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alreadyblondenow · 4 years ago

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Mark, this is how we broke up

idol!Mark Lee x reader // SMUT, FLUFF, ANGST (?) Summary: She taught him how to fuck but there’s so much more going on in their relationship. Word Count: 6k Warnings: Sex, Sex, Sex, actual sex and mentions of sex, filthy, mentions of rough sex, mentions of forced sex, emotionally unstable Mark, slightly addicted to sex, Mentions of other idols, mentions of birth control side effects, mentions of pregnancy, unprotected sex and protected sex, cursing, mature or at least trying to be Note: inspired by the recent breakup that I had. There’s no way that this ‘might’ be true. We all know Mark is a nice boy. If you’re not okay with any of the warning please click away.

“Ohh- Mark! Right there!”

“Right here? Hmm?” Mark puts more pressure on her clit and eventually pinches it to make her sensitive. Her legs closed and she received a juicy smack on her ass, “Why are you closing your legs? Don’t you like what I’m doing, huh?” his mouth is near her ear, every heavy breath, groan or moan from him goes directly to her ear and straight to her pussy.

With all the energy she still have, she praises Mark while he continues to fuck her senseless. Both of his hands are on the side of her head, having a full view of Mark’s ethereal visuals. Blonde sex hair flowing as he moves back and forth, his thin silver necklace dangling on his neck, his face completely contorted as he fucks her good.

Mark leans on her to suck on her boobs putting her completely on edge and is about to have a great orgasm. Mouth formed an ‘o’ shape, her hands raking Mark’s arms as she ask him to “please stop” but Mark will only stop when he wants to. Because of her high pitch moan and sharp exhales, Mark knew she had a great orgasm which feeds his pride more.

Gritting his teeth, he lifted his hips and gave her sharp quick thrusts while she’s still sensitive from her previous orgasms. “Hold on just a bit, I’m almost there” he whispers. He fucks the girl like he’s proving something, catching his own release and making the girl beneath him cry from over stimulation. He groaned a little too loud, but he doesn’t care. It’s his own damn apartment.

Removing his cock inside her throbbing hole, Mark rolls to the side and discarded the condom, throwing it to the trash near his bed. He watches the girl shiver beside him, closing her legs tight to ease the sensitivity. With one touch of Mark’s cold fingers on her shoulder, the girl let out a whine. “Relax, I’m just helping you calm down and cover your body” he said as he covers the girl with his thick blue sheets.

Head resting on the headboard with both of his hands pillowing his head, the room was cold and quiet as Mark lay beside her naked with a soft cock. “I’m a hooker but, you’re something- there’s something to the way you fuck” she started a conversation after calming down. “It’s getting late, I’ll call you a cab” he avoids the subject politely.

After the hooker left, Mark feels lonely again in his big apartment. Thinking about what the hooker told him earlier. It made him have flashbacks he didn’t want to have. He’s lonely enough right now, he can’t afford to think about you. But it’s too late. He’s now swimming to the happy memories he had with you, trying so hard not to think about how he ruined a once in a lifetime relationship and just focused on how your smile gives warmth to his heart.

“I miss you, y/n” he murmurs before he drifts into sleep, hoping to dream about you.

FOUR YEARS AGO

You’re starting your new life in Korea with a job at one of the country’s biggest company, SM Entertainment as part of NCT’s creative team specifically on fashion deparment. The job was stressful and tiring but theres nothing you could not handle, you love what you do. Working for NCT made you love the members like your own brother, all except for one member. Mark Lee.

It all started when you realised that Mark is not a boy anymore but a man who wants to gain experience with mature stuff. You and Mark eye each other during music video and vlog shoots and you both grew fondly, sneakily hold hands under the table during company dinners, texting and calling nonstop when you don’t see each other for weeks.

Mark has always been sweet to you and he’s not ashamed to show you how he feels. One time they used flowers as props for the shoot and Mark secretly put a flower near your stuff with a note, “You did well today.” He bought Starbucks drinks for all the staffs so he could give you your favorite drink freely and without hiding, “Noona, this is for you. Fighting for today.” Whenever other members are flirting with you, he will stop the members from bugging you and tell them, “Noona already has a boyfriend, don’t bother flirting” and it always makes you blush how Mark is so overprotective.

You and Mark became more than friends but less than lovers for almost half a year. And Mark’s constant want to make you feel love pushed him to ask you out officially. Taking you on private dates around Seoul, making time for you and letting the members and his manager know about your relationship.

Since you’re Mark’s first girlfriend, he’s not a perfect boyfriend. At least not yet. He always picks up a fight with you, decides recklessly when it comes to your relationship, and he’s moving so fast. “I’m just saying that if we start living together, we will fight less and we can have more time together” he said as he argues to you on the phone.

You don’t answer him because it’s useless, he will somehow get what he wants because he has the money, and you love him. Mark let out sharp exhale on the phone, “Okay I’m sorry. I’m being childish again. I’ll stop by at your apartment after dance practice. I love you”

He arrived at 11pm in your apartment with his manager. “Take care of him y/n, he has a headache. A bad one. Overworked I guess” his manager said before leaving you and Mark. Your boyfriend kiss you on the lips and greeted you, “Hi” weak and sleepy, Mark hugged you tight.

While watching him eat dinner he tells you everything about his day at work, how he’s preparing for three comebacks these past few months and he needs to finish writing four songs in two weeks. “Good thing I have you by the end of the day, right?” he said after finishing his meal. You hand him some painkillers for his headache, “Yes. Now, come to bed with me. No more working please, Mark. Even the best people in the world rest at night” realising that you’re right, he nods and let you take him to your bedroom.

“What will I do without you” he whispers to you before going to sleep with you.

The thing is, many people don’t know that Mark is actually vulnerable and emotionally unstable. Sometimes he’s not confident with his songs and he needs you to help him write because he only trusts what you say. If you say this phrase is good, or you honestly don’t like the words in this song he will take your word from it. That’s how much he depends on you. And sometimes, it puts you in a hard position because Mark is depending on you all the time is a heavy responsibility.

It’s like he really can’t get everything done without you or without your opinion. It’s not that he doesn’t trust the other members, it just so happens that your opinion matters above anything else.

Mark may be too sweet and gentle most of the time, but he’s horny for you. Really horny. Whenever you’re alone with him in your apartment he always initiates having sex and you always say no and he respects that. You’re definitely not a virgin anymore and you have way too much experience, but Mark doesn’t. It’s not a problem of course, but you just wan’t to take it slow. Wait for the perfect time to finally have sex.

Mark being the virgin in this relationship and the one who lacks experience, he tries so hard to ruin his innocence before the day you two finally have sex. Watching tons of porn and take notes to some stuff he can do with you, working out more so he can at least look good in bed.

Sure you’ve done other stuff together, from making out wherever and whenever to giving oral to each other in the morning or before you both go to sleep. Back when Mark saw you half naked in bed for the first time he didn’t know how to touch you, you used to teach him how to properly touch you in the way you like to be touched by your boyfriend. Now, he’s the one surprising you in bed whenever your legs are widely spread for him and his head is in between you eating your pussy like there’s no tomorrow.

After dating for nine months, Mark convinced you to live together as your birthday gift to him. “Please, you know how much I want live with you” he pout in front of you while you take his body measurements for a new stage costume. He worked hard last year and he bought himself his first own apartment and he told you he wanted to share it with you. How can you refuse that kind of offer when he’s trying so hard to be a part of your life, forever.

You moved in with Mark and you filled his apartment with happy memories, never ending laughter and giggles because he’s a funny guy. The kitchen became a learning place for him because you teach him how to cook almost everyday and he’s doing great. Peaceful mornings are both your favorite, it makes him feel like a normal person who cooks breakfast for you and waking up with his girlfriend in his arms is something not normal for an idol.

“This place is our safe place, only for us. No fan service for me, no boss for you to please. Just Mark and Y/n.”

Lately work is not giving you a hard time and so does Mark. You two always go home together, spend more time together, and finally had the perfect time to be more intimate. It’s been like this for almost a week already, It’s a Friday night and after having dinner and taking a warm bath before bed, you and Mark found each other in the middle of bed cuddling. Hands intertwined and legs all tangled up.

“What if I tell you, we could finally have sex tonight?” you asked him. Ruffling his damped hair from his hot shower.

“I’d say, ‘tsk. don’t tease me’” he said with a small smile in his face. His breath touches your cheeks because you’re too close with each other.

“No, seriously we can”

He pull away from your embrace, just a little to look at your face if you’re serious. “Scratch that, I’d say ‘what’s gotten into you?’” he dives in for a slow kiss, cupping your face with one hand while the other is still intertwined with yours.

Seeing you unbutton your sleepwear made him realise that you’re serious. He kissed you more and removes his shirt and sweat pants leaving him with only his boxer briefs. You on the other hand is exposed wearing only your white panties.

Feeling excited and a bit nervous, Mark slowly crawled in between your legs and he looks handsome than ever. It’s not your first time but you feel like a virgin again, that untouched seventeen year old. Mark smiled at you before he removes your panties, watching his own hands slide your underwear down.

He came close to you just beside your ear giggling like a little boy, “I’m nervous” he said and proceeds to kiss your neck. It seems like he knew exactly what he was doing, but you can’t blame him for being honest. “I’ll be vocal as possible” he hums in approval and continues to kiss every inch of your body.

He managed to remove his boxer briefs while licking your wet pussy, your eyes are closed and your hands are tugging his soft hair. Moaning his name whenever his tongue hits a good spot, putting more pressure and intensity bringing you to your first orgasm. Mark became really good at giving you oral you thought.

“I think you’re ready” he whispered as he grabs the condom on the drawer beside the bed. While you watch him roll the condom on his cock, your heart skipped a beat when he faced you and hold your legs open. The next thing you know, he’s slamming his dick in your pussy making you shout and jolt your hips beneath him, “Ah! Easy- baby, Im not going anywhere!”

The whole time you were having sex, he was not minding about your pleasure. He was so focused on his own sweet release and he can see that you’re not liking it but you let him continue.

Given that it’s Mark’s first time, the first round didn’t go well. “Do you want me to takeover?” you feel bad about it, but to be honest you wan’t Mark to never forget this night the night he losses his virginity. He hugs you tight while he’s on top of you feeling really ashamed of what he just did.

“There’s no need to feel shy baby. We have all night and a lot of days to have great sex. Come on, I’ll ride you” he’s still not moving and still hugging you tight, caressing your hair and enjoying your warm body beneath him.

“Okay baby, I need to breath. You’re heavy ugh-“ you tricked him and he didn’t have a choice but to pull away. You laughed and switched positions, putting your legs on both sides of his hips wetting his cock with you wet pussy. He felt your pussy raw for the first time and he loves it, holding your hips and as you slowly grind on top of him. “I got you” you leaned forward to give him a peck on on the lips.

His right arm swings to his head, as if he can’t believe what’s happening. Moaning your name so deliciously, “Oh, it feels good” he said with an airy tone. His mouth is open the whole time you were grinding on his cock, stopping himself from cumming too early. You grabbed a new condom on the drawer, and rolled it on his hard cock.

“Now put inside me” you said oh so sexily. With shaking hands, he lines his cock to your cunt and he watched how your pussy swallow his thick cock and let out a soft ‘fuck’ when it fully disappeared. You smile on top of him as you wait for yourself to get used from the stretch before moving. Both of your hands are on his chest as you watch him moan and move his head from side to side while you clench and unclench your pussy.

“I’m not going to last long if you keep doing that” he voiced out, you only let out a small chuckle.

“Try to stop cumming so early and enjoy it, Mark” you finally move your hips, grinding slowly, fucking him like how he deserves to be fucked. Mark’s hands grips on your hips so tightly the whole time you were fucking him slowly, making sure he won’t forget this moment. He’s peeking from his lashes, trying to get a look at you while you fuck him for the first time in his life.

“I’m glad you’re my first fuck” he said, trying to smile at you with hooded eyes, head rolled back to the pillows on his head and looking so fucking hot as he enjoys the pleasure you’re giving right now.

When you’ve had enough of slow fucking him, you tighten you grip on his shoulder and doubled your pace. Making you both moan each other’s name, his cock is finally making you feel good. You feel Mark’s cock twitch inside you and leaned closer to him, kissing him passionately as you bring him to edge.

To your surprise he bit your lower lip when he finally reached his climax with mouth open, eyes closed and brows furrowed. You smiled beneath him as you watch him cum and shiver, his hands still gripping both of your ass cheeks.

As he slowly open his eyes, he gave you a sweet smile and his tight grip became soft touches around your back. You flop on top of him as he caress your hair again. “How’s that for our first time?” you asked him, still weak from his orgasm.

“I still feel bad because I can’t fuck you good though” he said, but he looks happy now. You switched positions again so he could have the honour of pulling out after having a mind blowing orgasm. Slowly pulling out his dick, Mark watched your pussy stretched while he pull out. Kissing it like it’s your lips and apologising for not making you cum using his dick, on your first night having sex.

“Thank you for this. I mean, I should be the one making it special for you. But I failed and like, I really feel bad about it but like, I don’t know. Somehow it went wrong” he pulls the thick sheets to cover your naked bodies and lay beside you. Keeping you close and admiring your beautiful face.

“It’s not like you didn’t tried making me feel good, baby. You made me feel good too, I wouldn’t be wet the entire time if-“ in the middle of your explanation he put a finger on your slit and checked if you’re telling the truth and if you’re still good to go for another round. “you startled me” you said, enjoying the way his fingers move slowly.

“Want to give me a second chance?”

Without hesitation, you nod your head and kissed Mark sloppily. Mark is a fast learner, you didn’t know but the whole time you were fucking him earlier he was observing how you want things. He found out that he should take things slow, entering your tight pussy and looking directly in your eyes this time, “Mark, how did you know I’m in love with your eyes? Ah! fuck!” his hips moves slow and it feels way better than the first and second time.

The third round made Mark a little confident on fucking you, he made you moan his name, grip his shoulder, close your eyes and open your mouth as you ask for more. He was asking you how can he make you feel better even though you’re already batshit losing your mind on how good he feels inside you.

‘How fast do you want me to go? Hmm?’ ‘Baby, can I bite your nipples?’ ‘Clench all you want baby, I won’t cum before you do I promise’ ‘Want me to kiss you here? Okay’

‘What? You want another round after this? Me too’

“I love you” he whispered while thrusting with a steady pace that you specifically asked. Kissing you while he wait for a response. He chuckled and felt proud when he saw you smile and out of words. Finally, he made you cum using his dick, with a little help of his fingers putting on your clit.

Feeling so accomplished before he finally sleep after using all five condoms that he have. He hugged you tight and whispered how in love he is with you but you’re already sleeping. Kissing you good night as you don’t know how happy Mark Lee is.

After that unforgettable night, you and Mark have sex almost everyday and just as you expected he became more confident in bed and even more sexier as each day passes. Sometimes he can be a little bit more filthier and rougher in bed, like that one time when he spits on your pussy, putting back your panties on and fucked you good wearing those ruined panties.

And that one time when he was so tired from practice, he fucked you really rough that night. Skipping foreplay and slamming his hard cock inside your dry pussy, “Mark! I’m not yet ready” you said as you try pushing his body away from you but he said, “I don’t care” in the most sexiest way ever and it turned you on. He apologised later after that night and he never did it again, because he knew it was wrong. But you said you liked it and it was pretty hot.

The members noticed Mark’s glow whenever you two had a great fuck from the night before and they always tease him for not being a baby anymore. His experience with sex made him write more songs about it. About you. Which the managers loved without a doubt and because of that Mark goes home to you every night with a big smile. Tired but happy.

You stopped using condoms when you finally took birth control shots. Having sex without a condom is new to Mark but this time, everything went well. You completely can’t get enough of each other, you passed out that night from too much fucking.

During his back to back to back comebacks and preparations with NCT 127 and SuperM, you both had busy schedules and stressful days because of work. And he comes home tired, sometimes frustrated and mad. You had sex more often because of stress and usually Mark is the one asking for it. Day and night, before you both leave for work and at night before you sleep.

If theres peace, chaos will somehow enter your lives. The side effects of the birth control shots was ten times harder than taking a normal birth control pill and it’s causing the fight in your relationship most of the time. Whenever Mark wants to have sex but you don’t because you don’t feel well due to the side effects, he sometimes make his way to you and convince you eventually. “You won’t move, I promise to do all the work” but the sex itself makes you sick even more.

You wanted to stop taking the birth control shot but Mark insist, telling you that it’s much safer than condoms. The thought of Mark getting you pregnant would brought chaos to the world, both of your careers would be ruined plus neither one of you is ready to be a parent. So you did it for Mark, you continued taking the birth control shot even though you really don’t want to.

He’s not always like this, he’s only an asshole whenever he’s really really stressed at work which happens thrice a week, and the fight will usually last a week long. This happened during the preparation for Kick It era and Punch era and SM were making you both work like crazy.

Sometimes Mark sleeps at the dorms after yelling at you and picking a fight with you, “I make time so we could spend quality time together but you always make me feel like shit by refusing to make love and spend time with me. I don’t get you anymore!”

And sometimes you force yourself to work overtime just so you could forget the fight and have a breather. “Stay mad all you want, I don’t care I have work to do”

Most of the time it’s always job over the relationship and you notice Mark’s slight addiction on having sex with you. Not that he became a sex addict, no. Maybe he’s just really stress and he depends to you a lot, that’s why.

Even though the red flags were all bright and waving, you just brush it off and still stay with Mark. But one time you tried telling it to him, and he didn’t take it well. Anger clouded his mind, “Just tell me to stop having sex with you and stop accusing me.” It hurts when Mark doesn’t listen to what you feel and seeing him leave for practice without even looking to you straight up makes your heart ache.

When you didn’t come home because of work one night and Mark stayed up late waiting for you, the thought of you not living with him anymore and you leaving him in general scared the shit out of him. He went back to SM building to apologise, only to find you sleeping soundly in a small couch, curled up to an uncomfortable position but you’re tired already.

“Baby” he woke you in the most quiet way possible not wanting your officemates to wake up and see him. Thankfully your sleep was not that deep and you heard Mark’s whispers, “Mark?” you whisper back.

“Come home, please?” you came home with him without hesitation, scared that the other employees might see him if he stayed longer in public with you.

Mark always find a way to talk it out and make amends. He will need you and you will always understand him and everything will be peaceful for a few days or if you get lucky, weeks. But life will always find a way to make you two fight and make up, and do it over and over again. Breaking up was never a solution, Mark knew that all too well. He can’t live without you.

Sex feels good again lately and you haven’t fought for over three weeks already. He’s been incredibly sweet and caring, taking you out on dates and helping you with work whenever he can. Honestly you’ve been pretty worried about him, he’s been having anxiety and worries about his songs lately. Even questioning his own profession, ‘What if being an idol is not for me? Like, what if I have a different calling that’s why I suck at what I do now?” Mark throwing you questions like this makes you love him harder. Pouring every support you can give to him and stretch your patience more for him. His mental health becomes more and more unstable and it went on like this for roughly half a year already.

The past few months were quiet as if peace has taken over your lives again. Mornings became more peaceful and Mark makes love with you instead of just having sex for the sake of stress release. Kick It and Punch were both successful, now you’re both enjoying your long awaited rest eating watermelons in bed. Even though you’re both aware about Mark’s unstable mental state, life can still be sweet and beautiful because of the love you share.

“I’d trade any moment for peaceful times like this with you” he said, “our second year anniversary is coming” he scrunched his nose in front of you while munching. “I have the best gift for you and you won’t guess it this time” he speaks proud and you smirk at him, feeling excited about it. “I don’t want anything in this world. Just never leave me” he added.

Rest days are always your favorite because you two can stay in bed the whole day, watch Netflix, sing in the shower together for almost two hours, dates around Seoul, shopping together, have lazy sex, have filthy sex. In other words, no calls from work or idol schedules for Mark.

“Are you trying to get me pregnant?” you giggle as you brush Mark’s hair away from his face. Feeling his soft skin against yours, touching his muscles while you come down from your high.

“Maybe” kiss, “what if I am?” kiss, “I miss having fun like this in bed with you” kiss. Mark is siting in bed with you on top of him, sitting on his lap. His head in resting on the head board, arms around your body. He has a full view of your boobs and your glowing face.

“You know I like seeing you cum on top of me” you hum in approval, “three more rounds? What do you say?” he waits for your answer, not forcing you this time. Making sure he won’t do what he did from the past that made you hate him and cry in bed. Mark almost lost you that night.

Of course you want three more rounds in bed with Mark. “That’s my girl” he licks the valley between your boobs, hugging you close as you use his cock inside you for your own sweet release. Arms around his neck, you push him closer to your chest as he bites your nipples and eventually sucking them. “Mark, that feels good” you moan to make sure he won’t stop doing what he’s doing.

“C-close, Mark I’m close”

He lowers your body as he takes over on thrusting in you on top of his lap. Gripping and tugging anything you could find in bed as he fucks you senseless making your boobs bounce in front of him, lust taking over him fully. “Fuuuck!” you screamed and quickly hugged him to stop, he got the message. Hands caressing your bare back as you shiver on top of Mark’s lap, legs weak as you flop back down to the mattress making Mark giggle and draw small circles on your nipple as he lays beside you. After two more rounds, you begged him for one more round and ride him good as a thank you for making you feel good the whole night.

“My stylist said I should go for a striking pink for SuperM comeback, I don’t know if that will suit me… Will it? Do you think I should go for it?” again with his dependancy to you.

Mark is at a hair salon with Taeyong getting their hair done and ready for SuperM comeback happening in less than a week. Hearing that he will have a striking pink hair made you stop what you’re doing and imagine what he would look like. “Are you sure this is not about loving watermelons?” He giggled through the phone, “No.”

When he came home with a striking pink hair, you laughed at him but deep inside he looks handsome. “Well, you look yummy” you kissed him and smelled his hair. He picked you up bridal style and ran to your shared bedroom and tickled you until you cry tears of joy.

Tomorrow is your second anniversary and you can’t spend it together because he’s busy with SuperM promotions. Mark is a simple man who likes simplicity and nothing too fancy in life so looking for a really good anniversary gift is challenge. But you can’t give up. You decided to buy him a new guitar, similar with the one has but somewhat better and different. Inside the guitar there’s a written simple message that he can read whenever he’s doubting again.

It’s already five in the morning and Mark will leave in fifteen minutes. When you open your eyes, you see a cute Mark Lee kissing you until you wake up. He smells clean, his fingertips are cold against your skin, “Happy anniversary. This is one out of two for my anniversary gift” he slips a silver ring on your left ring finger which perfectly fits.

“It’s a promise ring if you’re wondering. I promise to be a better boyfriend. And I saw your gift by the way. I love it. I can’t wait to use it and sing to you after promotions. Just hang in there okay? I love you”

You went got up and it’s surprisingly cold, still sleepy and tired from last night, you saw a bouquet of flowers on top of the coffee table and a paper that contains Girls Generation’s members signature. Complete and framed. It made you happy and laugh because he used his idol card again just to make you smile over the silliest things.

The SuperM promotions was longer than expected but Mark is having a great time with his Hyungs. While Mark is away you’re work keeps on piling up because the company transferred you from NCT to Red Velvet, which you enjoyed because now you’re making costumes for girls.

You and Mark focused on work and it didn’t made you feel angry in fact, you think that Mark being away can make you focus better at work. You realised that you’re better off away from each other. As days and weeks go by, you think about moving out of Mark’s apartment. But he wouldn’t let you do it so you think of another plan.

Mark has been calling you for days already and you only answer just for the sake of telling him that you’re fine. From there on Mark sensed something wrong and the feeling doesn’t sit well on him. Being far from you makes him overthink stuff and imagine things that has the worst case scenario. Like you, getting tired of him because he’s emotionally unstable.

It’s almost midnight and you were just finishing work when Mark came out of nowhere and surprised you. “Surprise! I’m home! Oh, I’ve missed you so much” he said and showered your cheeks with kisses his hug getting tighter and tighter.

You irritatedly pushed him away.

“Okay- that’s new” he let out a sigh, “What did I do now?”

You crossed your arms and lean on the wall, you don’t know how to say it but you’ve made up your mind. You’re going to leave him. “I’m breaking up with you” He stopped listening after you said it.

“It’s funny how I saw this coming but still I had faith with you! I had faith with you that you will not chose to leave me, but fuck-“ he punched the wall, completely hurting his hand you wanted to come to him so bad and made him stop hurting himself but you can’t. To be honest his ears rang, he was light headed and he feel like throwing up. Tiredness and breakup in the middle of the night is not a good mixture.

“Don’t get me wrong please, I don’t hate you. I want to fix this baby, I tried thinking about about solutions and guess what we already tried everything and were still a mess. It bothers me. Knowing that we all have these problems all along and ignoring it over and over again- it’s bothering me baby. We can’t fix it, we can’t fix us”

Admitting that fighting for the relationship made you tired, is a hard pill to swallow. And it hurts because choosing to love yourself this time will hurt him. His emotional dependancy, the sex, and now you don’t know if you want the same things in life anymore.

You wanted to choose yourself this time and do what’s best for you. Because in the past two years, you’ve doing everything what’s best for Mark and Mark only because that’s how you love him. And leaving him is how you can love yourself.

“A week” he blurted out while you were in the moment of pouring out all your concerns. “A week off baby, let’s give each other some space” he kissed your forehead and left you. After what happened he figured, for sure you don’t want to sleep on the same bed with him.

The space that Mark asked for just made him missed you, it made him realised how he’s been taking your patience for granted and how he’s using every part of your being for his own good. He wanted to fix that. He wanted to fix it so badly.

Looking back over the years, he remembered how you didn’t want to live together but he made you because it’s his birthday wish. ‘Mark how can you ask something like that?’ he told himself, hating himself more.

He remembered how you didn’t want to take birth control shots anymore because you’re having side effects already. And instead of being concerned he got mad at you. Mark told the story to Johnny and he just gave him a ’Tsk. I’m very disappointed’

While forcing himself to write lyrics with Taeyong on a Monday night, he kept on telling Taeyong that he needs your opinion first about the first words that he wrote already. Mark got an earful from Taeyong, ‘you shouldn’t depend on her always! You don’t how heavy it might be for her! Tsk. Do you think she knows anything about what we do here? She has her own profession! She studied years and years for it, how can you do this to her?’ of course Taeyong is always right.

On Wednesday night, you broke up officially with Mark.

“I think we should continue living separately from now on, Mark” you removed the promise ring that he gave you and put it in front of him. He was quiet the whole time, but he understands, blaming himself of course. He understands that now it’s all about you.

“They say if you love someone and they need you don’t leave them, and we hear those words in dramas. But Mark, this isn’t fantasy this is reality that’s really heavy for me. We ignored all the red flags and I think it’s time to let go now”

During your move out, he didn’t showed up and helped you. It’s okay, you thought. You hurt him and he needs time to heal. Clearing your stuff felt like freedom and you thought it was cruel. Cruel for Mark. You feel bad because breaking up really made you feel better.

Looking at the pictures around the apartment, made you feel sad, yes. But leaving it behind and putting them down one by one made you feel free. And again you think it’s cruel because Mark don’t feel the same way, he clearly wanted push through the relationship and you clearly don’t want that.

All the more reason to break up. You don’t want the same things anymore.

Because you did great with NCT and Red Velvet, another great opportunity knocked on your door. A job in Paris. You considered not taking it because of Mark, then you remember that you two have broken up.

He came to your apartment a week after the break up, begging you to come back in his life. “I heard you left SM, baby is it because of me?” you gave him a glass of water and sat beside him, it’s been a week but he already looked like shit. Dark under eyes and no happiness in his eyes.

“Listen to me,” you reached for his hand, “It’s not because of you. I’m finally choosing me. I’m doing what’s best for me and my career. It has nothing to do with you Mark”

He went on and on again about coming back to his life, telling you promises that you know he can keep, but you don’t want to be part of it anymore. “I Promise, I will someday be okay emotionally, I want you to be beside me when that happens. I think breaking up isn’t the solution baby, do you remember how great we are together? We can fix this, we can try and then if it doesn’t work i’ll leave. I’ll never bother you again”

“How can you say breaking up is not the right thing to do now? Mark I’ve honestly never been more peaceful these past few days”

Mark didn’t need to hear other things. What you said made him realised that he used up every chance he could make up with you. He left without saying a word, keeping the pain to himself the whole drive back to the dorms. “Dude, it’s going to be okay. Were here.” Johnny, Hyuck, Taeyong and Jaehyun all listened to him cry at the car not talking to anyone of them.

PRESENT DAY. FOUR YEARS AFTER

Mark still loves you.

................................................. Masterlist

inspired by the recent breakup that I had, please don’t steal my feelings huhu. Enjoy, and thank you so much for reading!

#nct-writers #neowritingsnet #nct smut #mark lee smut #nct mark lee smut #mark lee fluff #nct mark lee fluff #nct fluff #mark lee angst #nct mark lee angst #nct angst #mark lee x reader #idol au #breakup au #nct 127 #nct imagines #nct scenarios

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hwaflms · 3 years ago

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Fav Emoji: 🗡

Hi!!! I was wondering if I can get a ship for txt, nct, and ateez pls? I’ll really try not to make this long, but it’s hard sometimes lol.

Anyways, I’m an 18 year old 03’ liner and I’m 5’6. As for looks, I’m african american so i have dark skin, brown eyes and cinnamon colored hair. I cut my hair really short above my ears. I look rather young for my age (unfortunately). I’m rather slim and i have long legs and arms so people say I look even taller than what i am. I have large round eyes a big forehead, a button nose, and thick(ish) lips with round cheeks(ok now i understand why ppl think i’m vv young 🙄) But nowadays i’m more confident in myself and it’s no longer an insecurity of mine. I’d like to say i’m very stylish yet i can’t pick an aesthetic for the life of me.

To sum up my fav aesthetic/style, i would have to say something that’s dark but sophisticated. Like dark academia, but add a bit more of an alt/goth style to it. I like listening to visual kei and rock music, but to be honest, I love all music, even country some times.

I’m from the south of usa, so that has influenced how i am A LOT. I usually don’t have an accent, but whenever i feel a really strong emotion, I get a really strong southern accent and it’s kind of funny. I also tend to go outside without any shoes or socks. I like playing with my pets outside the most, I have two dogs (one is a rottweiler and one is a bull dog), my cat (just a black cat) and my bird. I love love love animals. I love everything to do with nature as well, i feel a deep connection with nature, and once, i even cried while watching bees pollinate flowers help lol.

My psychic said my aura was multiple shades of green, which i think it fits, seeing that green auras represented healers and earth lovers. My dad tends to call me a hippie lol. Astrology wise, I’m a leo sun, leo moon, and scorpio rising. My personality type is INFP-T. My friends say i’m quite funny, and they like to point out, “she’s really really smart, but like everyone, she has her dumb moments, but her dumb moments are the dumbest of the dumbest.”

I’m very sensitive, and not in the “i’m always crying way”. Yet, when i do cry, i tend to cry over the smallest of things, like the bee one. I cry over animals being cute, and I cry when i’m rlly rlly excited. Yet if i’m rlly sad, i can’t cry for some reason, and i’m just 😐. But, I try my hardest to comfort others and help others because there seriously is no other happiness in the world that makes me more happy than making others happy.

I like to talk a lot, as well (as you can see), and i’ll talk about every topic. I tend to talk most about child birth and genetics weirdly enough, it’s so interesting to me. But i also love to talk about astrology, space, and conspiracy theories. I’m highly spiritual. I’m also highly creative. I love drawing, singing, dancing, acting, all of that. Drawing has always been my strongest suit before i somehow got bored of it, but i still draw every once and a while.

I also like playing sports, as i’m naturally athletic. I did ballet, tap dance, gymnastics, track and field, cheerleading, soccer, and softball. (i think cheer is a sport and i’ll argue with anyone on that). I’ve lived in america, germany, and south korea, and i want to travel to so many more places as i grow older.

As for relationship stuff, I’ve never been in a relationship. I’m scared of boys to be honest. I was bullied in school a lot for being “ugly” and it was always by boys so i’ve never really had the best experience with them. I’m still trying to gain my confidence so that i could try dating.

My ideal type is someone smart (though i don’t hate himbos lmao), but i like someone smart and mature. I like someone who works hard, but not someone who’s too serious. With people, i like to have those love/hate relationships lol like we make fun of each other but we also have our soft moments. As for looks, i don’t rlly have an ideal type, yet there’s a couple things that i would go for. I like someone who’s taller than me, has bigger hands than me (mine are 18cm 😥), and has nice legs (i tend to like thicker legs, but i don’t discriminate). I do think smaller guys around my height are so cute too tho, like UGH I CANT CHOOSE.

My ideal date would probably be anything other than going to a restaurant. Maybe later on in the relationship that would be fine, but to be honest, i’m very awkward and shy at first, so it would just be weird. I find that doing something fun together really let’s you find out more about a person rather than just talking. So maybe an amusement park, or even doing an escape room together.

As for love languages, i’m not a very touchy person. Sometimes, i’m STARVING for a hug, but most of the time i don’t like to be touched. I think my love language is acts of service, and idk what’s it’s called, but just trying to find out abt someone. Someone would really know i like them when i ask for their whole zodiac chart, personality type, weekday of birth, everything.

Tbh, i’m very much like a tsundere. I don’t like showing affection very much, and i’d rather insult the ppl that i like than compliment them. Though, this is probably the reason ppl think i don’t like them when i first meet them. Sometimes i might get rlly mushy and cute and stuff, but most of the time, i’m just not used to showing affection, so i feel kinda uncomfy when i do.

Ok, that’s all, i really hope it wasn’t too much for you to read, i tend to get carried away ❤️ have a nice day ily

୨୧ 𓂃 : 🐇 :┊ i ship you with . . .

💌 — huening kai ♡ txt.

𖥻 the last thing a relationship with hyuka would be is boring. he gives off very "best friend who also happens to be your boyfriend" vibes, so there would be a lot off playing around and goofing off. he can be affectionate but also likes his space, like you, so you would be able to find a middle ground. he would like is your relationship was light and fun, teasing each other and making fun of each other. if you ever felt insecure, he would make you feel better in a less "let's talk about it" way and a more "ugh you're so silly, why would you think that when you're perfect??" way.

💌 — johnny ♡ nct.

𖥻 johnny is a chill and laid-back person, so conversation with him would come easy. there wouldn't be an awkward stage with him because johnny is a pretty smooth talker and he would make it easier for you to talk to him. johnny would NEVER make you feel insecure, if anything, he'd be the type of boyfriend who would be hyping you up all the time, even when you're doing absolutely nothing. johnny loves music too so, while he might make fun of you a lil for listening to country, he would love vibing to music with you. we all know johnny is mf hilarious, so he could definitely joke around with you and insult you playfully often ! plus johnny is a sexc tall boy and he has legs for days D:

💌 — hongjoong ♡ atz.

𖥻 hongjoong has the perfect balance of being mature and hardworking while also being playful. he knows how to take a joke and return the favour by teasing you, so i think in that aspect, you will have an easy-going relationship. he also will definitely be so supportive of you, and will be there for you whenever you need it. the kind of dates he would prefer would be more indoor ones, especially just in his studio !! he would show the amount of affection you're comfortable with, never pushing your boundaries or pressuring you.

♡ 𓄹 ࣪ ˖ i hope you like this !! and also, i just wanted to let you know that you are so so beautiful, okay, ilysm <3 boys suck, pls ignore them >:( thank you for sending this in, stay safe ^_^

#(-_- ) zZ ships ★!

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famedroleplayarchive · 4 years ago

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NAM CHUNHWA, better known as BOM, is the MAIN VOCAL AND LEAD DANCER of LUCID under DIMENSIONS ENTERTAINMENT. She was born on NOVEMBER 9, 1997. She looks a little like YOO JIMIN (KARINA) OF AESPA.

CHARACTER INFORMATION

faceclaim: Yoo Jimin (Karina), member of aespa

legal name: Nam Chunhwa

stage name: Bom

pronouns: She/Her

birth date: November 9, 1997

hometown: Busan, South Korea

position: Main vocal & lead dancer of Lucid

claims: None

BIOGRAPHY

triggers: death, car accident

Nam Chunhwa is born at the height of Argentinian spring, which is exactly what has her parents naming her Chun Hwa, spring flower. From day one, she’s a fussy baby, crying more often than not and driving her parents crazy. A complete contrast to her sister, Chunhui, who’s born four years later, also in spring, who’s all smiles and easy laughter from the moment she leaves the maternity ward. Their parents adore them both and even with the age difference, they are fast friends. Chunhwa has very little recollections of those days but when she’s there, happiness is a given.

Chunhwa is seven when the phone rings in the middle of the night. Old enough to understand, she leaves her room to find her grandmother answering it. She remembers her parents leaving for a date night, remembers her grandmother coming over to look after her and Chunhui while they are out, and, more than anything, she remembers the ear piercing scream her grandmother lets out at whatever the other person in the phone call tells her.

(She learns what it was eventually, but it takes a couple of weeks for her to drill the information out of her family. It’s one of her cousins who explains to Chunhwa how her parents passed, how there was an armed robbery, how the person didn’t hesitate to press the trigger not once, but four times on each of her parents. Her grandmother yells at her cousin for telling Chunhwa about it, but she believes she’s better off knowing.)

Both Chunhwa and Chunhui move in with their grandmother, but less than two months after the funeral they are being shipped off to a new country. Chunhwa heard the argument her grandmother had over the phone as well, which concluded on both her grandmothers agreeing that it would be better for her and Chunhui to be raised somewhere else. Chunhwa doesn’t want to go. She throws a tantrum in the house, another in the car, and an extra one in the airport for good measure, but it’s all in vain as their aunt drags them both into the plane. When they arrive in Busan, South Korea, her aunt sticks around for a couple of days to help Chunhwa and Chunhui get settled, but then she’s also gone, and any proper reminder of their life in Argentina is also gone with her.

II.

Chunhwa makes her grandparents’ lives difficult from the moment she moves in. She goes through phases. First, she will throw tantrums about any and everything. She will refuse to eat what they expect her to, refuse to go to bed, refuse to wear the right clothes. She will misbehave in school, will act as if she doesn’t understand Korean, will get punished over and over again and none of that is enough to make her stop. That is, until her grandparents no longer show any reaction to her actions.

That’s when Chunhwa shuts down. For weeks, she won’t say a word to anyone but Chunhui. The school suggests her grandparents look into getting her some professional help and they dismiss it as her acting up. Things only improve when her grandmother arranges for Chunhwa to start ballet classes at the dance studio she runs. She argues Chunhwa is too old to be starting but that she can maybe learn how to behave if she does.

Chunhwa loves it. Not only ballet, but every other class she’s allowed to take. It’s like a switch is flipped ‒ she goes from dismissive of any and everything to completely enthusiastic about all the dance classes. Whatever time isn’t spent in school, Chunhwa spends it at the studio, even if it’s just so she can watch other classes she’s not yet old enough to join.

She turns out to be much better at it than her grandmother expected her to be. By the time she’s a pre-teen, Chunhwa is participating in dance competitions all across the country and winning them as well. A future as a dancer is pretty much the only thing she can think about doing.

III.

Chunhwa’s relationship with her grandmother never improves. A tipping point is when her grandmother decides to sell the studio in Busan and move to Seoul to run another studio there. She claims it’s a better city, more attractive for people looking into the arts, and although Chunhwa knows that’s true, she’s fifteen and honestly believes her life is perfect as it is, without her grandmother having to ruin it like this.

To make matters worse, Chunhwa and Chunhui get into a car accident one day when their uncle is driving them to school. It’s nothing extremely serious. Chunhui gets out of it completely unscathed, but Chunhwa breaks her leg in three different spots and the recovery time means she’s not allowed to dance at all for six months. Chunhwa blames her grandmother for it, claiming if they had never moved to Seoul, this would’ve never happened. In response, her grandmother forbids her from going to the dance studio at all, even to watch classes, until she’s fully recovered.

At one point, the boredom gets to her. Her grandmother tells Chunhwa to use this opportunity to put in more effort into school, but instead she spends more time at the music school where Chunhwa takes piano classes. It sounds like too much effort to start learning a completely new instrument, but Chunhwa starts taking vocal lessons to fill in her schedule.

She enjoys it enough that she sticks around after her leg gets better, even if it means sacrificing one of the many dance classes she would take in a week. Chunhwa also joins the school choir and when she graduates middle school and enrolls in SOPA, she decides that she spends enough time at the dance studio not to need to go down the dance route in school. Instead, she chooses the music track, which allows for her to further practice her singing.

IV.

Chunhwa is scouted for Dimensions in her graduation showcase. She’s given a solo stage, and it’s enough for the scouts to offer her an opportunity to audition for the company. Chunhwa’s plans originally were to either join a dance company and perform as a dancer for idol groups or to take a normal university route, but Chunhui talks her into auditioning, claiming that Chunhwa is the one between the two of them that should be going into the entertainment business.

She’s reluctant but relents, and she gets into Dimensions in early 2016. Almost immediately, Chunhwa wants to quit. It’s not about the treatment as a trainee ‒ she has an ex-ballet dancer for a grandmother, the trainers would have to try harder to faze her ‒, so much as about how obvious it is the company expects her to get along with the other trainees so she can debut with them. In a group, not as a soloist. In her mind, Chunhwa is convinced she’s enough of a good singer and dancer to debut completely solo, and it’s what she expects.

Instead, she’s put in a group. By the time it’s announced they are debuting as a group, Chunhwa can’t back down and she realizes she also doesn’t want to. It’s not the ideal scenario, but she wouldn’t have joined the company in the first place if she didn’t have some desire to become an idol.

When their debut gets scrapped, Chunhwa comes close to a complete tantrum. She’s not supposed to throw them anymore, not as an adult and she knows it, but she’s never grown out of the habit of wanting to yell at people when things don’t go the way she expected them to. Chunhwa had already settled for what she had considered was beneath her, and she refused to experience this once more.

Sticking around is fueled by the one thing worse than her stubbornness ‒ spite. Bitterness pushes her forward, pushes her into improving even further in the months between the scraping of their debut and the announcement of the new lineup. She thinks another member is unnecessary and it means sharing the spotlight with yet another person, someone she’s not at all used to or necessarily likes, but the decision is out of her hands and she eventually accepts it.

When they debut, Chunhwa is given a stage name. Bom. Spring, just like her name. Dimensions expect her to offer an innocent but charming image. Think Nation’s First Love, is what her manager tells her when Chunhwa asks what the fuck does that mean, the company just thinks with your looks you need to play up your charming side. Chunhwa doesn’t have the heart to tell her there’s very little charming about her.

Chunhwa is ambivalent about Lucid’s concept. From day one, she thinks it’s interesting that they are offering something different with the rock concept, but when it’s not taken well at all by the overall public, she’s neither surprised nor too bothered by it. A complete contrast to her reaction when their more innocent concept is immediately eaten up by the public. Chunhwa can’t help feeling uncomfortable by the outfits they have to wear, the way men will talk about them in public forums, and the knowledge that all of them see Lucid as pieces of meat for them to fantasize about.

Things do not improve for her when years go by after their debut and Dimensions puts no effort into pushing her solo career at all. Not for music, not for brand ambassadorships, not for acting, nothing. At this point Chunhwa is convinced Dimensions sees her as a filler member, in spite of being the group’s main vocalist, and the lack of perspective often causes her to be more lazy on stage than she knows she should be. If fans have noticed, they are yet to comment, but Chunhwa knows that her attitude is bound to get her in trouble eventually. She’s just at a point where she can no longer bring herself to care.

#fmdfollow #dimensionsentertainment #lucid

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goldenpctals · 4 years ago

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TRUTH BOOTH, elodie edition

GENERAL QUESTIONS

1. Please state your full name: My name is Elodie Yoon-ah Gwan 2. Does your name(s) have any kind of meaning? If so, what is it? Not completely sure? I know Elodie is some kind of flower and Yoon-ah means ‘light of god’ 3. Do you have any nicknames? Sometimes people call be El or Ellie 4. Where were you born? And in which country? I was born in Seoul, South-Korea 5. What is your date of birth? January 4 in year 1996 6. Of course, the following question; what is your Zodiac sign? I’m a Capricorn 7. Do you believe in Zodiac signs? Sometimes? I like to think so? 8. Where do you live? I live in Violet Springs, in Violet Heights to be exact 9. What is your home situation like? (ex. do you live with your family? Your partner etc.?) I live with my two dads, Edwin and Jonah and with my sister, Ruby 10. Do you have any siblings? Yes, I have two sisters. Ruby and Issy Rosini 11. Do you have any kind of allergies? Not that I know of 12. Do you own any pets? If so, what kind of pets are they? Ruby has the most dogs in the house. However, I have a white cocker spaniel. His name is Baloo and he’s the cutest 13. Why did you apply to St Jude’s? Because I love performing, singing and music 14. Did you had to go through a lot audition rounds? A few. My English wasn’t really that good at the time. I still struggle with it every now and then 15. What is the current course you’re following? I study to course Music 16. If you can switch courses, which one would you switch to and why? If I had to switch, I’d probably pick dancing. It’s one of my greatest loves 17. What is your proudest project you’ve done? So far? My song named Solo. I heard it reached millions of views which is crazy 18. What is the proudest project that someone’s else has done? There are a couple. If I keep going I’ll be talking for a couple of days 19. Do you like FanCons? Yes. I love them! 20. What do you like about FanCons? Getting to meet my fans. I didn’t know I had so many people who care about me and my music. It’s a nice feeling 21. What don’t you like about FanCons? It can be overwhelming at times 22. A fan memory that always stuck with you? Can be positive or negative. A fan gave me a painting and it still hanging above my bed. I just love the vibe of it 23. Your favorite event so far? Hm.. Any kind of charity event 24. What kind of event would you like to see in the future? I think this is done before, but St Judes vs. other universities 25. Would you recommend St Jude’s to friends, family. etc? I would. I think this is the perfect place to chase your dreams

PERSONALITY QUESTIONS

26. What are your positive traits? I’d like to say that I’m realistic, patient and hard-working 27. What are you negative traits? Probably that I tend to look shy, I’m very cautious and I don’t trust people so easily 28. What would other people describe you as? A shy and awkwar bean 29. What are your pet peeves? Slow walking... 30. What makes you happy? Music makes me happy. Being with friends and family. Just be around good energy 31. What makes you upset? Seeing anyone I care about upset 32. What is something you love? The universe. I’m obsessed with the moon and the stars 33. What is something you dislike? Anger. I don’t really know why people get so angry or caught up over something 34. What are you strengths? My patience 35. What are you weaknesses? I have quite a few, so I’ll PASS this one 36. A misconception people often think of you? I don’t think I’m here long enough? But if I had to say something, probably that .. I have no idea 37. Do you have any fears? Yes 38. What scares you the most? Losing myself again 39. What do you do to entertain yourself? I make songs and go to the studio 40. What is your MBTI? I think it was ISFP 41. How do you deal with stress? This is something I struggle a lot with. I usually sit on a rooftop and I write down how I feel in lyrics.. I just tend to look at the moon a lot too 42. Are you a determined person? Are you a stubborn person? Determind 43. Do you consider yourself selfish? No, I think I put people’s feelings over mine 44. Would you like to be different? I wish I was stronger, mentally 45. Are you more introverted (focused on your inner world) or more extraverted (focused on other people and the outer world)? Introvert

ROMANCE QUESTIONS

46. What is your sexual orientation? I consider myself heterosexual 47. Current relationship status? Single 48. When was your first kiss? It was a couple of months ago 49. Do you remember your first date? If so, with who was it? What did you do? I don’t think I’ve ever been asked out on a proper date so.. 50. Have you ever experienced heart-break? Unfortunately, yes. But no because of romance 51. Have you ever been in love? (If yes, skip to question 53) No 52. If no, how so? There’s.. this.. like, wall that’s up pretty high? I’ve been through a lot and I refuse to get hurt again. I think I’m just really scared to fall in love with someone. I have experienced crushes.. Now I have a small one on someone I know I can never be with 53. How do you know when you’re in love? n/a 54. What would be your ideal date? My ideal date would be somewhere nice and quiet, maybe like at a lake or beach and a picnic to get to know each other 55. What is your perspective on marriage? When the right person comes, I’ll be open to it. But for now? I’m way too young to get married 56. (only for non-virgins) Are you a sub, dom or switch? n/a 57. What do you think of relationships? I think it’s beautiful how you can share your love with one another 58. What do you think of one-night stands? I’m not someone to do this. I’d rather get to know someone first before I do anything else. Plus, I want to be super comfortable first and even then, I’d only be intimate when I would be in a relationship 59. Are you still a virgin? Yes, I am 60. Most attractive trait in a different person? Loyalty and caring 61. What matters most to you when it comes to a relationship? Being truthful with one another. And also, be patient with one another 62. Are you comfortable with PDA? Or would you be comfortable with PDA? I’m not completely sure. I don’t really like when someone is extreme. I think I’d prefer just holding hands or a hug? 63. Are you more of a type to be asked out or the type to ask the other out? The type to be asked out, I guess? 64. How do you express love to the other? I think I express my love to others by making sure they’re okay? I don’t really know how to answer this 65. Who is your celebrity crush? Ji Chang-Wook.... He’s so so so dreamy

GETTING DEEP QUESTIONS

66. Do you regret anything? Yes 67. Is there something you woule like to re-do? So, start all over again? I’m so grateful for where I am now. However, my past is really hurtful but even though, life goes the way it’s supposed to go.. right? 68. What is something you would never share with anyone? There are so many things that people don’t know about me or my past. Ruby knows a lot.. but she doesn’t know everything yet and I don’t think I can ever share my memories with someone 69. When was the last time you cried? Why did you cry? Just a couple of days ago. I suddenly felt overwhelmed after Felix’s birthday party. Probably a lot of, held back emotions at once 70. Most memorable event that happened in your time in St Judes? This could be anything: Solo being accepted by so many people. It’s still a miracle to me 71. One thing you wish you could do all over? Nothing 72. Someone you miss? There isn’t anyone that I currently miss 73. Something you wish you could forget? My past 74. Who has the biggest impact on you? Ruby 75. What is your perspective on love? Is it beautiful? Does it scare you? I think it can be beautiful in ways but it’s so scary, though? Love can be so hurtful. I’m not totally against it, I love to love, but --- it’s pretty unpredictable 76. What has hurt you in the past that you don’t want others to go through? Anything that I went through the age of 17 until I was adopted by Edwin and Jonah 77. What is something you have gained, something you have lost and something you let go of during the past year? Something I gained? A family. Something you’ve lost? Myself. But I’m doing very well in finding myself again. Something I let go of? Not much. My mind is still full of things that I wish I could forget 78. Have you ever lost a friend? do you wish you would still be friends? Not really? 79. Do you have any triggers? What is the history behind these triggers and are they related to any disorders or mental illnesses? I have panick attacks at certain events or scenarious? (OOC: She has PTSD and has 2 triggers, however, this hasn’t been diagnosed yet) 80. If you could meet your 16 year old self, what would tell them? You’re happy and you’re doing well. However, in a bout a year or so, someone is going to take you away from your family and you’re going through the worst pain in your life. Someone will introduce themselves as some kind of angel to you, but they will turn out to be your worst nightmare. You will go through a lot. Mentally. Physically. Emotionally. This may seem to go on for forever, but you are so strong that you are going to get through this. I’m sorry that I couldn’t protect you....

RANDOM QUESTION ROUND

81. Summer or Winter? Summer 82. Cats or dogs? Dogs 83. Beach or mountains? Beaches 84. Phone calls or texting? Phone calls 85. Have you ever skipped class? Only when I was dealing with mental health or sickness

#stjudestruthbooth

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mountphoenixrp · 4 years ago

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We have a new citizen in Mount Phoenix:

Harper Song, who is known by no other name; a 19 year old son of Arawn. He is a ballet & lyrical instructor at LOCO Motion.

FC NAME/GROUP: Song Hyeongjun / Cravity CHARACTER NAME: Harper Song AGE/DATE OF BIRTH: 19 / 30th November 2001 PLACE OF BIRTH: Tongyeong, South Korea but mostly lived in Seoul OCCUPATION: Ballet and Lyrical Dance Instructor at LOCO Motion HEIGHT: 174cm DEFINING FEATURES:

Usually speaks in a Seoul dialect but his native Tongyeong dialect comes through when he’s stressed

Tall frame and broad shoulders

Athletic frame with highly defined muscles: especially legs, arms, chest and back

Sweet smile and a baby face

A colourful flower bouquet tattoo on his inner arm (https://tattooblend.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/12/52.jpg)

Wears glasses when he’s reading for long periods of time

Weak right ankle with surgery scars

PERSONALITY: Harper spent most of his life living under his mother’s direction: what school to attend, what classes to take and what opportunities to accept. He isn’t very used to making decisions for himself and often finds that he reverts to his mother’s strict values; whether it is a strict diet or the countless hours of training every day. He knows that she’s wrong though and is actively trying to live for himself instead - it’s the exact reason he moved to Mount Phoenix.

He is passionate and lives for the sole purpose of dancing - with his favourites being Ballet, Modern and Lyrical. In fact, he possesses an almost encyclopaedic knowledge of the history behind those styles, but is still wanting to learn and experience more. Although he was on the road to becoming a principal dancer, Harper had thrown it all away. He is now more interested in just chasing his passions. He is both happy and satisfied working as a dance teacher, but longs to return to the stage in the future.

To most people, Harper comes across as a very polite and warm hearted person. He’s genuine in everything that he does and is seldom known to lie. He is encouraging of the people around him and wanted to uplift all of his students - regardless of experience and skill level. Although he is young and with a pure, good heart, that should not be confused with naivety. His life has been filled with many years of pain and the experience has made him a stronger person. He tries to see the good in everyone but will also stand up for any injustice.

To his closest friends, Harper is an obvious Dance geek. He’s the type to become over excited about rewatching an old dance performance and could probably speak for hours about the technical details of a dance routine. He also had a cheeky sense of humor, embellished with a hint of good natured sarcasm. He has an innocent charm, especially since he is relatively inexperienced in terms of dating - Harper has been in relationships before, but is generally new to meeting people outside of his dance circles. Most of his life has been fairly sheltered and limited, so he has only a few life experiences to draw from.

Harper is known to wear his heart on his sleeve. He speaks his mind and, if the situation calls for it or if he is asked, would be willing to share even the most painful parts of his past. He takes the darkness in his heart as a reason to grow and is willing to relive his bad memories if the story will help someone in the present.

HISTORY: Harper had always known that he was special and, according to his Mother, that meant that he couldn’t do things like the other kids. He was the only son of Song Hayoung, or Hanna Song as she was professionally known. As one of Korea’s few internationally renowned ballerinas, she had a prolific career as the Principal Dancer for a number of foreign dance companies. Although she retired when she fell pregnant with Harper, she was never able to let go of her past fame.

Hanna was always about trying to be the best of the best. As a dancer, she pushed herself to the absolute limits and boldly grasped at every opportunity that came to her. Coming from a small town, she wanted nothing more than to be greater than anyone thought possible. Even her brief relationship with Arawn, a strange and powerful man with abilities beyond human, was an example of how she gravitated towards power. After she had Harper, a child that she initially wanted to erase from existence, she saw him as another opportunity to prove her greatness. Hanna raised him as though she were his talent manager - every ambition that she had for herself, ambitions that she felt were stolen from her, she forced onto her son.

She named him Harper, giving him a foreign name because he was going to be an internationally renowned dancer - a Principal Dancer for certain, and perhaps with the Berlin Dance Company. She would accept nothing less than that, so saw no reason to give him a Korean name. She didn’t intend on him leading any real life there.

She put Harper into dance classes as soon as he learnt to walk and hired him a private tutor to ensure that he could maximize his practice time - elementary school was just an excuse for play time, after all, and there was nothing homeschooling could not accommodate. Hanna was also rather outspoken to him about his parentage - thinking that knowledge of his father as well as the magic that he might have inherited would propel Harper into being a more aggressively ambitious person. But truthfully, Arawn and the dead had always scared him, so Harper avoided pursuing those abilities.

Instead, he put all of his energy and focus onto dance - doing just what his mother wanted. He genuinely loved it but his mother was always quick to criticize. Harper was never good enough. Winning first place was just an expectation, not an achievement. Hanna didn’t allow him to do much aside from dance, so he didn’t have the opportunity to meet other kids his age. He was a sweet boy though, with a warmth that his mother never possessed, and became close to other dancers easily.

It was only when he reached his teenage years that Hanna enrolled him in an actual school. Deciding that he had outgrown the backwards community in Tongyeong, she surprised him with a sudden move to Seoul. In fact, she hadn’t even spoken to Harper about it until the moving trucks arrived. Unable to even say goodbye to his handful of friends, he cried silently in the back seat, trying to make sure that his mother didn’t see his tears. She did though and, for the first time in her life, she hesitated. But only for a moment.

Success did not come to those who held themselves back.

…

Harper has been enrolled into the most prolific performing arts school in Seoul, where he also had his first experience living away from his mother. Being in a dormitory was different and it took him a while to get used to it, especially since most of his life has been spent living to such rigid rules. However, his concerns melted away and Harper made friends easily - his satoori, which he was initially self conscious of, was actually adored by the other students who thought he sounded cute and shy by default.

In his first couple of years at the school, Harper just managed to pass his academic classes but was absolutely excelling as a dancer. He enjoyed trying different styles but, with every phone call from his mother, there was another demand that he focus more of his time on ballet. Consequently, he ended up spending a majority of his time with his Pas de deux partner - Miyoung, a prodigal dancer and daughter of a renowned dance company director. She was an elegant and beautiful girl who shared a similarly strict lifestyle to him and so they were always on the same wavelength - it seemed only logical that they would date. His mother approved of the relationship, considering her a suitable partner for Harper even if she would have preferred him to focus on his training instead.

However, that happiness was short lived as the relationship lasted mere months - their chemistry as friends and dance partners didn’t translate to a healthy relationship. The two spent more time training and analysing dance techniques than actually getting to know each other. As the pressure of trying to feign a happy relationship built up, Harper also became closer with his new roommate - Junkai. He was an older student from the countryside in China, orphaned and without any money, but possessing such incredible musical talent that he was attending school on a full scholarship. He had a cool, stoic nature and seldom spoke, so Harper initially felt uncomfortable around him.

However, tragedy brought the two closer.

Harper had just returned to their room after late night rehearsals, thinking that Jun would have been asleep already, but instead found the older boy sitting desolate on his bed. His eyes were red rimmed and puffy, as though he had spent hours crying. Concerned for his roommate, Harper went to sit silently by the other boy’s side, waiting and giving him time to share what had happened. There was no pushing, no inundation of questions; just silence and the comfort of hands being held.

Jun revealed that he’d received word that afternoon that his younger sister had passed away. They had been each other’s only family for years and, while he was still living in China, he had been her sole guardian - even if he was only a child himself. She was the one who had sent his application to Korea and who encouraged him to go to study abroad, even if she would be left alone. As a childhood Leukemia patient, his sister had been admitted to the hospital in recent months but Jun wasn’t able to fly home to her - they didn’t have the money and she didn’t want him to give up his scholarship. In the end, all he had were daily video calls and then a final call from her doctor, delivering the news that she had passed away in her sleep.

Jun blamed himself for not being there for her, hating that his sister was alone even in her last painful moments. She was gone and there was nothing anyone could do, except Harper knew he could. He had never done it before, only having heard from his mother about the powers Arawn possessed, but he wanted to try it for Junkai.

“I want to try something.”

…

The two roommates grew closer in the following months and Harper could very confidently pinpoint the moment that he fell in love with Junkai - he was on the piano and Harper was barefoot in the dance studio, the music weaving its way into both of their hearts. Where he had to try so hard in his last relationship, being with Jun felt completely natural - the other boy balanced out all of Harper’s weaknesses, whilst Harper encouraged Jun to open up to the world around him. Sharing a room soon turned into sharing a bed and they often found themselves holding each other through the night.

In Harper’s mind, it was his first real relationship - and Junkai was the only person he wanted to be with - but Harper’s mother thought differently. Initially only shocked by her son’s sexuality, she was further appalled to find out about Jun’s impoverished background. She could not accept that her son would go from Miyoung, who she viewed as the perfect girlfriend, to someone who had absolutely nothing to his name. She forbid the relationship, going to great lengths to ensure that the boys were split up.

However, in his first real rebellious moment towards his mother, Harper refused. The two continued to see each other secretly throughout their high school years, often talking about how they might run away together after graduation, but reality soon caught up.

Due to his family background and good looks, Harper had been scouted throughout his high school years. He rejected them as the offers mostly came from modelling and idol agencies, but the one he had been preparing for his whole life came just weeks before graduation. The Berlin Dance Company contacted him to offer him a permanent role in the corps de ballet - with potential to graduate to a soloist and then principal role as well. The only downside would have been having to relocate to Germany.

Junkai, meanwhile, had to go home. He had graduated two years ago and had been trying to find stable work in Korea with no luck. His Chinese background and citizenship worked to his disadvantage in Korea, with no place wanting to hire him permanently. At the same time, a call had come from his hometown’s high school to offer him a position as a music tutor. He was concerned about leaving Harper, knowing that the other boy was still very much under the selfish control of his mother, but had no option left.

Before Harper’s graduation recital, and knowing that their paths would be inevitably split afterwards, the two boys had slipped out on the weekend. Heading to one of the more reputable tattoo studios in Hongdae, they spent a few hours getting matching tattoos on their upper forearm.

“But why the flowers?” Harper asked.

“Because I want to be the first one to congratulate you after every show.”

…

An entire year had passed and Harper was getting accustomed to life in Berlin. Although they had broken off their relationship, Jun was always on his mind - as the nightly phone calls proved. Over time though, Jun became quieter again and harder to contact, but there was nothing that Harper could do on the other side of the world. And so he just tried again and again.

1 missed call.

8 missed calls.

15 missed calls.

There were minutes to go until curtain, and Harper was backstage of the theatre checking on his costume. It had been nearly a week since Jun had called and so Harper nearly pounced when his phone lit up with a new message. For once though, he had wished that he hadn’t read anything. The words seared into his brain as the stage manager came in to rush them onto stage. Harper followed her instructions like clockwork, ascending to the raised platform for the opening number.

The orchestra started with a delicate melody that seems only to toy with the sinking weight in Harper’s chest. The world was spinning but Harper pushed on, because that was what he had been trained to do. Push on. Go on.

He slipped, his ankle snapping in the wrong direction and body falling meters below. The pain seared through his leg and Harper was certain that he’d broken something, but that wasn’t why the tears came, why his heart clenched, nor why he sobbed the entire night into his sheets. It was only one message, a couple of words, but it tore his world apart.

“This is Doctor Li. I’m not certain of your relationship to my patient, but I am sorry to inform you that Ma Jun Kai passed away this morning.”

…

Harper spoke to Junkai after that just once. On his bed with his leg in a plaster and his face sunken, he had called up all of his strength to use his powers once again - but for a more selfish reason. Jun came fairly easily to sit beside him in quiet comfort, much like what Harper had done for him before. The boy in front of him was different though - thinner than he had been just a year ago and with a deathly look to his complexion.

Harper looked up at him, his breath caught in his chest as the tears came to his eyes again. He’d promised himself not to cry.

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Junkai looked at him, his expression filled with a mix of sadness and regret, “Because I don’t want you to remember me like this.”

…

Life is short, and Harper realised that he had spent most of his living under the control of his mother. Her words were so much a part of him that he didn’t know who he was without her direction. With Junkai gone as well, his singular attempt at pursuing something for himself, Harper could no longer continue the life that he had been living.

And so he left. He submitted his resignation to the Berlin Dance Company, citing time needed to rehabilitate, and packed all of his possessions up. He didn’t say anything to his mother, not giving her the chance to stop him, but had her to thank for his next move. When he was younger, she had told him about a place just off from Korea - it was an island where people like his father and, in turn, him, could go to become stronger.

And maybe find a fresh beginning.

PANTHEON: Celtic CHILD OF: Arawn POWERS:

The ability to communicate with the dead - this is not a passive ability and Harper has to put quite a lot of energy into actually doing this. At the moment, he is only capable of short communications. This will not work for any spirits that have moved on or reincarnated.

The ability to raise the dead - Harper has only ever attempted this once and is only able to do it for very short time spans (a few minutes at most). It is a very exhausting process and leaves him so weak that he may completely pass out.

Physically strong - Harper has his rigorous exercise routine and dance training to back it up, but his natural inclination towards physical strength surely helped the process.

STRENGTHS:

Physical strength, agility and flexibility

Encyclopaedic knowledge of dance history

Natural talent and professional training in a number of dance genres - specifically Ballet, Modern and Lyrical dance

Takes past experiences and failures as reasons to become stronger

WEAKNESSES:

Is absolutely terrible at making decisions

Does not have good grasp or understanding of his demigod abilities

Is trusting of the people around him and can be easily hurt

Has a very regimented lifestyle that he is trying to ‘unlearn’

#kpop rp #krp #cravity #song hyeongjun #cravity hyeongjun #mp; welcome

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chanoyu-to-wa · 6 years ago

Text

Nampō Roku, Book 2 (43): (1587) Seventh Month, Seventh Day, Beginning at the Hour of the Monkey.

43) Seventh Month, Seventh Day¹; beginning in the hour of the Monkey².

◦ 4.5-mat [room]³.

◦ [Guests:] Omuro-gosho [小室御所]⁴, Konoe dono [近衛殿]⁵, Ryōshitsu [良叱]⁶, Ryōmu [了無]⁷.

Sho [初]⁸.

﹆ In a [hanging] basket [籠], yūgao-no-hana [夕カホノ花]⁹.

◦ Small ito-me kama [絲目小釜], [suspended] on a [bamboo] jizai [自在]¹⁰.

◦ On the Sairō-dana [城樓棚]¹¹: ◦ above, habōki [羽帚]¹²; ◦ below, mizusashi tarai [水指タライ] ・ hikkiri [引切]¹³.

Su [ス]¹⁴.

▵ Suimono [吸物]¹⁵.

▵ Two rounds of sake [酒]¹⁶.

▵ Senbei ・ iri-kaya ・ shiitake [センヘイ・イリカヤ・椎茸]¹⁷.

Go [後]¹⁸ -- [the guests] entered [after] night[fall]¹⁹.

◦ The toko: [after] the hanaire was taken in[to the katte]²⁰, a tanzako-bako [短尺箱] was [displayed on the floor of the toko]²¹.

◦ On the Sairō-dana: ◦ above, on a tray, ﹆kōro [香爐], usu-gumo [薄雲] [in the] kōgō guri-guri [香合クリ〰], with the kyōji [香箸] stacked on top²². ◦ middle, hishaku [ヒシヤク]²³; ◦ below, mizusashi, as in the beginning ・ futaoki, as in the beginning²⁴.

◦ Chaire ryūgo [茶入リウコ]²⁵.

◦ Chawan Ko-mamori [茶碗木守]²⁶.

After tea was finished, incense [was appreciated]²⁷.

_________________________

¹Shichi-gatsu nanoka [七月七日].

The date was August 10, 1587, in the Gregorian calendar.

This day was also the Festival of Tanabata [七夕] (tanabata no sekku [七夕節句]: Festival of the Stars; Festival of the Weaver; and so forth), which celebrates the once-a-year meeting of the celestial deities Orihime [織姫] (the Weaver: the star Vega) and Hikoboshi [彦星] (the Cowherd: the star Altair). According to legend, the Milky Way separates these lovers, and they are allowed to meet only once a year on the Seventh Day of the Seventh Lunar Month. Tanabata is celebrated in all of the countries within the classical Chinese cultural sphere (including Korea, Japan, and Vietnam).

Because the idea is that the two stars meet across the Milky Way, it has been traditional (apparently since the time of Jōō) for the irori to be used on chakai given on this date, so that the host and the guests will be able to face each other across the ro.

²Saru-no-toki yori [申ノ時より].

There were twelve traditional hours in each day, though each was equivalent to two Western hours (i.e., 120 minutes) only on the equinoctes.

The Hour of the Monkey lasts roughly from 3:00 PM to 5:00 PM. The chakai, therefore, began in the late afternoon.

³Yojō-han [四疊半].

This would have been the 4.5-mat room in Rikyū's official residence.

⁴Omuro-gosho [小室御所].

Rikyū has made a clerical error here: the title should be written Omuro-gosho [御室御所].

Omuro-gosho [御室御所] is another name for the Ninna-ji [仁和寺], the head temple of the Omuro school of the Shingon [真言] (True Word) Sect of Buddhism. And, when used as a personal epithet, as here, it refers to the Abbot of the Ninna-ji [仁和寺], who was an Imperial Prince (a custom that persisted until the end of the Edo period).

In this case, the sobriquet refers to Ninnaji-no-miya Shurihō shinnō [仁和寺宮守理法親王; 1558 ~ ?], a son of Prince Kunisuke (Fushimi-no-miya Kunisuke shinnō [伏見宮邦輔親王; 1513 ~ 1563], who was adopted by the Emperor Ōgimachi [正親町天皇; 1517 ~ 1593]. Prince Shurihō entered the Ninna-ji in Eiroku 8 [永禄八年] (1565), as a disciple of another Imperial Prince, Ninjo nyūdō shinnō [任助入道親王; 1525 ~ 1584].

⁵Konoe dono [近衛殿].

This was Lord Konoe Sakihisa [近衛前久; 1536 ~ 1612], a high court noble (he held the junior grade of the First Rank), who served as kanpaku [関白]*, Minister of the Left (sa-daijin [左大臣]), Chancellor (daijō-daijin [太政大臣]), and, after he left that office, he was further honored as jū-san-gū [准三宮]†.

Lord Sakihisa was close to both Oda Nobunaga and Hideyoshi -- Hideyoshi adopted Sakihisa's daughter Sakiko [前子; 1575 ~ 1630], who was given by him as a consort to the Emperor Go-Yōzei; she gave birth to the Emperor’s son, who became Emperor Go-Mizunoo.

Furthermore, in 1585, Lord Sakihisa (whose family represented one of the major branches of the ancient Fujiwara house) adopted Hideyoshi himself, which gave Hideyoshi the necessary entrée to become kanpaku in his turn. __________ *Chief civil adviser to the Emperor.

†An honorary rank meaning that Lord Sakihisa was accorded honors similar to those of the Great Empress Dowager (theoretically the Emperor's grandmother), the Emperess Dowager (in theory, the Emperor's mother), and the Empress (the Emperor's principal wife). The title translates “quazi-Three Empresses.”

⁶Ryōshitsu [良叱].

This refers to Ishibashi Ryōshitsu [石橋良叱; his dates of birth and death are not known], a machi-shū of Sakai, chajin, and one of Rikyū's sons-in-law (musume-muko [娘婿], the husband of one of Rikyū's daughters).

His name first appears in an entry dated to the Tenshō 10 in the Tsuda Sōkyū Chanoyu Nikki [津田宗及茶湯日記], when Ryōshitsu participated in a chakai together with Yamanoue Sōji and Tsuda Sōkyū.

While some scholars argue that Ryōshitsu must have been one of Rikyū's disciples, the Chajin Kei-den Zenshū [茶人係傳全集], published in Tenpō 8 [天保8年] (1837), states that he was initiated into the practice of chanoyu by Jōō (which seems more likely, since it appears that Rikyū married his daughters to men of his own generation). __________ *The title translates “the Complete Collected Transmitted Lineages of the Tea Masters.”

⁷Ryōmu [了無].

Unidentified. His name is also mentioned as being one of the guests at the previous chakai (which Rikyu hosted on the bank of the Kamo-gawa in the evening of the last day of the Sixth Month, after the conclusion of the lustration known as the Minazuki-barae [水無月祓]).

⁸Sho [初].

The shoza.

In terms of kane-wari, since this chakai began in the late afternoon, and continued until well after dark, the shoza should be yang, while the goza should be yin.

- The tokonoma contained the chabana, but suspended on the minor pillar attached to the outer wall (so that it would be illuminated by the fading light entering through the bokuseki-mado [墨跡窓] -- which would not reach the chabana if it were hung in the middle of the toko), so that the toko was chō [調];

- the room had the kama in the ro, and so was han [半];

- and the tana held the haboki (on the ten-ita), and the mizusashi and futaoki (on the ji-ita), and so was chō [調].

Chō + han + chō is han.

⁹Kago ni yūgao-no-hana [籠ニ　夕カホノ花].

The kago was probably the Katsura-kawa kago [桂川籠], so that the chabana could project away from the pillar on which it was suspended, and so catch the rays of the late afternoon sun coming in through the bokuseki-mado [墨跡窓]*.

The word yūgao [夕顔] refers to the flower of the calabash, a type of elongated bottle-gourd (Lagenaria siceraria var. hispida) -- whose simple, white flowers open in the late afternoon.

__________ *Which, in Rikyū's tearooms, was always located behind the shōkyaku's shoulder, just outside of the toko itself. The bokuseki-mado was on the west side of the room.

¹⁰Ito-me ko-gama jizai ni [絲目小釜自在ニ].

This was another old Temmyō kama [古天妙釜], though likely repaired by Yojirō [與次郎], Rikyū's kama-shi [釜師].

It is not really such a "small kama" (it was probably made as a kiri-kake kama for use with a large kimen-buro on the o-chanoyu-dana*); but it is definitely much smaller than Jōō's large ito-me kama (which Rikyū also owned -- and used during the first three chakai documented in Book Two of the Nampō Roku).

The rather flat shape of the kama suggests that it was probably suspended low in the ro (so that the mouth was 6- or 7-bu below the level of the ro-buchi). This would have made the fire in the ro seem more distant, thus appearing “cooler” to the eyes of the guests.

The kama was suspended on a susu-dake jizai [煤竹自在] (a jizai made from a length of oil-stained bamboo, taken from the ceiling of a farmhouse kitchen), using Rikyū’s bronze kan and tsuru (above).

The word ito-me [絲目] means thread-lines. The pattern on the kama, then, can also be taken as an allusion to Orihime [織姫] (which means the Weaver-princess), one of the stars being celebrated on Tanabata. __________ *The kama was probably repaired -- with a rounded bottom -- on Rikyū's orders.

¹¹Sairō-dana [城樓棚].

This was another tana created by Tsuda Sōkyū. In this case, it was based directly on the fukuro-dana, and features the compartment for the mizusashi, the naka-dana, and (half of the) ten-ita.

I have found no photographs of this rarely seen tana. However, the Enkaku-ji does have one; and their Sairō-dana has panels on three sides of the compartment in which the mizusashi is placed (if I recall correctly, the panels have openwork, and they do not quite reach the tana above and below -- in other words, there is a roughly 1-sun wide opening above and below the panel; all three panels were the same, and, I believe, featured the design shown above, which is called a kōzama-sukashi [香挾間透])*.

According to Tanaka Senshō, this tana was created to represent the right half of the fukuro-dana. Consequently, it is supposed to be placed on the utensil mat so that it occupies its original place. When Sōkyū first made the Sairō-dana, the right side of the tana was placed on top of the right heri (just as Jōō said the fukuro-dana should be oriented†); but by the time of this chakai, since the fukuro-dana was now being centered on the utensil mat (at Hideyoshi’s behest), so this tana, too, is placed so that the left side touches the central kane‡. ___________ *While this does not match the way things are done today (even, it seems, by the Nampō-ryū), Kanshū o-shō-sama once told me that, if it is difficult to dip the water from the mizusashi if it is in the middle of the ji-ita (on account of the shape or size of the mizusashi), then the mizusashi should be lifted forward (so that the front edge of the foot is near the front of the shelf -- the way the mizusashi is moved forward when using the Jōō-dana [紹鷗棚]) -- as below.

Furthermore (and not only if the mizusashi is moved forward), he added that if it is difficult to lean the lid of the mizusashi against its left side, then the lid should be leaned against the left side of the tana, as shown above.

†This was done so that the mizusashi would occupy the same spot that it would if it were resting on the shin-daisu -- which was the only way chanoyu had been performed before then. (The fukuro-dana represented the first departure from the tea of the daisu, and so Jōō was still constrained by its teachings.)

‡Nowadays this teaching, too, seems to have been forgotten. Even in the Enkaku-ji, the tana is centered in the middle of the mat when used with the ro.

¹²Ue habōki [上羽帚].

The habōki -- made from feathers between 9-sun and 1-shaku long -- was placed on the ten-ita of the Sairō-dana. It is not possible to speculate on the kind of feathers that would have been used.

The naka-dana was left empty during the shoza.

¹³Shita mizusashi tarai ・ hikkiri [下水指タライ・引切].

This mizusashi was mentioned before in Book Two of the Nampō Roku, in the description of the chakai that Rikyū hosted on the 17th day of the Eleventh Month. In that entry, the mizusashi is referred to as a hando [ハント] (meaning a handō [飯胴], a sort of bronze container in which rice was served in a temple).

According to Book Six of the Nampō Roku, Rikyū owned two such containers, which he used as mizusashi, in succession. The first was 1-shaku 5-bu by 7-sun 5-bu, and had large round kan on the left and right sides. But he gave (or sold) this mizusashi to the daimyō Arima Noriyori [有馬則頼; 1533 ~ 1602]. Rikyū subsequently acquired a second container (which he calls a tarai [タライ = 盥], which means a basin such as used when washing the hands). This second container was round, and 8-sun in diameter. It also lacked handles. The color of this second container (according to the passage in Book Six of the Nampō Roku) was even more splendid than [the first].

The first-mentioned piece was too large to be placed on the Sairō-dana. Thus it must have been the second mizusashi that Rikyū used on this occasion. (The actual piece has not been identified; the photo, above, is of a similar kind of sawari mizusashi.)

Hikkiri [引切] refers to the futaoki -- one of Rikyū's take-wa [竹輪].

¹⁴Su [ス].

The section introduced by the word su [ス]* usually refers to utensils brought out from the katte at the beginning of the sumi-temae.

However, here it is curiously followed by the menu of the abbreviated kaiseki. __________ *Which is shorthand for the kanji mata [又], meaning “and again.”

¹⁵Suimono [吸物].

Suimono [吸物] means a clear soup, usually with small pieces of food included*.

Because Tanabata was a national holiday, the shōkyaku and ji-kyaku (if not the others†) would have had their fill of rich food over the course of the day at the Imperial court. __________ *Unlike nimono [煮物], here it is the soup that forms the bulk of the dish, with the solid food (sometimes just a couple of leaves, or mushrooms) added as a sort of garnish.

†The other two guests (who seem to have been among Rikyū's intimates) may have been charged with taking on the role of attendants, arranged by Rikyū to assist the two noblemen who occupied the first two places among the guests.

¹⁶Sake ni kaeshi [酒二返].

Two rounds of sake were served. The host usually joined his guests in drinking.

¹⁷Senbei ・ iri-kaya ・ shiitake [センヘイ・イリカヤ・椎茸].

These were the kashi.

Senbei [煎餅] are rice crackers. Since they were a common gift given by the guests to the host, perhaps one of the noblemen had brought a box of fine senbei to Rikyū -- who decided to share them with everyone.

Iri-kaya [煎り榧] are the roasted nuts of the Japanese allspice tree (which is also known as the Japanese nutmeg yew, Torreya nucifera).

And the shiitake [椎茸] were most likely also roasted, on skewers, over a charcoal fire, dusted lightly with crushed salt as they were cooking.

¹⁸Go [後].

The goza.

With respect to the kane-wari:

- the toko had a tanzaku-bako [短冊箱] displayed on the floor, with a tankei [短檠] (a wooden stand supporting an oil-lamp) off to one side (the side closest to the toko-bashira)*, making it chō [調];

- the room had the kama in the ro, making it also han [半];

- and the tana had the tray of incense utensils on the ten-ita, the hishaku on the naka-dana, and the mizusashi and futaoki on the ji-ita, making it han [半].

Chō + han + han is chō, which is appropriate for the goza of a gathering that extends into the night. __________ *Though Rikyū did not mention it in the kaiki, a tankei would have been necessary, since he notes that the guests did not return to the tearoom until after it was completely dark.

During the goza, the tankei is placed in the tokonoma, to give light to the room in general. Additional lighting would have been provided by candles, which would be brought out from the katte at the beginning of the temae.

¹⁹Yoru ni iri [夜ニ入].

The guests returned to the room for chanoyu after it became dark. Perhaps they had been sitting in the koshi-kake, watching the sky grow dark and the stars come into focus*, chatting quietly, and perhaps reciting impromptu, seasonal poems. __________ *Tanabata celebrates the once-a-year meeting of the stars Vega (Orihime [織姫], the Weaver) and Altair (Hikoboshi [彦星], the Cowherd). It is said that they can meet only if the sky is clear.

²⁰Toko hanaire tori-irete [床花入取入テ].

The chabana was removed from the toko during the (prolonged) nakadachi -- since the flowers would not be easy to see after the room became dark (since the source of light would be below and on the left, making the flowers either nearly invisible, or obscured by grotesque shadows).

²¹Tanzaku-bako [短尺箱].

Rikyū has made another clerical error. The word should be tanzaku-bako [短冊箱] -- a box in which a collection of long poetry cards* were kept.

__________ *The cards could be blank (perhaps with paintings hand-sketched on them), or they might have seasonally-appropriate poems written on them. Rikyū's collection, on this occasion, probably included both kinds -- since, after reading the poems and sniffing the incense, the guests might be moved to write their own verses on the blank cards.

²²Ue, bon ni ﹆kōro, usu-gumo kōgō guri-guri, kasane-kyōji [上、盆ニ﹆香爐、薄雲香合クリ〰、重香箸].

This entry, in the Enkaku-ji manuscript, is very confusing -- since Jitsuzan seems to have redistributed the different elements in a way that really does not make any sense.

A tray (Rikyū does not specify what kind, but it was probably 1-shaku across or a little larger) was placed on the ten-ita of the tana, on which were arranged the incense utensils:

◦ Rikyū's ido-kōro [井戸香爐]*;

◦ Rikyū's guri-guri kōgō [ぐりぐり香合], containing the kyara known as Usu-gumo [薄雲] (placed in a small envelope made of gold-foil-backed donsu), and several gin-yō [銀葉]†;

◦ and, apparently, with the pair of ebony kyōji [香箸] either stacked on top of the kōgō, or perhaps stacked one on top of the other (though this would look odd).

“Usu-gumo” [薄雲] was the name of Rikyū's personal variety of treasured kyara [伽羅] incense wood‡. __________ *While Rikyū also seems to have owned (or at least had access to) the famous celadon Chidori kōro [千鳥香爐] that had been one of Jōō's particular treasures, celadon does not look good under artificial illumination. Thus Rikyū's ido-koro (which is a deep beige color) would have looked much better at night.

The kōro is marked with a red spot in the Enkaku-ji manuscript, indicating that it was an object of special consideration (though whether for Rikyū, when organizing the arrangement, or for the delectation of the guests, is not clear).

†Gin-yō [銀葉] are pieces of mica approximately 1-sun square, usually with an applied silver edge. The kyara is placed on the gin-yō to burn. This keeps the ash clean and uncontaminated (the resins in the kyara melt as it is heated), and allows the host to discard the used incense easily (by throwing it away together with the gin-yō to which it is fused).

‡That is, he owned the entire branch or log. Teamen of the period preferred to own the entire piece, if they could afford it, rather than buying a fragment.

In the manuscript consulted by Tanaka Senshō (which was the copy that Tachibana Jitsuzan made with the Shū-un-an documents in front of him), the word Usu-gumo [薄雲] is clearly associated with the word kōgō, not the kōro, and the entry reads as I have described it above. In the Enkaku-ji version, however, “Usu-gumo” appears to be the name of the kōro (though no such piece has ever been identified); and the kōgō, meanwhile, seems to be a jū-kōgō [重香合], which is a set of two or three little boxes that sit one atop the other, in which the kyara incense, new gin-yō, and the discarded gin-yō (with a burned-out piece of kyara fused to each) are kept (the lowest box is lined with metal to prevent the hot gin-yō from damaging the lacquer). While such boxes were known even in the early days, there is no indication that Rikyū ever owned one. Neither has a guri-guri jū-kōgō ever been found.

Precisely why Jitsuzan changed the associations when making the copy that he intended to present to the Enkaku-ji is not known. Probably the easiest explanation is that he copied the original in a hurry, and did not trust his eyes when he came to making the copy -- letting his imagination change things to suit his seventeenth century prejudices.

²³Naka hishaku [中ヒシヤク].

The hishaku was placed on the naka-dana.

²⁴Shita mizusashi moto no ・ futaoki moto no [下水指元ノ・蓋置元ノ].

And the mizusashi and futaoki remained as they were, on the ji-ita of the tana.

²⁵Chaire ryūgo [茶入リウコ].

Rikyū has used this chaire several times before in the series of chakai documented in Book Two of the Nampō Roku -- usually on festive occasions -- but scholars are divided regarding the precise piece in question.

Most seem to lean toward a drum-shaped chaire (originally a gift container for medicinal liqueur), in which case the word would be ryūgo [立鼓].

Shibayama Fugen (and those scholars who follow his lead), however, prefers a container that was originally used as a ceremonial wine-cup (this would be especially appropriate, since it, too, was used on festive occasions), called a ryūgo [立觚], and example of which is shown below.

²⁶Chawan Ko-mamori [茶碗木守].

This was a red chawan made by Chōjirō [長次郎]. Over the course of his life (as documented in his surviving kaiki), Rikyū used this chawan more often than any of the others. So, if any of the bowls can be considered to approach Rikyū’s ideal, this one must come closest.

The original chawan was destroyed during the great earthquake in the early part of the 20th century. What is shown is an Edo period copy, made when the original was still extant.

In addition to the above things, Rikyū would have used an ori-tame [折撓] of his own making as the chashaku. And, most probably, a mentsū [面桶], as the koboshi.

²⁷Cha sugite kō ari [茶過テ香アリ].

After Rikyū finished serving tea, the party turned to the appreciation of kyara [伽羅] incense. In addition to the kind prepared by Rikyū (which he had named “Usu-gumo” [薄雲]), noblemen usually carried a little of their own favorite kyara on their person, which they often shared with the others on occasions such as this.

The guests (and host) would have passed the night sniffing incense and composing poems, to honor the meeting of the stars; and the party probably did not break up until the first light separated the lovers in the heavens for another year.

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seoultoseoultravel · 2 years ago

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Day 10, Pyeongchang 21st Sept

We have had some long days and early starts and packed a lot into each day. We are on the north east part of Korea now so high in the mountains. It’s a beautiful area. First stop was the Seokguram Grotto which was constructed in 751. We had a lovely walk through the forest to the Grotto. Lanterns are always found around Buddhist temples etc.

The Buddha is made out of granite which is a difficult stone to work with and set under a mould.

Originally it just looked out to the valley but over the years it was lost to people’s memories and only rediscovered in 1909. The Japanese were in control then and they tried to remove the Buddha to Japan but it was too difficult. To preserve it they built the colourful construction in front of the mound but that was detrimental to the structure. Now the Buddha is in cased in glass waiting to be properly restored.

No photos were allowed but the Buddha was very beautiful. This was the view down the valley.

Our next stop was to the Bulguksa Temple complex. Both the Grotto and this temple have World Heritage status. This temple complex was set in beautiful grounds high in the mountains.

All temple compounds are guarded by four fierce looking statues. Each one has particular meaning.

The main pavilions are built up high which is close to heaven.

The steeps are always so high and steep in these places.

More lanterns

There were three pavilions with Buddhas with different hand gestures. In this pavilion the Buddhas represented the past, present and future. You can see that Buddhists value the present the most, the middle Buddha. ‘Seize the day’ etc.

All the buildings are highly decorated.

More laterns

Looking down onto the rooftops.

Always have to take one photo just to say I’ve been there.

I love all the school kids around. There were a number of groups and some are keen to say hello to you to practice their English. I can say hello in Korean for the same reason but usually I say I’m from Australia which they get and then throw in BTS. That gets a big reaction. It’s a bit like saying Ricky Ponting or Steve Waugh when you are in India. I’m a bit over wearing masks. You are allowed to take them off outside but most people still wear them all the time.

Lunch at a basic restaurant by the way.

We visited historic Hahoe Village in Andong after lunch. It’s a world heritage site, also. The Ryu family has lived here for over 600 years. There are both tiled and straw roofed houses which have been well preserved.

Interesting roof decorations

In the middle of the village is the Goddess Samsin tree which is 600 years old. The goddess is in charge of pregnancy and child birth.

Houses tend to be behind high walls with solid gates in front.

It was a lovely area. The village is built on the bend of a river so is almost completely surrounded by water.

Old wooden troughs for the cattle.

The Queen visited here in 1999 and planted this tree which looks very healthy. The Duke of York also visited here in 2019 but we won’t mention him.

The village was the birth place of Ryu Unryong and Ryu Sengryong. They were brothers and the former one was a great Confucian scholar of the Joseon Dynasty, the latter was Prime Minister during the period of Japanese invasion in 1592 to 1598.

The river and cliffs surrounding the village.

I thought this was a field of pretty flowers but afterwards we decided they might just be weeds.

Not far from the village is a statue of Confucius which we were going to see but when we got there it was closed off as they were making a movie. These guys were extras just having a rest. They couldn’t tell us who the main star was in the movie. Ts going to be a historic movie.

We drove through more mountainous areas to get to our hotel for the night. Another great day.

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peachenle · 7 years ago

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parted clouds (1) - jungwoo

genre: rich kid! / bookshop owner!au | fluff

member: nct’s jungwoo x reader (ft. doyoung)

word count: 4100+

༄࿔˚✧ synopsis: The bitter winter wind brought melty snowflakes onto the pages of your well-used book, and you were in dire need of a replacement.

note: Inspired by @stormae‘s rich kid!au stories, found here. || Welcome to my first story, please do not hesitate to tell me your thoughts. I would love to listen and learn!

Part: one | two | three | four

The pages of books seemed to be the only things that could gently cut through the multitude of delicacies of your pressing future. Taking any chance you could to get away from the life you held, you relied on scouring famous libraries to satisfy your cravings for escape. When you would notify your parents of your sudden vacations, they would always brush you off, far too busy for you. Your parents knew you could take care of yourself, but the naivety in you still drew you towards them, sometimes hoping they would share an ounce of concern or interest in your endeavors.

Your father owned a pharmaceutical company. Agonizingly created from nothing at first, a tiny pharmacy held in the back of a friend’s store, it developed into multiple branches until enveloping its competitors. While you were never too keen to learn of your father’s business strategies, you knew whatever he was doing was resulting in success and wealth. You lived a life of privilege and with it came a lot of dignity and responsibility. Your parents entrusted you to take up pharmacy (plus the necessary business classes) and eventually the entire company. While you didn’t exactly mind the future that was curated for you, since it was always like this growing up, you couldn’t help but sometimes find it suffocating.

Your years were generally monotonous. Your summers were filled with vacations of luxury, visiting distant and equally as wealthy relatives, or watching - more like just attending - charity tennis matches. The sun ever present and threatening above your shaded box seats in each stadium. Sometimes summers could be spent exploring islands by yourself, connecting with locals, at which you were there for the sake of philanthropy and making it obvious that your father’s company ‘totally cared about helping other countries!’ as you were the little poster child, and the ever present heir. The autumns consisted of schooling, or rather, a new beginning to a new year. Getting used to classes, with the continuation of endless studying.

Winters were always bitter. Easily, your least favorite time of the year. Days spent passing by advertisements that boasted of family gatherings and despite all the luxuries you had in your life, you never had the luxury of the things that played on holiday commercials. You received gifts, maybe far too many than was necessary, with return addresses that linked to business partners, or sometimes their sons, hoping to get on your good side for some important business deals. Spring was fine, and much like the autumn you were generally focused on school, in which you continued to spend many hours working on organic chemistry specifically, the absolute bane of your existence. The weather was more pleasant, the reappearance of pollen tickling at your senses and the abundance of flowers helped to melt the bitterness away from the previous months.

Out of the monotony, you found solace in reading. In a disgustingly privileged use of your wealth, you took sudden trips to fly around the globe to discover libraries of rich history and intellect. But with your third year of university in full motion and tens of trips to different international libraries behind you, you felt surprisingly drained. Libraries were meant to be resources of endless knowledge, but since you had visited so many in your mere years of university, you felt uninspired to seek out new ones… or maybe just for this particular break. Maybe you were tired of being surrounded by the pretentiousness of the architecture of the famous libraries like in Alexandria and Tianjin, or the tourists who were more interested in the art of sharing online than the art that was binded within books in the buildings they had visited.

You felt a little stuck and tired. And maybe a little let down. Your parents were out of the country, per usual, this time in Croatia - you hoped it was for work, but it could’ve be for their own personal vacation. There was a bit of paranoia in you since you were being left behind during the holidays, and the fact that your family owned a totally immodest villa in Dubrovnik did not satiate that feeling. You weren’t sure if you wanted to travel out to another big library, which was ironic as you were currently sat in between the shelves of your university’s library. You just liked being surrounded by literature, and you wanted to find that somewhere else.

You stretched out your legs, your copy of Romeo and Juliet (your literary guilty pleasure) slipping from your thighs and onto the carpeted floor. Your much needed winter break was within your fingertips. Your classes for the day were far over but you felt little desire to return to your high rise, opting to relax and reread the second Act before your guilt for making your chauffeur wait took over. However, you knew you couldn’t stay hidden in the Capulet orchard for too long and gripping your beloved play, you slung your small backpack over your shoulder and made your way through the shelves of the library to find the exit. You admired the modesty of your university’s library; it was comforting. Though you enjoyed your excessively large and historical literature databases, many of your hours before and after classes were spent in this one. The high ceilings by the entrance evened out the cramped maze of books that was underneath them. Large windows on the second floor allowed for an ample amount of natural light, and if you came at the right times, they granted view to the perfect scene of the shift from golden to blue hour over the university. Sometimes you thought you could feel the shadows of the tall trees outside wave across you. But the air conditioning in this section of the library was very temperamental and could even transport you to a different climate than the one you were supposed to be in: a small price to pay for a nice reading nook.

The outside of the library was a sweltering cold. Your hooded overcoat couldn’t catch the little bites on your face from the snowflakes that flew around the exposed tips of your hair.

In an inelegant fashion (how could one possibly look graceful in a coat the size of oneself?), you waddled across campus to find your usual dark car waiting for you on the side street. A driver quickly rushed to the side of the car to let you into the little moving shelter from the wind. You were welcomed with a rush of warm air, which was quickly reflected by you with a sigh of relief. The typical Seoul traffic was painstakingly boring and granted that the snow decided to kick it up on this particular evening, it took twice as long for you to reach home. After another lengthy trip up the elevator to your apartment, you crashed into bed with a drink in one hand and the same tragic play in the other.

The final week before your break began was hallmarked by a flurry of deadlines and nights of little sleep - typical university attire. Amid the chaos, your group of friends, who were far closer to the stranger or acquaintance side of the spectrum, discussed their plans for their vacations while you were supposed to be studying in the library. Some were off to the Southern hemisphere for some sun time fun in December, or to the classic pompous ski resorts. No one you knew wanted to stay in Seoul. Because why stay home when you have extra time to travel? Though everyone, including yourself, were a bit of weekend warriors - taking little side trips when classes were on a pause for the week - everyone still couldn’t get enough time to fly off to their houses scattered over the continents.

A boy, far closer to the friend side of the spectrum - dare I say: your best friend - named Doyoung, toed your knee beneath the table. His family did not work in the same sector as yours, heads of a media conglomerate, but your business classes allowed you two to cross paths.

“You going to a new library?” He asked with genuine interest. Doyoung was one of the few people who seemed to care enough to know about your little hobby.

“Nah, I think I’ve gotten tired of all the treks I’ve taken just to see some books I can find elsewhere,” you sighed, watching his face shift in confusion.

Doyoung scoffed, “You and I both know you’ve been to places that own the only copy of some literature.” You smiled, and seeing your reaction, he smiled too.

“I still want to get out of Korea this month,” you found yourself sounding like your peers, acting as if it was such a struggle to be limited to your birth country, “But it’s true, not going to a library. This semester has me bummed out, I need to find something new.”

Doyoung looked away from you, thinking hard. “Well, while I’m not as much of a glorified bookworm as you are, I know you’ve been rereading that same god-awful play again. Spend this break stocking up on new reads. Or actually you should come along with me to Zermatt and ski! It would be fun; I know how much you enjoy the snow.”

“You’re not serious are you?”

“Oh no! Of course not! Romeo and Juliet isn’t that bad,” Doyoung smirked at the sight of your eye roll. “Darling, I would love for you to come along, but not for skiing. I saw you outside on the way here and it’s truly a wonder how you can even walk on snow.”

You reached across the table to hit him on the shoulder.

He smiled at you, “Stop moping; there’s plenty of things to read in Seoul, and there’s got to be a shop with a decent selection of books that’ll satiate you and your cringey love for romance.”

Though Doyoung could be a teasing mess, he had a point. A few of the books you had been going through for this month had fallen victim to the bitter snow, thanks to your frostbitten fingertips who had let them fall in icy puddles or heaps of snow in the first place. While they were somewhat salvageable, their pages were too wilted and you couldn’t bear to handle them in that state. It would take a bit of your own mental strength to come to terms with replacing some of the copies that you had spent a lot of time with. Still there was excitement in the fact that you had more of a reason to find a shop and pick out some completely new stories.

Finding a good bookstore in Seoul was hard. You’d hate to admit it, but your standards were quite high when it came to sources of literature. The map you pulled up on your phone was littered with pins of local shops, but gazing at reviews and images of the stores themselves discouraged you from finding anything. Even zooming out and searching further away from your home led you to nothing.

On the final day of classes before break, Doyoung treated you to a light lunch, since he was leaving early that afternoon. You listened to him excitedly talk about his upcoming trip and of a couple new songs he had been obsessed with.

“It’s like, the perfect song to snowboard to. Gets my heart pumping before I even step onto my board,” Doyoung flashed a smile.

“I thought you were going skiing.”

His smile faltered. “You can do both at a ski resort, sweet child. Doesn’t your family like winter sports? Don’t they own stuff in the Alps?” He asked incredulously.

“We own a house or something in the Tarentaise Valley; not that I’ve ever been though. I’ve always enjoyed the Mediterranean Coast during the winter, far more than the Alps, Doyoung. I thought you knew this about me,” you quipped, placing a hand over your chest.

“I do, I just can’t relate,” he began to put on his scarf. “But I hope you do something interesting this break.”

You rolled your eyes, aimlessly rotating your cup of half finished green tea. “I hope so, too, but I just haven’t decided.”

“Oh for god’s sake, listen, kid. I know org. chem kicked your ass this past quarter, but you need to get a hold of yourself. You’ve been so unmotivated, even though I gave you a suggestion already.”

Doyoung actually looked a bit upset, and concerned by the way you were acting. Though you couldn’t pinpoint the source of your lack of energy lately, you were flattered that he took notice. You spun the porcelain cup on the table a few more times, as he suddenly glanced down to tap away on his phone.

Gently massaging your temples and letting your fingers twirl a bit of hair behind your ear, you sighed. “I know. I’m in dire need of a recharge.” Your phone buzzed in your lap and you raised your eyes to meet Doyoung’s. He looked at you expectantly.

“I sent you a place to go, so you have something to start with. I’ll see you later,” he poked your cheek with a smile. His eyes were laced with a bit of pity as he had to leave already. You watched as he left the cafe, before checking to see what he had texted you.

And it was exactly what you had predicted, an address to a bookstore, like he had suggested. But it wasn’t one that you came across while you had searched online, since it was new, sort of. It was reopened under a new name and management, the building and the books were probably just the same, but it somehow slipped past your searching.

Doyoung attached a little message too: My driver mentioned a new ‘library’ near the ski gear place I sent him to. Have fun.

You smiled at your phone, and quickly typed a ‘thank you, you’re too nice’ to Doyoung. To which he responded with a ‘I really am.’

Now you couldn’t reach this place completely using your personal driver. You were used to high rises and the skyline of your home city, so naturally your driver quirked an eyebrow at you when you told him you would have to get out and walk through the alleyways to reach your destination.

You quickly found the alley you were meant to be in, and in a higher level of a building you caught sight of the ski gear place Doyoung mentioned. At high noon, these buildings casted sharp shadows across the damp stone pathway. Colored signs lined its walls and a couple aging flyers boasting of a ‘Grand reopening’ led you to the store, which was crammed between buildings much larger than itself. The large paned window was mostly covered by stacks of books on the inside, definitely not allowing much of noon sun through its path. A damp looking bundle of books tied together with a string of ribbon was placed on the doormat, as if it had been just delivered. The shop seemed lifeless, and you were a little nervous no one was home.

Still, you picked up the bundle that blocked your path and pushed the door open, hoping to return the package before it got too ruined.

Upon entering, the shop was a bit more spacious than you expected, but still cramped. The sun peeked through the window to paint patterns across a small coffee table that held haphazardly placed books. You noticed there even was a small fireplace, changing the shop from cramped to cozy instantly.

Though the door caught a small bell to signal your arrival, you didn’t see anyone. To the left of you, the front counter with a modern cash register was empty. Unsure of what to do with it, you set the bundle on the desk, next to a small espresso cup. Judging by its lack of contents, you knew someone had to have been here. Your snow soaked boots stood upon a slightly worn welcome mat and you took in your surroundings as you removed your overcoat.

You found that the shelves across from the doorway were interestingly sectioned off by language. Most of the books seemed used, the spines along them were marked with evidence of constant opening. The lighting was dim within the shelves and the store was still vacant of any movement that wasn’t yours.

“Welcome!” A soft and polite voice called. You jumped at the sound, and looked around for its source. A boy with brown hair, loosely parted at its center, held his hand up as if in a wave from the end of the little hallway created by the bookshelves. You awkwardly nodded at him, not really happy when someone approaches you when you had your nose stuck in an open book.

He stared at you for a bit, with a polite smile. He had soft features, a sharp nose, and perfect teeth that matched the genuine joy that flashed in his eyes. He was boyishly cute. And then his eyes widened as if he realized something. “Ah! I’m so sorry! I was in the back room and I didn’t notice when you came in.” He bowed a few times and his cheeks were slightly flushed, but he still held that little smile. “It’s not everyday a pretty girl comes into my store. Sorry again,” he let out a small laugh. Though what he said seemed flirty, he didn’t give off that sort of feeling. It seemed as honest as if he was stating a fact.

You couldn’t help but smile back at him, “No need to apologize to me, but there were some books outside that could use a good apology.”

He gasped and bolted to the door, which wasn’t much distance to cover anyway, since the store was small. He exited before you could stop him, so you grabbed the bundle of books from the front desk and followed his path. You opened the door to see him staring at the ground in front of the store. He met your eyes, and blankly blinked, looking visibly confused.

You held the books up, “I took them inside when I entered.”

His face relaxed, and his cheeks were even redder - definitely from the cold. He smiled and let out another laugh, his tongue sticking out slightly. He let out an “Oh” as you handed him the books.

He reached above your head to hold the door so you two could return to the warmth of the store.

“My name is Jungwoo, by the way. How could I help you today?” He again gave you another sweet smile as he walked to sit behind the front counter.

Jungwoo didn’t ask for your name, so you kept it to yourself and went straight to the point. “My friend suggested that I find some new things to read over break, but I was also hoping to get another copy of this.” You held up your tattered copy of Le Souligneur. This bad boy had been with you for a couple of years. But you made the mistake of trying to read outside in the snow, and not only did it dampen with snowflakes, but you dropped it on the road a while ago. And it slipped across some black ice, with a little puddle to stop its journey.

His eyes lit up even more, as if that was even possible. Jungwoo’s eyes seemed to never stop catching the light in the store. He leaned closer to you, tilting his head slightly to stare at the title of the novel you held, since it was a little faded. “Ooh!” His hands raised to clap a few times. “You’re in luck, I picked up a Korean version right before we opened. It’s your first time here, so I hope you know that most of the books here are slightly used, is that okay?” Jungwoo spoke with a very gentle voice, but the rise and fall in his words were cheerful and polite. He looked at you expectantly for a short beat, before walking to the shelves that were marked in Korean.

“Yes, that’s perfectly fine. I don’t mind using books with a bit of history in them,” you replied with a polite smile, even though his back was turned to you as he grazed a finger along the spines of the books, looking for your novel.

“Feel free to look around! I only have one copy and I honestly haven’t finished shelving all the books in proper order. Might take me awhile,” Jungwoo lightly laughed. You made a mental note to come back to this store, he didn’t need to say much for his happy aura to infect you.

“It’s unique that the books are separated by language,” you mused, sifting through the English section.

“Yeah! I’ve picked up a little bit of a couple different languages, so I’ve just been interested in expanding my vocabulary, and reading has been a great help! So opening this store also became an outlet for my studies.” He called through the shelves.

“Really? Is it just a hobby? Your language learning, I mean.” You caught a glimpse of him, Jungwoo stopped for a moment, thinking of what to answer.

“Well not at first, I had a private tutor when I was younger. I learned Mandarin, French and English then - wasn’t really my choice,” you noticed he exhaled a miniature huff, as if thinking of the memory irritated him. “But I’m currently trying out Russian and Thai!”

“That’s funny. I was in the same boat! Except I didn’t learn French, my parents only forced me to learn English and Mandarin,” you two continued to converse with books separating you.

Until he rounded the corner, holding a French and a Korean version of Le Souligneur in each hand. “I would assume reading this would be a good start to a new language! French is a gorgeous language, a bunch of tenses, but it's fun,” he smiled at you. “This one will be on the house, I’ll go wrap it up for you; feel free to keep looking around. And I’m sorry, I never got your name.”

You politely tried to refuse the free book, though very intrigued to crack it open and take a peek, and decided that you would limit today’s haul to the two books. Naturally Jungwoo just laughed and shook his head as he folded the novels in brown paper. But when you told him your name he paused to look at you.

“Your name… Why is it familiar? I really don’t think I would’ve forgotten someone like you,” Jungwoo stated, reaching to take your debit card from you.

Your shoulders dropped a little, “My father owns a pharmaceutical company, so you might’ve come across my name somewhere in that regard.” Even though it was true, you didn’t really like mentioning your family and their status to people you had just met and those who you believed weren’t in that similar social sphere. You were afraid that they would treat you differently if they learned you were from a place of wealth and power. But Jungwoo just smiled, as per usual, and nodded.

With the books in your arms and your belongings rightfully in their place - including your overcoat over your shoulders, you looked around the shop once more. Behind Jungwoo was a cabinet of displayed books, many of them signed and of beautiful editions. While you didn’t recognize most of the titles, you tilted your head quizzically and knew that they had to be expensive. “If you don’t mind me asking, how did you manage to get your hands on those books behind you?”

He raised his eyebrows at you, “Huh? Oh! My family owns a pretty big publishing company based in China. I guess being in a family in that business scores me a few benefits,” his smile softened, “Possibly one of the few things I love about that. Anyway, now I’m back home after having lived in China for most of my life. I plan to attend university next year, too,” Jungwoo’s grin returned in full force. “When we came back to Korea, the first thing they did was buy me this bookshop, and I immediately put those books up there and threw out a lot of the old books to change it up.”

You couldn’t help but let out a gasp at hearing him say he tossed books away. That was surely a crime. But he continued, “Wait, no! Don’t worry, I donated most of them, and I kept some other novels at home,” he clasped his hands together under his chin, “I couldn’t live with myself if I actually threw books away.”

You laughed, and breathed a little slower. “That’s fine. I like what you have here.”

He crossed in front of you to open the door, “Then I hope to see you back soon! Thank you for coming, and if you need help with that French book, you know where to find me.” Jungwoo held a playful glint in his eyes.

You returned a smile and jovially responded, “I’ll definitely take you up on that offer.”

#nct #nct scenarios #jungwoo #nct u #jungwoo scenarios #jungwoo scenario #nct fanfic #jungwoo fanfic #nct fluff #doyoung #im rly scared rn #pc

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rktshx-blog · 6 years ago

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Event: MGA4 Second Audition Part: [1:45 - 2:25] Song: Sadly Crying Bird - Outsider Outfit: [ x ]

From tripping over the set as he entered, leading to a filmed ‘bromance’ moment with another contestant, to applauding appropriately as he cheered for who he thought really put up some skills. Minho felt more giddy and relaxed rather than the nerves that hit him during his first audition. It was probably because he never would have thought he’d be given a chance to come back for the second episode. With what seemed to be a thousand and more people showing up at the auditions earlier, being featured even for a moment didn’t seem like a possibility at all.

It wasn’t to say he wasn’t grateful or feeling too calm and overconfident. Hell, he’d seen countless of talents on stages that same day, and the compliments - and criticism - provided by the judges weren’t jokes. Having worked with an indie - although a famous one - label before, Minho knew just how harsh and strict these CEOs are to their potential money makers. Although their current comments shouldn’t be taken lightly, he knew how shit can truly get.

When he got called in for his turn, he bowed politely, introduced himself comfortably. He doesn’t forget to add in a little “this one of for my ‘Oba-chan’- aimed directly at Dayhe who he knew was going to watch this audition at home - if he makes into the screen this time around- but only they knew his personal greeting of course. Anyone who knows basic Japanese would think sweetly that he was talking about his grandmother. Which if she was watching this ridiculous survival show too, he’d obviously surprised her nicely.

He talks a moment to gather up his thoughts, a few seconds before the beat drops. Minho was known to be a prodigy, not only in the field of science - thanks to his membership in the exclusive Mensa association/society - but also practically wherever he puts his mind too. In fact, his track record only can show what a true mess-up he is in the streets, and it takes a real asshole to built that kinda reputation. Although currently, his genius towards music was at stake, having a musician mother and genuinely being exposes to music all his life, Minho left completely natural at what he’s about to demonstrate.

Never mind the fact that he might not yet have perfected this specific skills, but nonetheless he performers it brilliantly. Speed rapping in Japanese, in the streets of Tokyo was one thing. Heck doing so in Korean, while improvising during a diss, was a hell of a ride on its own. But speed rapping perfectly in four different language was a whole other challenge, he’s about to take on.

First he raps smoothly in Korean. A little introductions to a song that was from a well known and respected rapper within Korea and internationally. As the beat goes on so that his speed, matching it perfectly and articulating his words as though he’s created the damn language himself.

Underneath the moonlight when everyone’s asleep, the stars, the wind and you and I, we were the only ones awake and quietly whispered Back then, even without words, we took out our scars and tied each other’s secrets to our hearts

Then a tribute to his birth place. Rapping in English, his voice automatically became deeper. His accent think of that a true posh english lad. His father would have been so proud. Except maybe he wouldn’t if he saw Minho using his language for such an event. Besides rapping in English in Korea is such a common thing, purely because almost every song had an english catch phrase linked to it, so people can get addicted to it globally.

We drew out the days that we didn’t know would come and firmly promised Back then, tears sparkled in your passing eye and a single stemmed chrysanthemum flower bloomed in my heart I didn’t know I’d be giving that flower to you, again today, I think of and sing about you, who has left me I’m lonely, I need someone to listen to my words

Japanese came in third, the intense tempo and speed never wavering. Neither his pronunciation and articulation. The pitch of his voice changing as he changes the language, it’s a well known fact, one’s voice changes automatically when they speak in one language than another. It’s science.

My heart is chilly and cold, someone take me out of here The endless suffering and hardships, the sweet life and the endless loneliness are decalcomanies I endlessly shout out the magic spell that brings happiness in my heart I comfort my sleeping loneliness with half closed eyes

Confidently staring at the judges in the eyes, going so far as to wink confidently at KT’s Miss, he starts rapping in Tagalog. Johnny was going to flip when - or if- he sees this. Minho doesn’t stumbled on his words. He didn’t mess up the lyrics. Still following up on the tempo. Brilliantly maintaining the speed. He silently admits to himself that this last part was harder, purely because he’s only been speaking the language for about a year and half the time he is mentally translating as he went along. Nonetheless he delivers.

When the night passes and the flower blooms out from the boulder’s cracks, will you come? The endless raindrops dance like a pitifully thin leaf, do you know my helplessly blooming and withering heart?

When his part was done, the only thing he could do was beam brightly. Although it would have been a bummer if he didn’t make it to the next round. But shit, Minho was extremely pleased with passing his personally expectation and challenge that moment.

Trying to too look to pumped, he patiently and thought out their feedback to him. Thanking them politely before stepping off the stage and proceeding back to where he was told to go and wait. God, he couldn’t wait to get out of the place and blow up a well deserved joint.

#rkmga4 #rkmga4panel #rkjohnny #dahyexrk #[everytime the front changes so does his language >.< ]#rkxsua

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vicecityhq · 3 years ago

Photo

██████████████]99% LOADING...SUSPECT INTO THE APD DATABASE...

WITNESS(ES) SAY SHE REMINDS THEM OF: platform boots, flowers in your hair, books and tea. With a slight resemblance to NANA KOMATSU of/the ACTRESS/MODEL

CLICK BELOW TO VIEW ENTIRE FILE.

FULL FILE:

Last Name, First Name: Kadenokoji Shion ALIAS: Sunny Realm of birth(if earth, nationality): Japan Age: 23 Date of Birth: July 11th, 1998 Gender: Cisfemale Preferred Pronouns: She/Her Species: Healer Occupation: Nurse [Healer], affiliated with all gangs. Sexual Orientation: Panromantic, Greysexual

VISUAL FILE:

Skin Color: Slightly tanned Eye color: Hazel Scars: Several along her hands and wrists. Piercings: Ears Tattoos: N/A Hair color: Ebony Abnormalities: Faint blue color underneath her skin. Horns/ wings/ Transformed form: N/A

PERSONAL FILE:

RELIGIOUS BELIEF: SINS: Envy VIRTUES: Kindness KNOWN LANGUAGES: Japanese (native), Korean (advanced), English (Conversational) SECRETS: She helped hide the death of her mentor SAVVIES: Powers & Abilities: Supernatural healing, Medical intuition, Molecular manipulation. Traits: Kind, Depressed

BACKGROUND CHECK:

Date of Birth: July 11th 1998

Date of Death: N/A

Crime Record: She has no confirmed crime record or a bad record with the police.

Background/Biography:

Even from the time that she was young, she knew that there was something different about her compared to the other kids her age. There was a feeling of being wise beyond her years as she struggled from the time she was old enough to do things for herself at not being taken care of by her mother. She didn't know it at the time but her mother was frightened of her beyond words, considering her daughter to be a freak of nature. She often screamed at her or ignored her all together, never once showing an ounce of motherly affection to her. In fact, she seemed to prefer to pretend that Shion didn't exist at all. No matter what she did to try and gain her mothers love, it never seemed to work.

She didn't know it at the time but there was something extraordinary about her. Fingers could reach for an injured bird or a dying deer and bring them back from the brink until they were good enough to stand and bound away from the strangely kind girl. This power had been apart of her for as long as she could remember but she never had words for what it was -- she only knew that she had unyielding compassion for all creatures around her and a magic touch that could save. This power had been passed down from her father who had died, her mother not graced with the ability and so she was rightfully scared of it and her daughter who she deemed unnatural.

Though their situation wasn't harmonious by any means, Shion lived a decently life on her own. It wasn't until she was 14 years old that really anything changed. She came home from school one day to an unfamiliar face who was introduced as her "uncle". He, too, had the faint blue sheen under his skin and she knew at once that he was like her. He explained that she would be moving with him and he would help her reach her full potential. That day her meager possessions were shoved in a bag and she was spirited away to South Korea. She was "homeschooled" and was taught how to use her powers as well as practical applications.

Eventually she went to school to become a nurse and from there she worked with her "uncle" as a healer for three ruling gangs in the area in which they lived. He was barely affiliated with each of them but his powers were trusted because of his natural affinity for healing and, in return, so was Shion. This continued for a year before he was killed right before Shion's eyes. She was forced to help get rid of his body and hide his death, taking over his mantle because she had proven herself capable. Besides, they had the jump on her -- if she opened her mouth she would be framed for his murder and that was as good a reason as any to listen.

INTERVIEW QUESTION (para sample): “Just run us through what happened that night”. - Officer

"What happened?" the words felt thick on her tongue, her mouth bone dry despite the flecks of blood that had dried on her shaking fingertips. She had seen him murdered before her, had screamed and scrubbed her face raw until the blood was gone and her skin was a fresh pink color. She knows she couldn't have saved him -- they were powerful but they were not miracle workers. He had been thoroughly torn into nothing and she had to swallow down vomit at the thought of his mangled form in front of her. Dark hues closing as she takes a steadying breath. "I'm not sure what's going on but can I go home? I would like to go home now." She said, over and over again in her native tongue. If she had to pretend she couldn't speak Korean in order to get out of here....well, she didn't mind.

#vcaccepted #vccivilian

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ktaebwi · 7 years ago

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The Story of Smeraldo - English Translation

Source: Flower Smeraldo / blog created by Bighit, all information are fictional KRN - ENG translation: ktaebwi / Naver Blog link

1. [The 1st Story] The fateful meeting with ‘Smeraldo’, prologue story 2. [The 2nd Story] Introducing ‘Flower Smeraldo’ 3. [The 3rd Story] How was ‘Smeraldo’ discovered? 4. [The 4th Story] The legend of ‘Smeraldo’ 5. [The 5th Story] ‘Ashbless Cards’ 6. [The 6th Story] ‘Madam Lenormand’ and ‘The Flower Card’ 7. [The 7th Story] ‘The truth that couldn’t be told’

[The 1st Story] The fateful meeting with ‘Smeraldo’, prologue story

Hello. I’m florist ‘Testesso’.

The reason I opened this blog is to introduce about a kind of flower called ‘Smeraldo’. I’m currently preparing to open my flower shop specialized in Smeraldo in mid September.

Some may think this blog is just for promoting my shop, but I think that my encounter with Smeraldo isn’t just a mere business.

My first string of fate with Smeraldo dates back to 5 years ago. I was studying abroad in North Dakota in Central North America then, and I decided to travel to Virginia to participate in hosted by American Florist Academy. It took more than 5 hours to go from North Dakota to Virginia by plan, and from my dorm to the academy venue took more than 7 hours.

(This is our ‘Smeraldo Academy’ specialized in researching about Smeraldo) *Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/The-Smeraldo-Academy-1372227712830663/

But after that long journey, what I discovered at the event venue was an ‘Origins of Playing Cards’ banner. had already ended the week before and at that time, the American Playing Cards Academy was hosting an event there. I miswrote the date in my diary. At that time, I was flustered and dumbfounded, but looking back, I think it was all fate. I was so tired that I didn’t have the strength to go somewhere else, so I just sat there and attended the lecture. Luckily it was an interesting lecture and the part about a flower fascinated me the most, probably because I work as a florist. You probably have guessed it already, that flower was… ‘Smeraldo’.

As you can see from the photo, Smeraldo has a warm atmosphere. Romantic petal shape with a profound and mysterious color, don’t you feel like there’s a sad story behind it?

That’s right. Smeraldo is a flower with a heartrending story. You can get to know this story through its flower language, “non potevo dire la verità”, meaning “the truth that couldn’t be told” in Italian. Looking at its meaning, you can figure out it’s a story about love, about a tragic love, right?

From now on, I will slowly reveal the story about Smeraldo and playing cards through this blog.

[The 2nd Story] Introducing ‘Flower Smeraldo’

Many people think of ‘flowers’ as something for special days. Before I became a florist, I had the same thought. But a teacher who used to teach me in America said this. “It is not that we need flowers for special days, the existance of flowers makes the days special”. When I determined to bring Smeraldo to Korean, those words became my strength. ‘Even if it’s not well-known, I hope they can feel happiness from having a Smeraldo…’ With that wish in my mind, I decided to open my Smeraldo-specialized shop, ‘Flower Smeraldo’, this September.

▲This is the truck that will be used to deliver Smeraldos to you.

▲ View of ‘Flower Smeraldo’ interior construction for upcoming opening in September

The interior of ‘Flower Smeraldo’ will be minimalist with white as the theme color to highlight the beauty of Smeraldo. Fresh Smeraldos will be arranged on the display window differently according to the atmosphere each day, as a present of momentary happiness in daily life for passersby. (I’m, simple right….?)

The shop is still in preparation for opening, but in case you need it, I offer delivery service to some areas. But please understand that the quantity will be limited. Smeraldos can express various atmospheres, so it’s the most important to tell me which kind of atmosphere you want depending on the receiver and the situation. Since immediate supply and demand for Smeraldos can be unavailable, it will take a week on average, in case companion flowers need to be imported or searched for, please order at least 2 weeks ahead. (I will of course try my best to find the most suitable fillers and greens in time.)

The weather is stifling every day. Since Smeraldos are grown in the farms of northern Italy, an area with extreme annual range of temperature, and brought to Korea, to prevent the flowers from withering, it will be treated within the allowed range to not affect the design. That way, Smeraldo can stay fresh and beautiful.

For further inquiries, please refer to the below email. Thank you! [email protected]

[The 3rd Story] How was ‘Smeraldo’ discovered?

Today I’ll tell you how ‘Smeraldo’, once considered ‘The flower of legend’, can come into the world.

Actually 5 years ago, when I heard the story at the event of Playing Cards Academy, it had already been established that Smeraldo only appears in legend. (I will post about the connection between playing cards and Smeraldo later.) But one summer day in 2013, a shocking news came to me. I still remember that day vividly. I was washing my face after waking up when the phone call came. It was from a friend whom I met at the Playing Cards event.

We attended the lecture together by accident and were fascinated by Smeraldo, so after that we kept in touch. I lived in North Dakota while she lived in San Francisco, but we all liked the same thing, so distance wasn’t a problem. Back to the subject, what she told me was that apparently Smeraldo was discovered in real life. I couldn’t say anything for a while. We screamed with each other on the phone.

The above photo was when Smeraldo was first discovered. Even now, my heart still flutters when seeing this photo.

At that time, ‘amtest(amare_0)’ was a famous traveler on Instagram, they posted a photo of the flowers they discovered by accident while traveling to northern Italy. ‘amtest(amare_0)’ actually didn’t know about Smeraldo, they only thought that it was some unique and beautiful flowers they came across while traveling. But some people on Instagram saw that photo and pointed out the similarity with Smeraldo, and the story spread like wildfire. Local historians revealed a decisive information, the old name of the place where the flowers were discovered was ‘La Città di smeraldo’.

‘La Città di smeraldo’ in Italian means ‘the city of Smeraldo’. According to historians, the place was a flourishing village during medieval times, but after the Black Death swept through, it was abandoned and became a forest like today. After that, many experts from florist academies and biology academies from all over the world were sent to the field and they publicly announced that the flowers were believed to be Smeraldo.

At that time, Smeraldo created a wild sensation in Europe and America. Every country attempted to grow their own Smeraldo, but Smeraldo can only bloom in ‘the city of Smeraldo’, no one could succeed in growing it in other areas. There were various reasons for that but nothing has been revealed yet. Even now, Smeraldos still can only be grown in the farms of northern Italy and exported to Europe, America and a part of Asia in small quantity. Are you curious how great of a flower Smeraldo is that it created a ‘wild’ sensation?

I will tell you the story of Smeraldo in the next post.

[The 4th Story] The legend of ‘Smeraldo’

Do you think you are beautiful? I once saw an experiment where people were asked to choose which door they would pass, the door with ‘I am beautiful’ on it or the door with ‘I am not beautiful’. If you were them, what would you choose? The reason I bring up this story, is to start the story of Smeraldo about love.

The story of Smeraldo started in a rural village in northern Italy, around the 15th~16th century. In the village called ‘La Città di smeraldo’, there was a small secluded castle. In that place lived a man with grotesque appearance.

▲ The village in northern Italy that is believed to be ‘La Città di smeraldo’.

There wasn’t anything exactly known about the man. ‘He was the love child of a duke from a powerful family in Florence, the duke fell in love with the daughter of the gardener and gave birth to a love child, the mother of the man passed away from excessive bleeding after giving birth to the man, the wife and children of the duke wanted to kill the man, so the duke sent the man away to let him escape.’ There was a lot of rumors but no truth was revealed. The man hid himself in the old castle, lonely. Maybe it was because of the hatred and beratement that he received from birth and when growing up that he didn’t open his heart to anyone, he got angry and hid if someone tried to approach him. His only joy was growing flowers in his garden. But one day, a girl appeared near the man’s castle. The girl in ragged clothes lifted her heels, jumped over the garden fence and stole the flowers. The man was mad as a hornet at first, he spent the whole night to guard the garden. But in his brief moment of sleepiness, the girl picked flowers again and ran away. It happened for several days, until one night the man pretended to fall asleep and watched the girl go. He was curious. Without realizing it, the man waited for the girl, and one day he followed her. He covered himself with a cloak and after following here the man discovered, the poor and weak girl was selling flowers for a living. The man wanted to help the girl. He wanted to teach her every method of growing flowers he knew, he wanted to teach her how to grow beautiful flowers. But he couldn’t come forward to the girl. She would be scared of him, she wouldn’t love his grotesque appearance. In the end, the only thing he could do was to grow and take care of the flowers so she could keep coming to his garden. The man decided to make a flower out of this world. He started to make a flower that the girl could sell at an expensive price. The man shut himself in the castle to make the flower. After countless attempts, the man made a flower that never existed in the world, and filled his garden with that flower. But the girl was nowhere to be seen. No matter how much he waited, the girl wouldn’t come to his garden. The man grew concerned and went to the village with his face covered. But the girl was already dead.

This was the story of Smeraldo. No one knows if this is a real story or just a story created by someone while watching the flower, but every time I see Smeraldo, this story comes to my mind and bring many thoughts. What if the man gathered his courage, showed his face and revealed the truth? The girl could be scared and run away, or she could get mad. Courage is not an easy thing.

Actually, I had gone through a similar experience too. It was the friend I met at the Playing Cards Academy whom I mentioned at the previous post. I had a crush on that friend. She was bright, cheerful and full of light. After hearing about Smeraldo being discovered, we talked about flowers and promised to go to ‘La Città de smeraldo’ together. It didn’t seem like she had nothing for me, because she told me let’s go together too. I still sometimes think of what happened then. Her face sparkling with curiosity and anticipation, scuttling away carrying big backpack, arranging the meeting, booking plane tickets and discussing the schedule with excitement.

They were moments that I will never be able to forget. A wound that no time can heal.

[The 5th Story] ‘Ashbless Cards’

I have told the story of Smeraldo in previous posts. Do you still remember the place where I first got to know about Smeraldo, the Playing Cards Academy? Are you curious about the connection between Smeraldo and playing cards? Today I’ll talk about a figure related to cards, William Ashbless.

There isn’t much known about Ashbless, aside from that he was an Italian nobleman and a poet. Ashbless was also an expert on playing cards, which started to gain popularity in Europe in the 16th century. He made playing cards for the palace and salons of noblewomen, but they said he got sick due to being too immersed in his work.

It was when he went to the countryside for a change of air. While searching for hot spring and places with fresh air to recover his health, Ashbless came across Smeraldo. At the edge of a rural village where only ruins of a castle were left, a flower with beauty beyond this world was blossoming. He asked for the name of the flower but no one in the village knew. Then he learned of the love story about the flower from an old woman. You probably figured it out from how he was immersed in playing cards, Ashbless was a romantic person. The love story of the ugly man and the poor girl moved his heart. Ashbless named the flower and created its flower language there. The flower was named ‘Smeraldo’ after the name of the village, ‘La Città di smeraldo’, and its flower language is ‘the truth that couldn’t be told (non potevo dire la verità)’. After returning to his place, he made ‘the Flower Card’ inspired by Smeraldo and included it in ‘Ashbless Cards’.

Its upright meanings are ‘fruition’, ‘bloom’ and its reversed meanings are ‘fall’, ‘end’ and ‘new start’.

▲ Ashbless Card

It was said that Ashbless Cards were a sensation in Europe. But not many remember it now. The reason was that the Ashbless family lost their power in the struggle between nobles, thus received a horrendous consequence of being erased from the history. Along with that, Ashbless Card and the story of Smeraldo flower were forgotten too.

But like every beautiful legend, there was one thing, one thing that carries this whole story, that wasn’t erased and still remained. The love story and the story of Ashbless were all revived again. I will talk about this story in the next post.

[The 6th Story] ‘Madam Lenormand’ and ‘The Flower Card’

There is a painting called by French artist Jean-Francois Rolland.

Madame Lenormand was said to be a French astrologer treasured by Napoleon’s wife, Queen Joséphine. Before she became the astrologer for Queen Joséphine, she was already famous for tarot readings for noblewomen and had amassed a significant fortune. Her ‘Lenormand Oracle Card’ is known for influencing a considerable number of card decks. Even now, the oracle card deck is still being sold on famous tarot card sites.

▲ Painting of Madame Lenormand in The Court of Napoleon (Derby and Jackson, New York 1858). Source: Wiki Commons

As Madame Lenormand was a famous astrologer, there are many paintings of her holding or reading the cards. The above painting is one of them too. But what we need to focus on here is not the above painting but the painting called . Painted by French artist Jean-Francois Rolland, was an oil painting with delicate touch and a peculiar lyrical atmosphere, but it was lost in a fire at the collector’s mansion. The mansion’s owner was famous for owning documents and paintings showcasing the high society of Napoleonic era, so he immediately searched for the paintings at the scene of the fire and restored them. A lot of paintings and documents were restored but unfortunately, only the card part of was able to be saved. That part was the painting I introduced in the previous post. The card with ‘The Flower’ written on it, as you may notice, is one of the cards in Ashbless Cards made based on Smeraldo. This is the only trace left of Smeraldo and Ashbless.

[The 7th Story] ‘The truth that couldn’t be told’

Actually my family isn’t that wealthy. I had a difficult time studying abroad in America. I was a foreigner and wasn’t fluent at English. I couldn’t present a future.

The day we promised to travel together to Italy, I was waiting for my friend at the airport when I saw outside the glass door, she was getting down from the bus with a handsome cool guy. I immediately hid myself. Why did I do that… I don’t know too.. I just instinctively hid myself, turned around and walked away. I was like, ‘That’s right. There’s no way the two of us would travel to Italy. To her I’m just a pitiful foreigner who knows nothing.’

She called but I didn’t pick up. I just blankly looked at myself in the airport bathroom’s mirror. We booked the flight together so she had got to be somewhere in the plane, but I didn’t look for her. I just hoped. Hoped that she would look around the plane and come to find me. But even after the plane flied across the Atlantic, over the sky of Italy and landed at the airport… No one came to find me.

▲ Photos I took at San Francisco International Airport in America while waiting for her ‘La Città di smeraldo’ was both a painful and happy memory to me. The Smeraldo flower was so beautiful that I cried. And that night, something weird happened. I was sleeping at a homestay when I was waken up by a strange noise. My bed was under the window, but I kept hearing a sound like someone was knocking the window. It was a two-floor room and the outside was quiet. It was past midnight, the curtains were drawn so I couldn’t see outside.

I didn’t feel scared, it was just weird. I thought about waking up and open the window to see who was knocking the second floor’s window, but it stopped. I figured it was the leaves knocking to the window by the wind and forced myself to go back to sleep, but truthfully I couldn’t sleep well. I kept listening to that sound and lied down quietly like I was forcefully enduring something. It was around noon the next day when I received a call from that friend. No, it wasn’t a call from her. He said he was her brother. My friend was following someone in a rush at the airport when she got into an accident, she started to have trouble breathing from around past midnight yesterday, and went to the other world. Before leaving the dorm, I opened the window next to my bed. The sun was shining through and far away was Smeraldos. I watched the flowers, sat in the sun and felt the wind blowing by. It was just for a moment but I felt like she was standing by the window and watching the Smeraldos side by side with me.

▲ A painful and happy memory, the beautiful view of ‘La Città di smeraldo’

On the way from the airport to my house after coming back to America, I received the news that what I had been dreaming of for a long time had come true. My Smeraldo flower shop in Korea was approved by The Smeraldo Academy. As Smeraldo is a rare species, the Academy controls overseas sales very strictly, so for later, I registered at the association and was approved. After that… 3 years have passed until the opening of ‘Flower Smeraldo’ in Korea, but I still think of the news from the Academy as the last thing my friend left before she went away.

She told me ‘the truth that couldn’t be told (non potevo dire la verità)’ and went to the other world. This is the string of fate between me and Smeraldo I mentioned in the first post.

#yassssssssssss #bts #bangtan #smeraldo #translation #trans:misc #IM SO EXCITED #i haven't slept yet it's 9am but strangely i don't feel sleepy haha #this went from a history (?) lecture to ghost story so fast lmao #oh you can read it on both tumblr and naver blog they're just the same lmao #just that on the naver blog one i translated both the description and the tags from the original posts #for some reason i think there'll be more?#i'll post here if there's more and update the naver blog one as well

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mountphoenixrp · 6 years ago

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We have a returning citizen in Mount Phoenix:

Jung Wheein who is known by no other name; a 23 year old daughter of Freya. She is a florist and gardener at Blossoms of Yggdrasil.

FC NAME/GROUP: Lee Luda CHARACTER NAME: Jung Wheein AGE/DATE OF BIRTH: 23 // april 17th, 1995 PLACE OF BIRTH: busan, south korea OCCUPATION: florist and gardener at blossoms of yggdrasil HEIGHT: 155 cm // 5'1 WEIGHT: 43.5 kg // 96 lbs DEFINING FEATURES: dimple on her right cheek, bite mark on her left arm

PERSONALITY: with a penchant for offbeat humor, wheein has always walked to the beat of her own rhythm. unlike the intensity of other mount phoenix residents, she prefers to go with the flow and leave a trail of blossoms while she’s at it. be careful, look too long at her smile directly and you’ll go blind from how bright and pure it is. interacting with wheein will leave you wondering afterwards if you just talked to a strange dryad from the forest.

extroverted at best, obnoxious at worst; if one person could be friends with the entire world, it’s wheein. she has a certain knack for cheering people up and soothing their concerns, whether she’s trying or not. most of the time you’ll find yourself staring in silent shock at the demigoddess in front of you wondering i didn’t know there was ever a heart this pure.

following in her father’s footsteps, it’s not uncommon to see her bizarre antics and adventures across the island. she’s far too impulsive — and stubborn for that matter — for her own good. easily convinced by…quite literally anything, she’s gotten herself in several situations that could have easily been prevented if she wasn’t such a mess. wheein’s got a habit of repressing any negative emotion coming her way (which is more often than she’d like) and deflecting with one of her familiar odd jokes. highly judgmental of herself, wheein’s greatest adversary is herself, though she’ll keep her plights to herself. why would she tell someone? that’s a bother, and the last thing she wants is to ever do that.

HISTORY: I. giggles fill the air, soft lips as pink as strawberries stretched into the purest of smiles. her eyes shine bright falling true to her name — shining. cherry blossoms can be seen falling outside the window, but the child isn’t looking. instead she trying to grab the locks of hair falling near her face, entirely entertained with the soft glow emitting from the woman who’s holding her.

born during the cherry blossom festival, jung wheein has always held a sunny disposition. thanks to her father, a florist, she’s known of her godly heritage since a young age. her father knew it was foolish to try to hide it in fear of the repercussions it could have in the future. a tender relationship was built between the father and daughter as soon as she was born, and her childhood was warm and kind, filled with bright petals and loving smiles. it was never a strange sight to see wheein talking to the flowers in their backyard as if they were her best friends, each plant seeming to grow stronger and faster as she recounted events from her day.

before long, wheein could manipulate and grow plants at well, but it wasn’t perfect. splotchy at best, the young girl barely had a grip on her powers. her father could barely contain his shock when his daughter sneezed at the dinner table and large tree roots burst through the floor until they overtook the whole room.

II. tears stream down in a never-ending torrent, mixing with snot. the young girl looks up at her father with guilt and fear as she blubbers out apology after apology; roots suffocate the room they stand in, tiles cracking around the intrusions and a distinct scent of dirt in the air. her father shakes his head, bending down to his daughter with kindness set in the lines of his face. his voice is immediately soothing, clasping her shaking hands in his own. slowly, the sobs fade. they are safe.

the two of them knew they had to keep her powers under control and a secret from others. there was no way of knowing what would happen if word got out, and her father had no desire to find out. wheein never felt as if she was a freak of nature — her father made sure of that. he constantly reminded her that she wasn’t strange, and that she was loved. her father tried his best to nurture his daughter and keep the large accidents at bay, but it was almost impossible for him to fully help his daughter and he knew that. what could he do as a mortal? it broke him, but he knew a better option for his daughter. before her mother had left, she left him an address. a place where wheein could be with others like her. a place where she could grow stronger.

mount phoenix.

III. the girl’s delicate hands tighten around her father’s own. she doesn’t want to let go — not ever. her father can tell it in her eyes, his heart breaking into a million pieces. she knows he doesn’t want her to go either; they know each other too well. the luggage strap is beginning to dig into her shoulder and a strange sensation of nervousness begins to bubble up inside her. they both know it’s for the best. for the best. she repeats it in her head until it reaches a consistent rhythm that manages to lull the unease. her father brushes away a stray piece of hair before tugging on her braid, a gesture so comforting she already misses it the second he pulls away. for the best.

it was undoubtedly hard for her (and her father) to be separated, but it was the only option they had. they couldn’t risk another accident happening, they both knew that. with a promise to call everyday, wheein was sent to mount pheonix at the age of fourteen. within the week, half the island adored their new flower child. the demigoddess flourished there, surrounded by mentors that nurtured her abilities. wheein didn’t have to hide anything, not at all. blossom after blossom sprouted across mount pheonix, and a familiar giggle more often than not could be heard in the distance.

each day, wheein excitedly shared every new story with her father. he could barely understand the speed at which she talked, but it didn’t matter to him. his daughter was happy.

a week before her high school graduation, a strange number appeared on her phone. she almost didn’t reply, but an inexplicable sensation of dread pushed her to answer the call. for once in her life, jung wheein felt every ray sunshine sucked from her being.

❝ hello, is this jung wheein, daughter of jung kwangsik?…we’re very sorry to inform you that your father has passed away. ❞

colon cancer, they explained. he’d had growths in the past wheein remember faintly, her fingers already growing numb by the minute. but he’d gone through treatment, right? the doctors had said he had complete remission, right? she became more desperate by the second, spiraling into hysterical sobs with a crack in her usual bright disposition. she didn’t even know her father was suffering — didn’t even get a chance to help him.

it took awhile for her to heal; to relearn how to get up out of bed and function normally, or as normally as she could. it was easy to pretend to smile and laugh, pretend as if things could go back to the way they were. as soon as the door closed and wheein stood in her room, all she could feel was the crushing weight of being absolutely alone. she stared at her phone every night to push in the numbers she knew by heart, face blank as the rings grew muffled in her brain. in a second everything snapped back into reality once the call reached voicemail, a low voice coming out of the speaker. her father’s voice.

day after day, week after week. she grew. she learned. at some point, wheein realized the smiles on her face weren’t so fake and the giggles bursting from her lips were genuine. she felt…happy. wheein knew within herself that it’s what her father wanted. he always hated to see her cry, always smoothed down her frowns and brushed away the tears. her father would have wanted to live her life happy and to the fullest, enjoying every moment and following her passion.

so she unfurled her petals — and blossomed.

PANTHEON: norse CHILD OF: freya POWERS: plant manipulation: ability to shape/manipulate/create all types of plant life which includes trees, flowers, moss, and parts of the plant such as pollen, sap, or fruits.

001. as mentioned before, she can manipulate various flora to her will

002. she can direct her energy onto a seed and make it grow instantly

003. she can communicate to flora through empathetic means

004. plants tend to bloom/sprout at random around her when nervous

005. she can create any plant in an instant

STRENGTHS:

has a talent for anything flower-related

the warmest and kindest heart

is extremely empathetic

WEAKNESSES:

far too impulsive — and stubborn for that matter — for her own good

represses negative emotions (deflects with humor)

critically judgemental of herself

#kpop rp #wjsn #cosmic girls #lee luda #wjsn luda #mp; welcome

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