#assorted background characters

[veinsfullofstars]

🌅 MetaDede Week 2024 Day 5 & 6: AU & Secrets 🌅

(ID: Kirby series fanart comic of a moment in King Dedede and Meta Knight’s youth, when - during a trip to the beach with their friends - the teenaged penguin realizes that he might feel more than just friendship for his little winged buddy. Transcript in Alt Text. END ID.)

Oh.

Previous Day | Next Day | Prompt List (made by @/mtddweek)

Started 08/20/24, finished 08/24/24. | Childhood Friends AU Masterpost

[poorly-drawn-mdzs]

Game night ruined.

[First] Prev <–-> Next

[halfchun]

my first ever bg illustration! 🤯 for class last sem 🍬🐈

apart of my project 'assortments alchemist' 🍭

[flyboy-trainor]

[c1phra]

Hugo relationship headcanons... please..... feed the starving........

... ❝ RELATIONSHIP HCS! ❞ ft. hugo x reader

𝒾. ⠀FEATURING : an assortment of headcanons about your relationship with hugo!

꒰ contents ꒱ mild spoilers for hugo's backstory i guess? gn!reader. fluff. headcanons. wc : 1052

꒰ notes ꒱ HIII ANON!! thank you for the request hehe i hope this is to your liking, i'm still getting a grasp on his character :")) + @rainswept hugo tag <3

a relationship with hugo is not easy. not at first, at least.

despite his collected exterior, the scars of his past still sting when pressed, and it's a pain not easy to ignore, no matter how much he tries to convince himself he has healed. it takes a while to allow himself to open up enough to begin the relationship in the first place, let alone let his guards fall, one by one...

but he'll manage. he's nothing if not resilient; give him time, patience, and the chance to ask you out himself, and he will be the most attentive lover you've ever had.

it starts with the classic: flowers, a huge bouquet that takes two hands to hold, and a box of chocolates. he's calm when he's handing them to you, his voice even as he spits out the confession speech that took hours in the mirror to prepare, but his mind is going haywire, worrying about whether it's too much, too soon. maybe he should have stuck with just the chocolates after all, or even just a smaller bunch of roses, or something else entirely—

he's thankful you don't let him languish in his thoughts for too long, cutting off his overthinking with a simple “yes.” it takes all he can to restrain himself from breaking out into relieved laughter at your response.

it's all history from there. when you're with hugo, nothing is ever boring; he'd consider it a personal affront for his beloved to be disinterested when they're out with him. no matter what you're doing, be it an extravagant day out, or quiet night in, there's always something to look forward to.

the more elaborate dates are what he leans towards in the beginning, as a means to impress you—dinners at the most high-end restaurants, and tours of art galleries—but it's the simple ones where he truly shines. when all of the grandeur and showiness is melted away, when it's just the two of you curled up under a weighted blanket with some trashy rom-com playing in the background, that's when he truly feels at home.

at the start of the relationship he's careful with his affection. even the most innocuous gestures are subtle tests, experimenting to see what you are and aren't comfortable with. pet names are one of the first things he tries out, a genuine “darling,” or “sweetheart,” slipped into the teasing, overly sappy “honey-pie,” and “snookums.”

when it comes to physical affection though, he tends to be... flighty.

a part of it is the natural touch-starvation that comes with being deprived of gentle touch for so long, but another is the fact that he simply doesn't know how to respond to it. it's not that he's opposed to the feeling, he simply prefers to be the one to touch you, to ensure he keeps some level of control over the situation.

it makes it easier. safer. if he knows if and when it happens, he doesn't have to worry about the instinctual recoil that happens whenever you suddenly grab his arm, or the overwhelming swell of emotion in his chest when you kiss his cheek. after a while, the instinct starts to dull, but it never quite ceases fully.

in any case, he doesn't stop you from touching him, (he doesn't know if he could bring himself to, even if he wanted to) but he favours the touches that he's warned about beforehand. ask for a kiss, and he'll never refuse; motion for a hug, and his arms will be open and waiting.

he tends to mirror what you like; every touch—even the ones that seem casual—is another test of what you're receptive to. once he's satisfied with his understanding of your boundaries, your wants and needs, he's more than happy to indulge you—no matter how much or how little you like.

one thing he does like is when you're walking together, he enjoys having you hold his arm, instead of his hand. it feels so much more intimate somehow, having your hands linked through his arm. he can't help but glance over at you every few seconds, a wide grin breaking over his face as he realizes how lucky he is.

hugo is extremely perceptive to how you feel, almost scarily so. there's no use trying to hide anything from him. surprises, secrets, suppressed feelings, he notices it all. if there's an issue in your relationship, he doesn't let it linger; he sits you down and confronts it together.

and if you're having problems of your own, he's also there to help. he might be slightly overzealous with helping you fix whatever you have going on, but he's more than willing to just listen if that's what you need. either way, he can't stand the idea of you keeping something to yourself when it's clearly troubling you.

somehow, despite his directness when it comes to resolving conflict, the first “i love you,” takes a while. it's a difficult sentence for him to muster up, even if it's been months since you got together. in a way, it's the weight of it that holds him back. speaking it aloud

so he saves it for a moment that seems casual, perhaps to steel his nerves slightly, or to simply soften the blow. it happens when you're half asleep, mid-way through your nightly routine. he's on his way to the kitchen for a glass of water when he pauses by you in the bathroom, kisses your temple and whispers an “i love you,” into your hair.

in fact, you're so tired that you don't even notice it at first, simply humming in response as he ducks out of the room. it's a few seconds later when the words finally process, and you almost drop the toothbrush in your hand.

what follows is you dashing to the kitchen to confront him, a flurry of questions on your lips. he's frustratingly impassive with his responses, an air of forced calmness about him, as if he hadn't just shocked your entire system. the bewilderment on your face is amusing to a degree, but there's an anxiousness that accompanies it; one that doesn't ease until he hears those sweet, four words that he's been craving ever since the day he asked you to be his.

“i love you too.”

©c1phra 2025 : do not copy, translate, repost, redistribute, or use my work to train ai. reblogs are appreciated <33

[alllgator-blood]

I MADE THESE FOREVER AGO BUT NEVER POSTED THEM, I'm not happy with the fact I haven't been drawing at all lately, so I fought through the burnout long enough to finish these. They all had a couple small things to finish and somehow that made me not post them for 2 months...

Definitely gonna do that 50 bishop questions thing when I'm done bedrotting, especially now that I have these refs up. But for now: a couple assorted fun facts below the cut

-Leshy is a comic artist, Kallamar is a painter who specializes in frescos and triptychs, and Narinder is an animator who makes flipbooks. So back when the family was all still together, those three would meet up on slow days to storyboard + make backgrounds + animate characters in flipbook form and make the dark ages equivalent to a movie!

-Heket was originally supposed to have tattoos, but I literally forget to add them every single time I draw her and frankly it'd be weird if I randomly added them now. They were those little eyes all over her chest/belly that you can see in her eldritch form, but she also had oak leaves and mushrooms on her collarbone!

-I use they/them for Kallamar by default, and tend to have slightly different ways I draw them depending on if they're feeling masc/fem/neutral in comics. The family jokes that Kallamar is the one who leeched all of Shamura's gender, because Kall is like EVERYTHING AT ONCE and Shamura is just ENDLESS VOID

-You can tell if Shamura likes you if they start using pet names or flowery symbolism rather than your actual name. Their name for Mystic Seller is "Sunshine" because they heard a follower singing that "you are my sunshine" song, and felt that same mushy feeling in their chest listening to it as they get when they look at Mystic Seller.

-I dunno when the *exact* year was that Shamura started to shrivel up and lose their muscles, but it was probably around the ~500 year mark? So you can really kinda time when a comic takes place if Shamura shows up- if they're bedridden but still jacked, it's pretty soon after the schism. And if they're all gangly and disheveled, it's pretty close to the events of the game.

-All of their crown weapons are of indigenous origin because uhhh ummm fuck you that's why. The lore reason is that Shamura was the one to teach them all how to fight, and everybody already knows my Shamura is inexplicably Lakota...also I must say MEDICINE SHIELDS ARE NOT INTENDED FOR COMBAT IRL I just thought it was the *perfect* thing to give Kall.

-I've talked about Leshy's autism a bunch of times, but only once have I said that they ALL got it. It just manifests in very different ways. Heket's most notable autism trait is "something is wrong, I need to correct it or I'll fucking implode"/injustice sensitivity. She's the MF that breaks out the measuring tape when dividing up a snack to be shared. She also is LOUD AUTISTIC so she's not yelling at you but totally sounds like she is. Kallamar is the "I'm gonna projectile vomit if I bite something soft and find something crunchy"/"if I don't cover myself in lotion 24/7 I'll scream over being trapped in my dry skin" type. So a VERY texture sensitive fella. Shamura is obviously an infodumping type who has niche special interests, but will rip you in half with their bare fucking hands if you chew gum around them or breathe through your mouth.

I have so many random stupid headcanons about these guys that I might do an entire gigantic post about it someday but rn I just want to wrap this up and go lay back down lmao

[spidermanifested]

okay ive got to get this post out before april fools day so everyone knows this is important and serious information. i believe ive solved a mystery that i might have been the only person on earth who ever cared about and im taking you with me on this journey

For the uninitiated (aka people who have never looked at my blog in their whole life). there is this character called bido from fullmetal alchemist. hes greeds friend and goon and he shows up in like 5 chapters. he looks like this

and if youve never seen him before you are going to be baffled to find out that a large percentage of people who even bother remembering him seem to genuinely believe that he is a young child. and this goes beyond your regular fandom infantilization. i have had people comment on my very own posts, telling me "but wait, i thought bido was a kid".

for years i did not know how this misconception was even possible (look at him), let alone get so widespread, but that might be because the chiefest example of it exists... in the scanlation thats up on most "read free manga" websites. Aka; the one most people these days are reading. perhaps this is the mother of all other bido-child-takes. we may not ever know.

but either way, that scanlation team apparently decided at some point in their workflow, that not ONLY was bido a kid, but it made sense to have an ACTUAL kid* (*15-year-old) call him one. which at that point just feels like rubbing salt in the wound like come on

anyway the first time i checked the original dialogue to compare, i didnt know much japanese, but i was still pretty confident there was zero basis for the mistranslation. this scenes official translation makes no reference to bidos age, and aside from the obvious factor of "are you fucking serious just look at him", there was an ACTUAL reference to his age in the japanese dialogue of an earlier chapter; alphonse calls him "ojisan". which... surely the scanlation team would have seen. if they were translating the manga. but i guess it would be easy to forget a chapter you read that long ago if you arent similarly enamored of every detail regarding one of the least present background characters

Still. it seems like such a weird and out of nowhere choice to make and there didnt seem to be any reason for it. even replacing dialogue with lord of the rings quotes has a clear and almost understandable motivation (hubristically riding the coattails of sam and frodos legendary romance). so WHY did they just suddenly up and decide this bald middle aged man was some kind of precocious Crime Baby.

well in the past couple years i have learned a little bit more japanese. & since last night i think i have found the answer.

heres the original dialogue again, and then here it is simplified for one of the official video games.

"ビドーとやらが言ってた事も", aka, "and the stuff we heard bido say".

"言ってた事も", pronounced "いってたことも", aka "itteta koto mo".

Except. if you arent reading too closely, or your image quality sucks, and you mistake the と (to) for a ど (do).

言ってたこども*..............

*translators note: koto mo means "and stuff". kodomo means child.

i cannot stress this enough. the kanji for "koto" is right there on the page. this mistake would only happen if somebody was ONLY looking at the furigana and not even doing a good job of that. how did they get it this wrong. how did nobody second guess it. i know that scanlators are mostly a bunch of hobbyists trying their best and i do not mean to disparage them as a collective. its just , that i think these specific ones should maybe be pelted with an assortment of overripe fruits for a little while, for giving me this hyperspecific grievance to suffer.

At least maybe now that ive solved the riddle the truth will prevail in time. tell your friends, or something

[prael]

Oranges And Flowers

Kinktember Day 18: Romance

IU (Lee Jieun) x male reader smut

words: 10,517 Kinktember Masterlist

"Can I be honest with you all?" A question for a question, and they all turn their heads, and finally you offer them a real answer. "I didn't really know what I was getting myself into—when I applied to stay here, that is—I just needed a place to stay for the week."

The evening air is humid and still, the sky a flat obsidian black with shining constellations, and underneath it, surrounding a fire, is a circle of maybe the most mismatched group of people ever assembled. There are the stars of course, Hyori and Sangsoon, owners of the house and the famous couple hosting you all—then, Lee Jieun; you know the one, probably the single most famous person in the country, just casually sitting there in her summer dress as if she was nothing special at all. And then there's the guests, an assortment of people you still don't really know. The old couple, the young couple, and the sisters.

And, finally: you.

"So you applied to the TV show, just for somewhere to stay?" Hyori's laughter carries and is as contagious as it is clear and pleasant.

"Honestly," you look around the circle. "I didn't read a lot of the info, and even now I'm not too sure what's actually going on in the show."

This earns a laugh from the group, they're all looking at you, and not in that 'you-fucking-moron' sort of way, no, their faces are full of smiles. Though, one stands out above the rest.

"And you?" Hyori turns her attention to the next person in the circle, one of the sisters who is sitting on your left. All the stares move along with the questions, switching focus to the girl—all except one. Jieun sits directly across from you and her gaze rests stoically upon your face, an unreadable smile painting her delicate lips a plush and radiant pink. Between you, the fire burns. It sends spiralling embers shooting into the night and, behind it, the orange light dances over her skin. It would be so easy to get the wrong idea here. This place is just so beautiful, everything is picture-perfect, and all these postcard-worthy scenes feel even better when Lee Jieun is a part of the composition.

Laughter breaks out in the group again for some joke you never paid attention to. It steals the attention of you both, however, turning to the girl and joining in the laughter with a meek half-hearted chuckle, looking around at them all awkwardly before returning your eyes to Lee Jieun. She returns the look and lifts her drink, taking a long sip through a straw.

You weren't too sure about all this the first day you arrived. On paper it seems like such an obvious idea, you didn't have to pay a penny and the producers even picked you up from the airport, all in exchange for being a bit-part background character that no one who watches will ever really remember or care about. In reality, it has changed the whole holiday. The requirements for guests were rather simple. You just need to be around for a few set activities by the producer, all worked around your schedule, and then you're free to enjoy your time however you like.

That first morning, you were greeted at the house by Hyori and Sangsoon. Introductions were made and then a short tour began, all under the camera's watchful eye.

It was okay, you could handle it, right up until you were taken into the kitchen and standing there was Lee fucking Jieun. Apparently, you skipped over the part that said IU was going to be here. It was like staring into the sun. Of course, Hyori was quick to joke as you stood there stunned and silent with an open mouth that could catch a mosquito or two.

"Why am I being outshone in my own house? Jieun, you need to leave." Hyori playfully poked her friend in the arm, and Jieun just giggled along. And like the world's biggest idiot, you couldn't even muster a simple 'Hello'. Great first impression there.

From then on you were shown where you would sleep and you bumped into some of the other guests. They seemed normal enough. One was nice, one seemed grumpy, and the others—well, you really didn't know yet. When you settled into your room, you yearned to just do something normal, to not get overwhelmed. Making some tea seemed like the perfect grounding activity.

When you got there, the kitchen was empty. The teapot was already out, but everything else was decidedly harder to find. Then came that soft and gentle voice from behind you. "You won't find anything to steal in there; it's all baking supplies." It made you jump, and you snapped around to see Jieun leaning against a fridge door, smiling over a glass of something clear and carbonated.

You pointed at your chest like an idiot. "I'm... not looking to steal."

"Too bad." She took a long and dramatic sip. "It would have made for good television. Plus, you look like a kleptomaniac to me. Brooding and mysterious, travelling alone, all that sort of thing."

"I'm actually just trying to make some tea."

"Oh perfect, let me. Here," She took the cup from the kitchen counter, placed it in front of you, and then moved beside you to open the correct cupboard to pull out some tea leaves. It was funny the kind of thing that can go into making a good impression and the pressure you put on yourself to do so. How many would kill for this chance, to stand close to Jieun in an otherwise empty room? Yet, your mind was swimming, you were trying desperately to not think about the very famous, attractive, woman who stood shoulder-to-shoulder with you—trying desperately and failing horribly as the thoughts of something funny to say slipped out of reach entirely.

She leant in towards you—well, towards your cup—and you jumped back, trying to play it off as a simple 'making way' manoeuvre, but her little side-eye glance and smile told you how stupid you looked.

"This is one of the few things I know what to do. Tea. I can make tea," she was saying as she filled up the teapot. "They asked me to try and bake some bread this morning, but..."

"Where is it now?"

"It's in here," she pointed at the rubbish bin with a free hand.

"I think it bakes better in the oven. Can't tell you much more than that though." Boy did this woman laugh. Like, a lot. As if it was the funniest thing she had heard all week. Her shoulders shook and her whole body swayed, and when the teapot whistled it made her jump, which sent her spiralling back into another fit.

And suddenly, she looked so... normal. 

You know it's unfair to say celebrities are anything other than just normal people, because of course they are normal people, it's not like fame and money change them on a fundamental level. That being said, they can't help but not be normal in the eyes of many. Celebrities are celebrities,  like how someone with blue hair is always blue-haired. But, at the end of the day, Jieun, whether she is IU the singer and TV star or Jieun the disaster of a breadmaker, is just a regular, normal, though very gorgeous, woman.

And she looks that way now, too, across the campfire. Sure, the cameras are rolling and she puts a little extra emphasis and playfulness on her expressions and movements—who wouldn't for the sake of good television—but in this moment, right here, right now, she's a completely normal and likeable human being, one you think you might enjoy being around. Hyori continues to lead the discussion around the fire pit, asking a few probing questions about the guest's hobbies and home lives, then posing riddles to the group and comparing their answers with her husband Sangsoon's.

For you, her questions are answered quickly, giving them a quick thought and little else before letting them fall from your lips.

When Hyori moves her focus along, she doesn't fail to pick up on the way you and Jieun spend the remaining half hour or so, looking at each other, smiling every so often, then quickly pulling your gaze away as if caught red-handed doing something sinful.

~~~

"We're going to pick oranges this morning." Hyori is explaining over breakfast. "I know, it's not the most exciting but it's the Jeju staple activity, so we have to do it. All guests are welcome to join us."

The young couple sat to your right immediately volunteered their services, followed soon after by the older man and his wife. Once their attendance was secure, the rest seemed significantly less interested and all excused themselves for other tasks. As the only person yet to respond, Jieun turned the spotlight on you, "How about you? Are you going to join us?"

You shrugged. "Uh, I was going to meet a friend, actually."

Hyori is quick to follow up, "You could see them in the afternoon right? Come with us, it will be fun." There are a few puzzled looks around the table. See, Hyori didn't push anyone else to go, no, only you. "Your friend won't mind right?"

In all honesty, your friend might very well be livid, though he might very well lighten up if you told him who you were spending your morning with instead. You run a hand through your hair and admit defeat, looking towards her. "Okay, I'll come along."

An answer that produces an immediate, but brief shared glance between Hyori and Jieun.

~~~

The journey there was lacklustre, a short ride, with the other guest, separated from the stars who rode ahead. The staff member with you gave you a basic run down, they are only planning to use the guests in some overhead shots and some background shots, everything else would be focused on the three of them.

But, after climbing the stone steps and passing through the orchard gate, Hyori takes charge of the situation. "We'll split up into pairs. Our two older lovebirds can go together, and our younger couple too. Sangsoon is with me and..." She stops. Hyori gives you a devious grin, one that speaks louder than words. "That leaves you two." She gives a final affirming nod before striding over to join Sangsoon.

And just like that, you find yourself walking through the grove alongside a girl you've only ever seen on TV before. This morning she wore a cute ensemble that accentuated her long legs. Another flowing sundress with a belt tied tight at the waist to show off that lithe, feminine shape. It's a silent first few steps, walking off down between two rows of trees, both waiting for the other to initiate the conversation.

Jieun speaks first, breaking through the tension. "So, you said you know someone on the island?"

"Uh," you brush a loose strand of hair from your eye. "A couple of them actually, old friends. One lives in Jeju and another's been here for work and he said I should visit when I'm in the area."

"What are they like?" Jieun stops, so do you, and then she steps across you, before crouching down to take an orange from the low-hanging fruit. "The friends."

"Uhm..." What are they like? Good friends, obviously, otherwise you wouldn't be making this trip. Where's the drama, where are the fun anecdotes, or the moments of soul searching. Nothing comes to mind. "They're fine?"

It earns a chuckle from Jieun. "Fine?" She stands facing you, dropping the fruit into the basket you're carrying. "Is that all?" She flashes you the sweetest smile, an endearing smile, one that begs you to open up a little more.

"I met them recently, actually, it's been mostly online, to tell the truth." Jieun ducks down to get the next fruit, you bend down too and pluck at another on the opposite side, rotating to turn to her and handing her the basket, standing back up and following beside her once more. "They're funny, one of them is a big foodie. Always posts pictures of stuff like the best bibimbap in Busan or whatever. Has a whole food blog that's fairly popular."

Jieun nods, pondering and popping a new piece of fruit into the basket. "Do you like food?"

"Can't live without it," you joke.

Jieun chuckles, and you laugh with her. It is hard not to, her laughter is so cute. "So can you cook?" she follows.

"Instant noodles is about all I know."

"Somehow I even manage to ruin those," she admits with a fake frown and a laugh. "I think that's part of the reason I'm on this show."

"What's that?" you ask as Jieun reaches for another ripe fruit, she pulls it from the branch and then somehow manages to drop it on the floor, a gesture you couldn't help but find positively adorable. She runs a few steps after it as it begins to roll on the hard dirt ground, and bends over to scoop it up, presenting it to you victoriously with her smile.

"What's what?"

"You said it's why you're on the show."

"Oh, because I'm kind of, useless? Clumsy, not very domesticated, really."

"Those things don't make you useless, you're anything but useless." Is that flirting? A line you spout before the weight of the words and the loaded tone settle in your own mind. Jieun turns to you, eyes sparkling, cheeks rising as she smiles wider than you had seen before.

"And why is that?" There's no escaping her questioning, and maybe she enjoys it a little.

"Well." A fruit, any fruit, grab another fruit. Look away and look at the tree. Breathe. Turn to her again. You can do it. "You just put all your talents into singing and performing and acting and whatever else you do right? You put all your skill points into one tree so to speak, instead of scattering them to fill multiple."

She stops. Frowns. "What?" Her face twists in a confused mess. "Skill points?"

"Oh. It's like, in games, when you earn skill points to improve something and choose what you want to..." You realise how utterly ridiculous you sound. "Never mind."

Her face is one of wonder, there's this mixture of confusion, curiosity, and her clearly fighting back laughter. "No," she laughs. "Continue, please, you were doing a whole thing there."

"I embarrassed myself enough for one day. Thank you."

"Are you a bit of a nerd?" She asks with this teasing smirk before spinning away, her floral dress flowing in the wind, and walking further ahead.

"Hey! No! Not a nerd!" you call after her, following in her wake.

"Look like a nerd to me" She twirls around just before the turn in the row, leaning on the trunk of one of the few taller trees, smirking and playfully twirling a few strands of her dark hair around her delicate fingers.

From then on, the conversation flows far easier and quicker than it probably should. A playful back and forth as she questions your hobbies and quirks, you fire back asking for her own. Things range from the kinds of books she likes to her telling you how she always sings into her toothbrush every morning when she is brushing her teeth. You promised not to tell a soul, as her secret was safely in your hands. She has a quick wit and a slightly goofy sense of humour, the kind of things a magazine spread or a soju advertisement could never communicate or capture.

Despite her charm and charisma though, the thing that shines through the most is the way she listens to you. With genuine care and fascination, and not just for the cameras, no, it felt genuine. Honest. True.

"No. You can not be serious!"

"One hundred percent true." You pull out your phone and show her the photos on the screen. A blurry mess at first before you flip to another.

"That's you? And that's... is that..." She doesn't need to finish, she takes hold of the phone and holds it directly up against her face. "Why did you think that was a good idea?"

"I never thought it was a good idea, I lost a bet, and we had been drinking. Bad decisions were inevitable."

"This might well be the single worst tattoo I have ever seen." She doesn't stop squinting at the photo. "Why is it upside down?"

"I don't think the orientation would make it any better."

"Wait," Jieun says, looking away from your phone and into your eyes. "You have to show me it, I want to see it with my own eyes."

"Absolutely not."

Jieun slaps at your arm, pretending to be upset. "Come on!"

"Jieun, even if I wanted to show you my ass, there would be no point, I had it lasered off like 2 months later."

Jieun's laughter could ring for a day. It's infectious, it's a laughter that communicates how light, happy and free-spirited she feels—and it makes you feel exactly the same. You talk a bit about travelling, too. Places you've been, places you would still like to go. For Jieun, it became a bit of a flex. A concert here and a concert there, movie filming there and a photoshoot here.

"You've seen the world, and met everyone, but here you are picking oranges with me."

"Here I am." Jieun stepped aside as you passed, looking around at the beautiful weather and the swaying tree branches. "I like this more, I think." She stops. You turn, seeing her suddenly shift a bit shy. "It's nice, this..."

"Oranges are nice and all..."

Jieun giggles. "No, silly," Jieun purses her lips. "This. Me and—"

"Hey, you two! Having a nice time!?" Sangsoon calls out to the pair of you from a few rows down. In unison, the two of you turn to him, to his big, smiling face, and then watch as Hyori hits him on the shoulder and admonishes him for interrupting. For a second it looks as though Jieun is blushing as she looks away from his gaze and towards the ground, scratching her brow, hand almost acting as a shield.

"We should get back."

"Yeah, I'm all orange'd out," you say, holding up the full basket.

~~~

You had spent the afternoon away from the house, which was probably for the best, spending some time in reality instead of this strange new world where you're suddenly hanging out with IU. The friend, your old university colleague and Jeju local was eager to catch up. Despite a minor disagreement—or two, or ten—he took it in good sport. Before nightfall though, you had returned and had just taken a shower.

There's a knock at the door, so you quickly pull on a shirt and open it to find Hyori on the other side. "Hey stranger," she follows your gesture and walks into the room before perching on your bed. "How was your time today?"

You close the door behind you. "Fun. I spent some time catching up with some friends."

"And making a new friend?"

A small nod. "I enjoyed myself today, it was all quite... different than what I had been doing. It was..." You weren't really sure how to follow up.

"I get it." Hyori leaned back on her hands. "But Jieun really seemed to have a lot of fun today."

You're stuck in this awkward silence, not wanting to say anything stupid but also refusing the play it down.

Hyori takes mercy on you. "Anyway," she pushes herself to her feet. "We're eating outside again, barbecue, come join us."

A smile appears, an acceptance of the invitation. She watches it come out and nods at it, as if pleased with your decision. And with a brief smile, she leaves the room and you're left alone. You leave the room.

You arrive on the back porch and watch the scene from a distance. Jieun sits by the fire in a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, looking so naturally good it could take the breath of anyone who stared long enough. Her legs look spectacular in shorts, her chest looks perfect through a white t-shirt, and she looks breathtaking right now—in this light and under these circumstances. The fire-pit burns again and as it does, Hyori and Sangsoon stand near the grill, their backs turned and talking among themselves. By Jieun's feet rests one of Hyori's dogs, sound asleep.

As soon as your foot hits the grass to start walking over, Jieun turns to see you approaching and a radiant smile cuts right through your defences, punching into your heart and embedding a spear made entirely out of a whole array of butterflies. "I was beginning to think you wouldn't join us," she teased with a flick of her hand.

"Good to know I'm missed when not around."

Jieun is about to say something but appears to bite her tongue and look back at the fire. There's a space next to her on the little log chair she sits on, though you think it too presumptuous to sit right by her so soon, and take the little wooden armchair opposite instead, crossing your legs and stretching, pulling your phone from your pocket, to check for notifications. None. You stare at it anyway.

There's a solemn silence for a while, the cooking of meat and the playful bickering of the couple by the grill and the occasional chatter amongst the other guests. This leaves you and Jieun, slowly drinking from your glasses, separated by the fire.

After some time, the food begins to come in batches, and you eat with everyone else. The group shares the tale of their expedition to the oranges this morning, like how Hyori claims she found the largest orange of the day only for the young couple to later find and present a larger specimen. Some of the others share how they went into town and saw some old houses, or an old shrine, visited the beach and splashed around in the water and a few others sit and listen quietly, nursing their drinks.

Eventually, you begin to grow drowsy and stifled by the warm heat of the fire, a blanket that draws everyone closer, too close.

You stand, pat yourself off and let your gaze rest on the fire, then speak to no one in particular. "I'm going for a walk, thank you for the food," you say as you bow your head to your hosts.

"So late at night?" Jieun asks from her perch.

"Got a bit too warm is all, fresh air would be nice."

Jieun glanced down at the fire and her eyes shot up at you. "Let me join you, keep you company."

Hyori and Sangsoon share an understanding glance, before Hyori says, "Be careful you two."

Jieun stands up. "Soonshim can come with us, can't you Soonshim? You'll keep us safe." She bends down to stroke her behind the ears, and she lazily raises her head and grumbles in that cute way that animals do. She happily climbs to his feet and yawns.

Off you went, walking the stone path. Up a gentle incline before cutting left towards a quiet path cutting through some trees. For a while, the night is filled with the sound of rustling trees and the snapping of fallen sticks underfoot. That's all until Soonshim leads your party off onto an even more remote dirt track.

"Now where are you going?" Jieun coos playfully, not expecting much of a response.

"She probably knows this area better than we do," you suggest with a smile and Jieun returns it. You seem to bring a lot of smiles out in each other. Soonshim appears to have a destination in mind, the dog bounds along the track and you follow, the path becomes more and more unstable, and the darkness of the evening isn't doing either of you any favours.

Jieun steps up onto a stone in the path and she slips, wobbling from the momentum of the step with a small yelp and you catch her immediately in your arms.

"Careful," you chuckle nervously. She doesn't move, but relaxes into your chest, closing her eyes. You have her. You keep her steady, her breathing is fast and short. It slows and slows, her fingers lightly clasping at your arms. She relaxes and her voice comes at near a whisper.

"Thank you."

And then, slowly, she lifts herself away without looking you in the eye and lets out a small cough. She starts to walk again, this time holding onto your hand—for safety. You smile at the touch and gently squeeze back, taking care as you descend and traverse the difficult ground. Soonshim still leads onward, barking and jumping in her bounding little way and occasionally waiting for the slow, careless, humans to catch up as she heads uphill.

Before long you come to a clearing at the top which blesses you with a view of the rolling countryside, bathed in moonlight, and a peaceful soundscape, far removed from anything but the sounds of nature. Back down the hill, over the trees, you can see the roof of the house, and the glowing of the fire out front.

Soonshim finds a nice place for a rest, and the Jieun leans her head into your shoulder and says quietly, "Tell me something that no one knows."

Soonshim rests. Jieun looks expectant, and suddenly, you're struggling. There must be something interesting. No. Something cute or funny? No, nothing seems quite right. And yet her eyes are searching for answers. The seconds pass and you rack your brain trying to remember, going into the darkest of dungeons in your memories, hoping something would come.

"Something that no one knows," you mutter to yourself. Jieun leans closer. Something that no one knows. Soonshim yawns, laying her chin on her paws as her tail softly hits the grass beside her. "I had this girlfriend, a few years ago. She was kind and sweet and loving."

"What's not to love about that?"

"Ah well." You snickered, a chuckle under your breath. "When she's doing the same thing with another guy it kind of takes the shine off a little."

"Ah... I'm sorry," Jieun reaches out, resting a consoling hand on your forearm. Her grasp is delicate. "It must have been tough. How did you find out?"

"They were bad at hiding it. When I did confront her, she didn't deny it."

Jieun lets out a small breath, something between a gasp of surprise and a grunt of disbelief. "Wow. So did it end, like, there and then?"

"Yep. Walked out and have been free ever since. Never looked back." You smile, looking out across the plains below.

"Do you prefer to be free? Not tied down and always going after adventure?"

"If I wasn't free, I wouldn't be here. If I was tied down I would never make this trip."

"Doesn't answer my question," Jieun jokes then pokes you in the ribs.

"No. Not really." A period of silence follows as you take in the fresh air and the scenery before you. The sound of crickets rings out and the breeze swirls its way through the brush. Jieun seems to ponder on what you had just told her. Maybe it doesn't make much sense, or maybe you just came off a little weird. You can't be sure what she is thinking.

But speaking so plainly is a freeing feeling, and telling her feels right. As though the idea that she may judge you is, not unthinkable, but far more remote of a possibility.

"I broke up with someone too. Not long ago,. It wasn't anything as tragic as yours, but, we just didn't have the time to be together." She brushed at a stray hair, caught by the wind.

"I'm sorry." You turn to face her and she meets your eyes for only a moment before she turns to Soonshim who lifts her head and tilts it with the look that only a dog's can express. "She's beautiful," Jieun mutters softly, nodding her head to the sleeping canine, which wagged its tail at the acknowledgement.

"Yeah. She is beautiful." You say, not taking your eyes off of Jieun.

She draws back her gaze, and looks up, with a little confusion, eyes glimmering like gemstones, searching your own as she draws nearer and nearer to you. "Are you talking about Soonshim, or—"

"You."

Lee Jieun steps into the kiss, onto her tiptoes and lifts herself as high as she can to press her soft lips on yours. Your heart seemed to miss a beat, or five, as you leant into it, capturing her lips with your own. You pull your arms around her, in a tight embrace and her heartbeat thunders against you.

And when Jieun pulls her lips away from yours, you lean in again, capturing her lips once more. You cradle the back of her head and guide the kiss, ever so slightly. Just to be closer to her, only a little closer. But enough. When the kiss ends this time, you sigh.

"We shouldn't," Jieun's whisper sounds so vulnerable, her mouth, too lonely for the words. "We should—" kiss again? "go back."

"I'm sorry, I—" Jieun cuts you off with a small kiss, a peck.

"Don't be." She keeps hold of your hand, leading you towards the path and pulling you gently downhill. "We should just get back."

~~~

It's on the porch of the house, where you stood just a couple of hours ago, staring at her, that she says, "Good night." And there's this look in her eye that screams the words 'I want to kiss you again'. Though you both know that this isn't the time or the place.

"Good night," you give her a smile. "Sleep well."

"You too." And then she's gone, Jieun and Soonshim slip in through the back door and you head to the front to get into your room. The emptiness of the room is a strange departure from the warmth of company you've felt all evening. And as you drop onto the bed, sleep does not come quick—it refuses.

Instead, as you toss and turn in the cool, crisp linen, you imagine Jieun's lips meeting your own again, and again. Soft and pliable, sweet and willing, as inviting as can be. Then you argue with yourself that it was an accident, just a product of the moment rather than anything deeper, but... not really. Not when it happens like this, not with her so eager, as eager as you were, in equal measure. And that has a price. The whole night, turning endlessly.

You wonder if she struggles just the same.

The morning rolls around and so does the bad news. There's someone completely unrecognisable helping prepare breakfast, a change that goes unaddressed by your hosts for what seems like the longest time. It's only when they join you at the table that they make the announcement, "Jieun has a concert, back in Seoul, she'll be returning tomorrow evening." Hyori pulls a chair and sits down at the table, pulling a full plate closer to her.

Sangsoon helps himself and settles next to Hyori, asking casually, "Did you and Jieun go for a walk yesterday?"

You pause, trying not to sound like a blushing teenager. "Uh, yes. Yes we did, it's very pretty out there, with some really nice views. Soonshim led us up a hill."

"Didn't see much of you afterwards," Hyori teases, "did we?"

"I was tired after we got back so I just crashed. Tough work walking those hills."

The two hosts glance at each other and chuckle. "Well, Soonshim will be happy, she loves walks. Thanks for looking after her."

You give a small, simple nod. "Of course."

For the next ten minutes, you pick at some of your food but feel so restless the entire time. By the time you stand up from the table, Sangsoon looks a bit surprised. "Somewhere to be?"

"Just want to use the bathroom," you say, with a hasty smile.

There, you stare in the mirror. And it hits you. Hard, right in the stomach, like a heavyweight boxer throwing a right hook, or a hammer kick from a martial artist. A surge of feeling that cuts through you and shatters any façade of composure. Of control. You're flustered. Nervous, even. Like an anxious teen in a school hall during prom.

It's an alien, almost nauseating, feeling, something like vertigo.

~~~

"Can I get you anything else?"

"No, that's everything." Jieun answers, before pulling closed the divider of her first-class pod, shielding herself from the prying eyes of those seated nearby. She places her headphones on and peels into her orange, holding a large section up to the light, before gently placing it in her mouth.

The flight is short to Seoul, but it's a lonely one—without him. She can still feel him though, the kiss that happened at the hilltop. And all the dread that comes with it. Jieun knows full well just how wrong it was, and yet she also knows just how right it felt. Normally, by now, all of her thoughts are on the performance ahead. All her little anxieties arise from the finer details and how she strives to perfect them. Now, though, is the exception.

The ride from the airport to Yonsei is a little different. Though she had to put on her best actress face in the airport, for all the fans and the cameras, but here, alone and safe, she's given the time and the space she needs, but it doesn't bring the relief she expected. Now her thoughts are just swirling, again. Swirling and storming and churning.

Her manager is talking, about this and that, all probably important—but she'll never know.

'It's just going to go down the same road again, another relationship that takes a backseat to my career.'

Jieun groans internally. 'He's such a nice person though.'

"Jieun?"

It catches her off guard. Her heart pounds in her chest, startled, not so much because she was called upon, but the direction it was in. "Huh?"

"So, what do you think?" the manager asks. "Are you even listening? This is what you wanted right?"

Jieun closes her eyes, bringing her index finger up and pinching the bridge of her nose, running her hands down the contours of her face, then forcing a small, tired grin on her lips, she mutters, "Yeah, sorry, I'm listening."

~~~

It's been a strange couple of days. You spent as much of it as you could away from the house. Out in Jeju doing the most random of things to take your mind away from her. Though that's pretty tough when you're walking the street and she's on poster after poster and then you dip into a convenience store only for it to be playing her music.

Coming back for lunch wasn't any better, with Sangsoon and Hyori often teasing or giving the odd hint here and there. You sat down, not able to enjoy the food properly and excused yourself when your appetite gave out on you.

That afternoon, Hyori sat on the porch and invited you to join her—quiet and away from everyone else.

"You must know it's not easy for someone in Jieun's position to do, to go around kissing anyone like that," she starts and she reaches for the drink, pouring it and handing the glass out to you, and you reach for it, staring down at the liquid and watching the ice cubes swim and then sink.

"She told you?"

"In a sense," Hyori laughs softly and pours the other glass, putting the jug aside and taking up her glass. She leans back on one hand against the wooden board and says, "So, what now, what do you intend to do?"

"Uh, about what?"

Hyori offers a smirk and says, "About her."

"I..." What can you really say here, apart from that you just want her, like probably a hundred thousand other men and women have wanted her since they've first laid their eyes on her. Instead, you sip at your glass.

"Nothing wrong with liking her," Hyori says casually, as if the statement itself isn't fraught with consequence.

"Doesn't matter," is what you offer. "I shouldn't, we're from different worlds."

"Mmmm, yes and no," Hyori sips on her drink. "Listen. People like Jieun, like me, the reality we live in isn't the reality we want. Well, it is, but it also isn't. Because we get what we want but never quite get all we want."

You narrow your gaze in confusion. "Sounds like a riddle."

"Think of it like this. When we're on TV or we're on a stage or at a photoshoot or whatever, it's like we're living in the clouds, are you with me?"

"I think so."

"Well being up in the clouds is amazing, you get to do great stuff, fun stuff. But there's always a danger of floating away. So there's the other half of our life, on the ground. It's what keeps us sane. Balanced."

"So you have this double life," you offer as an interpretation.

"It's not that drastic but, yes." Hyori swirls the contents of her glass, taking a quick sip to wet her mouth. "Don't mistake it though, the ground is the more important half, because, in that part, we meet the people who mean the most to us. But, listen to me, when you date someone like Jieun, you're dating that half of her life. The ground. The clouds are for her alone."

"So you have to let her live up in those clouds without you?"

"Did she tell you about her ex?"

"She said they didn't have the time to be together."

Hyori nods. "If she told you that, then you've confirmed it for me. She likes you. But, now you have to think, this past twenty-four hours, there's going to be a lot more of this. Sitting at home while she's performing in front of thousands, living in the clouds. You have to ask yourself, can you handle it? Are you willing to accept it? All the pros and cons."

There's nothing for a few moments, the pair of you sit there silently, before you mutter, "That's kind of hard," and Hyori laughs under her breath as she tilts her head and agrees.

"Yeah. That's why not every relationship survives. Not in this business. But I'm doing you the favour of warning you in advance."

"Thank you."

"Speak of the devil." The sound of a car draws closer until it stops. Some commotion arises and then slowly, she appears. In all her beauty and grace. Hair blowing softly in the breeze, her yellow jumper and skinny jeans hugging her hips perfectly, her beauty as sharp and clear and as immediate as ever. There's no way to take it all in with just one look, especially with the sun low on the horizon behind her. You're mesmerised, to say the least, and even more so as her shy smile reveals itself.

"Evening," Hyori stands, opening her arms for Jieun and wrapping her in a hug, kissing her on the cheek. They exchange some words you can't hear but you watch the movement of the mouths, the way the body moves. Then you turn back to your drink, pretending to watch the dregs swim at the bottom of the glass. You can feel her now, or at least smell the light fragrance, you don't need to turn, as a shadow descends on the side of your head.

"Hi."

"Hey," you say as you draw your eyes slowly up her body. "How was the concert?"

"Good, thank you." Her smile widens.

"You must be tired after all that," you follow, and she nods in agreement and glances to the far end of the veranda.

"And hungry. Will you come inside for dinner with me?" She's smiling now, an infectious, radiant smile, that grows.

"Of course."

You move indoors, you and her at the table. You use the conversation over dinner to ask her about the concert, and her life as a celebrity. From asking her how it feels to be up there singing to hearing stories about some of the craziest fans, the sorts of weird things they do and the lengths they'll go to.

"Some even claim to know me," she laughed, "and try and ask me questions or say certain things and act as though we've known each other for years."

"It sounds surreal," you say and Jieun leans in with a curious look.

"It's been days and you haven't asked about this before now, not at all, so what's got you so interested?" she teases.

"Well, I guess I just wondered what life is like up in the clouds."

Jieun narrows her eyes at you for a moment before chuckling a bit, and leaning in further and muttering, "Hyori. She spoke to you about this didn't she?"

"Just a little, yes. While you were gone."

"I knew it, she likes this little analogy." Jieun folds her arms, rests them on the table and stares right into your eyes, asking "What else did she say...?"

"Not a lot."

"Oh god." Jieun throws herself back against her chair, she brings her hands up to her mouth, with the sleeves of her jumper over her hands and looking like she wants to bury herself into the palms of her hands. "Ugh, that girl. What else did she say?"

"Really, not much else," you answer.

"Right." She sits forward again, not raising her eyes. "Listen, while I was away, I was thinking about what happened."

"And..."

"And," Jieun lets out a huge exhale, the stresses and fears seem to leave along with that breath. "She told you, and you haven't run away. Or at least, not yet. You're still here, we're here. Now. Just sitting, having a chat and eating some noodles."

"The noodles are really nice," you say and Jieun laughs.

"See, you make me laugh, and it makes me all confused, in the best way possible. And I know this isn't the time or place, but—"

"Yes, Jieun."

"You don't even know what I was going to say."

"I'd really love to see where this takes us," you say as you rise from your seat, rounding the table without breaking eye contact. You gently take her hand.

Jieun looks a bit hesitant, stares at the ground and mutters under her breath, "Where does that road end, you know? Look at everything I'm asking, of you, I don't want you to get hurt because I may not be able to give enough."

"I get it Jieun, the ground and the clouds," you whisper as you guide her up from her seat to stand in front of you. "I'll be on the ground. Sometimes you'll be in the clouds."

Jieun collapses her cheek against your shoulder and releases a deep sigh. "Why are you so nice to me?" Jieun sniffles.

"Because you deserve it Jieun."

Her heart thumped so hard, so rapidly, and tears flooded her eyes, making the world wavy and foggy. She fights the tears. And she finds the warmth of you, she pushes her face hard into your chest, inhaling deeply, and feeling an inexhaustible source of strength flow through her, bolstering her. She presses her body into yours.

She reaches her head up and kisses you deeply. Your hands cup her cheeks and your tongues meet for the first time. She leans in, slipping her hands to your neck, and curling her fingers tightly. Her lips are so warm and soft, her whole body melts, and the two of you press against one another. A fire burns and every nerve thrills in anticipation. Her breathing increases as a raging fire churns within.

When the kiss breaks, you murmur against her lips, "Should we, go somewhere that isn't the kitchen?"

Jieun nods, her hands still firmly clutching the collar of your shirt. "The food can wait."

As the door to your room closes, you begin unbuttoning your shirt, the last of them dropping open as she leaps at you, her lips attacking your neck with soft, wet, urgent kisses as she clutches you like her life depends on it. And you have her back, reaching around and holding her, carrying her, stumbling through the dark and onto the bed. You hit the mattress, and your grip relaxes as she leans back and grabs the hem of her sweatshirt. Jieun lifts it, dragging it up her body until the garment is sent to the floor and there it lay, forgotten.

For a moment she seems hesitant, sitting above you. It's a strange mix of tension and passion, the way her fingers trace lines on your chest, and you sit in awe of this beauty above you. The urge to reach for her, to take her, becomes overwhelming, as your gaze trails up her tight, toned stomach, and lingering over her small chest, clothed in black and wrapped snug. You stare and she shivers at the intensity of that look and bites at the corner of her lip.

"This is okay?" Jieun asks softly.

"I'm here for it if you are," you tell her, reaching and cupping her breast in your hand, as though it belonged there. That sends a new chill through her.

"Okay." Jieun nods her head a little. The word shakes a little with a quiver of breath and she lowers her head to meet her lips on yours, softly brushing at first but gradually more insistent. Her tongue prods and finds yours, and she pushes you down by the shoulders, forcing herself to lie on top of you and hold you there. And the kiss seems endless.

You run a hand up the soft skin of her back, up the divot of her spine until your fingers come to her bra strap, and with a small break in the kiss, you murmur against her lips. "Can I?"

She kisses you while she nods. Your fingers search a little, finding the clasp, you tug, letting the bra slip. And, with one small gentle tug on her shoulders, the strap of the bra slips off and it's only her hand rushing up to cover her modesty that keeps it in place.

You wrap your arm around her and roll her over onto her back, and as she lay against the covers, you're over her, looking down at how she still holds her arm over her tits. "I want you to see all of me," she whispers.

"I want to see all of you."

And with that admission, her arm, drops slowly away, pulling the black bra with it and exposing those two perfect, beautifully formed tits. With the lightest, most delicate touch, you brush your thumb across one and feel it spring a little at your touch. The nipples are erect, Jieun leans and looks to the side as you bend down, taking one nipple into your mouth. You flit your tongue across the little pink pebble of flesh and watch Jieun's face.

The muscles around her eyes tighten, and she lets out the sexiest little whimper. The reaction makes you want her more and you begin swirling and caressing her tit with the soft, flat of your tongue, and sucking her nipple into the warm recesses of your mouth.

She cries out and gasps. "God that feels good..." her hands clawing through your hair and her fingernails scraping through. Her moan spurs you onwards as you plant a trail of kisses, switching between which sensitive nub you suck, tug and tease. "Don't stop," she pleads.

"Not when you taste so good."

"I can't believe we're... that you're here, with me."

Your hand finds hers, lacing the fingers into hers you smile, push her hand into the bedsheets and stare up into her glimmering eyes as you run your tongue once more around her nipple. "You're perfect Jieun, I can't believe I'm so lucky."

Jieun arches her back a little, closing her eyes and exhaling a breath. "Stop it, that's not true," she giggles in between whimpers, "stop it, you know it's not— oh g-god..."

You're moving your kisses up over her collarbone and to her neck, and settling your body down between her legs, resting between her thighs. Jieun clamps her legs tightly around you as you keep sucking and biting at her neck, nibbling ever so lightly on her ear. "And now," you whisper huskily, into her ear, "I have you pinned beneath me..."

"Oh, fuck, yes," Jieun squirms. She desperately pushes your shirt off your shoulders and then runs her hands over your body. "I like this feeling." She's pushing her hands between your stomachs, pulling open your jeans and pushing them down off your ass.

You return the favour, bringing her into a kiss and reaching to pull her tight jeans open. She lifts her hips to aid you, allowing you to slip them off her hips. You don't have a chance to pull them all the way off, too heavy in your kiss and grinding yourself between her legs.

You reach and pull at her and she breaks the kiss with a soft moan as she grabs your shoulder and shifts her hips. The movements press you into her a little more, and her head goes to the pillows behind her head, tilting back. The angle reveals the beautiful soft and slender curve of her neck and you go at it again, kissing and biting, nibbling and licking, running the tip of your tongue over the hot, smooth expanse and smiling as she wraps her arms and legs around you as tightly as her lips when you kissed her.

"I want you," she gasps. "I want you. Now."

You put an arm under her and pull her up until you're on your knees and she's straddling you. She reaches down, hands into your pants and takes your thick cock in her fist. That first touch. Her soft fingers are on your hardness. It's a rush that hits both of you and suddenly you're kissing again as Jieun awkwardly strokes your length, trying to tease you out.

You decide to make it easier and sit her on the bed, still kissing her intermittently as you stand and push your clothes to your ankles. Standing before Jieun, the most desirable woman you've ever been fortunate enough to touch, you suddenly feel a primal sense of arousal hit.

You lay her back again, and peel those jeans off her slender legs. Slowly down her thighs as they spill out of the denim, then all the way off, until she's in nothing but a pair of black panties, and you're stood over her, naked to the air. Jieun sits up to you and brushes your chest, feeling the shape of the muscles and kneeling back on her haunches, you take her mouth again, sliding your hands up her hips and feeling those supple breasts once more. "Jieun, you're so hot."

Jieun bites your lip, and throws her leg around you, drawing you down and gasps sharply as you find your cock grazing across the smooth expanse of her panties and press at her entrance, almost bursting with desire. Jieun pulls at your hips, urging you between them. She grunts with effort, biting at your neck. "You're everything I have ever wanted."

There's a pause that's filled only by your shared, short panting. This is where it happens. It's more than want and need. The quiet acknowledgement, the long silence, you stare into Jieun's eyes, and both of you nod your heads a fraction, agreeing without speaking a word. You push her panties to the side. Then the contact, the softness and the wetness of her opening as the tip of your cock pushes her apart.

"Oh, shit!" Jieun lets out the involuntary profanity as she claws at your back and moans into the crook of your neck.

It's amazing. Unbelievably, spectacularly, amazing. Her tightness stretches with only minimal effort, and you let out a strained breath.

"Oh my god," Jieun has her fingers clasping tightly to your shoulder and mouth open with pleasure. Her chest rises and falls rapidly as she writhes under you. "You feel amazing... holy shit," she curses.

"Jesus Jieun," you grunt as you sink down just that extra inch, enveloping your full length inside her. "You feel perfect, I could stay here forever."

Jieun does the best she can with that compliment, grinning through clenched teeth. "Thank you. I'm—" She cuts her own sentence short by gasping and reaching higher and taking a handful of your hair in her palm, her nails digging into your skull. "Do it." She orders you and the tone is coated in lust. "Please."

And so you do. Pull out to the sound of her sharp expectant inhale, and back in as she moans her lungs empty, the noises making it impossible to remain idle. Soon enough you have a rhythm of slow, measured thrusts, and are gasping in tune to her beautiful mews.

"God, you feel so damn good," Jieun manages, and she follows by adding, "A little harder, I love it."

It's like that for a few minutes. Jieun's pleasure is palpable with every movement of the bed springs and groans. Though it can't be any louder than the voice in your mind. This is actually happening. Fucking IU, of all people, is on her back beneath you, her beautiful body reacting to your every movement. She reaches for her breasts, rubbing them and pinching at the hardened points and begging, "More, please more," and you give.

Jieun brings her leg higher, arching her back and urging you further into her pussy, driving herself into you with equal force. This time her cry is louder, less controlled and broken by the beat of your bodies against each other, the sound of sex becoming a background harmony. Her feet stretch out behind you, her heels dig at the small of your back and her head falls back on the bed.

"I don't know how... how long I can..." Jieun breathes out. Her leg suddenly jerks and her entire body tenses. "Oh, shit."

You know what's coming, that doesn't make the feeling of her tightening around you any less shocking. She's shivering, gasping for breath and squeezing her eyes tightly, her body growing taut like a string pulled between fists.

"Fuck, Jieun, are you gonna—"

"Yes. Yes." Her entire body convulses. Her fingernails ripping lines up your back, Jieun arches from the bed, a sharp keening whimper from between her lips, followed by a series of high-pitched, short cries.

You're falling into the sheets beside her and pulling her on top of you. Seamlessly you move together, and she's riding you now, throwing her head back. You're lying there and she's a sight to behold. Her petite frame rolls and her toned, lithe muscles shift beneath her smooth skin. Every motion carries her hips as she fucks you.

Her breasts rise and fall, her hands flatten themselves on your chest as she holds herself up, bouncing herself on your cock with insistent determination. Jieun slides her palms upward, bringing them to your shoulders and lowering her chest, you reach to cup her tits, squeezing firmly and a sparkle glimmers in her eyes.

"You're so hard," Jieun purrs.

"You look so good on me, feel it too."

A smile flashes across her lips and the muscles clench,. You drag your hands across the perfect curves, feeling her sides, her ass, sliding back to take two, firm handfuls, pulling her into every movement. Your arms and legs beginning to tingle with your release, and you're losing all feeling other than her silken embrace.

Then you see her grimace and twist her body, breaking again for you. She falls against you and grinds out her orgasm. She quivers over you like a leaf in the wind. You hold her hips steady and stroke her skin as she returns from her high.

"Sorry," she moans a drawn-out apology. "Wanted you to cum, but, I can't..."

You hold her, rising from the bed, "Don't worry, Jieun, I've got this." You lift her and place her onto her side, thighs together, knees together, you push them up to meet her chest. Her perfect ass and thighs are on show, begging for you to slip back inside. She twists her body to watch you lean over her and push her knees into the bed.

You thrust into her, slipping under that one ass cheek, past those moist panties and into her pussy again. Jieun moans aloud again, and the sight of your cock slipping into her, the feel, is mesmerising. Jieun squeals a note.

The feeling, after only a few short thrusts, builds rapidly. And while a part of you wishes to hold back for her, make her cum over and over, she's far too sexy to deny yourself your sole need. Jieun moans and clenches again then cries out, "Please!" Her eyes watching you drive in deeper. And you lose it. The pressure breaks within, you bask in the sights, sounds, and feelings, and let it overwhelm you. "Inside, it's safe."

You spasm and with a deep thrust into her, your cum pours. Thick. Heavy, plentiful spurts as you cling to her trembling body. A final, ragged cry slips past your lips. Energy drained from you, into her, and you near-collapse against her sweat-kissed body.

You slip out of her, collapsing behind her and spooning her trembling body close, you drop kisses across the soft surface of her bare shoulder and take a tight grip on her small, perky tits. She whispers, "That was amazing."

"Tell me about it. The best."

She rolls her head and glances at you. "No, I mean, really, thank you. You were..." she sighs dreamily. "I didn't think it was possible to feel like that."

"We fit well, Jieun," you tell her softly. "There's no need to ever thank me. You really are special."

"Saying things like that," she sobs lightly. "You better be careful or you're going to mean a lot to me."

Your breathing seems loud in the sudden quiet, and you say, "I'd like that Jieun, to matter to you. Being important to you. It'd make me happy."

She is silent for a long moment, staring straight ahead. A single, happy tear rolls from her eye, onto the bed, and then sleep takes over. It is like a force sweeping you into the deepest darkness. It seems to happen between one breath and the next. One moment you're lying next to the most beautiful woman in the world, in the most euphoric, blissful post-coital state. In the next, your eyes blink open, and you're sprawled on your back, alone in the bed.

Her perfume hangs faintly in the air. Like a half-forgotten dream. An unintelligible whisper in the corner of your ear. "Goodnight," she had murmured at some point, in that instant between slumber and consciousness. But as your eyes scan around, her absence, her presence, seems like a dream. Like a mirage. As if she's always been this transient figure in your life. You fall into the pillow.

Then, just as sleep begins its second embrace, there's a knock at the door. There's a pause before a quiet voice speaks, "You awake?"

You sit up in a rush. "Come in," you reply, and Hyori enters.

She cuts right to the chase, as seems to be her way. "Last night, did you two? Wait, don't answer. I can feel it. You did."

"We did."

She walks closes the door firmly behind her, ensuring privacy. "I knew it as soon as she started acting shy this morning. I swear sex is the only thing that makes her shy. Funny little mannerism." Hyori takes a deep breath. "But listen, and listen close, okay?"

You nod for her to go ahead, but instead of going on, she sits down, gathering her thoughts.

She looks at you for a long time and says, "If this, whatever this is, is going to continue, you need to be prepared. It's going to be a mess. You need to hide it, and I mean really hide it, from everyone. Think how nuts the press will go."

You open your mouth to talk but she raises a finger.

"Hear me out. You have to remember that. This can't be normal, it will probably never be normal. That girl is special and this whole country knows it. There will always be cameras. And there will be times when you miss her because she's away. Sometimes for days or weeks and it's not the end of the world, because she has her job, and her fans depend on it. And as I'm sure you saw at dinner the other night, she does too, she loves her career."

Hyori sighs and rubs her forehead. "I know this seems a lot. You have known each other barely a week and I'm piling this onto you, but you need to know what you're getting into."

You smile. "I get it."

"You don't. Trust me. Not until you've lived it. Look, Jieun's an amazing girl. I like you, she likes you, a lot. I think you can make this work." She takes a big breath and says, "Welcome to this weird fucking world."

You chuckle quietly and nod in thanks.

"Now, if you're wondering where she has gone, she's out picking some flowers for the side dishes for later. They're recording something for the show right now but you can go out and join her in ten minutes, if you like?"

"That'd be great."

Hyori leaves and true to her word, when you venture downstairs and out onto the garden. Jieun's knelt along the rows. Her hair blows in a gentle breeze, and with the flowerbeds just in front, she is a blessed sight for tired eyes.

You go to her and ask, "Working hard?"

"Hey, you woke up," she beams at you.

"Had a chat with Hyori, too."

"Was it alright?" Jieun's face turns pale and worried, and her voice drops to a whisper. "She didn't try to get in your head, right?"

"It was fine, Jieun, she did give me the talk, though. A warning and a blessing, I think."

"Any regrets?" Jieun asks, timidly.

"What? No. God no. None at all. Actually, the only thought I had was if you would like to eat alone tonight? Just you and me, and then maybe we can go on another walk together, I enjoyed that."

"I'd love that," she says, her voice shaky, before a warm smile grows on her face.

"So, can I help you with the flowers?"

[sparks-and-smoke]

Hello! Could I get a fic about Bucky accidentally finding the reader’s Christmas gifts to him? Maybe he tries (and fails) to act surprised?

Thank you (ps I know it’s after Christmas, sue me)

Aww~ I don't care that it's too late for the holidays. It's cute! Merry Christmas (belated)

Characters/Pairings: Bucky x reader (code name honey)

Content/Warnings: none it’s just goofy holiday fluff

Author Note: merry late Christmas, this may or may not be loosely based in the Fate Stone AU I have brewing. (which since you are my beta reader ;) you already know about it.)

You are a notoriously bad gift giver, Bucky had been warned many times. He didn’t really care. As long as it came from the heart it couldn’t possibly be that bad. He could put up with socks or a cheesy mug as long as it came from you. But this was worse, so much worse. 

“Sam, I don't even know what to do with it.” Bucky rubbed his eyes with the palm of his hands, confiding in the only other person he knew that wouldn’t immediately tell Honey. “Can I be honest here, it’s hideous.”

Sam was keeping a pretty good poker face over his mug poker but the situation was undeniably funny. “It can’t possibly be that bad.” But Bucky’s mortified face said it all. “Why were you spying on her gift away?”

“I didn’t mean too! Necessarily. She hid it in the bottom of the closet, man. She didn’t even hide it well... I’m a spy, I notice things. Plus it was pretty hard to miss.” The blanket had been tucked away in the back of the walk-in closet under a few other things. But the obnoxious colors of the corner peeking out from under the folded jeans had caught his eyes. They didn’t own anything in orange. Anything.  

His honey had gotten him a blanket, which would normally have been so very sweet seeing how Bucky hated being cold, but it wasn’t just a blanket. It was one of those viral blankets, the ones that are loosely based on 70’s rock band merch with lighting and thunder clouds rolling in the background. It’s featured pictures of Alpine, every goofy spastic picture of the cat that his girl could find with her name in the boldest font Bucky had ever seen. Honestly it hurt his eyes, and as Bucky went about describing it to Sam the other man damn near fell out of his chair. 

“That is perfect. No really I think she might be a genius. I’m gonna need a video of you opening that one.” Sam goaded.

“You're not helping.” Bucky growls, guilt twisting in his guts like a worm, but Sam was too busy laughing to try and give a shit. “How am I gonna act surprised now? Let alone be excited?”

“I don’t dude, I guess you need to start taking an acting class.” Sam wiped the tears from his eyes.

~~~~

Bucky watched with crinkled eyes as you opened your gifts from him. A nice wool winter coat because all you owned was a puffer, and while it was adorable on you and always kept you warm you always said you wanted something dressier for date night. And in your stocking an assortment of your favorite treats, skin care you were low on, and that perfume that you had been drooling over since October but always talked yourself out of because of the price tag. Bucky had been making a list since your birthday, keeping tabs on what you lingered on in stores and what you sighed at as you scrolled. He knew his girl and he knew her well. And the way you lit up with every item told him he hit it out of the park. 

“Do you like it Honey?” he asked, his chin propped on his hand. His face couldn’t have been softer or voice more full of love as he watched you glow with joy. 

“I love it. How did you even know what eye cream I use?” 

“It wasn't that hard doll.” Bucky laughed, it sits in a clear box on your vanity of course he knows. 

“Here! Open yours.” You hand him his stocking and the present wrapped in pretty silver paper, looking so excited you may vibrate across the floor. He plastered on his best game face as his stomach did a little flip. Do not ruin this for her Barnes. 

He starts with the stocking. Pulling out body wash and a cologne scented with that smoky bourbon and apple scent you were fond of, along with a small batch roasted coffee and some new gloves. So far so good, and he made sure to kiss you. “I love it honey.”

“Yeah, but you haven’t opened your big one.” you say with a twinkle in your eyes that makes him wanna melt into the floor. Should he tell her, confess he saw it? Risk it and pretend he loves it? 

“You’re right I haven’t.” he corrects himself with a smile picking up the package. It was instantly heavier than he remembered and as he tears open the package he has a brief (very guilty) moment of hoping that maybe he was wrong…

But no there it is. That hideous blanket that he knows instantly from the look on your face he is gonna end up snuggling under for the rest of time just to see you smile the way you are right in this moment. He opened his mouth to tell you thanks as genuinely as he could muster but honey was already biting her bottom lip. A fit of giggles falling out of her. “You already saw it didn’t you!” she managed to get out between chitters. 

“What?! No- I…” 

A pillow from the couch flew at his head. “I knew you would. You little sneak, you do this every year!” Honey chastised as Bucky dodged another swing with the pillow. 

“Hey! Whoa!” Bucky's arms go up in a weak attempt at blocking her little onslaught. “I didn’t mean too!”

“Bullshit James Buchanan!” thump, a hit to his ribs. “You did it on your birthday.” Whack, a bump to the top of his head. “You somehow sniffed out the tickets I bought to Coney Island.” one more swing but this time Bucky caught the pillow, pulling you into his lap with it. 

“I did not do it on purpose!” he defended, but he was beaming. Eyes crinkling in the corner as she glared playfully. “I didn’t!” 

“Yeah, you just somehow stumbled upon the blanket I hid under the laundry in the back of our closet.”

“I was looking for my coat!” 

“On the ground?”

Bucky was caught, because yes he had been looking. He always did. The man couldn’t help it, he always was just too curious. “Yea, I thought so you little rat! Do you like it?” she asks earnestly. And Bucky feels that gnawing feeling again, trying not to let it show on his face. 

“It’s… super fluffy.” he tries to deflect, hating to lie to honey, but her face is already breaking into a grin. What the hell?

“You hate it.” she beams. “It’s hideous huh?”

Bucky frowns, slouching back in his chair. Did she want him to hate it. “Uh, yeah it is..” 

“Good thing it’s not your actual present huh.” 

Bucky's eyes narrow. “You little-” She did this on purpose, hid the most outrageous thing she could find just to punish him for spoiling presents. Clever girl. Weeks of fretting over how he was gonna pull this off and SHE KNEW THE WHOLE TIME. With a giggle honey climbs off his lap and back behind the couch, pulling out a slim package from the cavern behind, and Bucky’s face nearly splits in half. 

“Here. Merry Christmas.” She offers him the parcel with a kiss, sitting in his lap as he unwraps it, and he feels his heart flutter a little. It’s a scrapbook. Full of pictures of him, her, Alpine and their friends. Taken by everyone who has known them the last few years. There isn’t a lot, he doesn’t like taking pictures, preferring to take them. So she must have scoured their friends' phones to find all of these and Bucky can feel tear picking the backs of his eyes. Good tears. 

“Thank you Honey. I love it. I love you…”

[silverior968]

An assortment of Pride-themed Garten of Banban drawings, ranging from serious but not very deep headcanons to "you know what would be funny?" (explanations below the cut)

Bittergiggle's image has a big intersex-inclusive progress pride flag, and for the character specific flags he has the queer and genderqueer ones.

Banbaleena's image just has the trans flag (hc stemming from me designing her as a sheep and only remembering that ewes don't have any horns afterwards).

Banban's image has basic rainbow flags (I used them for any accessories just to make drawing them easier for myself) and the bi flag (purely vibes-based).

Flumbo's image doesn't even have any flags I just thought it was a funny concept.

Toadster's image's background and shading are different because it was the first one I made, but the flags are a basic rainbow one, and a green carnation instead of a flag. For those who don't know, green carnations are a classic achillean symbol, in a similar manner to how violets are a traditional sapphic symbol. Toadster just gives me the vibes of someone who'd have a carnation instead of a flag, idk where he would have learned it from but I'm sure some western movie out there has referenced it.

Kittysaurus's image just has the basic rainbow flag, I don't actually have a hc for her I just wanted to include her. Bittergiggle gives me the vibes of a guy who'd take his cat to pride with him bc "otherwise she'll feel left out :(".

The gay divorce image doesn't have flags I just thought it would be funny. Love loses.

The bird family's image has the ally flag. The protect queer kids text is actually not in reference to the opi-lings, I kind of intended it to be like those drawings people make of animals protecting their offspring with a similar slogan, the intended takeaway is that you should protect your community members as strongly as animals protect their offspring, not that the creatures in question are that particular identity. Also again I just wanted to include the Opi-lings because they're fun to draw.

Last but not least the final image has the intersex-inclusive progress pride flags, and an asexual flag. The ace flag was just intuition and has no actual basis. I have no headcanon for Jumbo Josh I just wanted to include him because like. That's Jumbo Josh I couldn't not include him.

These are all I have for now, you can throw more hcs my way, and I might draw more if anything catches my eye.

[squidsquidsquidsquidsquidgame]

Holaa!

Could you write about HyunJu and the reader meeting at the store where she works? Pretty please

I love your fics(⁠｡⁠･⁠ω⁠･⁠｡⁠)⁠ﾉ⁠♡

Soft Serendipity

Pairing: Cho Hyun-Ju x Reader

Summary: You’re out shopping when you stumble upon a quaint little store where you meet the sweet, yet slightly shy, Hyun-Ju, who works there. What starts as a casual interaction turns into a connection neither of you were expecting.

You weren’t expecting to find anything special when you walked into the little store. It was tucked away on a quiet street, the kind of place that blended in with the rest of the neighborhood—nothing about it screamed “must-visit.”

But something about the cozy interior with its soft lighting, handmade trinkets, and quiet hum of background music made it feel like stepping into another world. The shelves were filled with beautiful ceramics, candles, and unique vintage items. You couldn’t help but wander deeper inside, admiring the assortment of things on display.

A soft voice from behind the counter broke you out of your reverie.

“Can I help you with something?”

Turning around, you were met with a warm smile from a woman with soft, flowing hair and kind eyes. She wore a simple yet stylish apron, and there was an air of calm about her that immediately put you at ease.

“Oh, I was just looking around,” you said, feeling a little embarrassed for not having an actual reason to be there.

The woman chuckled, her smile growing even more inviting. “No worries. It’s a store meant for wandering.” She paused, as if choosing her next words carefully. “You’re not from around here, are you?”

You shook your head. “No, just visiting. I was curious about this place. It’s so peaceful.”

“I’m glad you think so. Most people pass by and don’t even notice it’s here. I think that’s part of the charm, though.” She shifted slightly, as though about to say more, but then, with a quick glance at her phone, she smiled sheepishly. “Sorry, I didn’t introduce myself. I’m Hyun-Ju.”

You smiled back, extending your hand. “I’m [Your Name]. Nice to meet you, Hyun-Ju.”

Her hand was warm when it shook yours, and you felt an unexpected sense of connection right away. There was something comforting about her presence, a quiet warmth that seemed to fill the space between you.

“I hope you don’t mind me saying this,” she began, “but you look like someone who might appreciate something a little… unique. We have a small collection of vintage books and a few handmade journals in the back. If you’re interested, I’d be happy to show you.”

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “You think I’d like those?”

Hyun-Ju’s smile turned playful, the kind of smile that suggested she knew more about you than she let on. “Call it a hunch.”

Without waiting for a response, she led you to the back of the store, weaving around displays of delicate teacups and small sculptures. The shelves here were stacked with old books, their spines worn and faded, but still full of character.

“Here they are,” she said, picking up a weathered leather-bound journal. “This one’s from the 1920s. It’s a bit more on the expensive side, but it’s definitely unique.”

You ran your fingers over the smooth surface of the journal, feeling its age and history beneath your touch. “It’s beautiful.”

“I thought you’d appreciate something like this,” she said softly, her voice almost as gentle as the way she handled the books. “It’s the kind of item that tells a story. People tend to gravitate toward things that speak to them, you know?”

You nodded, feeling that strange sense of serendipity once again. You hadn’t planned on coming to this store, hadn’t planned on meeting Hyun-Ju, but everything seemed to fall into place as though it were meant to be.

“I think I’ll take it,” you said after a moment, surprising yourself. It was a splurge, but something about the journal felt right.

Hyun-Ju’s eyes lit up, and you couldn’t help but notice the slight blush that colored her cheeks. “Really? I’m so glad you like it. I think it’ll be the perfect addition to your collection—if you write, that is.”

You smiled. “I do, actually. I’ve been looking for something like this.”

She rung up your purchase, the sound of the register filling the space between you. When she handed you the journal wrapped in brown paper, her fingers lingered just a moment longer than necessary.

“I hope it brings you inspiration,” she said, her voice quieter now. “You seem like someone who could do something wonderful with it.”

You felt a warmth in your chest at her words, and for a brief moment, everything around you seemed to slow down. You were struck by how genuinely kind Hyun-Ju seemed, how easy it was to be around her, and how you were already looking forward to seeing her again.

“Thank you, Hyun-Ju,” you said, stepping back toward the door. “I’ll definitely think of you when I use it.”

She smiled softly. “I’ll be here if you need anything else. Don’t hesitate to stop by again.”

As you left the store, you found yourself with a strange but pleasant feeling. You weren’t sure what it was exactly, but you couldn’t shake the thought of Hyun-Ju.

Maybe you’d just found more than a unique journal today.

[alonelyartist1432]

Kowai | Sakura.H x reader

“Your hair and eyes are very Kowai!”

♡ “DO YOU WANNA TAKE THIS OUTSIDE”

☆ in which you recently moved from your home country to Japan. It has been a dream living there, everything amazing. Everything except well the language. As you get closer to the townspeople you find yourself falling in love. But, how will you manage to confess your love without the words to say it? ☆ contains f!reader, fluff, the reader getting frustrated due to language barriers, minor swearing ☆ A/N HiHi! ⸜(｡˃ ᵕ ˂ )⸝♡. I’ve always found it interesting that Suo is canonically Bilingual, yet we don’t know what his second language is (though it is most likely either Chinese or English). Because of this fact, I decided to take my own creative liberty and say that Suo will be able to speak whatever your native tongue is! I would also like to point out that the reader mixes up the Japanese words Kawaii [可愛い], and Kowai [怖い] which means cute and scary respectively. Anyways I love you guys! ok happy reading!!!!  ヾ(＾ ∇ ＾) ☆ W.C: 6,011

”Suo-san why is Japanese so hard?” I mumble to the eye patched man sitting across from me. The cafe is particularly empty this fine afternoon. It’s so empty that we, and Kotoha-san, are the only people there. The soft humming from the only other female here acts as my background noise. I slowly lift my head up from the wooden table. My shoulders dropping when I am once again faced with the all too familiar unfamiliar Japanese characters. Screw you Kanji.

A sigh escapes my lips as I start to work through all the worksheets the pirate man brought me to work on. I look up at my punisher only to be meet with a seemingly innocent closed-eyes (eye?) smile. Innocent? No he is anything but innocent. If he were innocent, he wouldn’t be forcing me to study this language every moment he can. If he were innocent, he would have help me instead of watching me struggle. If he were innocent, he wouldn’t be slowly lifting up his cup of steaming tea, while holding my drink captive. Captive until I finish this never ending punishment.

Oh my poor poor drink. How I long to drink you. “If I knew why I would tell you L/N,” he sets down his tea cup after taking a sip. The familiar sound of my native tongue sounds like heaven from his lips. It’s feel like I have a piece of home here with me. Why did we have to move to a country that doesn’t speak my mother tongue? A country where I feel like I’m mute due to my lack of ability to speak. A country where I can understand most people, but even to reply a simple how are you can be challenging. A country where I feel like an outsider. A country where the only person I feel seen around is this maroon-haired one-eyed furin student.

Said student looks up towards the clock hanging on the wall and his eyebrows knit in concern. “Hmm it seems like Sakura-kun and the others are running late.”

Maybe he just didn’t want to be with you any longer than he has to.

Which is what I would have said if I wasn’t nice. But, I am nice. Therefore I sit there in silence as I wrap up the final parts of my worksheet. Suo’s seems to grow slightly more anxious as the minutes pass, the slight twitch in his expression makes it obvious. He barely even notices that I had finished all the worksheets and am happily drinking my stolen drink. Suo-san’s mind is more focused on the location of his dear classmates. For he had spent quite sometime planning an occasion where I could meet some of his friends, our schedules all managing to conflict one another’s. He said it was simply a ‘way to practice my Japanese.’ Yet, I can tell he wants me to make some more friends.

“Oh there’s Suo-san! See I told you he was waiting here the whole time! This is why you read the group chat Sakura-kun,” the small bell above the door rings as four or so men file into the previously quiet cafe. An assortment of different vibrant colours fill my vision as said four men make their way over to the table. Suo-san politely greets them in Japanese. The shorter blonde one starts telling him about the whole ordeal as he makes his way to sit next to Suo. The pink haired man was telling off the orange haired one over something, the only words I managed to catch was ‘women’ and ‘scared.’ My throat goes dry as I struggle to keep up with any of the conversations, barely catching onto the words they were saying. Now you may think this is because of my lack of knowledge. No there is a much simpler reason.

How can I speak when a hot guy sits next to me? The black and white haired man who sits next to me, initially scared me. Face bright red. His black and amber eyes avoid meeting my own. My heart starts speeding up in my chest as my vocal cords simply refuse to work. I try to think of anything to say. Maybe a simple good morning? Is it even morning anymore? Maybe a hello? Then what? Silence? I let my gaze drift over to my only hope, Suo-San. Only to find his eyes already on mine, with a sly smile gracing his features. “Oh yeah, I nearly forgot to introduce you to L/N-san! She is the friend I’ve been meaning to introduce to you all.” An encouraging smile was all I get before four sets of eyes look at me, awaiting a response.

“oh, hi.” The simple greeting left my lips out of instinct. Out of panic, I broke eye contact with the rest of the group and choose to stare at my drink instead. The flowing liquid not helping me easy my worries at all. Now what do I say? Wouldn’t it be weird if I said my name again? Do I ask for their name? How do I do that again? How do I do that in my own language?

“I’m Nirei Akihiro! Suo-san has already told us a lot about you but I have been meaning to ask, what’s your b|@@# t¥[e?” The one who speaks next is rather cute. His blonde hair making him look like a ray of sunshine in this dark coloured cafe. My mind races to try to find the right words to answer him. Except, It’s hard to answer a question that you don’t know. Should I say yes?

“Ah you’re scaring her with your questions Nirei-chan, you always do. The sweet girl is probably overwhelmed by our very presence, she doesn’t need you to overwhelm her with questions.” The man’s voice calms me down soon enough. The soft playful tone contrast his image, piercings everywhere, pink hair, a geometrical patterned shirt. I prefer him over Nirei-san, he seems to understand my difficulty with speaking. He smiles at me softly, “I’m Kiryu Mitsuki.”

I smile and wave in response when a loud voice scares me. “I’m Tsugeura Taiga,” I turn to face the oranged haired individual who goes to speak to me next. His Bofurin jacket covers a white tee shirt underneath. A soft smile is all I can muster before he starts to talk again “Wow, Suo-San wasn’t joking when he said you were quiet! Is your virtue ‘let others talk and feel heard?’” I stare blankly at the man as he takes my silence as agreement. “THATS SUCH A GREAT VIRTUE!”

“Sit down Tsugeura-Chan you’re also scaring the poor girl”

he soon sits down, and all our gazes turn to the guy next to me. Whose face is still a bright bright red. His eyes scan around the table, looking anywhere except me. Maybe he’s just socially awkward? What if I said something first? Oh, let’s compliment him! What should I compliment? His black and white hair shine from the traces to sunlight from the cafe’s window. His expression is one like a cat. It’s cute. His mouth opens to speak but before he could make any sounds I speak.

“Your hair and eyes are very 怖い[kowai]”

“WHAT, DO YOU WANT TO TAKE THIS OUTSIDE?”

“You’re like an angry cat,” I smile at him, assuming his reaction was simply shock. Though his expression seems more akin to anger. He tenses as he stares straight at me. His mixed coloured eyes sending shivers down my spine. He grits his teeth as he expects an answer to his question. Panic settles in as I realize the reality of the situation. Was he one of those guys who find being called cute demoralizing? I’m screwed.

“L/N did you mean 可愛い [kawaii]?” Suo asks me, tilting his head ever so slightly to the side. His hassle earrings following in suit.

“Is that not what I said?” My knit my eyebrows in confusion. A pout forming on my face at the realization I had messed up this simple interaction. A chuckle emerges from Suo’s lips as he shakes his head.

“Nope! You said 怖い [kowai], you do know what it means right?” His single eye glistens as he looks towards me. A smile tracing his features. I shake my head honestly, for this word hasn’t came up recently in conversations. “It means scary!”

My heart sinks at the realization. I turn to face the person I had accidentally insulted, whose face shines an even brighter red. Our eyes lock as I try to bow, well the best I could sitting down, and apologize. Hundred of apologies escaped my lips as I try to make up for my mistake. “I mean to say that your eyes and hair are very cute! I’m so sor-“

“It’s ok just b-be more careful w-with your wording,” the man stutters as his face blushes bright red. A smile finds its way onto my face as he looks at me. His face turning seemingly more and more red by the second. He mumbles something under his breath as the guys around him start to laugh.

“Sakura you are blushing bright red!”

“Aw Sakura-Chan can’t handle such an innocent comment!”

“Come on Sakura the least you can do is say thank you.”

A certain blonde seems to have noticed my confused expression; he starts to explain the situation to me. “Ah L/N, Sakura-san is very sensitive to compliments and romantic situations! Based on his face you can assume that this situation has both!”

How cute.

is what I first think, before the realization dawns on me. Romantic situations. Romance. Love. Wait does that mean? Are they implying that?

“I DO NOT LIKE SAKURA-SAN”

“I DO NOT LIKE L/N”

Our in-time reactions cause everyone to break out into even more laughter. My face soon matching Sakura-san’s bright red one. My heart pounds in my chest as I feel the embarrassment flowing through my body. I bury my face in my hands as my breathing quickens. I can hear Sakura-san defending his dignity by denying any attraction towards me.

The way his words blend together just felt calming. My face turning less and less red softly. The soft mumbling from the man next to me allows my heartbeat to return to normal. My hands slowly find themselves on my lap. This doesn’t only exposing my face, but also allows me to see everything again. Suo’s amused smile. Nirei writing a few more notes into his top secret note book. Kiryu getting his phone out of his pocket. Tsugeura flexing his muscles in the corner. All these sights make my heart bloom. Yet, one stand above all the rest. One sight make my heart feel so alive that I can’t help but laugh.

Sakura’s smile.

It feels warm, like a ray of sunshine. His eyes soft as he looks over at my figure. The spilt second of that precious smile feels like heaven. The spilt second of feeling seen feels like heaven. The spilt second of his eyes wrinkling in the corner feels like heaven. The spilt second ending, well a spilt second latter as his eyes widen and he looks away in embarrassment. That spilt second may now be a memory, but thankfully it was just long enough for me to keep forever.

“Are you guys going to order anything? You are making a whole lot of ruckus that’s for sure” kotoha’s voice rings out as she looks over at the table. The chatter continues for the rest of the evening. Feelings of joy warmth and belonging persist as the clock ticks pass. I felt closer to each of these individuals before the night was over. Different sides of each of the five peoples around me show themselves before we concluded the get together and find ourselves outside, bidding farewell to each other.

As I wait for the others to join me outside after paying for the meal, I think. Today felt familiar. That sense of warmth and joy has a name. I’m sure of it. Yet, the name escapes me. Where else have I smiled so much that my mouth hurts? Who has ever made me feel so right, so included? What does this simple cafe remind of so much? Why do I feel so drawn to this place? Why am I regretting the fact that our meeting is now over? Well the answer is simple in nature.

It’s because it feels like home.

A soft smile appears on my face as I thought of the word. The way Tsugeura-san smiles at me after he spots me waiting feels like home. The way Kiryu pats my head when I answered one of Suo’s questions right feels like home. The way Nirei’s eyes light up as I ask him for information about Suo feels like home. The way Suo denies everything feels like home. Everything here, in a country far from home, feels like home. Oh how I wish this moment would never end.

By this point of the night, the only people who remain standing outside the cafe are Suo, Nirei, myself and Sakura. “My house is this way so I’ll be heading off, bye.” He offers a simple wave before turning away. Only to suddenly stop. He turns. Looking at me with his gorgeous two coloured eyes.

“Goodnight L/N”

Those words make my heart explode into a mess of flustered and cuteness aggression. A soft pink paints his face before he turns back on his heel, walking toward his home. My throat catches as I try to muster a response. But all I can do is wave, something he can’t see as he walks too far for me to make out his figure.

A soft sense of longing overcomes me as I stare infront of me. I shake my head before turning back to face Suo and Nirei. “L/N our houses are all in the same direction! Let’s walk back home together?” Nirei suggests with a smile. I nod my head before we set off.

The night wind is chilly to say the least. The crisp air smelling of pastries and others foods as we walk past many of Makochi’s restaurants. The grey streets made visible through the overhead lights. The soft footsteps we made are soon being eclipsed by the sound of chatter amoung us three. Laughter ringing out as we soon reach our destination. It feels safe. Is all I can really think as I turn to say bye to the two boys. My heart softly aching as this wonderful night ends

“Hey L/N do you want to meet up with us again after school tomorrow? Tsugeura won’t stop talking about wanting to bring you to Muscle Power,” Nirei chuckles while pointing to his phone. His eyes widen as he gestures his phone towards me, “Oh could I have your number? I’ll give you everyone else’s if you’d like!” I take the device from the eager boy and put in my details. Writing my contact name as Y/N. I pass back the phone with a smile.

“See you tomorrow then.” I say as they walk off. Suo seems to be pleasantly surprised with my answer as he pauses his movements for a moment. Looking at me with a slightly shocked expression. Shocked that I’m agreeing to go hangout with them again.

“See you tomorrow L/N,” Suo says as he waves goodbye. Nirei and Suo both fade into the background as I let out an internal squeal of joy.

Maybe moving to Makochi wasn’t so bad. I think as I enter the house. Especially with Suo-san and the others around, my mind thinks as I turn on the shower. The food isn’t half-bad either, I think as I put on my clothes. Only is the language was easier. I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling. My nightlight being the only thing illuminating the room.

Oh and Sakura-san..

I feel my face burn a bright red as I turn to face my pillow. Screaming into it slightly as I imagine his smile again. My legs kicking as I think about our little interaction. I hear a soft buzz from my phone. I check my messages and I feel m face light up in joy.

Unknown Number - 10:36 pm

nirei gave me your number

He said to tell you that I am Sakura

The two simple messages make me smile so hard that my mouth starts to hurt. I see as the familiar three dot appear on the screen. I let him text as I feel my heart beat quicken. Each passing second feels like an hour as I await his response. I change his contact name, so I wouldn’t forget whose number this was. By the time I’m done I see a simple message appear. A message that makes me smile so much that I lay flat on my back grinning.

Sakura ♡ - 10:41 pm

goodnight L/N

When I first saw the message I couldn’t help but laugh. I could almost see him squinting at his phone trying to type out such a simple message. I turn to type a response I pause for a second. Maybe it would embarrass him if I could type the same message faster than he can, so I wait. While I wait I wonder what he is doing on the other side of the screen. Maybe he’s lying in his bed grinning while waiting for a response. Maybe he’s getting annoyed. Either way my heart skips a few beats as I finally press send

y/n ♡ - 10:45 pm

Nightnight Sakura-kun! ( _ _ )..zzZZ

I giggle to myself as I set my phone down on the counter. My eyes stare blankly at the ceiling as I think about today’s events. My heart jumping at excitement as I thought about what tomorrow would bring. If we slept now then tomorrow would come soon! So I close my eyes and just as I fall into dreamland I come to one simple conclusion.

Maybe Makochi isn’t that bad.

Soon tomorrow comes and it was just as magical as the day before. And the day after, and the day after. Before long we fall into a simple routine. I would get up, go to school and after that final bell rings, find myself at Furin. I would wait for all the boys to finish their patrol before we visit either another cafe or just find ourselves by the river walking and talking. Before long I know each of the boys better than I knew myself.

I know that Tsugeura, despite his loud demenour is one of the softest sweetest boys on this planet. Never once has he forced me to do something I didn’t want to. His hands are somehow still soft. Especially when he carries me around if my legs start to hurt.

I know that Kiryu dyes his hair every month on the 15th. I know that his hair dye stains clothes better than it stains his hair. Every time one of my clothes gets stained, he’s always there with a teddy bear as an apology. A teddy bear he probably won when we went to an arcade a few days in advance.

I know the Nirei has memorized everything about everyone. He doesn’t even need the notebook. Everytime I go to ask him about someone, more often or not their name, he can recite their whole life story right there in front of me. I know he also doesn’t like loud flashy shirts, a lesson I learnt after buying him a shirt and never seeing him wear it once.

I know that Suo hates nato. I know that he can’t stand the texture of the slimy beans. I also know that it is the one food he will refuse to eat even if I start to cry. Most of the time I can get a bite or so out of him with enough pouting and fake sadness, yet he will go out of his way to buy other food if it’s nato.

I know that Sakura, well I know a lot about him. I know that his spice tolerance is insanely high. Which I learnt after making him a particularly spicy dish from my culture and him calling it mild. I know that he hates wearing a hats or sunglasses. Which I learnt after asking him to wear matching caps with me and how he sulked about it afterwards. I know that he can’t swim. Which I learnt after pushing him in a river. Above all I know one simple fact relating to him that makes him the most annoying yet endearing person ever.

I know that I love him

I know that I love the way his bed head looks. I know I love the way his face turns red at even the slightest bit of contact. I love the way that it takes him twenty minutes just to reply to a text. I love the way he always makes an effort to see me, even if it ends with him being caught in the rain. I even love him when he’s trying to get myattention. Wait get my attention?

“Oi L/N are you listening?” The man of the hour looks over at me as he crosses his arms. We are once more sat at cafe pothos, eating dinner together. I soon find the rest of the boys staring in my direction as I shook my head and smiled in embarrassments. “Sorry I zoned out,” I said bowing my head as an apology . I got a small flick at the forehead by Kiryu, a punishment for zoning out. “What are we talking about again?”

“We were wondering if everyone wants to have a picnic by the river tomorrow night,” nirei explains. “Everyone else has agree, except you L/N”

“Oh, i’m free tomorrow so I’ll come along as well!” Nirei’s face broke out into a smile as he start organizing everything, assigning everyone a role. The rest of the night goes by in a flash as I start to think about the next days events. Before long I find myself laying on my bed staring at the ceiling once more. A picnic huh? How cute. A picnic would be the perfect time to confess to Sakura wouldn’t it? Maybe if everyone else is busy I could say that I like him and he could agree and we could get married and have three hamsters and move in together! Ok maybe that last bit is a stretch but at the very least I could confess. But there is a small problem. I don’t know how to confess to someone in Japanese.

Easy fix I could simply ask google! I roll onto my side to grab my phone to search up the answer to my question. After a little bit of scrolling I found a cute way to confess. After an additional google search I found the perfect way to confess. A fool proof plan.

Step one is to wait for it to be darker. Step two is to get us alone somehow.

Step three is to wait for the moon to be in view.

Step four is to say that the moon looks beautiful

Step five is to wait for his response to either say that he is willing to die now, and be happy. Or for him to reject me.

Tomorrow’s full moon will be the perfect backdrop to this confession. All I have to do is to once again fall asleep and tomorrow will be perfect.

Before long tomorrow comes and we are by the river. The grass shining a golden orange from the setting sun. The hill made having a picnic a harder task than it was meant to be; our food would tumble down the hill as we chase after it. The water’s calm nature sets the mood as our laughter overshadows its presence. The soft grass felt slightly wet due to the early morning rain. My heart sinks slightly as I stare up at the sky, clouds. Maybe this is foreshadowing that this confession won’t go well? I slowly start to overthink unaware of the change in my facial expressions.

“Hey you ok?” I turn to face Sakura, his face a mix of concern and confusion. “You haven’t stopped frowning ever since Kiryu and Tsugeura left.” He says looking out in front of us. Before us we watch as Nirei practices his roll-polly technique.

“I’m fine! It’s just that it’s getting awfully cloudy,” I pointed up to the sky. His eyes follow my finger as he looks at the sky, confusion taking over his features.

“Why? Do you not like clouds?” Sakura says looking at me with a frown on his own perfect face.

“No no it’s just that,” I pause, thinking whether or not to bring up the moon now. I decide to just be honest with him. “There’s going to be a full moon tonight and I was hoping to see it, but if there are clouds I wouldn’t be able to.”

“Hmm ok, it does look like the clouds are moving away now so stop frowning,” he says breaking eye contact with me. His voice drops to a small mumbles as he fidgets with his fingers. “It’s making m- everyone a bit sad” he looks away from me as his face blushes a bright red.

I can’t help the chuckle that escapes my lips as I lean against him. His face blushing a bright red as he starts to yell, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING GET OFF ME”

“But I’m tired”

“WELL THEN GO HOME AND SLEEP”

“but I want to see the full moon,”

“YOU CAN SEE IT FROM YOUR WINDOW”

“But I wanna see it with you”

He sits there in a flustered mess as he looks anywhere but me, I slowly stop leaning against him and start to laugh. Sakura really is fun to tease sometimes, I can tell why Sup enjoys it so much. I turn my attention Suo and Nirei, watching as they continue to fight.

Before long the once golden grass turns a dark blue due to the lack of sun. The area being illuminated by the starlight. The waters glistening ripples contrast the sounds of Nirei and Suo patching themselves up. I look over to see Sakura-kun entranced by something. His black and golden eyes wide and bright as he looks above him. His hair laying flat against his forehead as he points above him. “There’s the moon you’ve been waiting for”

I stare up at the moon but I feel a little disappointed. How can anything be beautiful when Sakura Haruka exist? The white half of his hair glows like a halo under the starlight. His eyes shine as he looks at the moon. The slight tilt in the head offering the most beautiful look at his neck. His chest moves up and down with each breath as he assumes I’m staring at the moon and not him. Why would I stare at the moon when I have him? Beauty in human form.

My heart beat quicken when I realize I should say the statement now. My face blushes red as I breathe in slowly. Trying to gain the confidence I need. If I get rejected I’ll be ok. If not I’ll be even more than ok. What’s the worst that could happen? The worst thing he can say is no. I can deal with that. I take one final deep breath before muttering the phrase “The moon is beautiful tonight isn’t it?”

“I don’t know it’s kinda round. I kinda like it being more C shaped”

what.

what.

WHAT.

My mouth drops at his response, eyebrows knit in confusion. That was NOT one of the responses I was prepared for. Does that mean he likes me? What does that mean? Should I pull out my phone to search it up or would that look stupid? But if that was a response to the question I would of seen it while scrolling. Maybe he misspoke? Maybe he had a slip of the tongue? Maybe he….

Maybe he didn’t get the hidden meaning behind it.

A post by a netizen said that most Japanese people don’t actually know what this phrase means and it’s more or less a thing only in fiction. My heart softly shattered. This was a lot worse then saying no. I slowly feel my soul leaving my body as I died from embarrassment. I was worrying so much for this response?

“L/N are you ok?” Suo calls out to me. Him and Nirei are now standing infront of me with concerned expressions. I can feel the impossibly hot stare of Sakura from the side as I nod my head and make up some excuse about having a headache.

“If you have a headache Sakura-san can carry you home,” as I heard that I sprinted. Sakura? Carry me? I’d rather die. I mean I would love for him to carry me. But not when I just confessed to him and he just didn’t get the message! How embarrassing! My steps slow down as I feel my heart beat quicken from the running. I turn back and sigh in relief when I see no one behind me. I let myself breathe as I reconsider my situation.

So this is not how you confess in Japanese huh? That’s ok we can always find another way to confess! We could try saying I love you to him? Oh, we can write a love letter! Even better we can try signing I love you in sign language! I feel my face break into a smile as I continue to walk back home. Maybe this wasn’t so bad! I will confess to him! One of those ways will surely work.

right? right!

I was so naive.

Somehow, none of the ways work. NONE! My voice catches in my throat every-time I try to say 大好き[DaiSuKi]. More often than not I end up running away. Leaving Sakura confused and myself a blushing mess. I once tried writing a love letter, asking Nirei to place it on his desk at school on my behalf. Late that day Sakura mentions how he got a note with. A bunch of scribbles. When I suggested it be a letter, he said the handwriting was so bad that it was practically another language and he threw the letter away. I would be lying if that didn’t feel like a knife to the heart. Once I tried signing out I love you to him, before realizing this guy probably doesn’t know sign language. He barely knows his times tables, how could I expect him to know sign language.

With each failed confession I find myself spending less and less time with Sakura. It really wasn’t on purpose. I just didn’t want to fall harder in love with him. Every second spent in his vicinity , the harder I fall inlove with him. Making each confession hurt harder than the last. Us hanging out alone became a rare sight. Something that happens monthly at best. Did it hurt staying so far away from him? Yes. It stings. Why did I stay away from him? Well it’s because I’m selfish, and I don’t want to get hurt anymore.

Despite this, I find myself walking along the river bank with Sakura. Together alone. It started with us, Suo and Nirei, but they were all acting suspicious the whole time. Silent whispers they thought I wouldn’t catch were all I could hear. Before long they left me and Sakura alone, under the disguise of Suo leaving something back in their classroom.

Sakura’s face is bright red. That’s what I first notice when we were left alone. As we walk along the river bank his face only grows redder. I haven’t even said anything. The silence that persist between us acts as a reminder of that. What has gotten him so flustered?

Perhaps, it’s me? But what about me? Maybe it’s the fact that I have a crush on him? What if he knows? What if the reason we’re alone now is because he’s here to reject me? What if the reason his face is red is because he has never even considered me in that light? It may just be a what if, but it makes my heart shatter into one hundred and fourty three pieces. I breath in slowly, preparing myself for the rejection. Tears filling my eyes. I look over and I see Sakura’s mouth open. I brace myself for the followings words.

“Y-you’re really cute you know that,”

What- that’s not how you reject someone.

“The w-way you d-did your hair is n-nice,” he shakes as he turns to face me. The tips of his ears bright red as he continues to talk. “W-well everything about you is uhm nice? Not nice pretty! Yeah pretty. You’re pretty.”

He starts to nervously chuckle. Fiddling with his hands as he tries to maintain eye contact “what am I even saying? You’re more than pretty. Everything you do, the way you remember so much about everyone, is really sweet. And cute. And I really appreciate you. No I do more than apperciate you! I- I-l”

The following words that leave his mouth take my breath away. They describe everything I’ve been dying to tell him. The words, the language seems foreign in his mouth but oh so right. Those simple words scream out everything my stuttering couldn’t. They describe a longing to be with a person. They describe how much you enjoy being with this person. They describe how much you admire, care, like a person. These words mean more than a simple like though. These are the kind of words you reserve for those who you hold close to your heart. These words have a hundred synonym but nothing feels more accurate than them.

He could have said it in Japanese, but the fact he didn’t makes me fall deeper, harder for him. He took his time to find the words that he knew would make me understand. It may seem obvious to state your feelings in a person’s mother tongue, but to actually experience is completely different.

Tears fall out of my eyes as I run towards him. Arms wrapping around his frozen body. His warmth spreading through me as I repeat the phrase into his ear. In Japanese this time, “大好き. 大好き. 大好き.” I repeat the phrase until I feel his arms wrap around my torso. His head leaning down to be pressed up against my neck. My heart speeds up in pure joy as he leans back slightly.

Words are something interesting. Language divides us and much as it unities us. Language is something so beautiful, yet you need the right words to understand them. They are so frustrating when you don’t understand, yet everything when you do.They can express everything we feel in just a few seconds. Without them I wouldn’t be here, looking at the Sakura. Without them I would have never gotten to spend time with him. Without them, I would of never fallen in love. So I thank words as I hear his next question.

“Can I kiss you?”

Thank you words, but I don’t need words to answer that question. As I lean in I can’t help but smile. Thinking about how, after all this time planning he was the one to confess his love. After all this time, we ended up kissing the scary black and white haired man. I can’t help but press my lips harder against his as I think one simple thought.

That maybe, just maybe.

Life here isn’t that bad after all.

“Hey Suo, how do you say I love you in L/N’s first language?”

“hmm why are you asking? Do you like her?”

“WHAT NO! Well maybe. No and yes. “You’re not making sense Sakura-kun”

“No I don’t just like her. I love her”

————————————————————————

2025 © alonelyartist245.Do not repost my works onto any other platforms, translate, plagiarize, or steal. Do not feed any works to AI.

@alonelyartist1432 <3

[leletha-jann]

ALL HAIL! Krosp I, King of All Cats (plushie edition)

Now that the cat is out of the bag the secret is out and Krosp plushie has been safely delivered to our Professors, I can share him!

Do not ask me why I decided to make a Krosp plushie. I just did.

Krosp plushie is about 8 inches tall (including crown) and stands up independently! I went all over eBay looking for a bipedal white cat and found exactly one (technically I found two of him). He's from a now-defunct toy company called Russ Berrie and Co.

The coat and collar are hand-sewn (by me) and designed (by me) to fit this exact plushie. They're made from red velvet, gold felt, assorted metal beads, gold rope ribbon, red and gold basic cotton fabric (for the coat lining), and almost an entire spool (32 meters!) of the most fickle gold thread I've ever worked with. (The basic red thread was fine.)

The medallion was slightly modified (power to the power drill!) to hang from two loops instead of one as it came, and is on red velvet ribbon. I didn't make the crown. I'll post the template and exact "recipe", with links, if anyone's interested!

I tried very hard to make this Krosp as screen-accurate as possible. Krosp actually has one of the simpler designs for a Girl Genius character, and his general look is remarkably unchanged all the way back to Volume 4! The bears' Shiny Thing first appears in Volume 20, and Krosp has been wearing it as a medallion since Volume 21.

I actually made two plushies, and was VERY lucky to find two of the same long-out-of-production stuffed animals at the same time. Here's Krosp mk. 1 (on the right, made to prove I could do it) and Krosp mk. 2 (on the left, improved with all the lessons I learned from mk. 1) together.

Time to make the mk. 2 plushie, measured in background noise: 1 season of Dungeon Meshi and 12 episodes of The Great British Bake-Off...or a bit over 21 hours.

Bonus appearance by my lovely boy Raven! For scale, and also because. Look at this sweetheart and his anxious little face:

[sovectrum]

Such a wonderful assortment of cartoon characters! I hope nothing bad happens to them!,! 😁

Also version without the paper parts because I like the background :]

[auchrauch]

A (not so) detailed post about the current project I'm working on

Bringing here a slightly more extended version of my post from bluesky.

Please be nice because I might have one more thing to share with TGCF fandom.

I want to make a short visual novel featuring hualian in post-canon. Emphasis on "want to" because with a project of this scale I can't guarantee that it'll end up as a fully finished thing.

The original idea behind me starting this was simply "hualian having a wholesome day", though the mood slightly shifted towards something a bit more melancholic after I picked up a poem after which I named the game. (The poem's "Spring morning" by Meng Haoran). There is no continious heavy plot, just various SFW and NSFW routes which aren't connected between themselves (or are they?)

I tried to include different dynamics, so you can expect to see the classics (Top HC/Bottom XL) as well as versatile hualian (these routes can be hidden if someone doesn't fancy it). I also should mention that my understanding of characters and their dynamic can differ from what's considered the "norm" in the fandom, but I refuse to slap OOC label on my work because that's how I perceived these characters while reading the book and I'll be sticking to it. Oh, and I'm also following the revised version so there could be offhand mentions of events from the new extra or other small details like that.

I'm planning to release the final SFW version of the game for free (if it'll be finished at all), though I'm still not sure if I should hide NSFW version behind a paywall. Maybe I'll make one-time purchase posts for intermediate beta-builds too, so people can have a glimpse of what is in the works. Ideally I'd like to have at least some monetary support while working on this project, but providing consistent updates and materials in the patreon format wouldn't work for me, since, aside from commissions to pay my rent, the other project I'm involved with as an artist already takes a lot of my time.

So I can't give any dates and promises and will be simply working on this at my own pace.

So far, I have a complete (not proofread and not fully edited) script for all the routes as well as a working base for the game in renpy. I'm also almost done with UI and I made a couple of backgrounds, but that's nothing compared to how many more of them I still need. (You'll be subjected to looking at the picture attached to the post over and over again at the every start of the game).

For the next step, I'll probably focus on one route at a time and start filling them with visual assets.

I also can't decide whether I should stick to British or American English because:

1) This stupid gaijin can't differentiate between the two anyway.

2) I already started using "arse" yet I lost all the "u"s from my "ou"s and now I don't know which to change.

I'd like to hear which one people prefer more.

If you want to help in some way—I'm having trouble with sound design part as I'm locked out of purchasing anything from international sites/commissioning someone from overseas, and I don't want to risk commissioning assets for a NSFW lgbt game from anyone local since it' simply not a safe move. If you know any good resources that distribute sfx/sounds/music under a free flexible license please share! I'm using GDC royalty free archives but this obviously doesn't cover all my needs.

Idk what else to say here. Send help? Prayers for my sanity? Donations so I can pay my rent??? God, what am I even doing.

Here's the assortment of some early wips I already shared elsewhere:

[smilesatdawnmain]

Big Family Au

Pick your Adventure 1

(Day with MK Part 2)

Previous

Next

——

After some debate, you look out the window to the domain beyond. Such new lands, rarely seen by the outside world. The Monkey King didn’t exactly give tours to his home after all. How could you not be curious?

MK seems to sense where your eyes are drawn and nudges you with his elbow. “Perhaps a tour outside first?” He grinned. With a flourish he takes you to the main gates, passing a few royal guards that glance your way. They watch as you and their Second Prince take to the stairs to the bustling streets below.

You work up the courage to speak after a few steps, “So, Xiaotian. It's so nice to meet you.” You offer a smile. “It’s kind of you to take the time to give me a tour.”

MK returns it, “ah, MK is just fine~ feels so formal when my real name is used.” He chuckled, rubbing the back of his head. “Nice to meet you too, Anon. It’s no problem at all. There is a chance one day I might be- uh- y’know, “King” so I’m happy to make sure everyone is feeling comfortable here.” He stuffed his hands in his pockets. Out of everyone else you’ve seen, you’ve noticed MK is the only one that seems to wear more casually mortal realm clothes. Probably due to the influence of being away from the mountain and in the light of the human world more than his other siblings.

You feel a little more courage because of this. Less like MK was a Prince and more like a potential friend. So you opted for some small talk to get to know him, “What's your favorite place on the mountain?” With a bounce in your step, you fold your arms behind you.

“My favorite place hmm?” He rubbed his chin. “Probably the very peak of the mountain. The view is something you never get sick of seeing.” He points to the very tip top of the mountain behind you. The climb alone would take most likely an hour or two if you weren’t a super agile Stone Monkey like the Prince beside you.

(Totally reusing this image don’t judge) xD

MK mused, “yeahhh~ do most of my training up there. Lot of some painting too.”

“Is that a hobby?” You tilt your head.

“Oh, big hobby.”’he nodded. His expressionS seemed to come alive, “I’m making this comic with my brother, Rumble. He’s so good at making little short stories! So I’m taking what he wrote and illustrating for it. Oh it’s gonna be great~ it’s got action, and adventure- Sying was saying there should be some romance and Bao was siding with her but that would mean Rumble and I have to make a new character as the love interest...!"

(ME TOTALLY DARING FOLKS TO DRAW YOUR OWN CHARACTER OR SELF HERE)

"And it ain’t that easy to just plop some in like they think. Ya gotta give them a background and ambition and some moving action to their own plot and don’t even get me started on any Macguffins that would need to be squeezed in there, but they just don’t get that-“ he trailed off when he realized how long he had been talking. “….sorry,” he grew bashful.

You wave your hands about, insisting it’s fine. “No no, that sounds nice. I’d love to see it for myself one day.”

MK brightens, chuckling. “If we ever do.”

A breeze comes over you both, the smell of wafting fruit and pastries fills the air. Making your way across the bridge, taking you further from the royal manor and into the city, you come into the first street.

Your first stop is the market roads, lined with merchants and eager customers to see what was fresh for the day.

“Oh-!” MK rushed ahead a few steps, “okay okay, this is the Market district. Got everything you might need here. Clothes, food, furniture. You need something done there is bound to be someone here who can do it for you.”

As you stare at each passing stall, there is a larger assortment of Monkey demons present. However, there are a few humans and other species of demon as well. Certain individuals who have sought sanctuary with the Mighty Monkey King and was given the chance to live here.

“Whoa…” you were in awe. The sight of dozens of carts, lined with round and ripe fruit had your mouth watering, “MK, what’s your favorite fruit? Mines strawberries. I don’t actually like the taste of peaches much but I love the smell tho” anon said while just skipping around and looking at MK with a smile.

“Peaches.” MK’s eyes glue to one large one. But he didn’t approach. Once he had one he couldn’t stop until he was utterly satisfied. “But um-“ he clears his head of the oh so tempting fruit, “What do you want to check out first?”

Feel free to ask more questions you’d like to ask MK! :3