One session in the gym (cardio or strength - whichever I feel like on that day), and partial participation in one of my Saturday morning exercise classes. I also fit in some mobility/dynamic stretching bits and pieces wherever I can. I don't feel that I benefit much from static stretching, so it is more about simply taking the muscles, tendons, and limbs through big ranges of movement at very low intensity.

And actually, low intensity (or probably moderate) is key. Most of what I am doing is keeping away from regularly beasting myself. Those days are gone, for now at least. And actually, for the sake of longevity, that's really what's recommended. Quality of movement is paramount to me, and trying to move towards frequency before volume; and volume before intensity.

Yes, I do like the idea of a 10K in September - of course that's always on my mind. But really...we'll see. I just want to feel good, and feel like I am at least moving forwards a little. No need for pressure. I'll just do what I feel like, come August. And maybe I won't be able to gain any proper 'momentum' before T Boy starts school.

T Man

[writersfantacy]

AMBUSH PART 3

It was 4:45 in the morning, and the sun had yet to rise. The darkness enveloped everything; I had expected the soldiers to gather 15 minutes earlier than scheduled. Yet, I saw no one around. This was the designated meeting place. I sat under a tree, waiting for others to arrive, but it remained empty. It brought back memories of my training years—rising before everyone else, training before the captain woke up, running alongside the river. I was overwhelmed with emotions back then, not the seasoned person I am today, but a naive girl with grand dreams of serving my country. Those challenges molded me into who I am now. Checking the time again, it was indeed 5 am. 

I spotted a man watching me from a distant corner. Could he be a Rooke? Yet, he looked strangely familiar, resembling someone I know. Since everyone I know is currently against me, I have no desire to socialize. Closing my eyes, I leaned back against the tree. The sound of footsteps approached; it seemed people were finally arriving. A group of latecomers, and to think Adrik had the nerve to chide me for being late. The footsteps drew nearer, and suddenly, the scent of mud water filled the air. Realizing what was about to happen, I sprang up just as the mud water splashed where I had been sitting moments before—my reflexes had saved me. The audacity of these people!

I caught sight of a frail man, clutching a bucket—the very source of the water thrown at me. Next to him stood the observer, the man from the corner. I fixed him with a glare. 

"Sleeping on the training ground is not what I expected from a former commander; no wonder you don't stand a chance against our troops. Ms. Everlong, you've shown signs of incompetence, but I will let you go this time. Don't let it happen again." With that, the observer turned and walked away. This had to be Edward, the man I'd heard so much about.

"If I had been sleeping, wouldn't I be soaked with mud water?" I called out loudly, then looked at him. He turned back to face me, his gaze as vacant as mine. It seemed he had endured hardships similar to mine.

"I wasn't soaked, was I? Since you place such high hopes in your troops, I trust you'll shape me accordingly, Mr. Edward," I stated sarcastically. I noticed a small, amused smirk on his lips. This must be the first time someone had shown such confidence in front of him.

"Ms. Everlong, you are not in a position to argue; it would be wise to act accordingly. And indeed, I shall shape you. After all, a broken vase requires molding, or else it remains useless as it is," he said, and then he departed. How dramatically villainous that man is!

Eventually, everyone was summoned to assemble. I chose to stand at the very back, disinterested in listening to the "Thorned Sparrow." Next to me, a group of girls stood chatting. It's hard to believe such individuals are part of this serious profession. They were discussing someone; notably, one girl, a blonde, was the most vocal. She appeared to hail from a wealthy, perhaps even affluent, family. It seems I might witness nepotism as well. 

The Thorned Sparrow began his speech, and silence fell, his voice commanded attention. He started by detailing the rules and responsibilities expected of us all. He declared that Rotang's pride was synonymous with our pride, among other nonsensical statements. I could hardly equate the nation's pride with my own. I was eager for it to end. Just as he was concluding, he added, "And one more thing, sleeping on the training ground is prohibited." He likely sought me out to see my reaction, that malevolent man. I simply rolled my eyes and maintained my stance. Like I would listen. 

We were split into teams of five, and I ended up with the same girls I had seen gossiping earlier. What luck. Given my tough exterior, none of them attempted to speak to me; they might have been intimidated. Our schedule was structured as follows: physical activities were planned until 11 am, followed by a break from 11 am to 1 pm. Afterward, we had classes on political situations and tactics until 4 pm, another break from 4 to 6 pm, and then close-hand combat practice until 9 pm. 

The first half of my day went smoothly. Since I already had good stamina, I was still in good shape, while the rookies were already exhausted. As I was about to leave for my break, Edward stopped me.

"Where do you think you're going, Everlong? Who's going to clean up after your teammates? Teamwork is a must in this profession. These are the basics you ought to know," he said, with a smirk still playing on his lips that infuriated me the most.

So, as instructed, I cleaned up after my teammates. This man is trying his hardest to annoy me. Once I get the chance, I'll take it upon myself to deal with him personally.

............................................................................................................................................................

Upon seeing the food served here, I was reminded of the day I first acted out while eating such simple fare. I was incensed, questioning how they could serve a duke's daughter such food, and I lashed out at everyone. God, I was such a brat. Now, I am grateful to even have food during these hard times.

"Is this what I'm supposed to eat? Who dares to serve me such a pathetic excuse for food?" the same blonde shouted. I shouldn't judge, but she needs a reality check.

"Lisa, don't shout. If the commander hears you, he'll punish all of us," one of them said. Ah, so Lisa is her name, very classy.

"I don't care. Just wait until my father hears about this. How can they force me to eat this garbage?" she then looked at me for a sympathetic response but seeing me eat what she called 'this excuse of food,' she wrinkled her nose in disgust and continued her tirade.

"You woman, don't eat that; it's disgusting," she pointed at me, making a face. I was about to respond when Edward entered, prompting an internal eye roll from me.

"What seems to be the problem? Is the food not to your liking, Miss De Mare?" he asked in a deep voice. Oh, so now the so-called 'upholder of morals' is going to support nepotism. 

 P A T H E T I C

"Yes, it's garbage; I can't eat it," she said in a somewhat low voice.

Intimidated by the commander?  P A T H E T I C

"John," he called. The nervous-looking guy who had tried to drench me on Edward's orders came in.

"Don't give Ms. De Mare anything to eat until she eats this 'pathetic excuse for food,'" he said with a smirk. God, Why does he have to smirk so much?

"You can't do this to me, Edward! I will report this to my father," Lisa started yelling again. I was torn between focusing on the 'pathetic excuse for food' or the unfolding drama. I decided to focus on eating. The food was indeed unfit for consumption; it was like water, tasteless. I began to feel sympathy for Lisa.

"It's you who has a problem eating this; look at her," he pointed at me. Has he sworn to involve me in everything today? "Ms. Everlong is eating it as if it's her last meal. Be like her," he mocked me again. I glared at him.

He looked at me and smirked. I stood up and threw the plate into the bin. Lisa was stunned by the sudden agitation, as was everyone else, except for Mr. Edward.

"Indeed, this is unsuitable for consumption. It's not only tasteless but also devoid of any ingredients that could enhance the body's immunity. After rigorous practice, we certainly deserve something far superior," I declared, though I wasn't sure where this sudden anger came from.

"Hmm, so you have an issue with this as well? Then, John, make Miss Everlong eat another serving of this food. Miss Everlong, I warned you earlier not to say anything that could cause you harm," he said, waiting for my reply. Now that I've involved myself in this matter, I must fight.

"Then surely you must eat the same thing, don't you?" I asked

"That's not for you to know." he replied

"Why not? If our superiors aren't eating this, then why should we? I'm certain everyone is curious about what you eat, Mr. Edward," I thought, smirking internally.

"Yes, I want to know. If I'm expected to eat this, then you should too. Every superior should be made to eat it." Lisa said. 

And with that, the commotion began. Chaos erupted everywhere. I suddenly felt a sense of satisfaction. I realized one thing – if I could exploit the rift between superiors and inferiors, I could ascend.

[jcbbby]

A Chance Meeting

Heyo, this is my first time writing on here. Not sure if this is something I'll keep doing, but this was just an idea that popped in my head and I wanted to flesh it out a bit. Might be a two or three parter? I've set this in Boston, since that's where I'm at lol. Towards the end, it gets pretty rushed, sorry. I welcome any feedback!

Synopsis: By chance, you meet the person you've admired most from afar, Jamie Campbell Bower. By luck, a friendship blossoms. Or perhaps...more? Over the course of a whirlwind week, your wildest dreams start to become reality.

Warnings: None. Yet. Just like, a couple swear words.

Pt. 2 Here.

Pt. 3 Here.

-9am. Monday.-

Another day working at the museum. You had been working for a few years in the offices of the cultural institution. It was a very cool place to work, but you were working hard outside those walls on a different art form: your music; hoping for your big break one day. But that day was not today.

You shuffle your feet to your desk, bleary eyed with fatigue from your weekend playing shows at a couple bars around the city. You plop your backpack down at the floor and drop yourself into your chair to switch on your computer. You let out an audible sigh.

"Monday again, eh?" Allison, your coworker gives a pained smile.

"Indeed. How was your weekend?" You ask, mainly as a courtesy. You hadn't had coffee yet, and were not interested in conversing.

As Allison went over the activities she and her family and friends attended over the weekend. You half listened, as your mind wandered. She tended to go on and on anyway. You yawned as her story reached it's end.

"I'm gonna go grab a coffee, or three..." You stood up to head back out through the door.

Walking the streets of Boston on this sunny autumn day, you breathed in the crisp air as you glanced up at the clouds. Something about a cool breeze in the sun invigorated you, it filled you with the belief that good things were on their way to you. At least, you hoped.

You pushed open the door of the bustling Starbucks on the corner. Seeing how long the line was, you closed your eyes and sighed in annoyance. At least the soundtrack was good, currently playing "There is a Light that Never Goes Out" by the Smiths. You bobbed your head, singing quietly to yourself.

"This is a great tune, isn't it?" A warm, smooth, was it familiar? voice said from behind you in the line.

You turned, slightly embarrassed that anyone heard you. You see that the voice had come from a tall, blonde haired man in circular sunglasses. His facial features were sharp, cheek bones high, his jaw angular, a smile that lit the room. A face you would recognize anywhere, for you had seen it on screen so many times before. You inhaled sharply, an attempt to hold your breath harshly to maintain composure.

"Uh, y-yes. Awesome song." You smiled. You took a beat. "You um...sorry, you're Jamie Campbell Bower..." you said, trying to keep as cool as you could.

He smiled as he looked down and then quickly back up. "Guilty, and you are...?"

"Y/N" you answered, smiling back.

"Lovely to meet you." He offered a hand. You brought yours to meet his in a handshake.

"Sorry, I just...I'm a huge fan and...god, this is embarrassing to be doing in a Starbucks at 9am on a Monday." You snorted. "You know what, nevermind. It's just lovely to meet you as well." You smiled.

"Oh, no darling. No need to be embarrassed!" He grabbed your shoulder. "Believe me, there have been far more colorful interactions."

"I'm sure!" You chuckled as the line took a few steps forward. "So, what brings you to Boston? I have to say I'd never thought I'd just...run into you in my city. In a coffee shop."

"Oh, just some meetings really," he put his hands in his coat pockets "and I'm doing a photo shoot with a local photographer. Her schedule was a bit wonky so I've had to come here to her." His pocketed hands flared his coat outward as he gestured to the general area.

"How long are you here for?" you asked.

"Just a week. Have you got any recommendations for places I should check out while I'm here? I've been in the area once, for tour, but I didn't get to get out much aside from playing the gig."

The line moved a few more steps ahead. Your eyes went up to the left, as your head tilted to the right, scanning your brain for suggestions.

"Well, if you are into history, and there's obviously plenty of that here, you can do like, the Freedom Trail tour. If you wanted to find a nice place to go for a nice walk or run, personally, I recommend Castle Island. It used to be an old military fort centuries ago, and the fort is still there, but you can't go in. But it's a loop that goes out into the harbor and you can see planes coming in. I recommend going at sunset. It's just..." you sighed, "beautiful." you smiled. "It's one of my favorite places to just...be, I love it there."

He smiled back at you, his soft, plump lips parting to give way to gleaming teeth. "That does sound lovely!"

You were next in line to order now. You stepped up to the counter.

"Hi, what can I get started for you?" the barista asked, trying her best to be upbeat during this no doubt hellish morning rush.

"Good morning! Could I please get a venti cold brew with oat milk and vanilla?" You asked, pulling out your wallet. A ring-clad hand pushed it back down.

"It's on me, love." Jamie said, smiling.

"Oh, oh no, you don't have to do..." you stuttered.

"No, I don't, but I'd like to!" He held his smile, dipping his chin down towards his chest and tilting his eyes up at you.

"Well...o-okay. Thank you." you blushed.

He nodded, pulled his sunglasses to the top of his head, and stepped up to also order his coffee. A venti iced coffee, oat milk, and two pumps of caramel. He handed the barista his card to pay and gave his name for the order. When she handed the card back, he thanked her with a smile and told her to have a nice day. He held his arm in front of himself, gesturing you to walk in front of him over to the pick up counter. You smiled and nodded your head once, taking a step away from the counter, back towards the crowd by the pick up area.

"Thank you again," you said. "You really didn't have to!"

"Oh, don't worry about it. Thank YOU for your tourist suggestions." His eyebrows lifted, as his eyes held a look of genuine gratitude.

You nearly blushed. You had obviously seen his face before, in pictures, on camera. But in person, he was just beautiful. His pouty lips, deep ocean blue eyes, smooth skin. What on earth was his skin care routine?! You then had a thought.

"You know, another suggestion," you cleared your throat. "I actually work at the Museum of Fine Arts, around the corner. As a thanks for the coffee, I can get you in for free. I mean, if you have time, anyway."

His face lit up. "Really? Oh that would be so lovely! I haven't got anything going on at the moment, actually. Would I be able to pop over this morning?"

"Oh my god, totally! Yeah, right now would be a great time to go too. We're usually totally dead on Monday mornings, so it'd be like you have the whole place to yourself." You chuckled.

His brow furrowed. "Oh, you wouldn't be able to give me the tour?"

Your heart skipped. "You'd want me to show you around?"

"Well, I mean you are now my official Boston guide after all!" He joked.

"Two venti iceds for Jamie!" a barista called, setting down two drinks. Jamie looked up and went over to grab them.

He handed you yours. "So, I'll let you lead the way."

On the short walk back to the museum, you made small talk as you internally were losing your G-D mind over what was happening. Was this real? Was I still sleeping, waiting for my alarm to wake me up this Monday morning? How was I at such the right place at the right time. Why did he take to me so warmly and quickly? You were just a fan of his, and now you're about to have a museum date with him. Well, not a date... but one can dream.

You both walked up the stairs of the massive building that you knew very well. You walked up to the ticket desk ahead of Jamie.

"Hey Marsha!" You smiled at the ticket desk worker you had befriended over your years there. "This is Jamie, he's my guest for today. Could you print him one of my comps?"

"Oh totally. You got it, girl." Marsha said, clicking away on her computer.

Printing sounds soon followed. She handed you the small rectangle ticket. You thanked her with a salute that she also returned. You and Jamie walked up to the security guard who scanned tickets. You flashed your ID badge and reiterated that this was a guest of yours. The guard scanned the ticket and waved you both in.

"So, where do you recommend we start?" Jamie asked, looking around the rotunda and the pieces of art that lined it.

"We actually have a really cool Bosch exhibit on right now! My favorite is the Garden of Earthly Delights. It's so fucking weird." You laughed.

"I love weird, let's do it." Jamie smiled.

You laughed and beckoned him down one of the halls. You spent the next couple hours showing him around, relaying some historical facts about various paintings and artists you had learned here and there over your time working at the museum. He also shared some facts he knew as well. The whole time, it was like you were with an old friend. The organic chemistry and natural flow of your conversations and interactions. You almost forgot that he was a famous actor and rock star. For a couple hours, he was just...your new friend Jamie. You hadn't had such a good time at work in the longest time.

Standing in front of a Van Gogh, Jamie's pocket beeped and he pulled out his phone. He sighed as he looked at the screen, his eyes then looking up to you, twinged with disappointment.

"I've got to go, I'm afraid."

Your stomach sank. "O-oh. Well, duty calls, I suppose." You smiled sheepishly.

He placed a hand on your shoulder. "I've really enjoyed this, though. Thank you so much for taking the time out of your work day and showing me around. I really, really appreciate it." You could feel the warmth of his genuine gratitude.

"I've really enjoyed this too." You wondered if he could see the disappointment in your eyes too.

"Why don't I actually grab your number," he said. "You know, just in case I have any art questions while I'm here." He winked.

"Oooh, asking for my number." You smirked. He chuckled. "Yeah, for sure though. I got you on any art related emergencies." You winked and took his phone to enter your number and send yourself a text.

You walked him to the exit of the museum and he turned to you. "Thank you, again. This was really fun." He smiled.

"Thank you for the coffee." You smiled back.

He opened his arms for a hug, and you obliged. You were engulfed in his warmth. A tight, comforting hug, your head against his chest. He smelled intoxicating. A delicious cologne, mixed with a slight hint of cigarette smoke and mint.

You released each other and looked in the other's eyes. He nodded and you exchanged goodbyes. You watched him descend the step you had both walked up a couple hours prior. Watching him walked away, you stood in a daze, thinking back on the laughs you had shared. You wished you had told him how much he meant to you, how amazed you were by his talent, how much his music inspired you, how much his general outlook on life encouraged you. But perhaps that would have spoiled the time you shared. It was, after all, much nicer to spend the morning with this person who felt like an old friend, rather than the maybe 5 minutes you would have spent gawking at him in the coffee shop.

He disappeared from your line of vision as you turned to head back to your office. You checked the time on your phone. 11:23am. Shit, you thought. You fast walked back to your office.

"Oh you're alive." Allison said, monotone and not looking up from her computer. "Must have been a very large coffee."

You sat down at your desk. "Yeah. I uh, really, really enjoyed my coffee." You smirked up at her. She wouldn't believe you if you told her. Luckily, she didn't get paid enough to care about you wasting company time.

The rest of the work day, you found it so hard to focus. You checked your phone numerous times, hoping to maybe see "Jamie" pop up. But you knew he was busy doing work things, and in truth, you knew you likely wouldn't hear from him again.

-5:08pm. Monday.-

You waved goodbye to Marsha at the ticket desk as she closed up show, mouthing "thank you" to her, acknowledging the comp ticket she had given you earlier.

You walked outside, toward the train station to start your commute to your apartment. On the train, you glanced out the window as you stood, holding on to the silver poles placed throughout the crowded train. What a day it had been. The best Monday you had ever had.

As you approached the door of your apartment, you felt your pocket buzz. You took in a sharp breath, slowly reaching for the device. You had a text from Jamie. You blinked a few times, making sure your screen-saturated eyes were reading this correctly after hours staring into your work computer. Your eyes did not deceive you. You opened the text.

"Hey Y/N! I hope the rest of your day at work wasn't too bad. I thought I'd let you know that I'm interested in checking out that castle place you mentioned to catch the sunset. I thought maybe you'd like to join me if you're free? I remembered you did say it was one of your favorite spots. What do you think? x"

No way, you thought to yourself. He wanted to hang out again, in the same day? You leaned against the wall outside of your apartment as you went to formulate your response.

"Jamie! That sounds wonderful, actually. I would love to join. :)" You wrote back.

Three little dots popped up instantly. "Awesome. :) What is your address, love? I'll uber over and we can head there together. x"

You sent him the address to your apartment and finalized the timing. Hastily entering your overpriced studio apartment, you threw your bag down on your bed and rushed to freshen yourself up. You were so excited to be with Jamie again. He gave you a comfort you had never experienced with anyone else. Whatever that meant, you wanted to chase it. The idea of anything happening with him was not out of the realm of your imagination, he was gorgeous after all. But even if you ended up becoming true good friends from this chance encounter, that would mean the world to you.

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

End of part one! Let me know if you're interested in a part two. I don't think this is going to go beyond three parts. Things may get smutty too, as a warning... but uh... yeah lemme know what y'all are feeling! Thanks for reading. :)

[imekitty]

If you're interested, I'd have a suggestion for a DP oneshot: it takes place in a classroom, with only Danny and Paulina in it since they're retaking a test they failed. Unfortunately for Paulina, she still doesn't have a clue about the right answers; Danny, on the other hand, having spent a lot of time studying, knows exactly what to do and is almost done. But just as he's about to put his signature, Paulina walks up to him and sweetly asks him what he would like to do since there's still ...

So I know you sent more asks basically giving an entire outline from start to end. However, because I like more freedom when writing, I’ve decided to go with the premise of Danny and Paulina in detention together to get help for a failed test and create my own story. I encourage you to write your full idea yourself if you would like to see it! :)

----------

“Danny, why are you still here?” asked Sam as she shut her locker. “Lancer’s gonna be mad if you’re late for detention.”

Danny groaned. “You’re right. I’m going.”

“Good luck, dude,” said Tucker. “Text us when you’re done and we’ll meet you at Nasty Burger or something.”

Danny grumbled agreement and headed to Lancer’s classroom. Lancer gave him a dull stare from behind his desk as Danny reached the doorway.

But there was another student sitting at one of the front desks, a student who escalated Danny’s heartbeat.

“Paulina?” Danny stammered. “Am I interrupting something? Should I wait outside?”

“No, Mr. Fenton,” said Lancer. “Miss Sanchez also failed our most recent test, so I’m giving both of you some extra help.”

“Hi, Danny,” greeted Paulina, her voice sweet and sultry.

“Hi.” Danny felt stuck in the doorway but forced himself to walk into the room. “Sorry, I just didn’t expect to see you here.”

Paulina laughed. “Well, I can’t say the same about you. This is exactly where I’d expect to see you.”

Danny took a seat next to Paulina. “I don’t actually get detention that often, you know.”

“Yes, you do, Mr. Fenton,” said Lancer, turning to face the whiteboard and write notes with a fresh blue marker. “You currently hold the record for most detentions received in a semester.”

Danny blushed. Paulina giggled softly.

Lancer began drawling on about some poet who died but Danny could barely pay attention. Oh, he certainly tried, but being so close to the most beautiful girl in school was really hurting his concentration.

He stole glances at her out of the corner of his eye. And one time, he swore he could see her looking at him as well.

After lecturing for some time, Lancer assigned a few independent practice exercises from their textbook and disappeared out into the hall. Danny could hear the voice of another English teacher in the school and knew Lancer would likely be talking to her for a while.

Danny looked down at his textbook. He was supposed to answer questions about poetry devices or some other thing he still didn’t really get. He had no idea why English was such a pain in the ass. He definitely didn’t know why he had to learn all this crap about poetry, like when was that ever going to help him fight ghosts or do anything actually important?

His gaze travelled down the textbook page to his blank sheet of paper and then across and off his desk to Paulina, who was busy writing. She stopped when she caught him staring at her.

“Can I help you with something, Danny?” she asked, her tone snide but kind.

“Sorry.” Danny sucked his teeth. “So, um… You failed the test too, huh?”

Paulina breathed hard out her nose and sat back in her seat. “Yeah. I didn’t really have the time to study, you know? And I guess I didn’t realize it would be as hard as it was.”

“Didn’t have time to study?”

“Well, yeah. I mean, I’m not, like, stupid.” Paulina chuckled. “I could’ve passed if I just wasn’t so busy.”

“Busy with what?” asked Danny. “Do you and the A-List hang out a lot?”

“Sure, but that’s not what keeps me busy. Cheerleading, for one. We have to practice all the time, sometimes even in the morning. And the mornings we don’t practice, I’m still getting up early to get in a run and some exercise. I’m the cheerleading captain, you know. I have to keep everyone at their best and motivated. Every day, I’m working out choreography for new routines and figuring out new fundraising ideas.”

“Don’t you have a coach for that?”

“Yeah, of course, but I still do a lot. Cheerleading isn’t just some silly girls’ activity, you know.”

“I—I didn’t say it was—”

“I have to make sure everything and everyone is ready for practice.” Paulina pulled back a finger on one hand as she listed off responsibilities. “I have to text all the girls and let them know about changes in our practice schedule or upcoming events. If any of the girls aren’t getting along, I have to try to keep the peace as much as possible so that we’re still a team. I’m also the one greeting visiting cheer squads during games, making them feel welcome at our school.”

“I didn’t know you did all that,” said Danny.

“The coach manages our time and schedule and makes sure none of the girls are failing in their classes, things like that, but I’m the one really communicating with the girls, you know?” Paulina sighed. “But I wish that was all I had going on.”

“You’re busy with other things?”

“Yeah, being as popular as I am, I’m often being asked by teachers and student clubs to do things. Advertising stuff, endorsing student council candidates, making appearances, giving fashion advice for uniforms. And I never turn anyone down, I always say yes.” Paulina leaned back and looked at the ceiling. “Sometimes I wish I could just say no.”

“Why don’t you?” asked Danny.

“Because it’s expected of me. Being popular means doing things to maintain that popularity. If I start turning people down, they’re gonna think I’m a bitch, you know?”

“But you turn guys down for dates all the time.” Danny smiled and propped his elbow on his desk. “Me being one of them.”

Paulina also smiled. “Personal things like that are okay to turn down. I mean like anything to do with the school and clubs. Of course I can’t just date every guy who asks me out. Can’t give the impression I’m easy either.”

She looked ahead at the whiteboard, her smile vanishing.

“I do get a lot of guys asking me out,” said Paulina. “I know it’s just because I’m pretty. But looking this pretty all the time is work too. I have to eat right and watch my weight and exercise and spend half an hour each night on my skin care routine and an hour each morning on my hair and makeup and then touchups throughout the day. I never know when someone might take a picture of me and send it around. I can’t risk ever looking bad.”

“You have never looked bad,” said Danny. “Like ever.”

Paulina’s smile returned. “Thank you. That’s sweet.” She groaned and stretched out her arms. “But I tell you, Danny. I probably only get three to four hours of sleep a night. I’m running on coffee and energy drinks all day long. This detention is really cutting into my time, too. I’m probably gonna be up late finishing all my other homework.”

She continued to stretch. Danny normally might’ve enjoyed watching her but he was too struck by her words.

She only got three to four hours of sleep a night?

But… That was how much sleep he usually got a night.

And yet she looked amazing every day and he knew he was just a pale haunted mess with dark eyes.

“So what about you, Danny?”

Danny blinked. “Hmm?”

“Why did you fail this test?” asked Paulina.

“Oh. Um.” Danny looked up and to the right. “I was also too busy.”

“Oh, yeah?” Paulina tossed a piece of hair over her shoulder. “You do come to class late a lot. Do you have like some sort of astronomy club meeting in the morning?”

“Astronomy club?”

“Yeah, don’t you like space and stuff?”

“Oh. Yeah! I do. But I’m not in the astronomy club.”

“Really? I would think you’d be their president.” Paulina chuckled. “Well, are you in any school clubs, then?”

Danny thought about the meetings he had with Sam, Tucker, and sometimes Jazz about their ghost-fighting strategies. “Not school clubs, no.”

“Any extracurricular activities at all? I know you don’t play any sports.”

“No…”

Paulina pursed her lips. “Well, then what is it that keeps you too busy to study?”

Danny looked off to the side, humming softly to himself.

“I often see you with Sam and Tucker after school at the Nasty Burger. Or on Saturdays at the mall.”

Danny turned back to her. “Well, yeah, we like to hang out after school to wind down. Don’t you hang out with your friends? You don’t do all that work all the time, do you?”

“Yeah, of course! I’m actually scheduled to hang out with them right after detention.”

“Scheduled?”

“Yeah. It’s important to me to make time for my friends, so I often schedule it to make sure it happens.” She tapped open her calendar on her phone and showed it to him. “I even keep Saturday nights free for possible dates, see?”

Danny stared at the empty slot under Saturday and wondered if this was a hint and if she wanted him to ask her to go out on Saturday.

But no way was he about to risk embarrassing himself by asking.

“So do the three of you do something that keeps you too busy to study?” Paulina put her phone back in her lap. “You, Sam, and Tucker, I mean.”

Danny scratched through his mind, raking for something, anything that wasn’t the truth but also maybe not a complete lie. He couldn’t let Paulina think he was just lazy and hung out with his friends eating burgers or walking around the mall all day.

“We, uh… Yeah.” Danny pretended to cough. “We help my parents out with their research.”

“Research?” Paulina scrunched her mouth. “You mean, like, ghost stuff?”

Danny nodded. “We sometimes test out their inventions.”

“That sounds kind of dangerous. Is it?” Paulina narrowed her eyes, appearing to scrutinize him. “Is that why you so often have injuries? Like that bruise by your collarbone there?”

Danny hastily tugged at his shirt collar. “Oh. You noticed that?”

“Yeah. Of course. A lot of people notice you’re often sporting some new cut or bruise.”

“Oh. Well, that’s, uh—”

“I’ve even heard some teachers say they might need to call CPS.”

Danny’s stomach flopped. “What?”

“Yeah, I hear lots of things teachers say since I’m around the whole school a lot.” Paulina shrugged. “But I’ve noticed Sam and Tucker sometimes have injuries as well. So is it from helping your parents out with their ghost research?”

“No, it’s not like that!” said Danny quickly, almost panting with the effort. “We just sometimes test out their inventions, give feedback, strategize on how to catch certain ghosts. Just stuff like that, nothing huge.”

“Ooh, catch ghosts like the ghost boy?” Paulina’s tone changed to almost a squeal. She held her hands near her chest.

“Uh.” Danny swallowed. “Well—”

“If your parents do ever catch him, you must let me know, okay?”

“I—”

“Because then I can get the A-List together so we can find a way to rescue him!”

Danny stared at her. “You’d really do that?”

“Well, of course! The ghost boy has done so much for all of us. He even saved my life once, you know! I could never just let him be captured.” Paulina lowered her voice. “Oh, but please don’t tell your parents that.”

Danny slowly nodded, holding back a smile. “Oh, sure, I would never tell them that. You have my word.”

“Here. You should have my number.” Paulina ripped off a corner of her notebook paper and scribbled some numbers on it before handing it to him. “Call or text me if they ever catch him, okay? Please?”

Danny took the piece of paper from her, feeling like he was in some sort of trance. Did this just happen? Did Paulina Sanchez, the most gorgeous girl in all of Casper High, just give him her number? To her cell phone? Like her personal cell phone?

He very carefully folded and placed the paper in his pocket. “Sure, absolutely. I’ll definitely call you if they catch him.”

She smiled and hummed, such a cute sound that made his heart flitter. But then her smile faded when her gaze travelled to his collarbone. Danny casually raised his shoulder and pulled his arm across his body to cover the bruise.

“So.” Paulina’s pretty full lips smacked. “If those injuries you keep getting aren’t from helping your parents with their inventions, then where are they from?”

Danny could feel sweat forming behind his ears.

“I mean, you’re not really that clumsy, are you?” Paulina chuckled.

Danny also chuckled, not really sure why except that she was doing it and he had no idea what else to do because he couldn’t tell her the truth and yes he was clumsy but no not that clumsy but what else could he tell her?

What would protect his parents? What would protect him?

Her expression grew warier the longer he stayed quiet.

The classroom door opened. Danny and Paulina promptly faced forward and hunched over their desks.

“Sorry I was gone so long,” said Lancer as he reclaimed his spot at the head of the room. “How are you two understanding everything?”

Paulina looked up and smiled, a secret smile Danny could tell was meant for him even though she never once glanced in his direction. “I think we’re understanding just fine, Mr. Lancer.”

Lancer looked over her notebook page and nodded his approval. Danny had no idea why he even bothered to try covering his completely blank page when Lancer came to look over his work.

“Why am I not surprised,” muttered Lancer. He knelt beside Danny’s desk with a sigh. “All right, Mr. Fenton. Let’s do this first one together to get you started.”

Behind Lancer, Danny could see Paulina flash him a smirk before returning to her own work.

He had always thought he was just busier than other students, had more responsibilities and expectations than everyone else. But he didn’t even have extracurricular activities like most students. Ghost fighting was his extracurricular activity. And somehow Paulina and everyone else still managed to do okay so why couldn’t he?

Maybe he really wasn’t that different from other kids his age after all.

Lancer was trying to talk him through something. Paulina was still wearing a small smile as she did her own work.

Danny nodded to himself and focused. He could do this. He could be like everyone else.

[ohjjang]

BTS Live Interview KBS News9 2020.09.10

🐨 We're so happy to have completed our debut stage. We'll continue to do our best as BTS.

👥 Bangtan! Thank you! We'll do our best!

🐱 It's good to dream big, right? I'd like to be No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. I'd also like to be No. 1 on the Billboard 200.

🗣 The Billboard music award goes to... BTS!

(No. 1 on the Billboard Album Chart in 2018)

(No. 1 on the Billboard Single Chart in 2020)

(No. 1 for two weeks in a row in 2020)

🐥 We never expected it but we're so happy to hear that we made No. 1 on the Hot 100. We're all in awe. It's hard to express it in words.

📺 KBS News9

🐹 Hello. I'm BTS' worldwide handsome, Jin.

🐱 Hello, I'm BTS Suga.

🐥 Hello, I'm BTS Jimin.

🐨 Hello, I'm BTS RM. Nice to meet you.

🐿 Hello! I'm your hope, J-Hope.

🐯 Hello... Hello, I'm your hope, V.

🐰 Hello, I'm Jungkook.

👩🏻‍💼 I'm sure you were here for "Music Bank," but how do you feel being in the newsroom?

🐿 It's really cool here.

🐹 It's really solemn here. It has a serious vibe.

🐱 It's our first time in the newsroom.

🐨 I think this is the coolest place in KBS.

🐿 To be honest, it's quite fascinating.

👩🏻‍💼 Jimin, does it feel real yet?

🐥 Oh, it doesn't feel real. When something good like this happens, we should be meeting with the fans in person and hug, cry, and celebrate together. It's a shame because of the current situation. But it's an honor to be here on KBS. I hope the fans will be happy.

👩🏻‍💼 It's really difficult for a non-English speaking artist to enter the Hot 100, right?

👥 That's right.

👩🏻‍💼 Why do you think "Dynamite" was so successful? How was it able to have a universal appeal?

🐱 Well, the situation isn't good in Korea and overseas, right? So when we first came up with this song, we wanted to do what we're good at, what we were able to do, in order to provide strength for our fans. That was our biggest motivation. And fortunately, our fans really loved the song, which is what brought this amazing result. That's what I believe.

👩🏻‍💼 It's a really exciting and funky disco track. Did you choose that genre on purpose because things are so tough right now?

🐨 In these tough times... When you're feeling down and depressed, there are many ways to relieve that, right? We chose to go with our field of expertise. It's a disco-pop that everyone's familiar with. We wanted it to just be cheery. And we felt like we needed something that was hopeful. That's why we chose this genre.

👩🏻‍💼 Do you feel like you're world stars now? V, how do you feel?

🐯 First of all... It does feel more real than before. Friends of our families say that they're part of ARMY. And even many of our friends have become ARMY. We're really encouraged every time we hear that.

🐿 So many people cheered loudly for us when we entered the newsroom.

🐨 They congratulated us.

🐿 I think that makes us realize our popularity a little.

🐯 It makes us wonder how we are this popular.

🐱 It wasn't like this at "Music Bank."

👩🏻‍💼 From what I know, you had hard times in the beginning. I heard there were times when you'd go hungry.

🐹 Yes. Even for us... We used to catch fruit flies with a vacuum cleaner. We'd have rotten bananas that attracted lots of fruit flies. There were times we survived on chicken breasts. It's a relief that things worked out for us.

👩🏻‍💼 What has changed between then and now?

🐯 Our lunch boxes...

🐹 Back then, when we weren't earning much, there was a limit to what we could eat. But now we can eat whatever we want. We can have two slices of steak if we want. That's where we're at.

🐥 Our minds... I think we have more peace of mind. We felt rushed back then and felt we needed tenacity. But now, we can relax more.

👩🏻‍💼 Then what hasn't changed between then and now? Something you've kept all this time. Jungkook, what do you think?

🐰 We've changed a lot in terms of our appearances and personalities. But the one thing that hasn't changed is our love for the fans and our attitude towards music. I think that still remains true.

👩🏻‍💼 I'd say your teamwork hasn't changed either. This year is the 7th year for the 7 of you. Your album has "7" in the title as well. This would be impossible without teamwork.

👩🏻‍💼 Do you have a secret to your successful teamwork? Does the eldest keep everyone in line?

🐱 No, not at all.

👩🏻‍💼 Or perhaps the leader?

🐨 I think we all just really get along. I think that's how we maintain our positive teamwork. And if anything comes up, we always gather and have meetings. We're always trying to gather ideas for a positive outcome. I think that's why...

🐿 I think we respect each other and are considerate of each other. I think that's how we were able to get to this point.

🐨 I mention this comparison often. I believe we're all in the same boat facing different directions. The 7 of us grew up in different environments and we live life enjoying different things. It's impossible to be completely alike. But the fact that we're in the same boat. If we have that clearly in mind... And also, if we're too close, that can cause problems. So at times, we're like family and other times, we're like partners. We maintain an appropriate distance from each other to respect one another. I'd say that's the secret to our teamwork.

👩🏻‍💼 J-Hope, you mentioned May 18, the Gwangju Uprising in your lyrics. Suga, you've incorporated daechwita and gukak in your music too. Do those ideas come from your discussions? From sharing your feelings and thoughts?

🐿 That's right. Being able to tell the stories that we want to through music is in itself such a great honor as artists. In my case, I felt it was a part of history that we should never forget. And I thought it was good to express that through my music. Daechwita!

👩🏻‍💼 I'm sure all of your songs are precious. But is there a song that you particularly love? In particular?

🐱 "Dynamite."

🐨 "Dynamite"!

🐿 "Dynamite."

🐹 For me, it's "I NEED U." That's the first song that got us 1st place.

👩🏻‍💼 In western pop culture, it has been difficult for Asian artists to be in the spotlight. It was hard to be mainstream. But now you're right in the center and the entire world relates to you. What's your secret?

🐨 To be honest, I don't know if we're there yet. However, The Billboard Hot 100 is very symbolic. And being No. 1 for two weeks in a row is something we never expected. So I personally think... First off, the song "Dynamite" was probably more approachable because it broke down the language barrier. And as mentioned earlier, disco-pop is a familiar genre. Even for the older generation. So it's easy to listen to and at this point in time, it provides hope. It provides comfort through being simple and upbeat. I believe these factors played a big part. And more than anything, I'd say people are most curious about this. It's how we got this far. They ask us that a lot and are curious about it. But what I want to say is that we've been on the Billboard Charts since 2015. And I think we've been achieving milestones since. It's not like we had a set strategy from back then. We didn't calculate how to climb up the Billboard Charts. We were able to overcome the language barrier and other national and ethnic boundaries through the truths that we conveyed. That's what reached the many people and turned them into our fans. These things all came together and the resulting explosion was "Dynamite."

👩🏻‍💼 Don't you have ARMY to thank as well, Jimin?

🐥 We have so much to thank them for. Since the early days, I think we had a strong bond with the fans. Even when our team was really small, it's the same in our music and performances, I think it always felt like we were together. Even in this moment, we're so thankful. We want to quickly meet them and thank them in person.

👩🏻‍💼 I really studied a lot so I wouldn't get told off by ARMY. I noticed you always thank the fans whenever you receive an award. Just as Jimin said, you seem so close with the fans. Where does that tight relationship come from? Would you like to comment on that, V? That tight bond with ARMY.

🐯 First of all, it's because they were with us since the difficult times. That'd be the foremost reason. Also, our sad times, happy times, the times we were congratulated, everything was shared with ARMY. So the people that know us best are by far always ARMY.

👩🏻‍💼 To all the youths around the world that have to live with COVID-19. Is there a unique BTS challenge you can propose? (Jung Eungyeong) Who would like to answer that?

🐥 V? Since he has unique ideas.

🐨 Since you're so creative.

🐯 This is my personal opinion. Right now, there are so many things we can't do because of COVID-19. So once COVID-19 passes... Once it's completely over... Then what is... What is the very first thing you want to do? The thing you want to do the most. You could write that down or express it in some way. Perhaps draw it. That would be my challenge suggestion.

🐿 It's a dream challenge.

🐰 A dream challenge.

🐯 Dream challenge.

👩🏻‍💼 We're all spending so much time at home because of COVID-19. You guys are doing a lot of activities online. J-Hope, you made beaded wristbands. You made gimbap too. Is there anything else you'd like to try?

🐿 Yes, I did do many things, right? Well, I don't know. I'd like to do things that I haven't tried yet. I'm not very good with my hands. So I'd like to make a lot of things. For example, carving wood and making something pretty. I'd like to try a lot of those things. And share them with the fans.

👩🏻‍💼 I'm sure you have a lot more personal time now. I hear RM has started to work out. Jungkook is learning the guitar and Suga's learning to draw. What else are you guys doing?

🐱 After things became like this, we shared a lot of our daily lives through various platforms. So that's why we have new hobbies. In this day and age, I'd like to share and show more. I started learning the guitar recently too.

🐰 He's practicing really hard right now.

🐱 I really am. I'd like to continue sharing things like that.

🐥 We're working on our next album as well.

👩🏻‍💼 I hear you have a new album coming soon. Can you briefly tell us what it'll be like?

🐥 Actually... It's hard to say what the album will contain as of now. There are songs as good as "Dynamite" and some even better, so please look forward to it.

🐨 We already love it.

🐥 Also... It's great. After topping the Billboard Charts with "Dynamite," I thought that it would be awesome if the entire album could enter the Hot 100 😄

🐱 It's good to dream big.

🐥 It's always good to dream big. So I imagine that at times.

🐰 Our level of participation for this album is extremely high for each of our members.

👩🏻‍💼 Each of your albums have a unique message. Finding yourself, for example. What do you think the message will be for this album?

🐥 I think it'll contain a variety of messages. It's like... The things we feel whether that be sadness or joy. I think we added those raw emotions. I'll end the spoilers there.

🐨 Right now... It's like... BTS is just 7 young guys. Of course, we don't live your average normal life. But the sentiment we're feeling right now... And what we dare to believe that people need right now. We added songs that will satisfy that. So I just hope many people will listen to them. That's how I feel.

👩🏻‍💼 I have to ask Suga about your next objective. Everything Suga has said has come true. Is your next goal the Grammys?

🐱 Well, first off... Yes... I've been lucky, haven't I? I'd personally like to be nominated. Once you're nominated, you can perform a song at the Grammys. And so after we perform at the Grammys, if possible, It's only our wishful thinking but... I don't know if I can say this. But if we can win a Grammy... That would be so...

🐨 Of course, it's not up to us.

🐱 Yes, of course. But we can dream, right? It's okay for us to dream, right? That's our wish.

👩🏻‍💼 Please agree to be back if you win.

👥 Oh, of course!

🐨 It'd be an honor to be back here.

👩🏻‍💼 Then to end this interview, for the people that are struggling because of COVID-19. Whether that be ARMY or viewers all over the world. Could you say a word for them?

🐰 We mentioned the challenge earlier. I'm sure many people are going through hard times right now. It was really tough for us too. We had so many things scheduled but we couldn't do any of them. That's how serious it is right now. Many people are putting in the effort. And we're doing the best we can too. I hope you can find something within. I hope you find that silver lining so that you can find some kind of joy in this dark times. It's tough but I hope you fight on.

🐨 I have a heavy heart. I can't dare say that I understand those struggling right now. It's difficult for me to say that. To tell you about "Dynamite" from our circumstances, it would not have been born without COVID-19. So, I believe... I believe that with the bad, there's always the good. Though that could take a long time. At night, the shadows are long but the sun will surely rise. I know it's tough for so many people. But we'll do our very best so please stay hopeful. And I wish you all stay healthy. Thank you.

👥 We'll shout it out! 2, 3. Let's go!