#YOU KNOW I LOVE TAEJUN...

[aewon]

always been you

sunghoon x fmr genre: fluff, childhood friends to lovers warnings: one (1) kiss wc: 931 note: smth to post just bc :p i love sunghoon + not proofread

You and Sunghoon have been friends since childhood. You remember being 5 years old, standing behind your moms legs while the little boy across from you did the same with his mother.

Your mother introduced the family to you excitedly, “Y/N, this is the Park family. This is Sooyoung, Taejun, baby Yeji and Sunghoon.”

You looked at the little boy who just cowered behind his mothers legs even more.

Your eyes wandered to the baby in the father’s arms.

“She’s a cute baby,” you said, nodding towards Yeji.

“Aren’t you sweet?” Soonyoung cooed, “You’re pretty cute yourself. Maybe you and Sunghoon will become friends? You’re the same age after all.”

You just nodded, looking again at Sunghoon who’s eyes finally met yours. You found yourself smiling slightly.

He was shy, like you.

Sunghoon noticed your smile and his eyes lit up, as if something had shifted.

He smiled back at you.

The next day, you and Sunghoon walked together with your mothers to school.

Outside the gate, your mother bent down and said, “Take care of Sunghoonie okay? He’s new so it might be awkward for him.”

You took that job very seriously.

Without warning, as Sunghoon finished saying goodbye to his mother, you took his small hand in yours.

Sunghoon was slightly shocked but squeezed your hand nonetheless as you led him inside.

You introduced him to the teacher, you stood beside him as he introduced himself to the class and you sat next to him to make sure he was comfortable.

From that day forward, you and Sunghoon were inseparable.

He was your rock, your safe space and you were his.

You spent the next 12 years in school together, always having classes with one another, even in high school.

Of course, you both made other friends over time, but he was your best friend, as you were his.

Some thought over time you’d eventually drift apart, but that never happened. You saw each other everyday, hung out everyday, hung out with each other’s friends and so on.

Where you were, Sunghoon accompanied you.

People were genuinely jealous of your friendship. Something so soft and pure, they didn’t understand how you two did it. But you just did, it came natural to you both from the start.

Now seniors at your state college, you and Sunghoon still make time for one another no matter what obstacles are in your way.

As he sits in your apartment, freshly showered with clothes he purposefully left here, you stand in the kitchen making dinner for the two of you.

“Dinner’s ready,” you say, bringing the plates to the living room and setting them on the coffee table in front of the couch.

“My favorite? Is it a special occasion?” Sunghoon asks, immediately digging in while you do the same.

“No, I just felt like it.”

Sunghoon sighs as the delicious food melts in his mouth, “What would I do without you?”

“Be a loser, or worse, dead,” you chuckle as he nudges your side.

You and Sunghoon have weekly sleepovers, where you alternate between who prepares dinner and who chooses what to watch.

Tonight you cooked while Sunghoon chose what to watch.

He picked some random rom-com you haven’t heard of but he claimed was good.

As you watch the movie and eat, you don’t notice Sunghoon scooting closer to you.

It isn’t until you're practically hip-to-hip that you notice.

“Why are you so close?”

“What? Can’t a guy wanna be close to his best friend?”

“Well yeah, but why? I saw you yesterday, it’s not like you missed me,” you laugh, eyes not leaving the tv screen.

Sunghoon is quiet for a moment before speaking again, “I did miss you. I always miss you.”

Your eyebrows furrow as you look at him, putting your food down.

“You always miss me?”

Sunghoon nods, “When we’re not together, I feel this kind of pain in my chest. I guess I’m too attached to you.”

“Well you don’t have to miss me, I’m never going anywhere, you know that.”

“I know but still, it just happens. I can’t help it.”

You lay back, looking at Sunghoon further as he looks into your eyes. You take his hand into yours, “I love you.”

“I love you too. I actually wanted to tell you something tonight.”

“What is it?” You ask, head cocked to the side.

“I’ve realized something, over time I guess. The guys asked me the other day why I haven’t dated anyone all throughout high school and college. I didn’t know how to answer them at first. Then I realized… it’s always been you, Y/N.”

Sunghoon is expecting you to pull away, look at him in disgust and tell him you don’t feel that way, but none of that happens.

Instead you get on your knees, pull him forward by his pajama shirt, and press your soft lips against his.

Sunghoon thought if this day ever came, he’d freak out. But something about kissing you feels so natural, like it should’ve happened years ago.

As he kisses you back, his hands find your waist, gripping it tightly.

Once you pull away, he chases your lips, making you giggle at how cute he is.

“It’s always been you for me too, Sunghoon,” you say, wrapping your arms around his neck.

“I was expecting rejection,” he whispers, in awe.

“I’d be a fool to reject you,” you whisper back, pulling him in for a hug.

As you stroke his hair, face buried in his neck, you whisper once more, “It’s always been you.”

AEWON 2025

[biteyoubiteme]

Taejun throuple!!!! Nsfw idmm

throuple taejun thoughts

yeonjun x fem!reader x taehyun

warnings: 🔞!!! throuple/poly relationship, no mxm, oral (f!rec), overstim mentions, reader called cum slut/cockwhore/princess, prob forgot some sorry wc: 0.4k an: I got three taejun requests so im keeping them to write in the future when I can dedicate a full fic to just these two but I hope you enjoy something short for now <33

[m.list] [1kevent m.list]

They were always a team against you or with you. So easy to flip a switch and turn on you long enough to have you begging for them to get you off, begging them to stop the overstimulation. It was their favorite game to play. 

They could keep you going for hours, taking turns after one of them got off, waiting so patiently to go one after the other. They loved to play soft dom and hard dom, one of them completely ruining your pussy and the other making sure to keep you covered in kisses. You could have tears right at the edge of your vision, taehyun bullying into you, “My little cum slut wants to be used up huh? Tell me how bad you want me to fill you, tell me” his hand wrapped around your throat, using enough pressure to make you blink back up at him in hazy wordlessness. “Look at that jjun, our little cock whores gone dumb,” your answering whines dragging your orgasm right behind it. 

And when Taehyun would slump back against the headboard watching the way yeonjun took care to flip you over and spread your swollen pussy lips apart, dragging his fingers through your wetness and carefully circling your clit. “Now look at this sweet cunt, so fucking perfect,” plush lips giving soft kisses on tender flesh, ghosting along your folds. Dipping tongue cleaning you of the mess Taehyun had left. Blowing cool air right over your clit making your legs twitch, “you can handle one more, right princess?” 

After the two of them let you get away with anything you wanted. If you asked for the world they would hand it over on a silver platter. “How cute,” you would hold your phone to show them the set of pjs you had found, “what if we got matching pajamas?” you could see the look they shared, that slight glance that told you everything you needed to know, “Okay scratch that idea,” 

“No, matching pajamas would be great,” “just not those ones,” 

The three of you curled in bed watching movies, taehyun fast asleep with his strong arms wrapped around you pulling you as close as he could get you when you were half laying on yeonjun. Yeonjun who wasn't watching the movie but on his phone scrolling and intermittently taking photos of your cute reactions to the movie reflecting in your eyes. His free hand wrapped around your head playing with your hair and scratching your scalp enough until you fell as soundlessly asleep as taehyun was.

taglist 🏷: @kissmekissykissme @bts-txt-ateez @apeachty @seungfl0wer @lunesdesire @no1likemybbgcharlie @chasingthatjjunie want to be added to the taglist? check out my rules to see how to join! want to be taken off the taglist? send an ask!

[gayboss-too-close-to-the-sun]

Park Taejun comics in the LCU (Lookism Comic Universe)

(Yes i think im funny)

Lookism. Obviously. The og to so many of us. Features Manager Kim as a character and a Viral Hit cameo.

Manager Kim: direct-direct ties to Lookism as stated above.

Viral Hit: direct ties to Manager Kim, references to Lookism.

My Life As A Loser/Bully, depending on translation I think? I’ve seen it as both. Anyway, it has Lookism references (as both a show and a real-world story, which is interesting), and has a connection to Manager Kim (Dabin)

My Life As A Loser II: it's a sequel! nothing new to say so far but I'm glad it exists.

Questism? I haven’t read it so I’m not familiar, but online the lists i saw only ever mentioned Manager Kim and Questism as in the LCU (update: i've been reading it and loving it, it does connect to Lookism and possibly others further down the line from where I've read.)

Juvenile Offender, from a reply to this post. I’ve also not read this one, so I don’t know how they connect, but it would make a lot of sense if it was about the juvie boxing team from Viral Hit (update: I've read the first two chapters and hated them, I'll go back to it but not until I'm less swamped in ptj content. It does have very direct VH connections but not in the way I thought.

The Viral Hit anime: the sub version had a throwaway line about Lookism being trash, which made me laugh. Otherwise it's the same as the manhwa.

Are there more? I want there to be more. Please tell me there are more 🥺 also please flesh out how the listed stories connect, I’m having to build this list from scratch and I wish I didn’t have to 😭 (update: there aren't more, unless you count ptj being involved with the series Tales Of Greed, which has no connections to the LCU as far as I know.)

[pink-heart-jam]

Happy new year!

Can I ask your favorite slow burn BL? Where the smut is just in the last few chapters (or in extras) or there are no smut at all, but you can really feel the longing and yearning and their love for each other?

Also, Have you read my 2 fav seinen BL:

Yabun ni Kyuuketsu Shitsureishimasu (I Need to Suck Blood Tonight) --- vampire, senpa- kouhai relationship

10 Dance (rivals to lovers)

Happy New Year! Great ask, I do appreciate a nice slow burn, especially these days as “fuck first, talk later” seems to be the preferred approach of 99% of BL works. But I’m not gonna lie, I’m always up for a fast sexual burn + emotional slow burn (my top rec would be Love for Sale by Dal hyeonji). I’m listing a few favourites below and will check your recommendations, thank you!

Beta Off Not Dating by Mintran / Saena / Doojja

Repulsed by the pheromones that trump common sense in this crazy environment, Juhyeok swears himself off dating until he saves up enough money to move to a faraway haven for betas.

For Your Love by Park nodeok

Through his older brother's experiences, Jung Yohan already knows how a gay, unrequited love can miserably end. Determined to save his club senior from that same fate, he aims to help him in his quest for love. But being a cupid.isnt as easy as it sounds.

Here U Are by D. Jun

Receptioning the newcomers is a task for YuYang, and he ends up helping the unsociable and towering LiHuan, the kind of person that does everything to be disliked. But after better knowing each other, he discovers that the giant isn’t that bad of a person at all...

Run Wild by Wuzhe / Zuoercongdong

As soon as Jiang Cheng finds out he’s adopted, he’s abandoned by his adoptive family and sent to live with his deadbeat father, who has a gambling addiction. Everything about his new life, from his pathetic father to the unfamiliar environment, makes Jiang Cheng depressed. But then he meets Gu Fei, who’s like a shining bright light in this run-down city, and the two become each other’s salvation and hope.

Salad Days by Tangliuzang / Haoliaoshen

Known as “the little swan” of his ballet studio, Shen has big dreams of leaving the humble farming town he grew up in and shooting to stardom. Though soft-spoken and timid, he meets his match in the stoic, wealthy, and equally as intense Jinyi, who pursues boxing next door. An unlikely pair, they cheer each other on and raise each other up through thick and thin.

Sparkling Baby by Zec

While in New York, Yujin, a talented young photographer, is captivated by Hanjoon, a renowned fashion magazine director. They share a few drinks and a hotel bed, but Hanjoon leaves in the morning without a word, not expecting to see Yujin again. Years later, Yujin, now a prominent figure in his field, lands a job at Hanjoon’s magazine in Korea.

Unintentional Love Story by Pibi

Wonyoung gets unjustly suspended from work after getting caught up in a corruption scandal. But when he accidentally discovers the chairman's favorite artist Yoon Taejun living under an alias, he is tasked with a tricky new mission. Could this be Wonyoung's chance to get his job back?

Virtual Strangers by Angela / Honey Trap / Bijak

After a stalking incident, Yoon Ji-gu has become understandably wary of strangers. So when an odd man moves in next door, he immediately suspects the worst. Little does he know, Yeowoon is just a regular guy trying to land a job and enjoy his free time—until he finds himself dealing with a hostile neighbor.

[sollucets]

2024 recap: most popular vs. favorite

a long time ago (like. a couple weeks?) @kantpattanawat tagged me to do this, and then @doyeons tagged me on my sideblog just lately, and so finally i am Doing It! i'm going to do both blogs, but jinjjayo didn't gif anything until august so it'll be a minute before it shows up. thanks everyone <3

warning: this post has a Lot of gifs and may lag your device

january

most popular (and favorite by virtue of no competition): 3 will be free userdramas event set

i was fairly burnt out on gifmaking in the beginning of 2024. i think i made like two sets in as many months. i do love 3 will be free and i had fun doing the neon text

february

most popular: puppy eyes lao wen

favorite: my school president rainbow anniversary set or perhaps the ye baiyi effect

as you can tell this is when i finished watching word of honor. the 23.5 pilot also aired in february so my will to gif came back to me :')

march

most popular: ramking & aylinluna side couple success formula

favorite: love for love's sake episode three

i'm kind of shocked and delighted that my event set is my most popular as i didn't think anybody still cared about my engineer and i worked very hard on it. i started doing the lfls episode sets this month and it remains some of my very best coloring work. also, 23.5 was airing & i was doing rainbow sets for that.

april

most popular: heartkillers pilot trailer

favorite(s): ugh i did a lot of good giffing this month. yeowoon's smile set, t8s anniversary set, t4t (teacher for teacher), more rainbow 23.5. but my real absolute favorites are:

lfls episode five

beyond evil event set

my best beloved wenzhou poetry set that i worked on while i was in & out of the hospital

somehow i was at my physically sickest but most productive i guess. thats life for you

may

most popular: asexual plakao

i'm glad it is, i worked hard on that coloring & kao remains dear to me

some other favorites: rainbow 23.5, myungha's smile set <33

june

most popular (and favorite by virtue of no competition): eunbi sabotage mv

the kpop gifmaking spiral begins here, but also, i am still enchanted by this mv. sorry i didnt know about masters and quality and all that yet i was just downloading in 1080p from youtube i have learned since

july

my laptop was broken during this month. :(

august

most popular: hearteyes aninpin, skz maniac forever playlist

favorites: only friends anniversary, bon bon chocolat forever playlist

i went kinda crazy in august. no for real i made 40 gifsets across both accounts all while i was figuring out kpop giffing. i was doing some insane sleep schedule shit to gif the loyal pin, too. my early forever playlist sets are all very good in my opinion

september

most popular: aninpin kisses, snsd the boys forever playlist

favorites: tlp e6 aesthetic set, eternally taejun (and my nmixx fe304 break set)

i've like Always wanted to make an eternally lyric set like that so im so glad i finally did. one of my favorite mvs of ever

october

most popular: crop top jongseob

favorite: any of the spooky season forever playlists but especially hoshi spider. warm place in my heart for swan in on my bike as well

i can barely believe i managed to do spooky forever playlist every other day for most of the month. i felt so bad for dropping it but frankly it was a lot. also, i did not gif on my main this month! kpop rabbit hole is real

november

most popular: girl rules trailer, when i'm with you / my first and last

favorite: over the moon mv, bibi derre

what a good month to love women, clearly

december

most popular: strategy jeongyeon

favorite: astro forever playlist, burn it mv

you guys did not love astro enough... that mv is Beautiful. and burn it is so so so good too i have so many thoughts and yaps to say about it

all in all i'm proud of myself for 2024 gifs. i had a weird and strange year but i'm pulling it together and ive had a lot of fun venturing into kpop gifs. thanks everyone <3333

[hyukascampfire]

ok sorry for being annoying but i need to let it out. i was thinking A LOT about TSFAWC and now MCs actions arent really that stupid and she is not a bitch just a little pookie who cant decide between taejun (girl me too) well at first i thought its obvious BUT I KNOW WHY NOWW ITS SO COMPLICATED. so yeonjun makes her feel loved, understood and all giddy inside because of his actions and character BUT does she really feel safe around him? especially after his betrayal? when he was supposed to kill her? I DONT RHINK SO and well my pookie taehyun he isnt really making her feel loved because od his icy cold facade (well there was this one moment when he lowered his walls but she fucked it up 👎👎👎) BUT she surely feels more safe around him + he shows his love and affection through acts of service (LIKE THE DRESS? OR WHEN HE STAYED WITH HER ALL NIGHT. I WOULD MELT RIGHT THERE) which she doesnt fully understand i fear?

idk if im making sense rn but thats my rant #teamtaehyun 💜

omg i promise you that you’re not being annoying 😭 i need u to know that i love u omg.

i think that you are absolutely correct. especially factoring MC’s past and her own stuff, the predicaments she’s faced with are pretty much hand tailored to make things SOOO complicated. i feel for all of them, in a way 😅 i think she learned a really big lesson with what happened with yeonjun and is really reeling from a lot of her own preconceived notions being null points now. i think to some people she might seem like a bitch, because she definitely isn’t perfect, and others she might feel more relatable. i know i def feel her with her constant overthinking cause… me too… LMAOO

and, oh my god my absolute favorite scene from this part was the one where taehyun stayed up with her all night. i think it’s the first big moment where we see how taehyun and MC interact, when they’re not dealing with massive external forces and problems, just the two of them 😭 they have personalities that sort of click really well (i think that things come easy between yeonjun and MC, but there’s a bit of a power imbalance. with taehyun, ground is more even), but they also present as each other’s biggest challenges and shortcomings. you’re absolutely right about MC feeling safe with taehyun. even though she’s seen him do stuff that should make her not trust him at all, she (despite her doubts) trusts him very deeply. i really loved the part where she was up late talking to taehyun in his room and she finally felt like all the anxiety she’d been feeling was off her shoulders in in his presence GOD i love them.

thank u for coming on and talking to me, it makes me the happiest :,)

[000000012]

Hey guys, Here’s chapter two of The Eye of the Needle. Please ignore any typos or weird English – everything’s translated and we all know how bad translators can be. Anyway, enjoy the chapter!

the first chapter is on my profile

Cap 2 - White lines

Every day kinda felt like a repeat sometimes. Medalaine’s weekends were actually kinda hectic. She’d get up early on Saturdays, like around 9 AM, just so she could clean up the house while her mom snoozed on the couch. She was finishing sweeping the living room when her phone started ringing. She fumbled in her pocket and answered—it was Yeona.

— "You said you'd come next time!" Yeona whined the second she picked up.

Medalaine sighed. She liked hanging out with Yeona, but she seriously hated the parties Yeona’s boyfriend, Woobin, always dragged them to. It was always in some tiny apartment, packed with sweaty people dancing, drinking, getting high—just chaos. And honestly, she didn’t like Woobin at all. The dude was weird, rude, super jealous, and sometimes even aggressive. One time Yeona even showed up with a black eye out of nowhere. She claimed it was from a mugging, but Medalaine had noticed Woobin’s bruised knuckles.

— "Where’s the party?" Medalaine asked, holding her phone between her shoulder and ear so her hands were free to keep cleaning.

— "Somewhere around Myeongdong, we’ll probably need to take the subway. There’ll be a more chill, artsy crowd. Come on, pleeease."

Medalaine paused for a sec, then gave in.

— "Alright, fine. Meet me at the station."

— "That’s my girl! See you at 9 PM. Love you!

Medalaine chuckled at Yeona’s excitement and went back to cleaning, already thinking about what to wear. Yeona said it was an artsy crowd—maybe she’d wear that cute blue top. Oh wait, it was ruined with bleach. Ugh. She tried not to stress about clothes and glanced at her phone. A message from her boyfriend had just come in.

Good morning, doll. How you doing?

11:04 AM

She bit her lip, thinking, then replied:

Morning, cutie. I’m good, you?

11:09 AM

Really good

11:12 AM

I miss you. Wanna hang out tonight? It’s Saturday and I’m off work.

11:12 AM

Medalaine ran her hand over her face, unsure how to explain she was going to a rando’s party in Myeongdong. She hated telling stupid lies, but sometimes it was the only way to keep things smooth between her best friend and her boyfriend. Yeona loved dragging her to parties, and since Yeona and Taejun were basically her two favorite people, she tried to balance both.

Taejun knew about some of the parties—like the chill, safe ones. But Yeona? She went to wild ones. Flashing lights, loud music, wasted people making out, breaking stuff… totally unhinged. It always stressed Medalaine out, but she still went.

She sighed and texted:

I really wanted to see you, but I already said I’d go to some party at Woobin’s cousin’s place with Yeona.

11:22 AM

We’re just playing games and having a few beers.

11:22 AM

It took a while for Taejun to reply. She got anxious, worried he’d be upset.

It’s okay, babe. Have fun. I might hang with Gyon too.

11:56 AM

She was so relieved. They were usually chill about going out separately. They kept chatting for a bit until she got distracted with lunch—which was just instant noodles. Her mom was awake by then, sitting in front of the TV with a full ashtray next to her, practically part of the armchair by now.

In the afternoon, Medalaine hit the market and grabbed a few things—eggs, pasta, tomatoes, spices, meat, whatever. Money seemed to disappear in 24 hours and that freaked her out. How would her mom manage when she left for college? Would she even have time to study, work, and take care of the house? Adulthood was crushing her—especially with her wild mom in the mix.

To distract herself, she got ready for the party—one of the few things that helped her forget home for a bit. She wore short black low-rise denim shorts, a tight long-sleeve army green top, a black leather jacket, and chunky black platform sandals. Her black-painted toenails matched the sandals perfectly. It wasn’t too cold, so bare legs were fine—though she’d probably ditch the jacket once inside.

Her makeup was simple but sharp—winged eyeliner, black pencil, soft cherry lips. Usual purse on her shoulder. It was almost 8 PM. She left without saying bye—her mom was glued to the TV anyway.

Outside was a bit chillier than expected, but manageable. At the subway station, she spotted Yeona easily—those bright red platform boots were kinda impossible to miss.

She laughed when she saw her.

— "That was the only 'alternative' pair I had!" Yeona said, covering her face, blushing. "So embarrassing."

— "Girl, it looks like you dipped them in paint," Medalaine said, laughing so hard her eyes teared up.

Still giggling, they leaned against the wall to wait.

— "I hope I don’t regret this," Medalaine muttered, fixing her hair using the metal railing as a mirror.

— "It’ll be fun. Live music and open bar," Yeona said, texting someone.

— "Who even is this Woobin friend?"

— "No clue. I just care if the music’s good." She stuffed her phone in her bag.

The subway took its sweet time. They chatted about their boyfriends—and, yeah, sex too. They were totally comfortable talking about that stuff. Medalaine, secretly a total freak in bed, always said yes when Taejun suggested it. She loved feeling someone taking control, being close like that. Best friends talk about everything, right?

Once on the train, they toned it down—it was too crowded for sex talk. Their convo shifted to random stuff, lots of laughs and inside jokes.

At the party entrance, Yeona was pacing, pissed.

— "Damn it, he said he was already here!" she hissed, texting furiously. They’d been waiting 20 minutes. No Woobin, no reply.

— "Yeona, let’s just go in. I’m freezing," Medalaine said, regretting the bare legs. "He’s probably already inside."

Yeona groaned but followed her in. They wandered through empty hallways and stairs before hitting the packed crowd. It was a big, dark basement with green LED lights casting an eerie vibe. Maybe 150 people there. A lit-up bar with stools, scattered tables, and a flashy couch with some people chilling on it.

Woobin was there.

Medalaine nudged Yeona, who dragged her over, clearly annoyed. There was a card game going on—money, jewelry, rings, even ziplocks of white powder on the table. Gambling.

— "Can’t believe you left me out there," Yeona whispered angrily.

— "I had to get in. Stay here." Woobin didn’t even look sorry.

They stood by, watching the intense game. One guy lost, flipped out, and stormed off. The winner laughed, pocketing the loot.

— "Who’s next?"

Suddenly a guy with purple hair came up and greeted Woobin loudly. Stylish, loud, very extra. Purple hair, baggy jeans, trippy shirt, matching socks and shoes. Rings, tattoos, chain necklace—the whole look.

Medalaine noticed another guy with him—long hair, gray hoodie with Japanese text, black pants, black Vans, silver chain, rings. One ring caught her eye—it looked like a chain. She swore she saw this guy before... yeah, at the convenience store. He’d given her a cigarette and disappeared.

She looked away, acting like she hadn’t noticed him. But then purple-hair dude (aka Thanos, apparently) walked up to Yeona.

— "So you’re Woobin’s girl? He described you way different… kidding! Woobin doesn’t talk much," he joked.

Then he looked at Medalaine.

— "And who might you be, sēnhorita?"

— "Medalaine. Yeona’s friend," she answered casually.

— "I’m Thanos."

She almost laughed. Who calls themselves a Marvel villain? She giggled, trying to cover it with a fake cough.

— "Did you steal the infinity stones?" Yeona joked, judging him.

— "Of course!" he showed off his colorful nail tattoos like they were gems.

Medalaine laughed, covering her face. This guy was something else. He smiled proudly at her.

— "I like you," Thanos pointed a finger at Medelaine before turning around and walking off. She noticed another tattoo going up the back of his neck. People around here were seriously stylish — she actually felt kinda out of place.

“Let’s play a round of poker, I need a distraction,” Yeona muttered, eyes locked on a corner of the party.

Medelaine followed her gaze and spotted Woobin chatting it up with some other girl, all smiles. She sighed, putting a hand on her best friend’s shoulder and gently rubbing it.

“Yeah, you do. Let’s go.”

They walked over to a table where a guy was sitting, smug as hell, counting money.

She froze for a second — was betting even a good idea? She didn’t have a single bill on her, just a few coins lost at the bottom of her bag. Still, both of them sat down on the couch across from him, waiting for his move.

“Two against one? That’s dirty,” the guy laughed, tossing some cash onto the table and crossing his arms.

“Yeona, I don’t think—”

“Don’t worry.” Yeona dug into her bag and threw some money on the table, plus a thin, delicate necklace with a little sparkly charm.

“Hmmm.” The guy picked up the necklace, checking it out, then smiled and placed it back down. “Alright, let’s play.”

Cards were dealt, and Medelaine was totally lost. She had no idea how to play poker. She was just there to watch Yeona do her thing. Back in the day, Medelaine used to joke that Yeona should join the Olympics or something — that’s how good she was at card games.

Yeona was all focused, flipping cards quick, biting her lip while she thought, stacking little piles like she was solving some puzzle. She sighed, scratched her head, and drew another card. The game was getting serious. Yeona looked deep in thought, and the guy too. Medelaine glanced around looking for the open bar, but it was kind of far. She figured she’d head over there after the game.

A little crowd had gathered around the table, watching the match heat up. The guy grumbled, then reached into his pocket and tossed a zip lock bag with some white powder on the table as a raise.

“Raise,” he said, waiting for Yeona to throw in more.

Yeona rolled her eyes and started digging through her bag again. She pulled out a pair of gold earrings from the bottom and placed them on the table. The guy raised an eyebrow.

“They’re real gold. Stole 'em from a store. Look, the price tag’s still on the back,” Yeona said while arranging her cards.

The guy checked the earrings, saw the tag, and grinned before getting back into the game. Medelaine leaned back on the couch, already getting bored. She didn’t get any of it — she just wanted to hit the bar, grab a drink, and dance with everyone else.

“I present to you… a goddamn Royal Flush, bitches!!” Yeona shouted, slamming her cards on the table. Everyone around them cheered with her. Yeona grabbed her winnings, counted the cash, and scooped up her necklace and earrings.

“Pleasure doing business with ya!” she said with a big grin, reaching out to shake the guy’s hand.

He looked totally crushed — like, seriously disappointed in himself. Medelaine thought he might ask for a rematch, but he didn’t. Instead, he reluctantly shook Yeona’s hand. Yeona immediately grabbed Medelaine and pulled her away from the couch, practically bouncing with excitement.

“I was so scared I was gonna lose my stolen Chanel earrings,” Yeona said, weaving through the crowd.

“Come on, let’s drink!” Medelaine yelled a bit over the music that was thumping through the room.

"We’ve got something way better than drinks," Yeona said, winking at Medelaine and pulling her through the crowd.

Medelaine wasn’t really into drugs. Well, she had tried a few times—maybe more than she should’ve—but they were expensive. Most of the time, she barely had money for basic stuff, let alone to buy drugs. Whenever she used anything, it was because someone offered it at a party

Yeona and Medelaine reached an empty, kinda dark hallway. They sat on the floor, and Yeona pulled out a ziplock bag, shaking it excitedly in the air. She took out her phone, poured some of the powder on the screen, and made two thin lines. Then she grabbed a rolled-up bill, ready to snort.

“Damn, not cool. Y’all got the good stuff and didn’t even share with the homies,” a familiar voice said behind Medelaine. She turned to see the guy with purple hair and his long-haired friend.

“We’re not friends,” Yeona replied before snorting her line. She wiped her nose with the back of her hand and passed the bill to Medelaine, who did the same. Her nose burned and felt super dry. She held back a sneeze, shut her eyes tight, and let the drug hit her system.

She squinted at the guys behind them, their faces dimly lit by the faint hallway light. Her pupils were probably already blown, and her head was starting to spin a little. The purple-haired guy laughed and squatted down to their level.

“How about this—we share our totally insane stuff with y’all, and you share yours. Sound fair?” Thanos said, grinning.

“What you got?” Yeona raised her eyebrows.

Medelaine exchanged a look with Thanos’s quiet friend, who pulled out a cigarette pack from his pocket, lit one up, and took a drag. He had this strange, emotionless vibe—like he didn’t care about anything. Something about him gave her chills, especially when he stared at her body like that. He tried to play it cool, but she knew he was checking out her shorts.

Thanos, on the other hand, was smiling wide and pulled out a small bag with four colorful pills.

“This ecstasy is one of the best things you’ll find around here,” he said, shaking the bag in the air.

Yeona thought for a moment and nodded. “Alright, let’s trade.”

“There you go, girl. Making the right call.”

Yeona held out her hand, waiting for Medelaine to pass the phone. Medelaine had been zoning out, still staring at Thanos’s friend. Yeona gave her a little tap on the arm to snap her out of it.

Medelaine blinked and handed over the phone. She swore she heard a small chuckle from the quiet guy. Yeona poured a bit of powder onto the screen and made another set of lines.

“Your friend—he do this too?” Yeona asked, glancing up at the quiet dude.

“Namsu? Bro, he’s worse than all of us” Thanos laughed, eyes glued to the white powder.

“It’s Namgyu,” the guy finally spoke.

Medelaine didn’t even remember his voice from when they met at the convenience store. Did he remember her? With all the intense eye contact, she figured he probably did.

“Namgyu, huh? So quiet,” Medelaine teased, getting a half-smile out of him. He took another drag from his cigarette.

“All set,” Yeona said, handing the phone with the lines and the rolled bill to Thanos. He snorted the line dramatically, letting out a loud moan after.

“Whew! Damn, that’s good! Your turn, bro.”

Namgyu tossed his cigarette and took the bill from Thanos, bent down, and snorted his line. He barely reacted. Just pushed his hair back and stood there with his hands in his pockets like it was nothing.

Medelaine couldn’t stop watching him. Maybe she was just way too high. Her head was spinning and the air felt colder now.

“You ladies are awesome!” Thanos said loudly, sitting down with a dramatic sigh. Namgyu leaned against the wall and threw his head back. The music was muffled from where they were.

“You’re not from here, are you?” Thanos asked Medelaine.

“I’m from Florida,” she replied, fiddling with the keychain on her bag.

“Florida? Damn, that’s far. And your Korean is so fucking good!” Thanos said, half in English, which made her laugh a little.

“Thanks,” she said softly, just as her phone started ringing. She clumsily dug through her bag and saw it was Taejun calling. She sighed, silenced the call, and tossed the phone back in.

“He’s not gonna be worried?” Yeona asked, head resting on Medelaine’s shoulder.

“I’ll call him later. Not in the right state for that now.”

Medelaine stood up, adjusting her shorts and hair, then pulled Yeona up too. “Come on. I need a drink.”

Yeona grabbed the pills from Thanos and they headed into the crowd. But just before she disappeared, a cold hand grabbed Medelaine’s wrist.

“Hey, can I talk to you for a sec?” Thanos asked with a playful smile, his pupils glowing green under the party lights.

“Sure, what’s up?” she asked, curious.

“My boy Namsu—he kinda liked your vibe. Think you could, like, give him your Instagram?”

Her heart skipped a beat. She blinked, opened her mouth, but only a little laugh came out. “I have a boyfriend.”

Thanos rolled his eyes dramatically. “Ugh, always the hot ones. Fine, have fun, sweetheart.” He winked and vanished into the crowd.

Medelaine laughed to herself, feeling the drug kick in harder. She found Yeona sitting on a spinning chair, stirring her drink with a straw.

“Thanos’s friend was into me,” Medelaine said, taking a sip of Yeona’s drink—and immediately making a disgusted face. “Ugh, this tastes awful.”

“I wanna throw this drink in the bartender’s face. But wait—did you give him your Insta?” Yeona asked, curious, while dumping sugar packets into her drink.

“Of course not! I have a boyfriend, Yeona.”

“That boring dude? He barely even talks.”

“Well, Namgyu wasn’t that different.”

“Whatever. He’s hotter.”

“Then you date him, dummy,” Medelaine said, laughing.

“I’m almost considering it. Woobin’s gone. I think he left with that girl he was hanging with earlier.”

“Ugh, no way... That bastard,” Yeona growled, chugging her gross drink before tossing it into the sink behind the bar.

“We should dance,” Medelaine said, jumping up. The two girls hit the dance floor, letting the music take over. Hips swaying, arms in the air, hair flying—it was a full-on ecstasy moment. Everything felt intense. Her body was cold, but her energy was through the roof. Her eyes were wide open, scanning everyone around her. The cocaine made her a bit paranoid.

Yeona was in the same boat, pupils huge, dancing aggressively to the electronic beat. But then the music stopped. Everyone groaned, and the green light dimmed. Suddenly, a spotlight hit the stage in the warehouse.

The guy with purple hair hopped up with a mic. Medelaine couldn’t understand a thing—her head was pounding, ears ringing. She barely registered Thanos rapping like a maniac on stage.

Yeona touched her back, said something that Medelaine couldn’t make out, and started pulling her through the crowd. The noise made the headache worse.

They stumbled up the stairs and onto the empty street. A few cars passed.

“Medelaine, are you okay? Say something!” Yeona shook her.

“I’m fine, Yeona! My head’s just killing me.”

She leaned against a dirty wall, massaging her temple, and pulled out her phone after a few tries. Taejun had sent five messages:

21:56PM – how’s it going?

21:57PM – you having fun?

22:12PM – why didn’t you answer?

22:21PM – ???

22:54PM – text me when you can

She sighed, typing quickly:

01:07AM – I’m heading home now.

She stuffed the phone back in her bag and ran her fingers through her hair. Yeona was staring at her with a weird, almost nosy look.

“Let’s go, my head’s killing me,” Medelaine said, crossing her arms and walking off.

“Hey! I don’t wanna leave yet!” Yeona shouted.

“Then stay! Text me when you get home!” Medelaine yelled back, waving goodbye.

She didn’t care. She walked the empty street to the subway, sat on a bench, lit a cigarette, and scrolled through her phone. The screen brightness made her eyes hurt, but she was too bored.

While watching stories, a notification popped up

addicgyu._ wants to follow you.

Curious, she tapped the profile. The photo was from the back—a guy with shoulder-length hair in a half-up samurai style. There weren’t any posts, just two highlights called “namgyu” and “shit.” She squinted when she saw the name Namgyu.

How the hell did he find her Instagram if she didn’t even give it to Thanos when he asked? She was super clear about having a boyfriend.

She tapped the highlights, doing a little stalking. There were just a few pics of him. The first one was him standing with this pretty sky behind him, arms crossed, smiling without showing his teeth. His hair was kinda falling over his face, made him look kinda cute.

Next pic was a mirror selfie — his phone was covering his face, but you could see some old-school tattoos on his arms. Then there was a candid one of him at some bar, lighting a cig with a lighter, hair falling in his face again. Behind him were purple LED letters spelling out “Club Pentagon.”

The last one was a selfie. Looked like he was at a party or something, not smiling at all, and he had a badge on his shirt that said “Promoter.”

Medelaine tossed her cig and stood up fast when she saw the train about to leave. She ran in just before the doors closed, grabbed any random seat, and went right back to looking at her phone — more specifically, Namgyu’s profile.

The next highlight was just random pics — drinks, joints being rolled, cigs hanging from his hand, and some with his friends. There was one with Thanos too, both of them standing in front of a wall full of black spray-painted graffiti. Thanos was throwing up some gang sign and striking some weird pose. Namgyu, on the other hand, was just flipping off the camera with both middle fingers.

She tapped on @thebigthanos. His profile was packed, tons of followers. His bio said “composer.” He had a bunch of posts with different poses, always doing something with his hands. His highlights were kinda like Namgyu’s, but more artsy. One of them was just songs — she figured they were his. She didn’t bother listening, though, her head was still pounding. But she made a mental note to check it out later.

She bit her lip, staring at the "accept" button that would let Namgyu follow her. Why was she thinking so hard about this?

She had a boyfriend. She told Thanos she wasn’t giving out her Insta for that reason. So why did Namgyu go ahead and send the request anyway?

And the biggest question: how did he even find her profile that fast?

She sighed, turned off the screen, and rested her head against the train window. If she accepted, things might get weird. But she didn’t wanna miss out on the chance to maybe make a new friend either.

“Stop being so dumb, Medelaine,” she muttered to herself, running her hands through her hair and letting out a loud breath.

In the end, she didn’t accept or decline the request. She just left it sitting there.

She’d think about it tomorrow, when she was sober and her head wasn’t spinning.

. . .

This English makes me ashamed, kisses.

[miupow]

Hybrid junnie and hybrid tyun who love to double team you like lorddddd and it’s messy 🫠🫠

-🖍️

hoohoo heehee... taejun is such an underrated duo imo i wish their were more taejun threesomes.. might have to fix that actually...

thinking about a post that someone had sent me forever n ever ago... wolf jjun and lamb reader and guard dog tyun... if anyone knows what post im talking about please send it to me--

they're both so nasty n possessive heehee, fighting over you while fucking you,,, nasty yucky i might need to elaborate on this more

[xhxnne]

[ SERENADE ] (Taejun and Aries!)

DOMESTIC INTIMACY PROMPTS [ SERENADE ] sender sings along to a song they associate with receiver

After their meal, a comfortable silence settled between them, accentuated only by the crackling of the campfire radiating its warm light. Taejun found comfort in resting his head on Aries' shoulder, mesmerized by the dance of the flames before them. It was their first camping together, the nice weather adding to the enchantment of the moment.

Amidst the peaceful atmosphere, their campsite had the remains of their shared meal, with pots, plates, and glasses scattered on the nearby table. The earlier bustle had ceased, leaving them absorbed in the serenity of nature.

As Aries began to hum a soft melody, he couldn't help but be drawn to the tune. "What are you humming?" he asked, lifting his head to gaze at the other man, though the melody remained unknown because Aries was a little bit elusive. "Please, I'd love to hear it," he urged softly, eager to know the song that Aries associated with him.

When he eventually convinced him, Taejun nestled his head back onto his shoulder, deliberately avoiding eye contact so as not to make the other man shy and to cherish the companionship of their shared adventure.

"I love it," he whispered.

@formorethananame

[khaoray]

top 10 kdrama couples? and top 10 romantic kdramas? (i wanna watch something with good romance haha)

oh nonnie this is gonna be a challenge but i will do my absolute best. one thing you need to know about me and my taste in romance is that i'm really not here for straight up fluff. i need a bit of melodrama and angst to keep me invested. gonna stick it under a read more bc i feel it's gonna get lengthy asdfghjk

couples:

ji ho and jeung in (one spring night) - they invented being in love and facing your problems with maturity and they're just so important to me.

kang doo and moon soo (just between lovers) - if there's one thing i love in my romance it's angst and hurt people learning to heal together and literally no one does it like them. kang doo remains my favourite junho role too, so.

kyeo rye and yeon joo (if you wish upon me) - similar to jbl tbh kyeo rye is such a broken man at the start of the drama and watching him slowly fall in love and heal from years and years of trauma destroyed all of my emotions.

gong myung and se ra (into the ring) - THE childhood friends to rivals to friends to lovers ship!!!!! no one does it like they do honestly they're THE standard when it comes to emotional maturity.

joong gil and ryeon (tomorrow) - listen if you were around last year then you know just insane they made me. soulmates defying literal fate to end up together after centuries of trauma they make me so sick.

cheoljong and so bong (queen cheorin) - THE standard for enemies to lovers. nothing has ever been able to replicate the buzz they gave me week to week.

seon gyeom and mi joo (run on) - the softest couple on this entire list actually i think. they're just so sweet and cozy and safe and i love them so much.

taejun and taeyang (love all play) - my babies!!!! the drama itself kinda sucks but theyyyyy. one of the most mature relationships i've ever seen in a drama actually like we love a couple that actively talk about their issues and try to overcome them together.

vincenzo and cha young (vincenzo) - enemies to coconspirators to lovers excellence honestly who is doing chemistry like them. they're just so sexy.

dong jin and woo joo (call it love) - hi hello it's another instance of two traumatised people falling in love and finding happiness together what can i say i have a TYPE.

dramas:

one spring night - i've already talked about why i love this drama so much so i won't do it again but just know. i love it so so much it's so important to ME.

just between lovers - another one i've talked about a lot at this point but outside of the romance, this drama is just so GOOD. it deals with a lot of heavy themes so i'd advise discretion but it's so worth it imo. but just 10/10 experience wish i could go back and watch it again for the first time.

if you wish upon me - i love it for a lot of the same reasons i love jbl they're very similar imo. also. kyeo rye is the most character of all time i genuinely don't think ji chang wook is ever topping him.

into the ring - underrated!!!! underrated!!!!!!!!! underrated!!!!!!!!!!!! y'all slept on this one so hard and i still haven't forgiven you. i love romance between two grown adults who actually act their age and don't fall victim to stupid tropes.

run on - this drama makes me feel so cozy and safe and fuzzy idk man it's just pure good vibes for my soul.

call it love - if you love dramas that are slow, where a lot is said with very little dialogue and where the colour grading tells you a lot about the characters emotional states then boy do i have the drama for you.

witch's romance - can i interest you in twinky park seo joon in love with uhm jung hwa??? bc that's what this drama has to offer and it's so fun. it might be a bit dated now bc it came out in 2014 but i had such a good time when i first watched it.

queen cheorin - aside from the last half of the last episode i had such a good fun time watching two absolute idiots fight tooth and nail against falling in love with each other. when are we ever getting that level of chemistry again???

moon embracing the sun - alright i'm gonna be honest i don't actually remember all that much of this one anymore. i only watched it because kim soo hyun's in it. but i watched it as it was airing and it emotionally destroyed me so that's gotta count for something.

first love hatsukoi - yeah yeah it's not korean it's japanese but it's also the best show i've watched in the last year so!!!!! y'all can just take my rec and live with it. please please PLEASE watch it it's one of the most beautiful dramas i've ever seen and all four of the main actors are absolutely incredible in it.

[biteyoubiteme]

they're having ot5 live and why taejun look at kai with stars in their eyes and the warmest smiles in the world? 🥲 i love them so much T^T the same way they love kai

no it’s so cute I always see clips of them looking at kai like he’s their world and they make me wanna cry bc you just know he must have a pure soul made of sunshine he’s pulling all the flowers in ;-;;-;

[tyunkus]

you like beomjun and taejun omggg 🤍🤍🤍🤍 (i know u said ur not an avid shipper but have u tried reading some fics of them on ao3??)

YEPPPP i love love love beomjun so much i dont even know why hahah and taejun is soooo sexy idk theyre so hot! as for fics on ao3 ive read a lot of beomjun but not so much taejun i dont think they have that many unfortunately! i do read for other ships though theres a lot of good member/member smut on ao3 omg

[loveisle]

can we know admin's mwf and mwm?

this is such a difficult question because i'd love to see any and all faceclaims in the villa and this is why it took me so long to reply. i'll suggest some names below, but please don't let it discourage you, i genuinely want to see as many varied faceclaims as possible!!

mwf: aeri uchinaga, ning yizhuo, cho miyeon, minnie, im nayeon, chou tzuyu, sana minatozaki, kim jungeun, ha sooyoung (yves), lee chaeyoung, choi jisu (lia), jennie kim, lalisa manobal, kim hyungseo (bibi), kim doyeon, yoo siah (yooa), manon bannerman, lara raj, megan thee stallion, doechii, anok yai, park heejung, bae ganghee, komatsu nana, mikey madison, lili reinhart, samantha archibald, savannah lee smith, aisha potter, kurodahana, nicolesahebi, wolfiecindy, iffat.marash, christinanadin, amayaancr.

mwm: jeon jungkook, kim taehyung, choi soobin, choi yeonjun, yoon keeho, choi san, jung wooyoung, song mingi, hwang hyunjin, jackson wang, lim jaebeom, jung jaehyun, lee taeyong, johnny suh, kim jongin, d’pharaoh woon a tai, jacob elordi, woo dohwan, choi yeonkyu, hong taejun, byeon wooseok, nam yoonsu, jin hoeun, son sangyeon, jung gunjoo, paul mescal, mathieu simoneau, noah centineo, timothee chalamet, louis partridge, charles melton, evan mock, reeceking_, takuro_kusunoki, scarfxce.xo.

[pillowxtalk]

[ ✉: Taejun → Love🩵 ] It's hard to know what your next role will be but it doesn't matter, if you want to do it, you should do it. We can make it work, love. [ ✉: Taejun → Love🩵 ] As long as you want it to be! And as many kisses as you want too. [ ✉: Taejun → Love🩵 ] Okay, I'll tell you when I'm close to the location.

[ ✉: Hyunjin - Yeobo 💜 ]: I always go with my gut feeling if it comes to auditioning for new roles. I need to feel it or I won't try to get it.

[ ✉: Hyunjin - Yeobo 💜 ]: I know we can make everything work as long as we managed to make time for each other whenever we can.

[ ✉: Hyunjin - Yeobo 💜 ]: Then I'm afraid you will need to hug me forever and kiss me till you nod off.

[ ✉: Hyunjin - Yeobo 💜 ]: I'll wait patiently for you and do the best job I can do.

[mins-fins]

HAI ISAAAA <333

happy birthday omg!!!! I know i don't show up in ur inbox very often but i hope my somewhat monthly asks are enough for you.. i'm so so busy w school but hopefully i cn get back on my smau shit and start smt soon!! i hope your birthday is so so so sooo good!!! I hope we cn talk more and get closer this year!! u're so old now ahahhaha 18 oldie!!!! jokes.. all jokes! jj is always gonna be the oldest so it's ok! taejun pic for karisa (is tht what we agreed on lol??) umm song 4 u is why i love you by grent perez :3 i hope u get lots and lots of great gifts and i hope u go crazy!!! not too crazy don't get so crazy the cops hv to come for you.. eat good food have lots and lots of fun hang out w ur favorite people!!!!! I LOVE YOU SOOO MUCHHHH hv an amazing 18 isa wisa love u forever nd ever :3

hold on let me get my tissues

its okay if you cant show up often PLS PLEASE focus on school its important 😊😊😊 thank you so much for the birthday wishes im about to jump through the screen and give you a big kiss on your forehead 😭😭 user wave2love i love you 😭😭 my birthday has been good so far save for my dad FUCKING UP bc thats all dads know how to do (he actually knows nothing abt me im shocked) yeah yeah enjoy telling your old jokes 😐 i'll block you (is a liar) i have gotten great gifts so far but apparently my gifts arent done?? wonder what else these psychopaths have planned.. i will NOT be doing anything illegal i think (you never know 😆) what i will be doing is BAKE even though i dislike birthday cake bc my bf said he'll do it for me and hes so ahsbasiaksos😭😭😭

[yuseonghqs]

🌊 GREETINGS FROM YUSEONG BAY !

JUST LANDED: MOON, TAEHO. / / FROM: SOUTH KOREA. / / AGE: 24.

–––– ( FOLLOW ? ) / / ( READ MORE ? ) / / ( MAILBOX ? )

the call picks up on the third ring.

"hello?"

"hey, mom." taeho speaks up first since he was the one who called. he can hear the sound of the electric kettle in the background which makes sense considering that he always calls around the time for their afternoon coffee that is also when taejun should be arriving from his classes as well. if he closes his eyes he could picture the image perfectly, could even smell the chapssal donuts that his mom used to make when they all still lived together. "just checking in. is taejun already home?"

"ah, taeho-yah. no, not yet. he said he was going to be home late because of practice. you know he really loves his soccer." and it's obvious, how her tone changes from stiff to endeared when talking about his brother. taeho tells himself that he doesn't care, that it's good that taejun receives the affection that he never did.

"i do." and there's a note of fondness in his own voice. "is he still upset about his last match?"

and that seems enough to unlock a monologue from his mother, making her go on and on about how his younger brother has been; from when he seemed still upset and disappointed with himself for losing what he considered an important game to how his mood improved throughout the subsequent weeks, how he's better now. she also talks about his grades, his friends and that she has the suspicion that the younger moon has a girlfriend or at least a crush.

talking about taejun is easy because it doesn't involve acknowledging the fact that his mother never talked about taeho in that same tone, was never that enthusiastic to know about taeho's life in seoul; but then she was never enthusiastic about anything that involved him, not when he was younger, not now. but still— still he lets her go on and on because she prefers this over the awkward silence that used to haunt their phone calls, over the unsaid why are you still calling, taeho? do you need anything? that would sit heavily between the brief and stiff words they exchanged with each other.

and maybe he needed his parents, he thinks, maybe he needed some attention— just a teeny tyne amount of it, just some—

"and— ah! your father just arrived which means that i should check on the donuts and get the coffee ready." and that's as much of a cue that she wants to hang up as any, but taeho still lingers on the call with a hum.

and waits. and his mother waits too.

"well, huh—" and it's almost funny if not tragic, the way she doesn't know how to end the call with her own son. "then—" and then she lets the silence linger between them for another second, as if waiting for taeho to understand his own cue.

"i'm doing fine." taeho says instead. "my finals are just around the corner but i already organized my schedule so hopefully i won't die by the end of it. i'm also still working at that bar i told you last time."

"and—" he lets his teeth play with lip piercing for a second. "i'm not going home for chuseok, not that you asked." you never do, he holds back his accusation. "but just letting you know."

"taeho—" he swears he can hear his father's faint voice in the background is he calling again? and even though taeho can't completely identify what kind of tone his father is using, it still hurts all the same.

"i gotta go, i promised my roommate that i'd pick her up." lies, but his parents were never one to question whatever excuse that he used to hang up on them or leave and this time, even if a part of taeho wishes that it'd be different, he knows that it won't be and even then he'll find a way to be disappointed by expectations that he promised himself he wouldn't hold anymore. "bye, mom. tell dad i said hi." and as expected, her mother doesn't try to defend herself— to comfort him or show any signs that she cares besides ending the call herself with an oh, ok then. take care.

and that's it. that's always it.