#vote like your friends’ lives depend on it | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

honeydixonn · 3 days ago

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Back to Friends, Myung Gi

four, x’s and o’s

6200 words

The mother and son stepped forward, trembling. The dim fluorescent lights cast long shadows over the cold concrete floor. Her knees hit the hard surface with a hollow thud, her body quivering as she clasped her son close, shielding him with what little she could muster.

"Sir! Please, don't kill us! I beg you!" Her voice cracked, desperation twisting every syllable. She clutched at the boy's threadbare clothes, pulling him down alongside her as tears streamed down her dirt-streaked face. "For my son's debt, I'll do anything! Please, forgive us!" Her head bowed repeatedly, almost striking the floor, her sobs echoing through the vast, sterile space.

The son, too stunned to resist, clung to her arm, his face pale and drenched with tears. She shook his hand, anchoring him to the floor as though their lives depended on the gesture alone.

"Don't just stand there!" she pleaded, her voice rising with panic. "Beg for his forgiveness!"

Around them, others began breaking, their fear spilling over into action. More bodies threw themselves to the floor, knees scraping against the unforgiving surface as pleas rose like a chorus, raw and unfiltered.

Nari stayed frozen, watching from the upper bunk, her chest heaving in quiet, controlled breaths. Her body wanted to move, to join the desperate mass, but her legs locked stiffly beneath her. Fear held her still, her mind racing.

From the shadows, the masked man's voice pierced through the chaos like the sharp edge of a blade. "There seems to be a misunderstanding." His tone was calm, measured, but devoid of any warmth.

The people groveling on the floor hesitated for a moment, their cries faltering as they glanced up.

"We are not here to harm you," he continued, his gloved hands clasped behind his back.

A bitter laugh rose in Nari's throat, but she swallowed it, her gaze narrowing as her fingers gripped the edge of the bunk. If she weren't so afraid of dying, she might have shouted at the absurdity of his claim.

"We are presenting you with an opportunity." His words echoed eerily in the sterile room, his calm demeanor contrasting with the raw panic in the players' faces.

An opportunity? Nari's stomach churned. This wasn't an opportunity. It was a sadistic spectacle, a game designed to turn them into pawns for someone else's twisted entertainment.

Then, a voice broke through the tension—a voice filled with conviction.

"Clause three of the consent form!"

The players turned, heads swiveling toward the man who had spoken. Player 456 stepped forward, his face taut with fury. "The games may be terminated upon majority vote, correct?" His question was sharp, cutting through the room like a knife.

The square-masked figure paused, the silence stretching as he responded. "That is correct."

The room stirred with murmurs, hope flickering faintly in the eyes of those who'd been begging moments before.

"Then let us take a vote right now," 456 demanded, his voice unwavering as he stared down the masked man.

The square mask tilted slightly, as if weighing the request. "Of course," he finally replied. "We respect your right to freedom of choice. But first, let me announce the prize amount that has been accumulated."

The masked man raised a remote, pressing a button. The lights dimmed as a mechanical hum filled the air. The ceiling opened, revealing a massive golden piggy bank that descended slowly, glowing under spotlights.

Gasps rippled through the crowd as a series of metallic clinks echoed above. Stacks of bills slid down a transparent tube, funneling into the piggy bank. The players, who had been pleading for their lives moments earlier, now stared in mesmerized silence, the allure of money drowning out their fear.

Nari's breath hitched as she found herself standing with the others, drawn toward the light reflecting off the pile of cash. The sight was hypnotic, the promises it held almost tangible.

"The number of players eliminated in the first game is 91," the masked man announced. "Therefore, a total of 9.1 billion won has been accumulated. If you quit the games now, the 365 of you can equally divide the 9.1 billion won and leave with your share."

A murmur spread through the crowd, confusion and greed mingling in their expressions.

"How much is that?" someone asked, the question pulling everyone from their trance.

The masked man didn't hesitate. "Each person's share would be 24,931,500 won."

The response landed like a punch to the gut. Anger replaced hope on many faces.

"Fuck!" Nam-gyu spat, his voice dripping with frustration. "We almost died, and they're giving us 24 million?"

"Twenty million?" Thanos echoed, his outrage evident. "You said 45.6 billion!"

The masked man remained calm, his voice unwavering. "The rule is that 100 million won will be accumulated for each eliminated player. If you choose to play the next game and more players get eliminated, the prize amount will increase accordingly."

Nari's hands trembled as she clutched the hem of her shirt. The money was so close, yet so far. It whispered promises of a new life, of debts erased and burdens lifted. But at what cost?

Her stomach churned as the masked man continued, his words cold and calculated.

"If you survive all six games, the total prize pool of 45.6 billion won will be yours to divide among the survivors. Or, if you're the last one standing, you'll claim the full amount."

The room was silent for a moment, the weight of his words settling over them like a shroud.

"All right, let's vote," the masked man said, snapping them back to the present.

The circle-masked men slide away the floor panels, revealing glowing X and O symbols embedded in the ground. One for life, the other for freedom.

Nari's heart pounded in her chest as she stared at the glowing symbols, the light reflecting in her wide, fearful eyes. The choice seemed simple, yet impossibly heavy. The stakes were higher than ever, and the next decision would define everything.

Sticking a red and blue line down the center to separate the sides, a table was placed at the front with two buttons. "If you wish to continue the games, press the O button. If you wish to end them, press the X button. The vote will be held in reverse order of your player numbers."

"Player 456." The players murmured among themselves as he stepped out from the crowd and approached the center column.

"It's all pointless," a woman called out from the top of the bunk beds, her voice grating on Nari's nerves. "You didn't choose to come into this world, and you can't choose when to leave it either. The gods decided your fate the moment you were born."

Player 456 ignored her rambling, walking past her and stepping up to vote as her voice dissolved into the background. He pressed the X button with a firm hand, the sound of confirmation echoing through the room as the screen updated: one vote for X, none for O.

"Once you finish voting, take the patch you are given and place it on the right side of your chest," the mechanical voice instructed.

A drawer opened, revealing a thick velcro patch, red with a white X emblazoned on it. The head figure motioned toward it, and 456 pulled the patch out, affixing it to his chest with quiet determination.

"Stand on the side you have chosen," the voice continued.

He stepped to the red side, his gaze hard and steady on the screen above.

"Player 454."

A woman bolted forward, her urgency palpable as if she were on a mission. Without hesitation, she tapped the blue O button, barely taking a moment to deliberate.

Nari felt conflicted, her heart twisting as she watched. The gravity of the choice weighed on her—there was no undoing a decision once it was made.

456 cast a glance at the woman, his expression darkening with disgust as she confidently walked to the blue side of the room.

"Player 388."

Nari's thoughts snapped back to reality as the familiar number was called. She watched him step forward, his steps hesitant, before finally pressing the blue button. Even he wanted to stay? Was blue the right choice?

"Player 333."

Myung-Gi walked slowly to the buttons, his gaze lingering on the red button for a moment before being irresistibly drawn to the blue. They both needed the money—why wouldn't he choose to stay?

With uncertainty written all over his face, Myung-Gi pressed the blue button. The patch was handed to him, and he reluctantly placed the blue marker on his chest. His hands trembled slightly as he stepped to the blue side, his mind clearly wracked with doubt. Had he made the right decision? Was Nari going to make the same choice?

Nari's brows knitted as she eyed the numbers on the screen. The tally for "yes" was climbing. He wanted to stay—should she follow his lead?

More players moved forward to vote, each one shifting the balance of the decision. The screen's count flickered with each choice, the outcome swinging toward staying.

Then, player 456 stood up, cutting through the tension and halting the votes.

"Wait a minute, everyone! You can't do this," he shouted, turning to face the remaining players who hadn't yet voted. His voice was desperate, his eyes pleading.

Nari froze as his gaze swept over her, sincere and broken.

"Come to your senses! Don't you see? These aren't just games. We will all die if we keep playing!"

Her breath caught in her chest. She had trusted him this far. He had known about the first game, and he had done what he could to protect them. If he was saying they needed to leave, maybe he was right.

"We have to get out of here now," he continued, his voice rising with urgency. "With a majority vote, we can! We must stop here!"

An older man, player 100, stood up, his voice sharp as he barked back. "Who do you think you are? Why do you keep egging people on like that?"

The old man stalked toward 456, his expression twisting into disdain as he looked him up and down. Now standing face-to-face in front of the other players, the tension between them was palpable.

"This is our only chance to change our lives," player 100 snapped. "What gives you the right to decide for the rest of us?"

"You scared us by saying they'd shoot us before the games even began!" Player 254 shouted, her voice ringing out as she stepped forward from the circle side. "You were going on about how we'd die, and I almost did because I got so nervous!"

"How did you know they were going to shoot us?" Player 226 pointed an accusatory finger at 456, his face twisted with suspicion. He moved to the center of the room, his voice rising above the murmurs. "Are you one of them?"

He stepped next to player 100, who glared at 456 with seething hatred, feeding the tension in the room.

"Are you conning us all by pretending to be a player? Who is this guy?" Player 100 snapped, his tone venomous as he turned toward the men in pink. His scowl deepened as he marched past 456, his eyes burning with anger. "Did you plant him to mess with our heads?"

Nari watched helplessly, her heart pounding as the confrontation unfolded. Each word being hurled back and forth only made her decision loom larger, its weight crushing her.

The room was a chaos of clashing sides—some pleading for the games to continue, others begging for their lives to be spared. Nari felt paralyzed, her mind spinning. She couldn't focus on anything except the glowing numbers on the screen, their movement blurring in her vision.

"I have played these games before!"

The roar cut through the pandemonium, silencing every voice in the room. Nari blinked, her breath catching in her throat. Had she heard him correctly?

"I have done this before!" 456's voice was raw with emotion as his hands clenched at his sides, his frustration palpable.

The players froze, their focus now locked on him.

"I knew about the first game because I've played it before!" he continued, his voice trembling but resolute. "I played these games here three years ago. And everyone who was with me..."

He paused, his lips quivering as the memories crashed over him like a storm. His gaze dropped, the flashes of the past playing vividly in his mind.

"Died here."

The room stood in stunned silence, the weight of his words hanging heavy in the air.

Player 226 still refused to believe him, his agitation growing with each word. "If they all died, how did you survive alone? Wait... are you saying you were the sole winner?"

Nari watched as 456 gulped, his silence confirming the accusation. A wave of horror ran through her as his answer sank in.

"Only one...?" she whispered, her voice barely audible. Her eyes darted to Myung-Gi, standing on the blue side of the room. Despite everything, she still cared for him. Yet, it dawned on her that he hadn't bothered to look for her—not in this game, not when it mattered most.

People were dying around them, and he still acted as though she didn't exist. Did he care about her at all? Did he even know she was here? But he had to know—just as she had known about him.

Her breath quickened, anxiety tightening her chest. A single question burned in her mind: Was she doing all this just to go home to a life where nothing had changed?

Before she could process the thought, a roar erupted from the crowd. Cheers and cries of triumph filled the room as the majority made their decision—they wanted the games to continue.

As the celebration grew louder, 456 moved toward the remaining players who hadn't yet voted, desperation etched into his face. He begged, pleaded with them to choose to leave, his voice cracking under the weight of his words.

Nari's gaze softened as she watched him, his eyes darting from face to face until they locked with hers. His voice broke through the noise, calm yet piercing.

"If we keep playing, more people will die," he said, his tone urgent. "That could be you."

He opened his mouth to say more, but the cold, unmistakable click of a gun interrupted him. A guard with a triangle mask stepped forward, pressing the barrel roughly against 456's back.

"From here on, we will not tolerate actions that disrupt the voting process," the guard declared, his voice sharp and mechanical. "Now, let's resume the vote. Player 228."

Nari's throat tightened as tears began to well in her eyes. It felt as though the warning wasn't just meant for everyone—it was meant for her.

A warning of her fate if they kept playing. What could she do?

The gun stayed fixed on 456 as the guard shoved him aside.

"Player 114."

Nari froze for a moment as her number was called. The line of players had thinned, leaving little room to hide. Myung-Gi, standing on the blue side, could see her clearly now as she emerged from the shadows of the bunk area.

Her eyes were bloodshot, her face dotted with dried blood, yet to him, she was still the most captivating woman he'd ever seen. His gaze followed her as she walked forward, head lowered, her steps hesitant. Unconsciously, his feet moved closer to the edge of the line, desperate to see her better.

"Nari..."

Her head tilted slightly at the sound of his voice. Her sniffles broke the silence as she glanced up, catching him staring at her in shock.

She looked at him differently now—wounded, guarded. Gone was the warmth she once held for him. He missed that look, the way her eyes used to light up for him before he ruined everything.

"Nari, I..." His voice faltered, the words stuck in his throat.

His mouth hung open, as if trying to summon the courage to explain everything, but no words came. He watched helplessly as tears threatened to spill from her eyes. She took a step forward, her anguish written across her face, until the masked leader's voice rang out.

"Please continue the vote. If you wish to stay, press the O button. If you wish to leave, press the X button."

Her head snapped back toward the stand, her body stiffening. Her gaze flickered between the voting station and Myung-Gi—the man who had once been her closest friend.

Taking a deep breath, Nari turned away from him, refusing to meet his eyes again. Her tears didn't fall as she swallowed her emotions, her face hardening.

She remembered.

She remembered the night he left her sitting alone in that crowded restaurant. How she'd worn her best dress, her heart swelling with anticipation, only for each passing minute to chip away at her excitement.

She remembered the ticking clock, every second amplifying her heartbreak, until her sorrow was buried beneath a carefully crafted facade.

And she remembered how he never reached out—never called, never explained, never told her the truth. She had waited for something, anything, to prove he cared. But all she had been left with was silence.

As Nari approached the voting station, she pressed her lips together, bracing herself for the choice she had to make.

She cared for him—she truly did—but the hurt he caused wasn't something she could forget so easily, even if she had forgiven him in her heart months ago.

Nari stepped up to the podium, her hand hovering uncertainly between the two buttons. Her fingers trembled as her gaze flicked to the top of the screen. The votes were razor-thin, separated by only four points.

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, steadying herself before pressing down on the button. A light ding echoed through the room, cutting through the tension like a knife. A quiet groan rippled through one side of the room.

"Ha Nari," Myung-Gi whispered, his voice tinged with disbelief. His eyes widened as she turned to face the group, a blue patch now displayed on her chest.

Her gaze didn't rise to meet his. She stared at the ground, her steps slow and deliberate as she made her way to the circle side, distancing herself from the others.

Myung-Gi swallowed hard, his throat dry, his feet shifting restlessly. He couldn't lose her again—not like this. They needed to talk.

As Player 007 stepped up and voted to leave, the tally shifted, tying the vote at 181 each. The tension in the room grew suffocating, the weight of the decision crushing everyone present.

Player 006 approached next, quickly pressing the X button and giving the red side a narrow lead. Nari groaned quietly, her stomach twisting in knots. She hoped all of this wouldn't be for nothing.

When Player 004 cast their vote to stay, a wave of cheers erupted from the blue side. Excitement surged through the group, but Nari remained still, her arms crossed tightly over her chest.

She wanted to go home—desperately. But deep down, she couldn't shake the truth that lingered in her mind. The life she'd left behind was no life at all. It wasn't worth returning to. It wasn't living.

That was the only reason she chose to stay.

"Lastly, Player 001."

The room fell silent as the final player stepped forward. The votes were tied at 182, and both sides erupted into cheers, pleading for their cause, hoping he would choose their letter.

Nari's eyes followed him as he made his way to the podium. He was a mature, distinguished-looking man, his hand hovering between the two buttons. The seconds stretched, each one dragging out painfully as everyone held their breath.

Finally, a light beep sounded. The circles had won by a single vote.

The O side exploded into cheers, some players jumping and shouting in celebration, oblivious to the grim reality of what they had secured—a death sentence for most.

Nari's chest tightened. Regret clawed at her, though not completely. Everyone here had their own selfish reasons for choosing to stay. She had hers too.

Across the room, Myung-Gi threw his head back, his face etched with regret. He silently cursed his decision, wishing he'd voted to leave. Staying here felt like willingly walking into a death trap. How could any of them know if they'd be next?

Nari avoided his searching eyes, retreating into the shadows by the corner of the room. She could see his number, 333, flashing between the gaps in the bunk beds as he wandered through the crowd. His head eventually fell in defeat, realizing he wouldn't find her.

The sound of metal screeching cut through the air as a large door opened. The masked circles pushed in carts loaded with water bottles and lunch boxes, arranging them into four neat lines.

"Please gather in line to receive your meal," the square-masked overseer instructed, his voice echoing from the platform above. He stood rigid, watching the players shuffle into lines like restless cattle.

Myung-Gi spotted her at the far end of the room. The number "114" stretched across the back of her jacket, a familiar figure he couldn't mistake. He hurried toward her, tapping her shoulder as he slid into the line behind her.

"Nari, please," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Can we talk?"

A sigh escaped her lips as she turned to face him, her expression weary. His pleading face, his slightly quivering lip—it was a sight she once found endearing.

"Myung-Gi," she said, her voice carrying both exhaustion and restraint.

His heart ached at the sound of her voice. He hadn't heard it in months, and now that he did, it hit him harder than he expected. But she looked so tired—tired of him, tired of everything. It was the most broken he'd ever seen her.

"Would you even answer what I ask?" Nari's voice was soft but firm, her eyes dim as she turned fully toward him. He stood in front of her, his broad frame blocking the light. Myung-Gi bit his lip, hesitating for a moment before tentatively reaching for her hand.

"I will," he said, his voice low and earnest. "I promise. We can talk while we eat, okay?"

Nari nodded slowly, her movements cautious as the line shuffled forward. When the masked man handed her a lunchbox, she offered him a quiet "thank you," her voice barely above a whisper. Myung-Gi gave the guard a tight smile before following her to the bed she'd chosen—a bottom bunk tucked in the corner.

"Don't get crumbs on my sheets again," she said, attempting a small joke to lighten the mood. But her voice wavered, and her eyes betrayed the weight of her emotions.

A faint chuckle escaped Myung-Gi's lips as he settled beside her on the bed. "I'll try my best," he replied lightly before his tone softened. "So, what did you want to ask, Jagi?"

Her heart stuttered at the nickname. It had been so long since she'd heard it, and now it felt foreign, almost unreal.

"I—why?" she began, her hands trembling slightly as she set the unopened box aside. Just the thought of the conversation made her lose her appetite.

"Why?" he echoed, his brows furrowing in confusion as he twisted open his water bottle. He poured a little onto the edge of his shirt and began dabbing gently at her face, trying to clean the dried blood smudged across her skin.

"Why did you leave me?" Her voice cracked as she forced the words out. "Why didn't you tell me goodbye? Why didn't you give me a simple explanation? Why was it just... nothing?"

Myung-Gi froze, his hand pausing mid-motion as he blinked rapidly, struggling to find the right words. He glanced away briefly, his gaze darting toward the ground before returning to hers.

"It all happened so fast," he finally said, his voice trembling slightly. "People were hacking my phone, following me in the streets, Nari. I had to change my number, disappear... I thought if I stayed, it would only put you in danger. I just wanted to protect you."

Nari's eyes searched his face, her sharp gaze trained on him, watching for the telltale signs of deceit she had learned to read so well. His lips twitched slightly, but his brown eyes held steady, locked on hers, desperate and pleading.

"None of that protected me," she said, her voice quieter now but filled with an edge of bitterness. She took a shaky breath before continuing, "And I know you didn't know... but three of the people who fell apart because of Dalmatian found me."

Myung-Gi's hand stilled against her cheek, his expression crumbling into one of shock and guilt. He stared at her, his lips parting as though to speak, but no words came.

His eyes widened in shock, his grip on her hand tightening instinctively. "What happened, Nari?" he asked urgently, his voice trembling with concern. His pupils dilated, betraying the worst fears swirling in his mind.

She hesitated, her throat tightening as the memories came rushing back. "A few weeks after you left," she began, her voice shaking, "I was walking home from work, and they stopped me at the bus stop. One of them grabbed me... started shouting about how I owed them money."

Myung-Gi winced, his shoulders slumping under the weight of her words. The image of her in danger burned in his mind, and guilt consumed him. This was all his fault. If only he'd stayed and faced his mistakes, she wouldn't have been dragged into his mess.

"They said... if you couldn't get them the money, then I'd have to," she continued, her voice breaking slightly. "So I had to pay them my entire paycheck every week—for the last five months."

Tears pooled in her eyes as she spoke, her voice thick with emotion. "I couldn't afford my rent anymore. I had to sell my house. My phone bill, my bus pass—they all sent my bank account two million won into the negative." She swallowed hard, her gaze falling to her lap. "I've just been bouncing from house to house, staying with coworkers or relatives who'd take me in. It's been... it's been hard."

Knots twisted in Myung-Gi's gut, each word cutting deeper into him. Regret and self-loathing filled his chest, suffocating him. He couldn't even look at her anymore; his shame was too heavy to bear.

"I know it won't be enough," he said softly, his voice trembling as he reached for her other hand. He held both of her hands gently in his, lifting them to his lips and peppering them with light kisses. His head bowed low, as though the gesture might somehow convey the depth of his remorse. "But I have to say it. I'm sorry, Jagi. I am so, so sorry."

Nari's eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she looked at him, her expression torn between pain and lingering affection. "Gi," she said quietly, "I forgave you a long time ago. But... I'm still hurt." She pulled one hand away to wipe at her eyes, trying to steady herself.

"You left without a word," she continued, her tone firm but tinged with sadness. "No explanation, no goodbye. You just... ghosted me. I had to find out what happened from the news."

Myung-Gi flinched at her words, the guilt visibly crushing him. He opened his mouth to respond, but no words came out. Nari hated the way her words seemed to pierce his soul, but he needed to hear it. He needed to understand.

The pain he had unknowingly inflicted on her didn't deserve to be dismissed so easily. Myung-Gi's voice trembled as he finally spoke, "I don't know what to say. Now you're here in this game, and... I don't know what I would do if something happened to you."

Nari tilted her head, studying him, her own anxiety rising at his words. "It's okay. We can protect each other. We're still friends, you know?"

Friends. The word hit him like a blow to the chest. Myung-Gi forced himself to smile, but inside, the title churned his stomach. Friends? That wasn't what he wanted. It never had been.

His feelings for her had grown quietly but steadily since the day they first met on the college bus. He never dared to act on them, always afraid of pushing too far and ruining what they had. So, he followed her pace, matching her steps and burying his deeper emotions.

Until that night—just days before her birthday dinner. It had changed everything for him. He thought it had changed things for her, too. How could they go back to being just friends after sharing something so intimate? But she seemed to want to, so he had no choice but to suppress it.

"Yeah... friends," he finally replied, forcing the words out. His lips pressed into a thin line as he busied himself with opening his lunch box.

The display of food inside gave him a convenient distraction. Nari quietly went to take a bite of rice when, suddenly, another egg was placed in her container.

"You love eggs," Myung-Gi said gently, a small smile breaking through his inner turmoil.

Her cheeks flushed pink as she glanced at him. "Thank you," she murmured, bowing her head slightly before taking a delicate bite of the egg.

For a moment, things felt almost normal. Almost.

"Enjoying your food?" A sarcastic voice cut through their fragile peace.

Nari froze mid-bite as Nam-gyu appeared, glaring at them with undisguised irritation. Myung-Gi's body tensed immediately, his posture stiffening at the unwelcome presence.

"I couldn't eat," Nam-gyu continued, his tone dripping with venom. "After seeing everyone get shot dead, you two still have a damn appetite?"

He slammed his spoon into his tray with a loud clatter, his agitation radiating off him. His glare fixated on Myung-Gi, as if daring him to respond.

"That crypto ruined my life too. That's why I'm here—to make money," Thanos announced, suddenly appearing in front of them. His presence felt like an intrusion, his sly wink at Nari quickly replaced by a scowl aimed at Myung-Gi. "That's right. You'd better make a lot of money. Because of that damn coin, I lost over 500 million won—the money I earned busting my ass rapping."

Nari's eyes widened in shock. 500 million? Her whisper barely escaped her lips, but Thanos caught it and smirked. "Yes, beautiful. 500 million. You'll help pay it, won't you?"

Myung-Gi's jaw tightened, his fist gripping the edge of his lunch container, jealousy and anger simmering beneath the surface. "I'll pay it. Now leave. Let us eat." His glare locked onto Thanos, just as Nam-gyu snatched the tray of food from Myung-Gi's bed.

"You little shit, eating like a damn pig," Nam-gyu sneered, waving the stolen tray mockingly.

Nari immediately intervened, leaning forward. "Give it back," she demanded, her tone firm despite her nerves.

Nam-gyu merely laughed, shaking his head. "No."

Thanos grabbed the tray next, scooping a spoonful of rice and toying with it. "You want it, señorita?" he teased, holding the rice inches from her lips. "Take a bite, baby."

Before she could respond, Myung-Gi slapped the spoon from Thanos's hand with enough force to send rice scattering to the floor. His voice was sharp, low with barely contained rage. "Leave her alone."

Thanos's smirk twisted into a sneer. Grabbing a handful of rice from the tray, he squeezed it into a sticky ball. "How about you?" he said mockingly, shoving the rice into Myung-Gi's face with a cruel laugh. Myung-Gi stumbled back, wiping the mess from his face, while Nari gasped.

"What's wrong with you?!" she yelled, her voice trembling between anger and disbelief.

Thanos laughed darkly, leaning closer to Nari and patting her cheek like she was a child. "Nothing, baby."

That was the last straw. Myung-Gi lunged at him, tackling Thanos to the ground in one swift motion. "Don't touch her!" he roared, his fist poised to strike.

Before Myung-Gi could land the punch, Nam-gyu yanked him off Thanos, twisting him around and landing a solid blow to Myung-Gi's face. Myung-Gi staggered, only to receive a swift kick to his side that sent him sprawling to the floor.

"Stop! Get off!" Nari shouted, rushing toward the chaos. Before she could intervene, Nam-gyu grabbed her arm, holding her back. "Let me go!" she yelled, stomping on his foot with enough force to make him yelp. Freed, she ran forward just as Thanos continued kicking Myung-Gi, who had curled into himself, shielding his face with trembling hands.

Without hesitation, Nari grabbed Thanos by the collar and yanked him away. Her fist swung instinctively, knuckles connecting with his chin in a sharp crack. "What the fuck?" Thanos growled, stumbling back in shock.

Before he could retaliate, a calm yet commanding voice cut through the chaos. "Enough!"

Player 001 stepped into the scene, his authoritative presence halting everyone in their tracks. His eyes scanned the group, sharp and disapproving. "Boys, what are you doing? No fights during meal time. There are elders present. Mind your manners—and leave the girl alone."

The distraction gave Nari just enough time to kneel beside Myung-Gi, pressing a cold water bottle to his swollen face. Her hands trembled as she whispered, "Are you okay?"

Meanwhile, Thanos scoffed, stepping up to Player 001 with defiance. "You're lecturing me? You're in this shithole too, old man. Stop running your mouth and take care of your own damn kids." His mocking hand waved dismissively in 001's face, daring him.

001's expression darkened, his calm demeanor replaced by a chilling intensity. "What did you just say?" he asked, his voice low and menacing.

Thanos repeated himself smugly, but before he could finish, 001's hand shot out, gripping his neck in a vice-like hold. Nam-gyu rushed to help, only to be stopped mid-charge with a swift kick to his shin that sent him crashing to the floor near Nari and Myung-Gi.

"Son of a bitch!" Nam-gyu hissed, clutching his leg.

001 didn't even glance his way as he shoved Thanos back, glaring at him with black, unwavering eyes. When Thanos tried to swing at him, 001 ducked smoothly, delivering two precise blows to Thanos's abdomen and solar plexus.

"Wait—" Thanos gasped, staggering forward and clutching at 001 for balance. But 001 grabbed his arm and twisted it sharply behind his back. The sickening crunch of bone echoed through the room, followed by Thanos's pained scream.

With two brutal kicks to Thanos's chest, 001 sent him sprawling to the ground, wheezing in agony. He bent down, his hand locking tightly around Thanos's throat as his fist hovered menacingly in the air.

"I'm sorry," Thanos choked out, his voice strained as he struggled against the hand constricting his windpipe.

"Apologize to the girl and her friend," 001 commanded, his grip tightening slightly, sending Thanos into a panic.

Thanos's purple-haired head turned just enough to catch sight of Nari and Myung-Gi on the floor. Myung-Gi's head rested in her lap as she gently dabbed at his wounds, her expression tense but calm.

"Now," 001 pressed, his voice sharper, his fist still raised and his eyes burning with warning.

"I'm sorry," Thanos gasped, his voice barely audible. He winced, struggling to get the words out as his remaining air slipped away.

001's eyes remained locked on him, his grip unyielding. "Say it like you mean it."

"Please..." Thanos croaked, his voice desperate.

Finally, 001 released him, shoving him backward with a force that sent him sprawling onto the ground. Thanos gasped for air, clutching his throat as he crawled away. The room erupted into scattered applause and cheers, a mix of relief and awe.

001 took a slow step back, his expression calm yet unyielding, before turning his attention to Nari and Myung-Gi. He walked over to them, his presence commanding the room into silence once more.

"Are you two alright?" he asked, his voice softer now, though the darkness in his eyes hadn't faded.

Myung-Gi pushed himself upright with some effort, his hand instinctively reaching to touch the tender spot on his cheek. He glanced up at 001, gratitude shining in his swollen eyes. "Yes, thank you."

001 offered a hand to help him to his feet, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "I'm Young Il," he said simply, his voice steady and composed. "And you?"

#lee myung gi #myung gi #im siwan #myung gi x reader #player 333 #squid game #squid game 2 #squid game fanfic #squid game wattpad #yim siwan

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orlandrake · 4 months ago

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Seriously though Donald Trump wants to ethnically cleanse America. It will be violent, there will be camps, more people are going die if this man wins. Vote. Vote. Vote!!! FUCKING VOTE!!!

#vote like your life depends on it #vote like your friends’ lives depend on it #vote like your mutuals’ lives depend on it #because they do #vote

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irnhero · 7 months ago

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if i see one more article, post, or news anchor talking about how joe biden is old, i'm putting my fist through a window. i feel like i've gone through the fucking looking glass.

this is project 2025, trump's plan for what he'll do if elected. whatever you think is in there, it's worse. watch a breakdown of the highlights here. this man wants to unravel the fabric of our democracy for good - this all aside from his vitriolic hatred of poc, his determination to start ww3, and the fact that he can't string a sentence together without telling outrageous and easily verifiable lies. his administration will start their crusade to exterminate trans people on day one, and they won't stop there.

do not talk to me about how joe biden is old, as if that could ever matter to me more than my life or the lives of my friends and family. my little sister is 14, she's trans, and i don't know what to tell her when we talk about politics, because one of these people wants her dead and the other one is old and some of you are still acting like those problems are equals.

i can't fucking stand this. i'm not hearing it this time, we are not repeating 2016. refusing to vote is not an act of protest, it is an act of complacency, and our most vulnerable will suffer for your negligence. vote like your life depends on it, because for some of us, it really fucking does.

#im losing my shit here people #usamericans if you can vote and youre choosing not to fucking block me im not joking #us politics #2024 presidential election #presidential debate

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girlatmirror · 2 months ago

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bend my rules | jjk

in which jeongguk jeon, the frattiest of all frat boys, has been trying to get you to go out with him since freshman year, no success. what if the events that occur in junior year change your opinion on jeongguk and you actually give him a chance?

rich! jeongguk x reader

warnings: detailed virginity loss (minors, go away!), use of yn, jk is a little dumb sometimes but he’s a sweetheart, jk is a frat boy, minor mention of SA (nothing too triggering (i hope)), i love yn, taehyung mention 🫶🏼, yn is thick asfff (#needthat), desperate jk, use of both jeongguk and jungkook (i’m an indecisive bitch sorry), he gets the girl!

another scenario with this couple ‘couple’s getaway’ !

——-

Jeongguk needs no introduction. There was not a single soul at Berkeley University that didn’t know of him. Even the freshmen got introduced to who he was on their first day. With a powerful presence, daddy’s money, and unfortunately for you, a gorgeous, gorgeous face and muscles for days, Jeongguk takes the entire world by storm. He had that something about him that makes every guy want to befriend him and makes every girl want to be with him.

He was a business administration major, now in his senior year; his goal? To take over his father’s many businesses when he graduates. He could have done that without college, but his family put a lot of importance on education.

He was simultaneously in a frat and also lived alone in a penthouse off campus. You always wondered how he was allowed to be in the frat if he wasn’t living in the fraternity itself. But he’s the king of Kappa Sigma; they couldn’t vote him out. You met Jungkook at a party thrown by a friend’s friend, who is also friends with Jungkook, during the second semester of freshman year. He approached you with charming confidence, asking for your number. You declined politely, and he has not left you alone since—following you around, asking you out, giving you gifts, inviting you to parties that you never ended up attending, asking your friends about you, pretending to share your interests to get closer to you, and so on and so forth.

The one thing that was good about freshman and sophomore year was that you had no classes with Jungkook. So the last two years, you had Jungkook-less classes, except for the ones he decided to barge into uninvited and declare his love for you. Junior year came, and with it, Jungkook decided to sign himself up for the 18th-century literature class with Professor Sullivan.

Your major was English literature.

Professor Sullivan’s class was one of your favorites—the debates, the topics, the atmosphere. Also, the fact that Professor Sullivan liked you a lot. The topic of this lesson was: the role of women in literature in the 18th century.

"Women in the 18th century played very crucial roles as empowered figures; that is a fact. Authors like Mary Wollstonecraft, for example; she challenged societal expectations and wrote incredibly critical narratives that advocated for women’s rights,” you argued with a steady voice.

From across from you, you heard a voice you dreaded. "Yn, no one can argue with you about the existence of women authors at the time, but were they really all that empowering? I mean, they pretty much all were dependent on men. For example, ‘Oroonoko,’ written by a woman, yet it represents a male hero, while the female perspective is secondary.”

“Well, Ben, if you had taken my argument or really, any historical context into consideration, you would understand that, male hero aside, a woman producing literature of any kind in that era meant that she was asserting herself in a male-dominant, or rather, in a female-submissive world, and that in itself is resistance. It embodies power. I rest my case."

Ben was about to open his mouth to argue back when the door to the lecture hall interrupted him.

"Mr. Jeon, you are half an hour late," Professor Sullivan spoke to the interrupter.

In that moment, Ben became the least of your worries, sexism and all. You felt as if your life was upside down and you couldn’t get it up. What the hell was he doing in this class? This isn’t even his thing; he will fail! He will fail miserably!

"I sincerely apologize, Professor. It won’t happen again," the deep voice apologized before stepping forward and finding a seat.

As his piercing brown eyes found yours, the usual smirk found its place on his lips, and them and their owner made their way directly towards you. He sat down with the same expression on his face. "Hey, gorgeous. Miss me over the summer?"

He put his muscular arm around your shoulder and kept his head tilted to the side to stare at you, admiring the beauty before him from head to toe. You were wearing flared jeans and a tight pink long-sleeve shirt that accentuated your generous breasts. "Cute outfit, baby. Pink is your color; I’ll make sure to buy you lingerie in that same shade."

Before you could answer, Mr. Sullivan stated: "Mr. Jeon, we were just discussing the woman’s role in 18th-century literature. I am sure Ms. Ln will fill you in on what you have missed so far, but I wish for you to pay attention to the rest of the lecture. I know Ms. Ln is much prettier than I am; nonetheless, I hope you can find it in yourself to pay more attention to me and less to her."

The whole hall broke out in laughter, amused at the professor’s wit. Jungkook just continued smirking at you, seemingly also amused at the professor, and you sat in silence for the rest of the lecture, blushing.

The lecture ended quickly after, all the students making their way out, and you would’ve done so as well, but you needed to have a little talk with the man sitting beside you first.

"What are you doing here?" you nearly hissed at Jungkook, who was still sitting, your arms crossed around your chest.

"What do you mean, baby?" he provoked. "You don’t want me here or something?"

One thing that can be said about Jungkook was that he was a very persistent man. Even after your countless rejections, he somehow managed to come back stronger, bigger, and harder to fight off.

"You know I don’t want you here! What are you even doing here in the first place, Jungkook? What do you want?" Your hands were on your full hips as you questioned him.

He looked up at you with a shimmer of amusement and a raised eyebrow, his eyes tracing every curve. "You know, Yn, you look really good from this angle."

The thought of kicking him in the head came to you, but you fought it off. "Answer my question."

"I’m not gonna answer a question you already know the answer to. You know damn well why I’m here; I want you, and I wanna see you, and I want you to finally go out with me so we can live happily ever after and put me out of my misery," he proclaimed, with the spirit of Romeo possessing him.

"You just did, though," you noted with a smirk.

"Huh?"

"You just answered a question I already know the answer to." With that, you grabbed your bag and swayed away from the man, who was too distracted watching you walk away to comprehend that you were gone.

___

On a Friday night, you had a lot you could do: read a new book, talk to your mom, whom you hadn’t seen in two months on the phone, organize a sleepover with your friends and watch a movie, finish the five essays you haven’t finished yet, go off campus and try new food, and if you don’t like it, get the food you know and like and eat it.

But in Avery’s opinion, there was nothing better to do than to go to the Kappa Sigma party. You would usually not necessarily disagree; a party is sometimes exactly what you needed, but not this Friday and not at Kappa Sigma.

"Avery, did you forget the 100 times that I have told you he is now in my 18th-century lit class? I had to see him three times this week for almost an hour each lecture. Those are three hours where I had to see him, where I had to hear him speak," you dramatically articulated. "And if you count the times that I have seen him in the halls, and the one time I saw him in the library, and the one time he came into my poetry class and sat there, watching me for 20 minutes before Professor Sinclair told him to leave, and the one time he came here to give me flowers and ask me out, that makes like a hundred thousand hours that I had to see him this week. I do not wanna go to his party!"

Your roommates all looked at you like you just fell down from an alien spaceship. Nora was the first one to react. "Your math skills are really bad, Yn."

Avery rolled her eyes. "True, but that’s besides the point; Yn, why are you whining that the hottest and richest guy at this entire university wants you and has been wanting you for the last two years? That’s a flex, girl! Now, go put on a sexy ass outfit on that sexy ass bod and let’s. go. out."

"Woooo!" you heard Sasha yell from the kitchen, making you crack a smile amid your misery.

"Alright, but next Friday, I choose what we do," you claimed, with full intention of keeping that promise.

You and all four of your roommates arrived at the Kappa Sigma house with outfits that nobody else could compete with. You were wearing a tight, black off-shoulder shirt and a red mini skirt that emphasized your already emphasized thickness. Topped off with soft glam makeup and black heels, you felt like a real woman.

"Welcome, ladies," the deep voice that could only belong to Taehyung greeted you. "Sasha."

"Hi, Tae," Sasha purred, her hands quickly finding his neck, leaning into a passionate kiss.

These two had been a couple for a few months now, after a whole year of being on and off. Despite the stereotypes of frat boys, Taehyung knew how to treat his girl right.

You entered the house with one friend less; Sasha disappeared with Taehyung into the chaos that is the current state of this house. Your other roommates quickly disappeared as well, much to your dismay.

Now, your goal was to socialize, maybe drink a little something, but not too much because of the essays that you would have to write the next day. Your eyes scanned the house for a familiar face, and it landed on one.

One that was looking you up and down with hunger. He signaled you to come over where he was sitting with a bunch of girls and one other guy. You shook your head no, so he came over.

"Yn! I’m glad you came, baby." He hugged you, and you only half-hugged him back. "You look gorgeous, of course."

"Thanks, Jeongguk," you said politely.

You and he had a complex relationship; the first time he saw you, he showed romantic interest in you, showering you with affection and gifts. He never stopped. You always rejected him, no exceptions, even at times where you wanted nothing more than to say yes. Yet he was always kind to you, and you were kind to him (most of the time). Your mutual friends always brought you together; it was as if you couldn’t escape one another—to his pleasure and to your dismay.

"Lemme get you something to drink," he went into the kitchen and came back with a soda can. "Here, I know you usually don’t drink, so I got you a cola; hope that’s fine."

"It is, thank you," you smiled softly and started drinking the cola. "So, you’re interested in literature this year."

You only started a conversation because you knew he would not leave your side the entire night anyway, and you would prefer it if you picked the topic of conversation instead of him.

"Hell yeah, I love me some Samuel L. Jackson," he stated, making you laugh.

"You mean Samuel Johnson, you idiot," you said, giggling as you pushed his strong arm playfully.

He watched you giggle, gazing as if you hung the stars. "Yeah, yeah, same thing, same thing." With his boyish smile, he said, "Look, I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable by signing up for the same class as you. It was kinda out of pocket, even for my standards. I know the last person you wanna see is me, so if you want me to drop it, I will."

Your jaw metaphorically dropped at Jungkook’s words. Those are words that came out of Jungkook’s mouth? Does that mean that he will leave me alone completely if I wish? What does this mean?

A strange emotion settled deep inside you; you started wondering if you had done something wrong or if he perhaps found another girl he wanted to ask out even more than he wanted to ask you out.

"Jungkook, it is your right to choose whatever class you want to be in; I can’t be mad at you for that. Besides, you will learn a lot from Professor Sullivan; he’s great," you reassured him with a sweet voice.

"Yeah?" He grinned, recognizing that this was your way of saying you did not want him to leave.

"Oh yeah, he is a delightful old man. The stories he has to share are amazing. Did you even know he’s married to Professor Martinez? The reason why she hasn’t taken his last name is that he was against it, telling her, ‘Maria, if you take my name, that is erasure. Erasure of your life before my appearance, and erasure of your beautiful Mexican heritage, Maria. Do not change your name to mine; I am technically your oppressor.’ He told us that story maybe about 23 times, and he made sure to roll the r real hard," you found yourself joking with Jungkook, as your mind took you back to Avery’s earlier words.

It was not the first time that your friends said the same words to you; they always expressed their envy and their confusion about the situation with Jungkook. But you were thinking much deeper than them.

Much to everybody’s surprise, you never had a boyfriend, and you were also still a virgin. The most you did was a kiss you shared with a guy at your high school graduation, which you immediately regretted. You had high standards. For yourself, for your future, for your future husband, and for everyone you allowed to enter your life. It was not about not having options; God knows you had many. It was about knowing for sure that the man you give these things to—your trust, your dignity, your virginity, your love—would be the right one, the one that deserved it. The idea that Jungkook—the man who gave you his undivided attention for two years straight and spoiled you without being asked—was perhaps the man for you didn’t sound so unbelievable anymore.

When you were a freshman and before you met him, you heard stories about him—stories of the parties he threw, the money he had, the many girls he fucked. These stories made you cautious, even though he put in real effort to get closer to you, you were hard to impress, and it was even harder for you to get out of your shell of self-protection.

Jungkook howled with laughter at the things you told him about your professor; either he found them genuinely amusing, or he was just laughing because the stories came out of your mouth.

“So, what will you do?” he asked once the laughter died down a bit.

You tilted your head innocently. “What do you mean?”

He looked at you with such tenderness, your innocent eyes captivating him.

“When we get married, will you keep your name, or will you take mine?” he posed the question so casually, yet so longingly.

You shrugged your shoulders elegantly, taking a small sip from your forgotten cola. “I will probably take yours.”

The words you said that Friday night made Jeon Jungkook the happiest man on planet Earth, and probably all the other planets in the universe.

“So, you little minx sat down and talked to Jungkook basically the entire fucking party, and you didn’t even get up once? You didn’t even complain about it!” Avery was almost lost for words; key word, almost.

“What’s the big deal? We talked, so what?” you shrugged it off.

“Everybody’s talking about it, you know. They think you might finally give the guy a chance,” Nora chimed in. “I always knew you would eventually cave; I mean, with those arms and that black card, I would’ve folded a long time ago. There’s a rumor he has a seven-inch dick, by the way.”

Just as you were about to say something, Sasha entered the living room, having just finished talking to Taehyung on the phone. “What are you girlies talking about?”

Avery answered, “Oh, just about Yn and Jungkook getting married and having six kids.”

You threw a pillow at her head in response, and Sasha smirked at the mention of her boyfriend’s buddy. “Yeah, I heard what happened. Tae told me Jungkook went crazy after talking to you, saying that this will be the year that he will claim you as his and that there’s not a single person that can take away the happiness that he’s experiencing at the moment. He literally can’t stop talking about you.”

You suppressed your smile successfully and shrugged your shoulders again. “I don’t see why it’s a big deal. I mean, you all left me lonely at that party, and he was the first familiar face I saw, sooo… I had nothing better to do.”

“God, you’re such an odd person. The guy wants you so bad, just give him a chance. You think it’s not noticeable that you are also kinda into him, but if you weren’t, you would’ve blocked that guy a long time ago, and you would’ve gone crazy on his ass with all the things he does to get your attention, but you don’t,” Tanya argued with a sly smirk on her face. “You may be mysterious to other people, but you can’t fool your best friends, who have been living with you for two years.”

Avery and Nora both agreed with Tanya’s words by nodding their heads crazily, and Sasha said a loud ‘true’ from the kitchen across the living room, where she was preparing five hot chocolates for you.

“I do go crazy; I always go crazy; I always tell him off. You all have personally experienced me going off on him for things he did and said,” you defended yourself the best you could, before taking the hot chocolate out of Sasha’s hands with a small ‘thank you, S.’

“Yeah, but it’s not really a ‘fuck off, I don’t ever wanna see you or hear you again’ type of ‘going off’; it’s more like a ‘ugh, Jungkook, I can’t believe you did this again. Please do it again’ type of thing,” Avery mocked with a high-pitched voice and fluttering eyelashes.

“Oh my God, I do not do that.”

“You kinda do, now that I think about it,” Sasha finally sat down. “I mean, I have seen you pick fights with men flirting with you before, and you are a completely different person with them versus with Jungkook.”

The others thought about what Sasha said, and it was almost like a collective epiphany. They all looked at you with the same look on their faces; almost an accusatory expression.

“You totally like him; oh my God! Yn likes Jungkook. It makes so much sense; I can’t believe I was so stupid,” Nora expressed with exciting energy.

You felt a rush of relief coming over you, almost as if you were carrying a secret that you wanted out. You had no idea if that feeling was a good sign or a bad one.

“Okay, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, girls. I do not ‘totally like him’; I may be just starting—emphasis on just starting—to warm up to the idea of giving him a chance,” you revealed. “But Sasha, promise not to tell Taehyung about this, ‘cause if you do, Jungkook is gonna know by default, and I’m never gonna hear the end of it.”

“I won’t; I promise. This is just soooo exciting,” she spoke. “It’s just gonna be really hard to keep to myself, but I will try.”

“No, you won’t just try; you have to actually not say anything. You forget how indecisive I am; I could change my mind about this in an hour, so if you tell Taehyung, he will tell Jungkook, then Jungkook builds up hope and confronts me about what he heard, and I’ll just be like, ‘Oh, that was nothing; he’s just messing with you,’ and can you imagine how hurt his feelings would be? I really don’t need that on my conscience,” you explained thoroughly, your dramatics intact as they always were.

“Oh my God,” they all said in unison.

“What?”

“You care about his feelings!” Avery exclaimed, standing up dramatically. “You like him, like, like him. Admit it, admit it, please, please, please.”

“Shut up. I’m going to bed now. Buh-bye.” With that, you exited the living room, leaving your friends to talk about your situation for another hour before also going to bed.

“Remember when he got her a Cartier bracelet?”

___

“I will form six groups consisting of four students; each group discussing the topic I will be assigning them,” Professor Sullivan revealed.

“Ms. Ln, you will be grouped with Ms. Jones, Mr. Jeon, and Mr. Davis,” he spoke loudly. “You will be discussing Rousseau’s ‘The Confessions’ and prepare a presentation on identity and selfhood that is due next week, on Monday.”

You dreaded being in a group with Ben Davis, who had been nothing but a pain in your butt since you got to know him, but at least the assignment was the one that you wanted.

Jungkook, who sat next to you, smirked and nodded his head. “They couldn’t tear us apart if they tried, angel; this is meant to be.”

“Who are you even talking about? Who’s they?” Confused by his words, you asked.

“Just the world. You know how much these people hate real love,” he flashed you his trademark smile, making you push his arm playfully.

"Could you two stop flirting so we can start with the assignment?" the annoying voice of Ben whined, sitting across from you, with Lily Jones joining in the seat next to his.

“Alright, let’s dive in,” you started talking. “I personally think the most transfixing part of ‘The Confessions’ is how Rousseau emphasizes his intentions to be authentic. He exposes himself without shame or any sense of privacy, which for the time challenged societal norms completely.”

Lily nodded in agreement; Jungkook was busy staring at your lips as you articulated your opinion, smiling with his arm still around your shoulder. Ben, on the other hand, pulled a face you could only describe as disgusted. “Authenticity? The only authentic thing about Rousseau is that he is able to whine about his feelings like a pubescent girl. It feels almost like narcissism to me.”

"What a stupid take, Ben. With Rousseau writing this book, he laid the foundation for modern notions of individuality; the book challenges the reader to think about their own identity, their individuality," you explained your point further.

“I don’t need a stupid book like this to tell me about my identity or my individuality. It’s literally just a dude whining and rambling about his feelings and whatnot. No one wants to hear it,” Ben snapped.

Jungkook looked between you and Ben while you were arguing; seeing your agitated face when you hated someone made him realize you didn’t hate him at all. You even leaned closer into his arms.

“Well, I think we can use this as a talking point in our presentation,” Lily stated her idea. “How our perception of the book is similar to how we perceive ourselves; there are people like Yn, who confront and explore their feelings, thus creating a healthy relationship with the self, and there are people like Ben, who repress and ignore them, which makes for an angry person; which, by the way, is also an emotion.”

You and Lily giggled at her words, sending each other glances as to say, "God, I fucking hate that guy."

Jungkook decided to chime in. “That’s a good idea. We can use it as an opportunity to dive deeper into the self, to question it. If you are so opposed to Rousseau’s vulnerability, that’s a big indication of your own issues with vulnerability.”

You observed him as he spoke, astonished at his participation. You leaned in even more, to the point where your bodies touched as a way to show him you liked what he said.

“Oh, shut the hell up, man,” Ben shot back. “We all know you’re just here ‘cause of her; you don’t actually give a crap about all this.”

Jungkook simply smirked at him, already having figured out how easily provoked Ben was.

“He obviously cares more than you, ‘cause with that attitude, we are never gonna get a presentation done, much less start,” you defended Jungkook sassily, with a displeased expression sent Ben’s way, who just mumbled, “Yeah, go on, defend your boyfriend.”

“True,” Lily sighed. “By the way, where are we gonna prepare our presentation? The common rooms are always too loud, and all lecture halls are always occupied, and I don’t know about you guys, but my dorm isn’t exactly a mansion.”

You thought about Lily’s concern for a second, and the same resonated with you; your on-campus apartment wasn’t small, but you shared it with four very loud girls.

“We can do it at my place; I don’t mind,” Jungkook offered with a squeeze on your shoulder. “Then I finally have an excuse to invite my baby over.”

You looked up at him, meeting his mischievous eyes. For a moment, you shared intimate eye contact before Ben coughed to get your attention. “At your penthouse? Pff, no thanks. I’m sure a professor will let us use a room here.”

“You are not serious, Ben. Jungkook just offers us to go to his huge penthouse and you decline? I must say, I have never known such a dedicated hater; it’s almost admirable,” Lily admitted her admiration for Ben’s consistency.

“Why the fuck would we go there? It’s off campus, and it’s a penthouse; it’s so… distracting and unnecessary,” Ben debated, irritation written all over him.

“It’s a 15-minute walk and a five-minute drive, man; it’s not in Mexico,” Jungkook concurred, unable to find reason in Ben’s opposition.

“And what’s wrong with it being a penthouse? I personally would love to just hang out at a penthouse. It would make uni work a lot easier, actually,” Lily stated.

“I agree,” you shared, making Jungkook grin like an idiot at the image of you in his house. “And since this is a democracy, and we have one vote against three, we will meet at Jungkook’s penthouse next Sunday; of course, if that works for you, Jungkook."

“Works perfect!” he excitedly responded.

Ben was looking pissed as always; Lily was already thinking about all the pictures she was going to ask you to take of her in the penthouse for her Instagram, and Jungkook and you seemed to be in your own little world, gazing at each other.

“Thank you, Jungkook; that’s really nice of you,” you expressed with a smile, lifting your face to his to plant a short kiss on his cheek.

His heart raced at the unexpected movement; you had never done that before. He froze, his gaze lingering on you for a long moment while you gathered your belongings at the signal of class dismissal. One by one, the students gradually walked out, and you followed suit with Jungkook trailing behind you. He advanced in your direction, watching your hips sway.

“Yn!” he called after you, resulting in you turning around.

“Yes?”

“Go out with me tomorrow night at 7:00, just you and me,” he called out flirtatiously, gaining the attention of everybody around him, but only having his eyes on you.

You grinned mischievously at him before replying, “I don’t know about that… you’ll have to impress me first.”

To anyone else, it might sound like a rejection, but to Jungkook, it sparked a glimmer of hope that made his heart leap with resolve. Until now, it had only been ‘no’s and ‘no thank you’s. He was more confident than ever that he would capture the heart that had captured his.

___

“Yn, what did you do to Jungkook?” Sasha came back from a date night with Taehyung. “Tae told me he can’t stop smiling and is just sitting there, being cheesy as fuck.”

You were writing a sonnet for your poetry class as she barged into your room, looking stunning. “What made him think it’s about me? Let the man smile and be cheesy in peace.”

After Sasha looked at you with a look that said ‘you know damn well,’ you confessed, “He asked me out, and I—”

“You finally said yes??” she quickly interrupted with a dropped jaw.

“Nooo, I said maybe if he impresses me,” you continued. “Oh, and I also kissed him on the cheek.”

“You. Did. Not!” Sasha put a hand over her mouth, a loud gasp leaving it. “No wonder he is a smiling idiot; you broke him!”

“No, I didn’t ‘break’ him; I’m simply doing what I already said I am doing; I’m warming him up, giving him hope,” you explained, putting your pen down. “Because there is a very high chance that I will agree to go out with him soon. I just need that something.”

“That something?” Sasha repeated, confused.

“Yeah, that something; that one moment that makes me go yes, this is the man I want,” you further explained. “I have a good reason, two actually; I’m picky, indecisive, and also a virgin, so if I let him in and then, for some reason, regret it, I will be destroyed. And if I suddenly change my mind after giving him a chance, it will hurt Jungkook really badly, and I don’t want that.”

Sasha looked perplexed and deep in thought at your words, as if puzzling them together and making sense of them. “Oh wow, I never thought of it like that, but now, I totally get you.”

“Well, finally!” you smiled at her and giggled. “Anyway, what are you and Tae wearing to the Halloween party? Cause I was thinking…”

___

You and your girls took Halloween very seriously. You loved the dressing up, the makeup, and you always utilized the only day in the year where it was socially acceptable to be someone else entirely.

Of course, there were always at least six simultaneous Halloween parties going on on campus, and you had to choose between them, which was never a hard decision to make since Kappa Sigma always won. If they’re throwing a party, no other party stood a chance.

You decided to dress up as something cute yet sexy but very recognizable. Last year you came as Jane Eyre, and not a single person guessed your costume right. You decided to go with Chel from ‘The Road to El Dorado’; a white maxi skirt with two slits on the sides, a pink tube top, and statement jewelry with your hair down. It was low effort, yet very effective.

Nora went with Cher from Clueless, Avery of course was Shego, Tanya went creative and dressed as 2010 Justin Bieber, and Sasha and Taehyung were Morticia and Gomez Addams for the night, catching many envious stares.

After all the assignments, the essays, and the overall stress of uni the past few weeks, you hadn’t felt that alive and sexy in a while. Your maxi skirt was clinging to your full lower body seductively, and your tube top took on the very shape of your chest. You looked damn good, and you were ready to feel good too. Promising you wouldn’t drink too much, you took it slow.

Moving your hips seductively to the beat of a The Weeknd song while closing your eyes and tilting your head back, with Avery and Nora dancing together in front of you. Tanya was nowhere to be found, and Taehyung and Sasha were having their own dance party, grinding and kissing like there was no tomorrow. The dancing continued, and with it, the staring. You wished you could just dance at a party and have everybody mind their own business.

After a couple more rounds of dancing and drinking, you felt a firm hand gripping your hips. Turning around immediately, you pushed the guy away and looked at him, terrified. “What the fuck?? Get your filthy hands off of me!!”

Your friends stopped their dancing for a moment to see what was going on. They found Ben, dressed as Patrick Bateman, groping your hips like you were his property. “Just having fun, bird; don’t get all upset.”

Avery and Nora yelled at him, but it wasn’t effective. The scene caused such a huge stir that even Sasha and Taehyung got out of their trance, watching your fight with Ben.

“Yo, dude, get the fuck outta here, or I’ll call the cops on you,” Taehyung stepped in, pushing Ben completely out of the way. “What the fuck made you think you could do this, huh?”

As if he knew just when to step in, Jungkook in a cop uniform just arrived at the scene, asking what was happening.

A very drunk Ben slurred his words in an almost incoherent tone, facing Taehyung. “Look, man, she’s dressed like a slut. So I’m gonna treat her like a slut.”

Jungkook’s eyes widened at Ben’s words, trying to make sense of the situation. He followed Ben’s eyes that were directly watching you, all of your friends and Taehyung just standing shocked, and the only thing between you and Ben was a protective Taehyung. Ben was talking about you.

Without putting any thought into his actions, Jungkook stepped in and punched the guy in his face, causing him to stumble down to the ground, where Jungkook kicked him in the face before crouching down and spitting on him. “What the fuck did you just say??! Did you touch her, huh? Did you fucking touch her? I swear, I’ll kill you; I’ll fucking kill you, man; this is your last day alive, ‘cause I’ll kill you.”

You had no idea what to do in this situation, so you just watched with a shrinking posture, similar to your friends who were all in shock at the scene of Ben lying on the ground, his blood pouring out while Jungkook continued to throw punches. At that point, the entire party stopped and just observed the scene.

"Jungkook, that’s enough. I’d love for you to kill him, but I don’t wanna see you in jail, bro," Taehyung calmly spoke, in order to ease the tension. Jungkook listened to him, standing up; a look that furious had never been on his face.

He turned to you, taking your hands in his, his face softening at the sight of you. “Everything okay, baby?”

You nodded weakly, semi-visible tears rolling down your cheeks. Your instincts told you to hug him, so you did. He immediately pulled you closer to him, his hand on your back and your chest against his as he soothingly rocked you back and forth. Everybody was watching you, but you didn’t find it in yourself to care.

“Come on, I’ll take you upstairs to relax,” he took your hand, guiding you through the crowd and into one of the bedrooms. “Want me to carry you?”

For the first time in those 30 minutes, you cracked a tiny smile, knowing that he was so very serious about carrying you in front of an entire party. “No, that’s fine; I can walk.”

Ignoring the intense eyes of the crowd, you two made your way upstairs.

Your eyes were still slightly watery with tears, and you were still holding onto Jungkook’s hand as you both sat down on the bed. “Thank you, Jungkook.”

He offered you an irresistible smile and brought you in tighter against his solid chest, allowing you to hear his every heartbeat clearly. “That’s my job, baby; no need to thank me.”

“You really didn’t have to do that; I don’t want you to put yourself in danger for me, Kookie,” you spoke against his chest, with a soft, alluring voice, using his nickname to make him happy. “Ben really isn’t worth your anger at all.”

Jungkook took in your entire figure from above you with a gleam in his eyes. “Yn, I will do anything to protect you. I won’t ever allow anyone to harm you.”

You gently pulled away from his chest to meet his loving gaze. You never understood the books where the main character described a romantic encounter by saying ‘it felt like we were the only two people in the world’ until that moment. He leaned in closer, maintaining eye contact. You placed a delicate hand on his muscular arm—too gentle to stop him from getting closer, yet firm enough to prevent yourself from melting into him.

You were face to face with him now—breathing the same air. “You really mean that?”

“I couldn’t be more sincere,” he whispered, the warmth of his words meeting your full lips, his hands firmly placed on your soft, naked waist. “You know, we’ve never been this close before.”

“Yeah,” is all you managed to say, avoiding eye contact.

Suddenly, Jungkook pulled away, standing up, offering you his hand. “As much as I want to kiss you, I don’t think we should do that right now. You obviously drank tonight, and I want you to want to kiss me, and I want you to remember kissing me.”

You nodded and took his hand, not knowing what to say or do. As you stepped outside again, Jungkook’s broad shoulders became your view, him leading you downstairs again to take you home.

“Jungkook?” you said his name quietly, almost in a whisper.

He turned around, watching your shorter and smaller frame from above, looking absolutely tempting. “Yeah?”

“I’ll go out with you.”

___

The week after the Halloween party was exhausting; there were exams, essays, and seminars.

Besides the exams and usual uni duties, Jungkook was very enthusiastic about your first date. Being secretive about what he’d planned, getting your friends to ask you what you expected from a first date in an unsuspecting way, not wanting to annoy you so that you wouldn’t change your mind. It was very endearing.

You were also looking forward to the date, but you were much more subtle about it. Jungkook didn’t care about secrecy as much, telling every single person he knew that you agreed to go on a date with him; the news spread fast, and every student knew about your date.

Taehyung reported to Sasha that he jumped up and down, screaming and shouting out of the windows, “I DID IT! I FINALLY DID IT!” And later, when the pizza they ordered arrived, he tipped the delivery guy 300 bucks and told him, "The love of my life finally agreed to go out with me; I wish for you the same. I wish for every longing soul to experience the same happiness I am in right now, but I don’t think that’s possible because only she is capable of making a human feel this way. Goodbye and good luck, brother."

As for your shared class, he was insatiable. It was about the only time that week where you were able to see each other, and he had made good use of those three hours. In just three lectures, he got you a Swiss chocolate cake with a picture of himself printed on it because Avery informed him chocolate cake was your favorite. He got you a beige rose Lady Dior purse because it "goes well with your complexion," and a pink diamond ring, which he said was "nothing compared to the future engagement ring, of course." Before he signed up for your class, he gave you a gift once every two weeks, so this was a lot even for Jungkook. You told him it was all unnecessary, and he said, "No, this is very necessary; gotta spoil my future wife."

You were drowning in your assignments, your MacBook completely overheating when your name was called.

"Yn! There’s a package for you on the table," Tanya, one of your roommates informed.

You got out of your room confused; you couldn’t remember ordering anything in the last few weeks, and Jungkook usually liked to give you his gifts in person. “Are you sure it’s for me?”

Tanya playfully scoffed at you, reading what’s on the package again. “Is there another Yn here that I have yet to be introduced to?”

You scoffed back, taking the package into your room. Your impatient self couldn’t resist tearing it open to see what’s inside. A note, a small box, and a big white box with the words ‘Givenchy’ on it. Your breath hitched.

The note read: ‘Wear this to our date, gorgeous. Yours forever, JK.’

Almost scared to do so, you opened the white box, revealing a gorgeous, long blue silk dress. Then you opened the smaller box, which held a beautiful 24k gold necklace and matching earrings inside it. That idiot. You smiled to yourself, but quickly realized you shouldn’t.

You were a princess, and you deserved to be treated like one; he was just a rich enough man to comply.

You freed yourself from the clothes you were wearing. Carefully, you took the dress out of the box and put it on.

It fit like a glove, harmonizing with your every curve. The neckline was low, exposing the perfect amount of cleavage.

How did he know my size?

You put the dress back into the box neatly and pulled out your phone.