#tried to narrow it down to one character per media

[circusgoth-dotcom]

thought this would be fun, will probably do a who's my worst blorbo/comfort character when this finishes 👍

[darkficsyouneveraskedfor]

Made for Him VIII

Warnings: this fic includes dark content including rape/noncon, blood and gore, violence, death, grief, and other potential triggering elements. My warnings are not exhaustive, enter at your own risk.

This is a dark!fic and explicit. 18+ only. Your media consumption is your own responsibility. Warnings have been given. DO NOT PROCEED if these matters upset you.

Summary: Peter finds himself alone after the loss of those around him, so he decides to find a cure to his grief.

Characters: Peter Parker

Note: I’m posting this just cause I can.

As per usual, I humbly request your thoughts! Reblogs are always appreciated and welcomed, not only do I see them easier but it lets other people see my work. Thanks to everyone who reads this one and thank you for all your energy.

Love you all like Garfield loves lasagna. Take care. 💖

The Creator

She's been quiet. He can't pretend not to know why. He was impatient, thoughtless. But the thought of what he did still made him twitch. He slept and dreamt of doing it again, of doing more, and even in his waking hours, he slipped away into the fantasy.

That morning she ate eggs with jam, silent as she chewed and stared at the table. She would stop and put down her fork, eyes wide, and slowly touch her cheeks. She would feel around then go back to her breakfast. It was only after the third time he realised she was searching for tears.

She was almost inconsolable the night he lost control. He tried to comfort her but she hid in the corner and rocked as her face streaked wetly. He left her in exasperation as she poked her fingers in and out of her mouth, making herself almost sick.

He told her all about it. Explained everything. He didn't understand why she didn't understand. It agitated him because she could learn her letters and numbers well enough but she couldn't learn to love him? To want him?

No, she did. He made her that way. He made her for him and no one else.

He broke away from the doorway where he leaned and watched her. She scraped clean her plate and looked up at him. She smiled but it wavered perilously as she set down her fork.

"Peter," she said in that way she did, a question and statement at once.

"All done?" He asked, keeping his tone light.

"Done," she announced and curled her fingers to her palms before hiding them under the table. She almost bounced in her chair as her eyes flitted back and forth but never fell upon him, "good."

He took her plate and retreated. Fuck. He went too fast. He knew it but he just hadn't been able to stop himself. He needed to do something. Something nice.

"I was thinking," he spoke above the buzz of the faucet as he rinsed her plate, "we could go back to the beach."

"Beach?" She echoed, "oh! Yes!" He looked at her as she clapped on the table in excitement, "beach for real?"

"Yes, really," he assured her as he dried his hands, "and we can maybe go in the water. I have a bathing suit for you–"

"Water?" Her eyes rounded and her fingers twiddled anxiously, "water is big and… deep."

"I'll go with you. Don't worry."

"Worry," she nodded as she tasted the word, "I worry. A lot."

"About the water?" 

She paused. She stared at him and he nearly winced as her eyes narrowed in thought, "yes."

It was a lie. He saw right through it. He fought the frown tugging at his lips and shrugged.

"Just say close," he ignored the thought in the back of his mind, the one that made his chest compress and burn, "I'll take care of you."

"Close," she said softly and lowered her gaze to the table, "yes."

The Creation 

You stood in the sand staring out at the lapping foam, listening to noise of gargantuan waves rolling out before the next rose. The sun reflected in the surface, rippling in streaks of gold and silver and swirling into the depths. 

You hugged yourself as the water got close to your toes and you stepped back before it could touch you. As if bitten, you stumbled and squealed. Peter chuckled and caught your arm, gentle but firm enough to stop you.

"It's okay," he coaxed, "it's like… a big bath. You like baths."

You thought and looked again to the depths, the great unknown vastness, and the endless distance where it touched the sky. You weren't a fan of baths, they were neither hot nor cold, and Peter didn't like it when you splashed him or made too much bubbles.

"Precious, please," he dropped his hand to yours and tapped your palm with his fingers, "I'll hang on tight."

You pressed your lips tight and let him twine his fingers with yours. A crawling sensation scuttled over your skin and you wanted desperately to swat him away. When he touched you, you thought of that night and the strange thing he did. The way he did not hear your horror for his pleasure, the salty flow that expelled at the end and stained your mouth. The way your tears singed your skin, a heat you could feel spilling from within.

"Precious?" He asked again and tugged on your arm.

"Tight," you squeezed his hand as shiver ran through you, like when he was in your mouth.

He urged you forward and you dragged your feet in the sand, the grains scattering away and shifting to wet silt. The water licked at your feet and you yiped but told yourself to continue on. Get it over with, make him happy, and you can run back to the beach. To the safety of the sun and sand.

You went further, the weight of the water slowing you, pushing against your strength. Your calves, knees, thighs, and the edge of the tiny flowered bottoms you wore. 

A sudden lurch of water shoved you one way  then the other, and you latched onto Peter's arm as your feet slipped on the slick sea floor. You cried out and turned to him, hugging him as he stood unaffected by the sway. You felt like crying again, of wailing and running back to shore.

"Precious," he pet your head, "I got you, please."

You quivered as another bulging wave crashed into you, pushing you against him so he shifted just slightly. He hugged you closer and laughed, “see, it’s alright.”

“I don’t like it, Peter,” you whimpered, “please–”

“Come on, let’s have some fun!” He put you at arm’s length, “we won’t go any further, okay?”

“Hmm, yes,” you frowned and he let you go hesitantly. You planted your feet and leaned back against the wall of water as it sent foam over your shoulder, “I stay. For you.”

He smiled and stirred his hands in the water, drawing your eyes down. As you looked, he turned his hands up and threw up a splash, soaking you with the swipe of his arm. You sputtered and teetered, mouth open in surprise.

“Peter!” You touched your cheeks, “what doing?”

“Fun,” he said and sprayed more water as he brought his hands up again.

“No!” You dipped your hands under and heaved an armload in his direction.

Water fell over him, droplets beading in his red curls and dripping down his face, sparkling over his pales skin. You giggled in amusement as he acted offended and returned another cascade of water in your direction. You splashed him again and a storm of water rose between you, lashing around carelessly as you forgot your fear.

Before you knew it, you were slaked with water, the salt made your lips and skin feel brittle. You slipped as you tried to dodge Peter's next spray and ambled around him awkwardly. It was never like this but you liked it. Careless, free, no worry for learning or thinking, just playing and laughing.

You gasped as a flash of water fell over you as a wave crested into your back. Frightened, you shouldered past Peter. Your legs moved slow through the sea and towards the sand, out of breath as you pumped your arms and fought through the resistance. You heard him behind you, felt his fingertips brush your back. 

Your feet hammered onto the sand and you ran for the blanket spread with a basket and his disposed book. He was close as you got to the hem and he crashed into you from behind. You flew forward and exclaimed as he landed atop you. You wiggled and roll over as he lifted himself slightly over you. 

You touched his chest as he chuckled and you felt the rumble within. He sighed as he settled and caught his breath, your own coming easier as you laid beneath him. He shifted onto his elbow, leaning against you as he framed your chin.

"Fun?" He asked.

"Yes," you trilled as you pushed on him, "very fun. You fun!"

He caressed your check with his fingertips as his breathing slowed but his heart pounded under your palm. His throat bobbed as he looked down at you and you tried to peer past him. His hand trailed down to your neck and he toyed with the strap of your top. Your own chest fluttered and beat frantically. 

"You're so beautiful, precious," he cooed, "do you know that?"

Your hand brushed up to grip his shoulder. You felt as if you were trapped under a blanket, the air thick as it caught in your lungs. He dipped his head and you were helpless to his affection. He kissed you, gently at first, and you let him, but it wasn't like that time before. The first time that made you want to sing.

His touch trailed down your arm and traced the curve of your chest. He lingered on the rise of flesh, of the curves of your body, exploring carefully the criss cross of scars. You squirmed as the reminder of your marred complexion jabbed in your skull and pricked your eyes. You didn't feel beautiful against his unscathed skin.

His tongue delved past your lips and you murmured around it. He clutched your side as his stomach settled against yours, his knee pushed between your legs, his heat cocooning you in another layer of futility.

He wandered to your hips, tickling your skin as he hummed. You stiffened as his thumb poked under the top of your bottoms and he rolled his pelvis, grinding against your crotch. You gasped into his mouth and caught his wrist.

He slipped free easily as he edged further beneath the fabric. You twitched and grabbed  his forearm. He wrestled with you and his hand grazed your soft patch of hair. You bit down in a panic as your mind returned to the bedroom, to your knees against the hard floor, and the way your head throbbed from your strained breaths.

He yelped and pushed off you, sitting back on his heels as he felt his mouth. His brow furrowed and his forehead wrinkled.

"What the–" he lisped and you pulled yourself back with your elbows as you dug your heels in. You backed away from him and flipped onto your stomach.

"Sorry," you whispered, "sorry," you repeated louder as you climbed to your feet and staggered away, "no, sorry! No, can't!"

You ran up the beach, tripping in the sand as you scrambled away. You didn't look back as you raced up the trail and followed the incline up to where you saw the house and the great tall tree behind it. 

You refused to peek back as you heard him coming for you, as his anger laced his shout, "precious, get back here."

You whimpered and huffed up the steps to the door and burst through the door. 

"Listen to me!" He snarled as he came in behind you, his arm snaking around your waist as he pulled you back, "precious! You hurt me."

He spun you and slammed your back to the wall as he held your shoulders. You cried out as you batted your lashes and tears spilled out. You swallowed and apologised again, your mouth dry and throat tight.

"Sorry, Pet–"

"Stop crying," he sneered, "stop it! You have no reason to cry. Why are you crying?"

"I don't know… can't stop." You squeaked as he gripped your jaw, "Peter… scared!"

"Scared? Of what?" He spat.

Your eyes rounded as you braced the wall, "Peter! I scared… of… Peter!"

His dark eyes narrowed as he growled, "scared of me? Of me?" His voice rose with each word, "I give you everything and all I ask for is your love. Don't you love me?"

You stared at him, shaking as his grasp hurt your jaw. You sniffled and rested your hand on his wrist, "I love Peter. Big love. But… what do not love. What do is… pain."

His gaze darkened and his hand fell to your throat, "you don't know what pain is," he uttered as he leaned in until his nose touched yours, "you don't know because I–" he stopped himself and snorted, "you will never know pain but you cannot deny me love. I won't let you." 

"Peter, please," you gulped.

"Please?" He scoffed, "please? Precious, you're hurting me. Don't you understand?"

You shook. You didn't understand but you wanted to. You didn't want to hurt him. You wanted to make him happy.

"Sorry, very sorry, how… how make better?" You quavered.

He watched you and his eyes drifted down to his hand as he dragged it to your chest. His lashes flicked back up as he stared at you. His tongue peeked out between his lips, "you have to learn," he said, "I'll show you how."

[emperor-of-blood]

How do you assign characters classpects? Like what do you look for for each class/aspect etc?

In general I take a look at the character’s overall story and their character defining traits and moments. Usually I end up on their wiki or looks through clips on youtube to refresh/familiarize myself. Classpects in general are sort of a personality test, but also a fate/destiny sort of thing. 

For example: Dave being a Knight of Time. He’s resourceful which goes into him being able to exploit his aspect and he’s very conflict... oriented, I guess, which goes into his aspect. But the Beta kids’ session lasting only 2 days as opposed to the month they would normally have? It’s a consequence of his classpect. Knights exist in sessions where their aspect is in short supply, and they exploit that small amount to get the most out of what they’ve got.

An example of my process, let’s go for the Cowardly Lion I just did. I found potential key parts of the Bard of Heart classpect and tried thinking of characters which might fit that mold. Then I compare the rest of the classpect to the character to see if they fit in. The lion isn’t really calculating per say, but the part at the end where he gets his medal from the wizard he specifically calls him wise for running away. It’s a short movie so there wasn’t a ton to go off of but I watched a few clips, checked out the wiki briefly, and just compared to the vague example I came up with. 

It’s not a perfect system but neither is classpecting. I’m sure I could argue him being a... void player maybe; or someone else who is more familiar with the Wizard Of Oz material could bring up a bunch of points to narrow this down a lot more.

The hardest part is when I have no idea what piece of media they’re actually talking about. Like, the oldest ask I have right now is someone who asked for  Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada. I’ve tried to find the movie a number of times but I just haven’t had any luck. If it was someone at least generally well known I could probably figure something out but for something that specific it would be a complete bs answer. Like I have an ask for Godzilla right now, which even though I’ve never seen a Godzilla movie I know who Godzilla is. I’ll probably look up some clips but I don’t really know what I’m expecting to find that would make me lean one way or another.

[mandaloriangf]

the reylo batb au debacle

long post ahead. tw: racism

i. preface

i dont make call out posts. i think a lot of people abuse call outs, like that one reylo who made a post about me that just consisted of screenshots of me venting on my own blog in the proper tags. i dont know if i would call this a call out, per se. most people (antis, reylos, and bystanders) probably already know the gist of this situation. my reason for making this post is primarily because the original post of mine has gotten rather long with me reblogging it and adding on (you can see the most recent version here) and i would like to have more of a masterpost of sorts, since im a petty bitch who can’t let things go. 

ii. the story

i was alerted by an anon to a fic, which is an a/b/o beauty and the beast retelling with rey as belle and kylo as the beast. in gaston’s place is finn. i haven’t read the fic word for word nor do i want to, but i searched finn’s name in the fic and this is what came up.

(note: most of these screenshots are from my original post, but i’ve added on with chapters that have been published since then)

“Myself if necessary; somewhere out there is my mate, and I will wait for them.” She said resolutely, holding her breath against the smell of pine and charcoal rolling off him. She had never found Finn’s scent a pleasant one.

“I believe Rey is missing,” Finn said with a scowl. “and I don’t like it when my things go missing.”

“Rey has never been yours.” Obi snapped. “She’s not a piece of property.”

“Details.” Finn smirked. “Now, are you going to tell me where she’s really run off to? Or are you holding fast to your ridiculous story of monsters and secret castles?”

Obi narrowed his eyes, refusing to entertain the brute anymore than he had to. “I think it’s time you were on your way, Finn. Please feel free to head in the opposite direction should you feel the urge to call upon me again.”

Finn shook his head, rolling his eyes heavily. “I’ll be back, Obi. I will find out where Rey is hiding.”

Obi shut the door in his face quickly, eager to be rid of the boorish oaf. He leaned against the wood, pinching the bridge of his nose and rubbing gently to ease his frustration. He should have been more open to Finn’s help, he could take all of it that he could get. Still, seeking aid in Finn felt like escaping the hounds to land in the fire. Hardly an improvement.  

“She’s the only one who’s rejected me. Me. The nerve of her. No. This won’t stand. I’ll track her down if it’s the last thing I do.” Finn snarled.

Finn took a long swig from his freshly filled tankard the server had just finished capping off, a small smile playing at his mouth as his plan gained more and more merit in his mind. Rey would not allude him for much longer. He would find her, and show her exactly who she belonged to.

Charles frowned. “I don’t want Finn anywhere near Rey. I don’t trust him. He’d sooner force her into mating with him as rescue her.”

They crept deeper into the forest, making sure to maintain vigilance as they scanned the forest for anything strange. Finn wondered idly how Rey would have even made it through this woods, a mere woman. When he brought her back home, he would be sure to have a talk with her about what is and isn’t acceptable.

She scrambled backwards then, her back meeting Artoo’s haunches as he pranced away. She felt distress coursing through her, wanting no part of Finn or his strange obsession with her. “You’ll not touch me.”

“Shh.” He whispered. “You’re only confused. All will be well.”

“Leave, Finn. Go back to Jakku. No one wants you here, least of all me.” She spat.

He growled low, yanking her up by her hair. “You’ll learn your place, Rey. Once I bring you back to Jakku. First though, I will take care of the bastard who dared to touch what was mine.”

“I. Am. Not. Yours.” She ground out, her scalp smarting from the grip he still kept on her hair.

“You will be.” He assured darkly.

He didn’t realize he had lost until it was too late. He glanced down, the iron bolt plunged deep into his chest. For a moment he merely stared at it, his breath coming out in heavy pants as he tried to process what he was seeing. A gurgle sounded in his chest, coughing up a spray of blood. His mouth fell open in disbelief, taking a step backwards as his hand went to the bolt.

He gripped it in his fist, tugging it outwards and throwing it to the ground. His hands pawed at the hole in his chest, blood pouring over his fingers as he swayed slightly. His knees trembled, falling to be ground and kneeling. He gave a final shuddering breath, falling forward in a slump and going still. Rey dropped the bow as if it burned her, leaning her back against the tree she’d used to steady herself and gasping for breath. She felt relief and remorse in that moment, the knowledge that she’d taken a life outweighed only by the knowledge that she’d saved one.

(context: the above is rey murdering finn to save kylo)

as you can see, finn, star wars’ first ever black lead, is portrayed as a violent, aggressive, rapey misogynist who threatens rey psychically and sexually. he believes rey, a white woman, is his property and rey must kill him to save her lover, a white man. i mean, this whole thing should be very obvious. i dont care that its fiction, i dont care that its fanfiction. fiction does not exist in a vacuum and if you believe so, biases like this WILL go unchecked. 

i was infuriated after reading this and found a note where the author addresses previous accusations of racism

I was more or less labeled as a racist today for my characterization of Finn, and I felt the need to briefly address that. It was never my intention to lead anyone to believe that my dislike of Finn has anything to do with his race. I dislike his character canonically purely for reasons that have nothing to do with the color of his skin. I obviously realize he’s not a villain, and that he’s out of character. I will not apologize for the way that I’ve written him, as I know in my heart I meant no malicious intent, but I will apologize to anyone who has thought even in the slightest that I was being oppressive or insensitive. I know myself and that’s not who I am, and that was never my intention. I want to go ahead and post this because I don’t know when my next will be and I wanted to leave it on a good note. I don’t foresee a long gap, don’t worry, but at this moment I don’t feel good about the story and I need a few days to reassess where it is going.

iii. the comments

while i easily could’ve just moved on since there are a number of reylo fics out there much like this one, knowing that this one had such popularity and such a tone deaf author, i decided to venture into the comments and lo and behold, the amount of hate for finn was blinding. 

there are plenty more, but i hope this can give you a taste of what the comments section looks like. 

the author’s hate for finn basically boils down to this: he’s indecisive and he lied to rey. that’s it. that’s what the author uses to justify writing finn in a vicious, anti-black stereotype. 

at some point, an anonymous commenter called out the racism.

a concerned citizen: So are you ever gonna address how racist your characterization of Finn is or what.

ktf: Oh lord. No because it’s blatantly not true. He is characterized heavily in concordance with the classic Gaston character. Possessive, arrogant, pig headed… Your complaint is reaching and you can take it elsewhere. Jeez Louise. So silly. Have you even seen Beauty and the Beast? I don’t like Finn as a a character in canon for reasons that have nothing to do with his race (because I admittedly love John Boyega irl as well as in Pacific Rim, the only other film I’ve seen him in) and as such I characterize him as an asshole for my own self satisfaction.

a concerned citizen: Look I love Reylo as much as the next guy but if you need explaining why it’s racist to make the black character who is, in canon, nothing but a kind and supportive friend, into a sexually aggressive misogynist then I don’t know what to tell you. It costs zero dollars not to demonize black characters for your own “self satisfaction.”

ktf: So, to be clear, if I had used ANY other character from the film who had been kind and supportive, Poe, Han, Holdo, Leia, Snap, Kaydel, Luke… as long as they hadn’t been a POC it would totally fine? Do you see my confusion? It’s an alternate universe.

a concerned citizen: A: Demonizing black men as sexual aggressors bent on possessing/raping white women is a long-standing trope used by white supremacists. It’s done to dehumanize black men and drum up fear in white folk so that they feel threatened enough to commit acts of violence. This is one of the most basic tactics of antiblack racism.

B: Gaston was never a part of the original fairy tale. He was made up for the Disney adaptation to add tension and to counterbalance the Beast to make the message crystal clear for the little ones watching– don’t fear The Other. Gaston represents the cultural hegemony of masculine behavior in Belle’s culture; the Beast, on the other hand, is The Other, the outsider, the marginalized force. Black people have practically been The Other in Western media for centuries. Now I’m not telling you that you have to make Finn the Beast or else it’s bunk, just that you have to be aware of the characters’ roles and what they fulfill in the narrative. Making Finn the Gaston character was a conscious decision you made– you took a black character and plopped him into a role that was specifically made to be the representation of toxic masculinity, that decision isn’t made in a vacuum.

C: Absolutely no one is holding your feet to the fire to make sure that you follow the plotline of the source material verbatim. Certainly you took liberties with what form of beastliness Kylo had, so you could have similarly chose to alter Gaston’s characterization in some way or you could have made Finn a different character entirely. Like I mentioned before, Gaston was not in the original fairy tale and so the narrative works fine without him. Finn exhibits none of Gaston’s character traits in canon so you chose willingly to sand him down so you could fit a square peg in a round hole– an action that, as mentioned previously, reflects the rhetoric of white supremacy for the past few centuries.

ktf: Okay. You know what? You obviously woke up this morning itching for a soapbox. So, may the force be with you and may your crusade keep you warm at night. This is a fan fiction, not a doctoral thesis, so if you don’t mind I’m just going to continue living my life. I can assure you no thoughts of “demonizing” a race ever crossed my mind while writing this. It’s not who I am. This doesn’t deserve my time because you, A. Know nothing about me. B. Obviously have way too much time on your hands. C. Aren’t worth the stress you’re causing. Have a blessed day!

iv. the aftermath

since my original post, i have been silently blocked by the author. antis who are poc have gotten anon hate, which has often been radicalized while i, a white anti, have not received anything wrt this fic. the author has gotten cocky about the whole situation, she has a bunch of adoring readers who coddle her, and she refuses to listen to any form of criticism.

now that i’m at the end of this post, i’m not really sure what i want to come out of it. i wanted to include more, but there’s so much shit to wade through in the comments and that doesn’t even account for what’s on the author’s tumblr. reylos, this shit has to fucking stop. you need to hold each other accountable, you need to call each other out bc this is exhausting. 

[a-cup-of-polynectar]

FAME

Rebelde AU

Word count: 3,3 k

Characters: Minah, Jane, Tara, Sungjae, Tyler, Daniel

Fame has just as many downsides as it has perks…

Fame has just as many downsides as it has perks. One of them —the one concerning Minah Delacroix and Jane Durand at the moment— it’s the fact their private lives as part of one of the worldwide sensation that is Impulse, are always exposed to the scrutiny of the public eye. One would expect just as much considering the pop group became an overnight sensation across the globe after starring the namesake TV series, but after so many years of being harassed by paparazzi, the media and even their fans and having pretty much lost any remaining bit of privacy, Minah and Jane have somehow believed —rather innocently, to be fair— that gossip-hungry tabloids would be tired of them by then.

Yet, it seems the world can never get enough of them, which from Jane’s perspective is just as sad —for a media machinery that has nothing better to report— as it is beneficial for the group.

“If you see it the positive way, at least we’re still relevant enough for a simple interaction to make it to the headlines” Jane tries to comfort Minah, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.  It’s been the third rumor in a month regarding Minah’s romantic life and at this point, she’s dated a veteran Hollywood actor, the bassist from the most popular pop-rock band of the moment and now a member of the biggest boyband in South Korea —well, maybe biggest is a bit of an exaggeration, but they are undoubtedly the one with the most number of members if that serves as consolation—.

Deep inside, Minah knows Jane is right and had she not been harassed online by NCT’s fans, she would probably even go as far as to agree with her best friend out loud, but Minah is mentally exhausted and she just had the bad luck of bumping into Sungjae and his long time partner, holding hands in the elevator. Sungjae is one-sixth of Impulse and Minah’s former “love interest” in the drama series that launched them into stardom. He is also the love of her life, or at least that is what delusional fans and an even more delusional Tara —the third female member of the group— stubbornly insist on.

“I mean, will they ever get tired of us?” Minah groans, burying her face in a cushion and letting out a frustrated scream. Jane only pats her back sympathetically and bits on her lower lip. Should she say what she really believes or is this one of those situations where you tell a white lie to protect your friend’s feelings?

“I want to say yes, but it’s probably not going to happen anytime soon” someone else’s voice replies and for once in her life, Jane is actually glad to hear that voice. “I saw the news” Tyler Lee materializes behind the two women, holding a copy of Gossip Star in one hand and a coffee delivery box on the other. As per usual he’s clad in one of his head-to-toe signature Gucci outfits and looks as relaxed as a ten thousand dollar outfit allows him to.

Minah slowly lifts her head from the cushion, her hair a mess and her eyes red as though she had been shedding tears. She is about to snap at her groupmate when she recognizes the logo of her favorite coffee shop printed on the front of the box Tyler is now showing off with a silly smile. t’s been a nonspoken tradition for the group that whoever went to the coffee shop downstairs first was obligated to pick everybody else’s orders. It is usually either Sungjae or Jane in charge of the morning delivery, but since Sungjae was too busy doing whatever he was doing with his girlfriend and Jane spent the morning trying to humor Minah, the daily coffee dose is arriving later than expected.

Minah can’t help but let out a relieved sigh at the sight of coffee.

“I trusted you enough to never get involved with a member of the worst boyband in the world and yet you still managed to disappoint me picking the worst of them all” Tyler says, plopping on the empty spot on the sofa and chuckling lightly. It earns him a poke with the elbow and an eye-roll from Minah, but he is still smiling when he places the delivery box on the coffee table in front of them.  “I mean, it was expected from Jane…of course she has a terrible taste,” Tyler says that bit eyeing the blonde woman with a judgmental look that she completely ignores in order to keep the peace. The last thing Minah needs now is to be stuck in the middle of one of the day-to-day arguments between them. “Apparently she’s been sharing her tips on serial dating with you” Tyler attempts to joke “But, are you serious, Minah? Mark Yang?” Tyler scoffs, smirk still present on his lips.

Minah’s reply takes a lot longer than it has any right to do, just because she’s been feeling as though someone is hammering on her skull and Tyler’s voice has only made her headache worse.

“It is obviously a misunderstanding” she states, reaching for the paper cup that has her name written on. “It was just a simple interaction blown out of proportion. I met Mark at our lobby a few days ago and walked him out.” A sigh heaves from Minah’s lips before she takes a sip from her caramel macchiato. “I was just being a good friend-” she says that last bit without realizing the full implications and though she tries to move on from the topic, Tyler manages to ask the question, before she can bring up the TV show Tyler and Tara have been invited to.

“What do you mean you were being a good friend?”

“I- I was actually-“ Minah hesitates, not knowing what to say. It is not a secret for anyone that Tyler tends to be a tad overprotective of Tara, so letting him know that Mark was at their building a few days ago to see her didn’t sound much like a very clever idea. She has enough for the time being as well, she doesn’t think she can deal with Tyler’s annoying nagging without considering homicide.

“She was just making me a favor and returning Jaehyun’s stuff to Mark” Jane intervenes. For a brief second Minah is surprised by Jane’s ability to make up intricate lies on the spot, but she settles for a thankful smile thrown in her way and squeezing the blonde girl’s hand briefly.

“Yes, I was doing Jane a favor, but somehow I’m now involved in this mess,” Minah says recomposing herself. “It’s sooooo unfair”

“You know what’s truly unfair?” Another male voice asks from the hallway. “It’s unfair I can’t go to my own apartment because Sungjae and his lover are having a passionate rendezvous” Daniel, yet another sixth of the group snarls, walking into the living room as he pushes a pair of Chanel sunglasses over the bridge of his nose. “In this broad daylight, for god’s sake”.

Jane offers a glare to the newcomer and has to use all her self-restraint to stop herself from tackling him down, but he doesn’t notice her reaction or if he does he knows exactly how to pretend otherwise. Instead, he sits on the armrest of an empty couch and brings attention to the paper bag he has been holding this entire time.

“Brought donuts,” He says, lifting his hand playfully, “I thought miss Delacroix could indulge in some sugar and forget about the diet just for today”

Minah rolls eyes. Of course, Daniel would be the one reminding her how Sungjae is upstairs probably fucking that awful girlfriend of his while she is stuck in her apartment, dwelling on yet another groundless dating rumor. The young woman doubts for a second, but ultimately decides she needs something to pass the bitterness in her mouth.

“Thank you, but I know you just want me fat” Minah says, reaching to snatch the bag from Daniel’s hands and pulling a chocolate donut that she immediately places in her mouth. Comforted by the taste of chocolate and the mouthwatering and soft texture of the dough, she gives Daniel a thumbs up and offers one of the sugary treats to Jane and then to Tyler, who are looking at her with something that looks like concern.

“What? It’s just a donut, stop staring and eat before I eat them all” Minah grumbles. She is ready to go off on anyone who dares to annoy her on what might be one of the worst days of the month, but her group mates know better than to irritate her under the current circumstances and they are quick to do as they were told.

“You know, maybe next time you should let Tara deal with lover boy on her own” Daniel says, pensively sliding on the couch “If she had talked to Yang herself, you wouldn’t be involved in this mess” Daniel rolls eyes “With Yang of all people” He adds, scrunching up his nose. “You could do so much better in that group…” The guy briefly looks at Tyler as if to make sure he’s paying attention “Taeyong is such a cutie, for example. I wonder if he’s dating-”

“I thought you said Yang came to pick up Jaehyun’s stuff” Tyler scowls at Minah  

From her position on the sofa Jane can see Tyler’s jaw clench and Daniel’s eyes narrowing and though she is convinced her little lie is not to blame, she stills forces herself to speak to save Minah from Tyler’s accusations.

“I lied, ok? Mark came to see Tara, but she didn’t want to talk to him” Jane admits “So Minah went down and told him she wasn’t home”. The blonde girl attempts to wind up the conversation by picking a cup of coffee and sipping from it.

“Did you know that?” Tyler acknowledges Daniel presence for the first time, which is hilarious —for Jane anyhow,— considering Tyler has been unsuccessfully trying to ignore Daniel for almost a week now with less than stellar results because he always ended up being the first one to talk to him. Daniel only shrugs innocently in response and changes the topic.

“Is that my coffee?” He asks and without even waiting for a response he hovers over Tyler while he picks one of the cups on the table.

“I asked you a question” Tyler growls annoyed, which makes the other male smirk behind the rim of the cup as he sits back down.

“I happened to be here when he rang” Daniel says, a teasing tone lightly laces his words. The intention is rather clear “But Tara refused to receive him, so I didn’t think it was important at all-” he doesn’t finish his sentence, instead he spits the coffee right out and starts coughing and choking.

Jane checks her phone distractedly and Tyler snickers discreetly while Minah, sighing wearily, is the one who reaches to pat —rather violently— Daniel’s back and saves him from what he claims, could’ve been a potential death. Tyler rolls eyes at that.

“I think M messed up with my order because this is definitely not a mocha!” Daniel complains dramatically as he puts the cup on the table, glaring at it as though it had offended him.

“That or you drank Sungjae’s espresso” Jane points out, signaling the name written on the side of the cup.

“Who drank my what?” Speak of the devil. Sungjae’s voice causes everybody to redirect their attention towards the entrance hall, where he emerges looking tired and slightly disheveled, his hair sticking out in all sorts of directions.

Minah thinks she can recognize that expression and she immediately looks away. The only mental image of Sungjae and his girlfriend is like a knife to her chest and it has her stomach plummeting.

As pretentious as it sounds, Minah Delacroix is not used to not getting what she wants. From a young age she’s been handed everything she’s ever wanted —and many other things she never knew she needed— on a silver platter. Minah never had to ask for anything. Even her fame came swirling like a strike of good luck, becoming the wildly popular icon of the French ‘It-girl’ rather effortlessly. Her refined recklessness and unique beauty have secured her star status and now, Minah is at the top of the world. Knowing that there’s something —or rather someone— as close and yet unobtainable is a new sensation, unfamiliar and daunting, and she doesn’t like the feeling at all.

“Question is who allows you to dress like this” Tyler scowls, looking at Sungjae as though his clothes have insulted him.

The lives of Impluse’s members are usually filled with responsibilities and high expectations. They are expected to be graceful and composed at all times, only speak wise, clever words and never to have anything but a beautiful, perfect image in front of cameras and their fans. If any of them were to make one wrong move, the future of the group may be in peril. It is so rare to see any of them in anything than overly elaborated, expensive clothes, that Sungjae’s simple black jeans and t-shirt almost feel out of place —especially in comparison—.

“Anyhow, Daniel drank your coffee” Minah says, her eyes trying to avoid Sungjae’s once he occupies the place across her on an empty chair.

“What’s with the mood?” As the appointed leader of the group, Sungjae knows to recognize when something is off, and the way everybody is suddenly quiet and Minah plays with the hem of her blouse obviously raise his suspicions “Did something happen?”

“Nothing much, just the usual dating scandal of the week and Tyler being clueless” a haughty smirk guised as an innocent smile makes its way onto Daniel’s lips.

“Dating scandal?” Sungjae repeats, brows arching and eyes jumping from Minah to Jane, as though he is expecting them to elaborate on it.

“It’s not a scandal” Minah finally speaks after an exasperating moment of silence. “It’s just a picture blown way out of proportion” she says in a hushed voice, still not daring to look at Sungjae.

“What picture?” Sungjae inquires and Jane can’t ignore how tensed his words sound, as if he were keeping himself contained within his body.

“A picture of Minah talking to Mark Yang in the lobby of the building” Jane is fully aware of Minah’s conflicting feelings, so she helps her out.

“And what was Mark doing here?” Sungjae’s voice is calm and it slightly evokes the tone parents use to talk to their teenage children.

“Visiting Tara, apparently” Tyler replies sounding eager to bring up the fact Mark has been unsuccessfully trying to woo his sister, as if Sungjae needed to be enlightened as well.

“Ohhhh” Sungjae trails off, understanding what happened without further explanation.

“Yeap…” Jane nods along, grabbing her cup and pressing it to her lips.

“Wait, did you know it too?” Tyler lets out an offended snort and glares at Sungjae.

“Everybody knows, Tyler” Daniel deadpans “Move on.”

“So everybody knew of Yang harassing my sister and no one said anything about it?” Tyler inhales sharply. At this point, it wouldn’t be a surprise if there were actual steam escaping his nostrils. “How can you all be ok with it?” He questions raising his voice.

“No one is harassing Tara” Jane sighs tiredly.

“It sounds like that to me!” Tyler retorts angrily “If not why is my sister making excuses not to see him and sending people to talk to him?” He asks with a roll of his hazel eyes.

“For the same reason you keep giving Daniel the silent treatment” Jane snaps, making both Tyler and Daniel turn to her, looking more than aggravated. How she dared to use their couple issues against them? “It’s obvious they had an argument.”

“To have an argument they would need to be something other than simple acquaintances” Tyler points out, purposely ignoring Jane’s previous words  “Which judging by the sounds of it, they’re clearly not.” his eyes narrow, almost shutting close. “It’s all one-sided.” He states convinced.

“Not really” Jane counters back, eyes looking wearily at Tyler “Mark likes her and she likes him too. She just doesn’t want a relationship for the time being.”

“Not to mention she is afraid of romance” Minah sighs absentmindedly, without realizing she’s voicing her thoughts out loud. When she does, a fraction of second later, she covers her mouth as if she’d just blurted out one of her own secrets.

“That’s nonsense” Tyler rolls eyes “What is there to be afraid?” He crosses his arms over his chest rather childishly, “She just doesn’t like him”.

“Falling in love can be pretty scary” Minah doesn’t know where that confession is coming from and she’s pretty sure she’s probably talking about herself at this point, but she still goes on, her eyes briefly settling on Sungjae longingly before looking down at her lap “Especially when you’re in this industry” she lets out a long sigh “And unfortunately we are not the greatest of the examples, Tara believes she’s gonna get hurt and she doesn’t want to be just like us”

Silence fills the room for a moment that seems to last hours, filled with gazes and expressions that try to convey all the things no one in that group is brave enough to say.

Fame has just as many downsides as it has perks. There is glamour and shoes and handbags and expensive cars and exclusive invites to even more exclusive parties. There are the picture-perfect smiles on the front covers of magazines, the platinum albums and TV interviews and everything in between they’ve given up in order to keep the appearances. There are Jane’s failed relationships, Tyler and Daniel’s constant arguments, Minah’s willingness to settle for anyone as long as it helps her to bury her real feelings deep inside and of course, there’s Sungjae, holding desperately onto the last bit of his life before stardom, the last thing that makes him feel like the ordinary person he sometimes craves to be.

There’s only giving up.

“What do you mean we’re not a good example to her?” Tyler narrows his eyes dangerously. “I am a great example, thank you so much”

“Yes, watching you and Daniel fight every day is undoubtedly a great example” Jane snorts.

“Maybe it’s you not being able to date the same guy for more than a week that’s truly a bad example” Tyler retorts hurt. Jane looks at him, offense widening her eyes, mouth hanging open. It was a low blow.

“Ok, this is about enough” Sungjae has been massaging his temples for a while now and his voice is scarily calm when he finally speaks. “This is getting ridiculous. Whoever Tara is or is not dating is definitely none of our concern. It’s Tara’s personal life” He says, trying to reason, although he already knows Tyler will protest using some stupid excuse.

“That is probably none of your concern, but in case you’ve forgotten Tara is my sister” Tyler states, his lips slowly curling into a wry smirk before letting out a huff.

“It’s still none of your concern” Tara walks into the room and occupies the only available spot next to Sungjae. “But just so you know, none of you have anything to worry about” She says, smoothing the wrinkles of her skirt distractedly. “The fact I don’t want a relationship right now has nothing to do with any of you” That is a blatant lie and everybody is painfully aware of it at some level, but they —unusually wisely— choose to take her word and move on.

Fame has just as many perks as it has downsides. For Impulse, the greatest pop group in the world, one of them is sharing their daily lives with one another, for better or for worst, amid loud screams and even louder laughs or silent coffee breaks where there’s no need to talk because even silences carry their own meanings.

This one is one of them.

—

[seriouscuttervoice]

Gowns and Guns

Writer: Serena (@juminlovesv) 

Illustrator: Tesneem (@shigi-no-stop)

Fandom: Mystic Messenger

Pairing: Jumin Han/V

Other Characters: Chairman Han, Glam Choi, Sarah Choi

Content Warnings: Alcohol, death

Notes: This is a collab by Tesneem and I for Day 3 of JuminV Week (@juminvweek), “Alternate Universe”! It took forever to finish and we hope you enjoy it! If anyone’s interested, the word count is 11 340 words.

Update: This fic can now be read on AO3!

Jihyun's lucky to already be alone when the phone in his left pocket vibrates. The sting in his eyes when he stands from his cross-legged position tells him he'd been staring far too long at the photographs laid out on the floor, trying to decide which ones to use in his next exhibit. The light 707 installed to indicate that the call is being bugged isn't flashing, so he brings it to his ear, rubbing his eyes wearily.

"Speaking."

"Hello," the voice on the other end greets him, which tells Jihyun right away that the caller has time to waste on pleasantries. He sinks down in the couch cushion, crossing one leg over the other. After a beat of silence, the other seems to get the hint. "I'm calling because I have a tip, and I'd like to hire your people to look into it."

Jihyun waits, then prompts, "Go on," when the other doesn't continue. There's no reason for Jihyun to give the person any information. They're looking to hire, so they clearly know about what his organization does, and if their real goal is to sabotage Jihyun won't speed the process by letting something slip.

"Yes, of course," the other says, and there's an edge to their voice that tells him they're not entirely pleased by his reaction, but it doesn't really matter what they think. "Well… have you heard about the New Year's Eve Masquerade Ball that C&R International hosts every year?"

Though there's no one in the room to see him, Jihyun maintains tight control of his facial expression upon hearing the name of his best friend's father's enterprise. "Go on."

"Well, you see… rumour has it that someone has hired an assassin for that night."

Jihyun is silent. On its own, a fact like that isn't strange. Assassinations take place at parties more often than one might expect considering the crowds, but in many cases the busyness just serves as a diversion and the party an inconspicuous setting in which to poison someone's drink. Even his own organization has had to deal with assassinations in the past.

He doesn't have to urge the other to continue this time, their tone turning steely as they carefully speak their next words. "The talks suggest that the Chairman is the target of the attack, and I have reason to believe the client is Jumin Han."

As always, Jihyun is late, and as always, his breathing is slightly faster than usual from running down the corridor from the elevator, and he knows Jumin will be able to detect he was rushing. Ever since the first time Jihyun went to visit Jumin when they were about five years old he's never seemed to be able to make it on time, and he knows Jumin doesn't like the running but he can't help feeling he should at least save a few seconds when his friend's been waiting around for him.

"You know, there's really no need to run," Jumin says upon opening the door. It never fails.

"I'm sorry," Jihyun apologizes, and Jumin steps aside to let him in. Jumin is wearing a white dress shirt and black pants, though his vest is still on and from that Jihyun can tell he only recently got back from work. "I told you it's urgent and then arrived late…"

"It's fine," Jumin insists, and Jihyun decides he'd best get to the point quickly, passing Jumin to take a seat at the little table by the window. At anyone else's house he'd let his host lead him, but Jumin's is and has been for years a second home to Jihyun, so he doesn't mind forgoing manners here and there.

Jumin follows him, taking the opposite seat, and Jihyun leans forward to rest his elbows on the table. Jumin nods to assure Jihyun that he's listening, and Jihyun begins, the way he rehearsed it in the car on the way here. "We've received a new mission."

Jumin leans back in his seat, probably wondering why something so ordinary warranted an urgent meeting, and just like that Jihyun forgets everything he was going to say. He bites his lip, trying to make the words come back to him, and Jumin's face shifts, brows drawing down.

"Is something wrong?"

Jihyun closes his eyes and doesn't respond, the question difficult in this situation. The missions they take usually aren't personal, though many of the ones Jumin gets assigned to involve people he knows through work or ones involving negotiations of some form. This is of a different scale, though.

"V?" he hears Jumin's voice again and lets out a sigh before opening his eyes. The practiced words aren't coming back and there's no reason to make Jumin more nervous by delaying it.

"Jumin, I think someone is trying to kill your father."

Jumin's eyes widen and Jihyun feels his stomach sink.

"What do you mean?" Jumin asks, hands closing atop the table into fists. "Someone tried to hire us to…?"

Jihyun shakes his head. "It's… worse than that."

Jumin narrows his eyes at Jihyun impatiently, lips tightened in a flat line, and Jihyun draws a breath before explaining, "The client wants us to stop the assassination, and according to them, you're the one who ordered it."

Jumin's eyes flash, sword-silver, engaging Jihyun in a hot glare as if to drown him in magma, and Jihyun swallows though he knows Jumin's anger isn't directed at him per se, reaching across the table to grasp his friend's hand in an attempt to calm him down. Jumin's muscles tighten in response, but a moment passes and he exhales through his nose, unclenching his fist. Jihyun waits a moment, then intertwines his fingers with Jumin's.

"I… did no such thing," Jumin mumbles, voice low and thin in patience. "Obviously."

"Of course not," Jihyun reassures him, and with another deep breath Jumin relaxes. Jumin's always had a well of unconditional love for his father, the lengths Jumin would go to for the Chairman and the time the two of them would spend together was always something Jihyun admired and wished he could also have for himself.

As the heir of the corporation, though, perhaps it isn't so surprising that Jumin would be the one the rumours would accuse.

Jumin pulls their hands apart, leaning back and folding his arms. "I suppose I should be grateful that they gave their tip to you, of all people."

"Well, no one knows I'm part of the organization, let alone its head."

"That's true," he sighs again. "Rumours… aren't of interest to me, and the media always wants to make it out that my father and I are fighting, but… I didn't account for the possibility that someone might scapegoat me in an attempt on my father's life."

Jihyun nods. "I've thought about it and I agree that you're probably being framed... but, the important question is, who actually hired the assassin?" He folds his arm, resting his chin on his hand, fingers curled against his face. The nails of his other hand tap the table. "The person who called said the assassin's been hired for the big party your company holds on New Year's Eve."

"Of course," Jumin mutters. "Masks… such a stupid idea."

"It's a convenient one for us," Jihyun stresses. "It'll be less noticeable we're gathering information when it takes extra time to identify someone."

"You stand out either way," Jumin counters. "Your hair is turquoise."

It amuses Jihyun that Jumin never chooses to just call his hair 'blue', the desire for precision that makes Jumin an excellent businessperson and agent unfaltering since they were children.

"And I'm the Chairman's son," Jumin continues. "People will definitely notice if I'm gone."

"Then it'll be a challenge," Jihyun smiles. Jumin doesn't seem to take to the sentiment and Jihyun controls his expression again. "I'll do most of the work," Jihyun says. "As you already know, I'm experienced in these areas, and you and I actually have reason to be at the party, unlike most of the others in the organization. We'll have to be careful, but we always are, especially you. I sincerely believe that we can do this."

Jumin's hand moves to grasp the cuff of his sleeve, not taking his eyes off of Jihyun. "If you'll be doing most of the work, then… there's a chance you could be hurt."

"A chance we have to take in every mission," Jihyun reminds him. Jumin rolls his shoulders back.

"You're right," he concedes.

Jihyun had already considered trying to bring Luciel in on the mission, but because of the accusations around Jumin already, he decided it would be best to keep as few people informed about the mission as possible. Even a joke among their friends regarding the matter could be deadly if it somehow leaked. And on a personal level, Jihyun would rather deal with a situation that involves his best friend himself instead of sending someone else to do it.

"Well," Jumin says, and Jihyun focuses in again. "… The person who called you certainly knew a lot about the situation, didn't they."

The corner of Jihyun's lip quirks up. "I see we had the same thought."

"As usual," Jumin says, sitting up. "Were they secretive about their identity to you when they called?"

Jihyun shakes his head, and Jumin looks at him expectantly. "I think it's because they were confident in their alibi… Jumin. Do you remember if anything significant is happening at the party this year?"

Jumin narrows his eyes. "Significant?" His eyes roam Jihyun's face like an explorer searching for treasure, but Jihyun keeps quiet. "Well… we generally invite major stockholders and people who want to close contracts to the ball to celebrate the deals that were made. There are multiple corporations we'll be signing with on New Year's…"

He prattles on, listing the names of multiple corporations, and it occurs to Jihyun that Jumin might have just pushed the entire thing out of his mind because he doesn't want to think about it. "Jumin."

Jumin blinks. "Yes?"

"There's another contract your father will be signing at the party. With a person… Glam Choi?"

Jumin's nose wrinkles, and then his eyes go wide. "I forgot," he breathes, the lines in his face smoothing out, expression turning to stone. "The marriage contract, and the announcement of the wedding date."

Jihyun nods, and Jumin's hands fall on the table. "So she's the one who called you, then—my father's fiancée. And she's trying to frame me for my father's death."

Jihyun nods again, and with that confirmation Jumin rises to his feet, Jihyun following. "Jumin, wait."

"I have to tell him," Jumin says, meeting Jihyun's eyes again with fire, burning and alive and crackling in a way that even the best photographs can't capture and Jihyun feels a chill run up his spine.

"Jumin, think about this," he pleads, and Jumin remains still. "You are already being accused of ordering an assassination on your father. Glam Choi has good relationships with gossip media, unlike you, who frequently refuses to engage with it, and your father isn't one to turn down an interview. If it somehow comes out that you warned your father about Glam Choi, you could be in danger… in fact, it might be that much easier to frame you in the long run."

Jumin blinks, and Jihyun contains his sigh of relief when Jumin runs a weary hand through his hair, sinking down again in his seat. Jihyun pulls his own chair around to sit closer and weaves his fingers through Jumin's again.

"You're right, of course," Jumin resigns, not looking up from the glossy tabletop, marred now with their fingerprints. "I wouldn't be able to explain how I acquired the information anyway… he'd likely turn against me if I were to warn him."

Jihyun winces at Jumin's words, his grip on his friend's hand tightening for just a moment. He didn't mean to make Jumin doubt his relationship with his father by voicing his concern. He licks his lip, wondering if he should say something or apologize, but Jumin speaks up while he's thinking.

"Then," he turns his head to look at Jihyun and Jihyun turns also to meet his gaze. They really are quite close like this, Jumin's chocolate brown hair only a few inches from brushing V's face. "What do you suggest we do?"

"What we'd do in any other situation," Jihyun answers. "We go to the ball, and we stop the assassination ourselves."

Jumin closes his eyes, dark lashes so long they barely touch his cheekbones. "If that's what you think is best, then… I will trust you, and do as you say."

The city lights reflect on the window, bright enough that they might've been able to see each other even without the penthouse lighting that renders every corner visible, and Jihyun swears to Jumin that he won't misplace his trust.

At first, Jihyun thought it incredible that Glam Choi have so much confidence in the assassin she's hired as to request that Jihyun's organization interfere just to make herself appear less suspicious. It occurred later to Jumin and Jihyun that there may not be an assassin at all, though understanding why Glam would lie about that to their organization in particular is difficult. More likely, hiring the organization was meant as a type of insurance, so if the assassination failed she could use her attempt to prevent it as an alibi. That means they'll have to find damning evidence against Glam Choi in addition to the basic mission of stopping the assassination.

Glam had requested that Jihyun meet her in person prior to the mission, but Jihyun insisted on keeping their communication restricted to phones and assured her that his own contacts could get him a place on the guest list without her involvement. Of course, he didn't explain that his ticket into the party is the very man Glam is accusing. Decked in a form-fitting black dress coat with large lapel flaps and zigzag buttoning, a black mask covering his face from his forehead to his cheekbones, it strikes Jihyun how long it's been since he's attended this sort of party. New Year's Eve and the holiday time surrounding it are busy for work, with money and family grievances on people's minds more than any other season. Of course, this is a job too, but C&R International's annual ball is of a caliber even some of the richest parties Jihyun has attended can't quite capture.

The blend of perfumes in the air is rich, floral with the spices of incense, the scent filling Jihyun's lungs before he's even stepped into the grand ballroom. Each guest had been specially presented as they entered and greeted by the Chairman, but Jihyun couldn't find his keys just before it was time to leave and missed the introductions by the time he arrived at the event. It may be for the best not to draw much attention to himself, though. The Chairman ordered a live orchestra for the event, and their music rings through the hall without overpowering the voices of many of the wealthiest people in South Korea, engaged in business conversations as well as gossiping around the hall while others take to the dance floor. Were it not for a prohibition of photography at the ball except by those specifically hired for it, Jihyun would have brought his camera to capture the intricate details of the large and ornate skirts swishing across the high gloss floors, masks custom designed for their wearers encrusted in jewels so precious they could be in museums. Glam Choi could not have chosen a more dramatic setting for an attempt on the Chairman's life.

"Late," a voice monotones from behind him, and Jihyun wonders how Jumin managed to find him so quickly, turning on his heel to face him.

"I'm sorry," Jihyun apologizes. His friend wears a black blazer unbuttoned, contrasted sharply with white satin lapels. His turndown shirt is black behind a white waistcoat, unmistakable silver eyes blinking through a white mask, and Jihyun realizes that unintentionally they've matched their outfits.

"I wouldn't expect less from you," Jumin asserts. "I've watched the entrance since ten minutes after introductions started."

Jihyun sighs. "I suppose I should go greet your father."

"Yes," Jumin agrees, and it's harder to discern his expression from behind the mask, but the way he barely purses his lips is enough to tell Jihyun that he's anxious. Surrounded by the crowd, it's neither the time nor the place for reassuring words, so Jihyun gives Jumin's arm a quick squeeze before scanning the room for the Chairman. It's not really because of the Chairman himself that Jihyun needs to greet him—actually, Jihyun's not sure the Chairman has memorized his name over all these years—but other guests will notice it if the latecomer doesn't greet him, and Jihyun doesn't need any more eyes than what's strictly necessary watching him tonight.

He spots the Chairman standing at the railings that overlook the dance floor up the grand marble staircases, dressed in a black and red florally patterned vest and a double-breasted long coat. Jihyun gives Jumin a final nod of acknowledgment before leaving to greet the Chairman. From above, Jumin doesn't stand out too much in the crowd of people, despite his tall stature and the striking outfit. It's likely that he'll be made to dance with some of the guests, which Jumin hates, but at least in this setting he knows to expect it.

It's not until Jihyun's ascended the staircase that he notices Glam Choi, who stands closer to the wall yet still in earshot of the Chairman, speaking to a couple sitting at one of the balcony tables. Her long brown hair has been delicately braided into an updo that accentuates her long neck, loose wispy curls framing her face. The bodice of her fiery orange gown is adorned with jewels that match the details of her mask, the metal cut so finely and precisely it gives the illusion of being made of lace. The bodice flows into the poufy skirts like lava, ruffles set in motion at even her slightest movement.

Jihyun gives a pointed look to the Chairman, who catches Jihyun's eye with one of his blue-grey ones, then waits by the railing for a chance to speak with him. The orchestra finishes the song they're playing and move onto another, and Jihyun is almost growing dizzy at the uniform way which people move below him when Chairman Han steps over.

"Good evening, Mr. Han," Jihyun steps back from the railing, outstretching his hand first. The Chairman has the same grip as his son when they shake, or perhaps it'd be more accurate to say Jumin has the same grip as his father. Jihyun pulls his hand away with a cordial smile, grateful not for the first time that Luciel programmed his phone to disguise his voice so Glam wouldn't be able to detect him that way.

"Good evening," Chairman Han responds, and Jihyun notices that the Chairman avoids addressing him by name. In this case, it's probably for the best, since if Mr. Han paid more attention to what Jihyun meant to Jumin and identified him as such, it could potentially spell out trouble later for the goal of stopping the assassination. Still, he can't help being a little surprised that after more than twenty years of flying places with his son and staying in their home Mr. Han barely knows who he is. "I see that you weren't introduced when you entered. Were you all right getting here?"

"I was, thank you," Jihyun says. "And I apologize for my lateness."

"Not at all," the Chairman smiles kindly. "You're here now, and the ball is better for it. Thank you for attending."

"The pleasure is mine," Jihyun ascertains. "I can already tell that tonight will be marvellous, as always with C&R International."

"Flattery," the older man's blue-grey eyes twinkle behind the red mask he wears, and he steps back to reach his arm toward his fiancée, who's finished her conversation with the other couple and walks over to where the Chairman and Jihyun are standing. "Darling," he greets her.

"My love," Glam says with a sultry smile as his arm wraps around her waist.

"I don't believe you've met this young man before?" Mr. Han asks rhetorically.

"No, I don't believe I have," Glam answers, and Jihyun decides it best to interject with his own introduction than to leave the Chairman to choose his words.

"I'm Jihyun Kim," he extends his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Choi."

Her fingers are long and made to look even longer by her nails, which have jewels glued onto them to go with her dress. "I see you already know who I am," she observes, and Jihyun wonders if revealing so may have been a mistake. Her smile afterward tells him otherwise, though.

Jihyun nods. "It would be regrettable to miss a person of your talent."

Glam laughs, and the Chairman joins in. "I'd better watch before you sweep her off her feet and away from me," he jokes.

"Dear, don't worry about that," Glam reassures him, and Jihyun smiles politely. "You're the only one for me."

"How lucky I am," Mr. Han replies, the wrinkles of his face lined in a smile before he turns his attention back to Jihyun. "Please, help yourself to some of the delicacies being served while you mingle tonight. We've had chefs imported from across the globe, and there are some very interesting flavours."

"Thank you, Mr. Han," Jihyun gives them a short bow. "I'll be sure to."

"Enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr. Kim," the Chairman says. Jihyun thanks him again, and the Chairman turns to speak with another couple, Glam's arm laced through his. Jihyun affords himself a glance over the banister, looking for Jumin, but distinguishing him from others on the floor is a task in and of itself. He's thankful to find he isn't the only one here with an unusual hair colour, though. It seems fashion trends have changed since he was fifteen and started dyeing his.

The best place to start working would be with the ballroom gossip. As the person responsible for keeping up with public opinion, Zen had been able to provide Jihyun with the current talk surrounding Jumin and the Chairman, though he grumbled when Jihyun wouldn't provide a reason for needing the information. According to Zen, the media fixated on a supposed argument that broke out between Jumin and the Chairman, and when Jihyun reached out to ask Jaehee about it, she informed him that reporters were calling every day but that she didn't bother notifying Jumin because he's never interested in engaging them. Supposedly, the rumour receiving the most traction claims Jumin requested his father retire early so Jumin could take over the company.

Glam doesn't just work fast, she works well. The rumour would set the stage for the rest of the evening. Jihyun accepts a glass of sparkling water with a lemon wedge pressed into the edge of the cup from a passing server, then introduces himself to a group of three men leaning against a banister. Networking, after all, is part of the reason C&R holds these parties, so talking to strangers isn't such an unusual thing to do. The men introduce themselves as well—Mr. Jeon, whose mask looks to be made of cracked stone, plated with gold; Mr. Park, wearing a royal purple tuxedo; and Mr. Kang, whose hair is so dark his black mask seems to blend into it.

"I see you arrived late," Mr. Kang comments. "But that means you had reason to have a one-on-one conversation with the Chairman sooner than most of the others here, so perhaps it was a wise decision."

Jihyun smiles. "Speaking to Mr. Han firsthand early on can have its advantages," he says, and the other men murmur their agreement. "How are you enjoying your evening?"

"It's extravagant, as always with C&R," Mr. Park remarks.

"It's only appropriate, considering the value of the tickets," Mr. Jeon shrugs.

"Still," Mr. Park replies. "Something so fanciful seems contradictory… especially with the mask nonsense."

"I like the masks," Mr. Jeon informs him.

Mr. Park looks at Jihyun. "What do you think?"

The idle conversation is perhaps Jihyun's least favourite part of coming to such parties. He'd prefer to listen to other people talk than actually discuss things himself, but being a complete wallflower could have the opposite effect of keeping attention off of himself. "I enjoy some extravagance on New Year's Eve."

"Yes, exactly," Mr. Jeon agrees, and Mr. Park remains silent.

"… I could do without being asked if I've brought a date, though," Mr. Kang comments. "That always seems to become a focus when Mr. Han gets involved with anything."

"Because he always has a different date," Mr. Park adds disdainfully. "He and the newest are actually going to be signing a marriage contract here of all places, and right after the countdown, too… he only just got his divorce a few months ago."

Mr. Jeon nods. "It is quite tasteless, I'll admit that." He looks at Jihyun, seeming to remember he's there. "We had a chance to speak to her earlier… she certainly seems happy about it, though that's no surprise considering what she's marrying into." He gestures toward the dance floor below.

"And she's so much younger than him," notes Mr. Park.

"I suppose she'd receive the bulk of his inheritance if anything were to happen to him," Mr. Kang says.

"Do you think that's why he and his son are supposedly fighting?"

Jihyun's ears perk up at Mr. Jeon's comment. "They're fighting?" he asks.

"People have been talking a lot about it tonight," Mr. Jeon looks at him. "Apparently there's been tension lately."

The talk of the night… so it is severe. Jihyun nods with faux thoughtfulness.

"I haven't really seen the Chairman speak to his son much all night so far," Mr. Kang comments. "So there may be some truth to it."

"Well, it's still a ball," Mr. Jeon disagrees. "He probably has other people to talk to. I don't know though… the guest list seems to have more new people on it than usual, and at a party like this…"

Mr. Park sighs. "Something always happens."

"New people?" Jihyun inquires.

There's a moment of quiet before the orchestra starts playing a new song, and the ballroom goes quiet too, as if the conversations were all turned off at once. Not an uncommon practice at such parties because it allows some small privacy in those few moments where anything said can be more easily overheard, but more importantly to Jihyun, it's a sign that secrets are being exchanged.

"Well…" Mr. Jeon says, head moving up and down exaggeratedly to look Jihyun over. "There's you, for instance… though, actually, you aren't really new, are you? I think I remember you from about three years ago…"

"Yes," Jihyun confirms. "Unfortunately last minute circumstances forced me away the last few years."

"I remember," Mr. Park says. "You said you're a photographer, right? I bought a piece from you after a party one year."

"Oh… of course," Jihyun says, remembering now. It was a simple photo, one of a flower by a brook. Jihyun loved that photo because of the way the sun glistened on the water and reflected onto the flower.

"It hangs in my office now," Mr. Park tells him, and Jihyun gives him a genuine smile.

"I'm honoured."

Mr. Park nods, and Mr. Kang gestures to get their attention, leaning against the railing.

"You can see some of the new people below," he says, assuming a more nonchalant position. "There was one woman who was introduced without a surname, for example, and owners of smaller businesses that C&R doesn't usually deal with… you can tell who they are by their outfits."

Mr. Jeon snickers at that and Mr. Park scoffs at his snickering, but Jihyun's mind is at work. There are only two types of people at this party: attendees, including new guests as well as old ones; and the crew, which includes the kitchen staff, servers, cleanup, security, and ushers. The most obvious and easiest move Glam could make would be to invite the assassin as an extra guest to the ball. The subtlest would be to disguise them as a member of the staff, though because most of them have worked with each other for many years it would be difficult to accomplish such a feat without being caught almost immediately. The least likely move would be to use one of the older guests as the assassin, since Glam's contacts are entirely separate from the Chairman's, and she doesn't have anything to offer guests of this status that they can't obtain themselves through less incriminating methods. The next course of action, consequently, would be to investigate the newer guests—identifiable by, as Mr. Kang pointed out, their lackluster ensembles.

Jihyun spends a few minutes more speaking to the group, then bids the gentlemen a good evening and descends the staircase. He'll have to listen around for more gossip to gauge what others think of the new guests in the room, especially because underdressing is a severe crime in these circles so he can be sure that discussion will abound. First, though, he should check in with Jumin.

Jumin is speaking with the CEO of a major software production company when he sees turquoise hair approaching from the corner of his eye. The parts of C&R that Jumin oversees generally aren't involved in technology production, so it's not a particularly important conversation, and Jumin politely takes his leave of the other in favour of his best friend.

"Enjoying yourself?" Jihyun asks once they're standing in front of each other. Jumin shrugs.

"I suppose so," he answers, and though normally he'd put more effort into faking enthusiasm it's a bit difficult knowing there's likely an assassin in the room and that they could strike at any moment. Though, Jumin supposes, it's most likely the assassin would wait until after the marriage contract is signed to make their move. Jihyun's face doesn't falter, and it's always a bit strange for Jumin to think of how utterly professional his friend is when on a job, even though Jihyun has always been this way. Jumin really ought to collect himself as well, since his nervousness would do him no favours and letting his emotions influence his actions is generally a terrible idea. "Are you?"

"I am," Jihyun answers. "Have you spoken to your father yet all night?"

"Only after I entered," Jumin responds, though now that he's said it he realizes he doesn't have much justification for that, other than a subconscious worry that being around his father would compel him to warn him and make the situation worse than it already is.

"Ah…" Jihyun says.

"I lost track of time, speaking to the people here," Jumin says, in case anyone is listening, which they always are. "The ball is only a few short hours, after all, and the opportunities to communicate with valued contacts are boundless. You're right, though. I should see how my father is doing."

Jihyun gives Jumin the cordial smile he gives everyone, but Jumin can see in it that his friend approves of the direction Jumin has taken the conversation. "Then I'll speak with you later, Jumin."

Jumin agrees, and Jihyun walks the perimeters of the room to greet people, and, perhaps more importantly, to listen in on other people. Jumin moves up the stairs, saying hello to people on the way, and realizes neither his father nor Glam Choi are here anymore, which means they've retreated into one of the private quarters. Jumin swallows. It's customary for his father to leave after a certain amount of entertaining if for no other purpose than to remind the guests of the importance and rareness of his availability, but under tonight's circumstances the prospect of the two of them being alone makes Jumin nervous. He wonders if he should wait for their return since the main purpose of greeting them in the first place would be to appease the guests, but the prospect that his father won't return is too great a burden on his mind, so he asks the security guard at the door to let Jumin into the private quarters as well.

He wanders inside. The ball is held at one of his father's mansions. It isn't one that his father actually lives in during the year, and Jumin suspects he really only owns the place so he can impress women with it. … Actually, now that Jumin considers it, if Glam has been staying here then there's a chance it may be possible to find evidence against her among her belongings in the private quarter. He'll have to scope it out himself later, when he gets the chance.

The halls are excessively long, with more rooms than they would ever need, but Jumin peers into every one that he passes, searching for his father and Glam Choi. The pit in his stomach grows with each step, until finally he turns a corner and hears muffled voices. He softens his footsteps, careful not to be heard, until he can make out the words.

"… tell you how many times, it'd age me," he hears his father laugh.

"Oh, believe me, I know you have a youthful charm to you," Glam's breathy voice slips through the door.

"You're always so bold…" his father replies, and Jumin's lip curls. Forget eavesdropping, he doesn't need to listen to this.

He knocks on the door with the backs of his fingers.

"Who's that?" Glam asks.

"Jumin Han," Jumin answers, though the question isn't directed at him.

He hears some shuffling behind the door. "Ah, give us a moment," his father says, and blood rushes to Jumin's cheeks, regretting coming to check on them. Jumin's not sure why he expected his father would at least have the decency not to do this sort of thing at the most famous event the company holds all year, but clearly it was a mistake.

"… I can come back later," Jumin mutters.

"No, no, I wanted to talk to you," his father says through the door, and Jumin runs his hands over his face and behind his neck with a sigh.

A few moments later, the door opens.

"I apologize for keeping you from your father," Glam says when she opens the door. All her makeup is intact, and Jumin wonders if he might've misjudged the situation… though she may just have good quality makeup. He presses his fingernails hard into the palms of his hands—stop thinking about it.

"It's not a problem," Jumin lies. "I just wanted to see that everything is all right."

"Everything is all right," his father opens the door wider from behind Glam. "And how are you finding the evening?"

"Productive," Jumin states. "I've already officially closed negotiations with six people."

His father raises his eyebrows. "Six?"

"Well, I'm doing what I came to do," Jumin says pointedly.

"Your son is so diligent," Glam comments, and Jumin resists the urge to roll his eyes since they're still visible behind the mask. "I'm impressed."

"Yes…" Jumin's father agrees faintly. "Though, you're at a party, Jumin. Allow yourself to relax for the night. Maybe find a lady to dance with. There are many beautiful women here…"

Jumin takes extra care to keep his face still. His father would know all about that. "I would rather do my work, thank you."

"What about some of the people that Glam suggested for guests?" Jumin's father ignores him. "I spoke to one of them, Sarah, and she seemed like a lovely girl. Actually, I was about to introduce you to her when I saw you discussing work with someone and thought it best not to interrupt you."

"I appreciate it, Father," Jumin replies, stepping further back into the hall.

"Then please, dance with Sarah," his father presses. "I think she'll be a valuable asset to the company. We can discuss it in more detail soon."

Jumin chews his cheek, doubting it and not thrilled by the prospect of dancing a full song with a stranger his unreliable father has judged to be valuable to the company, but even in the private quarters it's worth it to be careful what he says, so he nods obediently. "One dance."

"That's all I ask of you," his father concedes. "Now, let's return to the ball."

His father falls into step beside Jumin and his fiancée next to him—his fiancée who plans to have him murdered this very night. And to think what they were doing before…

Jumin's stomach twists in knots, the effort to keep his mouth shut more enormous and difficult than any task he's undertaken in years. This woman, who his father is so infatuated with as to order Jumin to dance with someone just because she recommended it, would have his father dead… She doesn't deserve his father's affections, but then, few of the ones who receive it actually do.

He remembers Sarah. She was introduced without a surname, which Jumin thought was quite presumptuous considering she's a nobody, and her hair is raspberry pink. His father had made a point to highlight her to Jumin when they were greeting the guests, and Sarah expressed a desire to speak to Jumin later, though most of the others did as well.

Once they've re-entered the ballroom Jumin sweeps the room for her, his eyes skipping over fuchsia and blush until they find her, dressed in an extravagant silver gown with a large skirt of tightly bunched sheer fabric. Her cheeks are very red, and Jumin thinks whoever did her makeup must have used too much blush. She stands alone, drinking from a glass of wine, and he supposes he may as well get this over with.

"I'll speak to you again later, Father," Jumin says. "And you, Ms. Choi."

He leaves their presence with a bow, heads down the stairs and strides around the dance area, stopping a few paces from Sarah to take a breath and collect his nerves. It's only one dance, and he knows it's coming… there's no reason to get worked up over it. It's a ball, dancing is only a formality and the dance floor is hardly a place to discuss business, so she won't have much opportunity to try anything. He just needs to focus on the motions and the music, as he always does when he's needed on missions of this sort… yes. Ultimately, this is a mission, and if he focuses on that aspect it will make going through with the dance easier than remembering his father asked this of him.

He can't just linger here for long, anyway, or people will wonder, so he takes the final steps to Sarah.

"Good evening, Sarah," Jumin says, and she turns to face him. "I believe we met earlier."

"Ah, Jumin Han," Sarah acknowledges with a smile. "We did, but not for very long. I'm glad you came over to talk to me. Your father told me you would, though."

Jumin gives her a short nod. "May I have this dance?" he asks, offering his hand, and Sarah's mask is lifted slightly off her cheeks when she grins and accepts it. They step out together onto the dance floor with a few other couples, facing each other and exchanging bows as the music starts again.

Jihyun sees Jumin walk onto the dance floor, a woman with pink hair holding his hand, and tunes out momentarily from the conversation the nearby couple was having that he'd been listening in on. Sarah… Jihyun learned her name through the comments of many of the guests, most of whom didn't recognize her and hadn't heard of her company. Jumin doesn't like to dance with strangers, and ensuring he is forced to face situations that make him uncomfortable as little as possible is a task Jihyun took upon himself years ago, often by asking his friend to dance just to keep others on the floor away from him. Jumin is a good dancer, though, and probably looks natural to the majority of the guests, though Jihyun knows him well enough to note his stiffer-than-usual shoulders. Jumin had only just exited the private quarters, so Jihyun guesses it was probably the Chairman's idea for Jumin to dance with her…

Or perhaps it was Glam's idea. Jihyun narrows his eyes and steps closer to the balcony, pretending to be watching the dance taking place below while listening for the thoughts of those around him. He'd already learned from eavesdropping earlier that people were questioning Jumin's relationship with her, since Sarah had supposedly thanked him specifically for her invitation.

"…certainly doesn't take after his father," a woman standing nearby says. "How old is he anyway? Nearly thirty, I believe? And it took him this long to get a single date?"

Jumin would be pleased to hear that one, except for the part about Sarah being his date.

"Yes, well… one has to wonder, considering what's supposedly afoot tonight," the lady standing with her says. "Invited by the Chairman's son, and no one's ever heard of her… and then there's the rumours."

"Hush!" her friend urges. "Someone might hear you."

Jihyun sighs. He's not sure how Glam managed to convince the other attendees that Sarah is Jumin's guest, but now he knows he's not the only one suspicious about the girl dancing below's reasons for being at the party. This dance isn't really making things any better for their cause. It almost seems… too obvious, considering Glam had assigned Jihyun the objective of stopping the assassination. Why is she making it so easy for him?

Below, Jumin is mesmerizing. His motions are smooth, each one blending into the next in perfect time with the shifting music notes. He leads the dance, and Sarah keeps up with skilled, practiced motions—actually.

Jihyun leans against the banister. Sarah's footwork is precise, in fact, it's as precise as Jumin's, with light steps that would be near silent even if the orchestra were to stop playing. Jihyun glances around at the other guests to see if they notice, but no one comments on it, which he supposes isn't strange since only someone trained to know what skills benefit agents would know to look for them. In any case, it lends credibility to the theory—it's likely that Sarah is involved somehow in Glam Choi's plot.

Sarah's mask goes over the tip of her nose and covers her eyes and some of her forehead, so it's not entirely disguising, but it's clear from other guests that no one at this party has heard of her. If her name was only stated as written by Glam for the guest list and announced along with some company with no prominence—perhaps one started for the express purpose of this mission—it's possible that with her hair dyed a less noticeable colour she'd be completely unrecognizable once the plot is complete.

Jihyun resists the urge to chew his lip, lost in thought. Sarah… if she's not the assassin herself then she's a distraction. Or a scapegoat. If she's skilled enough, she might be able to escape right after the task is complete, and the attention would be on Jumin, the one most people here are convinced is plotting some move against the Chairman and who is now dancing with her on the ballroom floor.

Glam doesn't know about Jihyun's connection to Jumin, nor does she know that Jihyun himself is the one she hired for this job. If things had gone according to Glam's plan, right now it would be very obvious to Jihyun that Sarah is the assassin, and he, like the guests, would be watching Jumin dance with her and perhaps hypothesizing that the two of them are in a relationship, and that Jumin plans to find a way to clear her name once his father is dead.

Jihyun closes his eyes.

If Jumin were really plotting to assassinate his father tonight, wouldn't he want to do it before the marriage contract is signed? If the assassination were to occur after that, then he'd have to share his fortune with Glam. But if it happens before the signing, then Glam won't receive any of Chairman Han's money, which would be counter-productive. It would have to occur after the fact. But in that case… even with the motive she's created for Jumin, it'd be obvious that Glam is the one who'd benefit most from a strike against the Chairman after the contract is signed.

Jihyun is distracted from his thoughts when the room bursts into applause, and he looks down at the ballroom floor to see Jumin holding Sarah in a low dip, and the two of them straighten together. Of course… Jumin always prefers a grand finale.

Jihyun claps too, masking his frustration. There could not be a worse time for Jumin to be showing off, though Jihyun is glad to see Jumin is well enough after the dance despite the discomfort he must have felt.

He feels his work phone move in his suit pocket with three long vibrations and glances casually around the ballroom. It can't be anyone other than Glam, since that's the vibrate tone he set for her, but if he takes out his phone here he'll reveal himself. Glam is downstairs, somewhere out of Jihyun's line of sight, but that doesn't mean she or any of the other guests she's invited can't see him. And if he excuses himself now, that'll draw even more suspicion.

He'll have to check it out later, though it's most likely that the message will be pointing out Sarah as the potential assassin. What he really needs now is something concrete, some sign of what the actual plan is to take down the Chairman so that he can make his move to stop it. For now, he still has time, at least until the Chairman and Glam sign the marriage contract, but without an understanding of what move Sarah will make, it's difficult to assess how he should retaliate. Assuming, of course, that Sarah really is the assassin.

Jihyun sees Jumin break away from a short conversation with her to speak with a few guests who approached him—two of them dressed with the kind of customary extravagance expected for this sort of party, and the last one in a simple red gown Jihyun thinks Mr. Kang would scoff at. If Glam really wants this assassination to happen, then she could just be throwing Sarah at Jihyun as a red herring. Would Glam really go to such lengths?

He thinks back to his and Jumin's earlier thought that there may be no assassin at all, a notion they'd dismissed almost as soon as it was suggested. After all, it wouldn't make sense for Glam to go through the trouble of unearthing contact information for Jihyun's organization, which also happens to be very expensive to hire, just to pretend she made some effort in stopping an assassination that isn't going to take place.

But what if hiring Jihyun isn't just a backup plan in case the assassination fails? She must know of the organization's reputation—they rarely fail missions, and had influence in some of the most important matters in the country through their work. If Glam had the resources to hire Jihyun to stop the assassination, then surely she also had the resources to hire Jihyun's organization to carry through the assassination in the first place. Known for having contacts almost everywhere, Jihyun could have put together a highly sophisticated assassination, perhaps more sophisticated than whatever Sarah and Glam currently have planned. Why hire such a competent organization to topple a plan that you want to see succeed?

Jihyun feels his heart race in his chest, and he grips the railing a little tighter to steady his shaking hands, realizing he might have been thinking about the entire situation incorrectly from the very beginning.

Perhaps Glam never intended for the assassination to succeed. Perhaps her only goal for the night is to cast Jumin out of the picture.

And if that's the case, then they may have less time than Jihyun thought.

Down the stairs, across the room, engaged in a conversation with the owner of a cosmetics franchise from the Middle East and trying to calm down his rattling heart in the aftermath of having to dance with a stranger he's now certain is going to try to kill his father, Jumin has come to the same conclusion. The care Sarah took in her motions wasn't one of a dancer, and even hidden as her legs are beneath her many layers of skirts Jumin noticed she kept her right leg stiff for the entirety of the dance. A weapon, then, probably tucked against her leg in a stocking or something similar, long enough to reach past her knee. The long skirts disguise her limping for the most part, so much so that even Jumin didn't notice at first, though his sharp perception is part of what makes him a good agent. The dance was a mistake.

A passing server offers drinks and Jumin accepts a wine glass, his first drink all night, taking a few sips to calm his nerves. The dance made Jumin realize something very important that he'd neglected to pay attention to before—he too is an agent, and that is something Glam doesn't know—a fact that can be used to his advantage in more ways than just to be aware the assassination attempt will happen.

He sees Jihyun coming down the stairs in his peripheral vision and excuses himself from speaking to the cosmetics specialist, noting a subtle urgency to the way Jihyun walks that tells Jumin the wine is probably the only thing that'll grant him any amount of relaxation tonight. He fights the instinctual desire to meet Jihyun halfway so not to look suspicious.

"Jumin," Jihyun starts, and Jumin can tell instantly that they're thinking the same thing, Jihyun's mouth set in a grim line.

"I know," Jumin replies, and Jihyun nods, believing him without needing further clarification. In times like this, it really strikes Jumin how useful it is that they've known each other and spent nearly all their time together for over twenty years. While he does have a general understanding of nonverbal cues in communication, his friend's particular patterns are etched so strongly into his mind that even when working and deliberately disguising their responses he can still read Jihyun effortlessly.

The strike will happen soon. He takes another sip of the wine, the more imminent threat replacing the dance again as the most pressing stressor on his mind. It also doesn't help that Jumin hates this song, the bow screeching deliberately across the violin, and he grinds his teeth in annoyance.

"So then…" Jihyun murmurs, soft enough that all the noise nearly overpowers his voice. Jumin can see him struggling to convey his meaning without the conversation sounding strange to any potential eavesdroppers. If Glam's only purpose for the evening is to frame Jumin, then the variables are at once more and less complicated than they were when the two of them thought the assassination was meant to actually work. With a weapon attached to Sarah's leg, the possibility that the assassination is a multi-step plan that required much prior conceptualization is a lot smaller. Sarah would be the only person to make a move on Jumin's father. "A party as large as this one is an excellent setting for announcements that one wishes to receive a lot of attention."

Jihyun emphasizes the word to let Jumin know to replace it in his mind, but he needn't have because Jumin know what he means. It wasn't accidental that Glam chose the biggest party of the year for the assassination, especially because she doesn't actually intend for it to occur. All she needs is a spectacle, and that much is a clue they can work with. Jumin takes another sip of wine, closing his eyes and trying to focus. "I… suppose it follows that if one really wanted an announcement to get attention, they would make that announcement during the main event of the night."

Jumin's eyes open, and Jihyun's voice joins his in unison. "The countdown."

Of course… it would be happening right before the signing of the marriage contract. Jumin nearly forgot about what the New Year's Eve party actually means in all his stress about the marriage and the assassination. He and Jihyun watch one another for a moment, then Jihyun gives Jumin a short nod, and Jumin takes a long drink from his glass as his friend pulls his phone from his pocket to check the time.

"… It's ten thirty-seven," Jihyun informs him.

An hour and twenty-three minutes, then. That could be a lot of time or none at all, depending on what the plan is, and currently, they don't have one. Unsure of what to say, he brings the glass to his lips again. His father will surely want to kiss his girlfriend when the clock strikes, as he does with a different girlfriend every year. If the assassin strikes right at midnight, they may not be able to make as much of a commotion with all the focus being on the celebrations. That leaves two options—they'll either strike soon, before the beginning of the countdown—or wait until after, during the signing of the contract.

Ideally, Jumin and Jihyun would be able to find some kind of evidence of Glam's involvement before the attempt actually occurs, and expose her as well as stop the assassination all at once. But with a simpler plan involving just one assassin and some kind of large weapon, the probability that any tracks would be left behind is small.

"Jumin," Jihyun urges gently when Jumin moves to take another sip, and he stops himself when he realizes the glass is empty.

Jumin mumbles a thank you, and Jihyun nods.

"I'm starting to think," Jihyun muses, and Jumin folds his arms, the glass still held in one hand waiting for a server to pass carrying a tray he can place it on. "That instead of being preoccupied with details, we should be focusing on you."

"On me?" Jumin raises an eyebrow and feels it touch the inside of the mask. He'd nearly forgotten he was wearing one.

Jihyun nods. "We know what the purpose of the announcer is, and we should rethink our own purpose accordingly."

Glam's purpose…

So Jihyun is suggesting they shift their focus from stopping the assassination and put it instead on clearing Jumin's name. He looks up with surprise when Jihyun touches his arm, pulse accelerating again when he remembers dancing with Sarah.

"There's a way you can do both," Jihyun says. "One certain way that you can do both."

Jihyun needn't say anything more. While Glam may have chosen the party for her setting to publicly besmirch Jumin's name and relationship with his father forever, its high-profile nature also provides an opportunity for an act that could protect Jumin's reputation as a loving son for the rest of his life. It's simple, really, but it's a plan that could never work without Jumin's training as an agent.

Glam doesn't know the identities of anyone in the organization. She doesn't know Jihyun is Jumin's closest, and indeed only, friend, nor does she know that the Jihyun Kim she met for the first time earlier today is the person she hired to stop the assassination. Had Jumin been the person in the organization to keep track of mission assignments, it would've been him who picked up the phone to talk to Glam.

"So… you're saying we should wait," Jumin voices, and Jihyun gives him a small smile.

Wait until the assassination attempt happens, and use his own skills to publicly save his father's life.

Jumin's breath hitches. "What if I'm too slow?"

His friend's smile doesn't falter, and after a moment, Jumin nods. The risk of failure is always present, but Jumin isn't one to fail. Jihyun, of course, will still be here in case anything goes wrong, but it'd be preferable not to risk blowing his cover as an agent if they're really going to wait until the assassination actually happens to stop it.

He inhales shakily. "I may need another glass of wine."

"Be careful," Jihyun warns.

"I always am."

With nothing left to do but wait, Jihyun figures he may as well try to enjoy himself. It's difficult, though, knowing what a hard time Jumin is having. It's understandable. Jumin didn't bring any weapons to the ball, and what defending the Chairman would actually consist of is difficult to identify. It could mean stepping in to bodily protect him, or attacking Sarah, and Jumin and Jihyun's impaired ability to communicate due to the setting means there's no way to definitively know which Jumin is planning to go with. It's also discomforting to think of the distressing situation they're going to allow the Chairman to be put in, but they can't expose Sarah beforehand without evidence and it's possible she's been instructed to claim Jumin hired her if captured.

The servers are all dressed in simple black dress shirts and pants, with white masks that frame their eyes. A few of them serve at the tables around the ballroom floor. There are more tables upstairs, and while there is no official dinnertime scheduled in, anyone who chooses to sit is offered a menu to order off of, with all costs covered completely by the company. Jihyun notices most people who have chosen to eat ask for steak, and he sees Mr. Park is one of the people sitting down, engaged in conversation with another businessperson and seeming to use the table as a place for a meeting. Fitting, considering he didn't seem to enjoy the opulent displays put on by the Chairman for this event.

"Something light?" a server asks, holding a tray out to Jihyun, who's been standing by the wall alone for a few minutes now. The hors d'oeuvres are colourful, each one prepared with a precision that makes Jihyun wonder how much time it all takes. The Chairman did say that the chefs had been brought in from around the world, but that's not very strange for any meal provided by Jumin's family.

"Thank you," Jihyun says, delicately taking a canapé topped with a slice of folded smoked salmon, and the server moves on. He takes a bite, and as always, it doesn't disappoint, light and easy to eat without having to open his mouth too wide. It's eleven forty-five, and when he hears the Chairman's voice projected through speakers around the room, it occurs to Jihyun that he hasn't danced all night.

"Good evening, everyone," the Chairman says, standing at the top of the grand staircase. His fiancée stands at his side, and all heads in the room turn to look at them. "Thank you all for joining us here tonight. It's been an eventful evening, and I am always honoured that our most favoured partners have chosen to celebrate the New Year here with us at C&R."

Jihyun swallows, and the Chairman launches into listing all the new deals and contracts C&R signed over the course of the night, thanking each one that he names. Jumin is upstairs too, obscured by the railing, having been speaking to someone seated when his father stepped up. He's too far away for Jihyun to discern his expression, but he joins the crowd in clapping after each statement his father makes. The Chairman then goes on to discuss C&R's various accomplishments, most of which, Jihyun notes, are credited to Jumin's department.

"As a company," the Chairman goes on once he's concluded his list. "We've learned and grown over the past year. Our old relationships have become stronger, and we are grateful for all the new ones that we've made, and look forward to a long and prosperous future of business together."

He beams, and steps aside, arm held out in a gesture toward the woman on his left. "Of course, on a personal note, business relationships are not the only ones I've made this year. By now, all of you must have met her, and if you haven't, then you've certainly noticed her unparalleled beauty—"

Glam laughs, and Jihyun's eyes flit across the room to Mr. Kang, who's loudly coughing, then back to the Chairman.

"Meeting her was the best thing that has happened in my personal life this year," he says. "And I am so glad to announce that in about six minutes, after the countdown to the New Year, we will be signing a contract of marriage officially, and the date of our wedding in spring. Glam… thank you for being by my side this year."

Glam gives him a shining smile, taking his arm in hers. "Thank you for being by mine."

The crowd bursts into polite applause, slightly muffled since most people's hands are gloved.

"Before the night is over," the Chairman says. "I would like to ask my fiancée for the last dance of the year."

He takes one of Glam's hands in his and begins to move it to his lips.

And a voice breaks out across the room.

"Everybody, get down!"

Someone screams, and Jihyun and the others standing under the balcony's heads turn, searching for the source of the outburst.

"I said, get down!"

There's a loud sound like a firework.

The crowd freezes.

Something falls from above the balcony, hitting the floor with a loud, crushing thud, and Jihyun's eyes widen as he realizes it's one of the party's security guards.

He ducks, and when he angles his head upwards he sees her.

Sarah.

Standing in her ball gown, mask still covering her face, a long black rifle over her shoulder and aiming straight ahead at the opposite side of the room, where the Chairman and Glam have dropped to their knees.

"Except," Sarah's voice rings out, echoing across the now-silent ballroom. "For the Chairman, and his fiancée."

The entire room seems to hold its breath, a deep and silent ocean as Glam begins to move, and the Chairman rises shakily with her to face the woman with the gun.

"Put your hands up," Sarah instructs. "Or I'll—"

"Stop!"

The silence cracks.

Jumin stands, and Jihyun sees Sarah stiffen, hands tightening around the rifle.

"Drop your weapon," he orders. Jihyun looks at Glam, whose arms are raised, her jaw hanging open mutedly.

At her side, the Chairman clenches his fists. "Jumin, what are you—"

Sarah's lips tighten, and she refocuses her weapon on the Chairman again. He falls silent.

"Then I have no choice," Jumin says.

He picks something up from the dinner table beside him, and Sarah's lips move but have no time to emit a sound as Jumin propels his body forward, and something flies across the room.

"Sarah!" Glam cries, and almost in slow motion, Sarah's gun drops, falling to the ballroom floor with a loud clatter as the woman is knocked backwards and out of Jihyun's field of vision. All heads turn to Glam, who clamps her hands over her mouth.

"You're worried about her?" the Chairman demands incredulously, and the room is in motion, people teeming toward the staircase to check that the Chairman is all right. Glam's voice is drowned out by footsteps, and Jihyun sees Jumin sink down into one of the chairs by the table, all his limbs seeming to collapse into it.

Jihyun runs for the stairs to be with his friend, shifting his way between the crowd and down the hall, breaths shallow by the time he reaches Jumin.

"I—" his friend stammers, and Jihyun squeezes his shoulder, wanting nothing more than to pull Jumin into his arms.

"That was amazing," Jihyun says, and more people come to stand around Jumin as one of the security guards shouts from the other side of the room, "I think she's dead!"

The crowd only becomes louder, and then there's a sound like a gunshot that shocks the room into silence.

Then they hear another, and another again, and realization dawns over everyone at the same time.

Jihyun murmurs to Jumin, "Happy new year."

Jumin and Jihyun stand in the private quarters, having retreated once the commotion became too much to bear. Outside, Glam is being swarmed with questions, the preservation of the Chairman's life is being celebrated, and while people were distracted with Sarah's apparent corpse, Jumin and Jihyun slipped behind the large double doors.

"… They're going to ask how I did that," Jumin states, leading Jihyun into one of the bedrooms. It's spacious, with large windows that overlook the gardens covered in snow this time of year, and Jumin opens it to let in the cold, fresh air.

"Don't worry about that right now," Jihyun tells him. The fireworks in the distance are still going, lighting the room with brief moments of colour. Jumin sighs, and Jihyun steps beside him. "The important thing is that you saved your father."

"He wasn't really in danger," Jumin murmurs. "You know that."

"Well, yes," Jihyun admits. "… Still. The mission was a success, because of you."

That makes Jumin smile, and Jihyun feels relief wash over him at the sight of it.

"Ours was," he says, amusement in his voice. "Glam's was a colossal failure, I think."

Jihyun grins. "Well, we did technically save the Chairman, so we did what she claimed she could pay us to do."

"That's true," Jumin agrees. His breath makes white puffs appear in the air, and Jihyun realizes his friend's nose is already red though the window's barely been open for a full minute.

Jihyun closes his hand over Jumin's, then leans forward to give his cheek a quick kiss. Jumin's eyes are closed when Jihyun pulls back.

"You did very well," Jihyun says. "Really. I think this was probably the most high-stress mission you've ever done, and you made everything go perfectly."

"Thank you," Jumin responds. Jihyun squeezes his hand. "If it's you saying it, then I'll believe you."

Jihyun nods. Jumin's trust in him is something he never takes lightly, and it's been a very long night.

"It's nice to finally get some quiet," Jumin says, apparently thinking the same thing Jihyun is.

"I quite liked the music, actually," Jihyun teases.

"Don't be irritating," Jumin snorts. "Did you see her rifle? I understand that the ballroom is large, but it hardly justifies such a large gun."

Jihyun laughs. "I suppose her dress was big enough to hide it. It looked like a chiffon cake."

Jumin shakes his head, then straightens away from the window to face Jihyun fully. Jihyun mimics his motions. "Really…" he says, his voice taking a more serious tone. "Thank you for being here with me all night. You're always there when I need you, Jihyun."

"I know you're always there for me too," Jihyun tells him. Jumin smiles.

"Ah… there was something I wanted to ask you," Jumin says.

Jihyun inclines his head. What more is there to say, after everything?

"If you're not too tired after all that—"

"You're the one who should be tired," Jihyun reminds him. Jumin presses a finger to Jihyun's lips, and he flushes.

"Even so," Jumin continues. "I noticed you haven't danced all night, and I'm not used to not dancing with you at these events. So…"

Jihyun grins at Jumin's awkwardness, lights dancing across his mask and face. "I'd like that."

In near silence, save for the occasional crack of fireworks, Jumin takes his hand.

[ditbycharlotte]

Brief 1 - Digital Innovation & Technologies ‘MOSI Promotion’ Posters

Week 1

Brief

COTTONOPOLIS TO DIGITOPOLIS – a celebration of Manchester’s Industrial Past and Digital Present and Future.

Your mission is to create promotional material for an exhibition, hosted at MOSI, which celebrates the development of the city from its First industrial Revolution… late 1700’s to the second industrial revolution post the events of 1996 (research this) in developing Manchester’s Digital Revolution… ‘96 to now… this minute!

My Understanding of the brief

To fulfil this brief I will need to create a series of posters which commemorates the development of Manchester through an exhibition hosted at Manchester’s very own MOSI. In addition to this I will also need to create an invitation/leaflet to accompany the series of posters as well as an extended piece of my choice may it be a motion graphic piece, physical creation, exhibition space etc.

Manchester Photos

Mind mapping Initial Areas of exploration

To help me with what I needed to look into in order to start with this brief I narrowed it down to 4 main areas that I would need to explore further, these areas are: Research, Target Market, Brand Identity and Initial Ideas. From here I can now take an in depth look into each section to advance forward.

Initial Research

Target Market

Initial Ideas

Brand Identity

Analysis

Research 

First Industrial Revolution (1760-1840)

Manchester dominated the cotton industry in the textiles industry

One of the first cotton mills in Manchester destroyed in WWII

Improvement of stream engines productivity- "We may see in a single building a 100 horse power steam engine (which) has the strength of 880 men, set in motion 50,000 spindles. The whole requires the service of but 750 workers. But these machines can produce as much yarn as formerly could have hardly been spun by 200,000 men...”

Cotton was being imported at a rate of 2,000 tons per year (1772), increasing to 45.2 thousand tons per year (1816

Steam and water wheel powered mills used

Automated machines include the water frame and spinning jenny

Canals essential for distribution of coal for the railways to transport the cotton

Pic - Spinning Jenny

Second Industrial Revolution (1870-1914)

A target in utilising the power of electricity, oil, and gas

Britain’s cotton industry reached its peak in 1912 when eight billion yards of cloth were being produced

First World War (1914-1919) spelled disaster for the industry in Manchester

WW2 1939-1945

The Invention of Telegraph and Morse 1844 (Samuel Morse)

The Telephone by Antonio Meucci 1876

1906 that the patent for bulbs with tungsten based filaments was filed by Edison.

First flight by the Wright brothers 1903

Henry Ford's Model T the affordable car

Blocks of commercial and warehouse premises incinerated by Air Raids in the Manchester Blitz 1940

First computer (Baby) pioneered by Fredric Williams and Tom Kilburn based on the work of Alan Turing, paved the way for today’s computer’s tablets and smartphones (1948)

By the 1980s, the industry had all but vanished in and around Manchester  

15 June 1996, the IRA detonated a large bomb in the city centre, caused over 200 injuries, spurred rejuvenation of areas in Manchester

Digital Revolution (1950s-NOW)

Development of Graphene the worlds thinnest material used in computing, electronics and medicine.

1980s the computer became a familiar machine

1992 WWW introduced

2000s mobile phones commonly seen, number of internet users growing, tv started the transition from analog to digital signals. Broadband introduced to the UK.

2004 Facebook is born

2005 YouTube launches

2007 Apple releases the iPhone and phone usage increases at a rapid rate

2010 nearly 70% of the worlds population owns a mobile phone

2016 The VR headset becomes available to users

MOSI (1969-NOW)

Opened in 1969

Has 5 buildings

Devoted to the history and practice of science, medicine, technology, industry and media.

On the site of the oldest surviving passenger railway station

Always expanding and changing galleries 

Houses a replica of the ‘Baby’/SSEM computer 

Has displays from Bomber planes to engines to trains to powerboats

Has a large gallery for the Textiles Industry including machines, printing blocks, dye samples and factory signs 

http://collection.sciencemuseum.org.uk/search/categories/textile-industry/museum/museum-of-science-and-industry

End of Week 1 Review

After doing some initial research into Manchester’s industrial past and digital present and future, I feel like I can start to narrow down my initial ideas into more refined concepts that I could use to take forward and use/progress with to create my series of promotional posters. I think that I would like to continue looking into the relationship between machinery used during the industrial revolution and how machinery is used in the digital era.  

Week 2

Design Process

This week we went though design processes and shared one of our initial ideas based on research we had conducted.

 - Brief: understand what it is 

- Analysis: Primary research, secondary research 

- Concept(s): don’t be scared to fair and try multiple ideas 

- Refinement: Trial and error, go forwards and backwards 

- Testing: Iteration (design cycles), keep going till you get a certain outcome

- Implementation: Journey is as important as the final product Theme needs to have an extension piece to the 3 posters e.g. motion piece, storyboard, exhibition layout 

Don’t be afraid to explore more than 1 idea especially not just your first idea! Need to be able to say if something not working then leave it, don’t cling on to ideas

Information graphics: making the complicated simple using icons (iconography)

Shared Ideas

One by one we went round the class and shared our starting point based on the initial research we had conducted. My idea was a that I had found a connection of machines so maybe I could break down the machine parts and combine them in different ways to form images for my promotional posters.

Researching Other Museums

To help with this project I decided to go look at other museums nearby to help generate ideas, the museums I had a look at were the Imperial War Museum which is just across the water and the People’s History Museum.

IWM

People’s History Museum

Week 3

Appreciating Type

This week we explored the history of type and its importance in design. We should respect type as it is an art form and comes in many different looks.

Key features of type include

Leading- space between words and lines 

Kerning- space between each individual letter Ambrose Harris typography book

Hierarchy of text- where you want the user to look first (usually most important info)

Sans- Without Serif 

Serifs- Curly ends on words (Easier to identify letters though the negative space)

Probably the most recognisable piece of design would be the London Underground logo, created by Edward Johnston It’s simple and has no messing around Pixel form and has minimalism in the form of reducing form. 

We then got talking about the typeface Helvetica which was designed to be a pure typeface void of personality with pure function for every communication with over 70 variations!

As long as it is legible, Type can be imperfect, it can also be a combination of two typefaces put together to create a different effect within your work.

Session 2

Existing products (Film Ideograms)

The idea behind ideograms is that a graphical symbol that represents an idea or concept without the use of words and can be recognised universally.

The 3 sets of series films that I got to create ideograms for were

Pirates of the Caribbean (5 Films, 6th TBA)

Terminator (5 Films, 6th TBA)

Shrek (4 Films)

For each film I needed to identify recognisable scenes from each film in each film series and pic one film from each series to create an ideogram for that my peers would be able to recognise and guess which film I had picked prom each series. 

1. Pirates of the Caribbean

Curse of the Black Pearl (Chosen for ideogram)

                     Year- 2003

                     Main thing- Black Pearl

                     Promotional Materials- Title 3/4 from the bottom, 5 main                                       characters, fighting on land and in water

Dead Man’s Chest

                      Year- 2006

                     Main thing- Jar of dirt with heart of Davey Jones in

                     Promotional Materials- Title positioned at the bottom, 3 main                               characters, ships being taken down by a Kraken

At World’s End

                      Year- 2007

                     Main thing- Release of the goddess Calypso/Jack returns from                           the land of the dead

                     Promotional Materials- Title positioned at the bottom, single                                 character (main character), lots of smoke/fog

On Stranger Tides

                     Year- 2011

                     Main thing- Fountain of youth

                     Promotional Materials- Title 3/4 from the bottom, characters the                           same size, ships on rough water.

Salazar's Revenge

                     Year- 2017

                     Main thing- Trident of Poseidon

                     Promotional Materials- Title positioned at the bottom, characters                         get larger towards the top of the picture, underwater

Ideogram For Pirates of the Caribbean: Curse of the Black Pearl

In this movie Jack looses his beloved Black Pearl to Davey Jones who keeps it in a bottle

Guessed correctly- YES

2. Terminator

The Terminator

                    Year- 1984

                    Main thing- Come with me if you want to live

                    Promotional Materials- Title 3/4 from the bottom, large                                          descriptions on the poster, main character main focal point

Terminator 2: Judgment Day

                   Year- 1991

                   Main thing- T-1000 tries to kill John Connor as a child 

                   Promotional Materials- Title positioned at the bottom, main                                 character on motorcycle with shot gun (main focal point)

Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines (chosen for ideogram)

                  Year- 2003

                  Main thing- SkyNet virus infects the U.S military, development of                          T-X model robot

                  Promotional Materials- Title half way in the poster, main character                        takes more space than the villains (robot army)

Terminator Salvation 

                 Year- 20039

                 Main thing- Skyet develops the new T-800 robots

                 Promotional Materials- Title 3/4 from the bottom, villain larger than                       the main characters

Terminator Genisys 

                Year- 2015

                Main thing- Going back to the past to correct the timeline of the                          future

                Promotional Materials- Title positioned at the bottom, main                                  characters more present in importance larger than the others, villain                    in flames

Write about the similarities between the movie posters, running theme

Ideogram For Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines

I decided to illustrate part of the movie poster where the main characters face is half burnt revealing his cyborg side.

Guessed correctly- YES

3. Shrek

Shrek (chosen for ideogram)

               Year- 2001

  ��            Main thing- Shrek rescues Princess Fiona for Lord Farquaad

               Promotional Materials- Title positioned at the bottom, main                                 characters leaning against a giant letter ’S’ for Shrek

Shrek 2

               Year- 2004

               Main thing- Shrek meets Fiona’s parents 

               Promotional Materials- Title positioned in the middle, main characters                 surrounding the title

Shrek the Third

               Year- 2007

               Main thing- The King of Far Far Away passes away

               Promotional Materials- Title positioned at the bottom, main                                  characters more present in importance larger than the others, villain                    in flames

Shrek Forever After

               Year- 2010

               Main thing- Rumpelstiltskin tricks Shrek into erasing himself from                         existence 

               Promotional Materials- Title 3/4 from the bottom, main character vs                     villain

Ideogram For Shrek 

I decided to change my idea from Fiona’s tower to Lord Farquaad’s mirror as this is one of the key elements in this film. 

Guessed correctly- YES

Planning 

After conducting my research I drew out my ideas for my ideograms on paper before proceeding to digitally reproducing them on Illustrator.

Week 3 Review

At the end of this week I have been looking at existing products in the form of movie posters and what makes them recognisable if you took away the title, from this I have learn that making things simple, clear and containing key elements is best for recognition and this is what I need to include in my posters.

[char27martin]

Debut Author Tell All: KD Proctor

While reviewing debut authors to cover in the Guide to Literary Agents 2018 feature, Debut Authors Tell All, I came across KD Proctor, who didn’t have an agent, but whose novel was coming out in July 2017. While I couldn’t include her in the book, I felt it important to feature KD in another way—as the story of someone who can make it in this business without an agent.

It’ll require just as much research to make sure that small press you’re going with is legitimate, but the rewards, as KD points out, can be tremendous. Just think, with a smaller press, you’ll often have their marketing team more focused on you. That publisher is more invested in you as an author.

Interested in reading about more debut authors? Be sure to pick up a copy of Guide to Literary Agents 2018, where you can find similar tell-alls from Jessica Strawser, Angie Thomas, Sophie Chen Keller, Danya Kukafka, Lauren Fern Watt, and more.

KD Proctor http://www.kdproctor.com/ MEET ME UNDER THE STARS (New Adult Contemporary Romance, BookFish Books, July 2017)

Quick Take: Trying to get her life back on track after her sister’s death, Charlie Conti never dreamed she’d be asked to work with her ex-boyfriend, Nate Walsh, to fulfill her sister’s last wish: creating a summer camp scholarship in her honor. What could possibly go wrong? (spoiler alert: everything)

Writes From: West Central, Minnesota.

Pre-Book: I’ll be the first one to admit that while I have a Bachelor’s in English, I never had plans to write a novel (though my mother will argue that she “always thought I should”). In my undergrad, I was active in student leadership and loved the college environment so much I never wanted to leave. I entered a Master’s program for College Student Personnel and have been working in some capacity at a college or university since. I’m now at a small, community college in rural Minnesota working with the senior administration on various projects and initiatives.

Time Frame: I actually stumbled upon the idea of writing a novel while researching the online community Wattpad. A faculty member wanted to use it in their online course. I had no idea what Wattpad was, and in researching it I was blown away by the work writers were posting online. It got me thinking about what I would write. That was spring 2014 and by late summer 2014 I had written my first draft of an action thriller. It was rough. And choppy. And a total disaster with the character arcs spinning out of control, erratic pacing, etc. But with feedback from those who read it, my eyes were opened to the process of writing a novel.

As I learned, it’s not as easy as it looks. I also learned “pantsing” (writing by the seat of your pants) didn’t work for me. I had to be mindful and deliberate about plotting. I also took my time to read more contemporary books and even picked up plotting resource book which helped me break down and understand the critical details around plotting and character arcs. I buddied up with other writers to critique and better understand how everything fit together.

That learning curve opened the floodgates and in March 2015 I got the idea for MEET ME UNDER THE STARS. I wrote the first draft in a month. Like my very first manuscript it was choppy and rough and it needed a lot of work. And while I had learned so much during my first manuscript of that action thriller, I was learning even more with this manuscript. By fall of 2015 I was getting closer, the plot much tighter and unnecessary filler and fluff were cut. I had a goal in mind: get my manuscript ready for PitchWars 2016. PitchWars is an opportunity for writers to submit their manuscripts to published and/or agented authors who agree to mentor the writer for eight weeks to get their full manuscript polished for an agent pitch round in November.

But to make sure I was ready for PitchWars, I took a stab at another pitching contest—this one on Twitter—called Sun vs. Snow. In late January 2016, I tossed my hat in the ring and was one of the first 200 entrants to the contest. The hosts narrow down the entries to the top 32. I never expected to make the cut—but I did. I was paired with a mentor who helped me polish my query and the first page of my manuscript. Like PitchWars, it would also be viewed by agents.

It was during that prep period that my mentor also encouraged me to participate in another Twitter pitch event, PitMatch. This was more challenging because I had to narrow down my query to a 140-character pitch (including hashtags). It was in that pitch that I was matched with several agents and a few editors, including BookFish Books. Combined with the agent requests from Sun vs. Snow, I knew I had a story on my hands that people were interested in.

In April 2016 my deal with BookFish Books was finalized and it is set for publication in July 2017.

Enter the Agent: With all of those Twitter pitch contests, it’s clear that I was interested in securing an agent. Every agent who requested my manuscript was someone I’d be honored to work with. The query (or Twitter pitch) hooked them and I got several requests for additional pages (including several “full” requests), but every one turned into a rejection.

The rejections didn’t faze me at all, but there was a common theme emerging. My book is technically falling into the age range called New Adult. Many scoff at that classification because they think it is just another way to market books. New Adult aged books are typically college students (18-25ish) and the arc is usually future focused relating to “firsts” that usually happen at that age—first major job out of college, first major break up, overdrawing that bank account and not having mom or dad to bail you out, etc.

As agents read it, the feedback was incredibly positive, complimenting me on all of the mechanical pieces (voice, writing strength, plot, pacing, etc., which meant my hard work in learning the craft paid off). But that emerging theme was a crusher: They are unable to sell New Adult books. Their request for more pages was to see if I could voice the book “up”—to more traditional adult contemporary romance, or “down” to young adult.

They all agreed: My voice was incredibly strong and changing it would take away from the book.

So … now what?

Shelving my book didn’t feel right. I knew in my gut that this would be the book I’d be publishing. But I also knew self-publishing wasn’t the right option for me. I tried voicing the book down to young adult (which also meant changing the plot considerably) and the joy for the story was lost. I also tried changing it from first-person/present tense to third-person/past tense (the more common voice for adult, contemporary romance), and it felt stiff and clunky.

At the same time I was querying agents, I had queried the editors from BookFish Books. This is a common mistake that new writers often make in the excitement of pitch contests on Twitter. Those “likes” get your pulse racing! But writers should choose to query agents or editors, not both. But it played to my advantage because they offered me a publishing deal.

The funny thing is—I was hesitant to take their offer at first. Did I walk away from the agent search too soon? What if there was someone out there who could sell it? Am I just jumping at this because it was the first deal on the table? I mean, I did my research prior to sending out my query. But now with an offer I really wanted to make sure I hadn’t missed anything that I would later regret. I contacted a few well-respected authors that I not only trusted, but who knew their way around the query and offer trenches. They provided me with several things to consider when looking at a small press that wouldn’t necessarily be found on places like Absolute Write’s message boards.

Everything came back positive. Yes, BookFish Books is a very small press (publishing on average four books per year). As a new author, though, I liked the idea of having the press staff giving me a little extra attention during every phase of the process. My personal goals for publishing are to write books that make me proud of the end product. Going with a small press would help me do just that.

So what about that pesky New Adult classification? Small indie presses are craving New Adult novels and readers are buying them! I will say, though, that going with a small press isn’t right for everyone. Just like agents, authors need to trust their gut.

Biggest Surprise: The editing process. When I saw the notes and suggestions, the first thing I asked myself was, “Are you sure you want to publish my book?” I’d never seen so many editing notes in my life! It was intense. I had 5 passes with my content editor and managing editor before it went to line edits! Then there was another pass with the managing editor before galley edits (the proof pages).

But the biggest surprise of the editing process goes back to continually learning the craft. I continue to learn so much and it’s amazing when I can catch my own mistakes during the writing process. Manuscripts I’m drafting currently have benefited greatly from the things my editors pointed out.

What I Did Right: Using social media and joining the 17 Scribes.

After I signed my deal I noticed a group on Twitter called the Sweet 16’s: Authors publishing their first book in the Middle Grade and Young Adult classifications in 2016. I searched for a group like that for Adult or New Adult books, but one didn’t exist. But then, a few authors got together and created one and the 17 Scribes was born. This group is for authors publishing Adult and New Adult classified books in all genres. We have mystery, thrillers, romance, historical, women’s fiction, LGBTQ+, Christian and much more. You name it, we have it! Being in this group means we support each other and share our successes, frustrations, and most of all, promote each other’s books when the time comes for our debut.

I’ve mentioned Twitter a lot and surprisingly it has been where I’ve made all of my book connections. The thing is, you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone to make those connections work. You can’t expect one tweet to be the one heard around the world and people will come running. Reach out. Engage. Comment. Use the hash tags. Participate in weekly events like #1lineWed (where a theme is given and you find a line in your manuscript that fits the theme).

At the end of the day, everyone is on the same street corner peddling their books. What are you going to do to get noticed so others share in your success with you?

I Wish I Would Have Done Different: While I love social media, it was eye opening (and a little embarrassing) to learn that there is a huge difference between “followers” and “genuine connections.” It’s a common mistake. People believe if you have 5,000 followers on Twitter, you have 5,000 people interested in your book or whatever you’re passionate about.

Not even close.

Instead, I’m now focused on building genuine connections with people. Keep in mind there is a difference between “connecting” and “spamming”. I treat Twitter like a giant 24/7 cocktail party. I make small talk where I’m comfortable.

Platform: I knew from the start I couldn’t be on everything, so I picked those I was comfortable with: Facebook (both an author fan page and author profile—I do not use my “in real life” Facebook profile for my author “stuff”, especially since I write under a pen name), Twitter and Instagram.

The cool thing about these platforms is the creativity you can have with it. For example, a lot of people asked what I was doing for a book launch. To be honest, I didn’t want a big party. So, instead I opted for a live reading via Facebook live.

I’ve also used Instagram to tease my book using photos to describe the plot and backstory, which I’ve written on my blog. Like Twitter, Instagram uses hashtags where I’ve found other author connections—but again, I wanted to connect. I’m not worried about follower numbers or “likes” on photos.

But I’ve also learned that you need balance. Those who use social media to do nothing but pitch their books and share reviews get the mute button on my side (again, the difference between “connecting” and “spamming”). I want to hear about your life, not just your book! So I try to model that behavior and share funny events that happen to me, like how my husband and I have a constant fight on the best way to load the dishwasher, or how my dog rolled around in a muddy patch of our yard—right after getting a bath.

It goes back to that genuine connection—I want readers to know I’m just like them!

Advice for Writers: Here are my top 10 advice points:

You don’t have to write every day. Write because you want to, not because some meme or article or best-selling author said you had to.

You have to be open to feedback, even if it doesn’t make sense or if you don’t agree with it—hearing feedback and learning to pick out the parts that can be of benefit is a skill worth learning. And don’t react to feedback immediately. Let it sink in first. You might be surprised at how well it will improve your story!

Get a critique partner. No. Your mom, best friend, and/or partner don’t count. Neither do coworkers, the deacon at your church, or your hair stylist. (Hint: Four times a year there is a critique partner match up on Twitter using the hashtag #CPMatch.)

Don’t be a jerk. People remember jerks. People especially remember jerks who proclaim that an agent or editor is making a “huge mistake” by passing them up.

Your second book does not have to come out the same year as your debut. Take your time and publish when you’re ready.

Self-publishing is not subpar. Don’t paint all self-published books with the same brush. Several of my favorites are self-published.

If you do self-publish, take your time. Self-published books get a bad rap because authors rush the process. Hire good editors. Hire good cover designers. This is your first shot to make a good impression, don’t waste it.

Reviews aren’t for you; they’re for other readers.

In fact, don’t even read your reviews. If you are in need of a positive pick me up when you’re feeling down on your writing, have a friend scour the reviews for you and pick out the 4 and 5 star reviews.

Find balance. Take time away from writing. Spend it with your family. Walk the dog. Do yoga. Bake cookies. Call your mom. Have coffee with a friend. Read a book for fun. Self-care is the best care and only you can do it.

Next Up: I’m publishing a novella in a holiday anthology with all the proceeds going to charity. Each of the stories cross over into one another, like the movie LOVE, ACTUALLY. My story is about a crown royal who is in hiding because she doesn’t know if she wants to take the throne her father is abdicating—and it just so happens she’s hiding out in the same New England town as her ex-fiancé. (I mean, really…what can go wrong?)

The biggest literary agent database anywhere is the Guide to Literary Agents. Pick up the most recent updated edition online at a discount.

If you’re an agent looking to update your information or an author interested in contributing to the GLA blog or the next edition of the book, contact Writer’s Digest Books Managing Editor Cris Freese at cris.freese@fwmedia.com.

    The post Debut Author Tell All: KD Proctor appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

from Writing Editor Blogs – WritersDigest.com http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/debut-author-tell-kd-proctor

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The problem with Magic: the Gathering no one is talking about | The Daily Dot

Two weekends ago, Magic: the Gatherings Pro Tour, the seasonal capstone of its organized-play system, kicked off in Madrid. The decks were creative and diverse, the matches were strategically interesting, and the new cards were sweetat least to people that already really, really like Magic cards. When the climactic last round before the playoffs went down, only 27,000 people were watching, andfull disclosureI wasnt one of them, despite being a hardcore Magic player in the past.

On the same Sunday the most recent Pro Tour wrapped up, Wizards of the Coast, the Hasbro subsidiary that makes Magic, announced itd be cutting benefits to Magics top competitive players by some $11,000 per player per year. By Monday, a backlash had begun among some of the biggest voices within Magic, and the following Tuesday, Wizards relented, pledging to restore the funding for next year.

Behind the numbers and the news, however, theres an even bigger problem that no one is addressing: Magic is a bad spectator game, and to truly save the Pro Tour, Hasbro might have to kill it first.

Magic: the Gathering is an enormous commercial success; its annual revenue, upwards of $300 million, is greater than Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and Dota 2 combined. However, Magic is a game from a different era, and nowhere is this more evident than its system of organized play.

Theres an even bigger problem that no one is addressing:Magicis a bad spectator game.

The Magic Pro Tour, which has existed since 1996, has been overshadowed by esports, whose prize pools regularly exceed the Pro Tours modest $250,000 purse. Magic is somewhere around the 30th-most popular offering on Twitch.tv, and it is hemorrhaging market share to Hearthstone, whose revenue roughly matches Magics $300 million a year and whose rank on Twitch is usually number two.

The Magic Pro Tour, saddled with small prize pools, low production values, weak commentary, illegible cards, and a game thats difficult to follow, appeals only to a narrow audience. If its top-tier tournaments appealed to a broader audience, Magic could be much, much bigger. To do so, Magic will have to implement some drastic changes.

Over the last few months, these changes have been set in motion. Though Magic has been growing by some 30 percent a year for the last six years, Hasbro announced in April that Wizards was switching CEOs, from Greg Leeds, an international marketing executive, to Chris Cocks, a sales guy from Microsoft. That followed another announcement from the head of all Hasbro, Brian Goldner, extolling the digital ecosystem, branding through storytelling, and a product called Magic Digital Next, to be released in the next few years. On top of that, at Hasbros 2016 investor day, the company called Magic a top 5 esports brand.

The last announcement was surprising for two reasons: Its untrue, and Hasbro has, since around 2007, been loath to spend any money on promoting competitive Magic. Magic pays its pros very little to do something very hard, and in this context, taking away $11,000 from Magics top players looks like yet more shortsighted cost-cutting. This is the prevailing interpretation among Magic players, who are right when they add that Hasbro would benefit hugely from professional Magic being a real thing. The problem is that Hasbro and Magic players have completely different ideas about what the competitive future of the game actually looks like.

Wizards original pay-cut announcement explained itself like so: The appearance fees we awarded for Platinum pros were meant to assist in maintaining the professional Magic players lifestyle; upon scrupulous evaluation, we believe that the program is not succeeding at this goal. Well, who would disagree with that? Magic doesnt grant its pros a living wage. The recent Magic documentary Enter the Battlefield stars two top players who live with their parentsnot a great incentive for players aspiring to be the best in the world.

Magicpros are, with a few exceptions, not the people Hasbro wants representing its brand.

This is crazy, because Magic makes its owners a ton of money, and there have been calls for a steep raise for the pros for over a decade. Indeed, later in the pay-cut announcement, Wizards revealed the Magic World Championship purse would increase from $150,000 last year to $250,000 this year, then $500,000 in 2017. Hasbro has a lot of cash to throw around, and creating a real professional class, via larger prizes and appearance fees, wouldnt cost much more in the grand scheme of things. So why not do it now?

Its simple: That wouldnt address the real issue. Very few people watch Magic. More than million tuned in for Dota 2 during the International, by contrast, and roughly 100,000 tune in regularly to watch Hearthstone on Twitch. And judging by its continuous attempts to defund the Pro Tour and marginalize the pros, Hasbro must think part of the problem is the current cohort of Magic pros. In Hasbros eyes, the current Magic pros have demonstrated a willingness to work for little money and few professional prospects, and they lead a lifestyle few would envy. If your final goal with organized play is to attract stars and engage a broader audience, then youre acknowledging the current crop of pros youve hired and retained, at a lower rate, is part of the problem.

Its true that a steep raise today would help legitimize Magic and improve the lives of the pros, who deserve it. But it wouldnt change the fact that Magic pros are, with a few exceptions, not the people Hasbro wants representing its brand. Under Leeds and Goldner, Magic achieved its high growth rate by moving its branding towards storytelling and resonance, and away from the pros. To casual players, the faces of the game arent Owen Turtenwald and Gerry Thompson; theyre the in-game characters Jace and Chandra.

For the most part, the pros are hardcore gamers, a holdover from a previous, less populist era of gaming. Comparing Magic pros social-media followings, streaming incomes, and cross-brand appeal with top esports competitors, its clear almost all of them struggle to attract mainstream viewers. Magics Pro Tour, which puts its competitors through a grueling schedule, doesnt even cater lunch, and draws an audience of hardcore Magic gamers only, faces the same problem.

Greg Leeds once tried to eliminate the Pro Tour entirely, but he was rebuffed by Magic R&D. Im guessing Chris Cocks will be more persistentand Magic R&D, already subordinate to Magic branding, will be brought further under control.

To call Magic a bad spectator game isnt a knock on the design. Even though I dont play much anymore, its still my favorite game, ever. Plus, it came out in 1993, and no one knew itd be important to appeal to huge digital audiences decades down the line. But Magic also has a bunch of weird timing rules that are delightful to junkies like me and baffling to the casual viewers Hasbro wants. Magic has over 13,000 unique cards; Hearthstone has under 1,000. To succeed as an esport, Magic will have to be radically simplified.

This sounds more difficult than it really is, and Magic Digital Nextwhich Goldner described as a new digital experience leveraging contemporary technology to create a seamless digital experience that meets all the players needs from new players to pro playersis likely to be Hasbros first attempt at making a modernized, simplified Magic.

To succeed as an esport,Magicwill have to be radically simplified.

The digital platform can not only give the brand a distinct identity from paper cardsit also has many advantages over them. With Magic Digital Next, Wizards could stop worrying about card stores, gambling laws, and a secondary market thats profitable for barely anyone. Paper cards are expensive: With a digitized Magic, casual players could be engaged and retained without having to spend fabulous sums just to play. The whole catalog of old, archaic, or confusing cards could be cut at once. Game-design mistakes could be retracted or revised. Cheating could be contained. Short animations could tell the story of the game to a casual audience.

And almost anything would be a better story than whats currently being told by the Pro Tour, which draws a tiny audience, or the small-print cards and buggy interface of Magic Online streams.

No one knows how the story of Magics overhaul ends. My best guess is that the game will exist both as a simplified Magic Digital Next and as a traditional paper product. Though the paper product will still be supported, allowing collections to retain value and addicts to justify spending the huge per-capita sums that make Magic so profitable, the digital will quickly outgrow the paper.

A big part of this will be competitive play, which will be conducted over Magic Digital Nexts pleasing new client. This will let streamers make a living catering to mainstream audiences. Hasbro will then increase spending on premier Magic events from $500,000 to $1 million and beyond, since doing so will actually attract a larger viewership, as well as premier gaming talent. And Magic will at last grow beyond a niche audience and afford its representatives a decent living, which will grow the audience, which will increase the prizes, which will grow the audience. And so on.

Of course, the plan could fail. It necessitates drastic changes in gameplay and personnel, which will take time and money. But Magic, which has been drifting towards making these moves for the last six years, isnt that far behind: Its prizes and revenue are on par with Hearthstones. And, though Hearthstone is a formidable competitor, with big events and stars of its own, all the pieces are in place for Magic. Its already a great game, with many skilled designers, a long history of profitability and innovation, and a handful of players whose cross-cultural appeal would be right at home in the esports world.

The exciting thing is that Magics barely begun to tap its potential. If Magics revenue can exceed $300 million with peak viewerships of 27,000, how big will it be when it monetizes digital platforms like Clash Royale, harnesses elegant watchability like Hearthstone, and draws real esports audiences?

In the words of Wizards founder, Peter Adkison, the Magic Pro Tour was created 20 years ago as a lifestyle opportunity for a young generation of Magic players to be professionals. This vision has been lost. But if Magic becomes an esport, it could once again be realized.

CML, a freelancer in Seattle, has written for Gawker, the Seattle Weekly, and several other publications. He maintains a website at cmlwrites.com and a Twitter at @CMLisawesome.

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from The problem with Magic: the Gathering no one is talking about | The Daily Dot

[movietvtechgeeks]

Latest story from https://movietvtechgeeks.com/beauty-beast-holds-off-kong-logan-box-office/

'Beauty and the Beast' holds off 'Kong' and 'Logan' at box office

Disney has gotten the most out "Beauty and the Beast," and with the opening box office numbers, it will surely keep kicking at that prize horse as long as they can. The live-action version of the film was able to push "Kong: Skull Island" and "Logan" down a notch on the box office chart. Disney's live-action "Beauty" was a beast at the box office, opening with an estimated $170 million in North American ticket sales and setting a new high mark for family movies. "Beauty and the Beast" blew past the previous record-holder for G- or PG-rated releases, according to studio estimates Sunday. Last year, Disney's "Finding Dory" debuted with a then-PG-best $135 million. "Beauty and the Beast" felled many other records, too. It's the year's top opening so far and a new best for March releases, and it ranks seventh all-time, not accounting for inflation. The film, made for about $160 million, is the latest effort by Disney to re-create one of its animated classics with live action and digital effects. The makeover of the 1991 Oscar-winning film follows previous live-action remakes such as "Alice in Wonderland," ''Cinderella," ''Maleficent" and last year's "The Jungle Book." Many more are on the way, too, including those for "Dumbo," ''Mulan," ''Aladdin" and "The Lion King." "Nostalgia is a very powerful driver for these films," said Dave Hollis, head of distribution for Disney. "What's exciting here is there is an opportunity to see these beloved stories in a way that's never been seen before, but you get to build that on the foundation of something that's very familiar. "But you don't get to $170 million because of nostalgia," Hollis added. "You have to ultimately make these movies great." "Beauty and the Beast," directed by Bill Condon and starring Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, found widespread acclaim and some backlash for including what has been called Disney's first openly gay character. Josh Gad plays Gaston's sidekick, LeFou, who has a very brief "exclusively gay moment," as Condon described it, late in the film. Though many applauded the character's subtle twist as overdue progress, some derided it. An Alabama drive-in theater canceled showings before owners screened the film. And after Malaysian censors required an edit of the scene, Disney pulled the film from release in the predominantly Muslim nation. An appeal is to be heard this week. None of that dragged down the movie's massive opening. It took in $180 million overseas, including $44.8 million in China, Disney said. Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for comScore, said any backlash may have only helped "Beauty and the Beast," which he predicts will eventually top $1 billion globally. "As quote-unquote controversies go, this was a real tempest in a teapot," Dergarabedian said. "This obviously had zero impact on the movie. In fact, those who raise awareness of a movie for whatever reason are generally only helping that movie do better business. I don't think that was going to dissuade anyone except the most narrow-minded from seeing this film." "Beauty and the Beast," featuring the songs by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman, also got a boost from good word-of-mouth and largely good reviews. Other studios stayed clear of the Disney juggernaut. Last week's top film, Warner Bros.' "Kong: Skull Island," slid to second place with $28.9 million in its second week. The King Kong relaunch has thus far earned $110.1 million domestically. Fox's R-rated "X-Men" spinoff "Logan," starring Hugh Jackman, added $17.5 million in its third week to bring its total to $184 million. With "Logan" in third place, the horror sensation "Get Out" slid to fourth and continued to drive audiences. The Jordan Peele directorial debut, from Universal Pictures and Blumhouse, earned $13.3 million, making its four-week total $133.1 million. The only film that tried to open nationwide against "Beauty and the Beast" was the micro-budget horror release "The Belko Experiment," from Blumhouse Pictures. It earned $4.1 million in 1,341 theaters (or about a third the theaters "Beauty" played in). Danny Boyle's "Trainspotting" sequel, "T2: Trainspotting," from Sony Pictures debuted in five theaters in New York and Los Angeles, earning $180,000 for a strong per-theater average of $36,000. The sequel to the much-loved 1996 original, which later expands nationwide, has already made more than $20 million in the U.K. Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to comScore. Where available, the latest international numbers also are included. Final domestic figures will be released Monday.

"Beauty and the Beast," $170 million ($180 million international).

"Kong: Skull Island," $28.9 million ($38.5 million international).

"Logan," $17.5 million ($31.5 million international).

"Get Out," $13.3 million ($2.9 million international).

"The Shack," $6.1 million.

"The Lego Batman Movie," $4.7 million ($2.4 million international).

"The Belko Experiment," $4.1 million.

"Hidden Figures," $1.5 million ($3.5 million international).

"John Wick: Chapter Two," $1.2 million ($2.1 million international).

"Before I Fall," $1 million.

Estimated ticket sales for Friday through Sunday at international theaters (excluding the U.S. and Canada), according to comScore:

"Beauty and the Beast," $180 million.

"Kong: Skull Island," $38.5 million.

"Logan," $31.5 million.

"A Dog's Purpose," $12 million.

"Sing," $9.1 million.

"Split," $6.8 million.

"Moana," $4.6 million.

"Badrinath Ki Dulhania," $4 million.

"La La Land," $3.7 million.

"Hidden Figures," $3.5 million.

Movie TV Tech Geeks News

[viralhottopics]

Whats next for the womens movement?

After the success of the Womens March, its International Womens Day on Wednesday 8 March. Here, 15 influential women, from Lena Dunham and Nicola Sturgeon to Susie Orbach, nominate a crucial next step towards equality

Lena Dunham: keep on protesting

I think the activism and organisation thats happening now is showing protest matters, calling your representatives matters, becoming involved in community organisations matters, sending your donations every month matters. It has never mattered more to show up with your money, with your body, with your time and with your voice than it does right now. Lots of people had valid criticisms of the Womens March, but it was the largest global protest weve seen and thats because every single person made the choice to take time off work, to give of themselves, to give their bodies and fill space and show they wanted to say no. That scares people and even if right now were not seeing the result we want, the government has been warned. They understand they are not supported. They are fighting an uphill battle against women and allies of equality in all of its forms. Lena Dunham is an actor, writer, producer and director

Nicola Sturgeon: great childcare is where it starts

Its a source of frustration that, decades on from legislation that was supposed to pave the way for equality of the sexes, too many gaps remain. I have made equality a key feature of my government, with a gender-balanced cabinet, one of very few in the developed world.

However, if there is one specific policy area which can permanently advance the cause of gender equality, I believe the answer lies not in the workplace itself, but in the early years. Delivering high quality childcare as widely as possible is, I believe, fundamental to achieving the kind of equal society that empowers women.

It is a simple fact that, for many women, the barrier to career advancement comes when they are faced with juggling the competing demands of a job and raising a family. And in too many cases, the lack of adequate childcare becomes a decisive factor in preventing women from continuing their careers.

Improving access and affordability in childcare is not an easy challenge and of itself will not solve all gender equality issues. But it is a challenge which must be met if we are to deliver a society which truly has equality of opportunity for men and women. Nicola Sturgeon MSP is First Minister of Scotland

Signs of the times: protesters on the Womens March in London take a breather. Photograph: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images

Naheed Farid: introduce bottom to top economic development

I represent women in the Afghanistan parliament, in a country that is one of the worst places to live as a woman. We suffer from violence, insecurity and lack of access to basic rights, such as education and health. We tried many things, such as investing in civil society organisations, education and democratic processes, but still Afghanistan stays the same. My analysis is that in order to ensure womens rights and equality in Afghanistan, and generally all around the world, we need to involve women in the production process, empowering women economically. We also need policies to make sure that the process of development is bottom to top, completely the opposite of what is practised right now. Womens inclusion in political, economic and social aspects of development can stabilise society by consistently empowering women and involving them in high-level decision-making processes. Naheed Farid was elected MP in 2010 at the age of 27

Nomboniso Gasa: civil action to defend our freedom from misogynistic world leaders

As I watched Donald Trumps inauguration, I noticed something familiar in the body language between him and Melania. My mind flipped back to President Jacob Zumas inauguration in 2009. He didnt even look back to see whether his wife was comfortable. She trotted behind, with shoes that were too big for her. She could have tripped and he would not have noticed.

People have written about Trump and Zumas disdain for the judiciary, the constitution, media and civil liberties. But they are similar in other ways, including their public devaluing of women. Trumps tape about women throwing themselves at you, if you are famous, reminded me of Zumas statement when accused of rape. I am not afraid of women. They are attracted to me. Why would I rape? Zuma must be envying Trump, though. He is unable to reverse the Constitutional Court decision enabling women to make choices about reproductive rights, bodily integrity and freedom of choice. His ANC is unlikely to garner enough votes to change the Bill of Rights.

Contesting these men requires a careful unmasking of their devious narratives, combined with civic action in defence of our freedoms. This must be a well-planned and sustained struggle against misogynistic bullies. Nomboniso Gasa is a South African researcher, writer and analyst on land, politics, gender and cultural issues

Laura Bates: sex and relationships education for all schoolchildren

There is a single, clear action that experts agree could make a substantial difference. For the past decade, campaigners, teachers, parents and pupils alike have urged successive governments to implement compulsory sex and relationships education (SRE) for all young people, including topics such as consent, healthy relationships, pornography, gender stereotypes and LGBT rights and relationships. Schools are currently only obliged to teach the biological basics of reproduction by the age of 15, with no compulsory coverage of issues, such as consent.

This would help protect vulnerable children who may already be experiencing sexual abuse. It would create change for the many girls who report unwanted sexual touching a form of sexual assault. And, by educating young people about their rights and responsibilities, it could have an impact on the broader problem of sexual violence. With 85,000 women raped annually and two women per week killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales, this is an urgent priority.

We know that young people today face a bombardment of influences, from sexting to pornography. If we teach children how to read maps so they can find their way, and how to do maths so they can work out their change in a shop, why do we leave them shockingly ill-equipped to navigate sexual relationships, a similarly universal life experience? With 43% of young people reporting they dont receive any SRE at all, we are failing them and letting wider society down as well. Laura Bates is founder of the Everyday Sexism Project

Join the gang: women hold hands and share personal stories during the Dress Like A Woman rally and march, held to support womens rights and to protest against Donald Trump, in Seattle. Photograph: David Ryder/Reuters

Anne-Marie Imafidon: more women in science and tech jobs reflected in TV soaps

Ive always watched a lot of TV and when I was younger watched EastEnders. As an east Londoner it felt close enough to reality that I would get excited when they filmed on location trying to point out landmarks and guess the road. Soaps dont fully reflect reality, but they do try to stay current. These days most characters have a mobile phone and technology sometimes features in storylines.

In the battle for gender equality Id like to see the soaps embrace some new careers for their characters particularly the female ones.

Wheres Dot?

Oh, shes just taking air quality measurements in the square for her PhD thesis, shell meet us at the Queen Vic.

Normalising science and tech-related careers can start with a female character or two deciding to leave work at the chippy for a job at a digital start-up. Someone in Hollyoaks might strike up an affair with someone theyve met on an evening coding course (affairs happen all the time on soaps). Seeing these characters have breakfast, and fight with family while enjoying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) careers will work against the one-sided portrayals of Stem characters that we see in films and on TV. The small screen can do what Hollywood is beginning to do with films, like Hidden Figures the story of African-American women who helped Nasa. Anne-Marie Imafidon MBE campaigns to get women into science, technology, engineering and maths

Li Maizi: create an international force against the censoring of womens voices

The answer for me is chasing gender equality in China. It has become my daily life, making noises against all the discrimination. And when we meet the backlash, we have to stand together and fight back. As a woman, I have no country: my country is the whole world. So I will also criticise Donald Trump, who is a straight man cancer.

In China, the space for civil movement is becoming more narrow. One of the most powerful Weibo [Chinas Twitter] accounts, Feminism Voice, has been blocked for publishing an article about the planned womens strike against Trump in the US. Thus, no single issue belongs to one country, we must fight together against the censoring of womens voices. Li Maizi is one of Chinas feminist five, detained for more than a month in 2015 for organising a protest against sexual harassment on buses and subways

Catherine Mayer: champion more shared parenting

Theres no single fix because the mechanisms keeping women down are intertwined. However, one of the seven core objectives of the Womens Equality Party equal parenting and caregiving is capable on its own of creating huge change. If we can shake the idea that childcare is primarily a mothers responsibility, if we learn to value the unpaid labour now primarily undertaken by women, then we also unpick some of the causes of the gender pay gap. There are also ways to speed the process. In 1975, when 90% of Icelandic women left jobs and homes for the day, their male compatriots learned just how much women do. Iceland now ranks as the worlds most gender-equal country. Im helping to organise a Womens Day Off in the UK next year. Catherine Mayer is the co-founder of the Womens Equality Party and author of Attack of the Fifty Foot Women: How Gender Equality Can Save the World!

Magic circle: protesters chant against gender-based violence at their camp on La Puerta del Sol square in Madrid, Spain. Photograph: EPA

Stella Creasy: dont be a click-avist, get stuck in

The change we need to make is mobilisation. We have to sound the alarm. The worst thing we can do is despair. My message is, dont stand aside, get stuck in. Dont be a click-avist. Keep asking: What next? If you go on a march and think: Thats the job done, they win. A backlash is a reaction, so we have to keep taking action. I keep saying to people, I adore Martin Luther King, but he was wrong when he said: The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards progress. It doesnt, unless you fight for it. Stella Creasy is MP for Walthamstow. Join her Feminist Action Network (stella@workingforwalthamstow.org.uk)

Liv Little: economic autonomy for women of colour

The face of feminism Im surrounded by is young and fresh. Feminism has the potential to be a bright, vibrant movement. But its difficult. There are so many pressing issues for women. Whats really important is economic empowerment. I think as a woman of colour its important that we are running our own businesses, able to support each other and generating our own income to support other young women of colour who are coming up in the world. As a black female graduate youre likely to earn a lot less than your white male counterparts. Youre increasingly seeing women of colour in positions of power, but there are still not enough of us in prominent positions. Liv Little is editor-in-chief at gal-dem

Caitlin Moran: embrace our weakness and silliness

You know what make us strong? All the things you think are a hindrance. Our strength is our weakness. Our love of silly things to wear. Our love of jokes. On the Womens March, there were millions of weak women with buggies, with elderly relatives women who are disabled, or from minority groups wearing pink hats and holding placards. And our strength is, you cant send armed police into a crowd like that. Theres no way to spin that footage. You cant pretend its violent, radical extremists. Theres no excuse to break it up. The weaker, sillier and funnier we are, the more impossible it is to demonise us, or stop us, as so many protests have been stopped and demonised before. As things go backwards, we think: We cant fight this, and the answer is we mustnt fight it.

Fighting is how its always been done before. They know how to stop fighters. But these old, white, straight, angry men? They dont know how to stop joy, humour, knitted pink hats and buggies. We are the force theyve never seen before. They have nothing in their box to counter this. This is our strength. And we have it in endless amounts. We are the 52%. And we can knit and joke the fuck out of the revolution. Caitlin Moran is an author and columnist

Stepping up: women on the march in Montevideo, Uruguay. Photograph: Raul Martinez/EPA

Susie Orbach: defeat the merchants of body hatred

In a time of threat, the places we might be able to call home, our bodies, are being ripped apart by commercial pressures. They bear down on labias (too messy), faces (too tired), lips (too small), eyes (too hooded), breasts (too small, droopy or large) For each of these crazy designations, there are surgeries sold as empowering, sold as safe, sold as solutions. But whats the problem and who is generating it? Control girls and womens bodies whether by the purveyors of beauty, the cultural enforcers of female genital cutting, the anti-choice gang in the White House and insecurity is induced. Give girls as young as three cosmetic surgery games that divert their dreaming and imaginative energy into pursuits that hurt what it means to be a girl, and you ensure big profits and big body preoccupations for a lifetime. Its time to dare to feel OK in our bodies as they age and change. Susie Orbach is a psychotherapist, analyst and writer

Paris Lees: real feminism excludes nobody

If your push for social justice excludes women of colour or disabled women, trans women, sex workers, Muslims, Jews, poor people you dont want equality, you want privilege. Promoting women of the same class and colour while ignoring and speaking over women less privileged than yourself isnt feminism. Its supremacism. I come from a mixed-race family. I like to think I know a little bit about racism. But Im not black. So I listen. I follow feminists from minority backgrounds on social media: Reni Eddo-Lodge, Nesrine Malik, Janet Mock, Phyll Opoku-Gyimah, Fatima Manji, Roxane Gay. Most women voted for Hillary in the US election, but a significant proportion white women without a college degree voted for Trump. In the end, their votes swung it. This is what can happen when women dont pull together. So lets pull together. Fascism is back. Women are leading the resistance, but if we really want decency to prevail, its time to revive another idea from the mists of time: solidarity. Paris Lees is a journalist and transgender rights activist

Getting the message: a wall of signs outside the White House in Washington. Photograph: John Minchillo/AP

Mariella Frostrup: include boys in the conversation

Ive been a feminist since my lungs first filled with air, but Im weary of war and eager for a coalition. In my small corner of the western world its hard to find a man who doesnt believe his daughter, his wife, his sister, his mother or his colleagues to be his equal, yet we continue to mark out our battle lines on a gendered basis. No social revolution in the history of mankind has succeeded without the participation of both sexes so its time to invite the guys aboard. Instead of car ads that accept a woman can control a vehicle (doh!) Im more hopeful for one that entices a man to try a vacuum cleaner. Our ability to participate in a mans world is beyond dispute, but the jurys still out on our success in enticing men into what was once our domain. The proportion of women doing the worlds unpaid work has barely changed. The only difference is that most women today are holding down two jobs. It is stress levels, not our incomes, that are rising. Expectations of both sexes have changed beyond measure and the conversation needs to stop being so one-sided, which is why weve set up Great Men, opening conversations with boys in secondary schools exploring masculinity and gender issues. If we want to eradicate misogyny, we need to make sure boys are given the support and emotional investment they need. Mariella Frostrup is a broadcaster, columnist and co-founder of the Great Initiative

Lisa Randall: end the fear women feel

An issue for women throughout the world that is implicitly played down by lack of adequate attention is fear. The topic is broad and the specifics are difficult to address through existing systems, but whether it is physical violence, online stalking, harassment, or unwanted encounters at work or in schools, women are prevented from living their best possible lives and from contributing in the most significant ways. Current systems address only very explicit danger. Even when the attacks are merely upsetting, the resultant loss of diverse voices online and elsewhere because of womens reluctance to be subject to insults or insinuations, is a loss to us all. Lisa Randall is professor of science at Harvard University

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