#so I'm sure I'm missing out on a whole host of very rich and deep meanings and parallels and the like

[bookwyrminspiration]

AH QUIL i completely forgot i meant to respond to your response in entirety but the time has gotten away from me... genuinely did not mean to ignore it for so long haha! i appreciated it a lot!!! i love connecting with people through shared and similar experience!!!! (also i realize i thought i sent another ask or two but when i was writing it it was 3am and i have the vague memory of not sending at least one of them) and yeah! despite the differences it is weird and often difficult to look at all the places where your history has diverged from the root. it's so interesting to hear about your experiences with cultural connection and i mean it makes so much sense, too, in the context of the book: it's babel. i have been sitting around thinking about it since uhhh the day i sent that ask i think! i hadn't known a clue what it was about but now that i know it's about colonialism and language and translation etc etc.... it's a very fitting title like upon first look it took me a minute but then it kind of falls into context: colonialism and religion, the splitting of one language into hundreds of thousands of maybe-even-millions. it makes like absolute perfect sense dude i'm kind of like biting and growling about it. just a little. even though i haven't read the book yet! i was going to try to get ahold of it at the library but all the copies are checked out and there are over 30 holds T-T

No worries! I didn't even notice; I'm always forgetting to properly respond to things for embarrassing lengths of time.

I also love connecting with people, the solidarity and similarities that can be found even though the way we're affected is different. Like, you haven't been taught your language(s) by your parents (yet), mine doesn't know the language and so can't teach me, and yet the result is the same, which is that a language that otherwise would've been as natural to us as breathing is absent. And we can feel and grieve the absence.

It's very interesting to hear about your experiences as well--I know we're focusing on language, because it's Babel, but just in general. Your culture beyond language, both disconnect and what you are connected to. I love learning about others

And yes! The title is incredibly fitting! The dissection and tearing apart of language to its minutiae, the hubris. I must admit I don't know much about the story of Babel, just what I've anecdotally heard, so don't take my Tower of Babel commentary too deeply.

I've also been thinking of title in relation to babble. And the all to common comments on how other languages sound like "babble" and are ridiculous (read: foreign) and are therefore "lesser", and yet despite that belief (which is present in the story), it's so crucial to their world. It is a story about the power of that "babbling", how it's demeaned and condemned and yet their world quite literally cannot safely function without the language and translation powering it. It's a story about languages. That was actually the first connection I made with the title because i had completely forgotten the Tower of Babel was a mythologically important thing, so I figured I'd share. There is so much packed into that title!! Even just the word "babel" sans the additions (Babel: Or the Necessity of Violence: An Arcane History of the Oxford Translators' Revolution)

I hope you can get your hands on a copy soon! If I could lend you my family's copy I would, but alas </3

[cherryatiny]

𝑊𝑎𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒 - 𝑃.𝑆𝐻

⩥𝑃𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑖𝑛𝑔: 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑖𝑟𝑚𝑎𝑛!𝑃𝑎𝑟𝑘 𝑆𝑒𝑜𝑛𝑔ℎ𝑤𝑎 (𝐴𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑧) 𝑥 𝑠𝑜𝑝𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑜 𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔𝑒𝑟!𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑒𝑟

⩥𝐺𝑒𝑛𝑟𝑒: 𝑠𝑚𝑢𝑡, 𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑠𝑡, 𝑛𝑜𝑛-𝑖𝑑𝑜𝑙 𝐴𝑈

⩥𝑊𝑜𝑟𝑑 𝑐𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑡: 4,0𝑘

⩥𝑆𝑢𝑚𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑦: 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑠𝑎𝑦: „𝑌𝑜𝑢 𝑠ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑙𝑑𝑛’𝑡 𝑡𝑜𝑢𝑐ℎ 𝑜𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑟 𝑝𝑒𝑜𝑝𝑙𝑒’𝑠 𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑝𝑒𝑟𝑡𝑦“, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑡𝑤𝑜 𝑜𝑓 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑚 𝑗𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑓𝑜𝑢𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡 𝑖𝑚𝑝𝑜𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑏𝑙𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝑓𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑜𝑤 𝑡ℎ𝑖𝑠 𝑟𝑢𝑙𝑒…

⩥𝑊𝑎𝑟𝑛𝑖𝑛𝑔: 𝑎𝑑𝑢𝑙𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑦 & 𝑖𝑛𝑓𝑖𝑑𝑒𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑦, 𝑓𝑎𝑖𝑙𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑚𝑎𝑟𝑟𝑖𝑎𝑔𝑒, 𝑗𝑒𝑎𝑙𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑦, 𝑐𝑙𝑖𝑡 𝑝𝑙𝑎𝑦, 𝑒𝑥ℎ𝑖𝑏𝑖𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑖𝑠𝑚, 𝑜𝑟𝑎𝑙 (𝑓!𝑟𝑒𝑐𝑒𝑖𝑣𝑖𝑛𝑔), 𝑢𝑛𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑡𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑒𝑑 𝑠𝑒𝑥, 𝑠𝑙𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑟𝑡𝑦 𝑡𝑎𝑙𝑘

⩥𝐼𝑛𝑠𝑝𝑖𝑟𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛: 𝑆𝑜𝑜𝑗𝑖𝑛 & 𝐷𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑎𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑜𝑚 𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝑃𝑒𝑛𝑡ℎ𝑜𝑢𝑠𝑒: 𝑊𝑎𝑟 𝑖𝑛 𝑙𝑖𝑓𝑒

◤───────•~❉᯽❉~•───────◥

Being a resident of Hera Palace, a luxury apartment building with 100 floors in the middle of the city, had many advantages. Living around all those politicians, celebrities, businessmen and prominent doctors and lawyers, helped you develop a lot of precious contacts, that over time helped you become a part of the upper class and one of the world's best-known soprano singer and leading prima-donna all over the world. After a while of living there, you and your doctor husband Yoonchul became a part of the building's private club called Hera Club, consisting of four influential households that lived there. There was this little tradition that once a month, one of you hosted a dinner for the Hera Club at one of your places, where you could freely talk about anything regarding your life.

All of the Hera Club members were all right, a lawyer and his wife, a single-living woman with a rich overseas businessman husband, you and your husband, but the most influential family in the whole Hera Palace was a businessman Park Seonghwa, the owner of the building and basically half of Korea and his overly nice and naive wife.

Putting on the top layer of powder to prevent your base makeup from rubbing off, you finished doing your make-up for the night. The bloody shade of lipstick making your face stand out, even more, clasping your diamond ear-rings, spraying on the expensive perfume, you finished embellishing your look. And with that your husband stepped in, checking himself in the mirror, to make sure there are no imperfections, clearing his throat to remind you of his presence. Dressed in a lacy black shirt and leather black skirt, you tugged it down a bit, to accentuate your curves more.

„Wear something else. How many times must I tell you that's too drab? The host should look classy.“ the lack of interest hearable in your voice. „I have enough taste to pick out an outfit.“ As if. „Don't you think you went over the top, Y/N? It's just a dinner with people we see every day. You make such a huge fuss of things.“ you couldn't help but turn around, looking at him with an annoyed expression. „Are you criticizing my style too? Are you that displeased about your wife looking pretty?“ Smug smirk on his face as you basically spitted your words on him. „I don't like how it's just too much. How could you still expect to look pretty? You practically showered in perfume.“ Leaving the room, he left you standing there alone, ruining your mood for the night. Sighing and scoffing at his pathetic complaints you put on your heels to welcome the guests.

Anyone could see that your marriage with him wasn't good at all, you couldn't even look at or compliment each other, you didn't even have anything to talk about together, all you did was argue, the last time you two had sex together or even touched each other out of honest love, was about eight years ago, this marriage already hopeless. But until you take over the corporation your father run, you had to be married, your father won't let you take over the company if you two divorced, since getting a divorce was a humiliation for the whole family in his opinion.

Picking the best bottle of red wine out of the wine cabinet, you took it along with meals prepared for this night and placed it on the splendid black table. The present people already deep in a talk.

Sitting down next to your husband, you brushed the arm of his jacket, to show off that you were a caring wife to the others, a fake smile adorning your beautiful face. He only rolled his eyes at your pretentiousness and took a sip of his wine. Listening to the compliments to your food, you smiled and thanked politely. Listening to the snobby and drunk blabbering, you couldn't get more bored.

„What's taking the couple from penthouse so long?“ asked Mari, the single woman, you could feel your husband tensing, you knew how much he hated Seonghwa, but deep down you knew it wasn't hate but just jealousy at how successful he was. And with that, Seonghwa and his wife stepped in, with apologies for being late. Rolling your eyes at how everyone now paid attention to Seonghwa's beautiful wife, you rolled your eyes, taking a sip of the expensive champagne with strawberries.

„Oh Suryeon, it's nice that you're here, it's always so hard to see you, you should come over when we go shopping.“ Seonghwa cut his wife before she said anything, answering the request instead of her. „She always wants to go, but I'm the one who makes her stay. I want to keep her for myself.“ whines filled the room at how caring and romantic Seonghwa was.

„Y/N the food looks delicious, it must've been hard to prepare all this.“ you were looking at Seonghwa, dressed in a tapered suit, getting annoyed at how his hand was on top of his wife's lap, his wife's question bringing you back to the reality. „I couldn't serve just anything. I put in some extra care.“

„Actually there wasn't much to do. You know how delivery food is.“ Giving your husband, who has now ruined the mood with his nagging comments that were trying to humiliate you, a death glare.

After a while, when you were all done eating you took the dirty plates to the kitchen, putting them in a sink and trying to get yourself together and not express any annoyment and angriness. Your husband looking through the cabinet to find the best wine, you approached him with your arms crossed on your chest. „Are you having fun humiliating your wife in front of others? Do you feel better now?“

„Why don't you take it easy? Why are you acting so pretentious? Isn't it tiring?“ walking past you with two bottles of wine in his hands. „Do you wish for your wife to be belittled? I'm doing this for your sake...“

„Can you please be honest? All you think of is yourself. I'm just a mere accessory you use to decorate yourself. Suryeon is the type that truly cares for her husband. Look at how well Chairman Park's business is going.“ Taking one of the bottles from his hand, you smashed it on the floor out of angriness, the burgundy coloured liquor spilling and staining the floor. „Does complimenting other women make you feel any better?“ Turning around, to leave you were met with Seonghwa's wife standing in front of you, probably eavesdropping on your whole conversation. „Ah, I couldn't find the restroom...“ rolling your eyes, you walked past her, and leaving her with your husband.

As the night went on, your husband laughing and celebrating with the lawyer and his wife, along with the single-living lady - Mari, Seonghwa chatting and giggling with his wife and you sitting there alone, with a glass of red wine in your hand, eyeing Seonghwa occasionally. When Mari stood up, to go to the restroom, she almost fell on the ground, from the intoxication of alcohol, Seonghwa's wife immediately stood up to help her as the sweet soul she was, leaving the dining room.

Seonghwa right away knew, what you were doing, when you unbuttoned the top of your shirt, bending around to fill his empty glass while licking your lips seductively. Lips forming into a smirk on his handsome face, tilting his head, no doubt checking you out, your cleavage on display for him. You were indeed a very beautiful woman, exactly his type. „I'll pour you a glass Chairman Park.“ locking contact, with his shining eyes full of desire.

„Let me do the same.“ Standing up and coming to you, he stood by your side, pouring your glass with the sweet burgundy liquor. Clicking your glasses together, you held it on the level of your soft lips, about to drink from it when you 'accidentally' spilt the drink on your shoulder, staining your shirt. Everyone gasped, asking if you were okay. „Yes, I'm fine. I should get changed.“ mischievous smile in your face as you stood up

Looking at Seonghwa with a deep glare, to let him know that he's welcomed to follow you, you walked past him, brushing softly against his back. He was looking at you as you swung your hips teasingly on purpose.

Re-applying your lipstick, you stood in front of the mirror, in a beautiful black dress, that hugged your curves tightly, with a frilly on the shoulders. The dress still unzipped, because you needed help with zipping it, and you knew that Seonghwa would come and help you.

And as luck would have it, there he was, you could see him in the mirror, standing in all his beauty in that black suit that accentuated his broad shoulders and a smirk on that handsome face, black hair brushed into a side-part.

You brushed your hair into a side, tilting your head so that your hair doesn't get into the zipper. „Could you assist me?“ Walking to you, he stood behind you, looking at your face in the mirror. Feeling his cold fingertips caressing your back, made shivers run all around your body. His lips dangerously close to your neck, as you turned your head to look at him, your lips getting closer and closer. But with that, the annoying voice of his wife that was looking for him could be heard.

◤───────•~❉᯽❉~•───────◥

Weeks have passed since that night at your place, seeing Seonghwa only occasionally at the entrance-hall, you tried to forget about that night, instead of having to bother with constant jealous and annoying comments of your husband, that was trying to put him down. And you didn't want to miss the opportunity to impress Seonghwa, tonight was another Hera Club meeting, this time at his Penthouse.

Dressing in a beautiful curve-hugging black dress, that exposed your shoulders and had white flowers on it, you stepped into the Penthouse, being greeted with the housemaids that took care of the place. Coming into the living room where all the women of Hera Club were, praising your look. „Gosh, Y/N, you look like a different person. Did you always have such a beautiful neckline?" Smiling at the comments and answering politely, roaming your eyes all over the place, to see if Seonghwa was present, instead of landing your eyes on his wife. „I dressed up for the occasion. It's been such a long time since I came to the penthouse. Only our men used to come here. I hope you invite us, girls, more often from now on.“ Toasting with a glass of champagne with strawberries, you tasted the bitter but sweet drink, the door of Seonghwa's study room opening, the handsome man stepped out in all his glory.

Smirk finding its place on his face, when you two locked eye contact, you two were flirting with your glances, as his wife's phone buzzed, with a text message. Noticing Seonghwa's presence, telling him something urgent came up, she left, to finish some things at the company she ran. Not caring what it was about you sat on the couch next to the others, signalizing for Seonghwa to sit next to you.

As the night went on, the men celebrating the success of their investments, you rolled your eyes, annoyed at not having any attention, seeing that wide smile on your husband's face, disgust filled your veins.

Walking past Seonghwa who sat on the opposite of you, annoying you even more, you deciding to look around the place designed in a minimalistic style. Going up the stairs of the place, you saw how Seonghwa stood up in your peripheral vision.

The others not even noticing that the two of you left, amused by playing golf with balls made from checks. When you looked around the whole place, deciding to leave, you were met with Seonghwa standing in the hallway, waiting for you. Playing hard to get by walking past him, acting like you were not delighted by his presence at all, he grabbed your arm and turned you around, so you were facing him, pushing you against the cold wall and keeping you caged with his arms and lust-filled eyes. „Are you insane? What do you intend to do here?“

„Is there a reason we shouldn't be doing this? They can't see us anyway. I thought you'd like something like this, Ms. Y/L/N.“ his deep voice sending shivers down your spine as you bit your lips seductively. „Park Seonghwa. I didn't know you were such a bad man.“ letting out a small laugh, he smirked at your words, knowing well how much he affected you. „I don't think I can stop now.“

When he tried to close the gap between your lips slowly, you stopped him and pushed him away softly, hesistantly looking deeply into his eyes before pulling him closer by the back of his neck and kissing him hungrily. Your tongues slipping into each other's mouths hungrily. His arms caging your body and holding you by your waist. Breaking the kiss to catch your breath and kissing again, still pressed against the marble wall, his arm holding your leg, bending it a bit to wrap it around his tiny waist.

His fingers getting closer and closer to your core, throbbing from all the pent-up sexual tension. Rubbing your bud with his thumb through your lacy panties, you moaned into his mouth. „We shouldn't be doing this right now, they'll notice we are gone, sooner or later.“ you said as you broke the kiss, landing your leg back on the floor. Seonghwa slid his hand into the pocket of his trousers, obviously looking for something. Picking out a small leather sack, he held it in front of your eyes.

„If you are brave enough to continue, take this. I'm giving you a chance to back out when you still can before you do something you'll regret. The key in the sack can get you into any place in the Hera Palace. Meet me tomorrow at 7 pm on the 35th floor, next to the elevator, there's a glass door there, open it with this key and wait for me there if you want to continue with this...“

◤───────•~❉᯽❉~•───────◥

Stepping out of the elevator in a cream-coloured satin dress, the basic black high-heels with a strap on it accentuating your legs and making them look longer, a pearl necklace decorating your bare neck. Opening the door with the key Seonghwa gave you, you stepped into a room full of different kinds of plants, almost like a garden spot.

There was a couch with soft and puffy cushions, a glass table with two glasses and a bottle of wine in the middle, precisely covered by the surrounding plants. Seonghwa greeted you in the front, his arms wrapping around you, to bring you closer so he could kiss you. Taking your hand into his he motioned for you to sit down. The place was dark, the only light in the room was created by some candles and a small star-looking shining that entered the room through the glass wall, giving you a view of the city.

„I had no idea this place existed in Hera Palace. I'm surprised.“ Seonghwa chuckled, your amazement giving him a space to brag about the fortune he owns. „I participated in designing the building. Feel free to come here whenever you want.“

Kissing you again, his hand landed on your collarbones, wrapping around your neck, before tugging at the necklace you wore rather powerfully enough to disrupt it, the pearl beads falling on the floor and rolling all over the floor. Gasping, you immediately took your hand off his thigh and went to caress your neck, looking at him in shock. „What are you doing?“ His hand grabbed the box that was by his side, which you haven't noticed before.

Opening the box, you were met with a beautiful diamond necklace and earrings with a ruby in them. „I thought that this might look good on you. Aren't you sick of the necklace your stupid husband got you?“ Sighing you took the box into your hands. „What is this necklace supposed to mean? Don't tell me... you want me all to yourself.“ Chuckling at your words, his eyes moving off of you. „No, of course not.“

„I want this to be simple. Let's not put a leash on each other or be blingy. I want this to end the moment one of us decides to end it. What do you think?“ Tilting your head to the side, to get a better view of his handsome face your hand landed on the top of his muscular thigh. „It looks like we've just settled on our own set of rules.“ Landing his hand on your back, he pushed you down to the couch, getting on top of you, his long legs on both side of your body, lips connected.

His fingers rubbing circles along your hips, digging into it, not too harshly. Lips breaking the contact with yours, instead going lower, down to your neck, you gasped, when his teeth sunk into your neck softly. His hand going under your dress and caressing the inner side of your thigh. „Let me undress you, Y/N.“

His fingers untied the ribbon on top of your satin dress, sitting so he can pull them over your head, leaving you only in your lacy set, you picked for tonight. Seonghwa unbuttoned his white shirt, showing off his sculpted chest and stomach. Undoing his belt, he put it down on the table along with his trousers being left only in his briefs.

While he was undressing himself, you took off your bra and panties, too aroused to wait any longer, noticing it, he chuckled at your neediness and did the same with his briefs. Biting your bottom lip as you took in the size of his cock, well above average, for sure thicker than any you've ever had. Reaching out to touch it, his hand grabbed your wrist, stopping you from getting any closer to him, grabbing your other wrist as well, he pinned them both above your head, pushing you down to the couch. „Not so fast, princess, don't think I'd let you be in charge and touch me whenever you want. Now relax and don't make me tie those wrists.“

He released your wrists from his grip, lips attaching to your breasts, twirling his tongue around your nipples, sucking on them, pushing his knee between your legs, to part them. His lips went lower, brushing past your ribcage and stomach down to your thighs, he began kissing up to your inner thighs, his teeth grazing along the sensitive skin of your legs.

„You have no idea, what you do to me, I've been crazy about you, since the first time I saw you I couldn't keep my eyes off of you. I can't believe you're mine now, the most perfect woman... everything my wife isn't.“

Pushing your legs up, to put on his shoulders, gripping them firmly, his face dived into your glistening core. Your body jolting up, toes curling, from the sudden pleasure of Seonghwa's tongue licking up your folds, spreading them apart with his tongue. You couldn't even remember the last time someone had eaten you out, less so, eat you out this good. Your hips bucking up whenever his tongue brushed past your clit, sending waves of pleasure throughout your body. Your desperate whines and moans leaving your mouth, only made him smirk in satisfaction, your thighs closing around his head. You were at the brim of your climax, a knot forming and pulsing in your stomach.

„I bet your pathetic husband can't even unclip your bra, gosh, how could a woman as breath-taking as you, marry someone as deplorable.“ Your lewd moans intensified as you were about to spill on Seonghwa's mouth at any second. Although having you cum on his tongue, lap at your juices and lick you clean off your tasty juices sounded good, he would rather have you cum from the godly work of his hips, snapping against your sweet spot. Detaching himself from your core as he broke the high of finally having your anticipated orgasm, you haven't felt in years. You whined, looking at him in disbelief, scoffing him. „What is it darling? Don't give me that bitter look.“

He slid his tip along your folds, lubricating himself with your wetness, your legs wrapped around his tiny waist, he propped himself in front of your clenching hole. Pushing himself into you, you both hissed, and spewed at the feeling. „Fuck, he hasn't fucked you in a long time, right? Ah, you're so fucking tight, clenching around me, you're taking me so well, that I don't think I'll be able to even move.“ You groaned in agreement to his statements, trying to stabilise your breathing and get used to the stretching feeling. „Ah, y-you can move now.“ Your legs were shaking from only the feeling of his dick inside you.

Seonghwa set a rather mellow and tame pace at the beginning, however after a while, pushing into you deeper and rougher, with a great intensity of each thrust. „What would your husband say if he saw you like this? Fucking another man to satisfy the needs he can't satisfy?“ Angling his hips a bit more upwards to hit your sweet spot better, your arms wrapped around his back, nails digging harshly, probably about to leave tiny marks. Your moans getting caught in your throat as his hips slammed into you, your back arching at the feeling. Seonghwa couldn't explain how much confidence this intercourse gave him, when he slept with his wife, which did not happen often at all, all she did was lay back down and not react to him in any way, only trying to get through it and 'satisfy his needs'. But you were different, the way you were clenching, arching and moaning, he missed the euphoric feeling of having good sex with someone who enjoyed it and gave him the overwhelming pleasure he needed.

His thumb reached down to your bundle of nerves, massaging it in a circular motion, your body responding with trembling to the additional pleasure. „Ah, fuck Seonghwa, please keep doing that, I'm gonna cum soon!“ warning him your head fell back, mouth opening agape. „Really? You're gonna make a mess and milk my cock? Clench your velvety pussy around my girth? Then do that darling, cum all over me.“ His hips frantically plunged into your walls, delivering pleasure to you both. Clenching your hands into fists, you felt yourself get over the edge, spasming under his frame. Your body shook at the forgotten feeling of orgasm taking all over you. Grunts leaving Seonghwa's lips as he spilt his seed into your desperate cunt, you both riding out your orgasms.

His breath steadied as he sat at the opposite side of the couch, leaving you laying there to let you collect yourself. „It was visible by how needy you were, that your sex life with your stupid husband must be awful, but I just hope he'd go down on you, so he could see my cum dripping out of you. See how it is when a real man fucks a woman.“ Brushing your hair with your fingers, to not look that ruffled, licking your fingertips to clean your chin off the smudged lipstick, you saw him already half-dressed, you did the same, his lips attaching to yours yet again, biting on your bottom lip.

„I'm sure you know that there's a gala next week, to celebrate the Hera Palace's first anniversary. I hope you wear that necklace I gave you, but don't dress too gorgeously, which might be problematic, since you're gorgeous in everything, because I don't think I'll be able to hold back, even in front of my wife and your husband, on the other hand, at least they'll know, who this beautiful woman belongs to from now on.“

[nanaminokanojo]

Play the Game | Nanami Kento X You | Part 2/8

CHARACTERS: Nanami Kento X You (fem!reader | PLEASE READ THE NOTES BELOW*) | Gojo Satoru | Geto Suguru | Shoko Ieiri | Utahime Iori | other JJK Characters CHAPTER COUNT: 2/8 WORD COUNT: 4500+ GENRE: romance | fluff | slight angst | eventual smut | ooc depictions | female reader with described appearance* | modern au | rich people au | aged up characters CHAPTER TRIGGER WARNING: profanity | age gap | strong/mature/suggestive language | mentions of bullying, macabre stuff SPOILERS: n/a

collection masterlist

one - two - three - four - five - six - seven - eight

"Play the Game" Masterlist

The sun hasn’t even risen when Nanami came to consciousness as usual. It did not matter whether he was on vacation or working, he just automatically wakes up at the same time each and every morning without miss. It’s regardless of whether he slept enough or not. He saw no point in tarrying in bed – it was unproductive – and immediately got up without skipping a beat in his routine.

“You’re too vanilla,” he remembered you commenting when you stayed one weekend at his place in the city for an art symposium, having met him on the hallway on your way to bed after staying up all night playing video games. He just brushed your remark off with a grunt back then, but at present, he couldn’t help but muse over the fact that everything he did reminded him of you.

It was a bit light outside when he emerged from the adjoining bath of the guest room. He threw on a pair of grey sweats and a white shirt and grabbed a water bottle and a small towel on his way out of the room, mind set on going for a run. If there was something great about staying at Gojo Manor, it was the fact that it was surrounded with acres of grassland and forest with trails great for walks and jogs.

Nanami particularly grew fond of the path that led to the lake at the bottom of the hill where the mansion stood. There was a direct view of it from the balcony at the back of the structure, appearing like a jewel in the middle of the woods, and it had always been his favorite spot. The late former clan head told him it was man-made and has been there for more than a century that it became a natural feature of the estate. It was a spot in the property with a great history and great value to the clan, thus his gravitation towards it.

It’s her favorite place in the whole estate, too, he thought indulgently.

Inhaling deeply, he set out to the back doors that led to the patio and the walled gardens, starting in a slow jog before building his momentum as he reached open grounds.

And thus, his day began as such.

He came back from his run when it was already too hot, heaving deep breaths and desperate for a shower as his white shirt and grey sweats stuck to his body, drenched in sweat. His leg muscles ached, but it had been a good run.

Greetings from the staff met him as he reentered the manor which he returned with polite nods. He was headed to the stairs when he passed by the breakfast room and happened to hear Gojo talking to you. It went against his principles to eavesdrop in an evidently private conversation but he stayed rooted on his spot upon hearing you speak.

Despite your seeming foul temper upon leaving him the previous night, you seemed to have bounced back to your usual self, your tone sounding more jovial than usual. Your words were at odds to your tone as you told Gojo not to piss you off so early in the morning.

"Are you sure there's nothing going on between you and Kento?" Gojo asked just as the person in question was about to pass the doorway.

"It's really none of your business," you responded, voice devoid of any emotions. He did it, Gojo. He finally fouled up your mood.

"But I'm your brother!" Gojo protested, acting all dumb around you again. He just had that complex where you were concerned. He has always been very soft on you yet he was also fiercely protective. You hated his attention though. Yours was a strange dynamic.

"Worry about your wedding, will you? Geez. Don’t you have a luncheon to host?"

"Why did you kiss him then? On the mouth no less!"

Nanami’s heart skipped a beat, anticipation rising like cold water from his toes going up his chest. He wanted to hear what you had to say. Fuck principles. He needed his answers, too. It did not matter in what way he was getting them at that rate. He was secretly hoping you will say something a little bit more revealing about what goes inside your head given that he cannot just pry inside it even if he wanted to.

"Because I wanted to." You stated it so matter-of-factly that Gojo was at a loss for words for a moment. “Didn’t you hear me? I was dying to do that since he arrived.”

“You’re not serious, are you?”

“You tell me.” That’s becoming your signature line. “You won’t understand unless you kiss, Nanamin, too,” the tenor of your words turning fanciful. “He has such an alluring taste to him.”

What is this woman on about?

“Oh, god, stop it!”

"You should have seen the looks on your faces though. I was half expecting your eyeballs to roll on the floor. Wouldn’t that have been grand? It’s definitely shocking but a good subject for art if not a medium." At that, you laughed, the sound hitting Nanami like tinkling bells. It was such a happy sound that reminded him of better days although the thought that prompted it was utterly macabre. “Maybe that should inspire my next work. It would be like Munch’s The Scream, the next of its kind.”

"Hmm. Good point…” Gojo mumbled, sidetracked, obviously sharing your sentiments on the idea of such grotesqueness, but regained his composure just as quickly. “It's not funny!"

"But it is." Your laughter subsided as quickly as it erupted from your throat as if it wasn't even there to begin with. Your capricious nature was surfacing once more, and if there was something that was more frightening than your strong, habitual liking for trifling with people, it was that. "So what if I have other intentions behind it? Are you gonna get mad at me or something?”

"Well, do you?!" Gojo sounded like a manatee on the throes of death.

“But what are you going to do, brother? Stop me perhaps?"

He of all people should know just how unstoppable you were when you have set yourself into doing something. “N-no –”

“And what if Nanamin has the same intentions? What will you do then?”

“Hey, that’s enough of you. I know you’re trying to trap me into saying something again.” He clucked his tongue. “I seem to be the only one who isn’t in on your games, and if it is one, I have to know. You’re just way too outrageous these days that I cannot tell what’s serious and what’s not anymore.”

Gojo took a deep breath, sounding distressed as he exhaled. “Is there something else going on?”

"Maybe,” you answered noncommittally.

"That's not an answer at all!" he snapped.

You clucked your tongue, sounding irritated. "Stop screaming, Satoru."

"Do you like him?"

“Is your emphasis on that word supposed to change its meaning?”

If Nanami’s heart was skipping earlier, it has now stopped completely, robbing him of air as it seemed to have affected his lungs, too. You were maddening, not only to Gojo but to him as well. It was evident that you were in your gaming mood again, and although you were only intentionally riling your brother, he was also directly in your line of assault.

Gojo sighed in defeat, mirroring Nanami’s feelings. “Y/N, please, just answer the question,” he whined.

“I guess.” There was a pause then you said, "I mean, what's not to like?"

"What?!"

“Like it or not, Nanamin is a very excellent specimen of the male populace. He’s fucking irresistible and that’s an understatement.” You scoffed. "Even you like him."

Your voice was followed by your footsteps as you neared the door. In a daze at your vocal expression of how you find him physically attractive, instead of backtracking, Nanami stepped forward and collided with your form, nearly knocking you off your feet. He was after all twice your size and a good foot taller than you.

"Careful," he said between deep breaths, one arm securing you by the waist while his other arm gripped onto the door jamb, the position making the veins and sinews of his arm rather pronounced.

“Speak of the devil…” You straightened up, not making any effort to hide the fact that you were checking him out. Your head turned towards the direction of the breakfast room, making him mimic the action only to see Gojo standing slack-jawed, watching what was unfolding before him with eyes wide with shock. Nanami could've sworn his best friend just went into a state of catatonia.

"Didn't see you there," you said, addressing Nanami, your blue eyes assessing him as if in suspicion.

"I'm sorry," he muttered under his breath, feeling the tips of his ears heating up. Before you could notice, he stepped aside, heading towards the direction of the stairs.

"Hey, Nanamin," you suddenly called, making him halt and turn his head to your direction. You were smirking at the direction of your brother as you said, "Nice ass."

He shook his head. It was really just a ploy to get to Gojo’s nerves, and he was your pawn.

**

The sound of graphite scratching on paper like a harsh slash of sword punctuated the impending absence of thought in your mind. Nothing mattered but the sight of your hand gripping a pencil as it created unintelligible strokes on the plain page of the sketchbook on your lap. It progressed to furious scribbling, your movements becoming faster, the sound dominating your corner of the room. Everything has been drowned out – the endless chattering, the sound of porcelain and silverware hitting each other in chaotic cacophony – heightening in a painful crescendo of auditory abomination and dying in the air, overwhelmed by the picture you were creating on the blank expanse of space.

“You must be so proud of your daughter.”

Scratch.

“Who wouldn’t be? It must be great to have geniuses for children”

Scratch.

“She’s just as famous as Satoru.”

Scratch.

Just like that, they didn't exist. The room was empty save for you and the view outside the window coming to life on paper. Your eyes darted from your sketch to the familiar yet equally exhilarating view just outside the parlor. Gojo was animatedly talking about something, easily excitable as always. His fiancée laughed on the side while Nanami was witheringly eyeing him, stoic as always. Shoko, who arrived the previous evening, also joined the group. All that was missing was Geto. You wondered if you should draw him somewhere in the sketch.

The image before you reminded you of those days when reality seemed far away, back when Gojo was still a student, exceptional as always but still young, not the renowned genius tycoon he was at present. His friends would always be around him, lounging around the manor like they hadn't a care in the world.

His crowd grew in number with Geto and Nanami being the two closest pals he had. Shoko joined in shortly in middle school. On the other hand, Utahime came during his university days, also starting off as Gojo’s friend and eventually becoming his girlfriend. Now they were about to get married and it seemed to punctuate all the changes that came with being the grown-ups that they are.

It scared you.

Fact is, growing up and growing old and the changes that come with it was terrifying. Even if you yourself were already twenty four, seemingly had your life together and appearing to have matured without a hitch, that wasn’t the case at all. Genius or not, your brother also had his issues even while he was rising to his current position in society.

The problem was within you, you knew it. That and the fact that you did not really know what growing means. Your work grew, matured like crazy. You didn’t think you yourself grew, stuck in those days when everything was relatively easier. At least then, you only had to worry about your classmates hating on you. Now a part of the public did.

Looking at Gojo and his gang, they’ve all handled that well, making you wonder how they did it. He is one of the youngest CEOs in the country, having built his business empire at just seventeen. Your future sister-in-law is a professor, Geto is a sought-after model and Shoko is a forensic pathologist. They were all great at what they did, struggled as well, but came out with perfect grace.

However, you think the best one out of them was none other than the object of your pining – Nanami Kento. The man made transitioning to adulthood look rather easy. Maybe it was because he had always been mature and held himself in perfect equilibrium. Sure, he was no Gojo Satoru, but he was innately intelligent and became one of the youngest barristers who held the position of a famous attorney’s partner. He handled controversial cases and is one of the best prosecutors in the country with a high winning percentage. His work aside, he seemed to have the least struggle out of everyone.

Your lips curled up at the corners at the thought of the man. Your gaze flicked to him from the sketchbook, sitting there with a beverage in his hand, the noon sun glimmering on his hair and the planes of his face, looking more laid back without a blazer on. He was dressed rather casually in a pair of khaki trousers and dusty blue button-ups, but he still looked smart. He always dressed that way which you found very attractive although seeing him in more casual clothes like that morning was another level of hot altogether. He’s quite a bit formal, making him seem monotonous, but it’s that consistency that you liked about him. It was only a bonus that he was devastatingly handsome with those sharp features and the suits made him look so sexy in that it left everything about his real physique to imagination.

One just could not get enough of him, at least you couldn’t, but you did see how his partner’s paralegal eyeballed him all the time. (You secretly wanted to gouge her eyes out.) That’s the kind of man Nanami was. He doesn’t speak much, but when he does, it leaves profound dents to one’s psyche. And man, was he hot in court! He’s fucking sarcastic when he wants to be, to the point of being vile, but one just can’t get offended with the kind of logic he has. Once he speaks his mind, one wishes he wouldn’t stop, but he does and leaves that person craving more, his hypnotic, deep voice a rare treat. He wasn’t big on actions, wasn’t expressive, but when he does something, it’s always with purpose and precision, never over the top and always with disciplined stoicism.

You chuckled quietly, your pencil drawing perfect strokes of his hair when you were pulled out of your trance.

“Yuuji!” you heard Gojo say, pulling your attention to the direction of the window.

You broke into a grin at the mention of the name, hurriedly getting on your feet and running out of the room, deaf to your mother’s protests against your unladylike behavior – the commotion foreign to the ladies in the room who moved with the minutest rustles. You made your way out to the patio, that familiar tuft of pink hair coming into your line of vision. You sprinted through the glass doors towards the person whose name your brother called, smile wide and genuine.

“You kept me waiting long enough,” you called out, voice louder than usual. You’re hardly ever giddy nor were you easily excitable like your brother, but Itadori Yuuji was a different story altogether. You loved the boy with a fierceness akin to a mother and were always ecstatic to be around him but suppressed it by acting gruff. You were crazy like that.

“That’s because you won’t help me with my final requirements,” he retorted good-naturedly, wrapping his arm around your shoulder and nuzzling the back of your head as if you were a fuzzy plush toy, making you drop your drawing implements. Well, you were considerably smaller than him, and he was probably the only one who could do that to you and get away unscathed.

You rolled your eyes, noticing how Gojo had picked up your stuff, looking at the page where it was opened. “You should exert yourself more. You’re no genius after all.”

“That’s mean!”

You smirked at him, your eyes straying to your brother who was smiling at your drawing. He had such a proud, fond look on his face that you couldn’t do anything but stare. He has always been ever since you first held crayons and drew him as a cat. “You even included Suguru,” he cooed, pointing at the missing person you included then proceeding to show it off to his friends. “Guys, look. My baby sister drew us.”

“Surprise, surprise,” you sallied, but you were happy that he’s always showing you off.

Utahime and Shoko stood beside him, also looking at the sketch. The latter raised a thumb at your direction. “Damn, kid. You’re really great at what you do. How do you make things come alive with just a pencil?”

You smiled awkwardly. “I –”

“Give it here,” Nanami suddenly butted in, hand reaching for the sketchpad which Gojo promptly handed him.

You felt Yuuji elbowing you while you stood there, observing the man who was in possession of your drawing.

Nanami blinked then, handing it back to you. “How come I don’t have a face?” he asked, expression expectant of your response.

Annoyed, you snatched it back from him.

“It’s obviously not finished yet,” Shoko commented, but she couldn’t have been more wrong.

It was not that you cannot, but you would never draw his face. Ever. You tried tons of times if the tens of pages of sketchpads at your apartment filled with different angles and parts of him would be a basis for that. You could draw everything else about him, just not his face. No amount of contemplation and practice helped you to know why, but you attributed it to the fact that you could not do his face justice, at least in the sense that you would not be able to bring it to life as Shoko said.

Finally, you said, “I didn’t feel like drawing your face.” You turned away, dragging Yuuji with you. The boy was still giggling like a hyena until you got to the second-floor balcony where you propped yourself up on the balustrade, looking sulky.

"You might fall there, you know," he commented, jumping up the marble balustrade to join you.

"I can say the same for you," came your quiet reply. "Where's Megumi?"

“He’ll be here before lunch.” Yuuji leaned close to you with a mischievous grin on his face. “What, or rather who, is that look on your face for?”

"I think you know the answer to that."

"Did you tell Nanamin?" He addressed the man just as you did and got away with it, too, for some reason.

"Tell him what?"

He scoffed playfully. "Are you seriously playing this game with me? I'm your best buddy. I know everything."

"As irritating as that is, it's true."

Yuuji pouted at you. "I heard what you did yesterday. Why do you have to make games out of everything?"

"That's how I communicate. I thought you knew everything."

Harsh as always, he thought. "Be a normal person for once and just tell him." His brows knit together. "Well, you're anything but normal," he mused aloud. “I meant that nicely.”

You blew a raspberry. "You're just as normal as I am if you claim to be my best friend. Which you are. No take backs."

Yuuji couldn't help but smile at that. You have always been a loner and you did not mind being alone. He was grateful you wanted him around despite that.

"But you should stop doing this. He wants you. It's obvious."

"It's not that simple."

"What isn't simple? If it's Satoru, he'll understand for sure if you just try to be honest. I'm sure he just isn't for it more because he doesn't know how you feel. I mean, if I were him, I'll also protect my baby sister from my male friends. That's just how it is."

You blinked, pivoting your whole body so you were facing him.

"Well, of course, Nanamin needs to fight for it, too," he was quick to throw in, rambling to himself when he suddenly felt you reach out towards him, gently running your fingers through his pink hair. He leaned towards your touch, smiling contentedly.

"Don't worry about me. I'm fine."

"I'm not –"

You narrowed your eyes at him. "Are you seriously playing this game with me?" you asked, mimicking his words earlier. "I'm your best buddy. I know everything, one of them being the fact that you worry worse than my mother."

Yuuji jumped off the balustrade, reaching out to grab you in a bear hug despite your protestations. Just like how you were with everyone else, you shunned his affection, but he knew better than to let go when you were saying exactly that. He found that trait of yours adorable.

"You're so irritating," you hissed, flipping your platinum white hair over your shoulder when you finally managed to get off his grip but he wrapped an arm over your shoulder nonetheless, undeterred by your words.

"You know you love me."

"Shut up."

Yuuji pouted. "You sound like Megumi."

"I heard that," the person in question suddenly spoke from the direction of the entry, his deep voice making you and Yuuji turn towards him. "They're calling everyone for lunch."

Yuuji followed behind as you approached Megumi, also one of your closest friends and practically your brother, keeping you in check more than Gojo ever can.

"Guess what," Megumi said to you as you walked beside him. In one of the rare moments you would see it, he grinned and you knew it wasn't because of anything good.

"What?" you and Yuuji, who thought the same by the look on his face, chorused.

"Nobara switched your name card with Miwa's. You're now seated next to your man candy. You're welcome."

“Isn’t that more of a perk for Miwa? She’s scared shitless of Nanamin, you know.”

The three of you laughed while Yuuji could just shake his head at the inescapable trouble that will follow. His only consolation was that it’s fun when it involves you.

**

What were the odds, Nanami thought to himself. He didn't have to look twice to see whose name it was on the card on the spot next to him. He exhaled loudly, unfolding the napkin and placing it on his lap. This could only lead to hullabaloo he was not exactly in the mood to deal with especially after you just told him you did not feel like drawing his face. You sure were mean when you wanted to be.

He surveyed his vicinity. Your father, the current head of the clan from whence your blue eyes came from, was seated at the head of the table, your mother to his right, while Utahime’s parents sat to his left. It seemed to have been the only formalities observed in the arrangement. From across Nanami sat Utahime and Gojo while on his right were a couple he only knew as cousins to the Gojo main family.

He was internally pinching the bridge of his nose. You really had to be the one seated next to him and right across your annoying brother, too.

The luncheon started without you. It wasn't a formal gathering after all except they were serving a full-course meal. It was more of a way to get everyone to know one another over the week for some reason he cannot fathom, and he was glad that only your father was the one who had engaged him in a conversation, mostly about work. It was easy enough to deal with.

"Where are Y/N and her friends?" your mother asked Gojo out of the blue.

Utahime, answering for the clueless person beside her, pointed towards the direction of the door to the banquet hall where you were leisurely walking towards your designated seat with Yuuji and Megumi. The former rounded the table to sit next to Gojo.

"Still managing to be late even when you're already at the venue, baby sis?" Nanami heard Gojo say as you assumed your seat. It was evident in the way his eyes shifted from Nanami to you that your tardiness wasn't exactly the problem.

You blatantly ignored his comment and turned your attention to Nanami. "Had a good run this morning, Nanamin?"

"Just so," he answered, side-glancing at you.

"Yeah. You looked super hot this morning," you said just as Gojo was taking a sip from his wine glass.

Megumi snorted when the older male started choking on his drink while Yuuji was trying hard not to laugh.

Nanami knew he would have reacted the same way except that he had been bracing himself for whatever you will say the moment Gojo opened his mouth. Of course you will use him in your counter attack. It's yet another game, not that he was less affected by your words.

"You should have seen him, Iori," you continued, addressing your brother's fiancée. "He looks so much less uptight in casual clothes."

It didn't escape Nanami’s notice how Gojo was looking at him. He looked about ready to drop onto the floor, but paid him no mind as he leveled his mouth to your ear. "Y/N, let's not make your dear brother snap, shall we?"

"Oh, sweetheart, maybe that's what he needs right now," you deadpanned, meeting his gaze squarely, your disposition unreadable as you let your eyes linger on him longer than was deemed appropriate.

Yuuji finally laughed, earning him a kick to the shins under the table courtesy of Megumi.

What it was about you that made everything else irrelevant and nonexistent when you’re that close to him was something beyond him. You always made him lose control, tempted him to break the rules. He only knew he couldn't act on it. Most of the time anyway. He also felt like laughing, oddly enough.

Utahime just chuckled good-naturedly breaking the tension. "Since the two of you are here, I should tell you that the final fitting for your clothes for the wedding is this afternoon. So, you better go together at the shop."

"Traitor." Gojo pouted at Utahime but nobody was really paying attention to him anymore. For someone so important to society with a flawless image, the closest people around him sure were good at disregarding him when they deemed it fit.

"Okay," Nanami said, looking at you for confirmation.

It was you who looked away this time. "I'm free."

"That's set then." Utahime clapped her hands and to Nanami she cheekily said, "Maybe wear something less formal."

At that, you grinned wickedly at him. So much for avoiding trouble with you.

-end of part 2-

*I used “you” here, but since my character is Gojo’s little sister who is established to be his female clone for reasons essential to the plot, she possesses the same blue eyes and white hair. I did not exactly want to create an OC (although technically, I did by describing Y/N), but I opted for the best of both worlds in this fic, leaning more towards the literary aspect of it as opposed to it just being reader/you-oriented. I hope this isn’t iffy to anyone, and yeah, i’m not being exclusive or whatever.

If you want to be included in the tag list, please DM me :)

Thank you so much for reading. Likes, comments and reblogs are deeply appreciated! Hope you enjoyed it.

© ORIGINAL WORK BY nanaminokanojo. CHARACTERS ARE INSPIRED BY GEGE AKUTAMI'S JUJUTSU KAISEN. [20210709] PHOTO/IMAGE/GIF/FANART SOURCES CREDITS TO THE RESPECTIVE OWNERS.