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welcometothejianghu · 1 year ago

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Welcome to another round of W2 Tells You What You Should See, where W2 (me) tries to sell you (you) on something you should be watching. Today's choice: 君子盟/A League of Nobleman

A League of Nobleman is the unfortunately translated English title of a 2023 historical drama about an idealistic country boy/genius detective/noodle seller, and a wealthy minister on a mission to exonerate his late father from charges of treason, even if he himself has to commit some treason in the process.

I watched this one not too long after it came out, and I was expecting there would be a lot of buzz as soon as fandom got hold of it. There wasn't, but I can understand why. The show is a lovely, ethereal drama that has some genuinely moving moments, stunning visuals, and charming character interactions.

It is, however, kiiiiiiiind of a hot mess.

What follows is an incredibly qualified rec. Unlike most of the previous shows I've recommended, this show is not something you could just throw at your Average American Television Enjoyer. Censorship got its claws into this one, and what's left is ... okay, imagine fliming all of Hannibal just like you want it, and then right before it airs, NBC comes in and says, okay, now we're just going to take out all the parts that are gay and violent and gory! You know what you'd have left? You'd have a League of Nobleman, is what.

(If you want a little more explanation of what's awkward about it, here's a take based on the first ten episodes. Note that not everything that bothers AvenueX bothers me, but they're fair critiques.)

Therefore, I'd have a tough time recommending this to someone who hasn't already built up a tolerance for the experience of seeing a scene end nearly mid-sentence, or hearing described something that happened just offscreen (while seeing no one's lips move). You need to be prepared to look through the jank to see the show we could have had beneath the show that actually arrived.

Even so, I have five reasons I think you should at least give it a shot!

1. That precious baby boy

Look at him. Look at his precious face. Don't you just want to stuff him down the front of your shirt and take him home with you?

That is Zhang Ping. He is the hero and he is a good boy.

He is a darling dumpling who grows up reading novels about how members of the judiciary nobly solve crimes and punish the unjust, so he decides that he wants to move to the big city and become a member of the judiciary to nobly solve crimes and punish the unjust! ...Until he gets there and realizes, no, baby, that was fiction. But gosh darn it, he's going to try anyway.

I have seen people say they read Zhang Ping as autistic. While I'm not sure that's specifically what the show itself was going for, that's kind of the effect -- which, I think, is why I've also seen a lot of people say they don't like Song Weilong's performance. I don't think he's wooden or unemotional; I think he just made a choice to play the character as not always real good about understanding why the people around him are having the emotions they're having. Similarly, I think what makes him read as anachronistic is mostly how he doesn't engage well with the rules of social convention that are such important parts of this historical setting.

Like, you see that picture above, with him and Lan Jue whispering at one another? Zhang Ping is doing this because he is absolutely convinced that this is appropriate subterfuge behavior. Lan Jue is matching him because he thinks Zhang Ping is adorable.

Just the goodest boy. A baby. Please care him.

2. the aesthetic

The show is beautiful. It looks and sounds amazing. For some reason I can't find a clip of just the opening credits, but here's a (strangely bloody) trailer that gives a sense of its general vibe:

As you can see a couple times in there, the show makes great use of tilt-shift photography -- you know, the thing where you change the focal length until everything starts to look fake? It creates a weird, dreamlike effect where parts of the frame are out of focus for no reason, or actual locations start to look like model-train miniatures. Many of the shots are framed like this, giving the entire thing a very pretty, very uncanny look.

And speaking of the dreamlike: If there's one thing I've come to expect from C-dramas, it's bad CGI. That is not the case here! The CG is used so sparingly that it's unobtrusive and actually quite nice. Much more of the weight of the show's look relies on practical effects that are supported and amplified by CG, which is the optimal combo. When it does go all in on CG, it's in the service of dreamscapes that are supposed to look unreal anyway.

The show does admittedly have a mild problem of using a cool effect and then largely forgetting that effect exists. For example, the first episode has a really neat "freeze time and walk through a crime scene" bit! And then we barely ever see that ability again. But the show's doing so many other lovely things that you don't really feel the absence until you stop to think about it all later. So don't stop to think about things! That's my motto! (It really isn't.)

The directors also just have a lovely eye for things -- which is extra-surprising considering that both of them are first-time directors. That can be fun, though, when you get people who haven't gotten stuck in their ways get, so they're still being new and weird with it. ...Of course, I bet that's also some of why so much of the show quite obviously got cut to ribbons, if you're also working with directors who also haven't figured out how to get away with things just yet.

Overall, the production values are very high. This show clearly had a fairly solid amount of funding behind it, but it also used its resources smartly. Most costumes are elegant but not extravagant. Detailed sets are small and beautiful locations are contained. While I have great respect for productions that try to create epics on a shoestring budget, there's something to be said for a project that sets its sights on the achievable, then puts its effort into doing what it can, well.

3. A ship for everyone!

There are so many potential ways to pair up them boys. The show's main pair dynamic is between country mouse Zhang Ping and city mouse Lan Jue, but it surely does not stop there. In fact, I've made a helpful chart that shows you all the potential flavors of gay you can enjoy at this particular danmei buffet:

(And yes, if you've seen the show, you know there's at least one more line that I could've drawn here, but I don't want to spoil anything.)

Now, whether you do read any of these dynamics as sexual/romantic is up to you. The point is that you could. For example, I personally am not that into Lan Jue/Xu Dong, but if you lose your shit when a competent sword guy owes a life debt to the defenseless noble he works for? You could have a lot of fun with what the show gives you.

Obviously, because this is a censored c-drama, there are no canon gay romances. However, a couple of them are more textual than others, especially the ones that center Lan Jue, because everyone clearly wants a piece of that fancy flat ass.

One of AvenueX's comments from the video I linked earlier is that the main couple has less sparkle together than each of them has individually with the man that's supposed to be his bestie. While that changes as the show goes on, these two side pairs never cease to be enjoyable. Whether you read them as sexual or not is up to you! Romantically or platonically, they're still a delight to watch bounce off of one another.

And Lan Jue/Gu Qingzhang (that one terrible ex from the chart) is, uh, basically textual? It's miles into "there is no straight explanation for this" territory. Again, avoiding spoilers here, but trust me. You get to see their secluded love nest and everything. Shit's real gay.

Then, of course, there's the main pair:

This is clearly the one that got hit real hard by cuts to the material. It's a damn shame, because this is clearly meant to be the core of the whole narrative. Despite that, the two of them have a fascinating dynamic that changes over the series from outright suspicion to cautious care to absolute trust. It's a great combo of someone who is too honest for his own good and someone so used to court politics that he lies as easily as breathing.

Ironically, the source material is Not Gay, to the point where the author has basically disowned this series as being so different from her original work as to be unrecognizable. You sort of have to wonder about the creative thought processes that led to taking a gen work and deciding to BL it up for the live-action adatation. I'm not complaining, mind you, but it is a little bit of an unforced error.

So whatever flavor of gay it is you're into, the odds are very good that this drama will have at least enough of it to keep you interested!

4. A very charming cast

I got to gush about Song Weilong's Zhang Ping earlier, but honestly I think everybody's pretty enjoyable, from the main cast to the recurring side characters to the one-off extras who show up for a single episode. Everybody's playing it weird and theatrical, so I get it if that's not your cup of tea. However, I feel all the performances are well-suited to the slightly surreal style of the production.

Here's just a couple of the real gems:

Jing Boran's Lan Jue has the perfect regal bearing of a fussy gentleman, but with a very endearing softness underneath. He spends half his time with eyes brimming with unshed tears, and the other half making heart-eyes at his boyfriends. You understand why everybody in the empire wants to ride him like they stole him, and that's even before he lets his hair down and starts dressing in slutty sheer robes. (I'm not entirely sure either he or the show knew how to play the character in the first few episodes, but he gets way better once he stops being so sinister and mysterious and gets to be cute and/or unhinged.)

There is one female character who shows up in more than one arc, and she is the Empress Dowager, and she is such a wonderful awful bitch. What a monster. Shi Yueling eats up every scene she's in by being the perfect mix of reprehensible and fascinating.

I was already primed to like Wang Duo because I liked watching him be a pretty snake boy in Yin-Yang Master: Dream of Eternity. Well, now he gets to be a pretty metaphorical snake boy here. I'm not spoiling anything by telling you he's bad news. He shows up damn near the end of the show and you know immediately he's bad news. But you don't know what kind of bad news he is, and that's fun to find out.

And speaking of actors I already liked from other places! Guo Cheng has mastered the art of acting with his mouth full. His Chen Chou is a sweet, earnest anchor in a world of tricksy boys.

There is something about Hong Yao's handsome face that makes Wang Yan perpetually look a little red-eyed, like he's trying hard to pretend that he wasn't just crying in his office. It's the perfect soft touch to his incredibly wonderful chad of a character. I'm usually not into the cocky jocks, but I will make such an exception for him.

I love you, fortune-telling gremlin grandpa.

5. Raw materials

Look, I assume if you've made it this far in the rec and you're still hanging on, you're interested for one of two reasons. The more normie reason is that you're into c-dramas in general (and probably period dramas in particular), and gay stuff is a selling point, so you see the appeal of turning on a drama where cute boys have emotions at other cute boys. That is a perfectly good reason to watch this drama, and if this is you, I hope you have fun!

The other reason is that you like making fan stuff, and you need some new blorbos to blorb in new and exciting combinations. Friend, I have that stuff for you right here.

A League of Nobleman has problems -- but they are problems that may be appealing to people who enjoy fixing things. There are literal holes in the series where actual, planned, filmed scenes were deleted! If you're looking for source material that's just begging you to fill in the gaps, look no further.

Of course I'm partial to the number of queer DIY romance options there are (see point 3), but that's not the extent of it. The setting is fascinating: an unspecified premodern Chinese dynasty magical enough to have a Bureau of Incantations, where the emperor is (for once) a cool dude, secluded village people live in semi-communal families, and one of the main characters can play Inception with people's heads. I'll say it plainly: If you are into kinky dream sex, this is the drama for you.

I should note that one of the things that doesn't need fixing is the overall shape of the series. The individual little case incidents seem disconnected, but they all weave together at the end as part of a (let's be real, ridiculously complicated) plot, giving the whole thing a pretty satisfying wrap-up. The show does not just fall off a cliff like Moriarty; it resolves in a way that's more than a little convoluted, but still overall satisfying. Also, a lot of those ships from the chart above, when it's all over, are still together. Some days that's all you need from an ending.

Maybe I sound like a broken record at this point, but to give you a sense of how heavy the hand of censorship clearly was, understand several of these episodes don't even break the 35-minute mark, and only four are even over 40 minutes long, when ~45 minutes is about the episode standard for this genre. (For comparison, every Untamed episode at least 42 minutes long.) I think it's important to realize just how much actual connective tissue got removed, way more than just individual censored shots or single redubbed lines.

And speaking of redubbed lines, the last episode of this show contains possibly the funniest NO HOMO in BL history. You have to see it to believe it -- or, rather, to not believe it, because the first time I watched, I didn't even understand what the hell the show was implying. I'll say no more.

Where to watch it!

I hope I've convinced you to at least give it a try! It's not a perfect show by any means, but it's a show with many good elements, and if you can embrace what's there without getting too hung up on what's not, it's a pretty good time.

If you're up for it, you can find it on this YouTube playlist -- though be prepared that it often mutes the opening music. It's also available on Viki (with ads, but less muting).

Just look at those precious, pinchable cheeks. Adorable.

#a league of nobleman #a league of boyfriends #君子盟 #rec post #i made this

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tgrailwar-zero · 4 months ago

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Is there a way we can figure out who our first opponent is gonna be? Information is key after all.

NERO: "It has to be listed somewhere."

CONSTANTINE: "You'll most likely have a listing down in the waiting areas for the fighters. Antecessor Nero, the little one, and I will look around topside."

That seemed like a good cue to head down.

The process seemed simple enough. You flashed a ticket to a guard, and he led you and MUSASHI down into a wide room. It was simplistic, but also advanced simultaneously. It didn't seem to be the locker room proper, but a waiting room that led to various amenities-- and the locker room, if need be.

You saw various fighters either chatting, or lounging about.

You saw a few new faces, and a few familiar ones. Most notably, you saw THRUD looking at a large, holographic board. Before you had much of a chance to say hello, as soon as you and MUSASHI approached, a figure intercepted.

'ADAMANT': "Well hello, ladies (and accompanying party). Allow me to introduce myself. I got signed up under the stage-name 'Adamant', 'cause I'm tough as diamond. And you are…?"

THRUD: "I'm getting the sense that this'll be annoying, I was given the stage name 'the Thunderer'. A pleasure, I hope."

MUSASHI: "My Masters picked the 'Null Zero Samurai', but you can just call me Saber."

'ADAMANT': "Thunder, huh? Strong, tough, I'm a big fan of that. And you know Saber, I'm a big fan of 'zero' myself. One of my favorite numbers, actually…"

THRUD: "Put your shirt back on."

You genuinely didn't see when he had a chance to take it off. Especially with all those straps. Amazing.

MUSASHI: "Wait, wait... Hang on. I want to see where this goes."

…

…You looked over at the board with the day's battles.

ROUND 1, DAY 1 -

SET 1

MOBY DICK v. THE WATERSIDE REVENANT

NULL ZERO SAMURAI v. WINTER PRINCE JERAN

SET 2

CHAJIN v. THE FLESH-TWISTER

THE THUNDERER v. THE WANDERING BLADE

Don't be late or I'll rip you shreds! - Jaguar ദ്ദി(ᵔᗜᵔ)

MUSASHI was in the first set of matches. Either JAGUAR MAN had a lot of hope to have you both kick things off, you were being treated as an 'opening act'... or she just did it on a whim. It was really difficult to tell with her.

Looking at how the 'sets' operated, it seemed like only two fights could occur simultaneously… Which meant that you'd probably have downtime whenever you weren't fighting. You looked at the table under the board, and noticed some more things.

Most notably, there were a few book-shaped devices laying under the holographic screen. MUSASHI picked one up, and it seemed to respond to her touch, blinking to life.

You received: [ 'Flame Pad - Null Zero Samurai' ]!

THRUD, having completely tuned 'ADAMANT' (who seemed to have stopped stripping at her behest) out, turned to you both.

THRUD: "You're new, right? Let me give you some advice, then."

She pointed to the board with the 'Set Times' listed on it.

THRUD: "You'll have availability, but your Pad will let you know when your call times are. Still, you'll have to spend that time in-between wisely, so it's best to section your time into blocks. You may have enough time to do one thing in the morning, then one or two things in the evening, depending on whether you're fighting or not. There's a pretty strict curfew on fighters, too. So once night falls, you'll have to come back here."

THRUD: "Oh, the Pad. Outside of alerting you of your time, you'll also be able to contact other fighters, if you want to spend time with them if they aren't fighting. Of course, you can always do things on your own."

A message popped up on MUSASHI's 'Flame Pad'. There was a tiny, neutral-faced, chibi-shaped THRUD next to the message.

--{THUNDR}: -- [ Like this. ]

She seemed like a very dry texter. MUSASHI looked down at the Pad, before nodding sagely.

MUSASHI: "I see. This is our dating sim era."

THRUD: "What in the world are you talking about?"

As THRUD tried to process that comment, you heard a sigh behind you.

???: "Ah… I'm up against you. Oh, darn it, I'm totally gonna lose, aren't I?"

Turning around, you saw PRETENDER, chuckling wryly.

PRETENDER: "Well, I'll just have to try my best. Let's have a fair, fun match, okay?"

With a wave, he walked off to another part of the room. It seemed like there was still some time before your match... why not find someone to chat with? You looked around the room, to see who's available.

#thgw story #endless whispers #main post #thgw: chapter 6

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boysplanetrecaps · 9 months ago

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Build Up, Episode 3: Sherlock and End of the Day

Welcome back to another recap of MNET’s Build Up! In the previous post, we introduced the next mission, the 2 vs 2 rival mission. In this post, we’ll cover the first two performances, both performing excellent songs. We’ll also see a member of A.C.E. and a member of Up10tion. So let’s go!

We start with Dahee reviewing the rules.

Each judge will give a score between 0 and 100 (practically speaking, most if not all scores will be between 70 and 100), and since there are 7 judges (Seungkwan from Seventeen; Solar from Mamamoo; Wendy from Red Velvet; Eunkwang from BtoB; Jaehwan from Wanna One; Baekho from Nu’est; and Vocal Coach Guy from Every MNET Show Ever) the total score is out of 700.

Jaehwan says, “it’s starting to feel like a MNET show because it’s cruel!” Jaehwan is a lot of fun.

Dahee asks how the judges will evaluate everyone, and Wendy says that she’ll evaluate them based on how they care about your partner and how they show their charms.

Seungkwan says he’ll evaluated based on how they perform under pressure.

The guys are getting nervous, but so are the judges. It’s nice to see that they’re taking it seriously -- they know people are going to be eliminated. It’s especially tough to evaluate the first stage, since they don’t want to grade too high out of the gate in case someone else comes along who’s better.

The first group really challenges that notion, though, since there are some very strong singers here. It’s Park Jeup and Choi Suhwan as the first duo, and Detective Donghun from A.C.E. and sweet Sunyoul from Up10tion. Seungkwan says he knows Sunyoul and Donghun, since they’ve all performed at the same M-Countdown style shows together for years. You can tell that Seungkwan feels terrible. His group, Seventeen, is from a relatively small agency compared to SM or JYP, so their massive success is almost a miracle. He must be able to empathize with how Sunyoul and Donghun must feel.

In the first round, Park Jeup from Team One and Donghun from Team Two performed together in Kajima, Kajima (Don’t Go), and Choi Suhwan from Team One and Sunyoul from Team Two performed together in Decalcomanie, so there’s a bit of criss-cross rearranging going on here.

Jeup and Suhwan do a cheesy opening where they combine their names into “Je-Su” -- ie, Jesus.

Everyone laughs.

The other team can barely do theirs because they’re laughing and cringing so hard, but they introduce themselves as Hunyoul. They explain a bit of bantering and trash talk back and forth, and their lightness of tone barely hides how nervous and anxious they actually all are.

Backstage, Jo Hwanji asks teammate Hwanhee if Hwanhee is nervous for Sunyoul, since they’re on Up10tion together. Hwanhee says he’s not nervous at all. Is it because he has faith in Sunyoul? Is it because they secretly hate each other? You be the judge!

We hop back to a brief flashback of the two teams matching up as rivals. We never officially learn how the matching up process took place, as far as I know. At time of writing this post, I’ve watched this whole episode and half of episode 4 and I still don’t know. However, my best guess is that a particular team is either chosen at random (perhaps by pulling a name out of a hat?) or volunteers to go to the rival choosing platform area -- let’s call them Team A. At that point, any teams who want to call them out as rivals could come down and challenge them. If more than one team wants to challenge them,Team A can choose among them. But if no one challenges them, Team A can choose their rival from all the teams. Then, the next team is chosen (or volunteers) to go to the platform and the process starts over. If I got any part of that wrong, please let me know.

So, the show doesn’t really explain this, but looks like Jeup and Suhwan have gone to the rival-making platform and no one has come to challenge them, so they get to choose who they want to go against. Sunyoul unwisely yells out to them telling them not to not pick his own team -- so of course, Jeup and Suhwan do in fact challenge Sunyoul’s team. Everyone’s like, oh no, these are two strong teams.

Jeup and Suhwan meet in a conference room to talk strategy. They think the other team will do a ballad, so they think that going energetic might be a good balance. If we arrange a non band song into a band song, it could have a new feeling. Jeup looks especially good in his pale pink, tight fitting cable knit s-w-e-a-t-e-r.

Ultimately, they decide on Sherlock by SHINee. Sherlock is about a mysterious stranger who draws the singer in. There’s this suggestion that the mysterious stranger is a thief -- did they steal the singer’s heart????

Ok, so Sherlock was one of the first Kpop songs I ever liked. It was like, Electric Shock by f(x), I Am the Best by 2NE1, Fantastic Baby by Big Bang, Russian Roulette by Spica, and Sherlock by SHINee. All of those songs are amazing and I stand by them to this day, but Sherlock especially is one of those songs that I can’t imagine not liking. It’s just timeless. It’s not any obvious genre or style; it just sort of is itself. Fun fact: at the time of the song’s release -- March of 2012 -- the choreography for the song was the most expensive choreography ever seen in Kpop!

Side note: did you ever wonder why the song is called Sherlock (Clue + Note) -- like, what’s the “Clue + Note” part about? Well, Sherlock is actually a mashup of two other songs -- Clue and Note. Listening to Clue and Note is so weird, because both songs are Sherlock, and yet, neither song is Sherlock. It’s really wild.

Anyway, you know that I’m going to be biased about this performance -- one of my favorite Kpop songs ever, sung by this lovely man we see above in his soft sweater.

Back to performance night. Park Jeup is warming up, and even his warmups are intimidating. “He’s got an electric guitar in his voice,” Kim Seohyung says about him. (Seohyung was one of the ones who performed “Shall I Love You Again” with Yeo One.) The judges notice Jeup too. Jaehwan wonders, “If I had muscles like that, would I have a vocal range like that?”

So, let’s see their performance!

Full version without reactions.

My thoughts:

Damn, this was great. I l loved it. 10/10. I loved the arrangement and I loved the performance. I had issues with Suhwan in other performances of his, but not here. He wasn’t pitchy or nasal or close throated, at least not that I noticed. He had lovely vocal texture, just right for the song (though I do think he got slightly ahead of the beat at one point). And while in the past I’ve not always loved Jeup’s vocal color, I loved it here. Also, their two voices blended well. They laid out some really gorgeous harmonies and executed them well. Like, I have no real criticism. This was so good. I could talk about vocal specifics but I really don’t have anything to say except they did it all correctly.

It’s going to be tough for me to like any performance this much. Between the song choice, my personal bias toward Jeup, and their vocal skills on display, I mean. Chef’s kiss.

One question, though. Does this count as a sweater?

I mean, my eyes say no, but my heart says yes.

In the MNET edit, we can see everyone reacting with delight. Everyone seems to love this song, and this performance, just as much as I do.

Eunkwang enjoying the singing. I think. I guess? Maybe he’s just trying not to sneeze.

When they’re done, the judges give them a standing ovation. Jaehwan shouts “rock and roll, baby!” Backstage, the guys applaud too. Wumuti says it was perfect, and Neon calls it a “high pitch party.”

It was so good, but the judges don’t know what to do in terms of grading -- should they leave room in their scoring in case someone is even better? But this was really good!

Then we see Dahee sneaking over to the guys to tell them something…

She softly tells them she liked it better than the original version. She may not be a judge, but she’s a beautiful movie star and they’re pretty stunned by the compliment.

The scoring is ready.

We find out that the highest score was 96, coming from Solar, and the lowest score was 88, coming from Eunkwang.

Solar says she loves how they sang “shine and disappear” then disappeared in the dark stage. Ok, noted, Solar likes lighting tricks!

Eunkwang said since the expectations were high, he was more picky in terms of grading, but adds that he thinks Suhwan was a “discovery.” Eunkwang also compliments Jeup’s breath control and how he varied his dynamics (volume).

Seungkwan from Seventeen says something that is definitely lost in translation. He says “this is perverted.” He means it as a complement, and it must make sense in Korean, but the other judges tease him, “Are you saying Jesus is a pervert??”

After the judges speak their peace, and the MNET editors let us see 5% of what they said, It’s time for the second team to perform. Detective Donghun and Sweet Sunyoul come out, and everyone says that they have a tough act to follow. Donghun manages to still look like a haggard NYC detective ready to say “I’m too old for this shit” at any moment despite his change in outfit.

Dahee asks them if they’re nervous, and Sunyoul replies, “The most valuable moment in a song is the moment it resonates, so I will make you resonate with this song and concentrate on the stage.” The judges like that answer.

Seungkwan points out that this group is also singing SHINee, which they kind of are; they’re singing End of a Day, written by and originally performed by Jonghyun, former member of SHINee. I say former member because he passed away in 2017.

So, let me pause for a moment and say that if you know about Jonghyun, and you know how and why he died, and what this song is about, the performance that Sunyoul and Donghun are about to do is so impossibly sad that it might be difficult to watch. If you don’t know about it, you might want to stay not knowing…? I mean, how hard do you feel like crying today?

I really don’t want to bum all of you out, so I decided to post my sad thoughts about this song and performance (and industry? And blog?) in a separate post that I’ll link to at the end of this one.

We head into a flashback. The guys are at one of their agencies, and Sunyoul is wearing an enormous, fur lined leather coat. Do they not heat these places?

Donghun says, “you know Suhwan and I know Jeup, so this will be an advantage for us!” Sunyoul says that if the other team is going to have a high pitch party, they themselves should go toward consolation and empathy. So Donghyun suggests Jonghyun’s song.

Some time later, Sunyoul has put on a lovely cream colored cable knit s w e a t e r.

Sunyoul asks Donghyun who he imagines himself singing to, and Donghyun says simply, “I sing to myself.” Sunyoul says, after a brief pause, “I do, too.” He seems kind of stunned by the revelation that they have that in common, but Donghyun takes it in stride. “You did a good job,” he says. “Good job. Something like that.” Sunyoul says he hopes he can be able to comfort himself.

We have a flashback to a pre-production meeting, where Sunyoul has shown up in another s w e a t e r and looks great, but he isn’t feeling great. He talks about how this is his fifth (!!!!) survival show, and though his motto is “he who endures, wins,” he’s not so sure anymore. “I think this program is my own judgment on whether or not I will be able to sing in the future,” he says, through tears. Oh no! Sweet Sunyoul! “Thinking it’s my last chance, I need to fill this stage with desperation,” he says, as they head in to the performance.

Donghyun has shown up in what looks like a collared button down shirt made of frayed sweater material, with a blazer over it. He’s just taking the Build Up fashion trends and combining them in new ways, and I’m here for it.

Original version, sung live by Jonghyun with English subtitles

Full version without reactions.

My thoughts:

It’s hard to evaluate this, because they’re both so emotional. Sunyoul in particular sounds like he might be actually crying. Donghyun is occasionally a little ahead of the beat and doesn’t support some of his longer notes, but I think that might be a stylistic choice on his part. Donghyun’s gruff, textured vocals blend nicely with Sunyoul’s lighter, sweeter tones, and their harmonies work well as a result. There aren’t any pitch problems that I noticed, and no one sounds particularly nasal. Overall, it’s a simple, lovely, heartfelt performance. If I were a judge, I don’t know what I’d do in terms of ranking it with the other performance.

In the MNET edit, we can see that everyone finds the performance pretty touching. Backstage, Hwang Inhyuk tells partner Choi Haram, “I heard two lines and I already want to cry.”

Seungkwan is enjoying the singing. I think. I guess?

Vocal Coach Guy is enjoying the singing. I think. I guess?

When they’re done, there’s quiet, thoughtful applause from the judges.

Teary Wendy says, “I loved it.”

Backstage, the guys all say that they were touched by it. Even Park Jeup says, “That was good. We’re going to lose.”

Teammate Suhwan says, “Why would you say that? Don’t say that!” But you can tell that Jeup was sincerely touched by the performance.

The judges have to grade it, and it’s so hard after such a touching performance. Finally, we find out the high and low scores -- 97 and 75. As a reminder, Jeup and Suhwan’s high and low scores were 96 and 88, so Sunyoul and Donghun scored both higher and lower than their rivals. That lower score, though, is much lower.

Seungkwan from Seventeen is the judge who gave the score of 97, and explains that they did an excellent job of putting the emotions of the song on stage. Then he says to both of them, “We have been around together since 2015. I always thought, ‘These guys are such great singers.’ Today, I think you’ve really proven your potential and that really touched my heart.”

Aww, that’s nice feedback from a colleague, and you can tell it really touches Sunyoul.

VCG says, “It’s really difficult to put into words, but when I listened to the song, I felt a bit overwhelmed and emotional. I felt like I would burst into tears as soon as someone next to me asked ‘are you ok?’? The message the two of you conveyed was delivered to me wholly. Just like the lyrics, I got a feeling of warm comfort and I felt very good. As I was watching the stage, I thought you two were the one the final debut teams no matter what. I thought that no matter which team you go to, you can sing one part convincingly.” He had assumed he’d give the highest score, so he must have graded them pretty high too, maybe a 95.

Jaehwan is the judge who gave them their low score. He explains himself by saying, “Honestly, Sunyoul’s vocal was very persuasive. I felt like I was listening to it with my heart. But Donghun’s performance was disappointing. It was a bit too much, as if you had a lot of thoughts while singing. It felt a bit unstable because of that. That was how I personally felt.”

VCG is like, “that’s soooo different from what I thought.”

Meanwhile, Donghyun is gutted. That low score is looking bad for them, and now he knows it’s because of him.

I get what Jaehwan is saying, in that yes, their performance was emotional, and there were times that Donghyun was a bit off rhythm, and some notes felt short that probably should have been longer, but I never noticed him off pitch. To me that all felt like a stylistic choice that worked.

The judges lament that these two teams had to go against each other when they’re both so strong. Poor Donghyun looks like he’s already crying.

It’s revealed that overall, Jeup and Suhwan got a 645 overall, meaning that in addition to the 96 and 88. the average score given by the other five judges was 92. Meanwhile, Donghyun and Sunyoul got a 624 overall, which means that in addition to the 97 and 75, the average score given by the other five judges was about 90. So it wasn’t just Jaehwan dragging them down. But still, these are all some very high scores.

Sunyoul and Donghyun learn that they are up for elimination, and the judges are bummed too, wishing that the final four could just be these four.

Sunyoul says, in a voice thick with emotion, “Thank you for saying so many nice things today. I was really hungry for those words. Thank you so much for your sympathy.” Wendy wipes her eyes.

Jeup says, “Since they were on the same team with us, I feel really bad. I just want to keep supporting each other. You did a great job today -- it was so cool.”

Dahee tells Jeup and Suhwan that they won, but they don’t look too happy. And as Donghyun and Sunyoul walk off stage, arm in arm, we can hear Sunyoul say, “Why are you crying? You did a great job.”

But there’s basically no consoling Donghyun.

And uh, that’s where we leave it for now. I’m sorry, gang, I think this show is going to be kind of sad. :(

And I have some more things to say that are even sadder, but I’m going to leave them for another post because there’s some trigger warnings and stuff for that post, and you’re not obligated to read it. I’ll see you in the next post, when we see Neon and Seunghun take on Yoon Inhwan and Ma Jaekyung. Take care and be well, my loves!

#A.CE.#Up10tion #MNET build up #build up mnet #build up #shinee #jonghyun

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thisbluespirit · 2 years ago

Note

Sapphire, Silver and Steel for the character meme, please.

Oh and Harry & Ruth, too, if you feel like it! 💙

Thank you! <3

1. Who would you rather swap aesthetics/outfits with for a day?

Okay, well, this time I'll have the sparkly waistcoat!!

2. Who do you team up with in a 2v2 volleyball match? Which side wins?

Silver. I suspect that Sapphire and Steel will win in this (obviously life or death) game, but who else?

3. If each of them got one million dollars, who would waste/spend their money the fastest?

They are all looking at this question. It does not apply to them.

However, if for some reason they had to dispose of 1 million dollars each because it was, maybe, Evil Money, Silver would be fastest, because that's Silver's nature. More confetti!

4. Who would die first in a horror movie? Who would be the survivor?

Silver. Sapphire and Steel would both survive. To be honest, all three of them would probably make it. They exist in permanent horror movie land and they're all still around. Even after things we shan't mention, they were still surviving.

5. They're all on the run from the law! What crimes did each commit and who is most likely to get caught?

lol. Again, not applicable, and none of them will be caught unless they want to be caught or it somehow happens temporarily because time has sort of made people think they've committed crimes in the middle of an assignment.

Crimes are something they leave to humans. If they committed a crime by their standards, they'd be on the other side, and all three of them have personally turned that proposition down already.

For Harry & Ruth:

1. You have to choose one to erase from their series! Who do you pick?

Look, if I pick Ruth, I'm not watching any more. If I pick Harry, there probably is no Spooks anyway. I'll pick Harry because I feel sure somehow he'd come back. Ruth would manage it at any cost, even without memory of him. She just would.

2. Who would you rather run into in a dark alley at night?

Ruth Evershed! At least there are significantly better odds on my not being assassinated next.

3. Who would you save from a burning building? Who would be more likely to save you from a burning building?

Ruth! I mean, if Harry wasn't there already. And for the other way around, Harry, I think, probably? He was once a field officer.

Mind you, it's Spooks. The odds are I'd probably burn to death tragically in the bomb that detonated before they could stop it.

4. Who would win in a dance-off?

Good question. This is a scenario they would avoid, but I feel Harry would win. But you never know with Ruth. She has hidden depths, likes performing and it doesn't pay to underestimate her.

Best to just enter a dancing competition undercover as partners and stay in via spy tricks.

5. They swap bodies for 24 hours! How badly do they mess up (or improve) each other's lives?

Ruth would probably pull off a reasonably good Harry impression for a day, although she would look at loads of Eyes Only documents she shouldn't be looking at, and she would have to go through a full half hour of panicking first. If she had to make the tough decisions, I think she'd actually be much better than usual, because she likes acting, so once in character as 'Harry' she'd probably just go for it, but it could go either way. Could be fine, could be the end of the world.

Harry OTOH would struggle with not being able to bark orders at people without everyone staring, everyone expecting him to be the sympathetic one and being supposed to know how all the computer systems work, and he's better at dry wit and assassinating his enemies than doing the weekly round up report.

Ruth would have to cover for him a lot.

Alternatively, they just come in, carry on with their respective usual roles while looking like each other and let the rest of Section D worry about what the hell is going on and then tell them all it was a psych test, and at least one of them failed.

However it goes, I don't think anybody's life is improved.

#replies #character ask meme #sapphire #silver #steel #pers-books #asks #harry pearce #ruth evershed

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maguro13-2 · 2 months ago

Text

The Dark Picture Repaint ~ Origins of the Ink Demon : Operation Drawcia PT.18 ~

"The Next Day"

Andy : All of this fixing, all of this training, yep.

Max : Hardly recognized that being a trio is not that easy. Today's a big for our exercises.

Andy : And which is always a leg day, am I right, fellas.

Max : Not much. *lifts up with his strength* No doubt about it!

Andy : Hey, has anyone done CQC?

Max : No...Why is that?

Andy : I mean look at her.

*They look at Sami training without her boots on*

Andy : She's hardly training without boots or socks, and we're the only ones who can do all the exercise with all of this sweat.

Max : Of course, nothing but protein itself. She will be the one does CQC.

Hawke : Attention! All!

Strumm : Today from the world of all Wars, I would like to know someone who participated in the world of Metal Gear with the basics of Close-Quarters Combat known as the CQC. And Hawke will show you how to use that he learned from Big Boss's mentor the Boss. I choose...Sami to be in training ground.

Sami : Hmph.

Lash : Oi, Orange girl, you're up!

*Sami walks up*

Strumm : Hmmm...I heard that you are famous for martial arts stuff that knows about the basics of CQC, quite professional for being commander of the special forces.

Sami : Sir, Yes, sir.

Hawke : Well, Commander of Orange Star. I'll be your opponent. If it's fine by me, Let me show how much CQC can hold up against my Black Storm? (removes jacket to show his abs)

Andy : Oh no! He's hot!

Sami : Sure, why not.

Hawke : And oh, show me your repsonse as in "Sir, Yes, Sir" or "Ma'am, yes, ma'am"

Sami : S-Sir! Yes sir!

Andy : This fight's going to be amazing.

Max : Hope we dont' mind bringing some popcorn.

Eagle : No need to spectate, she's going in for the ring.

Hawke : [To Sami] You gon' squeal like a b*tch, motherf*cker.

Sami : Is that so, how about listening to yourself when you open your mouth.

Strumm : Begin the match!

[Burning Combat by Sota Fujimori]

Sami : You're on. *goes into fighting stance*

Hawke : Bet you won't go easily on me. May the best soldier win.

Strumm : En Garde...Aliez!

*starts the battle*

Sami : Haaaaaah!

*Fighting sounds by Hidenori Arai*

Andy : Wow! Sami's good at this! Didn't know that CQC could be a real thing!

Hawke : Not bad!

Sami : I haven't got this much fight from a soldier like you! I wanted to face my own ways in battle, but can you handle the pressure!

Hawke : Not bad! CQC is not just your thing, but you're no match for the powers of my Black Storm!

*Fighting Sounds by Hidenori Arai*

Hawke : Incredible, what speed, what stamina, I see you learned the basics of CQC, your super power is far superior that Eagle's Lighting Strike.

Sami : Basically, you're basically good!

Hawke : Bet you're finally using against your own will.

Strumm : What could be more rational than a strong female fighter capable of using combat with martial arts, this is quite prove to be entertaining.

Lash : [To Strumm] You think.

Strumm : Just begging for it, I'm beginning that her ways as a hero, would be a great start for all in the Multiverse. But I like to see her try.

Hawke : Had enough yet?

Sami : *panting* No. I'm alright with that! This will be your last chance! I'm not giving up yet.

Hawke : Good. This is just your beginning.

Eagle : [in mind] Sami's tiring out from that man. I have to do something about her, if it's her that needs something from the help of her comrades, they are supporting to tire out. I've got to do something like this.

Sami : Alright. Back to square one.

Hawke : With honor.

[Ring by Masamichi Amano]

Sami : ...Ready for round 2?

Hawke : Come on, Tough Girl! Show me what you got!

Sami : Hmph! HAAAAAAAH!!!

Hawke : Hmph!

*Grab*

Sami : What!? *grunting+straining*

Hawke : You think that all of that CQC would do the basic military training? I also happened to learn it from the boss itself. Here, let me help with that.

*PUNCH*

Sami : Ittai!

*WHACK*

Sami : Ugh!

*SMASH*

Sami : Yamero!

Hawke : So...What will you do now, give up or surrender?

Sami : [V/O] It can't be stopped, but I must not give in to myself. [To Hawke out loud] Sir! No sir!

Andy : Sami! I think you had enough!

Sami : Don't worry! I can still fight!

*Fighting sounds by Hidenori Arai*

Sami : Please...Just don't go easy on me!

Hawke : Is that all you got?

*Smash Bros Fighting sounds*

Hawke : Come on, give me a little more of that CQC!

Max : Hey, man! I think she had enough!

Sami : Oi, Yamete! Yamete wo!

*Eagle stops Hawke fighting over*

Hawke : What the-? Who are...?

Eagle : Sorry, she had enough already, but I am honored to take her place as commander and leader of one's faction. But if you're interested a fighter that can kick a man's ass, then I'm all yours to deal with!

Hawke : You cocky little freak! I will make you hesitate and take the the fall of a villain's wrath!

Eagle : Scumbag...LIGHTING STRIKE!

*DBZ SFX : ELECTRIC ZAPPING+Strong Punch X3*

Hawke : (groans in pain)

*DBZ SFX : Shocked*

Strumm : No way! He...He took out Hawke! Lighting Strike has no effect on Hawke's black storm!

Eagle : Just to remind you...I only happened to be using my greatest punching charging with a million volts. Now then, what to do with you, Orange Girl.

Sami : Eagle...Are you...helping me? *passes out*

*later*

Sami : ....Eto...Eh? Wh...Who...?

*Eagle is healing her bruises*

Sami : Oh, ummm....Are you actually...

Eagle : Ah, you're finally awake.

Sami : Hold on, where...

Eagle : Hold still, don't move an inch. Just to making you feel better to get back on your feet.

*cues Legend of the Blue Wolves opening song*

Sami : Oh...Okay.

Eagle : Heh. Black Hole scum, can't believe that they did a number on ya. It's gonna take more bruises to heal from, can't forgive them.

Sami : *blushes* ...Eagle...I thought you were holding no grudges on Andy or me, but...I guess that I misjudged you, even though you might not be a bad guy after all.

Eagle : Yeah, kinda figured that I would face Andy all this time, but I took it a little too much after our first conflict. Don't worry, this should heal you up. Just right about it.

Sami : I...Thought so...

"Nothing's personally too bad...it's like he's nursing me to heal on my injuries, Andy told me that he faced him as rivals, but I doubt he has no temper on me, but I never doubt it that he has done something for me good."

"But I wonder...If his body..."

Sami : [gasps in awe]

"After all of the fighting...I realized that I had a sudden heart beat. It feels like that I'm drowning in with all the love that I carried too far. But it so clear, that I can feel it beating inside me."

"But this sudden realization it made me realize, who I felt for..."

"All of a sudden, I see that I found an inspiration or aspiration from the men that I see."

"As I felt like that it was nothing, but why do I feel so strange...?"

"That dream of a figure having a perfect body that I ever imagined, but I was feeling jealous over a man's body."

"A perfect man with a beautiful form..."

*flashback ends with Eagle continue to heal her*

"Just like that, Eagle would be the perfect thing for a man's body, it's not like that I was too reckless to be sturdy enough to man, but I...I knew that I would..."

*later this evening*

Andy : Here you go, guys. Bon Appetit!

Max : Ah thanks! I'm starving!

Andy : Dig in!

*Andy and Max Starts eating*

Andy : [To Sami while eating] Hey, Sami. You haven't finish your seconds, don't wanna spoil your appetite.

Sami : Yeah, yeah. I kinda felt borish since I had a fight with Black Hole officer Hawke. That guy was such a pain. Andy...Max...I have something to tell you. Eagle isn't such a bad person, But he clearly thinks that he misjudged after our first encounter with him four years ago. I realized that he wasn't a bad person after all.

Andy : Oh really? I thought that he never had a second chance, it looks like that Eagle fella are like rivals to me and him, but you and him as lovers, that's a sudden relief, is he like your boyfriend?

Sami : *blushes* Ah...!?

*Smash Bros. SFX : Heavy Hit*

*Dragon Ball SFX : Boing*

Andy : Ow! Jeez, Sami! Couldn't you least be more respectful, I was just lighten up!

Sami : He's not just my boyfriend, he's a friend like friend person, he maybe an enemy to us for four years, but I can tell you that he's not a bad guy. Andy, sorry about that. But...I've known him for four years and It's our obvious reason that Black Hole Army is making a missile launch, but I got a bad feeling that this might not end well for Black Hole Army, but they say that the Blob had the potential...I mean the potential to be Black Hole Army's ultimate weapon, wonder what's that Blob's name called? Oozium 238. That's the name of the Blob-thing that Black Hole was developing. Thanks to stopping it, the Blob is no more and now, There's a new blob on the frontlines. Somewhere in the outskirts of this land.

Max : Your guess is good as mine.

Sami : I'll be definitely fine with you guys. Being a Nintendo veteran is such a big deal, I mean here's what something from the Segaverse.

Andy : What is this?

*NEWSPAPER : PAROLED FROM 10 YEARS IN THE JOINT*

Sami : Local Ex-Yakuza paroled from 10 years in the slammers?

Max : Yeah, some dude in Tokyo just shot the "Oyabun" by front, but it was the family member who said 10 years in the joint, and that got him 10 years in the joint as well.

Andy : You mean "Prison".

Sami : Man...Prison is literally a hardship place full of dangerous criminals and tough bodies men, but I would avoided that if I gone AWOL with Eagle. Not to worry, but I won't let you down guys, I'm a girl with action and spirit.

Andy : That's news to you, Sami.

Sami : Yep.

Eagle : Hey there, sweet cheeks. I see you're feeling better.

Sami : Thanks so much, I can finally get the Special Forces on their feet. Hopefully yours about the Black Hole Army's satisfactory would have the uprising beginning their conquest on taking over the front lines, but if your men could be our help, I could help you out, who says that love can bloom on a battlefield?

Eagle : Could be.

Sami : If you're thinking about it. I wouldn't think that there's no such thing as love, if you could do that a promise, I make it a promise, an oath to a soldier as well. Remember, we are soldiers and we are told what we must do for ourselves. Even if it takes forever to do that to bloom. Love can bloom on the field. That was a phrase said by Hal Emmerich, he said that Love can Bloom on the flood and if it's possible that may have a suggestion, do you think that there will be love or no love at all? It's your decisions or what I decided what to think of it.

Eagle : That's true. If you're so clever about that, I decided to leave you something for good. Here...It's a letter for you.

Sami : A letter...for me? Thanks I might want to show this later on. But I don't know if I can open it, it's not a love letter of a confession that I probably knew about.

Eagle : It's a promise that I made. Well, enjoy your time working on the troops, commander of Orange Star. See ya. *leaves*

Andy : Just what was that all about. Cool guy, Eagle. Maybe he was right about you all along, guess he misjudged me on that one, don't what to tell you, but I think it's all clear that we have finally done something new for us. Blue Moon, Yellow Imperial, Green Earth, I think these colors should represent the colors of all factions in the world of all Wars.

Max : Yeah, it's nothing but propaganda and political division! Who says Monopolizing political stuff would be all such a big baloney?

Sami : ...Mhm.

*later*

*crickets chirping+owl hooting*

Sami : This letter that Eagle gave this to me. Was it something special? A promise is a promise, I mustn't let my comrades to see it. Just don't go on a show to probably who wanted a love letter. Maybe there's something about love blooming on the battlefield. It'a all too worth it. [she looks at the full moon] It's so clear, the moon is at it's brightness that could be, hopefully, there will be love blooming on the battlefield.

[Standing in the Sunset Glow (1st Movement) by Taku Iwasaki]

Sami : Just as I Imagined, there might be a chance to make love bloom it all, or even to blossom it, just to see the difference that love will bloom on a battlefield. If only I could see love in the light of day, and the darkest of nights. It makes me realize that I truly never felt alone, nor was I too careless, that's what I am when loving someone by heart, these hardships are nothing to be bound to me anymore, But I can feel that I'm falling in love, bathed in the moonlight of it's own. I truly how I felt love by somebody that I could cherish about. Let's see what's inside this letter?

*opens envelope to receive letter*

Sami : This is...truly a love letter? I need to know where he is.

*Scene changes*

Sami : Where could he possibly right now? He should be here, otherwise, it's no difference that all love have gone to waste. Guess no hard feelings that being alone is such a big deal.

Eagle : No you are not alone.

Sami : Huh? [sees Eagle on top of the Tank] Eagle?

Eagle : Glad that you finally made it.

Sami : I'm so worried! I never thought that I would see you at night, what a coincidence of seeing you here. But...

Eagle : Chill. Everyone's asleep. So we're all alone in the middle in the night.

Sami : Of course.

Eagle : Let me get you up.

Sami : O-Okay. *takes Eagle's hand as he lifts her up* Eh? Gee, you're quite the strong lifter. Too close for comfort, ain't it?

Eagle : Yeah.

Sami : I'm kinda feel nervous that's all.

*Sami sits down*

Sami : Take a look of it. It's so beautiful. It's sure great out here.

Eagle : It's just me and you, all alone on top of the tank.

Sami : I see stars, they're countless stars that I see in the night sky.

Eagle : I've always dreamed that I wanted to fly under the moonlight, there's no simple reason that I, an expert in commanding the aerial grounds, my boys fly through the night like a flock of birds.

Sami : Truly is. I wanted to walk under the moonlight. It feels like nostalgic that I'm not even careful, I made my day, I made my promise, a promise to my comrades. I could never fail them. Day after Day, we first met around four years ago...that was the promise that we made...you really wanted not to force anyone to hold any grudges. Is that what you think?

Eagle : If so...then I have a feeling that my suggestions that it's never useless to resist that quaint feeling of yours about part of the life of a soldier.

Sami : Really? So I'm guessing that this point of being a hero could find some development with a lot chemistry...Who says anything about no...Eagle...Our promise, I finally remembered...it was our destiny, it was our independence. That's how I truly felt since the world of all Wars have gone to waste, when this Black Hole Faction is about creating something about a weapon that is capable of ending all. If I say so, would it just to make Love Blossom?

Eagle : Indeed.

Sami : So...About something what I need to know in the multiverse, every being knows that a universe called the Ohkuboverse, was targeted by the Time Eater for spreading an outcome in the multiverse's borders, it's about a boy's influence...Shinra...That name we will never forget. Time Eater had scolded him for creating a new world and his man-made son Death. Shinra's influence would make everyone the follow the same hardships as heroes and would risk their lives of saving the world. Eventually, after the loss of his body and, The Time Eater erased the Ohkuboverse and expunged it's inhabitants. Shinra's son death told us that the witches who had been wreaking havoc in the real world part of the Multiverse, said their magic would be dangerous and could be the end of humanity itself.

*Music stops for a moment*

Sami : And I realize that the Ohkuboverse was targeted because...

Eagle : It wasn't the witche neither of the Ohkuboverse, it was the Mashimaverse...The Devil of the Ohkuboverse has been spreading lies to his man-mad son based on the wrong details, all make-believes, all about spreading influence.

Sami : How did you know that by now?

Eagle : It's his fault, he brought that to himself. His influence was the spread of everything, that's why the Time Eater scolded him. The Mashimaverse was responisble for wreaking havoc with their magic and the Time Eater had to destory the Ohkuboverse for it's influence along with it's inhabitants. But after it annihilated Shinra, his beloved Iris, and everyone, The Time Eater helped a human that could expunge all of it's inhabitants by annihilating them as well in the future. And that girl...I think she's from the future is well, probably from the year 2011 A.D.

*During the Ohkuboverse's destruction*

Soul Evans : What do you mean, it was the Mashimaverse? So it wasn't the witches that wreaked sh*t with their magic, it was them all along and we've been living in this lie! Why you! I'm gonna destroy along with this universe!

Homura Akemi : Silence you! You'll be in a nasty surprise, all the Gods, all of the inhabitants, are nothing but arrogant fools of this universe which shall be no more, and you humans of this "Ohkuboverse" shall be the ones to put the fault on yourselves, taking the blame on all of you as a bunch of stubborn fools.

Soul Evans : All this time...It was the Mashimaverse...This whole Soul Eater thing, was Shinra's fault. We could've taken the blame...I let him down, we let him down...*looks up into the sky* SHINRAAAAAAAAA!!!

*changes back to Sami and Eagle*

*music continues*

Sami : Now I do believe so...All those people, all of those witches, they...They were only trying to let truth to expose them...They're the ones who did all of it, all for the sake of one hero that did it all. And this girl who followed his footsteps, what is it "Maka Albarn".

Eagle : Yes, I'm afraid so.

Maka's voice : If only I was never a hero to my own tale, I would never believe in Shinra for the rest of my life, even if it means to risk our lives as a hero.

Sami : She did all of that for Shinra, all for the sake of everything that devoted to follow the footsteps in the same way...And I realize they had been pawns to his lies all this time in the multiverse. And now in Real World, Maka came to finally got a chance to see Shinra at the garden where he resides as a lifeform they called it "Chaos".

Eagle : Sounds like "God" to me.

Sami : So here's what we're gonna do, we're going to start another war, but if war happens to us, our love can't be bounded and I would the cherish fact that I wanted to know about you. One last time, shall we blosssom our selves with love?

Eagle : Why yes. It's always a pleasure, I do.

Sami : After what those awful things you said to Andy, I thought you would've hated me for real.

Eagle : No...I would never do that to you. You all I have what you are.

Sami : *nods* Mm. Eh?

Eagle : Here, don't wanna catch a cold. Take my coat.

*Puts his coat around Sami*

Sami : Wow! I feel very blessed.

Eagle : You're welcome.

Sami : *sleeps on Eagle's shoulder* Eagle...Suki desu.

Eagle : Hmph.

"I see...so this is love. Love bounded between us..."

"We could share this ever lasting fate of ours for a better tomorrow"

"Loves from a distance could trace our steps"

"That's how we all felt"

*A Shooting Star appears*

Andy : Hey, look. A shooting star.

Max : Nice try, Andy. That's just someone riding on a warp star. Okay maybe it is a shooting star. No need to ruin the moment tho.

~ Mission 17 : Soldiers Bounded with Love ~

0 notes

linuxgamenews · 3 months ago

Text

Discover Fealty: A New Approach to Tactical Turn-Based Strategy

Fealty tactical turn-based strategy game has support plans for Linux with Windows PC and Mac. Thanks to the creativity of Legacy Gameworks. Working to make its way onto Steam soon. Looking for a tactical turn-based strategy that doesn’t take hours to play but still packs a punch? Check out Fealty, the latest tactical turn-based strategy from indie developer Legacy Gameworks. Due to release on September 12, 2024, for Windows and Mac, this release is all about giving you that epic strategy vibe without the usual time commitment. Here are the support details:

Currently, there are no plans for an official Linux build of the game. However, we have tested running it under linux via Steam's Proton compatibility layer. And it seems to run very well in that environment. I won’t rule out a proper linux version post-launch

Legacy Gameworks shared that while they couldn’t create an official Linux build due to an issue with the fog of war shaders, the game works just fine via Proton. Fog of war is a key feature in a title like this, but they didn’t encounter any problems during our Proton testing. Plus, the Unity engine is being used for development. So perhaps a native build is still in the cards post launch.

Release Trailer - Fealty

youtube

Fealty is a turn-based strategy where you can either go solo or team up with friends. The best part? You can finish a game in just an hour or two! No more getting stuck in endless rounds of micromanaging resources or spending hours on complex 4X mechanics. Instead, Fealty brings you the fun of planning your moves, outsmarting your opponents, and climbing your way to the top in a kingdom that’s different every time you play. If you’ve ever played Risk or Civilization, you’ll feel right at home. But Fealty takes what you like about those titles and trims down the complexity, so you get straight to the good stuff: strategy, tactics, and outplaying your friends.

Here are some of the features that make it a must-play:

Quick 4X Fun: You get all the strategic depth of a 4X title but in a package that you can play through in about an hour or two. No need to worry about managing tons of resources—just focus on your strategy and tactics.

Unique Maps Every Time: With procedurally generated maps, each game feels fresh and exciting. The chances of playing the same map twice are slim, so you’ll always be on your toes.

Easy to Learn, Hard to Master: Fealty is design has simple rules that anyone can pick up, but it’s tough to master. Whether you’re a newbie or a seasoned strategist, there’s always a new challenge waiting.

Diplomacy with a Twist: You can demand loyalty from your enemies and make them your vassals. But watch your back—they might betray you when you least expect it!

Online Multiplayer: Battle it out with 2-6 players in competitive online matches. Whether you want to play together in real-time or take turns at your own pace, Fealty’s got you covered.

Get Ready for Battle Fealty is all set to shake up the tactical turn-based strategy scene, and it’s perfect for players who like a good challenge without the long haul. If you’re ready to conquer kingdoms and outwit your friends, head over to the Steam and Wishlist it. Coming to Linux via Proton with Windows PC and Mac. No word on Steam Deck support. Due to be available for $14.99 USD / £12.49 / 14,99. Mark your calendar for September 12th, and get ready to show the world your tactical genius!

#fealty #tactical #turn-based strategy #linux #gaming news #legacy gameworks #ubuntu #mac #windows #pc #unity #Youtube

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my-pokemon-rambling-blog · 3 months ago

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I personally think Cynthia is overrated. I like her as much as the next person, but I think she’s overhyped. I played DPPt, and, yeah, she was hard, but is she worthy of having a whole section of the fandom worshipping every step she takes? No. I can’t really speak on the manga counterpart because I haven’t got to those chapters, so I’ll talk about the anime. I think the anime opened up a lot more of her character. She likes sweets. She is indecisive, warm, gentle, etc.

I heard about what happened in M8 in JN, but I myself refuse to watch JN until I find a subbed version for it because I like sub over dub. As for my very heated opinions on JN, I think M8 added on to my strong disliking of JN. I think I like BW more. As for the handling of Cynthia, I think we needed more time with her to really understand why she decided to retire I guess. Idk if it’s stated explicitly or I’m just pulling info out my ass. I think Cynthia is okay in the anime. Honestly, all the champions kinda suck in the anime imo. Diantha is probably the best out of all them.

In PMEX, the only side game I played other than Go, Cynthia gets way too much treatment. I saw there was an Aura alt for Cynthia. I will say, I am VERY biased since my no. 2 fav character is Riley. Like, do you know a character who is heavily associated with aura? Riley! No! It’s Cynthia! Uh?!?!? No? Riley fits the bill perfectly. It would’ve been cool to see Riley debut in PMEX through that event or smth idk. I’m not up to date with Masters.

I also think Cynthia is an easy scapegoat for people to hate characters. That doesn’t make any sense at all. What I’m saying is Cynthia is used to explain why people hate certain characters. For example, people meme on Diantha for being super easy, which is fair. What I don’t think is fair is to compare her boss fight to Cynthia. Cynthia is one of the hardest trainers in the series period. Comparing Diantha to the likes of, idk Lance(?) would be an easier connection.

Coming back to the M8, I heard of discourse about Cynthia vs Ash. As for the match itself, I think 1) that matchup is bullshit. 2) Steven or Iris should’ve fought her. Maybe Alain. As for what I’ve heard, I heard people say it was sexist that Ash won against Cynthia. I personally don’t see it. Cynthia, a woman, lost to a boy. Therefore it’s sexist doesn’t make sense to me. Don’t get me wrong. I think Cynthia losing to ASH of all people is stupid, but I wouldn’t go so far to call it sexist. What I will call sexist is if all the female trainers lost round 1, but that didn’t happen.

When I think of strong trainers, I think of Whitney, Norman (because I was a stupid kid), Winona, Sabrina, Morty, Lenora, Steven, Elesa, absolutely no one in XY, and Red. Cynthia too, but those trainers come to mind first. Cynthia is strong and tough to beat, but is she on the levels of Steven Stone for me personally? No.

Also, I think Volo’s character actively fails in regard to Cynthia. Like, Volo can’t really stand without context of Cynthia. The theme doesn’t make sense, nor the team without Cynthia. And I get that most if not all of P:LA doesn’t stand without context of DPPt, but I think all the characters stand on their own without their descendants as context. All but Volo, and even Cogita for that matter. Who is Cogita but a woman who lives in fuck off some where in Hisui? Well, she gives directions to legendary mons! Other than that, what else? Nothing. Kamado was a cool guy. He had a fear of Pokemon due to traumatic experiences in the past. He’s protective of the town he calls home. That is somewhat of a far departure from Rowan. I want the same for Volo.

#rant post #pokemon cynthia #cynthia rant

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jrpneblog · 3 months ago

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Heck of a job on his hands

A new era starts at Deepdale on Saturday afternoon as Paul Heckingbottom takes charge of his first game as North End manager with a tough looking tie against Luton. Heck has only been here since Tuesday so we must give our new man plenty of tme to sort out the wheat from the chaff and make the side look something like his own. There may well be one or two ins and outs next week as North End charge towards the transfer deadline joint bottom of the Championship with those two defeats against Sheffield United and Swansea, the latter seeing the hasty departure of Mike Marsh as interim manager. There is no doubt that Paul has got a hell of a job on his hands turning round a toxic Deepdale and a playing squad who have known nothing but defeat since early April under the guidance of the previous manager.

Last Saturday was just about as bad as it has been for the last six months with a shocker of a defeat 0-3 at Swansea with North End looking relegation candidates from the first kick to the last. We started ok, we always do, however the home side got on top and took the lead via a needless penalty conceded by Lindsay. After the break we once again started brightly and it was fairly even up to the hour mark when Swansea made it two with a deflected shot and from that moment on North End were down and out and although the third goal came near the end it had looked on the cards for a while with North End looking all at Sea. The players felt the wrath of the fans at the end and it is a very long time since I have seen the loyal away following as angry as that at the end of the game.

So the new dawn breaks with a visit from the Hatters who were relegated from the Premiership in May after putting up a fairly decent show in their time in the top flight. Having said all that the vistors come to Deepdale with just one point on the board from their first two games having been thumped 1-4 at home by Burnley in their opening fixture before playing out a 0-0 draw at Fratton Park last week against Portsmouth. However they should not be underestimated and North End will do well to take something from the game with all the upheaval at Deepdale over the last few weeks. All eyes will be on the new manager and what players and formation he selects but I think, whatever happens, that we should give him and the boys 100% backing as the blackboard was wiped clean on Tuesday morning.

Following on from the game against Luton we visit the Exercise Stadium on Tuesday evening and our first ever meeting against Harrogate Town in the second round of the Carabao Cup. It is a game that North End should win but it will also be a chance for Heck to have a look at some of the players not involved against Luton as he starts to paint the picture of what his squad looks like and who he wants to stay and who he wants to go. Harrogate will no doubt welocme North End to West Yorkshire but it will be a tough encounter agaisnt the Sulphurites and North End will need to treat them with the respect they deserve if they are to move into the last 32 of the competition.

And finally this week:- I make no apology for re-iterating the need to give the manager the time he deserves to sort this mess out left by Lowe and his methods, or lack of them. If North End can sort themselves out and be in mid-table by Christmas then that would be progress in my book. The January transfer window may well be busier than usual for North End with thirteen players out of contract next Summer and plenty of ins and outs on the horizon. It is a long time since I looked forward to a game as much as the Luton one but after all the garbage we have watch in 2024 I feel re-invigorated and ready to go again. Good luck to Paul Heckingbottom and Stuart McCall and lets hope yours are the names that people talk about in Preston in 50 years time.

MATCH PREDICTION -

LUTON TOWN (H) League - Score draw

HARROGATE TOWN (A) Carabao Cup - Away win

JR`s HIGH FIVES

Hull to beat Millwall 29/20

A £5 Stake returns £12.25 on bet365

SEASONS STATS

Returns £00.00 Stake £10.00

Percentage profit+/-loss - 100.00%

Predictions 2 won 0 lost 2

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thehappybaker · 10 months ago

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@monthly-challenge 2024 | Banter

This features my original characters!

Mikayla sat at her chair in the school library, reading a mystery novel that had caught her eye.

She didn't read often, but when she found a book she thought looked interesting, she could read for hours.

Across from her Dawn was typing away on a essay for English class. She looked like she was constructing hard, and for good reason. Mrs Sandy's English class was known for tough essays. A bad grade on it was considered bad for your overall grade, so many students in her class really focused hard on making sure their essays were great and passable.

Unfortunately Dawn hated essays. She often complained about having to do them, and started on them late. Mikayla often scolded Dawn on starting late on assignments. Dawn was notorious for rushing and and making bad mistakes when late for things, a fact she signed about.

So when Dawn complicated and promised to not be late on the essay, Mikayla rolled her eyes and counted down the weeks when Dawn would not do her essay and then rush the last 2 days it was due.

Cue Dawn panicking during lunch that she hadn't even started it, made a excuse that she was busy (doing other school work, baking, and training as a magical girl Mikayla noted, much to Dawn's ire) and was now busy typing away to finish it before the coming Thursday.

Dawn had begged Mikayla to join her in the library so she could help make sure she got it done. Mikayla signed, telling Dawn that a jelly cookie was going to be needed afterwards, Dawn sighed, a small smile on her face and agreed.

So this was where she was now. It wasn't bad, the after school library was peaceful and Mikayla often tried to come here for peace and quiet after school.

Since she became a magical girl 2 weeks ago, she hadn't had time to come to the library. So today was a lucky day for it.

She had searched the shelves for a book to pass the time. A mystery novel cover caught her eye, the main characters look appealing to her tastes, and she had sat down to read.

It was a great book too. She loved mystery novels. They were one of her favorite genres of literature.

Suddenly Dawn gave out a grown.

Mikayla put a bookmark in the page she was reading and headed over to Dawn.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"The computer froze, now I've lost half my work!" Dawn complained.

"I'll never get this essay done on time!" She wailed.

"This wouldn't have happened if you started it earlier.."

"I know, I know!" Dawn argued back, putting her head over her arms in defeat.

Mikayla crossed her arms in thought, smiling mischievously.

"I can help you finish it at my house...if."

"If? Dawn questioned, raising her head up, one eyebrow raised.

"We play a round of card guess."

Dawn gave a look of annoyance, but sighed a small smile appearing on her face.

"Yeah that's fair." She explained.

Card game is where you had to match two cards for each player. It was Mikayla's favorite game.

Dawn was never good at it, losing often.

("Awww I almost won! Best outta 3!" She declared after losing a 2 time. Mikayla laughed. "Sure, but I'm still gonna win!" She declared back, shuffling the cards for the next round. Dawn gave a big grin. "Your on!")

They had fun with it, despite Dawn losing often. It was a fun game to them when they didn't know what else to do during the times they hung out. Mikayla smiled at the memory.

" And...I get 3 of your jelly cookies at lunch tomorrow!" Mikayla declared.

Dawn gave a pretend shocked face and gave a dramatic "Not my jelly cookies!" Then gave a grin.

Dawn had gotten Mikayla to love jelly cookies when they went to their local town's bakery. She had said they were really good, and Mikayla wanted to try some new baked goods, it had been a long time since she went out to a bakery for sweets. They bought some and Mikayla had fallen in love with them ever since.

Something about the taste of the jelly mixed with the soft dough tasted delicious to her, Dawn smirking all the while Mikayla ate the cookies in joy.

Dawn often made jelly cookies at home, using a recipe her grandmother had made. She brought them to lunch for dessert often. When Dawn went off somewhere, Mikayla would grab a few to snack on. Dawn would never really notice, until she came back to their lunch and caught her in the middle of taking a few.

Dawn didn't yell or tell her to stop, she had instead rolled her eyes and just laughed, much to her relief. Mikayla had apologized, but Dawn said it was fine. It wasn't like it was crime and they were delicious, she had stated.

So this was just common knowledge at this point, to get a few extra jelly cookies for helping Dawn out. Both were fine with it. If it made them both happy then it was fine.

"Yeah I'll make that a deal with you. Thanks for your help." Dawn explained.

"It's no problem, you'd do the same for me" Mikayla explained.

"Yeah you make the best blueberry muffins..ever!" Dawn explained.

It was true, her grandpa had taught her how to make them as a kid, and it had stuck ever since.

"Hehe, see?"

"Yeah.." Dawn said laughing awkwardly.

Dawn turned the computer off, grabbed her stuff, and they walked out of the computer room, Mikayla grabbing her stuff on the way out of the library.

As they walked down the hall, Mikayla had another thought come into her mind.

"If we finish this in 2 hours, we play 5 rounds of card quess, and you give me 8 of your jelly cookies"

Dawn signed but gave a smile along with it.

"Sure... but you give me 4 of your blueberry muffins in return."

Mikayla laughed. "Deal"

They walked out of the school together, two friends helping the other out.

Mikayla couldn't have wished for anything more she wanted to do than this.

#februfluff2024 #friendship

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my-weird-news · 1 year ago

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📺 2023-2024 TV Shows: Who's In, Who's Out?! 🤔

Netflix's Show Rollercoaster 🎬🎢 So, I stumbled upon this Netflix show list like I was raiding the back of the fridge for leftover pizza. And let me tell you, it's like a TV series soap opera on steroids, but with more cancellations and renewals than a cat's indecisiveness when faced with an open door. First up, we've got a show named "1899." And guess what? It got canceled faster than a squirrel on an espresso binge after just one season. Talk about a historical speed run! 🏃‍♂️💨 Then there's "Big Mouth." It's apparently ending with season 8. They must've realized that puberty jokes have an expiration date, and it's about time to let those animated hormones rest in peace. 🙅‍♂️🤦‍♀️ Now, let's dive into the world of Bling Empire. Brace yourselves, because this show got canceled after season 2. I guess the empire wasn't as blingy as they thought, and someone had to pawn off the reality TV tiaras. 👑💍 Hold on tight, folks, because we've got a spin-off – Bling Empire: New York! And guess what? It hit the chopping block after just one season. New York can be ruthless, but canceling a show that fast? That's a new level of speed dating. 💔🗽 But fear not, because "Buying Beverly Hills" is coming back for round two! Apparently, Beverly Hills is still in vogue, and these buyers just can't resist the allure of multi-million dollar homes and mandatory drama. 🏠🤑 Cobra Kai fans, rejoice! The show is getting renewed for a sixth and final season. You know what they say, "Wax on, wax off, and end with a bang." Time to savor those last karate kicks! 🥋💥 And oh, Elite, you're like the Energizer Bunny of Netflix. Renewed for season 8? Seriously, by that point, these high schoolers will probably have more drama than a Kardashian family reunion. 🎭🎉 Then we have Fubar... renewed for season 2! I guess they figured out how to keep the party going. Somebody pass me a glittery confetti cannon, stat! 🎉✨ But hold your horses because Freeridge got the boot after just one season. It's like Netflix's version of a one-hit-wonder – here today, canceled tomorrow. 🎵👋 Now, Inside Job took the exit after season 2. I guess the secret conspiracies couldn't keep up with the real-life ones. Maybe they should've asked Siri for some tips on staying relevant. 🤖💼 Lockwood & Co.? Canceled after season 1. I bet even the locksmiths couldn't figure out how to unlock a second season for this one. 🔒🔑 And remember Mindhunter? Yeah, it got canceled after season 2. The minds behind that show must've had a tough time profiling Netflix's cancel-happy tendencies. 🕵️‍♂️🚫 Mo is coming back for a second and final season. Mo, you better make this one count – the grand finale needs to be more epic than a roller coaster drop! 🎢🎤 Night Agent got the green light for season 2. Guess they'll continue moonlighting as secret agents and keeping us hooked on their late-night shenanigans. 🌙🕶️ Oh, and speaking of riding the wave, Outer Banks is back for season 4. These teenagers are probably on their way to discovering the lost city of Atlantis by now. 🌊🏝️ Perfect Match found its match – a renewal for season 2! I guess true love really does conquer all, including Netflix's ax of cancellation. 💘📺 Physical 100 got pumped up for a second season. These fitness buffs must be sweating more from the suspense of renewal than from their actual workouts. 💪😅 Selling the OC is selling like hotcakes with not one but two renewals! Orange County real estate drama? Sign me up for a prime beachfront seat! 🏖️🏠 Sweet Tooth is satisfying our cravings with a third and final season. Maybe they'll reveal the secret recipe for hybrid human-deer snacks. 🦌🍫 Can you believe they're giving us more of That ‘90s Show? Apparently, nostalgia is like the gift that keeps on giving, even if it's in the form of old flannel shirts and dial-up internet. 🕰️📟 The Diplomat is getting diplomatic with a renewal for season 2. Maybe they'll broker world peace in between plot twists. 🌍🕊️ And don't even get me started on The Mole. It's back for season 2, which means there's a whole new season of trying to spot that sneaky saboteur. 🔍🕵️ The Recruit got recruited for a second season. It's like a reality TV boot camp that just can't stop enlisting more contestants for the drama battlefield. 🏕️🎖️ Too Hot to Handle is heating things up for a fifth season. Seriously, these contestants need a lesson in emotional regulation more than a reality dating show. 🔥❌💑 Uncoupled got uncoupled from Netflix after just one season. That's faster than my WiFi disconnecting during a video call. 📶👫 And finally, Wednesday is giving us more of her spooky charm in season 2. It's like the Addams Family meets Netflix's addiction to renewals. 👻🖤 You thought it was over? Nope! It's renewed for a fifth and final season. This stalker might finally get the closure they've been... well, stalking. 🕵️‍♂️🔍 And last but not least, we've got Sex/Life – canceled after season 2. It seems like the writers couldn't quite keep the spark alive for another round. 🔥😴 Oh, and before I wrap this up, shoutout to Ginny & Georgia for scoring renewals like they're getting free samples at a Costco. Two more seasons? These guys are binge-watching their own lives! 🍿📚 And finally, in the cozy corner, we've got Virgin River – renewed for Season 6. I guess they're gonna keep milking that small-town drama like it's a cow with a golden udder. 🐄💰 So there you have it, folks! A wild Netflix ride with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster made of spaghetti. 🍝🎢 Buckle up, cancel buttons and renewals are at the ready, and remember – if you can't handle the heat, just binge-watch another show! 📺# Netflix's Show Rollercoaster 🎬🎢 So, I stumbled upon this Netflix show list like I was raiding the back of the fridge for leftover pizza. And let me tell you, it's like a TV series soap opera on steroids, but with more cancellations and renewals than a cat's indecisiveness when faced with an open door. First up, we've got a show named "1899." And guess what? It got canceled faster than a squirrel on an espresso binge after just one season. Talk about a historical speed run! 🏃‍♂️💨 Then there's "Big Mouth." It's apparently ending with season 8. They must've realized that puberty jokes have an expiration date, and it's about time to let those animated hormones rest in peace. 🙅‍♂️🤦‍♀️ Now, let's dive into the world of Bling Empire. Brace yourselves, because this show got canceled after season 2. I guess the empire wasn't as blingy as they thought, and someone had to pawn off the reality TV tiaras. 👑💍 Hold on tight, folks, because we've got a spin-off – Bling Empire: New York! And guess what? It hit the chopping block after just one season. New York can be ruthless, but canceling a show that fast? That's a new level of speed dating. 💔🗽 But fear not, because "Buying Beverly Hills" is coming back for round two! Apparently, Beverly Hills is still in vogue, and these buyers just can't resist the allure of multi-million dollar homes and mandatory drama. 🏠🤑 Cobra Kai fans, rejoice! The show is getting renewed for a sixth and final season. You know what they say, "Wax on, wax off, and end with a bang." Time to savor those last karate kicks! 🥋💥 And oh, Elite, you're like the Energizer Bunny of Netflix. Renewed for season 8? Seriously, by that point, these high schoolers will probably have more drama than a Kardashian family reunion. 🎭🎉 Then we have Fubar... renewed for season 2! I guess they figured out how to keep the party going. Somebody pass me a glittery confetti cannon, stat! 🎉✨ But hold your horses because Freeridge got the boot after just one season. It's like Netflix's version of a one-hit-wonder – here today, canceled tomorrow. 🎵👋 Now, Inside Job took the exit after season 2. I guess the secret conspiracies couldn't keep up with the real-life ones. Maybe they should've asked Siri for some tips on staying relevant. 🤖💼 Lockwood & Co.? Canceled after season 1. I bet even the locksmiths couldn't figure out how to unlock a second season for this one. 🔒🔑 And remember Mindhunter? Yeah, it got canceled after season 2. The minds behind that show must've had a tough time profiling Netflix's cancel-happy tendencies. 🕵️‍♂️🚫 Mo is coming back for a second and final season. Mo, you better make this one count – the grand finale needs to be more epic than a roller coaster drop! 🎢🎤 Night Agent got the green light for season 2. Guess they'll continue moonlighting as secret agents and keeping us hooked on their late-night shenanigans. 🌙🕶️ Oh, and speaking of riding the wave, Outer Banks is back for season 4. These teenagers are probably on their way to discovering the lost city of Atlantis by now. 🌊🏝️ Perfect Match found its match – a renewal for season 2! I guess true love really does conquer all, including Netflix's ax of cancellation. 💘📺 Physical 100 got pumped up for a second season. These fitness buffs must be sweating more from the suspense of renewal than from their actual workouts. 💪😅 Selling the OC is selling like hotcakes with not one but two renewals! Orange County real estate drama? Sign me up for a prime beachfront seat! 🏖️🏠 Sweet Tooth is satisfying our cravings with a third and final season. Maybe they'll reveal the secret recipe for hybrid human-deer snacks. 🦌🍫 Can you believe they're giving us more of That ‘90s Show? Apparently, nostalgia is like the gift that keeps on giving, even if it's in the form of old flannel shirts and dial-up internet. 🕰️📟 The Diplomat is getting diplomatic with a renewal for season 2. Maybe they'll broker world peace in between plot twists. 🌍🕊️ And don't even get me started on The Mole. It's back for season 2, which means there's a whole new season of trying to spot that sneaky saboteur. 🔍🕵️ The Recruit got recruited for a second season. It's like a reality TV boot camp that just can't stop enlisting more contestants for the drama battlefield. 🏕️🎖️ Too Hot to Handle is heating things up for a fifth season. Seriously, these contestants need a lesson in emotional regulation more than a reality dating show. 🔥❌💑 Uncoupled got uncoupled from Netflix after just one season. That's faster than my WiFi disconnecting during a video call. 📶👫 And finally, Wednesday is giving us more of her spooky charm in season 2. It's like the Addams Family meets Netflix's addiction to renewals. 👻🖤 You thought it was over? Nope! It's renewed for a fifth and final season. This stalker might finally get the closure they've been... well, stalking. 🕵️‍♂️🔍 And last but not least, we've got Sex/Life – canceled after season 2. It seems like the writers couldn't quite keep the spark alive for another round. 🔥😴 Oh, and before I wrap this up, shoutout to Ginny & Georgia for scoring renewals like they're getting free samples at a Costco. Two more seasons? These guys are binge-watching their own lives! 🍿📚 And finally, in the cozy corner, we've got Virgin River – renewed for Season 6. I guess they're gonna keep milking that small-town drama like it's a cow with a golden udder. 🐄💰 So there you have it, folks! A wild Netflix ride with more twists and turns than a rollercoaster made of spaghetti. 🍝🎢 Buckle up, cancel buttons and renewals are at the ready, and remember – if you can't handle the heat, just binge-watch another show! 📺 Read the full article

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laocommunity · 1 year ago

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French Open 2023: Djokovic Dominates Before Norrie and Alcaraz Take the Court, Sabalenka Triumphs While Pegula Falls - Live Updates

French Open 2023: Djokovic Dominates Before Norrie and Alcaraz Take the Court, Sabalenka Triumphs While Pegula Falls - Live Updates #French Open 2023: Djokovic Dominates Before Norrie and Alcaraz Take the Court, Sabalenka Triumphs While Pegula Falls - Live Updates# Introduction The French Open 2023 has already kicked off with some exciting matches on Day 2. The reigning champion, Novak Djokovic, started his title defense with a bang and dominated his first-round match against Felix Auger-Aliassime. While other stars like Daniil Medvedev and Rafael Nadal will be taking the court later on, the focus was on the matches that took place during the morning session. In this article, we will take a closer look at the matches that unfolded and provide live updates on the matches that are currently being played. French Open 2023: Djokovic Dominates Before Norrie and Alcaraz Take the Court Novak Djokovic looked every bit the favorite to lift the trophy once again as he breezed past Felix Auger-Aliassime in straight sets. The scoreline of 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 doesn't truly reflect the Serbian's dominance as he never let his opponent get into the match. The world number one was in complete control and didn't face a single break point throughout the entire match. Djokovic's consistency and precision were on full display, and it will take something special to stop him from claiming his 22nd Grand Slam title. British number one, Cameron Norrie, and rising Spanish star, Carlos Alcaraz, will be taking the court later on, and it will be interesting to see how they fare against their opponents. Norrie will be facing the experienced German, Philipp Kohlschreiber, while Alcaraz will be up against the talented American, Reilly Opelka. Both matches promise to be fiercely contested, and we will keep you updated on all the action. Sabalenka Triumphs While Pegula Falls In the women's draw, second seed Aryna Sabalenka got off to a solid start, defeating the Romanian, Irina Bara, in straight sets. Sabalenka had her serve working well and hit 12 aces in the match. She will be looking to build on this performance and make a deep run in the tournament. On the other hand, the tough-luck story of the day belonged to American Jessica Pegula, who fell to Jeremy Chardy in a five-set thriller. Pegula had come into the tournament in good form, having reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open earlier this year. However, it wasn't meant to be for her as Chardy produced some excellent tennis to come back from two sets down and secure the victory. Live Updates As of now, several matches are currently being played, and we will provide live updates on these matches. In the women's draw, seventh seed Bianca Andreescu is facing off against the Frenchwoman, Caroline Garcia. Meanwhile, in the men's draw, World number six Stefanos Tsitsipas is playing against Noah Rubin of the United States. FAQs Q. Who won the French Open in 2022? A. Novak Djokovic won the French Open in 2022. Q. Who is the current women's singles champion at the French Open? A. Barbora Krejcikova is the current women's singles champion at the French Open. Q. Who is the favorite to win the French Open 2023? A. Novak Djokovic is the favorite to win the French Open 2023. Q. Who did Novak Djokovic defeat in the first round of the French Open 2023? A. Novak Djokovic defeated Felix Auger-Aliassime in the first round of the French Open 2023. Q. Who defeated American Jessica Pegula in the French Open 2023? A. Jeremy Chardy defeated American Jessica Pegula in the French Open 2023. Q. Who is considered to be the greatest player of all time in men's tennis? A. Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, and Novak Djokovic are considered to be the greatest players of all time in men's tennis. Conclusion The French Open 2023 has started with a bang, with Novak Djokovic looking every bit the favorite he is to lift the trophy again. With several exciting matches still to be played, including Rafael Nadal's opening-round match against the Australian, Alexei Popyrin, there is plenty to look forward to at Roland Garros. We will keep you updated on all the action as it unfolds. #NEWS Read the full article

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tobiasdrake · 2 years ago

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Gym #7: Tulip, the Bewitching Beautician

Here I am in Alfornada with a randomly selected team of Pokemon. Let's challenge Tulip!

This time, the team that's been selected is as follows:

Sandaconda (Sand Spit) w/ Smooth Rock - Earthquake, Headbutt, Glare, Stealth Rock. Leading with Sandaconda so we can get a Stealth Rock out there early. We're going up against Psychics, so we should probably anticipate Special attacks moreso than Physical; With this in mind, I doubt Sand Spit will be particularly relevant. His Earthquake can do some damage, though.

Jumpluff (Chlorophyll) w/ Heat Rock - Solar Beam, Acrobatics, Sleep Powder, Sunny Day. Following Sandaconda and Lycanroc will be Jumpluff, whose Sunny Day/Solar Beam combo can clear any harmful effects from Sand Spit.

Lycanroc Dusk Form (Tough Claws) w/ Assault Vest - Rock Slide, Play Rough, Fire Fang, Psychic Fangs. Third in line is Lycanroc, who's built for full aggro. Lycanroc may come second or third, depending on the situation. Between Assault Vest and Rock's Sandstorm bonus, she can get a significant Special Defense buff if Jumpluff hasn't changed the weather yet. But her Fire Fangs can also get a boost from a lingering Sunny Day.

Gallade (Sharpness) w/ Shell Bell - Psycho Cut, Sacred Sword, Night Slash, Swords Dance. I know, right?! 1 in 186 odds, this guy returns for another round. And once again, he is not well matched. At least his Psychic resistance offsets his Fighting weakness to Psychic, so he hopefully won't get rolled in one attack like he did at Ryme's Gym. His Sharpness-buffed Night Slash could even do some damage.

Dedenne (Pickup) w/ Magnet - Thunderbolt, Parabolic Charge, Volt Switch, Thunder Wave. So, yeah, this is basically Pachirisu again. Same build, different rat. These things happen when you release a new Pikachu every gen. But it's not as good of a rat, sadly, since Dedenne can't learn Encore. Hopefully having the vampiric Parabolic Charge will make up for it.

Swalot (Sticky Hold) w/ Rocky Helmet - Sludge Bomb, Shadow Ball, Toxic, Gastro Acid. Swalot is going to hit the field and die immediately. He's weak to Psychic and, for a defensive-based Pokemon, 83 isn't a lot of Special Defense. I've given him Shadow Ball to try and slug it out, and he has Rocky Helmet in the rare chance that someone tries to swing physically at him. But he's basically here as a spectator. I have no illusions about his chances.

Before we can challenge the Gym, it appears Nemona would like to battle.

Nemona Pokemon #1: Lycanroc (Midday Form)

This is a very advantageous match-up. Lycanroc's a Physical blitzer. High Speed and Physical Attack offset by subpar Defenses and only decent HP. And he's weak to Ground. The way I see it, he'll probably move first, trigger Sand Spit, and then get immediately ganked by Earthquake before he has a chance to benefit from the Rock Special Defense buff. Let's see if that plays out.

Lycanroc uses Crunch, scoring a critical hit that takes off about 1/4 of Sandaconda's HP and triggering Sand Spit. Sandaconda replies with Earthquake, one-shotting Lycanroc.

Wow, I didn't actually expect that to go exactly according to plan. What a rare and special moment.

Nemona Pokemon #2: Sliggoo

This is a wrench thrown in my works. Sliggoo is a monotype Dragon with okay stats, apart from a very high Special Defense. That wouldn't seem like too much of a complication, but Sandaconda is actually in quite a lot of peril right now, as is the entire strategy.

See, Sliggoo came up on the random team that got me to Alfornada, so I've spent some time with one of these recently. And I remember that while they're monotype Dragon, they're also fond of Water attacks. She's probably going to clear my Sandstorm on the first turn with Rain Dance, then start hurling buffed Water Pulses my way.

If that's the case, then I'm probably safe to spend a turn on Glare. Let's try that.

To my surprise, Sandaconda outpaces Sliggoo and lands the Glare. To my further surprise, Sliggoo just uses a Dragon Pulse and knocks off another 1/3 or so of Sandaconda's HP.

Alright. I was going to switch, but if I get the first move then let's be risky. Stealth Rock for a parting shot. I should have set that up when I was fighting Lycanroc.

Unfortunately, the Paralysis fails to stop Sliggoo from one more Dragon Pulse, knocking out Sandaconda.

Nemona Pokemon #2: Sliggoo, Round 2

Choices have to be made here between Jumpluff and Lycanroc. And the obvious answer is Lycanroc. Sliggoo pays for her very high Special Defense with dismal HP and Physical Defense, and Lycanroc knows the Fairy-Type Play Rough. She's going to hit the field and rip through Sliggoo like a hot knife through butter.

Lycanroc moves first and mercs Sliggoo instantly. Next!

Nemona Pokemon #3: Pawmot

Now would be a really good time to still have Sandaconda around, but we'll have to make do. I was really miffed last time we fought Nemona, because she hadn't evolved Pawmo even though there was no level requirement. Glad to see she's corrected that.

Pawmot is an Electric/Fighting type with either Volt Absorb or Natural Cure. We'll assume Volt Absorb, since it's the only one that affects our thinking. He's another Physical blitzer; Hits fast and strong but can't take very many punches.

Lycanroc has 200% Special Defense right now but a strong Fighting punch from Pawmot is going to tear her apart. At the same time, Play Rough will eat Pawmot alive. We're looking at a quick-draw duel. Whoever moves first will immediately obliterate the other. Do I want to commit to that?

Pawmot's 105 Speed to Lycanroc's 110. IV/EV balance will make all the difference here.

Okay. Let's roll those dice.

...

Quick-draw goes to Lycanroc! Play Rough oneshots Pawmot!

Nemona Pokemon #4: Meowscarada

This asshole. I remember this asshole. He's about to start throwing Terastalized Flower Tricks at me for auto-crits. He'll also lose his Dark Type when he Terastilizes, so I can't count on Play Rough here. Fortunately, Lycanroc has Fire Fang.

But his Speed is insane. Base 123 to Lycanroc's 110. I can't count on throwing the first punch this time, and a direct hit from Flower Trick will probably one-shot Lycanroc. But if I switch, whoever I switch to will have a harder time outlasting the auto-crit barrage.

Alright. I think I need to let this happen. Let's try for a Fire Fang.

As expected, Meowscarada gets the first move and trashes Lycanroc with Flower Trick. Then he takes a big hit off that Sandstorm.

Nemona Pokemon #4: Meowscarada, Round 2

Y'know, I just thought of something. Flower Trick ignores Attack debuffs and Defense buffs, but do you know what it doesn't ignore? The Type Chart. Swalot's built for strong defenses and has Type Advantage. Let's give him a try.

Swalot enters the field. Meowscarada doesn't even try the Flower Trick and goes for Slash, hurting himself on the Rocky Helmet. Swalot responds with Toxic. The Sandstorm, Helmet, and Toxic all conspire to bring Meowscarada down to 50%.

This is over. Meowscarada injures himself with another Slash against Rocky Helmet. Swalot answers with Sludge Bomb for that final bit of damage. Terastilized Meowscarada, who put us through so much trouble last time, goes down hard!

It's over!

HAHAHAHAHAHA And it's all thanks to Swalot! I guess he's not just a spectator after all! Man, I should send Nemona a gift basket for making Swalot feel useful right before the big Gym that he's basically benchwarming for.

Well, onwards to the main event.

Tulip Pokemon #1: Farigiraf

Oh! Wow, I am glad I spent time between Gyms 5 and 6 evolving a lot of my Pokemon. I actually have records on this weirdo evolution to Girafarig.

Farigiraf's main benefit from his evolution is a huge boost to his HP and a pair of new Abilities. His Attack stats also went up. But he paid for the huge HP boost with his Speed actually dropping significantly.

He either has Cud Chew, letting him reuse a Berry a second time. Or, more likely, we're looking at Armor Tail: Immunity to attacks with increased Priority. I don't think either will really affect our plans.

Thanks to that Speed downgrade, I don't think I need to paralyze him. Let's just get Stealth Rock up and going.

I prove correct. Sandaconda gets the first move. Farigiraf delivers a Zen Headbutt, setting off Sand Spit. The Zen Headbutt only does about twice as much damage as the first Sandstorm hit to Farigiraf.

Alright, we've seen what he's made of. Let's waste this guy. Two Earthquakes and one Zen Headbutt later, Farigiraf goes down, while Sandaconda's hanging on at 60%.

Tulip Pokemon #2: Gardevoir

Gardevoir enters and takes a hit off of Stealth Rock. She does not Trace Sand Spit, which means she has Synchronize. If we Paralyze her, she'll Paralyze Sandaconda right back.

Her stats are his inverted. Sandaconda's a powerful Physical slugger but weak to Special, while Gardevoir's a powerful Special slugger but weak to Physical. She has a base Speed of 80 to Sandaconda's 71, so she probably gets Speed advantage but Sandaconda just might get it.

If I Glare at her, she will Glare back. If I hit her with an Earthquake, it will be a quick draw to see who crushes who first.

Alright, let's roll those dice again. Earthquake!

This time, the dice land in the opponent's court. Gardevoir hits Sandaconda with Energy Ball, finishing him off.

Tulip Pokemon #2: Gardevoir, Round Two

Lycanroc's weak to Energy Ball, but between Assault Vest and Sandstorm, that weakness is cancelled out by 200% Special Defense. With 110 base Speed, she should also be much faster than Gardevoir. Let's blitz this jerk

Lycanroc lands and slams Play Rough straight into Gardevoir. She's not weak to it, but with Lycanroc's Tough Claws boosting it, it's about 5 Power stronger than her STAB Rock Slide.

But it's not quite enough to do the job. Lycanroc knocks Gardevoir down to 10%. She answers with Energy Ball; However, it only succeeds in bringing Lycanroc down by 30%. Weakness: Cancelled. One more Play Rough later and Gardevoir is down for the count.

Tulip Pokemon #3: Espathra

Espathra's going to give Lycanroc a run for her money in Speed. 105 to 110 means it's anybody's guess who hits first. She's a Special blitzer, hitting fast with Special attacks but suffering from low Defenses and okay HP.

She's a Special blitzer, and that Sandstorm's still raging.(Thank you, Smooth Rock!) Lycanroc wins the Speed contest and moves in with Play Rough, knocking off 80%. Espathra counters with Psychic; However, at 200% Special Defense, Lycanroc only takes about 30%.

Another Play Rough puts down Espathra. Now we enter Endgame.

Tulip Pokemon #4: Florges

Interesting. When not Terastilized, Florges is a monotype Fairy with a strong Grass moveset. I wouldn't have pegged her to have much Psychic stuff on offer.

She's also a powerhouse. With a combined stat total of 552, Florges is a beast. None of my Pokemon even compare to her in sheer power; The strongest is Gallade with a combined total of 518. In terms of stats, this is a boss fight.

The brunt of that power is in her absolutely phenomenal Special Defense, at a whopping 154. From there, she also has a fairly high Special Attack combined with decent Speed and HP. As with the others, Physical Attack and Defense make up her dump stats.

She has fairly high Special Attack and my Sandstorm finally ended. This might be the end for Lycanroc. (Also she has Flower Veil, but that basically has no effect on this fight. It only shields Grass types from debuffs.)

Alright. Her Speed can't compare with Lycanroc's so we can put in some damage before we go down. Lycanroc swept 1/2 of this battle. There's no shame in losing here.

Florges Terastilizes and immediately takes a Play Rough to the face for 50% of her HP. Florges puts Lycanroc down with Moonblast, but she's hurt bad.

Tulip Pokemon #4, Round 2

Moonblast, huh? Alright. What we need right now is someone who can hit the ground running and slice off that last 50%. No tricks, just Physical blitz.

Gallade has 80 base Speed to Florges's 75. Her Moonblast will nuke him, but his Night Slash will do the same to her. He got oneshotted by Houndstone before he ever even got to do anything last time. This will be his moment of glorious redemption or eternal shame!

Gallade hits the field, dashes in before Florges knows what hit her, and Night Slashes through! It's good! Psychic Florges is defeated!

It's Over!

You know, I'm actually a little disappointed that Gallade didn't biff it. I was going to be super mean about it. "Gallade hits the field, takes a Moonblast straight to the face, and wipes out on the floor! You suck forever, Gallade!"

But no. Gallade swooped in like a gallant hero and saved the day, totally redeeming himself for getting merced by a Phantom Force that wasn't even aimed at him last Gym. He didn't have to do much; Lycanroc was total MVP here. But he didn't screw it up.

This went really well. Sandaconda Sand Spit to Lycanroc really carried this match. I didn't even need to use Dedenne or Jumpluff, which is probably for the best since they're Special Attackers and Psychics have strong Defenses against that. And Swalot got to do some nice spectating while riding that high of kicking Nemona's ass.

What a great day.

#pokemon #pokemon scarlet and violet #pokemon sv

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college-girl199328 · 2 years ago

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Players aren’t supposed to come back after missing 11 games due to injury and be better than they were before they got hurt. But Kailer Yamamoto hit the ground running in his first three games since coming back from the head and neck issues that sidelined him for a month.

“Ever since I came back, I’ve been feeling really good, more like myself,” said the 24-year-old winger, admitting it’s not normal that players improve after that long on the shelf. “Definitely not.” “It’s a good start, but I have to keep it up.”

With a goal and two assists in the last two games, Yamamoto very quickly doubled his season total, which tells you two things: he’s running hot and he didn’t start the season very well.

“I’m happy I’m able to get on the board now, but I would have liked to have done that in the first 13 games,” he said. “I wouldn’t say I was very good in the first 13.” Then I had the injury and came back with a fresh start.

There aren’t many secrets to Yamamoto’s game. He gets in there and hustles, digs, and battles for every puck like it’s the last one. When he’s buzzing like that, he’s an effective player on a productive line.

"When you have a skill that has that type of will, it’s a tough combination," said head coach Jay Woodcroft. "The level of tenacity on loose pucks, winning loose puck races, playing inside people’s equipment to establish position—all those things are part of his game.”

"Whether you’re five-foot-six, like he is, or six-foot-six, like some of our guys, that’s the type of game you want to play.” “We want to play a hard game; we want to be a hard team to play against.” “It’s as much will as it is skill."

The line with Yamamoto, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, and Mattias Janmark is rolling now, which is helping all three of their games. "It’s awesome; they’re both just worker bees," said Yamamoto. "They’re always working for you, always trying to get you open.” It’s really nice to play with them."

The last few games are the baseline for a top-six winger, so Yamamoto knows he can’t let up. It won’t always mean three points in three games, but it has to mean doing the things that make those points possible.

“My game definitely relies on my work ethic,” he said. “If I’m working, I feel like I’m creating chances and getting to the net.” I pride myself on second chances and all those little things. That’s huge for our line, especially, to get those second chances and keep the puck in. “When you’re doing that, you’re going to get rewarded.”

Woodcroft was running low on top-six wingers for a while there, so he’s glad to see Yamamoto starting to hit his stride. He said he actually saw signs of it right before he got hurt.

“The game in Tampa (Nov. 8) up to that point was the best game he played this year, and he unfortunately got hurt in that game and missed a month or so,” said Woodcroft. “He came back where he left off.” “That’s a credit to him for getting healthy and putting the work in.”

It also means Woodcroft doesn’t have to jam as many square pegs into round holes. "When we have him in the lineup, it slots people into the proper positions and makes us a deeper team."

If this is Monday, it must be Minnesota. The Oilers and Wild finish a home-and-home series and three games in 12 days with the rubber match in a 1-1 series.

Minnesota won 5-3 at home on Dec. 1, and Edmonton won 5-2 at home on Dec. 9, after losing the previous seven games to the Wild. "They gave it to us last year (4-1, 7-3, and 5-1) and in the first game this year," said Yamamoto. "So we needed that one.” It’s a big win.

“But we’ve got another big one coming up.” “It’s going to be a hard, heavy matchup, so we have to bring our best game.”

Back-to-back games on the road almost always mean both goalies will get a start, so there could be a Jack Campbell sighting, most likely in Nashville. Campbell has only played in three of Edmonton’s last 13 games: a 3-0 loss to the Islanders, a 4-3 win over the Rangers, and a 5-3 loss in Minnesota as he attempts to practice his way into form.

The way Stuart Skinner is going (5-1 in his last six, 7-3 in his last 10), there is no hurry, but they need Campbell to join the fight eventually. "What I’ve noticed is that Jack Campbell has put in a ton of work," said Woodcroft. "He’s used this time since his last game (Dec. 1) as almost a personal reset for him and his game.”

“He’s really worked at it.” He’ll get in there soon, and when he gets his next opportunity, he’ll be ready for it.

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alluringjae · 4 years ago

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until dawn; pt. II - ljn

part I | part II

⤑ summary: basic number one rule of the museum is not to touch the art. but no one told jeno that falling for one of them isn’t allowed either.

⤑ pairing: jeno x female reader

⤑ word count: 12.2k

⤑ genre: ANGST, fluff, romance, smut (f receiving, dom!jeno waow, dirty talk, wrap it everyone) | broke architecture major!jeno, historical figure!reader, enemies to lovers!au, college!au, night at the museum-inspired!au

⤑ warnings: references to actual historical figures, explicit language, graphic details, major heartbreak caused by another party, expect time jumps too

⤑ author’s note: happy jeno day!! i’ve been so excited to post this part, and i’m happy we’re here!! perhaps, this is the last long fic i’ll write for a while so i can rest, but i’ll still be posting short stories within the weeks to come! i’m excited for may to say the least hehe

btw, for the smut scene (indicated with **), i highly recommend you listen to strange (feat. hillary smith) by kris bowers!! this song is from the bridgerton soundtrack, and oh man, the feels!!

with that, enjoy!

italicized text either means they are personal notes or flashbacks.

this was meant to be more angsty, but either way, i screamed every time i wrote something gut-wrenching.

⤑ taglist: @renjunniehome

⤑ ctto above!!

⤑ leave me some feedback, constructive criticism, or hellos!

“You ready to get your butt beaten by me, Lee?”

“Prepare your final words when I win instead, (Y/L/N).”

Mischievous banter exchanged between you two became a new norm. Almost every night, someone within the art pieces established a contest over anything and it released the competitive sides of you two. So far, Jeno has been winning. Not like it hurt your pride, but maybe just once, you could conquer one game to feel better. Not only that, there’s a mini penalty for the loser. So far, you’ve cleaned up the lobby yourself and acted cutely to everyone the entire evening (or aegyo as Jeno called it).

Tonight, a game of archery was held by the Greek gods. They pushed away any extra pieces away, leaving the whole room vacant with two boards right beside Zeus’ throne. Numerous arrows were produced and sharpened, Zeus in the center announced to everyone participating.

“It’ll be 1 on 1 games. First to go are Jeno vs (Y/N), followed by Athena vs. Hermes, Cleopatra vs. Freddie, and last would be Hades vs Aphrodite.”

Cutting the chase, you didn’t expect Jeno to be that good at archery. Sure, he told you that he took classes with his friends for fun when he was younger, though it showed that he’s a fast learner and even hit one bullseye in the middle of the game.

Not slightly threatened until the last rounds, you fixed your aim and lessened your overthinking when preparing to shoot. Thus, you scored 2 bullseyes shot. It was a close fight, having the audience on the edge on their feet again because it’s the two of you. Your dynamic with the night guard always elevated the mood, shifting their bets over and over again.

By 1 point, you received your first victory against Jeno. Unlike you, he showcased his sportsmanship sweetly without any comments of disbelief. He’s never bragged about anything big in his life, not unless it’s a high grade for his plate. Normally, he celebrated wins in a laid-back manner. But don’t be fooled: he loves giving penalties.

“This is why I don’t make bets with my friends because I really go for their weak spots.”

“You’re cynical, Lee Jeno.”

“Only if you’re close to me, (Y/N) (Y/L/N).”

“Aren’t we already past that stage?”

Almost halfway through his job, he sustained a meaningful friendship with you. Out of everyone, you were his default person to hang out within the nights he had a shift. If he wasn’t present, he made sure to give you small treats or gifts as much as possible. An innocent friendship, it was that the world would’ve never believed in.

Or was it?

“To celebrate your win, what do you want me to do?”

“You’re too kind for me to play around with, even if you’re the complete opposite of me.”

“I’ll make it simple and worthwhile since I don’t know when I’ll win a game again.” As your finger tapped your temple as you pondered deeply, a smart idea came through. “Grant me 3 wishes.”

He chuckled, lowering himself to view you better. “Am I like some genie now to you?”

“No room to complain, I won, didn’t I?” You grinned, raising one brow to show your dominance.

“You’re petty in your own way, aren’t you?”

“Perhaps. Now come on, I want to use my first wish.” You shrugged it off like no big deal, loving the high feeling of triumph. You lead him to the center of the lobby, where a beautiful grand piano only selected people get to play during exhibits. “Open the museum piano.”

Ever since you were brought to life, you never used it. Tempting but because people from the outside might here, maybe it’s time to try something new. A new challenge, and besides, you missed entertaining people through it. The last time you touched the delicate piano keys was to your family before you ran away.

It’s a good thing that in the shackle of keys Jeno held, the needed key was there. Unlocking the lustrous black instrument, you sat by the matching black bench. Crackling your fingers, you tested by pressing a few keys to get the hang of it again.

“What are you planning to play, (Y/N)?” Jeno leaned against the side, his arms crossed.

Humming the first notes of your piece, the nostalgia ran through your veins. “Nocturne No. 2 in E flat by Chopin.”

Your fingers took off and played each chord slowly and calmly. This piece reminded you the most of your mother, who sat by the couch in front of your old piano with your father while guests from the party they hosted crowded around you. Being the youngest, they often requested you to perform as entertainment so you always put your best foot forward. Or so you tried.

Nevertheless, no one else in your family was capable to play this piece as perfectly as you. By the way your eyes closed and your body swayed to the mellow tune, Jeno observed how you memorized this piece by heart. A passionate flame you were, outshining every pianist out there.

He wasn’t surprised at how multi-talented you were, though there’s a different kind of aura you present when you played the instrument. From your hard and tough front, you could be soft and sweet to the right people.

In a way, you showed your comfort toward the boy by serenading him with the piano. Sketching him with him in the past was one thing, but this was another. You’d sketch with people you’ve grown used to, but you play piano to people you want to cherish in your life. As dangerous as it seems, Jeno was someone special to you, only wanting to have good moments with him.

Junmyeon will always have a huge part in your museum life, but Jeno filled the emptiness that he left behind. This loneliness for a human friend vanquished thanks to Jeno, and you didn’t want to jeopardize it at all. Sure, whenever he acted like a gentleman around you, let you inside the Foreign Art Room, or brought you food sometimes, you couldn’t help feel honored.

Though lately, every time he showed off his strength when he defeated Zeus and Hades during an arm wrestle game the god held again. You seriously had to catch a breath at every flex his arms made, like the goddesses. Maybe how he pushed his black hair back when he’s drawing another plate, you’d give yourself a few extra seconds to see his long fingers skim through them. He’d bit his lower lip when he’s in too deep with his creativity, wondering if he’d bite the lower lip of the girl he’d ki-

All right, (Y/N), relax. Maybe you’re thinking this way because it’s been decades since your last relationship. You wouldn’t want to fall for another possible trap and hurt yourself again, right?

Ever since this job, Jeno’s university life drastically changed. Yes, he still hung out with his friends and performed extremely well in his classes, though he prioritized anything related to the museum wherever he was. If they were drinking out, he’d buy an extra bottle of soju for you on his way back to the dorm. Rarely does he get shitfaced anyways.

If he and Renjun visited the bookstore to purchase pens or any art-related materials, he always bought either an extra sketchpad or set of pens. Even if you were simply a figure to everyone else, he appreciated the bond you both developed.

Every night, he’d tell you about his day from the start. Normally, it consisted of a lot of schoolwork and coffee, some stories about his roommates too. Speaking of them, he’d insert a lot of humorous words about his entire group of friends, whom you learned their names too.

Mark, Jaemin, Renjun, Jisung, Chenle, and Donghyuck, each of them presented a different color in their group. Jeno, who’d admitted to being shy and quiet, grew out of his shell because of them. A friend of Jeno’s would automatically be a friend of yours, if only you were allowed to leave the museum or become a human.

Jeno learned more about your past explorations that never got documented because you no longer had an interest in jotting them down. They were adventures you’d kept to yourself, memories only close to you then would know. Except now, Jeno was another addition. You’re not the type to instantly open to people, though again, a sense of relief surrounded him every time you encounter each other. It grew gradually like a warm hug, softening your heart and breaking your walls.

The more he spent time with you, nothing feared Jeno the slightest. He’s always maintained himself intact, avoiding lines to be crossed and giving respect to those who deserve it. However, he began to question himself where exactly his feelings lie with you after Jaemin tried to set him up on a blind double date just so the best friend of his date wouldn’t feel left out.

He’s rarely one to get crushes on people, even when other girls in his college openly showed their affection towards him. Valentine’s Day or his birthday, several girls sent him chocolate or flowers. Jaemin and Renjun got sick of girls reaching out to them first so they could reach him. It’s not because he’s not the dating type, but because he’s so goal-oriented that unlike his roommates, he doesn’t have a slight clue about dating.

Though one-night stands while at a party and dating were completely different, he’d still say he had experience with girls. Plus having an older sister, he never took advantage of them. He’d rather tell them in person that the feelings weren’t mutual than ghosting them. He’s not like Jaemin anyways.

With that, he’s so lost when his heart beats twice as fast the second you’ve woken up from your posing slumber. He doesn’t comprehend how flustered he’d be when you highly insist to help him with his plate or how cute he finds it when you’re playing fetch with Mochi. On top of it, when you chose to sketch each other for one of your sketching sessions, he’d take a longer stare at your visage before he drew some strokes.

A lot of historical accounts mentioned how your beauty was the standard of the Victorian era, wherein you were the jewel of your neighborhood and numerous men wanted your hand. Women envied you, especially having high intelligence skills that were equivalent to a man. That time, that felt like a threat to most men. Though surprisingly, it turns out there were men who liked intelligent girls.

Jeno knew he liked you as a friend, though liking you past that he didn’t intend. Nor was it allowed because it’ll break one of the golden rules. Before he’d go beyond contemplating, he had to stop himself. This was so unlike him. The feelings will fleet away, he’d repeat to himself. Don’t waste a great friendship because of your silly emotions.

Individually, both of you swallowed these harboring feelings down your guts and simply kept your friendship status safe. Doing your typical activities or whatever else you could think of, none of you minded to change it whatsoever.

Unknown to you though, it was obvious to the other art pieces ones that you two practically passed off as young lovers. Although they know that pushing one towards the other went against the rules, Aphrodite begged to differ.

“Holding them back from expressing what they really feel just because of the law here is a tragedy. They should at least try, you know?”

On another typical night, Jeno invited you to the Theater Room for a movie marathon. After finding out that you’ve never seen any moving pictures, he wanted to be there to introduce it. Luck was on his side to not have plates or requirements due for the week and everyone was behaving themselves, so he started with rolling out short films from the 88mm projector. Having premade popcorn and drinks, the two of you shared roars of laughter and emotional tears.

Switching to the cd player for longer and clearer films, you’d opt to believe that you were born at the wrong time. With all these advancements, it came with a lot of new beliefs. One of them was allowing women to study and work. Then again, she was a pioneer according to historians. Without her, it wouldn’t help shape society as it is today.

Nonetheless, this movie Jeno played on the big screen was what he defined as “one of the classics”, 10 Things I Hate About You.

This outspoken character named Kat was presenting a poem to her class, trying to hold in her raw emotions towards Patrick, the boy who broke her heart. Too engaged, you didn’t notice how Jeno stretched his arms out so he could wrap one around your shoulder. Not that you were complaining, his warmth reassuring you safety.

“I hate the way you talk to me, and the way you cut your hair. I hate the way you drive my car. I hate it when you stare. I hate your big dumb combat boots and the way you read my mind. I hate you so much it makes me sick; it even makes me rhyme. I hate it, I hate the way you're always right. I hate it when you lie.” The way she attempted to keep her strong ground only reminded you of where you were weeks ago, especially once she excruciatingly broke down.

“I hate it when you make me laugh, even worse when you make me cry. I hate it when you're not around, and the fact that you didn't call. But mostly I hate the way I don't hate you. Not even close, not even a little bit, not even at all.” Only when you leaned back to the chair, you felt his arm. His thumb caressing your covered shoulder, you peeked him a little bit. His eyes fixated on the screen, absorbed in the acting and how Kat’s tears weren’t scripted as she stormed out of the classroom.

Not that you were her, but it sparked the past memory of how you merely disliked him because of his job. But as a person, not even close, not even once did you hate him. How blessed that he never judged you for it, staying patient all this time.

Right before he could look back at you, you moved your face back to resume your watching. Jeno definitely noticed what you did, though not sure as to why. Whatever it was, it wasn’t harmful.

Once the film ended, Jeno checked his watch for the time. 4 am, he wanted to do something else now instead of film viewing. You were on par with it, wanting to walk it out after being seated for hours. As you both cleaned up and bid the posters outside goodbye, the doors to the museum were locked unexpectedly. Impossible on Jeno’s half because he had the keys for every room, but he double-checked his bunch.

Alas, the keys for these doors specifically were missing. But there was no other way anyone could’ve gotten it, plus it’s not like the last person he talked to, which was Aphrodite, would need it.

Or did she?

Rather than putting any blame on each other, your only wish now was to return to your section before sunrise. You and he could just relax momentarily before yelling for help.

“Maybe we should watch another film first?”

“Alright, you choose while I return the rest.”

As Jeno inserted the cd of Cinema Paradiso inside, the background music of the opening played. He hummed the first notes, already feeling the love from this film. Another must-see classic as recommended by Renjun, he wanted to rewatch it with you.

Slowly returning each cd and film roll to their respective drawers, the melodious theme had you waltzing in the small space. Even beyond your life, classical music never gets old. Aging like fine wine, sounding spectacular as time passes because of people’s creativity.

Jeno gazed over your sudden movements, smiling uncontrollably at how immersed you were as you multi-tasked. However, you took a wrong turn by the desk and almost dropped a priceless film roll. But before you fully slipped and fell, a pair of strong arms caught you at the right time. Panting from the nerves, mostly when he was inches from your face. Never has he pressed his body this close to you to protect you, and never have you seen his captivating eyes this up close.

As enchanting as the background music of Ennio Morricone was, it only became noise once Jeno took ahold of the film roll on your hand and placing down on the desk. Taking another step closer, you were backed up by the edge. Not to mention how his height dignified his impact on you, your arms were still situated by your side with nowhere else to go.

That was until his finger elevated your chin so he could meet you on eye-to-eye level. His other hand gripping your waist, you became brave enough to place your hands by his broad shoulders. Licking your lips, you glanced at his lips quickly. But he noticed it, and as risky as this was, it was a leap of faith to take.

“May I kiss you?”

Always such a gentleman, even when he already knew how much you desired him through your returning affections. Calming your breath patterns by the speed of everything occurring, you came back to your senses. He’s the one who constantly told you not to forget your roots, so you were going to take this one.

You trust him, and he does too.

“Yes.”

Since the first film, some kind of tension increased the closer he moved or intimate his actions were towards you. You kept pushing it back in hopes not to ruin what you both have. But it only turned out to be mutual, especially how none of you held back as soon as his lips passionately clashed yours.

Tangling your arms around his neck, you stood on your tiptoes to press even closer to him. Feeling his lively heart pumping against your hollow chest, you bit his lower lip. Something you’ve secretly craved to do, he growled from the pleasure. He hoisted your waist to the desk, his impatient hands earnestly traveling all over your body. While your legs locked around his torso, your feisty nature leaned back so your entire body lied on the small desk.

Jeno was on top, placing one hand down to hold himself while the other squeezed your waist firmly. Even if you’re made of wax, you’re like an actual living woman at night. Everything about you becomes real until dawn. You emitted vulgar moans, giving him more access to your neck. Peppering a mix of soft to hard kisses, your hand teasingly snaked under his shirt. He really wasn’t joking when he bragged that he was quite ripped since he enjoyed sports and going to the gym, cupping a part of his toned abdomen.

“If you want something, all you have to do is ask.” He sluggishly sucked the area between your ear and neck, one of your weakest spots. “What’s on your mind, baby?”

The growing moistness in between your legs left a stain in your panties, trying to close your legs out of embarrassment. It’s been decades since you’ve been stimulated like this. However, Jeno beat you to it as he trailed the hand that was on your waist and lowering it right above your covered sex. He cupped it agonizingly slow, making you folding your leg from the pleasure. For a man who doesn’t date around, he knew exactly what he’s doing.

“I just kissed you, and you’re already this soaked. Can you handle me, baby?”

As the strong woman that you present yourself to be, it would selfishly take the right touch from the right man to weaken you. With his savage lips back on yours while your hands clutched on his shirt, he was simply waiting for a verbal answer, yet driving you completely mad. Everything was happening so fast, and here he was to please you in anywhere you seem fit.

You were deprived, and oh, you needed it more than ever.

However, seconds before you replied, there was loud rumbling from the main doors which stopped your devilish antics. As Jeno moved back from you to see the ruckus, you lifted yourself back up, pulling back your dress sleeves and flattening out the creases. The last thing you wanted was a trail of familiar red marks from the aggressive male, finding any reflective surfaces to check.

“I wouldn’t be that dumb to leave you hickies now, would I?” Jeno ended your worries as he placed his hands by your side again. His face leaned towards yours again, reliving the warmth in your cheeks. His lips were plumper, catching traces of your coral lipstick smudged there down to his jaw. He slotted himself again between your legs, grazing a hand on your waist and the other to your warm cheek. “The door’s unlocked now, and it’s 5 am. Do you want to clean up now?”

You playfully scoffed, aware that neither of you had plans to do that yet. Such a player while in the heat of the moment.

“Spare me 15 more minutes with you first.”

Hiding the romance you’ve both built failed without trying. Aphrodite spotted all the signs from your open physical affection and words of admiration, calling you two out in front of everyone without shame. She is the goddess of love, after all. You couldn’t fool her even if you tried.

Plus, she’s the one who locked the two of you up in the Theater Room that night. But neither of you know that.

“Sketch my ideal home?” Jeno bent down to the table, testing out his newly bought pens so they wouldn’t spill.

“Isn’t that why you decided to pursue Architecture in the first place? Come on now!” You pestered across him, opening your new sketchpad since your last one ran out of pages. As expected, Jeno bought you one when he went to the bookstore. As much as you insisted not to because he should use the money somewhere else, he did it anyway. He loved your works, encouraging you in any way he could.

When he was reminded of his humble beginnings of his passion for architecture by you, never had he envisioned exactly how his perfect home would be like. Settling down was so far beyond his mind, only focusing to graduate university then study for the licensure exams. However, he did miss drawing something for fun, not as a requirement. He also was the one who took charge of designing his dorm.

“Fine, only if you draw what your ideal home would’ve been if you never left London.”

Now as lovers, the only addition to your relationship were the public and private exchanges of affection. Deep conversations, film viewing, back and forth banter, you’re both still the same competitive duo everyone expected to be together. In public, the two of you held hands, hugged, kissed each other cheeks too when it felt right. Cleopatra’s face of fake nausea was priceless every time, while Princess Diana, Anne, and Katherine enjoyed it. It’s been years since they’ve seen this glow of adoration in you. Bit by bit, you’re going back to the old you. Except now, you’re a lot stronger.

Perhaps, this version of you proved wrong for the need for romance. Even if you made the choice not to settle down then, it would’ve been different if Jeno was in your universe then.

“Are you done there?” Jeno asked while you were finishing up your masterpiece. Life in London sounded fun when you were younger, having all these ideas on interior design and the like. An innocent time.

Instead of replying, you strode to his side and compared your pieces together. He pictured a two-story home, with a backyard and rooftop area. He definitely wanted to stay in the city as his whole life was based there. Although you preferred living in the countryside more for more freedom, you gave it a shot by pinpointing every detail of a wealthy typical Victorian-era home you liked. You desired a spacious lobby with a grand staircase in the middle, a crystal chandelier there too. The living room would have a small library and a grand piano, where wide doors leading to the grasslands were beside it.

Considering you two lived from different times, in a way your ideal homes were similar. Somewhere private, surrounded by nature and minimal furniture, you’re curious as to how it would look if the two of you fused them together. A mix of old and new, will it look pretty?

“What will look pretty?” Jeno questioned your random thought, looking back and forth at your sketches. “You know who’s pretty though?”

“If you say what I think you’re going to say, I’m lea-”

“You.”

Jeno has gotten flirtier since that night, always finding the right opportunity to flatter you. Although you denied them out of embarrassment, the butterflies in your stomach can’t lie to you.

You’re so smitten, and so was he.

Jeno’s always one to follow the rules, but so far, he’s been breaking some of them already.

Just last night, he gave Renjun access to the lively museum because he needed more research regarding you. Initially, he practically interviewed Jeno for every piece of information he gathered because he used to be so deep in the books to study everything about you. Now in the past, Renjun still couldn’t forget how Jeno drunkenly admitted how crazy he was going to be over you and your coldness whilst sobering up in the dorm.

He didn’t understand one bit by that, especially when you’re technically dead. But by the sight of the first piece Renjun saw alive, which was Zeus, he almost passed out. Piece by piece, he viewed these artworks come to life from his fresh eyes. Right before he could’ve screamed when Athena shot a lightbulb in their exhibit, you happily called out Jeno’s name.

Renjun froze on the spot upon seeing your wax figure come to life. He’s browsed through this museum numerously due to the new exhibits, but lately, he checked your section out to find any tiny details that were linked to your life. Aside from the sketchpad, compass, and hairpins, he wanted to know if there was more to your life as an explorer.

As human interactions except the night guard weren’t allowed, Renjun needed help for his project in Women Studies. Just like Jeno’s assignment, you aided him. Fruitfully answering every question he gave you, Athena popped out of nowhere to inspect Jeno.

“I see you’re breaking another rule.”

“I’m sorry, Athena. He was desperate, and it would be selfish of me to let him fail.”

“This is the last one I’ll let slide, alright?” Athena huffed, not impressed by the reckless behavior Jeno acquired over time. She saw this coming, but for a change, she couldn’t punish him. He was a young adult, still learning more about life. Only will she step in if things turn for the worst. “I can’t believe I’ve gained a soft spot for you.”

Jeno laughed, hugging the figure like his older sister. “You love me though!”

Glad to say, Renjun aced his project and kept his word of not telling anyone about the happenings in Jeno’s job. Jeno even made a makeshift non-disclosure contract so Renjun wouldn’t spill the slightest details.

Lately, so much has been happening in the museum that having alone time with each other was rare. And when you did, the two of you made sure to maximize it and make every intimate moment count. From each touch, each longing kiss, each moan, and groan, never were you left hanging whether you’re at the Theater Room, Jeno’s office, or the Foreign Art Room.

The only time the two of you went beyond the boundaries was at the indoor garden. Jeno managed to get the key to it, lighting up some candles before you invited you inside. Thanks to the magic of the Greek gods, the cameras were bewitched to display fake imageries when security checks in the morning after.

Upon your deep conversations, you’ve mentioned once or twice about the indoor garden. It was the latest addition of the museum, opening in the early 2000s. Because it was a sacred place, no art piece was ever allowed inside.

Yet again, Jeno challenged the rules again when he invited you inside. A few minutes before, he set up some lights along the hallway of the garden, where he placed a blanket, a picnic basket, and his laptop right at the end of it. The best place to view everything, he just knew you’d love it.

He was undoubtedly right once you gasped at such a pretty sight. Seeing the silhouettes of various flowers and plants together with the night sky with all the stars sparkling, it was like you’re attending another ball with your sisters, who were looking for suitors then.

Once Jeno leisurely led you until the end, he brought out all the delicacies from the basket. One of them was this Italian savory dish of dough with toppings such as cheese and pepperoni, or pizza as they named it. The next ones were fresh strawberries and melted chocolate, followed by grape juice.

“I’d drink actual alcohol with you again, only if I didn’t get shitfaced and do my job properly.”

“Point taken. Besides, this is close enough. So pour me a drink please.”

Perhaps this was the closest to a date Jeno could ever ask you out to. With the restrictions and being constrained with time, he brainstormed all sorts of ways to bring the outside world to you. From simply letting you wander around this fascinating room, he unleashed the inner romantic in him. None of his friends would’ve thought since they never asked him about it, so he kept it to himself only. Finally, he’s satisfied with what he prepared. After eating, the two of you would watch more films before the sun rose again.

You’re just the right person for him at the moment he can act that way.

After your quiet stroll and sitting back down, Jeno surprisingly handed you a tiny box.

“A gift?”

“Open it.” He sipped on his juice, paying attention to your actions. Gently untying the box, the amazement in your eyes couldn’t fathom such a lovely present. No words were required to verify that Jeno outdid himself again, just your facial expression alone is enough.

When Jeno said that he pays attention to the tiny details, he doesn’t bluff. Throughout your growing relationship, you’ve cited how you wanted another special flower in your life. Just because you couldn’t view lavender roses the same way ever again, it didn’t mean you wanted to kick them out of your life. Flowers were one of nature’s beautiful creations, so you’re wishing to find the love you once had for lavender roses in other ones.

Thus, you came across what you thought held the highest form of meaning: red roses. Despite its thorns, it’s still a marvelous flower. Innocently, you told him that just because of the memory of your father giving them to your mother on her birthday yearly.

Red roses represented true love and romance, a discreet message only those eager would know.

Jeno was one of them, which was why he reserved this gift for this very moment. It was a necklace he found through a college fair recently, a subtle red rose pendant in the center. Since he couldn’t give you huge gifts, he settled for something light. Something none of the guards or the director wouldn’t pinpoint out when they do their inspections.

“Do you like it?”

Not one utter from your mouth since you’re so hypnotized, your lips quirked up in a charming smile. “Is that even a question? This is astonishing, Jeno.”

After you attempted to put it around your neck, Jeno sighed and stepped in to help you out. “Turn around, (Y/N). Let me.”

The tension gradually heightened once you held your hair up so Jeno accessibly viewed your clean neck. Clasping the lock, it took all his might to hold himself back from you. Even from behind, your silhouette was attractive to him. The lights he set up weren’t helping the slightest of what he’s thinking to do with you.

“Done.” He breathily whispered in your ear.

If he thought he was the only one feeling something powerful, he’d be more than wrong. The lingering sensation of his slim fingers gracing your décolletage area unhinged another kind of want, the one you’ve only imagined in your mind when you were needy and alone. It shouldn’t be a sin unless you’re with the person you’ve fallen for, right?

Facing him again, the eye contact didn’t last long when you were the first one to strike a move. Jeno kissed back right away, his hands pulling you closer by your waist. Whatever sultry music Jeno played, it gave you the perfect momentum to grind on his lap. He groaned against kisses, adding his tongue. His thumbs sensually rubbed your hipbones, one of your hands toying around with his hair while the other one balled up his shirt by the chest. None of you cared if anyone caught you.

The last time you’ve been this aggressive was at the Theater Room, which eventually increased the hidden lust you’ve had towards each other. Taking things slowly at first, it’s about time to delve in for more. The mood was already set from the start, even if Jeno didn’t plan this to happen here. But being the prepared man he is, he did have a condom in his back pocket.

Your fingers trailed from his neck until his crotch. He was hard, sensing how suffocated he must be. But he kept himself in control. Locking eye contact, you sweetly spoke.

“Grant my second wish, Jeno.” That same hand of yours held one of his, planting it in your breast. “Make love to me.”

Giving the go-signal, he crashed his lips on yours while stripping you off your dress. Carefully, he turned you around to untie your tight corset. Once it fell, your neck leaned sideways as his lips attacked it madly. Your breaths were tremulous, placing both his hands on your freed breasts to knead with. His touch felt like fire on your skin, yet you couldn’t stop.

“Jeno,” Obscene moans from your lips choked out. You desired more, shifting back to face him again to attack his lips. Slowly feeling one of his hands laying you down, you spread your legs with ease just for him. He parted after your head landed on the cushion to unbutton himself. The way your mouth dropped to selfishly stare at his bare body, flexing them before getting back into position. He was fit and toned just as Cleopatra predicted.

As much as Jeno knew how wild your thoughts were getting, he was more taken aback by your perky chest.

“Fuck, you are divine.” He sucked one nipple as his fingers ventured to slip your panties down. So much was going on, you didn’t know which stimulated you more. You tried to close your legs around his hand, but he slapped your inner thigh to stop you.

The cool breeze shivered you, especially from your core. Jeno’s fingers adventurously grazed from your hip area to your lower lips. He teasingly rubbed it up and down in your essence, his index finger settling it right at your needy clit. Another moan escaped your lips, an opportunity for Jeno to slide his tongue in your mouth. Enjoying the moment, his fingers dipped inside you. A gasp broke your kiss, making him giggle in your ear.

He knew exactly what he was doing.

“Oh, angel. The things I want to do with you.”

Sliding them back and forth, curling it even, you squirmed for more. Dropping himself to meet your core, Jeno placed your legs on his shoulder. Pushing you closer, his steamy breath felt like friction. Your hips grinded against it, so he gripped on them so you stay put.

“Angel,” He chuckled darkly, his crotch tightening at how powerless you looked. “You’re so pretty.”

You were drenched from arousal. But to Jeno, you were glowing under the lights. He wanted to take his time to admire what he had done to you. His independent girl, only weak for him.

His fingers unfolded in your lower lips, diving in to your orbit. You could hardly speak from his skilled mouth, especially his tongue savagely lapping your clit in numerous paces. You’ve only daydreamed about what it could do aside from kissing, and it exceeded your expectations. By the heated sensation that had the heels of your feet digging his back deeply, you affirmed to have seen more stars than the night sky above you.

Your back arched uncontrollably while his hands grasped your hips to stay in place, the tears in your eyes formulating while tugging on his hair. Your thighs clenched around his face, but his broad shoulders widened it to taste more of you. No use of pulling away when his grip on you was tight, so you could only cry out from the pleasure.

“Fuck!”

The ringing sounds in your off were going off, your throat drying up from moaning once another orgasm was about to hit. Once the knot in you snapped, nothing could hold back your screams of pleasure whilst panting for air. Sensitive as he licked every remaining essence he caused, he smirked as he got up to unbuckle his jeans.

Oh, boy. He got quite a package behind his boxers.

Even while you were overly sensitive, you had to grasp it in your hands. He was yours, and you were his.

The way you clenched around his protected length, pausing to readjust yourself to the feeling. The foreplay deemed helpful, though the girth of him overwhelmed you. He stretched you out so good.

“Are you okay, (Y/N)?” The stunned face you made was expected, still feeling worried that it may be too much.

Biting your lip, you moaned once everything felt bearable. “You can move, Jeno.”

None of you could track exactly how many rounds you went through. Even in the semi-public area, it didn’t hinder either of you. There’s that thrill, and surprisingly enough, you both shared the liking of it. Always switching the positions, you decided to call it quits after another sloppy round in missionary. Something seeing Jeno on top, fully submitting yourself to him, made you feel calm to be vulnerable. It’s really the trust you’ve established from the start, making you rely on humans again once you’ve let the past be.

Jeno brought out another blanket, initially meant for cuddling. It was still applicable though, curling your body into a spoon towards his racing chest. Music was no longer noise, the intimacy creeping back instead of lust this time. The afterglow of Jeno, sweaty and knackered as his legs sprawled under the sheet, was a sight for sore eyes. He’s always been handsome while on duty, but post-sex gave him an extra boost.

Plus there’s pride from the red marks courtesy of you on his chest, grazing over it softly.

Jeno chuckled softly at your smooth fingers, lifting them up to kiss them tenderly before kissing your lips again. Only humans were capable of and to love, but you’re some kind of an exception. Regardless of the magic from the plate, you’d be able to love too if it weren’t for your background.

There’s so much love Jeno wanted to offer you, even if he hasn’t said it out loud yet.

Perhaps one reason was because time was beginning to tick. Finals were a few weeks away, then the one-month long semestral break until a new semester kicks off. Time really flew by, and his bank account and heart expanded too. Enjoying the now was all he could think of doing, but those uncertainties bothered him.

The biggest would be where you and he would stand when his job ended.

Jeno was too absorbed in his internal debate, as portrayed by his eyes staring off in space and running his hand in his hair repeatedly. Something was disturbing him, and you’re concerned as to what it was.

“Jeno,” Around his arm, you tapped his chest to get him out of it. “What’s going on in your head?”

Jeno approached every obstacle he faces straightforwardly, not wanting to let him hold back. Rarely did he keep secrets, especially from you. Instead of hiding away, he voiced it out.

“(Y/N), will we work out?”

“What do you mean, Jeno?”

You’re so occupied in the present that thinking of the future was never in your field. Like him, you’re just enjoying being in the moment. Though after tonight, it’s making you wonder if there’s a future.

“Well,” He placed his hand on top of yours, affectionately observing you. “Times flies faster when you’re having fun, and well, the semester is ending.”

His last words crushed a part of your heart, remembering his initial plan. None of you expected your friendship to bloom into what it is now, but life was just full of surprises without a schedule. At the same time, none of you wouldn’t have it any other way.

It may have been a few months since you two committed to each other, but the spark was still strong. It wasn’t like a summer romance kind of feeling. Time was not a determinant of love either, which you were certain of it with Jeno. A lot more than Junmyeon.

It should’ve frightened you when you realized your love for Jeno, but it didn’t. Even if you didn’t age physically, your mindset did. You’ve learned to forgive your younger self, and through Jeno, you let your guard down completely. From that, you let love in. Platonic to your fellow art pieces, and all of the above to Jeno.

Throughout your relationship, you regained all confidence in yourself and everything you set your mind to.

“I wouldn’t want to worry too much about it if I were you.” Your body flipped to lie on your stomach, resting your head on your palm.

“Why shouldn’t I, angel?”

Gazing back at him, you left a velvety kiss on his lips to rest his thoughts. His hand wrapped your neck, deepening it. But you pulled away with a giggle, all too knowing of his secret intentions as his cock began to harden again. His eyes narrowed down and his lower lip stuck out at your attempt of being a tease.

But enough about sex, you wanted to address a point.

Lee Jeno was going to be the biggest risk you wanted to take and fight for, and no one should try to stop you.

“I’ll ask Circe for a potion. For me, for you, for us.”

If it weren’t for insistent questioning towards every art piece, who kept their mouths shut, only Circe herself banished him from his suffering. Her series of potions varied, and the one you requested years ago which you threw out was capable of turning any art piece into a living human. No potion of Circe ever failed, so you entrusted your life for the day you do drink it.

“Are you sure, angel?”

Jeno knew about that one specifically, and as great to hear that you never threw it out, he never put pressure on you. He wanted you to do whatever felt right, even if deep down, he wished you’d use it. He was only worried about how the flow of the entire museum would be disrupted.

Typical Jeno always looking out for you, but you saw right through his concern. Here you were, caressing his check as reassurance. With an honest smile,

“I’ve never been more certain with anything in my life here until you came, Lee Jeno.”

Jeno opened up more to his life outside the museum, telling all sorts of experiences not just his days as a university student. From his childhood, his family, his travels, heck you even want to meet his friends at this point!

Newly, he shared with you how the sunrise and sunset looked like in Seoul with much vivacity. It’s a luxury as a human to witness as day breaks and ends, so you could imagine by yourself how it would look like. Sure, you had drawings and all, but that was from the real (Y/N) (Y/L/N).

This version of you wanted to live more; that’s your greed now.

“You’ve never touched snow too, right?” Jeno, who had his arm wrapped around you, silently watched the first batch of snow from inside.

“Yup, that’s the thing when you’re imprisoned in this place.” You sulked by his side, earning a chuckle from him who pulled you in closer.

“Don’t tell me now that you despise this place.”

“I don’t, but it hinders me to experience new things. The whole pattern of being awake at night by a plate gets tiring, Jeno.”

All Jeno would do when you’re frustrated was placing your head on his shoulder, listening as you talk.

“I know, angel. But it won’t be long until you leave this place with me, right?”

“You know it!” You interlocked your hands with him, eyes trained at every falling snowflake.

Sometimes, moments in silence with Jeno were all you needed for the night. Being within each other’s presence, focusing or admiring something from afar, it was all the peace you’ve needed from the bustling art pieces.

This week was the last of the semester, and Jeno’s off duty for tonight to focus on his exams. You’ll see him tomorrow night, which was his last shift ever, and also yours too.

Perhaps the biggest milestone you’re committing to without any regrets.

However, it took an unnecessary conversation you accidentally eavesdropped on to rock your decision.

You needed more ink after running out mid-way of sketching the sculptures as a secret parting gift. Before you could take a single step inside your exhibit room, a series of voices were full-on arguing. Booming back and forth, you peeped your ear out whilst hiding against the door.

“Athena, how dare you did to her?! She’s done so well from moving on from it, falling in love even! And now you’re telling me this?!” The distinct voice of Princess Diana, who spoke sweetly most of the time, boomed towards the Greek god. “You’re heartless.”

“I did what I had to do for the sake of this place, Diana!” Athena raised her voice, the lightning in her hands holding back from lashing out. She hated it when anyone argued with her, especially when she does things according to what she believed was necessary. Out of everyone, she had more leadership. “She had to know that her place is here as a wax figure, not outside. Talking Junmyeon out of it was for the best, plus it’s ideal when he drank the potion of memory loss from Circe.”

“But it tore her apart when he left her, and it’s going to tear her again if you do the same with Jeno.”

“How else are you going to approach the situation then, Diana? Those two have broken the highest golden rule, so they need to wake up.”

Right when she celebrated within herself for healing, hearing the unbearable revelation behind the past devastated you. This whole time, she internally blamed herself for being ageless and lashed out at others. The scary past barged back in, and you couldn’t handle it anymore.

Somewhere in the corner, you wept without a trace. You could care less about Athena’s opinions, but you found yourself agreeing to some of her words. You had a role to fulfill, and leaving that behind would be selfish and it could make the museum go topsy-turvy. As painful for Junmyeon to leave you, it was because the truth hurts. Nothing could change it, even if Circe could be your solution because it’ll leave a lot of questions. You didn’t want Jeno to be seen as a suspect.

Oh, Jeno.

There’s nothing wrong with falling in love either, you didn’t intend it to happen. But it becomes unfair when it compromises with your purpose, and that’s not how you are. You’ll always remember Jeno as your biggest risk, though it’s time to end things. Treacherous as it was to accept for you, risk-takers have boundaries too.

Fast forward, on the night of Jeno’s last shift, you’ve cherished every second with him. Playing around, chatting with other art pieces, kissing in private, you made it count. Before dawn broke, that’s where you chose to come clean by the garden, your sacred place. Not even your self-reassurance could prepare you to witness the hurt and confusion Jeno felt.

“You’re a mortal, and you still get to choose your path. Mine is already predetermined here as a wax copy of a historical figure.” You advised as you held both his hands, your voice shaking at the reality.

A few days ago, you were beaming with exhilaration at a new journey but now you’ve permanently backed out. Jeno couldn’t comprehend, and as much as he tried, he couldn’t. A life without you by his side would be empty and dull. “Even so, there are things about you that the original person didn’t have.”

Arguing with him wasn’t your favorite, and it’ll leave the two of you in a bad mood. But there is no way to negotiate this; you’ve already made up your mind. “We must end this, Jeno. You need someone who can grow old with you, and I can’t be that person for you.”

“But we can make it work!” His hands gripped on your slumped shoulders, whilst your face avoiding his to spare yourself from the heartache. “There’s still Circe.”

“I know, but recently, I found out that she’s an indirect cause of my misery.” Pulling away from his touch, you belted with frustration. “I cannot do this anymore, Jeno.”

You’ve always fought for whatever you wanted in life, and Jeno knew he was one of them if it weren’t for you telling him that. So he did the same, thinking of ways to make you feel whole. Now, he couldn’t tolerate the sudden crumbling of his heart from your outburst, and all he wanted to know was why you felt this way. How could he help you?

You don’t keep secrets from Jeno, but the truth behind your harsh actions cannot be revealed for the sake of the museum. Plus, you didn’t want him to despise this place he admired. Causing him pain wasn’t on your list, but keeping him safe was. It may be shown differently and he may not understand it now, but over time, he will.

“Jeno, you’ll find someone better out there. Someone with their whole life ahead of them, who’ll love you for everything that makes you who you are.” Repetitive punches in your guts urged you to barf at your half-lie, but you held it in.

“Why are you pushing me away? What happened to taking risks, (Y/N)?” Jeno interrogated, taking your hands in his hands again. They unconventionally quivered, like his lips. Jeno has never cried in front of anyone, not even when he was younger. Though for you, he just might. “Am I not worth it for you?”

Dear heavens, he was wrong. You internally screamed that, but you can’t let your selfishness seize the night. As Athena said, you had to wake up from your dream. “Committing to you was my biggest risk of them all, Jeno. Everything else that went along with it, I don’t regret it one bit. But time’s really up for us, and we must resume our normal duties.”

“I can’t lose you, (Y/N).”

“You never will, Jeno.”

He crouched lower to meet your height, his finger moving your head so you’d look at him back. Weakly enough, you did. “I want you to be a part of my normal life, angel.”

“I’ll always be here, you know. I’ll be standing in my usual spot upstairs, and you can drop by whenever you can.” You pressed your lips, lifting your head to avoid incoming tears. Meanwhile, he began shedding a few. You’ve hurt him big time, and you’ll never forgive yourself for this. “I still have one wish, right?”

Jeno’s sorrow was beyond his capacity, leaning his forehead against yours to kiss it. No matter what he could say or do, he already knew it won’t be effective. You’re affirmative in your choices, yet he still wanted to challenge it. All he wanted to know was why you’re doing this.

“Let me walk you one last time to your section.”

The black night sky had remnants of blue, motioning that dawn was approaching. Other figures gave their goodbyes to Jeno earlier, cleaning up their areas before they pose. Though none of them anticipated such a cold atmosphere between you two, they could only spy on what was bound to happen.

“My last wish is for you to let me go, Jeno.” You avowed, blinking your eyes with faux positivity. Your hands patted his blazer so it wouldn’t crease. “I already have a role to fulfill here, and you’re on the way to yours, future architect.”

“I love you, (Y/N) (Y/L/N).” Only tonight did he muster his courage to finally admit it to you after giving himself more time to analyze it. Timing was always crucial, and the badness of it showed.

Deep in your heart, you resonated the feeling. But it’ll make things more complicated, and it was the final thing you’ve wanted to occur. Someone had to be the strong one, and now, it should be you. With one more compassionate kiss on his lips, you stepped inside your section and readied your position.

“Goodbye, Lee Jeno.”

The sunshine brightened the room, and you’ve frozen to slumber again.

All Jeno could do was drop on his knees, sobbing over your rash actions. Unknown to him, a single tear left your eye as you posed.

Regardless of what status you were in, the pain of it all remained.

Jeno spent most of his semestral break with his friends to travel or whatnot, trying to forget it all. Even if he aced all his finals, his efforts felt like nothing if he never had you by his side to celebrate.

The sting over his short-lived romance with you never diminished the slightest, no one whom he could express his pain about it to especially when Renjun drank the memory wipe potion that Athena initially left for Jeno by his desk.

Forget it all, and live a peaceful life. You have so much potential, my mentee.

- Athena

Perhaps this was the same thing Junmyeon drank all those years ago, but unlike him, he didn’t have the guts to. He still wanted another chance.

So every day since the new semester began, he spent every afternoon break at your section. He’ll be seated by the bench, doing his assignments and talking about his day while sometimes stealing a glance of your figure. Some habits don’t change.

He never got sick of the same smile you exemplified, falling even more for you. He’ll often wonder what you’ve been up to.

What are your new sketches?

Are you taking care of Mochi well?

Have you apologized to Sanghoon yet?

Speaking of him, he surprisingly scooted over to Jeno’s side. This was the first time Jeno met the man, and politely enough greeted him. Sanghoon interviewed the boy, asking all sorts of questions that Jeno had every answer to. The biggest change that Sanghoon noticed since he left was your personality. You no longer bite, but treat everyone kindly without bias. You’re always active to help him out in cleaning the lobby, and you don’t go easily defensive.

Once he found out that Jeno was the reason for that, he was overjoyed at the start and wanted to meet him some way. You were a tough cookie, but now you relaxed. That was all that mattered to him, hoping to know more about him from you. That was until Diana stepped in and told him everything that happened. Mostly, the bad.

Playfulness eventually bore love. The last time you fell in love was in the 80s and Junmyeon pushed you away, he recalled. This time, you’re pushing Jeno away because you simply agreed with Athena’s points.

This wasn’t right, but it wasn’t his place to interfere.

But then again, he finally caught Jeno for the first time today and this time, he was open to hearing his side of the story. Lessen his misery too.

“No matter how stubborn she is, she loves you.” He advised him, bringing out one of your full sketchbooks. As Jeno opened it, the majority of the portraits were him. Sleeping, smiling, laughing, you drew him from every minor detail you could spot like the mole near his eye and his crescent eyes.

A handsome face I would never get sick until the end of time. Someone I want to wake up to every day in the morning if it weren’t for that plate.

- (Y/N)

Towards the end, a sketch of a house unfolded. The interior was a fusion of modernity and old royal design due to its white walls, wide space, and the placing of less furniture, plus an open backyard. There’s another tiny comment on the side from you.

I was right. Joining our varying designs together is pretty. Maybe Jeno and I could live in a house like this one day.

- (Y/N)

If you loved him so much, why did you let him go then when you had all these plans with him? Even if he tried to understand, he just didn’t.

“Don’t give up just yet when she told you to.”

“Are you just saying this or something?”

“Well, Princess Diana passed this message on but after everything, I believe that she’s right.” Sanghoon gave his opinion, but Jeno was reluctant to accept it.

“I never got a proper explanation why she suddenly changed her mind, Sanghoon.” He ranted, raking his hand through his hair from puzzlement. “Did I do something wrong?”

Sanghoon pitied him, having the upper hand and questioning himself whether to reveal the truth. However, since this boy took the job, he’s succumbed to secrecy. Without any transparency, it could drive someone mad. He’s too young for that, so Sanghoon breathed in defeat and placed his hand on Jeno’s shoulder.

“Promise me you won’t be mad when I tell you because I was when I found out; almost screamed even.”

Jeno nodded, listening to whatever Sanghoon had to say.

Of all people, he never would’ve expected Athena to do such a brash thing. Someone he respected and trusted, only to betray him by doing something she believed was good for all. Except it wasn’t, and it ended up hurting you all these years. The woman he loved, now he’s a clearer understanding of why you did what you did. Yet, it can’t fix his excruciation.

Heartbroken was an understatement; he had no one to rely on. With Sanghoon, he finally had a proper breakdown. The older man could only comfort his quietly, picturing him like one of his sons going through a hard time in school. But if it involves the heart, it’ll take more time to recover.

“You’re always the one adjusting, Jeno. But I think this time, you’re the one who needs space.”

A Year and a Half Later

“Jeno Lee!!!” Jaemin roughly wallowed his best friend in a hug when he arrived in their dorm room for the first time in a long time. “You dyed your hair blonde again!”

Renjun, who was behind the two of them, only rolled his eyes as he helped carry Jeno’s bags. “God damn it, Jaemin! You’re supposed to be helping me first!”

“I know, but give me a few seconds! I’m just happy our group is back together!”

Jeno laughed at his friends’ annoying yet silly dynamics, giddy to be back home. For a year, Jeno spent his 3rd year of university in Rome, Italy after one of his professors brought up to him about a scholarship program there for his course. At the time where he needed a change of scenery, he sent his application form and got interviewed.

Acing it, he had the opportunity to fly across the world to study and travel. His English skills surely improved, even picking up Italian words along the way due to a required class for it. He studied the history of different locations and how they were built.

He also went on field trips almost every day if it weren’t for the Italian students assigned to tour him around, academic and non-academic. Nights he spent on drinking wine on the rooftop of his dorm with them, screaming his complaints in the world with them.

It didn’t hit him that his stay was reaching its end until he submitted his final plate. His goodbye party didn’t even feel like one, but a see you later in the next few years after he becomes a licensed architect with money. His goal of it felt more realistic, motivating him to excel in his remaining years in university.

After unpacking half of his things, he was reminded of an email from one of the head professors, who requested another copy of his confidential documents from the Italian university he went to as soon as he’s back on campus.

He raced to the department with a folder of them and luckily encountered the said professor. Handing it to him, this professor questioned how he was and what experiences he gained from the trip. With excitement, Jeno spoke all sorts of tales from his adventures, highlighting how determined he was now to be an architect.

“That’s great to hear, Jeno!” He celebrated, checking on his watch, and widened his eyes. Frantic at his colliding schedules, he asked Jeno for a favor. It turned out that at the same time as his emergency meeting, he’s supposed to tour the new transferee student around campus.

“Only if you have time, Jeno! I could always ask another student, plus you just came back and need rest.”

“It’s not like I left for a decade, sir. No worries, I’ll do it.”

“Oh, bless your soul.” He put his hands together in prayer position, bowing back and forth with gratitude. “Wait, she’s right outside! Go ahead and introduce yourself.”

Jeno nodded, exiting right through the department doors. This girl had her back turned, inspecting her surroundings. She wore a black and white tweed blazer that matched with her skirt, black high heeled boots, and a black handbag. She must be a foreigner, Jeno thought.

“Excuse me, are you the transferee in the department of Architecture?”

Jeno didn’t brace himself for the surprise he’d face once this girl reacted to him calling her out. Her face was one he could never forget, no matter how many times he told himself to. The same face he convinced his heart to stop beating for, yet it lied.

This radiant face was none other than yours.

Jeno almost dropped his phone. He tried his best to hold on to your promise, but he failed. It was the main reason he studied abroad; to forget and focus on his career path. So the least thing he could’ve done was to study hard for his dream career.

Just a glimpse of you projected back every single memory you’ve had together. Beautiful yet heart-wrenching, he kept his emotions to himself.

You even wore the rose necklace he got you. Could it be?

“It’s been a while, Lee Jeno.” You took the metaphorical scissors to cut the tension, trying to contain the crushing feelings. The faculty center was a public place, yet it’s like the two of you were on the main stage.

“Do you remember me?” Astounded, you nodded. Every single detail.

Jeno could’ve ran away, but didn’t. He could’ve left you hanging, but didn’t. He can no longer count how many times you’ve appeared in his dreams, only to be disappointed when morning comes to not have you in his arms. He took one step closer, taking his time.

“How do you know me?”

“You’re the boy whom I helped with his assignment, argued with me over Romeo and Juliet,” You mimicked his move, making you one step nearer to him. “And most of all, the boy I once gave my entire heart to.”

Another step, leaving a few inches between the two of you. His heart palpitated without caffeine. What if he was napping in his dorm again? It was all surreal. “Is it really you, (Y/N)?”

Hearing your name from his lips lowered your guard, you pleased him with a hopeful grin. “I’d be dust by now if I didn’t drink Circe’s potion, right?”

That’s where Jeno unchained himself from his emotions. He engulfed in a warm hug, one that has no plans to let go when his chin planted on your shoulder. You returned the gesture, dropping all your worries away along with your bag and papers as your arms snaked through his neck.

You knew you had to part ways for a while after everything, though you were unsure how he’d feel about it. You recalled every time he visited you after his job ended up until his intense chat with Sanghoon, where he bawled his heart out. You couldn’t take it anymore after trying to stay strong, crying as soon as you woke up that night.

All your fellow figures could do was soothe you down like before to the best of their abilities, yet this time, it was unsuccessful. You’re filled with misery, realizing later how much of a big mistake you’ve made.

You’ve isolated yourself again for a while, but less rudeness and more silence. It was until Circe visited you. She doesn’t like getting involved with drama, though now was different. She, alongside Hera and Aphrodite, couldn’t withstand you tolerating the heartbreak again. So they went behind Athena’s back on this one time and created a potion together just for you. But with a compromise.

“This potion can turn you into a human. However, there’s only a 10% chance you’ll regain all your memories from this place.”

“So I’ll forget everyone and him?”

“Yes, unfortunately.” You’re about to shoo her away, not in the mood to do something drastic as that. But Circe grabbed your arm again. “I strongly believe that if you and he meant to be, then there will come a time these past memories will suddenly surge at you.”

“Must I need to forget to live properly?”

You’re stubborn, and Circe expected it. “You’ve broken so many golden rules, (Y/N), so it must be done. I’ve gone against Athena for this potion, and rarely have I done that. So rather than wallowing up in misery, you should focus on yourself. Do what makes you happy because this place is trapping you from every great thing out there.”

Those were the word that the actual (Y/N) (Y/L/N) lived by, nevertheless, you’re unique from her. You built a separate identity from her. “But Jeno-”

“At the right time, (Y/N). Pull yourself together and do all the things you’ve dreamt of before he came into the picture. I just know he loves you that much, and that he will wait for you.”

That same night, you gathered all your senses and drank it. The transition was fast as lightning speed, and behold, you were like a new person. You’re back in London, with a family that closely resembled your former one; only 3 older siblings, making you the youngest. You also had a new set of memories, from childhood until your adult years.

From (Y/N) (Y/L/N), you became (Y/N) Edwards.

It took one drunken night out with your university friends for the unlikely surge of old memories to speedily hit through your intoxicated state. Way beyond a dream, you’ve dropped your shot glass and broke down in the bathroom of your dorm room. You left something unaccomplished, and you had to do something before it’s too late.

Thus, you rushed to Seoul thanks to your parents’ support as they agreed that exploring outside your home country was a great experience. The only excuse you gave to your friends for the sudden transfer was you finding a new calling.

Sure, studying abroad was an exciting thing but you’re more determined to reunite with him. Even if this encounter was unforeseen, it was bound to happen one day. It so turned out that you had the same major in your former university and this new one.

Head to toe, you remembered everything.

“I’m so sorry I took so long.” You cradled your head on his chest, unaware of how your new life left Jeno so troubled.

“That doesn’t matter anymore.” Jeno tightened his grip, scared of releasing you again. Those two years felt like a breath of fresh air and a punch in the gut. “I tried to live up to your last wish, but I really can’t.”

“I want to take that wish back, Jeno. I wasn’t thinking right and only ended putting you through so much.”

“Oh, angel. I slowly understood why you did it.” Before he got too fragile, he softened his grip on you and showed his face again to you. He wanted a better look at his pretty girl, his fingers brushing strands of your hair behind your ear. Heart-fluttering, you bit your bottom lip. “What would you want to wish for instead?”

“Instead of you letting me go, I wish you could take me back and love me again. I can’t undo the past, but I’d still like to think I’ve tried my best.” That was the only wish you could ever think of. As huge as it was, it was something he may not accept. Yet you gave it a go, risking it all. “I don’t deserve you at all, Jeno.”

“Don’t say that, (Y/N).” One of his hands grabbed yours, putting it on his cheek. Cupping it, “I’ve never stopped loving you, you know.”

Oh, love. An all-too familiar emotion that either makes or breaks you. Of all the times you could’ve said those words, you held back, especially that wretched night you two broke it off. Although you showed it, being able to say it to someone felt more empowering.

This was finally the chance you’ve unconsciously waited for.

“I’m stupid for not saying this sooner.”

“What is it?”

With intimate eye contact, you drowned in the comfort of his brown orbs. You trusted him then, and you trusted him now. “I love you, Lee Jeno.”

Secretly, Jeno anticipated for the day you’d say those meaningful 3 words. Just like you, he showed more affection through actions than words. He only admitted when he lost you, and never would he do the same mistake again. If he felt that the love was strongly present, he will say it aloud.

“I love you still, (Y/N).” His arm around your waist tugged you in further. “I loved you as (Y/N) (Y/L/N) and I will continue to love you as (Y/N) Edwards.”

He peeked on your ID earlier, but regardless, he stood by his truth. You’re still the same (Y/N).

Finally, he closed the limited space between your lips. The memories of your past romance replayed in sync of every touching kiss, popping one leg up like in the movies. The Princess Diaries, specifically. Like in the museum from your unbearable parting, one warm tear freed itself down your cheek.

The sweetness of being reunited with you again beat the torturous wait of Jeno. Time really made your hearts grow fonder. As everyone said, if the love between two people is real, then it’ll find its way back to each other.

The world must be on your side too because no professor called you two out on your public display of affection. Jeno pecked your lips one time before stepping away, picking up the things you dropped.

“Now come on, I have to tour you around as instructed.”

You stomped on your feet, rolling your eyes from being left hanging. He’s still the same tease from before. “After that kiss though, I would’ve thought we could reschedule it.”

“No can do, Edwards.” Passing over your things, he wrapped one arm around you as he escorted you out of the building. The university was huge, with more buildings and green fields surrounded everywhere. “Left or right? There are a lot of places you missed out on all those years.”

“Point taken. Then you lead the way, my love.”

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