#their voices remind me of wjsn

[hjnxx]

͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ welcome to the jinxxdom.

round one ⸻ the representative hit song battle.

hijinxx would start off their run on queendom with an orchestral version of their hit title track attitude for the first round. the crowd was blown away by the performance and uptick in sound and in strings, live and at-home audiences having a positive reaction.

when it came time for the self assessments, the girls would up vote hyolyn’s performance. they themselves would be up voted by viviz and kep1er, but down voted by brave girls—which sparked netizen speculation online. at the end of the battle, the girls would rank second, just a few thousand points behind hyolyn.

round two ⸻ the cover song battle.

with their pick for wjsn this round, hijinxx performed save me, save you from their 2018 ep ‘wj please’? their cover took on a somber twist to the upbeat song—complete with eerie strings and dark stage outfits. having a live orchestra with them on stage alongside the tweaked backtrack intrigued the audience, cementing them earlier on as performers dedicated not only to their craft but their visuals as well. they would remain in second place when it came to the self assessments.

round three part one ⸻ the position unit battle.

with the group split cleanly down the middle between the two units — ahyeon and eunji for the vocal unit, micha and yuina for the dance unit — fans were eager to see how the girls would perform separated from each other. eunji would make a comment that it reminded her of their house of cards days, only with less stress because she would still have them all by the end of the show. the moment warmed netizen hearts, especially when ahyeon promised to treat them all to a big dinner regardless of their position after it all.

ahyeon and eunji would perform iu’s hold my hand alongside viviz’s eunha and wjsn’s soobin and yeonjung. it was no surprise that eunji was quick to become a fan favorite for her heartfelt emotion while singing, especially being a longtime fan of iu long before she even debuted, but fans were just as surprised to note how well ahyeon’s voice meshed as well. ahyeon herself would say that singing was something she was constantly working on to be more confident in since most of her comfortability resigned to being behind the scenes. so it was to her tearful surprise that their unit won first place.

as for the dance unit, micha and yuina would be paired with hyolyn and wjsn’s yeoreum and eunseo. already known as the group’s strongest stage performers, excitement for their stage was already through the roof—but the live audience was blown away by the energy brought by their synchronization. yuina’s facial expressions would also go viral once again, as well as micha and hyolyn’s chemistry. despite the energy and effort they put in, the unit would only rank second place.

round three part two ⸻ fantastic queendom.

in part two of round three, the fans would give their input and choose shatter me as the song they wanted the girls to perform. and in sticking true to the theme they had somewhat established during their time on the show, hijinxx performed an yet another orchestral version of the powerful song. their performance was full of drama from the exaggerated moves to the newly heightened instrumental, and the high note sung live by eunji only added to the overall atmosphere.

the other contestants would describe their performance as ‘insanely good’ and ‘emotional’, a funny clip of chuu going viral for standing up out of her seat to show the goosebumps she��d gotten from their stage. at the end of voting, this would give hijinxx their first top ranking at first place together since the show began.

the final round ⸻ the live comeback stage.

for the final round, hijinxx performed a new song cryptically titled ‘because’ as their last performance. with the fun instrumental, a live band playing behind them, and back up dancers dressed like them but with detailed masked obscuring their faces, both the audiences and other contestants were in for a treat. the track was produced by ahyeon, who had head creative vision over the performance outfits as well. this would earn them their second first place win.

this performance along with the rest of their stages cemented hijinxx as an upcoming group with dominance in both stage presence and vocal ability. in the moments where all the contestants stood waiting to be told who the winner was, the girls were standing at the very end of the left side of the stage as if in their own world. hands held tightly, and the three youngest with their eyes closed as ahyeon looked over them fondly.

and as the girls huddled together, biding their experience on the show — taeyeon would announce their first place ranking as the winners of the season. yuina’s head would snap up first with a gasp before letting out a loud scream. her abrupt reaction would scare both eunji and micha, causing a chain reaction ending with ahyeon blinking back into focus just as the award was placed in her hands. it would be left to micha to give a short speech on the group’s behalf with eunji and yuina crying in each other’s arms and ahyeon looking like the events of the entire show were suddenly catching up to her.

the girls would then celebrate on stage, thanking the hosts and mingling with the other contestants. later that same night, a celebratory dinner picture would be taken with ahyeon making sure on her promise.

͏ ͏ ͏ ͏ popular reactions during and after the show . . . did you tune in ?

[127luvr]

Just wanted to say your fanfics are really cute, and to keep up the good work ^-^ I have nothing else to say but before I leave here are some bops to listen to! Cignature - Boyfriend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk6DP8gh8Zw Nature - SHUT UP! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6lYRC9qUL0E WJSN - Sugar https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oi2aTMprWsw

HI MY LOVE thank you so much for the song recs I really appreciate it this is so cute

I really love how minimal the instrumental for Boyfriend (Cignature) was. The song really brought out the group’s vocals. Sometimes the instrumentals in songs overpower the voices and I don’t like the trend where the chorus is just a bunch of noise so I definitely loved this.

Shut Up! Is so cute I love the inspiration they took from jazz omg. VAGUELY reminds me of loona but I think it’s bc I miss them so much. This is so fun I love ggs. ALSO the high note towards the end is so satisfying.

I don’t think I’ve ever listened to a wjsn song if I’m being honest… I never realized they had this many members. I love when they’re not quite singing but they’re not really rapping either they’re just talk singing I guess. Very fun and cutesy song hehe

[xxjkmxx]

hey who’s bebe6?? bc their song some night is cute and so r they skdfal

[lilac-5ky]

Killing Butterflies (Part 6: Save me, Save you)

A/N: No, I haven’t been listening to WJSN on repeat. But you know, this song kinda reminds me of the way reader-chan sees Takasugi-kun and I got inspired! This chapter gets very uhm dark and sad. It's even more angsty than the previous one and it lowkey ends on a cliffhanger, but I feel like with this I've reached the half of this fanfic. The way I see it now, I should be able to wrap this story up within four more chapters so aye, there's that.

Warning: Violence, blood, decapitation and all that jazz. Heavy emotional damage too.

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 7

(yes, i mourned a lot in sa arc, but shinsuke in this arc surpassed himself, h o l y s h i t he looked so f i n e)

There needs to be no war for there to be a battlefield, you realized as you paced through the never-ending maze of corridors. A single spark was all it ever took for conflict to arise, turning man against man, or man against Amanto, in this case. Between the vicious space pirates and the terrorists that captured you, there was no discerning friend from foe, no side for you to choose. You didn’t fit in with either. This was never your war to fight.

With every clang of the blade, another body fell beneath your feet, destined to drown in a crimson pool of its own blood. They were all the same. Squirming and cursing across the floor like worms. Even when their lives were coming to an end, even when the light within their darkened orbs was fading away, hatred kept on stirring in them, refusing to be extinguished.

Was this how your eyes also looked?

Other than the pits of fire that delved within, there was something else residing in their pitiful gaze. They were pleading, begging for you to put an end to their agony, yet you couldn’t let your blade be sullied with the blood of another. Once it got a taste of his, there was no going back. Only Takasugi was the one who could sate such vile desire.

You kept on dragging your feet aimlessly without lingering anywhere for too long. You passed more enemies than you could count, encountering skirmish after skirmish, but even so, no one appeared particularly interested in crossing blades with you. If anything, they seemed to be completely unaware of your presence as if you were a ghost; a ghost passing among ghosts to be. Perhaps that’s for the best. No one should be able to stand in your way.

At last, you entered a wider area, presumably the bridge of the vessel. The sound was much louder here and so was the foul scent of blood. This was where the real battle escalated, you noted as you leaned against the banister, glancing down at what appeared to be the majority of the Kiheitai’s manpower.

Some of the swordsmen appeared vaguely familiar, men you’d seen lying around the ship whenever that obnoxious blonde escorted you to the ladies room. A man with broad shoulders and a jagged scar along his chin, another one with fox-like features and ghostly complexion, and then, finally, the teal-haired samurai from the day at the docks.

It was too early for you to judge who was winning and who was losing, let alone from up there, though you could tell that with him on Takasugi’s side, victory was certain. The man possessed a fighting style unlike anything you’d previously seen. Rather than using a katana, he fought with the aid of his shamisen, an instrument of death in his hands.

Every time he tugged at its strings, one deadly crescendo unleashed after the other, a flurry of invisible threads that cut through the bodies of his enemies with unparalleled poise.

The way he fought was cruel. Distinct and masterful, but cruel.

“Shinsuke, did we really need to mix it up with those guys? Brains isn’t the only thing they are lacking, I daresay,” he spoke, his voice crystal clear amidst the clamor.

“You think so? If you ask me they make up for excellent practice dummies.” A voice you knew all too well replied in an amused tone.

Even when your attention was previously monopolized by the man known as Kawakami Bansai, you found taking your eyes off of Takasugi impossible.

Back then and right now, he always shone the brightest in the eye of the cyclone. It was as if he was meant for this, as if his hands were made with the sole purpose of carrying a sword. No such thing as reservation hindered his strikes. One by one, the enemy troops met their demise, mere blocks of tofu for his sword to slice. Still, no slaying seemed enough to quench the insatiable blood thirst in his eye.

You wondered how someone could be foolish enough to oppose his will. He was on a completely another level; a dangerous man with nothing to lose, one whose skill was honed to utter perfection. Yet there you were, with your fingers ghosting over the hilt of your sword, entertaining the idea of drawing it.

Your enemy is right there. He is right in front of your eyes. You should strike him now, now when his attention is divided between the Amanto. Now is the time, right here, right now.

The more you egged yourself on, the harder it was for your legs to move. Even with a sword in hand, even with such an opportunity manifesting out of nowhere, you were hesitant to jump into action, meekly watching from the sidelines.

Come to think of it, this wasn’t much different from what happened on that day either.

Would you be mine then?

There was no telling how much of what happened last night was reality, or just another figment of your wild imagination. Had Takasugi really spoken such words to you, or were you projecting your heart’s undisclosed desires onto him? That couldn’t be it, right? Especially when you could still feel his fingers lingering upon your skin, when his voice tingled through your ears all night long.

It was real, you decided. It was definitely real. Takasugi had grown every last bit fond of you, as you were of him.

Throughout the meeting, you failed to participate in small talk or any other conversation topic your father and your guests touched upon. An occasional nod here, a forced chuckle there, was the sole evidence of your attendance. Your body may have been present, but your mind was on him and him only. The way his figure basked in the moonlight, the way your idol glinted in his eye, the way his lips curled up right after saying those words to you.

Everything about your brief encounter was enough to tempt you into giving everything up for him. Even when you’d failed to stand up against Harumi, your newfound conviction wouldn’t let you back down. There is no reason for your dreams to remain as such anymore. All you had to do was say yes, all you had to do was choose him, and he’d be yours.

The thought alone was exhilarating, preventing you from getting a wink of sleep all night long. You couldn’t wait for your morning class, eager to give your answer to his question. The only thing standing in your way now was the night, but even she’d be subdued come daylight.

The minute you felt the first rays of the morning sun graze your skin, you flew out of bed, sliding into your training attire within seconds. You took a look in the mirror, stealing a glance at the girl inside. Unlike the dolled-up yet gloomy girl you’d found staring back at you last night, this one, be it a less fancy variant, looked happy. Her expression had shifted to that of utter joy, her eyes smiling along with her lips. She truly was happy. Much happier than she, much happier than you’d ever been.

Once you managed to tame your bed-hair, making sure that you were at the very least presentable, you rushed towards the front door, carefully avoiding every obstacle and servant, until you rammed into something unexpected. More like someone, you realized, as you exchanged looks with none other than your father.

“I’m so sorry!” You exclaimed, fully aware of how much he disliked you prancing around like a horse.

To quote Harumi, “Such behavior was unsightly for a girl of your lineage”. Or something along those lines.

Rather than scolding you, an exuberant sound spilled from his lips as he managed to regain his balance.

“Oh, Y/N, you seem to be in such great spirits that you nearly knocked this old man down.” He cackled, holding onto his stomach with one hand. “My daughter, what’s gotten you this excited?”

“N-nothing in particular, father! I’m just really looking forward to meeting with Shin—, Takasugi,” you corrected “for my class. I’ve improved a lot, you should know.”

“So I hear. Takasugi informed me of your progress.” He did? “As expected of someone who carries our family’s blood. Both your father and your late grandfather-”

“Were swordsmen of impeccable skill before becoming Bakufu officials, yes, I am familiar with the story.” You interrupted, finishing his sentence for him.

The last thing you needed was to be caught in another of his endless lectures when Takasugi awaited you.

“Could I possibly be excused now? I’m already late for class as it is.”

“I am afraid there will be no class today, Y/N. But fret not, I did not come here to spoil the mood.” He paused, revealing a letter from within his sleeves.

The scribing was dense enough for you to get lost in the words, but the wisteria sigil at the bottom of the paper spoke volumes of its own.

“We received an official proposal this morning,” he continued, “it looks as if you made quite an impression on Isamu-dono. As soon as the preparations allow it, you are to wed his son.”

Somehow, your father’s sudden visitation caused you more pain than any of Takasugi’s hits had inflicted on your body. All happy thoughts dissolved into mist, fading into the rain of your eyes. How could this happen? Why was it that when you finally had the chance to be happy, you were forced to watch it slip away?

“Y/N? Did you not hear what I just said?” He asked, though all you could do was nod. That, and preventing yourself from tearing this letter into shreds.

“Then why do you appear so dejected?”

“Because,” you mumbled, your voice barely above a whisper. "Because Kaworu is not the one I want to marry.”

“What was that?” Your father asked with a forced chuckle. “Forgive your old man, age’s finally getting to my ears. What was it that you just said?”

Squeezing your eyes shut, you took a deep breath. You wouldn’t let your words be drowned by your tears.

“I said I can’t do that. I can’t marry Kaworu.” Here goes nothing. “I don’t mean to offend House Fujiwara, nor stand in the way of our clan’s future, but there is no way for me to possibly accept this proposal, not when my heart’s been already claimed by someone else.”

Looking at the letter one last time, you returned it to him.

“Father, that man,” you smiled ever so softly at the image of Takasugi “he is greater than any other individual I’ve met in my entire life.

I admit, at first, I wanted nothing more than to possess him. He fascinated me in ways no one else has, moved me in ways I never imagined to be moved. But after sharing my joys and my sorrows with him, after I glanced at his soul, I’m afraid I was the one who got possessed by him, though I don’t regret it. I don’t see myself standing at another man’s side when he exists. I could never possibly do that. He is the one for me, and I’m unashamed to say that I love him. I really do.”

Your eyes burned full of conviction, believing in every single word you’d uttered. Takasugi was undoubtedly the only one capable of bringing you such happiness. Even if you had to oppose your own family, even if you had to turn against the whole world, you wouldn’t hesitate to do so if that meant seeing another of his beautiful smiles. He was the light in your life, and you could only hope to be a spark of hope in his.

Stillness befell the room as your words slowly sank in. The air grew heavier with your father’s expression shifting to a rather grim one. His otherwise gentle smile gave way to a nearly vicious grimace, with his eyes creasing into a level, yet dark look that all but suited him.

There was something deeply unsettling about the way he bore his eyes into yours. No matter how strict your father could be, this was your first time seeing him like this, a sight that was enough to freeze the blood in your veins.

“Y/N, my darling daughter.” He brought his hand to your shoulder, your instinct ushering you to flinch away. “You are young and there is so much that you don’t know regarding the workings of this world, but make no mistake. Each of us has a role to play, a duty to uphold regardless of the cost. Though you may fail to understand it at the moment, someone of our status should and must only look at those of equal standing. This is how you preserve your legacy and protect what’s rightfully yours in this filth named society. This is how you keep moving forward.”

Bestowing you with a sickly smile, the claws of his fingers dug into your skin, pressing against one of your bruises so hard that you had no choice but to wince in anguish.

“The way to the top can be lonely, Y/N. I’m well aware of that. Keeping a pet close for the sake of comfort and solace is understandable. After all, pets can be useful and, more often than not, are great assets for people like us. Showing affection or rewarding them isn’t unheard of, but at the end of the day, make no mistake to consider a pet your equal. A pet, no matter the company it offers, will always remain a pet.”

He lowered his head so that you were eye to-eye, the pressure on your shoulder significantly increasing.

“Now, if a pet stops being of use, or even worse, if a pet starts being a nuisance by standing in your way, do you know what must be done?”

Unable to think of an answer to his question, you shook your head negatively. All you wanted was to be released from his clutches.

“We put them down.” He cooed in your ear. “Did I make myself clear?”

With his baleful disposition and the pain he was causing you, there was no way for you to think straight. Could this demon that borrowed his voice and features really be your father? The loving and hard-working father who did his best to fill a role meant for two in your life? The father who made sure you never missed a thing, who tended to your every need without you having to ask? This impostor surely couldn’t be him, right?

“Now, how about a trip to the stores? With the big day coming up, I’m sure you could use a new dress for the occasion.” Fishing a pouch out of his kimono, he forced you to hold it between both palms. “After all, you’ll be marrying into such a renowned house. It’s only right for your appearance to reflect that.”

By the time his grip loosened up, it felt as if a piece of you was forcefully taken away. The weight of his hand traveled all the way to your neck, causing your breathing to falter. Even when he’d left the room, there seemed to be no end to the light tremor of your limbs. For the first time in your life, you were truly terrified. Not as much for your own life, as you were for his.

Though you hadn’t done as much as to reveal the identity of the man you loved, and your father never explicitly spoke his name either, you couldn’t help but think that he somehow knew. Was it because a part of you actually felt guilty about going against his wishes to the point of growing paranoid? Or was it that he’d actually heard something through the grapevine?

No matter how much you tried, you failed to wrap your mind around your father’s spiteful threats. You’d never given anyone reason to badmouth you and had never been caught in any particularly indecent scenarios with Takasugi. Unless…

“Lady, where is is that you are going?” Harumi’s voice rung razor-sharp in your ear, providing you with the answer you failed to reach on your own.

She was the only one who could’ve done this, you realized. The only one who knew of the way you looked at him, the only one who’d caught you messing around the other day. She’d even gone as far as to give you a warning about what would happen if you caused a scene, yet she ratted you out despite your complying. It was all her fault.

Ignoring her calls, you walked outside the door, marching down the gate without doing as much as look her way. All these years you thought she was your sole ally in this household, but even she’d turn her back on you. There was no one you could trust, not her and certainly not your father. The dream you thought you could live had given way to a nightmare, one neither you, nor him would be able to escape unscathed.

You kept on moving without sparing her a single word, without even noticing Takasugi staring at you from afar. All you wanted was to get away from everything, and funnily enough, your father had provided you with the perfect excuse to do so.

Unlike your previous visit to the city, this time you didn’t mean to find your way. There was no real destination for you to reach. All you could do was move forward, passing through the various stores without giving them a second look. Your sole reason for being there might have been to purchase a dress for the wedding, though that was about the last of your priorities.

None of the kimonos in the displays managed to capture your attention. They all looked the same; dull and colorless. Even if you tried to convince yourself that you were window shopping for a different occasion, the pouch residing within your clothes served as a reminder of what had transpired earlier, a heavy load that you wanted to dispose of.

After a while of aimlessly walking around, you felt your own stomach rumbling. Storming off without having a single bite for breakfast wasn’t the brightest idea. Maybe it’s for the best. Maybe if you skipped eating all day long, you could actually die and escape, though a day of starvation wasn’t capable of achieving that. And, if you’re being honest, death wasn’t in your immediate plans.

Eventually, your steps brought you before a dango selling vendor, the very same vendor you’d visited with Takasugi. A little more than half a year had gone by since, yet the man tending to the stall seemed to recognize you, ushering you to walk closer.

“Good to see you again!” He greeted you with a friendly smile.

“You remember me…?”

“It’s not every day that you meet someone who’s never tried nor heard of a dango in this day and age, miss. You shared the same look of excitement with our younger customers.” He went on, handing three skewers to a man beside you.

“If my memory isn’t giving out, you were with a samurai last time?”

“That’s right… though I doubt we’ll be coming back together.” You said, failing to hide your resentment.

“I’m sorry to hear that, but if he’s unable to join, then perhaps it’d be nice of you to bring some to him. I’m certain that samurai would appreciate the gesture coming from such a refined young lady.” He paused, shifting his attention to another customer. “That would be five coins! Have a good day!”

Would he really appreciate it if you offered him something so insignificant when you couldn’t give yourself to him?

“Pops, how many dangos can I buy with these?” You asked, placing the pouch on the counter.

The man peeked through its contents before turning to face you in astonishment.

“Miss, I’m afraid I don’t have enough dango to match the sum you are offering. This amounts to more than my entire business does. I could never possibly accept it.” The man replied, pushing the bag towards you.

“I insist. Even if you can’t give me my money’s worth now, I’ll be sure to visit again. You can pay me back then. Dango seems like a worthwhile investment to me, especially when it’s as delicious as yours. Please take it.”

After a lot of back and forth, the man hesitantly accepted, trading the coins for a bag full of skewers. Though it weighed more than the pouch, you felt significantly lighter than you did before.

Unsure of where to go next, you moved along the sidewalk until you faded into an empty alleyway. Usually, you did your best to avoid such places, but at the time, you wished to find a place quiet enough for you to eat your lunch, away from the busy life of the streets, and certainly away from the lively crowd. Besides, eating one of your most favorite snacks ought to cheer you up, right?

“This will do.” You exclaimed once you took a seat on the steps of a nightclub, setting the bag on your lap.

At least till night falls, no one should be coming to disturb you. For the time being, you are completely on your own.

Bringing a skewer to your lips, you began munching on it, though you couldn’t bring yourself to actually enjoy it. Much to your disappointment, the dango lacked flavor, tasting like absolute nothing. First the dresses, now the dango. Little by little, the world seemed to be losing its appeal, turning into a bland and hollow environment, devoid of interest or meaning.

But then again, you realized that it wasn’t really the world’s fault. It was because of your own disposition. It was all because of you.

How did your life end up being so miserable? You wondered, tossing the half-eaten skewer back inside the bag and setting it to the side. You’d never missed a single thing, yet now it felt as if you were left with nothing at all. Wealth and status meant so little when they were the very binds that kept you confined in this cage you so desperately wanted to break out of.

Saying yes to this marriage would be the first step to a life of endless torment, but if you kept at it, there was always a chance things would take a turn for the worse. Was it really worth endangering his life over a silly love story? Just like you did, he must also have his own aspirations to see through. Whether he felt the same way about you or not, you didn’t want to be the one to stand in the way of his dreams, let alone in the way of his life.

That’s right. They really are silly, your feelings for him, that is. It was only an infatuation. He was simply the first guy you’d approached, the first one to make your heart beat faster, the first one to be your friend. There was no real value in that, really. You never really liked him anyway. This was just another spoiled girl’s whim. You’d probably lose all interest in him the second he offered himself to you. That’s how unimportant this whole thing was. Come tomorrow, you’d open your eyes and set your sights on something new, something that actually matters.

It sounded like a plan, but for now, you couldn’t see past your nose, your vision being all blurry and hazy. It’s just rain, you thought with a sorrowful smile as you gazed into the spotless sky.

“Silly me, I shouldn’t have left the house without an umbrella.”

Slowly, the teardrops that clouded your eyes began to overflow, staining the sleeves of your kimono as you buried your face in them. The rain grew stronger with each sob, erratic whimpers that resembled thunder strikes. It was so cruel and unfair. This stupid heart just wouldn’t stop yearning and breaking for him. Even when you were trying your best to erase him, all you wanted to do was see him.

Suddenly, a pair of feet manifested before you, joined by another and then another. Rubbing your eyelids against the fabric, your eyes danced between the three men. They were all in their late thirties, sporting a fairly ordinary attire, with the sole exception being that of the swords attached to their hips.

“What do we have here?” The man to the far right said, leaning towards you.

“Why the long face, miss?” The one to the left nudged at the bag with the edge of his sandal. “And look at all that dango… mind if we share?”

You pulled the bag out of their reach, shoving it behind your back. These guys seemed like bad news. A random band of brothers wouldn’t so carelessly be carrying swords in broad daylight, unless they had vile intentions.

“Boss, looks like we caught ourselves a good one. Check the crest. Isn’t this the Tsugaru brat?” The first guy spoke, attempting to get a closer look at your shoulders.

“I’ll be damned if it isn’t!”

“Missie, care to accompany us someplace better? An empty alleyway can be dangerous for a girl your status.” The guy in the middle, presumably their leader, suggested with an eerie smile.

“I’d rather not.” You responded, discreetly flexing your fingers towards your sword.

“Pardon my manners. You must have thought of this as an invitation, but in reality,” the leader paused to offer you a glimpse at his blade “,my ranking doesn’t allow for such courtesies. Get on your feet while I’m still asking nicely.”

Wrapping your fingers around the hilt, you hesitated to stand up. You’d heard of Jouishishi attacking Bakufu officials and their families, but to actually experience it was something else. If you followed them, then who knows what would become of you? But then again, you weren’t unarmed. For better or worse, after all this time of training with Takasugi, you’d like to think that you had a few tricks up your sleeve. Whether you could take on all these guys by yourself or not, there was only one way to find out.

Pretending as if you’d complied, you rose to your feet only to turn against him, slashing through the man’s face with a rapid strike. It wasn’t enough to kill him, though it was enough to send him flying to the ground. With a shriek, the man brought both hands to his nose, attempting to cover the wound. His lackeys exchanged quick glances before throwing themselves at you, each attempting to get hold of your shoulders. You waved your sword in their direction, though neither seemed particularly intimidated. They weren’t scared in the slightest.

While you were trying to figure out what the best course of action in this situation was, their boss managed to regain his composure. His left eye was shut, blood dripping from the gash all the way to his chin and clothes, painting a hideous expression on his features.

Unlike the other two, he didn’t hesitate to unsheathe his sword, attempting a strike at you the moment he got back on his feet. A loud clang followed when the man hit the banister, barely missing as you dodged to the side. Just when you thought you escaped him, two pairs of hands dived forward, capturing both of your shoulders while you writhed, desperate to get out of their grasp.

“Too bad, missie. Too bad.” Sneering, the man grabbed a fistful of hair and yanked it upwards. “I’d really consider returning you to your nest, but now it looks like only your head will make it back.”

With their claws not faltering one bit, and the man’s sword nicking at your neck, you couldn’t help but wonder whether this was actually your end. A wasted life that’d only just begun.

There were so many things you wished to do, so many things you wished to say that’d remain unheard. Even in your final moments, you couldn’t forsake his image. You longed to see him one last time, though that was out of the question now. It’s fine. Perhaps this was for the best. He wouldn’t get to see how pathetic you were, you thought as you closed your eyes, accepting your fate, one that wouldn’t come just yet.

The swift sound of a blade cutting through the wind forced your eyes open. Where the man’s head once stood, blood spewed out of his severed neck as if it were a spring. His now lifeless body fell to the side with a thump, revealing a dark silhouette from behind, one that you couldn’t bring yourself to face. Your gaze remained frozen upon the gruesome sight, your pupils flickering between the man’s detached torso and head. Only a minute ago he was hurling threats at you, and now, there he was, dismantled as if he was no more than a toy.

Stepping amidst the crimson puddle, the figure sent the man’s head spiraling towards the other two men, who, in return, let go of you completely. You hadn’t even caught a glimpse of his face, though you needn’t need to look to know who the executioner was. His voice was enough to give away his identity.

“And who’ll be the recipient of this head?”

“Y-you! Takasugi Sh-” One of the men uttered right before getting impaled by Takasugi’s blade.

“Wrong.” Takasugi grunted, retracting his sword. “What about you?” He turned to the third man. “You have an answer for me?”

The remaining Joui rebel was a shivering mess that could barely stand by himself, let alone answer Takasugi’s question. His darkened eyes constantly darted between the corpses of his comrades in terror.

“Where should I send these to?” Takasugi prompted, pointing at the bodies and then the man’s chest with the silver tip.

“I…I”

“I won’t be asking again.”

“Ten-Tengudou!” He coaxed in a pathetic tone.

“Tengudou… I see.”

“You’ve heard of us?” A glimmer of hope glinted in his eyes, only to fade away right after.

“I haven’t… but then again, I feel no need to acquaint myself with such scum.”

With a sneer, Takasugi pierced through the man’s chest, forcing him onto his knees.

“You can join your friends in hell. See how far comradeship will get you there.” And with that, he pulled his sword out, shaking the blood off, and then returning it to its sheath.

You remained huddled near the ground all the while Takasugi dealt with the men, too stunned to neither aid him nor react. One moment you thought you were a goner, and the next one, he’d come to your rescue. Did your wish reach his ears? The short answer was no, but the sudden change in your behavior was a surefire sign that something was wrong, a sign that he, fortunately, chose to follow.

Once he was done inspecting the surrounding area, lest other members of their facton lurked in the shadows, Takasugi helped you up. The blood underneath had flowed all the way to the main street as if it were a river. There was so much of it, threatening to drag you in its depths.

Though you didn’t want to admit it, the sheer brutality with which he tore through these men had managed to startle you. This was the first time you’d seen him in action, fighting an actual enemy, despite not crossing blades with either of them. Up until that point, you’d never considered the possibility of him being someone capable of such atrocity, yet perhaps he was just as dangerous as they were.

Rather than speaking a word to you, Takasugi let out a deep sigh as he claimed your face with his palms, the sleeves of his yukata dropping over his fingers. Even then, you found yourself averting your eyes from his, though as he wiped the blood off your cheeks, you had no choice but to ease into his touch.

The way he held you was so tender, yet the look in his eye contradicted his gestures. You’d never seen him like this, not even when you’d defamed his precious yakult bottle. Was it rage, or was it worry? You couldn’t tell, but then again, you lacked the courage to ask him. All you wanted to do was go home. Home with him.

Taking a step back, he stripped off his haori, offering it to you instead. At first, you were unsure as to why he did that, but once he wrapped it around your shoulders, you understood his reasoning. Bright flowers of scarlet sprawled across the yellow of your kimono, a leftover from the bloodshed. Though he didn’t seem to care enough to dispose of the bodies, he was considerate enough to not let you walk around adorning their blood.

Nuzzling your nose deep into the fabric, you started to gradually relax. The haori was slightly bigger than the one you were used to wearing, but it carried his scent, the kind of scent that made you feel safe. Perhaps when he was around, that’s all you needed to feel at home.

“Follow me.”

For the first time in a while, your tongue was tied in his presence. Even when you knew that Takasugi did what he had to do in order to protect you, there was no way for you to get the man’s stare out of your head. His face was imprinted behind your eyelids, flashing in your memory whenever you blinked.

You couldn’t help but think that the only reason these men died was because of you. If you hadn’t been so careless as to leave without any attendants, if you hadn’t slipped in that back alley, if you hadn’t been so weak as to let him interfere, then they wouldn’t have lost their lives. Jouishishi or not, they were samurai just like he was, and somehow have him be the one to act as their executioner, heavied you with guilt.

Other than asking you to follow him, Takasugi hadn’t spoken a single word to you. It was as if you’d gone back to the time when he disregarded your presence, though the reason behind his silence was far more intimate than before. Just like you blamed yourself for the entire incident, he blamed himself for you. If he’d turned you down, if he hadn’t taught you how to hold a sword, then you wouldn’t have dreamt of picking a fight with these guys, and you wouldn’t have knocked on death’s door.

He was enraged not so much by your actions as he was by his own incompetence in keeping you out of harm’s way.

With the two of you having none other than yourselves to blame, you kept on walking until you found yourselves standing outside the house. You thought about how you should thank him for all he did, though he was the first to break the silence in a way that made you forget all about showing gratitude.

“I resign.” Takasugi spat in a dry tone.

“You resign…?”

“I have no intention to keep on teaching an insolent brat who knows no danger.”

“But Shinsuke, I—”

“You almost got killed today!” He howled, his voice loud enough to scare a couple of birds away.

“If I was a minute late… no,” he shook his head, “if I wasn’t there in the first place, you heard what would have happened. You think men who’ve lost everything to war care enough to spare the life of a little girl? All they see is the hatred and the pain, the death and the destruction of everything they held dear. While you were busy playing house with your dolls, they had to watch as the Bakufu and the entire world turned their backs against them, leaving them to fend off the Amanto all by themselves.”

His knuckles were clenched into a pair of balled fists while he talked, almost as if he was accusing you of a crime you never committed. Those things he described, you could tell they were events he got to experience first-hand. You could feel the anguish behind his every word, as if simply discussing them brought him back to the hellhole he so desperately crawled out of.

“Shinsuke-”

You tried to comfort him, but it was of no use. He wasn’t done lashing out.

" Y/N, do you really think there’s a place for useless words such as ‘mercy’ in their vocabulary, let alone when it comes to someone as privileged as you? To them, the blood of their comrades and their families stains your hands as much as it stains your father’s. All they can spare for the likes of you is resentment. Nothing less, nothing more.”

“Is that how you also see me?” You asked in a quiet voice as you lowered your head.

The kind of girl he described wasn’t far from the girl you used to be, but that wasn’t the case anymore. You wanted him to know that. You wanted to prove to him how much you’d changed because of him, yet that was exactly the reason why he was now baring his teeth at you. As long as you remain a coward who knows her place, then you won’t be endangered. As long as you stray off his path, he won’t have a reason to walk over your corpse.

“All I see is a spoiled little girl who plays with toys too dangerous than she can handle.” He answered, refusing to face you. “Forget everything I taught you and go back to your dollhouse. Your hands were never meant to hold a sword to begin with.”

Hearing his words caused you far greater pain than your father managed this morning. All this time of trying your hardest to make Takasugi acknowledge you, of getting him to finally look at you the way you looked at him, only for everything to fall apart. If it were for him, you’d make sure to find a way of dealing with both your father’s wrath and the forceful marriage agreement. But if that someone didn’t love you back, if that someone was repulsed by the mere sight of you, what was there left for you to do?

Even as you watched him march towards the front door, you couldn’t bear to watch him slip away. Your fingers latched onto his sleeves, anchoring him down with every last bit of conviction you had left.

Had he turned around, he’d be able to see the tears you’d tried to hide away from him, your eyes mourning for everything the two of you could’ve been. Though not even he was strong enough to face the eyes of a girl whose heart he broke so cruelly.

His final resort was to place his calloused hands upon yours, pondering whether to keep you close or push you further away.

“I’ve had my fair share of watching people die. I refuse to be a witness to your death.” Takasugi said in a gentler voice as he shook your hands off him, leaving you to pick up your pieces on your own.

Watching him rip the Amanto pirates apart certainly brought back memories, the kind of memories you’d conveniently buried in the depths of your mind. Was the man in front of you the one who’d robbed you of your only family, or was he the same boy who jumped into action just to save you? The images of both flashed before your eyes as he fervently fought off the enemies, confusing you even further.

If you wanted to save me, if you didn’t want to watch me die, then why did you make it so that I’d die a little bit inside every single day that followed? Why didn’t you let my misery end back then? Just who are you already?

Gritting your teeth together, you let out a sharp exhale.

It doesn’t matter anymore. Such misery shall come to an end now.

At last, you unsheathed your sword, your eyes fixated on him as you climbed down the stairs. The aliens around him had all but decreased, every one of them as dedicated to take the Kiheitai’s general down as you were. This really was a golden opportunity.

Once you stood on the same level he was, you glanced around. Jumping at him from the front would be your worst bet. He’d see you coming from miles away. If you went from behind, then his second-in-command would get to you first. All that was left was the sides, your best chance being to mingle with the Amanto and go for the killing blow.

Walking along the railing, an Amanto soldier caught your eye. Unlike most of his fellow comrades —who mindlessly jumped into action with their swords and fists—, he was holding onto a pistol, one he aimed at none other than Takasugi. Firing a bullet from this range probably wouldn’t find its target, though it wasn’t impossible. With the quick work Takasugi made of them, it wouldn’t take long until the field was clear enough for the man to take a successful shot.

Your eyes darted between the two men in uncertainty. Your enemy undoubtedly was the man who ravaged his way through your life, whose sword left nothing but destruction in its wake. Your enemy was Takasugi Shinsuke, the man whose name your blade called out to reach, yet why was it that instead of pointing it at him, you were directing it at the gunslinger? Why was it that your feet were moving on their own?

That’s right. I never had the chance to thank you, but now, that debt will be paid. This is the final kindness I have left for you, Shinsuke.

Before you knew it, your sword impaled the man’s back, his dark jacket growing darker around the rip. A thud echoed as the gun dropped from his hands onto the ground, the man’s body following suit with your blade nailing him down.

You dropped to your knees, taking a look at his face. Both his eyes were frozen, his pupils dilated from the shock. At the sight of you, his lips parted, only for his head to roll to the side. His chest was heaving no longer, you realized. He was gone. A swing of your weapon was all it took to claim his life. It was that easy. So ridiculously easy.

Retracting your sword, you rose to your feet without breaking eye contact. This man must have had a family of his own. A woman and kids of his own, people to call his friends and comrades, people to mourn him, people who would mourn him because of you, because you chose to kill a murderer in order to save another by becoming one yourself. What kind of foul trick was fate playing on you?

“You still haven’t learned to watch your back.”

A blade passed by your side, finding its target right behind you. For a moment, you’d forgotten all about the on-going battle. Even when everyone seemed unaware of you before, that changed after you killed that man. Along with your sword, you’d managed to draw the attention of just about every Amanto on board.

The hollow sound of a body dropping to the floor forced you to turn around, finding yet another pool of blood sprawling beneath your feet.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Takasugi asked, retrieving his blade. “This isn’t your battle to fight.”

“Saving a bastard samurai from the humiliation of dying to an Amanto minion.” You talked back to him, raising your sword over your chest. “Make no mistake, Takasugi. Your life is mine to claim and until that moment comes, I won’t let anyone cut you first.”

Parting his lips as if he had to say something, Takasugi let out a muffled sound. Even when a little less than a dozen of pirates pointed their weapons at him, he was chuckling. With his own sword in hand, he assumed a fighting position, turning his back against you.

“Oi, Y/N.” He spoke, flashing a grin behind the silver. “Your strike against that vermin was enough to kill him. Just like you didn’t hesitate now, don’t hesitate when it comes to my head either.”

There it was, another opportunity for you to put an end to this, though, oddly, you didn’ consider taking advantage of it. Instead, you caught yourself smiling at the sight of your opponents approaching, knowing that your worst enemy had your back.

“I won’t.”

Fighting side by side with him, was the last thing you would have expected to happen when he visited your cell this morning, yet there you were, trying your best to hold your own. The more hits you blocked, the more you were able to return, slowly easing into the rush of the battle. Just like he suggested, you let go of your reservations. You weren’t striking for the sake of killing. You were simply striving to defend yourself and keep the Amanto off his rear while he did the majority of the killing.

So this was the life he’d chosen for himself. A life full of bloodshed and betrayal, a life with his enemies outnumbering his friends, if he had any to begin with. A lonely path with no way out, the very same path you’d chosen for yourself in the name of revenge. Still, he was right, was he not? From the moment you joined this fight, you hadn’t heard a single whisper in your brain. Though it wasn’t his blood that you spilled, you felt surprisingly tranquil, finding even the slightest of enjoyment in all this.

Whenever an enemy fell, you moved onto the next, not allowing yourself to feel sorry for their loss in the slightest. Glancing over at Takasugi, you could see him doing the same, tearing through them until only the two of you were left standing. His purple strands bore a dark red hue, his sword glistening in the same color. You wondered how you must be looking. Judging by the sticky feeling on your skin, you mustn’t look any better than he did.

Shaking the blood off his sword, Takasugi turned towards your direction. His expression had significantly softened up, the filth of his enemies not enough to sully his gentle features. Unlike back then, his eye didn’t resemble that of an executioner, rather that of a man who looked at the object of his affection.

His steps exuded confidence as he walked closer to you, your gazes fixed on one another. The revenge you sought, the crimes he committed, all faded away in instant as if the two of you were the only ones left in the room. “Can I really forgive you?” You caught your heart asking your mind. “Am I really stupid enough to trust this man a second time?”

Before you had the chance to answer these questions, his hand reached forward, spinning you around. An involuntary gasp evaded your lips, uncertain of what had just occurred. His fingers were clamped around your wrist, pressing your armed hand against your sides, with his second hand extended behind your back.

Just like before, the sound of a body falling echoed from behind, an enemy you hadn’t noticed attempting to cut you down when you weren’t looking.

Slowly, Takasugi loosened his grasp, pulling away from your body. You could have sworn his yukata was stained even further than it previously was, though you couldn’t be sure. What troubled you the most, was the squint of his eyes, his expression shifting to that of sudden hurt.

“I told you. I refuse to be a witness to your death.”

In an attempt to balance himself, Takasugi rested his weight upon the hilt of his katana, only to collapse seconds later.

“Ta-Takasugi?” You asked, your eyes widening up at the same time as his eyelids began to droop, the green slowly fading in the back of his skull.

“Quit playing games, this isn’t like you.” You chuckled awkwardly, towering over his fallen body. “It’s not as if this is enough to bring you down, is it-”

Upon noticing the gush of blood that poured out of his yukata, your legs gave out, sending you to your knees. A tear had ripped the fabric of his clothes in half, revealing a rather deep gash that sprawled across his torso. This couldn’t… this wasn’t, right?

Your eyes traveled upon his body, searching for another of his infamous glares in his face, expecting him to scoff at you for making such morbid assumptions, though nothing came out of his lips. He looked as if he were sleeping, an eerily serene expression carved in his features, with his head tilted to the side. This was definitely him sleeping, then why was he perfectly still? Why was his chest not heaving, why couldn’t you feel a pulse when your fingers wrapped around his wrist?

“Wake up. This isn’t the time nor the place to be sleeping.” You whispered, lightly shaking his shoulders.

No response.

“I said wake up!” You shook him again, yet he seemed adamant on not responding.

Was this not what you wanted? To see him drowning in a pool of his own blood? Did you not wish to see him close his eye once and for all, to have him pay for what he did to you? He is the reason you lost everything, he is the one who murdered your family in cold blood, why are you weeping over him? Why are you covering his wound with your hands, why are you calling out for him to wake up?

“Shinsuke, just please open your eye, you can’t… you can’t die here! No matter what, you can’t die, you have to stay alive!”

No matter how much you raised your voice, Takasugi didn’t react in the slightest. He was right there in front of you, except he wasn’t.

“We haven’t even settled the score between us.” You spelled in between hiccupped breaths.

The words were turning into lead within your throat, refusing to spill from your mouth as you started to choke on your tears. In the face of death, neither your supposed hatred nor your stupid vengeance mattered anymore, not when he wouldn’t be around to shield either. If he wasn’t around, then what was the meaning of it all? What was there left for you to live for?

He was the man who took everything away from you, but he was also the man you loved. It only hurt so much because of how much you loved him, because after all these years your only choice was to lie and deny it all. It was easier than admitting that after all that happened, you were still madly in love with the man responsible for your downfall. That day, you didn’t lose just your father. You also lost him and now you were about to lose him again, this time for good.

“Please, Shinsuke… You can’t leave me alone. Not you too, not again.”

As you wrapped your arms around his shoulders, your tears streamed down his face and neck, hoping that they were enough to wipe away his sins along with your sorrow, hoping that your feeble embrace would be enough to keep him to life.

“Crying won’t help Shinsuke, I daresay. Let us handle things now.”

The voice of a man kept addressing you, yet you couldn’t snap out of it. Your hands wouldn’t stop reaching out to him, clinging onto his sleeves in an attempt to hold on, even when multiple pair of arms were yanking you away from him.

A gentler, be it firmer grasp landed on your shoulder once you were made to stand on your feet. The same voice kept talking to your ear, supposedly reassuring you, though that did nothing to erase your fears of this being the last time you’d ever get to see him.

[otlwoozi]

OTLWOOZI’S TOP 22 KPOP SONGS OF 2022

scientifically backed ranking of every kpop song this year. source: trust me.

[no.22 - 13]

22. moon prism - rocket punch

if wjsn’s bubble gum music and magical girl music had a child, this song is it. rocket punch hasn’t failed me yet, and this song is still them but also MORE you know?!!!!

21. tangerine love (favorite) - nct dream

recipient of the best nct song title. the pre-chorus wind up of “every time, my type”s is so energetic and fun in a way that the other nct units can only dream (haha) of

20. party rock - cravity

let 4th gen men make goofy funky music again!! i dont even stan but this chorus is such a good mood lifter when you need to start the day early. the energy of it reminds me of the designated funk song on every boy group produce season

19. love dive - ive

i’m sorry that this is so low, such is the crutch of being literal soty and played everywhere 24/7. anyway, this is a song without flaw, the art of anti drop is perfected and THEN SOME. would be higher if gaeul sang more :3c

18. cookie - new jeans

i know the lyric’s weird and all and we definitely dont condone lolita-ized concepts! that said. they ate this and not a single cookie crumb was left. they need to let danielle do the sulli talk rapping more, she’s on the verge of a breakthrough

17. raise y_our glass - heo yunjin

would be higher if i listened to it more. this one’s on me though, because i cry like 30 seconds into it. also seeing yunjin’s growth from pd48 to being in that weird middle ground doing vlives w gaeun to being an it girl now… i love her. the production feels much sparser than usual kpop songs, closer to western music, and it’s so intimate

16. basics - twice

changed the game, like actually CHANGED the game for twice bsides. twice has always had amazing bsides, but this one needs to be a single idc jyp make it happen. it’s so fun it’s so filled with attitude and also affection - it actually perfectly captures the feeling of the early stages of dating!!!

15. pop - nayeon

the nayeon brand of being everything kpop is at its heart continues. the song’s fun and playful and showy and a PERFECT solo debut

14. kka kka - cherry bullet

chebul’s entire cherryography (cherry rush & cherry wish) is immaculate. the verses sound like a happy f(x) song, and the chorus is summer time in an audio file, with their 8bit-y brand on top. i urge everyone who’s ever liked a poppy wjsn song to listen NOW

13. aquamarine - lee chaeyeon

she is the modern day BoA. not that BoA isn’t still making great music, but if i was 7 again and listening to this instead of BoA’s sweet impact, i’d still question my sexuality. it’s gentle yearning but in a pop format, and her lilting voice is perfect for it

[ithinkilikeit-reactions]

My top 15 Girl Group/Solo songs (2021)

Remember guys, this is just my personal list.  Let me know what yours are! Love sharing music with eachother etc so let’s all just have fun.

TOP 15

1. Next Level - Aespa May 17th 

Might be a bit unexpected, I don’t really talk about Aespa on this blog, HOWEVER. I would be lying if I said, I don’t know all the lyrics and the whole choreography. Pretty sure my mom knows the lyrics, I play it so much. So Aespa ate this up and I think it’s deserving of number 1 for me. Aespa have the power to take sounds that I never in a million years would enjoy and make me enjoy them. 

2. Zombie - Purple Kiss (Hide & Seek) September 8th

I needed this song so bad, you don’t understand. i love intense music but I really needed a break from heavy drops and seriousness. THen Purple Kiss decided to drop the most fun song. I love the colors, the campy music video, Swan’s voice and the choreography. It’s just so fun and it was on repeat for me for a while. Cast pearls before swine and ZzZz are great b-sides off the album. 

3. Unnatural - WJSN (Unnatural) March 31st

I really practice my vocals when listening to this song, trying to match Yeonjung’s range lmao. I love this song so much. The choreography where they point and pat the air next to them is so iconic to me. I adore it so much. Sadly I haven’t checked out the album (shame I know, i will eventually) but it says enough that this song is so high when i haven’t even listened to the album. Stan WJSN for clean skin. 

4. I’m Not Cool - HyunA (I’m Not Cool) January 28th 

HYUNAAAAAAAA!!!!!!! Look Hyuna was the first woman in K-pop I ever listened too. I have such a special place in my heart for her. So when she dropped this banger I had it on repeat. The outfits, the drop, the choreo, it radiates Hyuna. She’s weird and fun and everything I wanna be so she dropped this and I was so incredibly happy. I recommend: Good Girl and Party, Feel, Love (Ft. Dawn) on the album. 

5. We Go - Fromis_9 (9 way ticket) May 17th

The most fun girlgroup summer song. The definition of a fun summer song. It reminds me of editing my vacation pictures, it reminds me of driving down to the beach with the windows rolled down. The girls all looked so cute too and the song is so good and upbeat. The concept photos were also amazing and managed to incorporate covid related things without depressing me. Airplane Mode is such a fun song too!

6. First - Everglow (Last Melody) May 25th

Girl groups who dress like they’re in Star Wars, they win. Everglow is the winner winner winner. First has so many things I like about it. THe outfits, the heavy drop, the futuristic vibe, the special effects, THE CHOREOGRAPHY. Everglow truly never disappoint. I listen to this song so much. Don’t ask don’t tell is also a great song. 

7. Alcohol Free - Twice (Taste of Love) June 11th

Fun fact: I didn’t like this song at first and now it’s probably my most listened to Twice song. I thought it sounded like a travel agency commercial and now I love it so much it’s hysterical. All the girls look so incredibly stunning, I love summer concepts on them the most. They always look like they’re glowing. Nayeon really stood out to me in this one though, she looked so beautiful. Aside from that the song is just really fun. Scandal and Conversation are my fav b-sides on the album. 

8. Love so Sweet - Cherry Bullet (Cherry Rush) January 20th 

FNC give these girls a comeback thank you very much. This is the first Cherry Bullet song that grabbed me and pulled me in. I get it stuck in my head soooo much and I think about Remi 24/7. The choreography is so fun, it’s such a lowkey song. I adore. Keep Your Head Up is my favorite b-side on the album and deserving of it’s own album. Stan Cherry Bullet!!!!

9. BEcause - Dreamcatcher (Summer Holiday) july 30th 

BEcause I like Dreamcatcher all of their songs are a hit. This one reminded me of Dreamcatcher debut era a little more than their more recent comebacks and I think that is why I enjoyed it so much. Not to mention HANDONG, thank you that is all.... OH, Airplane is my favorite b-side, it’s cute and fresh. 

10. Savage - Aespa (Savage) October 5th 

Aespa, my girls. I wasn’t expecting to enjoy Aespa as much as I do, really. I heard about their concept pred-debut and got really concerned but I ended up really, really, really liking them. Their album was phenomonal too. It showed really fun sides to their music. So it’s natural for this one to be on the list too. Aenergy and Yeppi Yeppi are my most listened to b-sides on the album. Yeppi Yeppi really being my favorite. 

11. Queendom - Red Velvet (Queendom) August 16th

Red Velvet finally came back. Alot of people didn’t think it was worth the wait, but I did.I love that they came back with the red concept. I love Queendom so much, it’s such an empowering song. Not to mention they all looked so cute and their outfits were so adorable and the whole little witchy concept was so great. Pose was the best song on the album to me.  

12. Chi Mat Ba Ram - Brave Girls (Summer Queens) June 17th 

We are gonna be summer queens! The title is up for grabs so I’m totally okay with them taking the title. I love songs like this so summery and fun. I’m so glad Brave Girls is getting the recognition they deserve, I really hope it lasts. Pool Party (ft. E-Chan) and Summer By Myself are my favorite songs on the album. Brave Girls man, just love that they’re doing the damn thing. 

13. Odd Eye - Dreamcatcher (Dystopia: Road to Utopia) Januray 26th 

DREAMCATCHER!!!!!!!! Okay Handong coming back was such a blessing. Odd Eye is such a bop and blonde Siyeon was such a serve. Dreamcatcher always serve though, the rock elements in their songs always hit so hard. Odd eye was a great addition to their Dystopia series. Poison Love  is my favorite b-side off the album. 

14. Hwaa - (G)i-dle (I burn) January 11th

One of the first (G)i-dle songs that instantly got me. I think the concept is just so stunning and they all looked beautiful. I think I loved the traditional vibes in this song the most, it just really got me. I adore how Minnie and Miyeon’s voices sounded in this song. I didn’t listen to the album so I can’t recommend b-sides, but check it out regardless.

15. Red Lipstick (ft. Yoonmirae) - Lee Hi (4 Only) September 9th 

Misses Lee Hi returned and dropped this banger. This is my dance in the shower song tbh. Her voice is just unmatched and disco suits her so well. Not to mention Yoonmirae’s great addition in the song, they should collaborate wayyyyy more often. Savior (ft. B.I) and Only  are great songs on the album.

Favorite Debuts

Purple Kiss ‘Ponzona’ March 15th 

They served creepy, vocals and a not intense in your face drop and I loved it. Swan I want your hand in marriage for your vocals in this song. It’s laced with crack. 

Pixy ‘Wings’ February 24th 

They served creepy, vocals and an intense drop with screams in it. Look I love creepy girls and they freak me out so it’s great. All of their releases have been sooooo amazing so far, so I’m curious to see how they’ll continue. 

Rosé ‘Gone’ March 12th 

Controversial but I love Gone soooooo much more than On the Ground. I love her voice and the feeling this song gives me. Not to mention the whole vibes of music video and how pretty she looked. There’s so much raw emotion in it that it qualifies for my favorite solo debut. 

[artjungwon]

unnatural ⭞ ni-ki

nishimura riki x gn!reader

featuring besties!sunoo & jungwon

enemies to lovers

fluff, light angst

song recommendation: unnatural by wjsn

you never liked ni-ki, and ni-ki never liked you

it therefore wasn't very convenient that you had the same friend circle, sunoo and jungwon were tired (to say the least) of your constant bickering

you really tried to make efforts when you had to hang out with ni-ki around but it seemed like every word going out of his mouth made your blood boil for some unknown reason and he felt the exact same about you

but your friends still loved to tease you saying it's because you like each other. and everytime they did, the both of you would get overly offended over it making jungwon and sunoo laugh at you

you always told yourself that; no, you do NOT like ni-ki, but you had to remind that to yourself a tad bit too much for your liking

and to make the situation worse than it already was, right now you were trapped in the same room as the person you hated the most, after jungwon and sunoo, because your so called best friends had the, oh so fabulous, idea of leaving you in an empty classroom so you could finally get along

when sunoo and jungwon disappeared and you couldn't scream at them, it got really awkward. no one knew what to say or what to do until ni-ki finally spoke up

"so... why do you hate me?"

"why do i hate you? more like why do you hate me? you're the one who wouldn't speak to me and would look at me weirdly when you first moved"

"huh? i mean... i didn't know how to act around you at the time, i really didn't hate you"

"oh..."

you really hated yourself for jumping into conclusions like that, ni-ki must have been super confused about why you were acting cold towards him

"i'm so sorry ni-ki"

"no, i'm sorry, i'm not good at expressing my feelings and i freaked out because i kinda liked you"

"hold on, what?"

"i'm bad at expressing my feelings?"

"no not that, the second part"

"i have no idea what you are talking about right now y/n. do you hear voices or..."

"you said you liked me"

he took a few seconds to answer that seemed an eternity to you

"yeah i did, i don't think it really matters right now"

it felt like someone else took control of your body when you tiptoed to press a light kiss on ni-ki's lips, your own self was surprised by your sudden boldness

needless to say ni-ki was even more shocked than you were but he still responded to your kiss after a second

the way his lips felt on yours just felt right, you just couldn't explain it, you also kinda hoped that ni-ki felt the same way about it

obviously, it was at this exact moment that jungwon and sunoo decided to check if you weren't trying kill each other. they were stupefied to see a sight at the exact opposite of what they thought they would see

"are we... interrupting something?"

"well, it looks like they get along just fine now"

��💗 my apologies for any typos i wrote this at midnight (but it was fun tho)

[ggidolsmuts]

Leadership - WJSN Exy

"Hey Exy." You kiss your girlfriend's cheek, running your hands down her shoulders.

"Oh hey oppa!"

"Sorry I'm late, I looked this place up online and realized I was underdressed." You motion to your outfit - a smart looking shirt and trousers instead of your usual t-shirt and jeans look.

"Ooh lah lah, so fancy!" She pecks you on the lips. "You look great."

"So do you." And she was, dressed in a beige jacket and a fashionable white t-shirt. You did not think such a thing existed, but Exy makes anything look good.

The waiter hands you the menu as you sit down opposite Exy. The waiter soon leaves with your order.

"I missed you~" She cutely whines, pouting a little.

"Me too! But I was busy, and so were you." You gently remind her as the waiter returns with your drinks. "Thank you."

Exy waits until the waiter leaves before continuing in her cute voice. "But still~ Let's do more after this!"

"Sure!" You make small talk with Exy while you racked your brains about what to do for a post-date activity. The waiter thankfully interrupts the conversation by bringing your food over. "Oh the food's here, let's eat." You quickly cut into your steak and put a piece into your mouth, exclaiming. "Oh wow this is so good. You should try some!" You cut a piece for her and hold it out for her on your fork. Exy shoots you a smirk, as if knowing that you're trying to placate her.

"Fine..." She takes the food begrudgingly. "Hmm, not bad I guess." She tries her own food and positively lights up. "This is so good! Soooo much better than yours!" She adds, sticking her tongue out. You shake your head and cut another piece for yourself.

The rest of the dinner flies by, the two of you happily chatting and catching up. As the waiter collects your now-spotless plates they ask.

"Would you like anything for dessert?" You open your mouth to reply, but Exy cuts you off.

"No thank you, could I get a cappucino?"

"Of course."

Exy gets your attention again as the waiter walks away to get her cappucino.

"Oppa, we forgot to order dessert."

"Oh, did you want something? We can ask them for the menu when they come back."

"No, never mind." She looks away, as if she didn't really want it. You're on your phone checking the time - it was getting late and you probably have to get a taxi, but still, you should see Exy home first. You hear a clatter.

"Oh oops, I'll get it." Exy says, ducking under the long tablecloth. You don't pay attention to it until you feel a pair of hands on your crotch. Startled, you look down.

"Exy?"

She peeks out from underneath the tablecloth. "I want my dessert... some cream for my coffee." Her face is painted with a naughty smirk while she slowly unzips your pants. She pulls your semi-hard shaft from your boxers, her soft hands stroking it to full hardness.

"We're in public!" You whisper to her urgently.

"So try not to moan, and put the cloth down!" You grit your teeth, biting back a hiss of pleasure as Exy takes you into her mouth. As if on cue the waiter arrives with her coffee.

"Here is the coffee for madame, are you sure you wouldn't like anything sir?" Your eyes force shut as said "madame" begins licking the underside of your head, sending a spike of pleasure straight to your brain, giving you everything you could want.

"Sir?"

"N-no, thank you!" You say hurriedly, faking a cough. "Sorry, choked on something."

"Ah my apologies, should I get you some water?"

"Nope I'm good, thank you so much!"

The waiter walks away, allowing you to grip Exy's head over the tablecloth as she sloppily feeds on you. The thrill of almost being caught has your adrenaline pumping, and you tap her head rapidly, trying to let her know you're close. She ignores you, her tongue continuing to dance all over your shaft. With a suppressed groan you push her head down, your other hand gripping your fork tightly as you pump cum down her throat, force feeding her her dessert. She releases you while you continue to twitch in your chair, gently zipping you up again before popping back into her seat. She takes a sip of her cappucino, winking at your flushed and panting face.

"Thanks for the cream oppa."

Exy quickly finishes her coffee as you head to the front to pay, wanting to get out in case someone notices the scrunched up table cloth and her smudged lipstick. You pull Exy into your arms as you leave the restaurant.

"You are very naughty..." You nibble at her ear before continuing. "Want to stay over tonight?"

She turns toward you, whispering her reply. "Want to stay over at mine?"

"Really?" You've never been to her place, and she's never offered for you to stay over.

"Why not? I have something that we'll find... fun. That dinner was just the appetizer." You look at her with wide eyes and eagerly agree, wanting to see what else she has planned.

The trip back to her place was quick, Exy teasing you with light touches, pretending to whisper in your ear while blowing hot air instead, making you shiver with anticipation. As soon as she unlocks the door she pulls you in by your collar, kicking the door closed behind you. She mashes her lips into yours. Sensing that she wants to take charge you let her push you into her apartment, allowing her to direct you where she wanted, keeping her lips pressed on yours the whole time. You feel your knees hit the edge of a bed and fall backwards, Exy following you down.

"Oof."

"You okay?" She asks.

"Yeah." You make to get up, but she pushes you down with a hand on your chest. She pulls on your shirt, not bothering to unbutton it. The buttons pop off, flying off every which way. She pulls it off you, discarding it on the bedroom floor.

"Exy!"

She ignores you. "Stay down, eyes closed oppa."

"No, I think you need to be punished for your little dessert earlier." You say, trying to get up again.

"No!" Her eyes flash dangerously, glittering with a determined lust. She straddles your chest, planting her face on your neck. She bites you, and not too gently at that, the sting making you gasp.

"My place, my rules, now keep quiet." She kisses you again, her tongue plundering your mouth.

Your mind is in a haze, trying to process everything. Exy is usually down for something fun, and she's not shy about it, as she showed in the restaurant. But this is the first time she's shown a desire to take charge... and you found it fucking hot. You try to bring your hands down to cup her face, wanting to tell her how hot she is right now, but you find yourself restrained. You look above your head, and see that while she was kissing you, she was also busy tying your hands together.

"Exy?"

"Quiet." She gets off you and moves out of your sight, and a moment later you hear a rustle and a click. You try to flip yourself, but realize you can't - your hands have been bound to the bed!

Exy notices you struggling against the bind. "Just relax oppa, I'll make you feel the best you've ever had... after some teasing." She slithers up your body, kissing you before asking seductively. "Do I need to bind your legs too, or will you be a good boy and listen to me?"

"I-I'll be good, promise!"

"Good..." She sits on you again, shrugging off her jacket, her t-shirt follows shortly after, her purple bra framing her chest perfectly.

"Fuck you look so hot babe."

"Not a word..." She mumbles, almost as if she's talking to herself. "Mmm... I love stripping a well-dressed guy."  Her hands go to your belt, working on the buckle. With a little bit of help from you she slides your pants and boxers off, leaving you completely naked. Your cock throbs as she gets off you and unbuttons her own pants, sliding them off her long legs, leaving her in a matching pair of purple panties. A hand goes behind her, and you get the briefest look at her perky breasts before your sight is blocked by the bra over your eyes.

"Exy I want to see you!" You shake your head, trying to get rid of the bra on your face.

"You're talking too much oppa." You try to reply, but what comes out is all muffled as she stuffs her panties in your mouth - you can taste her arousal on it. Her sexy voice appears by your ear once more. "From now on, you don't talk, you moan. And you don’t cum until I let you, got it?" You can only nod in response, blindly agreeing to everything she proposes, your mind spinning in arousal, your complete lack of control sending your desire into overdrive.

Unfortunately you feel the bed rise a little as she gets off the bed, only to feel the mattress sink further above you, near your hands. You feel her hand grasp two of your fingers, prying it up before taking them in her mouth. She sucks on them, her tongue coating you liberally. Your next moan joins hers as she sinks down on to your fingers.

"Ahh oppa this is so nice, my fingers just don't do the trick you know? I need something bigger, something thicker..." She teases you between breaths, her voice a little shaky as she begins using your fingers as a makeshift dildo. You try to respond to her, but all that comes out is a muffle. Exy ignores you, her juices dripping on your hand as she rides you harder and faster.

You curl your fingers a little, rubbing over her little sweet spot again and again. Exy cries wordlessly, and after being deprived of you for the whole week, she quickly climaxes on your hand with a squeal. Your imagination runs wild, precum forming on your tip as her pussy grips your fingers tightly, contracting rapidly, drenching them in her slick. You breathe just as heavily as Exy as she recovers from her orgasm.

"Fuck I needed that... Thanks oppa." She gets off your fingers and the bed, leaving you squirming there for a while. Your cock begins to soften as you don't hear or see anything... before suddenly you feel Exy pounce on your body.

"Missed me already?" You moan and nod in reply, your hips raising off the bed to try and feel more of her, your erection returning to full strength immediately. She draws another moan out of you as she sucks on your neck, and you feel her hard nipples drag across your skin as she kisses her way down your body.

Her lips and fingers are all over your thighs and crotch, sending little jolts of electricity through you. You moan loudly into her panties when you feel her lips on your shaft, your cock desperate for touch. She takes you into her mouth briefly before pulling back off you. Your legs automatically try to wrap around her, wanting to keep her there.

"Am I going to have to tie your legs or not?" She asks softly, dripping with angry desire - immediately you spread your legs wide, making sure she has room to maneuver. "Good boy."

Her fingers tickle your balls, dancing on the base of your shaft. She kisses and licks your cock, and just when you expect her to take you in her mouth again, you almost scream when you feel something far wetter and tighter begin to squeeze your cock.

Exy's whines join your muffled vocalizations. "Oh fuck, that's good... I missed you this whole week oppa." Your low moan continues as you feel more and more of your cock being consumed by her dripping wet pussy. Exy moves slowly, and you can feel her juice stream freely down your shaft. You are tempted to plant your feet and buck up into her, but you know all that would do is get your legs bound - you manage to resist the temptation, somehow.

You find your lungs are out of air as she finally sinks down to your hips, leaving you buried to the hilt inside her. You pant heavily, taking in as much air as you can through your nose and her panties. That breath is taken away again as Exy begins moving her hips, her walls gripping you deliciously, the sensation amplified by your inability to do anything.

"You feel so big oppa, do you like being tied up?" You groan a wordless response, but between that and your cock throbbing inside her, Exy gets the message.

"I love it when you're tied up too..." The two of you moan in unison, Exy's rough movements driving the two of you crazy, her tight wet depths happy with something more substantial than your two fingers, and letting you know with every squeeze of her pussy. Lost in pleasure, without thinking you plant your feet, bend your knees, and begin to thrust your hips in time with Exy, bouncing her on your lap.

"Yes! Make me fuck you!" She screams, overlooking the use of your legs, too caught up in her own ecstasy. You feel her arms wrap around you, screaming into your ear. Although you can't see anything, your other senses are more alive than ever - all you hear is Exy, all you smell is Exy, and all you feel is Exy.

You moan with her, her rhythm getting more and more erratic until she tears the fabric out of your mouth, replacing it with her tongue. She screams into your mouth as she stuffs herself full of your shaft before cumming, her entire body convulsing on top of you. You scream right back at her, her orgasm pushing you dangerously close to the brink before she stops moving.

"Naughty boy, who said you could use your legs..." You feel the bra on your eyes being removed, and are greeted by the most erotic sight you've seen - a sweaty Exy slumped against your chest, her gorgeous face flush from two orgasms, drool leaking from the edge of mouth after the last one. "But whatever, I'll forgive you this time."

You ignore everything she's said, too caught up with your own need for climax. "Exy I'm so close, please let me cum, please!" You almost shout in frustration as she gets off you, her juices running down your shaft.

"I'm tired, you'll have to do it." She reaches above you briefly before flopping down on the bed next to you, and as you turn to look at her you realize your hands are no longer tied. You get on top of her, looking at her tired but satisfied face for one second before you focus on the only spot that mattered to you right now. You slap her thighs, spreading them with a jiggle. You don't even notice yourself drooling as you look at her pussy - pink, wet, and begging to be fucked. With one powerful thrust you bury yourself deep inside Exy, her breath hitching when you fill her completely again.

If Exy was screaming, you don't hear her. If Exy was scratching you, you don't feel it. Whatever Exy was doing, you sure as hell don't care as you chase your own finish. You pound her into the bed for as long as you can, surely bruising her hips, before you feel yourself hit your limit. You pull out, planning to finish all over her perfect body, but she gets the final word. She grabs your throbbing cock, already bulging and ready to explode. With a lift of her hips, she aims your head at her entrance and takes you in again. Her other hand is on your hip, pushing you back into her.

"My cum."

Your roar more than scream, reaching the pinnacle of pleasure as your cock releases all your pent up load in her, built up from her repeated teasings. Her walls milk your shaft as you convulse on top of her, losing control much like she did earlier. You bite into Exy's neck, leaving your mark on her and making her whimper. Your semen overflows from inside Exy, but you don't care, Exy allowing you a little bit of dominance as you continue to try and fuck her with your rapidly softening cock, both your strength and cum slowly draining from you.

Exhausted, you kiss Exy good night as her eyes close too, the two of you falling asleep right there and then, a tangle of sweaty bodies around a mess of clothes and cum.

"Good morning sleepyhead." Your eyes open hours later to Exy lying next to you.

"Morning-" Before you can get another word out she leans in, kissing you lovingly.

"Thanks for last night, for letting me take the lead."

"Yeah about that... Where did that come from? How come you never did that at my place?" You ask, slightly outraged at only finding out this side of her now.

Exy takes a little offense to your tone. "Well how come you never had anything like these at your place!" She shoots back, holding the silk scarf that was used to tie your hands yesterday.

"I- I didn't know you were into that!" You weakly fire in reply. She kisses you again, quelling your indignation instantly.

"Well now you do. Come on, I have pilates class in an hour, I need to prepare." You look around, finding your buttonless shirt on the floor.

"Hey Exy, my shirt... you kinda popped all the buttons off." She waves her hand behind her as she picks out her outfit for the day.

"Top drawer." You open it and found another shirt, perfectly sized for you. Exy's hands wrap around your waist from behind.

"I came prepared when I invited you, you know? So thank you for playing along last night..."

You turn around to face her. "That was so hot last, I wouldn't mind doing it again." You kiss her neck, drawing a moan from her.

"Are you finding a new kink mister?" She asks, smirking.

"Won't know until we try again next time."

"I'll hold you to that."

The two of you get dressed and have a quick breakfast. You see her to her pilates studio, where she kisses you goodbye before heading in.

--Later next week--

You are sitting on your sofa with Exy, lounging the afternoon away while watching some variety show.

"Oppa I'm hungry!" She whines.

"Sure, do you want to go out and eat or should we order?"

"How about dinner and a blowjob?" She asks, making you choke in surprise. "And skip the dinner."

You kiss her, running your hands under her shirt. "I think food is not what you're hungry for."

"I think you are right." Her eyes open wide as she remembers something. "Oh, you got the package I sent you right?"

You think back to the package you got earlier in the week. "Uh yeah, it had a note saying "Do not open till next date!" So I left it alone."

"Well it’s the next date, so go get it!" You go to your bedroom and grab the unopened package, bringing it to the living room. Opening the box, your jaw drops at the wide variety of restraints in them, along with some "toys" - silk ropes, zip ties, vibrators, you name it.

"Now you can't complain that we can't do it at your place. Oh, and oppa..." She nibbles your earlobe before continuing, sending a shiver down your spine.

"Your place, your rules."

A/N: Something slightly kinkier for Sexy Exy, I hope you enjoy, thank you for reading!

[existslikepristin]

Do you ever have trouble telling who is singing in a group or are members easy to tell apart?

Oooh, that's an interesting question, even if I don't know why you're asking me this. Depends on who you're referring to though.

Some groups like Red Velvet, Dreamcatcher, and Mamamoo have incredibly distinct voices in-group.

Some other groups have notable standouts (while the rest of the group are/can be a bit more homogeneous) like Eunha/Umji/Yuju in Gfriend, the way Irene pretends to be Yeri when she sings, Giselle in Aespa, etc.

Others are extremely homogeneous to the point I can rarely distinguish them. See WJSN, Weki Meki, or Momoland. Of course this doesn't mean I can't pick out, say, Elly or Nancy, and I'm definitely not accounting for rappers, but it's definitely a different stylistic choice.

And style is what it comes down to. None of these are objectively bad, mind. Groups of distinct voices are more "band"-like, while homogeneous ones are more "choir"-like, if that makes sense?

Like, Eunseo into Seola into Bona is subtle and flows until it eventually reaches Yeonjung. Wheras Siyeon into Sua into Jiu is jarring and meant to remind you that they're less music and more cinema.

I think there's also a lot of virtue to switching this up too, if you have a group capable of doing so, and you most often see that happen in b-sides. Itzy is often pretty distinct by virtue of having lots of rap and speak-singing in their title tracks, but their b-sides tend to melt them down into a homogeneous mass, same with EXID. I can't think of opposite examples right off the top of my head besides maybe the first Secret Number mini album, but that's largely due to Denise dominating the title tracks so hard and (slightly) stepping back for the b-sides.

I need to find more examples now. This got me thinking pretty hard.

[foreignswaggersession]

Best of K-Pop 2021 - 70-61

70. Oneus - What You Doing? What you doing picking No Diggity over this for the title track??? Their best classic boy group song since 👑 Bing Bing. Seoho was the MVP - I love his voice (so let me know ireon naaaaaal)

69. Victon - Circle. Victon is one of the few groups that I trust with slower music (stream Light and Sunrise). The stadium rock synths in Circle's chorus raise this song above others in the soft boy synthpop genre.

68. fromis_9 - Airplane Mode. Fromis_9 always has that b-side that obliterates their title track (see Miracle, 22nd Century Girl, Mulgogi). Airplane Mode is 2021's fromis b-side. The perfect song to chill out to while you takeoff in your window seat.

67. A.C.E - Changer. There's gonna be a lot of bright boy synthpop on this list. I adore Changer's chorus. Reminds me of Snuper's Star of Stars. Also they get brownie points for actually promoting this as a title track.

66. U-Know (TVXQ) - Time Machine. What Follow wanted to be. Best example of Yunho rapping because he can’t do weird sh** with his voice for no reason. Best use of autotune in 2021 – adds to the futuristic theme. Time Machine is more fun to listen to than Need You Right Now, but anyway buy Noir.

65. Twice - Cruel. It was so hard ranking the songs from Formula of Love. Cruel was almost left out but I had to include it. I love the heavy disco beats and the melodic prechorus (the vocal improvement!), but let's be real, that English chorus is unforgettable (you think i'm so cruuuuuel, but I'm just doing all the things that you doooo).

64. Golden Child - Cool Cool. Why did I have to suffer through one of their most boring title tracks ever, when this was literally the next song? We love a cool a** groovy a** bop with a brassy post-chorus. Joochan's "say me yeah" owned this entire song. The below vid may be my favorite performance from them, at least until they finally perform their actual best 2021 song.

63. SHINee - Body Rhythm. Ass-shaking reggae music. I loved Chemistry so I love this. What’s not to like? Onew’s super slutty vocals are enough to get this song up here. Shinee's flawless vocal chorus at the end of the song is what I've been missing for 3 years.

62. aespa - I'll Make You Cry. I love an angry woman anthem. Winter and Ningning eat the chorus and postchorus up. Music to beat ass and ruin lives to.

61. WJSN - Unnatural. WJSN's flawless title track run continues with no misses (MoMoMo didn't happen shut up). C*ntiest title track on their c*ntiest album. I've lost all my ult tier girl groups now, hopefully Starship won't fumble WJSN's bag before their contract's up.

[haknew]

anon asked: I HAVE SONG RECS :DDD I tried not to do songs that you would have obviously heard before but a lot of the songs here are still popular but I couldn’t help but add them 😭

AHHHH thank you so so so so much for all the recommendations anon ! your taste is absolutely impeccable !!! i think i vibed with a lot of these maybe we are a bit similar ^~^ and no worries about your picks ! i totally support you and your incredible music taste no need to defend yourself :p ! popular songs can still be good ones ! thank you again and i tried ... to ... get through them all i’m so sorry JHGFDJHGDK you’ll see i get through like ... half and then ran out of energy T^T i’ll probably get back to this list some other time when i have free time and update with thoughts ! thank you for sending so many in ! i found so many new songs to add to my playlist heh thank you lovely ! 

Pop

cherry by rina sawayama - super cute ! i love these kinds of pop songs it’s right up my alley :o ! 

xs by rina sawayama - her voice is so well suited for this style ! i watched the mv and djkfhskgrjf HHH idk she gives me mitski vibes even tho their music is pretty different, you have peaked my interest i’ll definitely look into more of her stuff :o !

comme de garçons by rina sawayama - the bass line T^T !!! the talk-y (?) parts are so good i got chills, it’s like a rave song low key haha :p ! it’s so good ! 

Any song by Rina Sawayama 😭 - yes yes i’ll try to look more into her stuff ! 

Kpop

123 by nct dream - i’m only an honorary guest of ncity but one of my irls ults them ! and dream’s music has always been a bit more my speed :o ! this has more nostalgic kpop vibes to it ! i said this before but i really am more a pop person at heart and this is so good ^~^ 

Up to you by pretty much and nct dream (HAECHANS PART HHHHH) - oooh are you a haechan stan 0v0 i like jaemin tho i admit my knowledge of dream is limited (my fren ults renjun heh) also yes yes consent is very important kids u.u dskjghkdfj YOU’RE RIGHT THO haechan is a singer he SINGS, i love the vocal harmonies ! 

Oasis by crush ft zico - those electric keyboard synths (?) amazing ! this song bops u.u 

Moon by everglow - !!! i actually have heard this a lot before ^~^ i got so excited when i saw this bc it’s so good ! it’s definitely one of my fav everglow songs too i think i overplayed it a lot when it first came out *v* 

Woowoo by dia - i love the ocean wave sounds ! that’s so cool i love how summery it is ! it kind of reminds me of loona too ! ggs are just >>> i love the fun and brighter pop songs so much 🥺

Secret garden by Oh My Girl - i’ve heard a few songs by omg ! and i really like a handful of them, secret garden kinda gives me early gfriend songs vibes too ! it’s so pretty ! i really love when songs utilize strings in their instrumentals too ! it’s a bit slower paced too which is really nice ^~^ 

Page by got7 - YEEEES okie actually maybe unpopular opinion but spinning top is one of my fav got7 albums ! i used to listen to the whole mini on repeat ! i actually used to ult got7 too for a few months heh ^^ BUT YEEES i love page ! got7 always have bangers love them so much 

Nekkoya by produce 48 - AHHHHH ANOTHER SONG I LOVE !!! i’m actually a wizone haha :p so i’ve seen produce 48 ! tho admittedly it probably contributes to my burning h*tred for mn*t and any survival shows ;;;; but i loved the title song so much ! i used to unironically play it on repeat djghskfj

Puzzle moon by gwsn - AHHHH YOUR TASTE !!! i also followed gwsn from debut and puzzle moon is so so so cute ! it’s such a bop too ! they have such fun and catchy songs ! 

Goblin by sulli - ahhh the xylophone chimes ! they make the song sound a bit haunting before the piano comes in ;;;; it really reflects the mv story so well i think ;;; and sulli’s voice is so beautiful ;;;; it’s got that characteristic background vocal harmonies that sm artists usually do and it’s just really beautiful ! 

What are you up to by kang daniel - today on can you tell jess is unfortunately a bg stan daniel’s songs have been so good :,)) i stopped following all the wanna ones closely after a while but ! he always surprises me ! his songs are such vibes u.u 

Best day ever by yeri and nct dream - the TRUMPETS YEEES it’s so upbeat and fun !!! the cheering is so cute i love it ! 

Hair in the air by yeri and nct dream - JAEMINNNNN !!!! I LOVE YERI SO MUCH PLEASE ! i love the vocal harmonies between her and the boys 🥺 it’s so cute T^T ! renjun’s a singer HE SINGS 

119 by nct dream - ah yes this is ncity brand u.u LOL they always have really filled chorus instrumentals and use a lot of vocals to fill up the space which i think is really cool and something i think immediately screams sm artist :0 ! i think renjun’s voice really sells this for me tho HIS VOICE IS AMAZING him and haechan yeees it’s a banger tho :,) 

Save me save you by wjsn - i love wjsn’s music so much ! it sounds so magic and ethereal and totally bops ! their voices are so beautiful too and work together so well and i think this song’s style really suits all the members’ voices so well too ! 

Loonatic by loona - YEEEEES loona are my ult gg ! and oec is probably my fav unit in terms of music ! i have spent many a day playing their whole discography ! haha :3 

Up by izone - MY GIRLS ! yes yes up is so cute ! i love it so much ! the choreo is so cute too ! i love izone please ;;;; 

N/s by stray kids - oh boy okie ;;;; i’m like not a good judge of a lot of hip hop / more rap heavy songs ;;;; bc i was classically trained as a singer in choir ;-; so i’m sorry i do not have much to say about this one ;;;; it slaps tho ! i probably wouldn’t listen to it normally if you hadn’t recommended it tho so ! good to listen to smth outside of my normal preferences  

Sunshine by straykids - OH very very different from the last skz song KJHGKFJHKD yea this is probably more my speed i’m so sorry LOL T-T it’s so good tho :o ! i don’t listen to a lot of skz bc i figured i wouldn’t be able to vibe with them but this one is so good i really like it ! skz and ateez man i’ve been trying to stan for ages but music is a big part of why i stan /stan/ certain groups more seriously and it’s also why i’m only honorary nctzen lol clearly i have been enlightened (literally *looks at my past ult groups* yeaaaa)

Blueprint by stray kids - YEEES IT’S SO UPBEAT ! i love upbeat and brighter songs (i am consistent like this T-T) it’s got summery tropical vibes to it too ! it’s so cute ! 

Question by stray kids - another banger yeeeees ! i vibe with the lyrics too u.u love that 

Any mixtape by stray kids (but I really love 1 and 4) - oooh i still have a lot to get through so i’ll save these for my own time haha ^^ 

I’m your girl by khan

Revolution by Alexa

Secret by wjsn

I wanna be by key and soyeon

Handle it by twice

Teenager by got7 

Take by jus2 (CANNOT RECOMMEND THIS ENOUGH)

Bump bump by woodz

Stylish by loona - this is one of my fav loona b sides yeeees !!!! love them so much ! 

Outta my head by somi

Jpop

showersnow by orbit

show off by orbit

crazy love by orbit

any orbit song ngl 😭

poison girl by nanaka suwa

lost umbrella (I like the tsukishima kei version cause it sounds like lee know :DDD)

Notice by moe shop

Kawaki wo ameku (domestic girlfriend opening)

The day by porno graffiti (my hero academia opening 1)

Odd future by uverworld (my hero academia opening 4)

Again by yui (full metal alchemist brotherhood opening 1)

More English music

Luxury by azalea banks (Ive heard she’s said some terrible things tho 😭 WHY DOES IT SLAP)

Hurricane by Bridget Mendler (I miss this song and ready or not too 😭)

Little dark age by mgmt

I got a couple one direction recs bear with me here 💀

Happily, Magic, AM, 18, Tell Me a Lie, Through The Dark, Wolves, Night Changes, Better Than Words

Hip-hop/rnb

Leaked by lil tjay

Pretty little fears by 6lack and j cole

Water by joe gifted

The London by young thug

Bands by shoreline mafia

Swervin by a boogie wit a hoodie

Father stretch my hands pt 1 by Kanye west

More English music (indila is French)

Northern lights by kennie

I am not a robot by marina

Tourner dans le vide by indila

Parle a ta tete by indila

Greek tragedy by the wombats

Viva la vida by Coldplay (SHHHHH DONT ROAST ME)

La da dee by Cody Simpson (SHH IT MAKES ME HAPPY 😭)

Move your body by loving caliber and anders lystell (this ones good to make u feel like an early 2010’s movie protagonist :D)

Mariposa by Peach tree rascals

Sunflower by post Malone and swae lee (like many songs on here it’s popular but I still wanna put it here cause they make me happy 😭)

I got really carried away sorry I hope you haven’t heard too many of these 😭😭 OKAY BYEEE ❤️

[saltypicks]

reviewing may’s comebacks (in june, because i have shit to do)

There were a lot of comebacks this month. I guess it's summer now? No idea, there's no summer in my country. The girl groups have started coming back in full force but are not impressing. The boy groups seemed to mostly go the groovy route and now I need an adjective other than 'groovy' to describe songs.

Not The End, Highlight

I'm so glad it's not a ballad. It's not bad.

You are so beautiful, SGO

Everyday I'm grateful for the retro trend and this is a great representation.

Gray Area, Hi Cutie

At some sections I like this song (the verses and the chorus) and at others I dislike it (the trap breakdown, the middle of the chorus). I complained about MAJORS' company having no money previously but Hi Cutie's company is bankrupt. Poor nugus.

Dreamcatcher and GWSN have far superior 'Red Suns' but this song is okay and I'm happy the girls look so happy to have some work (and hopefully some money) at last.

Today, CITI

A nice midtempo song. And no, I did not hear it first from a drama OST.

Make Up Your Mind, AILEE

Sounds like a Beyonce-type song.

MALO, SHAX

Apparently this is a drama OST (Imitation, to be specific. It's based on a webtoon). Basic boy group song but it sounds like it's from the 2010s or something, and that's a compliment.

Hot Sauce, NCT Dream

Initially: Um...at least Renjun looks good? Honestly I don't know what to say about this song. NCT is a group I stan so this will definitely grow on me but...is this really not an advertisement for hot sauce? Also the set resembles the set for SHINee's Atlantis in my opinion. Now: The shouting is annoying and unnecessary. Love Chenle's voice in this; it provides a nice contrast to Haechan and Renjun. Someone said the chanting should've been left to the rappers and I fully agree. Don't know about Jisung and Jaemin but Jeno and Mark would be a good fit with a chant. In my opinion the dance break isn't really needed but is it NCT without a dance break? Also, wtf are they wearing around their necks? Someone should inform the SM stylists that less is really more.

DUN DUN DANCE, OH MY GIRL

It's light and pleasant but if this song was a meal it would be a tiny appetizer that tastes good but doesn't satiate you.

WHATEVER, KEEMBO

I didn't think I'd like it at first but this is groovy and makes me want to dance while doing my chores.

Always, VAV

Song for the fans but if you need a VAV song to listen to I recommend Gorgeous.

Hurt, Baekhyun & Seomoontak

Hasn't Baekhyun been shipped off to the army yet? Anyway, love how dramatic this is.

Waiting for Victor, 015B ft. Dawon

Another great retro song! Also the singer is cute and her hair is cute as well. She reminds me of Chuu a little.

Uncertainty Principle, 015B ft. Dawon

I prefer their other song, but this one is retro as well and it's great.

척하면 척, 강혜연 (Kang Hyeyeon)

Trot that's kind of subdued but still danceable.

Badly, SURA

Loved it from the first second.

BLACK MIRROR, ONEUS

Then: Is it good enough to make up for No Diggity? I don't know about that, but this song is groovy and I'm somewhat okay with it. Doesn't have much replay value for me though. Now: Eh, it's basic groovy boy group song but I won't skip if it comes on.

Breathe Again, BLITZERS

Another boy group with a somewhat questionable name. This song is pretty good as a debut and it's somewhat memorable. I wonder if my rating increeased because of the guitars? District 9 was the same for me, but right now it doesn't interest me. I think this song will stay for a good while on my playlist though. I like the anthemic vocals in the chorus and this song needed more of that.

EASY, WJSN THE BLACK

The girls looked good but the storyline kept getting interrupted by shots of the girls. Yes, we know they're all visuals but I'd be more interested if there was actual action and plot. The song is good objectively but doesn't really interest me. Who knows? Maybe a few more listens will change my mind.

Outerspace (ft. Loco), Kang Daniel

Groovy and better than his last two releases.

Giant, Yuqi

So nice to hear Yuqi's voice on its own. The song was fine until the chorus crushed all my love for it.

Glass of Tears, HONG JA

Appropriately dramatic for a song named 'glass of tears'. It's good and if you like trot you'll like this one.

Taste of Life, Yang Ji Eun

What do you call this? Folk trot? Whatever it's called, it's good.

LOOK AT ME, ICU

OK.

WE GO, fromis_9

It sounds like the token girl group summer song. I don't dislike it, but nothing about this song stands out to me. Honestly with a mini-album called '9Way Ticket' I expected more, because it reminds me of Nine Muses' Ticket everytime I see it. The b-side 'Airplane Mode' is pretty good though and the other one, 'Promise' is a slow song but I don't really mind it, it's fine as background music.

Next Level, aespa

Umm...what is SM's plan for these girls? How can a rookie group from the big 3 have only 3 songs? And only one is an original? The song is not the best thing ever and SM surely can do better but at least it wasn't as bad as M.A.F.I.A. aespa deserves more than this.

Ring Ring, ROCKET PUNCH

Finally after Bim Bam Bum these girls have a title track I enjoy. You can't go wrong with covering Take On Me, can you? It's no Platonic Love or Sea of Moonlight, and it certainly could have done without the rubbish trap section but it's a bop anyway. Meanwhile, the b-side Ride is great and I hope they promote it. This song would be more enjoyable if their voices weren't so shrill in the chorus. High notes aren't a necessity for good songs.

Advice, Taemin

Not the best of Taemin but it's good. I love the fast tempo of the piano and the way it drives everything. Taemin's performance also elevates this song and I'm grateful he's leaving us with a good song before going on his two-year vacation.

RUB-A-DUM, TRI.BE

They're really going all out with this 'tribe' thing, aren't they? It sounds very Middle Eastern to my ears at times, sometimes it sounds African-ish and the other times it is just typical trap kpop. DOOM DOOM TA was better and more fun. At least they got the catchy catchphrase right. Blackpink in your area who? Tri-bee da loca! The b-side 'LORO' is not much fun either. The only difference is it's Latin-influenced.

Shadow, Dreamcatcher

Typical Dreamcatcher song slowed down by a lot. It's not bad, plus it's nice to hear Dami sing. Also what is it with Korea and zombies? With the MV the song sounds a lot better but the MV distracts me. Shouldn't zombies be mindless? How do they use tools and know martial arts? Or is it just my eyes? And can that tiny gun protect anybody? Are you sure that's not a toy?

The beginning of spring, E'LAST U

Not horrible but not for me either.

Oh MAMA, BLING BLING

One of the few new ggs in a while with unfortunate names. They've clearly upgraded in terms of styling and MV budget, but their song quality is no different.

Let Me Know, PIXY

Sonically it sounds nothing like their dark concept. Actually it does sound like a dark concept, if done by a boy group. It's not bad but it's not good. The industrial-like sounds in the back are interesting but the whole song is not.

Son of Beast, TO1

TOO rebrands as TO1 with this song. It's groovy.

HAPPEN, Heize

For the first time I like a Heize song. The MV is interesting too, the story was cliche but I liked the visuals and aesthetics.

FEVER, ENHYPEN

Rhis song was from the [BORDER: CARNIVAL] mini. I listened to that mini but I remember not really liking any of the b-sides except the outro and the intro, so this is a surprise.

My Flower, Kim Jaehwan

Nice upbeat song with guitars all over it. I like it.

Corazon Perdido, Yesung (Super Junior)

Initially I wasn't going to review this because I didn't even review the title track but the final moments of this song are beautiful and it deserves a mention.

Butter, BTS

The song is smooth as its title. The MV is fine except for that ARMY thing; I cringed so hard.

Bonnie and Clyde, Yuqi

Better than the other one.

Ride, ROCKET PUNCH

This is so great and I'm glad it got its own video, even if it was just a dance video glorified as a 'Special Stage'. Now if only I could stop chuckling whenever I hear "looks rike a lainbow".

Rush Hour, GAHO

Love it, especially the guitar strumming moments and the chorus when the electric guitar comes in.

GEMINI, AB6IX

Love how the vocals don't distract from the great instrumental.

FIRST, EVERGLOW

In a comment section someone said La Di Da was a fluke and I kind of agree. Everglow returns to their usual style (chanty chorus + catchy riff repeated over and over) and this song is in the same vein as Adios. I like the chorus but the rest of the song is hard to recall. Siyeon, Aisha and Yiren are the only ones who actually look good and EU needs more lines and her blonde hair back. Also why does kpop think that moving the camera around a lot creates the illusion of motion? All it does is make me dizzy.

Like It Hot, GWSN

Sometimes I like GWSN title tracks, and sometimes I don't. I don't think much of this song, but their album is great.

Je T'aime, Joy

I love you Joy but this is boring. If it was meant to be a lullaby then SM succeeded.

Burned All Black, Kim Jaehwan

His other song is a ballad which is somewhat pleasant. Well, it was until it slowed down in the first chorus.

Purple, woo!ah!

Still not one song from woo!ah! I like.

GGOMA, Tae Ho (IMFACT) and Choi Ye Geun

Loved Choi Ye Geun's Scarecrow so I was happy to see her again. The song is groovy but the chorus sounds somewhat...empty? Love the scat at the end, should've been longer. This is also a great example of a bright boy group song. See? Upbeat and bright boy group concepts don't have to be childish.

DIAMOND, Sparkling

Another Imitation OST. I honestly doubt that there are actual kpop songs as bad as this.

7days Tension, Weeekly

Ad song. Bright and the chorus is nice.

0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You), TXT feat. Seori

The angsty opening line caught my attention, then the verse after it dropped the energy. It picked up again in the chorus and pre-chorus, thankfully. It's very much pop rock, except there are no guitars in this. Doesn't stop the song from being good though.

Hello, Joy

I love Joy's voice as always but this song doesn't do much for me even though it's upbeat. A few more listens might change my mind.

Call Me, Omega III

Another Imitation OST. Doesn't do much for me, just like all the Imitation MVs. At least let us understand what your drama is about. Instead we get these random shots of what idols are supposed to be like? I don't know much about idol life but it's obvious these girls would be called nugus in real life, and I honestly doubt nugus have such nice living conditions.

No Answer, LA LIMA

Jiyeon from T-Ara is on this one. This and MALO are my favourites from the Imitation OST so far. The song is nice with a sleek catwalk vibe to it but like the rest the MV is boring.

Show Me, Tea Party

Are these the Omega III girls? Not sure but I think so. MV still boring, song doesn't interest me.

Let me go!, The Volunteers

Great rock song, I just wonder why it's all in English (I'm not complaining).

[fmdhaseo]

ヽ(〃＾▽＾〃)ﾉ  wOoOoOoOow i’m so excited to be here finally!! typically i’m a pretty ~ minimalistic ~ person when it comes to formatting ‘n stuff, but i’ma go a little ham on this introduction because i’m really excited!! ANYWHO, my name’s cheyenne ( but please call me chey ) and i represent the drastically under-appreciated mst. i use he/him pronouns, and for anyone who’s curious, i’m 21+!! i’ve been eying this group for awhile now, but hadn’t joined because of school and work reasons, but my town’s in lockdown, so i finally have a bunch of new time on my hands to write!! now that that’s outta the way though, please love me and my first ever muse here!! her name is jeon haseo and she’s lucid’s main vocalist and lead dancer. in my head, she sounds a bit like wjsn’s yeonjung, gfriend’s yuju, and dreamcatcher’s siyeon when she sings, and when she dances, she reminds lots of people of twice’s mina and her gorgeous face-claim, wjsn’s bona!! she’s a former prima ballerina at a dance company in korea that she was pushed out of due to accusations of favoritism, and even though the board at the school were adamant against said accusations, it was lowkey kinda true lol. her dad is a former dancer that’s received tons of acclaim in the dance world, and it’s said that his name is what landed her all her opportunities in ballet —- whoops!! she doesn’t really know that though, but before i carry on too much, you can read more of my ramblings about her below the cut!! [ youtuber vc ] don’t forget to smash that like button if you wanna plot with us!!

i.  —-  haseo was born in seoul, south korea to a dancer and plastic surgeon, so they had a lot of money to sit on while they raised their daughter. she was brought up in prestigious dance rehearsal spaces, as well as in top-of-the-line hospitals, but instead of wanting to follow in her mother’s footsteps, she decided it’d be more fun to dance like her dad!! she showed promise when she was little, so they nurtured her talents as best they could.

ii.  —-  her childhood really wasn’t all that bad, to be honest, like, she never struggled with making friends, she got everything she wanted, her parents were supportive... what more could she have really asked for, you know? she got along with everyone due to her many interests —- from ballet, to video games, to barbies, to monster trucks —- but that all sorta changed whenever she entered high school. being that she attended a school for the arts danced with a company in their junior program, and had a reputable father, a lot of people started to be really catty with her. she learned how ugly the world could be at a pretty small age, and it’s deffff affected how she sees the world and deals with her problems.

iii.  —-  fast forward to high school graduation, haseo gets offered a spot in a professional company to dance ballet almost immediately. a little sketchy? perhaps, but what’s even sketchier is that she was offered the leading role in her first ever show. vile words spread throughout the whole school and due to the accusations of favoritism, the company decided to terminate her contract rip. she became big sad and almost didn’t dance again until [ spoiler alert ] she was given a chance to audition for dimensions entertainment!!

iv.  —-  she didn’t really wanna become an idol, but she did it anyway because she wanted to dance for a career. she really didn’t even need to have a career with how much money her parents made, but it was important to her to be financially independent, so she decided to stick with it to see if it’d work. long story short, she discovered that she’s a FAB singer, and her long history of dance def helped her standout from the crowd. she trained for two years before her debut, and like, when she was announced to be main vocalist, she literally almost died i think lmao. like, the fact that she was granted main vocal but not main dancer really shook her ass up, but she accepted her fate and tried her best.

v.  —-  the concept changes were a whirlwind, but she likes the more soft vibes that the schoolgirl trilogy gave her. she also thinks it makes better use of her dance skills, but she isn’t really the one in control here now is she? ANYWAY —- her career is blossoming a lot and she’s really excited, but at the same time, she despises that she’s a person of public scrutiny now. she never wanted that to happen at the level that it has, but she puts up with it because she feels she already made her bed, so now she’s gotta lie in it. not to mention that she has some of her old peers from dance starting an online hate group to hate on her, so you know... this isn’t exactly what she had in mind for her life, but she just takes it in stride and hopes that, someday, it’ll make for good stories to tell her grandkids lol.

vi.  —-  i realize that i haven’t really given a description of her personality or her as a person yet, and well, that sucks, so i’ma do it right here, right now!! how would i describe haseo? let’s see —- she’s kinda, like, prissy but it’s definitely more outwardly adorable than it is obnoxious, if that makes sense? she HATES getting dirt on her clothes, she hates having crud under her nails, and she hates when other people lack personal hygiene skills, but she was taught well and doesn’t really voice her harsh judgments unless she’s provoked lol. it also appears to me that she has tons of patience naturally, but is also kind of a hot-head if you actually manage to piss her off, so good luck to your muses if that happens!! she also HATES being woken up from sleep, like, she’ll literally kill you if you do. she’s more than likely gotten into tons of fights with other lucid girls because of it —- whoops!! she’s also SUPER femme, to be honest? she takes way too long to get ready before leaving the house, and almost refuses to leave looking a mess. her hair is always immaculate, her makeup is BEAT, and her clothes are gorgeous, and all paid for with daddy’s card lmao. other than all that though, she doesn’t really fit the “rich girl” stereotype in that she doesn’t act like a snob to just anyone, yk? she’s really open to meeting new people, and she’s a fiercely loyal friend to people she loves, as well as a HOPELESS ROMANTIC [ she’s a taurus, after all ] with her bfs/gfs. she’s also MAD cuddly with anyone, like, she doesn’t give a fuck, she communicates v well with physicality and touch!! if you got any questions ab her, don’t hesitate to lmk!!

[softwonjunnie]

strike three  ⚾ chapter two

“sometimes, you find love where you’d least expect it.”

☽ baseball team captain!jinhyuck x softball team captain!reader

☽ college!au    

☽ ft. up10tion’s jinhyuck, uniq’s seungyoun, up10tion’s wooseok and most likely other produce x 101 contestants aswell

☽ also kim jiyeon, cho sojung and kim hyunjung of wjsn just to have a face to those names, but if you want to imagine your own people go ahead because this is mainly a produce x 101 fic

☽ fluff and bits of angst, possibly more mature content but only following a warning

☽ second person view, female reader who goes by your name (y/n)

☽ word count  : 2.2k

☽ finished at 2019-07-22,12:35 pm

☽ a/n : still writing it as jinhyuCK instead of jinhyuK, sorry guys. blame the korean language for being weird (or blame all the other languages for being weird?? korean is actually kinda cool). hope you guys enjoy this! feel free to leave any feedback! 

Masterlist l Chapter one l Chapter two l Chapter three l Chapter four l Chapter five

↬ You took a deep breath and opened the door to the boys’ dressing room. At an instant, you regretted your decision when you saw that Jinhyuck was in the middle of taking his shirt off. This looks bad, you thought to yourself. Luckily there’s no one else in here, so if I just look down and quietly sneak out- 

“Y/N?” Jinhyuck’s sweet voice called and you looked up at him. His hair was a bit damp from sweating at practice, and his toned upper body seemingly wasn’t something he was ashamed of. He grinned at you. “Did you take the wrong dressing room?” 

“Well, I-I-” you stuttered. That was a first. Jinhyuk wasn’t usually someone to make you stutter. You were used to his joking nature but in some way, your mind was too crowded right now to make out a sentence. Or, it was just the fact that he still hadn’t put on a shirt that made you like this. “Actually, no. I came in here to talk to you.” He cocked an eyebrow at you and sat down on one of the benches, looking through his bag after something. Hopefully a shirt to put on. “I have an offer to make. But this is kind of secret, so I’d just like for you to check so that there isn’t a naked man in the shower who could overhear us right now.” 

He chuckled and muttered a “fair enough” before heading towards the showers. “No one here, so go on.” 

You took a few steps into the room and closed the door after yourself, before sitting down at the bench opposite of where he had now sat down again. “I’m just going to get straight to the point. You know that prom’s coming up, I’m sure?” 

He nodded. “I wasn’t planning on attending, but yeah.” 

“What do you mean you aren’t attending?” you playfully scolded him and he shrugged. “It’s the highlight of the year! And the highlight of the prom is the coronation of the prom king and queen.” 

“Yuck.” 

You leaned forward and pushed his shoulder. “Hey! Can you at least listen?” He chuckled again and nodded, leaning back on the wall and crossing his arms over his chest. “Becoming prom queen has been my dream since I was a very young little girl. And this is my final chance, since it’s my senior year.”

“Where do I get into the picture?” He sighed and looked at the clock hanging on the wall. “I have an ongoing practice, you know.” 

“Yes, I’ll make it quick. Here’s the thing; the committee this year only takes in actual couples for the applicants for prom king and queen. And to gain votes, the couple would have to be popular.” You took a deep breath, not believing you were actually about to say the next sentence. “And what would make a more popular couple than the team captains of both the baseball and softball team?”

He frowned. “Wait a second... You’re saying you and I should become a couple? Just for you to win some stupid crown?” 

“It’s not stupid,” you warned and held out a finger in the air to show him how serious you were - to which he could only laugh. 

“And what would I get out of this?” 

“If I said that I’ve heard from a little bird that one particular team captain has had problems finding a girlfriend recently, would that bird have been telling the truth?” 

“Yes, but-”

“And if another bird told me that relationships, for some stupid reason, brings you higher up in the hierarchy, and that this particular team captain has been falling down a bit recently due to another player dating the coach’s daughter? Would he still be telling the truth?” 

“Who’s giving you all this information?” 

“That doesn’t matter.” You shrugged. “Think about it. You’ll win over the boys in no time, and you’ll look popular around campus. And it would make it easier for you to begin dating again afterward, since people will think that if one person can put up with you, why can’t anyone else?” 

“You’re smart, Y/N, have I ever told you that?” You grinned and shrugged again. “So what exactly is it that you want me to do?”

“You pretend to date me. No strings, no feelings. You only take me out for a couple of dates every once in a while to show people that we are a great couple that they want to vote for as prom king and queen.” He nodded. “But we have to be great actors. We have to make everyone believe us.” 

“I can do that. I was really close to choosing my drama scholarship over this one.” He winked at you. 

“No way, you can not have gotten a drama scholarship!” 

There was a moment of silence where the two of you only looked at each other, no words being said, but he was looking at you with a face as if he was trying to make you believe in him. But you didn’t. “Fine, okay. But you almost believed me, didn’t you?” 

“...no.” 

He groaned and you laughed at his response. “Okay I should get back out on the field, but we can discuss this later?” 

You nodded. “Text me when your practice is over.” He gave you a thumbs up before pulling his shirt back on, thank god, grabbing his helmet and running out of the room. 

A couple of hours later, you had finished showering and laid on your bed in a pair of black tights and a hoodie, scrolling through your chemistry textbook to study for your upcoming test. Your phone buzzed and dragged you out of your thoughts, and on the lit-up screen was a text from Jinhyuck.

8:21  - Hey, should I bring dinner? I was planning on buying takeout

You realized from the text that you hadn’t eaten any dinner so far, and it was getting pretty late so the campus cafeteria would most likely close soon. You typed out an answer quickly.

8:22 - yes please! thank you!

You continued your studying and you weren’t interrupted again until a moment later, when there was a knock on your dorm room door. The bathroom door opened and out came your roommate Hyunjung, who told you “I’ll get it!” and reached for the door before you could even say a word. And as she opened the door, she revealed Jinhyuck who was standing there in a pair of loose jeans and a white T-shirt, a take out bag in one hand. “Oh, hello there,” she said, trying to hide her surprise.

“Hello! And hello, Y/N!” He looked past her and over to you, and gave you a small wave.

“Hi! Come in, come in,” you said and waved for him to do so and closed your book, putting it on the floor. You stood up and walked over to him, who was in the middle of taking his shoes off, when you saw that Hyunjung was backing away, giving you a face you couldn’t quite translate. Suddenly, Jinhyuck placed the bag on the floor and pulled you in for a tight hug. It took you by surprise; the two of you had never hugged before, but you weren’t exactly complaining. He was a great hugger. But you quickly realized that he had begun the act already. You smiled at the thought of him improvising like this.

“I have to go talk to Sojung about something,” Hyunjung started and you pulled away from the hug. “so I’ll see you later!” You nodded and waved at her as she sneaked behind you two and out through the door.

“Great Improvisation,” you said as soon as the door closed.

He grinned. “I’ve been planning to do that if she was here for fifteen minutes.” Your heart fluttered. Did he really think about hugging me? you thought, but then reminded yourself that it’s probably all just to make it more believable. Don’t get the wrong impression now, Y/N. 

You chuckled at him, but quickly changed your attention to the take out bag. “What did you get?”

“I got Chinese! Easy to eat right out of the box,” he responded and you both went over to the small dining table in the dorm. The table only had two chairs so it was very fitting right now. He pulled the boxes out of the bag, handing you one along with a pair of chopsticks. “So... about the thing...”

“It’s just the two of us in here so no one can hear, you can speak clearly.” You grinned at him and opened the box before breaking apart the chopsticks.

“Okay, okay. Here’s the thing; I feel like if we’re going to do something about this, we’re kind of in a rush because Wooseok is gaining popularity, my popularity, real quick and I’m losing it in the same speed. And prom is only like, what? Four months away? Five? If we want to compete with other couples who’s been together for longer times, we’ll have to work quickly.”

“So what’s your plan?” you questioned, both of you taking a bite of your food. He looked up at you with a frown. “What? You seem so matter-of-factly so I just assumed you’d have one...”

“You’re lucky because...” He released his frown and grinned instead. “I did actually think about it. We could say that we just started dating, but it could seem a bit suspicious if we like, just became friends and then go forward quickly. So, may I suggest,” You smiled at him as you continued eating. This boy had so much energy and seemed so into the thing already that it made you want to laugh. “We pretend that we’ve been ~casually seeing~ each other for a while now and decided to make it official just now.” 

“I must say, I never thought you’d be this creative.” 

He made a shocked face at you and jokingly held his heart, pretending to be hurt. “How dare you?” he cried out and you laughed. You had never seen this side of him before. This cute, energetic side. He was a really calm type around school and always was kind to everyone, so he made a lot of friends naturally. He looks like a tough guy and thanks to his nice front, he made a lot of friends. But not a lot of people could really get to his core, nor see his real deep personality. But you were hoping you would come closer to him; otherwise, people wouldn’t believe you two in your act. 

“How about skinship?” 

“Well, I guess it’s going to have to increase as this goes on to make it seem believable.” You got a lump in your throat when just thinking about it. You hadn’t had any of that kind of skinship with anyone since your last boyfriend. It made you feel weird - but then you reminded yourself. He is nothing but a friend, so it won’t be weird. “Holding hands is like a pretty basic must, I would say. And maybe like hugging when we greet and say goodbye? And like an occasional kiss on the cheek at times? Would you be comfortable with that?” 

You actually weren’t entirely sure what you felt. It had been a while since you went through and did all of those things, and you’d never done it with just a friend before. It was going to feel weird, but you reminded yourself that you needed to work hard for what you wanted. You’d just have to get used to it. “Yes, sure.” You took another bite of your food, swallowing it down with some water before continuing to speak. “And you?” 

“Yeah, it’s fine. Do you want your arms over mine or below mine in a hug?” 

You frowned but kept your smile. “What?” 

He stood up and walked over to the chair you were sitting on. “Stand up.” You shook your head and chuckled, but followed his instructions and stood up next to him. You hadn’t until now realized how tall he was. He was probably a bit taller than the average, and a lot taller than you. And the way he was smiling down at you made you understand why he was so popular - his looks weren’t exactly failing him. “Hug me.” You could only let out a sound that you guess would be the vocal version of ~?!~, and he laughed at you. “Do it. And try to make it natural.” 

“Well the chances of that are about 0% now,” you muttered and he chuckled, but you pulled your arms around him. And he pulled his around you. It was a bit weird but you tried to relax into the hug, and you rested your head on top of his shoulder. 

“This is good, hm? It feels almost natural?” You hummed in response. “Okay, so my arms are above yours, almost around your neck, and your arms are around my body. Let’s remember this now so it looks good to others later, hm?” You pulled away and nodded at him. 

You knew there was no way you were gonna forget that feeling. 

[seonghwapop]

gfriend 🥺😼

fan or not: not really (i like their music that i’ve heard but i don’t know anything abt them yet ^^)

how long i’ve been a fan: 

first song I’ve heard by them: me gustas tu

fave song by them as of now: eclipse! it’s so pretty it kinda reminds me of a wjsn song

first mv I saw: either me gustas tu or crossroads

fave mv as of now: crossroads...i love the intro it’s beautiful🥺 and also the Drama of it all>>>>

my bias: idk the members well but yuju is so cute and has a really pretty voice <333 

[emeraldbabygirl]

My Favorite Concepts

I decided I wanted to make a list of my favorite concept idols and groups have done:

Safety shorts: very important

Oversized sweaters: sweater paws are too die for

Chokers: everyone looks amazing in them

Idols and cute outfits in general like overalls uwu

Retro concepts: I’m an absolute hoe for retro concepts, Spica’s I’ll Be There, April’s Oh My Mistake, Ladies’ Code’s Feedback

Idols wearing flowers crowns

Idols wearing specks

Idols with beautiful tan skin: Hakyeon, Jessi, Hyorin, Seungyeon

Idols in pastel colors: they look so cute and soft uwu

Idols eating delicious food

Foot stomping and shoe squeaking dance practices

Idols having fun outside or at amusement parks as well as filming cute videos in different countries

Tattoos: tbh it’s my kink but damn some idols just pull it off so well

Sometimes idols have really cute piercings, like different places on their ears or belly button piercings like LE and Mint

Specific sections of their hair dyed: Lisa, Dahyun, Jinjin and that member of Itzy (forgive me I don’t know her name)

Idols and karaoke rooms: always iconic

Idols with braces: there’s nothing cuter than when Vernon, I.N, Sanha and Donghyun had braces uwu

Idols being thicc or muscular and not twigs: Hwasa, Wonho, Kyla, Eunha, Luna, St.Van

The girl crush/tomboy concept: Amber, Jeongyeon, Miya

Idols with stuffed animals: San & Shiber, Bobby & Pooh, Youngguk and Tigger

Low rapping voices or voices that you wouldn’t expect them to have: Youngguk, Wooseok, Wyatt, Zuho, Hwiyoung & Song Mingi uwu etc.

Tbh I love the rappers that sounds like Hyuna, Yeeun and Miso. At first I thought it was annoying but I really like it now

That one year that like every idol dressed as Harley Quinn from Suicide Squad

Idols “getting thicc on us” Hongki, K.Will, Kyla, half the members of Boyfriend, CNU etc.

Female idols not caring when female fans pull the mirror trick

Idols sticking up for themselves and each other

Female idols really doing the best despite how difficult it is being a female in the music industry: this is mostly because I honestly have so much respect for female idols, they have to deal with periods and creepy perverts, dancing and running in heels, they’re just really amazing

Male idols not being afraid to show their soft sides

Male idols showing love to male fans

Idols being adorable with fans

Idols of mixed races and/or other races, Hanbyul, Felix, Samuel, Somi, Monika, Wendy, Mark, Sorn, Nickhun, Momo, etc.

Really tall and really short idols: Rowon, Zelo, Soobin, the whole of Tiny-G, Jinhwan, Woozi etc.

Idols and onesies and idols with onesie dance practices

Idols genuinely having fun on stage

Idols in suits and really gorgeous dresses that are classy and elegant

Groups with unique introductions: D-Crunch, Alphabat, 24K

Groups celebrating 7th, 8th and further on anniversaries, like Apink: because seeing a group together after so long is really cool and I love that

Groups leaving a company together and resigning with another one or filing lawsuits and winning: B2ST/Highlight and B.A.P

Younger idols being children for as long as they can :(

Idols being safe and happy

The “every member is a visual” group: Imfact, VAV, Bigstar, N.Tic

Big groups, 9+ members: WJSN, Seventeen, UP10TION (Super Junior, Exo, and Alphabat used to be big)

Idols being bf/gf material af

Idols getting married to their gf/bf of 8 mothafuckin years: shoutout to U-Kwon and his beautiful relationship with his gf

Idols getting married before having children

Idols being cute with kids

Idols being cute with their parents and siblings

Idols and beach fun time episodes; everyone is so cute and they are having fun

Unique concepts that lots of underrated groups are amazing at like horror concepts: stan Dreamcatcher

Unique and fun choreos like Speed’s Don’t Tease Me, NCT Dream’s Chewing Gum, fromis_9’s Fun

Tiny female rappers spittin fire: Dasom from 2EYES, Seoyeon from fromis_9

Idols wearing comfortable clothes for dance practices

Idols that are actually bands: Royal Pirates, LedApple, Say Yes, OneWe, Tweety, Barbie D (Kiwi Band)

Older idol groups that are either still around making music or came back after a long hiatus to continue making music: Shinhwa, Sechkies, S.E.S

Newer idols covering older idols songs like H.O.T, BoA, DBSK etc.

Collab stages between groups, Fx and Shinee, Boys Generation, WJSN, Red Velvet, Twice, Gfriend. BUT NOT THAT COLLAB STAGE WITH GOT7, SEVENTEEN, GFRIEND AND TWICE, THAT WAS CRINGEY AS HELL AND I HAVE NIGHTMARES OF IT AT LEAST ONCE A MONTH

Idols in haunted houses, unless they cry like Tao :(

Performing on stage with hand mics and being able to do the choreo one-handed: I think the newer mics are cool but there’s something about the hand helds that I’m in love with especially when the rappers get the mics, it’s really hot tbh

Idols under JYP in hoodies: tbh all idols under JYP look so smol and cute in hoodies I uwu

I love aesthetically pleasing mvs that a lot of newer groups are doing but I absolutely love the dark, boxy, old 2008/2009/2010 aesthetic tbh; anything by MBLAQ especially Cry and Oh Yeah, Girls Generation’s Run Devil Run, Shinee’s Ring Ding Dong, NU’EST’s Face, B.E.G’s Abracadabra, that dark stuff. And it’s not even for a specific reason really, it just reminds me of the golden days of kpop and tbh I miss that. I love all these new groups but there’s something almost nostalgic to me about those older mvs and every kpop fan should watch those older mvs definitely. The older groups are really legends. I miss them, like Infinite and KARA uwu

Groups covering and/or dancing to literally any Sistar song, but ‘Touch My Body’ will forever remain THE iconic Sistar song: NewKidd, Boyfriend, fromis_9

Idols wearing suit jackets and slacks with just plain t-shirts. They look so nice but also casual and comfortable and I like that. EXID’s Night Rather than Day outfits I really like and then recently OneUs’s dance practice for Twilight, Keonhee wore it really well

Idols wearing suit jackets and a nice button up on top and just jeans and plain sneakers on the bottom: again it’s a casual look but also nice and comfy

Idols with bright hair colors; Yugyeom and GD with yellow hair, Miso and hot pink hair, Yeonkuk with a pretty neon and cyan color

I’m gonna brag rn; literally N.Tic’s Fiction mv is a whole concept within itself. Yeah it’s retro but it’s also the way it was filmed, the lights & effects, the choreo, their outfits and just the way the song flows is absolutely fantastic. It’s like, my favorite song of 2019. Facts sis. Tbh N.Tic themselves are a concept. I’ve made so many posts about them but they deserve it, they are improving with each comeback and all their songs are bops and I am so fucking glad I decided to check them out. I’m glad that, despite how I felt about Jion’s appearance at first, I saw past that, realized how amazing his voice is and decided to stan the group. They’ve done so much for me already and I’m so grateful to them and hope they continue to improve and gain more fans.

Idols and dogs

Idols and plushies uwu

Honestly idols at fansigns are so precious

Hyuna killin it on her way out of Cube we stan

Idol Radio: BLESS YOU ILLHOON

Male idols with long hair; rip Ren, Jungshin, CNU, Kangnam, Jeonghan and Hwiyoung’s long hair :(

Idols stepping on me

Relay dances; Saturday, Weki Meki, 9Muses and A.C.E take it to a whole new level

Reblog with some of your favorite concepts. It can be actual concepts like cute or vampire or something. I just did non music concepts