#thanks for always being a fun presence to have around and for chatting about seungmin :] i do appreciate it ���

[faunandfloraas]

a seungift for @sesuavity ♡

[thestayway90]

Reign of Lies: Chapter 1 (SKZ Royal Fantasy AU)

Author: thestayway90

WC: 2873

Warnings: None

Characters: Stray Kids OT8 Royal Family, Alexis (OFC), Elora (OFC)

Relationships: Changbin x Alexis (OFC)

Summary: An angsty Royal AU where Alexis (OFC), as her fathers only daughter and therefore the kingdoms only Princess, is sent to marry a Prince of their rival Kingdom to ensure Peace. However, after arriving at her new home, Alexis quickly finds out not all is what it seems…

Author’s Note: Hello lovelies! Did I start another series even though I’ve already got one still ongoing??? yes yes I did...

But in my defence I've had this idea sitting for a while and finally got round to doing something with it!!! I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did writing it.

Also a side note this will contain SKZxSKZ relationships... obviously these are written for fanfic and not based on reality so please don't take them seriously... this is all just for fun and entertainments sake :)

I’m a little nervous about posting this one but enjoy <3

Alexis straightened her skirts nervously. Her outfit felt heavy and suffocating in the warm sunlight that streamed through a large side window. The climate was so much warmer here than the cooler weather she was used to back home.

Elora stepped in front of her, deft fingers fixing Alexis’ collar as she told the older girl briskly, “Walk in there with your head held high and show them what you’re made of.”

Alexis smiled down at her sister and best friend, grasping one of her hands tightly. “What would I do without you?” She asked rhetorically as Elora took a step back, staying on Alexis’ right where she would always be within sight.

“You would be a mess,” Elora replied unnecessarily in a deadpan voice, drawing a surprised laugh from her sister.

Suddenly the double doors in front of the two girls was flung wide open and a herald bellowed loudly into the large space behind. “Princess Alexis, Duchess of Vitova and Alzilicia, beloved Daughter of King Tobias of Mava.” He took a breath then continued as the girls took their first steps through the doorway. “And her companion, Lady Elora.”

Alexis concentrated on not tripping over her cumbersome skirts, keeping her eyes on the floor until she reached the foot of a set of stairs that led up onto a low platform.

Pausing at the end, she sunk into a low curtesy, seeing Elora copy the movement in her peripheral vision, and finally looked up.

She sucked in a breath, wobbling a little in the curtsey she was still holding, as her eyes swept over eight imposing figures ranged around the front of the room.

Standing proud in the centre was who, she imagined must be, the King she had heard so much about. King Chan didn’t look as imposing as his reputation would suggest, an easy smile gracing his lips, his black hair cut short and shockingly coloured a bright ruby red on top.

Standing slightly back from his right shoulder was a man with the sculptured looks of a statue, and to the kings left stood four boys, who Alexis assumed were the Kings younger brothers, the Princes of Roalun. Alexis let her eyes linger on the four figures, wondering which one was Prince Changbin, her soon to be husband.

Finally her gaze fell on two boys, standing to the side of the platform, her eyes widening as she took in the most beautiful people she had ever seen. One was tall and lean, long blonde locks falling over his forehead, partly covering intense liquid brown eyes. The other was shorter with a petite figure and silvery blonde hair that seemed to shine even in the shadows he stood in. But it was his eyes that drew the most attention. One was such a dark brown that it looked black, the other, in stark contrast was a shockingly bright light blue. The pair made such an achingly beautiful sight that Alexis had to advert her eyes but couldn’t stop herself continuing to steal glances in their direction.

Alexis straightened from her curtesy and, heeding her sisters advice, held her head high, fixing the King with an unwavering gaze.

To her surprise King Chan smiled even wider at her and launched himself down the stairs, wrapping her in a tight hug when he reached the bottom.

“Welcome, Princess Alexis. The Kingdom of Roalun is so pleased to have you here at last.”

The King pulled back and kissed her on both cheeks.

Alexis startled a little, feeling unbalanced as she replied slightly stiffly, “Thank you for the kind welcome, Your Majesty.”

“Oh none of that,” the King scoffed, waving a hand at her. “We are soon to be Brother and Sister. Chan will do just fine.” Chan motioned for the five boys still up on the platform to join him.

He grabbed the sculpted man first, pulling him to his side and wrapping an arm lovingly around his waist. “Let me introduce you to my Husband, Prince Minho.”

Minho inclined his head, his feelings hidden behind his cool expression. “It’s wonderful to meet you, Princess Alexis.”

“Just Alexis please,” Alexis insisted, getting the feeling that this court preferred a less formal approach to their Royalty.

“And these three are my baby brothers.” The boys grimaced at the title, none of them looking even close to being babies. “Prince Jisung, Prince Seungmin and the youngest, Prince Jeongin.”

Alexis’ eyes drifted over the three very different brothers but her gaze settled at the last boy, standing silently, head bowed.

“And this is Prince Changbin, Heir to Roalun and your future spouse,” Chan introduced so casually that Alexis fought not to wince at the informality.

Changbin finally looked up, bowing low to her. “It is a great pleasure to meet you, Princess. I hope your time here will be agreeable.”

Alexis felt her heart drop at his distant but polite distant tone. His greeting made it sound like she was only visiting for a holiday, not moving to a completely foreign kingdom to become his wife.

Before she could speak to him at all, Changbin gave her another quick bow and then turned to Chan. “I really must be going, brother. The Generals are waiting for me.”

Chan’s brow creased into a frown but he nodded his consent. Changbin retreated at a brisk pace, Alexis watching after him in confusion.

Chan cleared his throat. “Unfortunately my brothers position as the Head of Military keeps him very busy.”

Alexis smiled and nodded her understanding, hiding her consternation behind what she hoped was a polite bland expression.

Chan then beckoned to the two boys still standing to one side.  “And these two fine gentlemen are my brothers, Lord Hyunjin and Lord Felix.”

Hyunjin groaned in a dramatic voice, rolling his eyes as he approached. “You know how I hate being introduced as Lord, Channie,” the tall blonde complained. He reached over and grasped one of Alexis’ hands, placing a quick kiss onto the back of it, smiling crookedly up at her. “I’m so happy to meet you, Alexis. I’m very glad to finally be adding some femininity to our little family.”

Chan glared at the inappropriate words while Alexis struggled not to turn and look at Elora as she heard the other girl suppressing laughter.

Alexis concentrated her attention back on the King. “I thought you only had four brothers?” She questioned unthinkingly, her curiosity around the weird dynamic of this foreign court getting the better of her.

Chan gave a loud bark of laughter, pleased at her straight forwardness. “Hyunjin and Felix’s father was my father’s best friend and advisor. When their parents passed away my father took them in as his own. We’ve spent our whole lives together.”

Alexis turned her eyes on the two brothers, Felix having joined them, standing silently next Hyunjin. “I’m very sorry for your loss. I didn’t mean to pry.”

“It’s fine. Ask away,” Hyunjin said flippantly, waving his hands around airily. “This is to be your family as well. You have a right to ask about it.”

“Talking about family,” Alexis turned and beckoned Elora towards her, grabbing hold of the younger girls arm and holding her tight against her side, relieved at her solid presence. “This is my sister, Lady Elora.”

“Just Elora please,” Elora interrupted, shaking her head at the formal title.

“Lovely to meet you, Elora,” Chan said, smiling widely at Alexis’ sister, putting Alexis at ease.

Alexis immediately felt favourable towards anyone who treated Elora with kindness and respect. The younger girl had too often received scorn and distain from others, making Alexis very protective of her sister.

“I’m sure you are tired after your long journey,” the one called Jisung spoke up, clearly picking up the signs of exhaustion that both Alexis and Elora was exhibiting. “Should I show you to your rooms now so you can have a rest before dinner?” The kind boy posed it as a question, not wanting to impose on them.

“If His Majes…” Alexis stopped herself and continued pink staining her cheeks, unused to such informality. “If Chan does not mind us being excused. A rest sounds wonderful right now.”

Chan frowned a little, concern creasing his brow. “Oh dear. In my excitement I forgot what a long day you’ve both had. Of course you may go, please. Go rest and we can talk more over dinner.”

Chan gave both Alexis and Elora tight hugs before Jisung beckoned for them to follow him out. Alexis and Elora curtseyed to the royal family and then exited the throne room, feeling much more relaxed than when they had entered.

Jisung chatted amiably as he led them through a maze of corridors before stopping in front of a pair of large doors. Alexis looked at the masterpiece in front of her in awe as she heard Elora’s quiet exclamation of amazement.

Jisung had a smug look on his face. “Do you like them? They were specifically made for you. In fact the whole room was specifically decorated for you.”

Alexis felt her heart constrict at the startling act of thoughtfulness that she hadn’t expected when being forced into an arranged marriage in a country at war with her own.

The doors were painted a solid gold with beautifully ornate pearl and turquoise inlays making up intricate patterns of flowers and animals. Alexis raised a hand to brush against a perfect depiction of a peacock with full plumage proudly of display.

“He heard you liked animals.” Jisung’s voice pulled Alexis out of her reverie and back to the present.

“Who heard?” She asked unthinkingly, still in awe of the artwork that was simply the entrance to her rooms.

“Changbin of course,” Jisung said matter-of-factly, reaching over and pushing the doors open. “The inside is all Hyunjin though,” the boy continued as he stepped inside, Elora following close behind him.

Alexis took one more moment to admire the first sign of consideration that she’d received from her future spouse, before following the other two inside.

This time the opulence before her made Alexis’ jaw drop and eyes widen in shock, as she turned in a full 360 to try and take in every detail surrounding them.

The colour palette of the door was continued into the rooms, gold, pearl and turquoise hues mirrored throughout the furnishings and decorations.

They were standing in a large sitting area, the ceiling draped in gold and white cloth, a large brazier of gold hung from the ceiling dripping strings of pearls that sparkled in the late afternoon light. The chairs were large and comfy, their brilliant turquoise upholstery offset by gold trim. A low table stood before a fireplace, surrounded by multicoloured floor cushions and covered by an intricately embroidered table runner that depicted brightly coloured scenes of animals found in Roalun. Through a set of white shuttered doors to her right, Alexis could see an absolutely enormous fourposter bed draped with beautiful hangings of sheer gold and turquoise.

But what attracted Alexis attention the most were the doors directly in front of her that were flung wide open giving an unobstructed view of the outside. She walked over, feeling like she was in a haze, out onto a large balcony, pressing up against the railing as she took in the view.

As the Palace was built strategically at the top of a hill, the city of Epiris was laid out like a tapestry below her, extending down the slope until it hit the bank of Lake Lilies, continuing to spread along the lakes edge on either side. The lake was a breathtaking sight, glistening in the sunlight, large enough that you could barely glimpse the other side. She could see from her position the place where the Mairis River flowed into the lake and immediately took in the two garrison towers on either side, brows pinching when she remembered exactly why she was here.

“Beautiful isn’t it?” Jisung said as he came to stand beside her. Elora was still inside, already starting to unpack their trunks, always happier when things were in their proper place.

“It’s stunning,” Alexis agreed, closing her eyes for a moment and basking in the sunlight. They stood in silence for a moment, Alexis feeling slightly bewildered with how comfortable she was already feeling in her new home.

“Can I ask you something?” Jisung sounded hesitant. “You don’t have to answer if you don’t feel like it.”

Alexis opened her eyes and looked over at him. He now had his back towards the view, leaning against the railing as he fixed her with a serious look.

“Sure.”

“Did you have a choice? About coming here, I mean?”

Alexis considered the question for a moment, her silence making the other boy jittery.

“Not exactly,” Alexis finally answered. “I’m sure if I had put up more of a fuss, the King wouldn’t have sent me, but I’m also pretty sure if I’d done that he would’ve renounced my title, leaving me with no prospects and no way to keep Elora safe.”

Jisungs expression softened, pity shining in his eyes. “Not really a choice then,” he commented softly.

“Not really, no,” Alexis replied, giving him a small smile. He returned it with one of understanding, making Alexis wonder what non-choices had been given to him and the close-knit family around him.

“You know we didn’t even know Roalun had a Princess until Chan told us about you coming to marry one of us,” a voice chimed up from behind them, making both of them spin around in shock. Jeongin, the baby of the family, stood in the doorway, his face openly curious.

“Jeongin, you can’t just walk into other peoples rooms,” Jisung berated his younger brother, looking ready to throttle the boy.

“The door was open.” Jeongin shrugged slightly, not seemingly bothered by the scolding.

He fixed his gaze back on Alexis. “Are you really a Princess? Because I learnt in History that King Tobias only had sons.”

Jisung whacked the younger boy over the head. “You don’t ask questions like that you dimwit!”

“It’s okay. He should know if I’m to be his sister-in-law,” Alexis consoled the embarrassed elder boy.

She turned her gaze back to Jeongin. “My father is the King but my mother isn’t Queen Lillian. My mother is her sister, Lady Edelyn, the former Duchess of Vitova and Alzilicia. The Princes are my half-brothers. The reason you didn’t know that Roalun had a Princess is because up until a month ago there wasn’t one. Although the King had claimed me as his daughter, I was still only a Lady, one day to be Duchess of my mother lands. However, when the King saw an opportunity to seal the Peace Treaty with Roalun by connecting our two Kingdoms through marriage, he gave me the title of Princess and shipped me off here, and as my mother is dead there was no one to stop him doing it.”

Jeongin looked shocked, eyes wide as he tried to make sense of Alexis’ story. Jisung on the other hand didn’t look surprised, his expression empathetic, which made the newly made Princess feel a little bit better about exposing her complicated past.

“Does that make you a Princess as well?” Jeongin unthinkingly asked Elora as the other girl joined them.

Alexis stiffened, immediately shooting Jeongin a glare, even though she knew he didn’t mean any harm by it.

Elora grimaced and shook her head, quickly blurting out, “No, I will never be a Princess,” before quickly disappearing back inside.

Jisung slapped Jeongin over the head once again. “Idiot!”

“Wait, what did I say?” Jeongin was genuinely confused which made Alexis soften her irritation at the younger boy slightly.

“It’s a sensitive topic for Elora. Just leave it alone, alright,” she told him, a hand going to her forehead and her exhaustion finally caught up with her.

“If you don’t mind, I think I might go lay down for a bit,” she told the two boys, walking back inside.

“Of course. Someone will come and get get you when it’s time for dinner,” Jisung said, taking Jeongins arm and dragging him out of the room with him. Jeongin smiled widely and gave Alexis a cute wave goodbye before the door slammed shut in his face.

Alexis smiled and gave a chuckle at the cute boy, shaking her head as she went to check on Elora.

She found her sister already asleep on top of the covers of her bed in her own slightly smaller room. Her face was still scrunched in distress and Alexis reached out a hand to smooth the hair off of her forehead, Elora immediately relaxing at her touch. Sighing, Alexis grabbed a rug and covered her up, quietly tiptoeing out of the room and softly closing the door behind her.

Fighting to keep her eyes open, she stumbled into her own room and crawled into the massive bed, burrowing deep under the covers.

The last thing she saw before succumbing to sleep was the detailed picture of a Mountain Lion painted onto the ceiling of her room, the sparkling afternoon sunlight making it look alive.

[k-writer1998]

Rebel Hours (18/18)

Kwon Jieun always fit her parents’ image of the “perfect” daughter… at least to their knowledge. Away from prying eyes she was like any other girl living life to the fullest doing what she wants. When a little someone named Bang Chan comes into her life priorities are changed, mistakes are made, and her life finally becomes her own.

Fluff

w.c: 1.8k

A/N: And there is our ending folks :) hope you enjoyed the series? story? idek lol

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"FINALLY the idiot couple is back together!” Changbin hollered.

 “All seven of you together… too suspicious. Which one of you set it up?”

“I’m guessing Felix and Seungmin,” Chan mused and I nodded in agreement.

“Hey!” Jisung and Hyunjin both shouted.

“You two, working together? I told you they get along babe.”

“So this mean we get a get-out-of-murder free card right?” Jeongin interjects.

“Fine, since it was for my greater good you three get a pass,” I smile.

“Shouldn’t you thank us?” Jisung started before Hyunjin added, “We basically got you back together.”

“That’s a bit of a stretch but since I’m in a good mood, whatever. I’ll treat everyone to dinner.”

“Are you sure you can treat eight hungry dudes?” Minho challenged.

“Yes,” I laugh and add, “I got paid yesterday.”

      As the boys cheered excitedly and ran ahead, debating where to eat, I felt a pair of arms snake around my waist. Chan pulled me back a bit to give us some privacy away from the group as he rested his chin on my shoulder.

“I just wanted it to be us…”

“Don’t worry we can ditch them after eating. Movie at yours?”

“I like the way you think,” he booped my nose.

      We caught up with the rest of the group and joined the discussion for what we were going to eat. After much deliberation, we finally entered a restaurant and sat at a table. As with every time we hang out with such a large group, it was borderline chaos and a lot of fun. There was the unavoidable bickering of Hyunjin and Jisung, Felix jokingly doing ASMR to Seungmin, and Minho roasting the whole group. While everyone was finishing up their meals I excused myself to the “restroom.” Although they said it was my treat, the boys would probably feel bad for having me pay for everything thus me lying about going to the bathroom. When I paid though it was oddly cheaper then I expected. It wasn’t until the woman at the register not only handed me back my change but also a card too. I was about to make a comment but then I felt a presence behind me as a hand reached out to take the card.

“Hey! I was supposed to treat everyone.”

“What kind of boyfriend would I be if I let you pay that much?”

“A good one because then my words wouldn’t only be half validated by you butting in,” I pout.

“Look on the bright side. At least it’s half validated because if I paid full like I wanted to, that pout on your face would turn into a furrowed brow and that means big trouble for me,” Chan teases.

“Well lucky you. You’re only half in trouble now.”

      I smirked as we headed back to the table. We chatted more with the group until everyone was finished before Chan and I announced we’ll be leaving. As per usual the teasing was never ending as we collected our stuff to go. We decided to walk to his apartment since it was relatively close, the weather was nice, and the world was painted a beautiful mix of colors thanks to the setting sun. The walk back was filled with comfortable silence and smiley glances to one another. We pointed out cute or strange things in shop windows and laughed about it. One thing in particular caught my eye though, a lock and key necklace set. I wasn’t one for flashy shows of relationships or the cutesy couple things but I don’t know… I liked the idea of having something that I could always have with me that reminds me of him. As we passed the window a soft smile replaced whatever dumb comment swirled in the back of my head. We were close to the apartment when Chan suddenly silently cursed to himself.

“Hmm? What’s wrong?”

“I think I forgot my wallet at the restaurant…”

“What?! Then let’s go back!”

“If I run I can make it back in ten minutes. Wait for me at the convenience store at the corner?”

      Did we really cover so much distance in such a short amount of time? We must’ve walked for at least twenty minutes already. I gave the boy a skeptical look but he looked so determined, a mysterious glint in his eye, that I ended up caving.

“Fine, I’ll buy some snacks for the movie while I wait then.”

“I’ll be quick, promise.” 

      He smiled and kissed the top of my head before he sprinted off. With a shake of my head I headed to the convenience store and grabbed a few snacks and a few sweet drinks to go along with it. As I exited the store and looked down the street there was still no sign of Chan so I sat at the tables outside. Grabbing one of the drinks from the bag, I quietly sipped it as I scrolled through my social media. All was fine until I was harshly pulled to my feet, knocking into the table and spilling my drink. Snapping my head to the perpetrator I rolled my eyes and snapped.

“What the hell?!”

“You and I should have a chat kitten.”

“Stop calling me that and let. GO.”

      I struggle to pull my arm from his grasp with a growl. Why does he always show up around me? Aside from my blood boiling, the trembling and fear came back against my will. Kyunghoon scares me, I’ve caught a glimpse of what he’s capable of and I don’t want any part of it. I fought against him to no avail. He dragged me to the side of the convenience store, out of the way from the flow of the main road and away from what may have been my saving grace.

“Well kitten you’ve found your claws, too bad they’re dull or maybe it would actually hurt.”

“What do you want Kyunghoon? I have nothing to say to you.”

“You played a very dangerous game snitching about what happened at the gala,” he growled.

“Whatever, you deserve it,” I roll my eyes, “you’re a disgusting pig. It was a matter of time before your parents found out anyways.”

“You bitch do you know what you’ve done?”

“What, did daddy decide to send you away to another country or did he cut off your money?”

      As the conversation progressed his grip on my arm continually got tighter and the panic grew with the pain. It took a lot out of me just trying to mask the pain in my voice. The feeling of being cornered yet again with the same guy was bringing me back to that night and if I don’t get out of it quickly I just… Chan where are you?

“If all you wanted to do was complain, it seems you’re done so just let me go already.”

“Oh no you don’t. Our last conversation got me thinking, only after our little “occurrence” at the gala did I get jumped by someone’s boyfriend. Something that doesn’t happen often I may add, and your little boy toy’s voice seems familiar. Is there a correlation between the two?”

      Shit, he had brain cells? Well even if he knows now there is no evidence, thanks to Seunghee, to prove it so I decided to antagonize him. He’s done worse to me anyways. Maybe if I keep up the tough act I can find an opening and weasel my way away from him.

“You just want to pin all your problems on me when the fault lies on your own trashy behavior.”

“Think your little lap dog can protect you forever? Where is he right now then?”

“I don’t need him to protect me from you. Someone like you, I can deal with myself,” I spat.

“You won’t be running your mouth for long you stupid slut.”

      He shoved me and my back hit the side of the building, knocking the wind out of me. I was finally free from his grimey paws at least but of course as per his character Kyunghoon moved to attack me while I was down. My reaction time wouldn’t be fast enough to block it so I prepared myself for the blow as I shut my eyes. Thud. I felt nothing but the cold air blowing at me so I opened my eyes and saw the vile being who previously stood in front of me knocked to the floor and my voice ripped through my throat.

“Chan!”

“I warned you I wouldn’t go easy next time I see you messin with girls who want nothing to do with you. Of all the girls, why do you keep messing with mine?”

      Chan growled at the cowering boy below him. Chan had thrown in a few extra punches for good measure and there was that dangerous glint in Chan’s eyes again. I dared not move, not out of fear but at the fact that I knew better than to get in the middle with that look in his eyes. He crouched down to meet Kyunghoon’s eyes with a glare.

“You’re lucky she’s here. I’m gonna say it one last time. Stay away from Jieun or next time you’ll be sent to the hospital.”

      Kyunghoon didn’t waste his chance to scramble away this time at Chan’s threat. Chan immediately rushed to my side to check if I was okay.

“Jieun I’m so sorry I’m late. I shouldn’t have left you alone, are you okay? Did he hurt you?”

“I’m fine Chan, he pushed me to the wall so my back aches a bit but it’ll go away after awhile.”

      I let him fuss about to his heart’s content, not like he would let me get away before he did anyways. When his eyes had finally assessed that I was in fact fine, and I assured him that he was just in time, we grabbed the abandoned bag of goods before heading back to his apartment. I was in charge of finding a movie while Chan moved about, setting out the assortment of snacks and drinks on the table. I wanted to help but he insisted I rest after the “events of the evening” in which I rolled my eyes but complied anyways. As he took a seat beside me something fell from his pockets, hitting me gently on my thigh. Picking up the box, Chan’s face flushed.

“That was supposed to be a surprise for another time…”

“Since I already found it, can I open it?”

“Would it stop you if I said no?”

“Not really,” I responded cheekily.

      He laughs as he gives me the okay to open it. I lifted the lid of the box and gasped, how did he know? In the box rested the lock and key necklace set I eyed in one of the shop windows. Chan gestured to the necklace and I nodded as he took it from my hands. He held up the two necklaces and asked which one I preferred.

“You are definitely the key,” I laugh, “one of a kind and specially made to unlock the secrets of my heart.”

“Now who’s the one being cheesy?”

[straykidsupdate]

Stray Kids Make Their Mark In NYC With World Tour "District 9: Unlock"

Nestled underneath the majestic Madison Square Garden in New York City lies Hulu Theater — a smaller, more intimate performance venue where every seat is given a front-row view. It's here, on January 29, 2020, where Stray Kids began their journey across the USA for Stray Kids World Tour "District 9: Unlock."

Bright lights on the ceiling of the venue illuminated the crowd below, but it's nothing compared to the hundreds of Stray Kids lightsticks, coined najimbongs, that many in the audience held in their hands. Fans sang along to Stray Kids songs while they waited in anticipation for the 8 idols to take the stage.

A theatrical VCR introduced the start of the show, much to the audience's delight. Screams grew louder as their biases appeared on the screen, and peaked when the screens separated to reveal Stray Kids. They were there. They were real. Yes, it was absolutely happening.

If you thought this would be an easy-going, relaxing concert — do we have news for you! Energy levels began at 325% right off the bat as Stray Kids jumped into a remix of "District 9." And yes, the song can go harder than it already does. The momentum never stopped as they continue on with "Victory Song," "Question," a remix of "Rock," an epic dance break that made its last appearance at KCON LA, and the iconic "Side Effects." We have to commend these boys and their energy: there were no breaks in between these high-impact performances.

"We worked really hard to unlock this world tour for you," Changbin shared after the group made their cheery introductions to the crowd. It was no lie — just within eight months since Stray Kids held their last USA tour, the group has accomplished so much. Seeing their fans, known as Stay, as many times as they can is unmistakably one of their top priorities. How can you tell? If you've seen the way their eyes shine as they stare into the audience, you wouldn't doubt the love they have for Stay one bit.

To counter the tenacious impact of their first few stages, Stray Kids brought about a chiller, more laid-back atmosphere with "M.I.A." Though no choreography accompanied this performance, Felix surprised the crowd by dancing to "Renegade," a dance trend that went viral on video-based social networking app TikTok. This is one honorable mention from the show that will go down in Stray Kids history.

The first unit stage followed — Hyunjin, Lee Know, and Felix wowed the crowd with a deeply seductive performance to "Wow." Yes, abs were involved (thank you, Felix). The trio, known to fans as Danceracha, effortlessly dominated the stage with their presence. Leader Bang Chan later designated their performance as "sexy time," and we have yet to see the lie in that statement.

"Mixtape #4" was the next song off the setlist, and many were not prepared for the emotions that the song brought: with its lyrics, Stray Kids assure us to keep moving forward despite difficulties that we may face and to know that although we might feel alone, we never really are. During Felix's rap, Stay united as one as they shouted: "Stray Kids nine or none, we're gonna cross the finish line," though there were only eight standing on stage. The amount of love and adoration held in the venue visibly grew after that point.

It was time to "Get Cool," and what better way to fill the "Awkward Silence" than with the fun, cheeky performances that followed next? Members chased and tickled each other — youngest member I.N. being the most popular target — and interacted with the crowd during these upbeat, cheerful tracks. It's moments like these were the relationship between Stray Kids and Stay truly show their colors — not only through the laughs shared or cheers exchanged but also through the concerned gasps from the crowd as they watched Hyunjin fake-throw Seungmin into the audience. But hey, I'm sure Stay would have caught him if it really happened, right?

Let's take a moment to think about the VCR that played next. Picture this: Stray Kids take to the streets, wielding weapons and destroying virtual buildings in the most magnificent way possible. Is this symbolism for Stray Kids fighting the system, taking it into their own hands, and building a district of their own? Or is it purely just a group of eight boys wanting to destroy things for fun? Either way, we're all for Stray Kids world domination.

But on the real, the true message that Stray Kids wanted to share came to light in their performance of "Levanter." Stray Kids isn't just the name of their group; it's what they represent. Reflecting on the words both seen in the VCR and spoken by the members, there are lost kids all around the world just trying to find their footing. Together, step by step, they can pave a road to move forward. Here lies the strength echoed in the words, "Stray kids everywhere all around the world."

Sentimental moments were followed by soft ones as vocalists Seungmin and I.N. reappeared on stage in baby blue accented outfits, serenading the crowd during "My Universe." Just as Danceracha appeared for their unit stage earlier in the show, this was Vocalracha's time to shine. Special shoutout to Changbin for his rap verse appearance — though his vocals could potentially land him a spot in Vocalracha, don't you think?

The eight members continued their serene mood with a performance of "Third Eye," complete with the smooth use of chairs as props in their choreography. Chairs made the choreography more dynamic, playing with levels changes and strategic placements that brought the performance to the next level of satisfaction. Speaking of satisfying, Felix's deep-toned rap over nothing but a heavy, rhythmic bass drum is something we can listen to over and over again.

Stray Kids then transitioned into a straight line formation, basked in a cool light as a ballad accompaniment of "I Am You" played softly in the background. Experiencing this song without the choreography gives Stay a completely new perspective of the performance, filled with more emotion and connection than can be explained by words. The feelings intensified as Stay joined Stray Kids with the words "Stay together, you and I."

Stray Kids gave Stay the ultimate whiplash as the stage flipped into one of the most chaotically satisfying performances of the night: 3RACHA finally made their appearance. Basked in red lights (a warning, perhaps?) and dressed in leather detailed jackets, Bang Chan, Changbin, and Han lit the stage on fire with their performance of "We Go." Equal parts playful and chaotic, this unit, formed even before Stray Kids' official debut, really knows how to serve the heat - they're 3RACHA after all.

Following the wave of intensity that 3RACHA SUMMONED, the group reunited as eight on stage to perform a remix of "Road Not Taken" and an extended dance version of "My Pace." They take a moment afterwards to chat and interact with the audience. Han, being the overly excited delight that he is, fumbled with his words as he spoke. He laughed it off by apologizing to the translator, admitting he was too excited.

"I've never heard Stay scream this loud before," Bang Chan shared with the audience, "but I've never heard Felix scream so loud!" Felix laughed along with the entire venue in defeat — apparently, his excitement had gotten the better of him as well.

Changbin's comment felt all too real: "We want to be happy every day, but that's not always possible," he starts, "but I believe we can overcome these things and those hardships will pass like the wind." Bang Chan echoed his words, thanking Stay for their kind comments and for always staying by Stray Kids' side, which in turn started a chant of "we love you's" from the audience. The chant turned into a competition when Stray Kids started saying "we love Stay" in return. Who will win this exchange of love? We'll let you know (if it ever ends at all).

"Make sure to tie your shoelaces twice!" Bang Chan exclaimed as they jumped into "Double Knot." (Does he write his own material? Genius). Just like the beginning of the show, their energy stayed top tier as they lead into "Boxer" and their debut song "Hellevator." The stage production and background VCR for "Hellevator" was extremely impactful, using first-person point of view to transform the theater into a completely different world. It felt like a 3d virtual reality game where Stay accompanied Stray Kids on a journey through the fire and rubble, making their way out of this "Hellevator" together.

Stray Kids' performance to "Miroh" was taken to new levels with the introduction of drums, both as props and a backing beat to the hard-hitting instrumentals that ignite the chorus. An extended dance break made the stage even more exciting, but it also made us wonder how they're still jumping with so much energy. JYP, tell us your secrets, we beg of you.

And just when you thought this concert couldn't get any cuter, the next VCR introduced an interactive game. With games, came prizes — this one being Stray Kids returning to the stage for more performances. The premise of the game was simple: a Stray Kids song played while 8-bit icons appeared in beat at the bottom of the screen. When a clapping icon appeared, Stay had to clap. When a heart icon appeared, Stay had to form hearts over their heads. And, in true Stray Kids fashion, when a dab icon appeared, Stay had to hit the hardest dab of their life. "Get Cool" was the song that played during the practice round, with "Miroh" being the main stage of the game. Cameras panned through the audience, focusing on enthusiastic Stay in the crowd and screening them on the large LEDs on stage. It was a fun and entertaining way for Stay to participate in the show from their seats and also a clever way to get a whole theater to "dab to the left" at the same time. Several members mentioned they were watching the audience from backstage and called us "cute." If that's what it takes to make Stray Kids think we're cute, we might as well play this game all day, every day.

The final stage of the game was "unlocked," prompting Stray Kids to make their way back to NYC Stay, dressed in tour merch and bright blue accessories — Han wore a blue LA Dodgers cap (in NYC? We won't question it, we'll just let him do his thing.) while Lee Know had a soft blue sweater tied around his torso. The lyrics to "Grow Up" appeared in the background, inviting Stay to sing along. There was something soothing about singing the lyrics together, telling each other that you're doing fine, to just take your time, and that you can do it.

The inevitable finally arrived — final ments. It got real deep during Felix's last comments. "Having to express our love for one another — It gets me in the feels and I really want to do so much more for you guys. You're the reason why we are still Stray Kids. I really believe in Stay."

Changbin continued with his own set of sappy love-filled messages. "Now that I'm here with you, I'm so happy and excited. I shouldn't expect anything because you always surprise me! Thank you, this is for you." Changbin shared as he threw a cute finger heart to the crowd.

Before their last two stages, "YAYAYA" and a reprise of "Miroh," Bang Chan expressed his feelings. "As long as you guys invite us, we'll be glad to come back. You gave us the chance to come back here and we were so stoked! We'll give you guys the best 2020 ever, promise. It feels like Stay is a part of our family — it was your show and ours today."

Here's something important for Stay to remember as a takeaway from their show: You not only make Stray Kids stay — you make them grow. You make them succeed. You make them happy. This fan-idol relationship? It's a two way street. But it's a street that Stray Kids and Stay gravitate towards so effortlessly and make their home.

Thank you to SubKulture Entertainment and JYP Entertainment for the chance to experience this memorable night in New York City during Stray Kids World Tour 'District 9 : Unlock.' Make sure to keep supporting Stray Kids!

Don't miss your chance to see Stray Kids live on this tour! Tickets to upcoming locations are still available here: https://www.subkultureent.com/stray-kids

Source: KpopStarz

[heronamevilllain]

You Make Me Happy

Ship: Bang Chan x Reader

Words: 1,920

Genre: Fluff Fluff Fluff and more FLUFF

Description: You and Channie have been the best of friends for about a year now after meeting him in the manga section of a comic shop, but you’ve hidden your feelings for him the entire time. Cuteness ensues. 

A/N: I really hope you like it my precious little anon who requested this. It took me a couple of tries to be happy with it and get the fluff just right, but I’m really pleased with how it turned out. Thank you so much for requesting and I hope I hear from you again soon! 💛🌻

It had been about a year since you and Chan had met at the local comic shop. You were browsing the manga collection when the bell over the door rang and a boy with fluffy blonde hair quickly shuffled in out of the cold. He looked a bit embarrassed or perhaps he just felt out of place as you watched his eyes scan the labels above the white, chest-high shelves. You were trying not to stare, but you just couldn’t seem to tear your gaze away from his soft facial features that were slightly reddened by the chill outside and so delicately complimented by the gentle waves in his hair. That is, until you noticed his eyes finally settle on the sign above your row and he began making his way towards it. A tinge of confidence re-entered his movements as he had found what he was looking for— the section he was looking for, where he would feel safe.

Immediately you grabbed the first book you could get your hands on from the shelf in front of you and buried your nose into a random page in the middle. You were accustomed to this shop and were well aware of the fact that the shelves were kept quite close together, making it difficult for strangers to comfortably share one of the rows, especially a section as small as the manga section you were in. After what felt like hours of trying to convince yourself that the boy hadn’t noticed you staring, he finally entered the aisle and found himself forced much closer to you than he had anticipated. He nervously made a bit of small talk as he looked over the shelves. “Oh, I know that one!” he said excitedly, pointing at the manga in your hands and clumsily reaching past you to grab another copy off of the shelf. “I’ve seen the anime, but I’ve never had a chance to actually read it,” he exclaimed, quickly flipping through the pages. “I’ve always been so curious about how they portrayed this scene without the animation.” He carefully studied a couple of pages in the book before returning it to the shelf, “What do you think of the manga?” he asked you with genuine interest sparkling in his warm brown eyes. You found yourself anxiously fiddling with the pages as you told him you hadn’t actually read the manga, claiming to have been interested by the cover and just decided to scan the pages rather than admitting you had been using it to hide from him when he first approached. His eyes crinkled and a pair of dimples appeared with his blossoming grin as he chuckled lightly at the broken patterns in your speech that were induced by nervousness, but you didn’t at all feel as if he were laughing at you. His smile brought out a warmth in your chest that kept you from being able to suppress a shy giggle at the end of your explanation.

And that’s how it had all started. He had spent the next twenty minutes in the shop telling you all about the anime he had mentioned. He offered to walk next door and grab a coffee with you as you discussed some of the shows and mangas you actually were a fan of, and to your surprise he insisted on paying for your drink. After spending the following hour sipping your coffees and chatting between outbursts of pure laughter at the silliest things, you had exchanged numbers and started texting and hanging out regularly.

It was odd, but something had just clicked when the two of you started talking. It hadn’t been love at first sight or anything like that, but it was certainly “like at first laugh.” Your heart had filled with so much joy when you noticed the way his eyes had squinted completely shut the first time your jokes had urged him into a full belly laugh. And so you spent the rest of that day and your friendship attempting to bring that feeling back by making him laugh. You never pursued those romantic feelings though because you knew how busy Chan was and how much he loved having you as a friend. It was an easy decision that having him in your life was more important to you than having a romantic relationship with him, so you allowed yourself to push those feelings aside and be the best friend to him that you could be.

The two of you loved spending free days at his dorm, watching the goofiest movies you could find and playing games to see who could make the other laugh first just by making silly faces. The other boys loved having you around just as much as Chan did because it always meant the two of you would work together to prepare a delicious meal for everyone. Jongin especially appreciated your presence because it meant one less member attacking him with affection because Chan’s were completely focused on you while you were around. He adored having you snuggle up to him while you watched your movies so that he could play with your hair. While you two were cooking, he would randomly sneak up behind you and pull you in for a bear hug without any warning— as long as no knives were in use of course. And more often than not, your silly face games would end in you pushing him away for making you laugh, leaving Chan with no choice but to drag you back to him and of course a wrestling match for your escape would ensue which Chan would only occasionally allow you to win.

Unfortunately, these visits had decreased in frequency quite a bit due to the upcoming promotions of his group, Stray Kids. Not only did they just release their first Mixtape, but the date for their debut was quickly approaching and as the leader, Chan had taken it upon himself to ensure that everything about their debut would go perfectly. As a result, there wasn’t much time to spend goofing off, even if it was with his best friend. He told you that he knew how lonely you had been without him though and how he missed you too, so he had a surprise. Seeing as you were both single, he had managed to claim the entirety of Valentine’s Day just for the two of you to hang out like you used to while the rest of the world was busy being in love. So you showed up to the dorm, ready to spend a carefree day with your best friend, but something seemed off with Chan. You watched your favorite movies, but he didn’t laugh as hard as usual. You offered to help him fix dinner, but he said that the other boys were going to take care of it. You even pulled your hair out of its pony tail and snuggled up to him on the couch, but his fingers only lazily scratched your scalp for a few moments before his hands returned to his lap where he had been fidgeting with them previously. Honestly, you were a bit worried that things had grown awkward between the two of you since your friendship had grown so distant as of late. “Channie, let’s play ‘You Laugh, You Lose.’ I’m bored,” you said playfully as you moved to the floor to sit with crossed legs.

“Ah, y/n, I’m not really in the mood, ya know? Let’s just watch the mov—“ you cut him off by grabbing his wrist and pulling him to the floor in front of you.

“Come on, it’ll be fun. I promise to make you laugh harder than ever, okay?” You needed him to play the game so that you had an excuse to stare into his eyes and see what was on his mind. You could always tell if he was worried, sad, stressed, nervous, or angry just by his eyes. Chan couldn’t help but to smile at your insistence as he situated himself in front of you, “Oh will you now, y/n? Not if I make you laugh first!” He said pulling the dumbest face he could imagine with his tongue out, cheeks pulled high, and eyes crossed. 

Normally you were much better at this game, but his sudden change in mood paired with such a ridiculous face and you just couldn’t stop yourself. You were hunched over laughing like you hadn’t in months and, as if things were right back to normal, Chan lunged at you to try to grab you and begin the traditional wrestling match. You knew it was coming and turned to scramble away on all fours, but he grabbed your waist from behind and pulled you back onto him, using his body weight to lay back and take you with him so that you couldn’t escape. He held you like that, both of you laughing while you struggled, until you finally accepted that he wasn’t going to allow you to get away. Once you stopped squirming he loosened his grip on you and allowed you to roll onto your side next to him, one arm still wrapped around your waist and one of your arms draped across his stomach below where your head was resting on his chest.

“Y/n, you make me so happy, you know? Ever since the day we met, I’ve been laughing and smiling like an idiot. And I was going to wait to tell you this over dinner, but honestly I know I’ve been acting weird because I’m so nervous about this and who knows how the food is going to turn out since Jongin wanted to make it to thank you for something— he never said what for though, come to think of it— and of course that meant Jisung and Seungmin are helping too. In other words, we’re going to be ordering food, but thats besides the point,” Chan quickly rambled without really stopping to catch his breath. “Y/n I really like you and I think you might like me too because of how you stared at me that first day in the comic shop and you kind of haven’t stopped staring at me since, but that’s okay because the only reason I know you’re staring at me is because I can’t stop staring at you either. So I know this is cheesy because it’s Valentine’s Day and I know it’s even worse because I actually planned all of this, but will you be my Valentine, y/n? Not just today, but for as long as you’ll have me? I can’t imagine going a day without you by my side to make me laugh and talk about anime with and to be my best friend and—“

For the second time that day, you found yourself cutting Chan off. You knew he was nervous and would just keep rambling for the next ten minutes if you didn’t stop him, so you decided to gather your courage. You lifted your head from his chest and placed the gentlest peck on his lips before whispering, “Of course I’ll be your Valentine, Channie.” As you looked into his eyes after saying all of this, you two couldn’t help but break down into a snuggly pile of laughter at how cringy you both were being in this unknown territory of your new relationship, but of course the two of you haven’t really stopped laughing since.