#I really need to get more into a.c.e

[we-survive-endlessly]

Not me absolutely sobbing over Donghun and Sunyoul’s performance of End of a day by Jonghyun

[starlightkun]

⏯ word count: 9.5k ⏯ genre: fluff, established relationship, band au, punk drummer!sungchan, sequel to filler episodes, reader isn’t completely boring anymore! yay!, she’s still figuring it out a little bit but it’s not a full-fledged quarter life crisis anymore, ft. shotaro/eunseok/wonbin as sungchan’s bandmates, and nct dream 00 line as reader’s normal friends™ ⏯ warnings: the usual cursing, and reader briefly gets creeped on in a scene but gets out of there pretty quick, and that’s really it! if i missed any please let me know ⏯ extra info: this is the sequel to filler episodes, it cannot be read as a standalone! ⏯ author’s note: guys i almost died writing this they’re so cute 🤧 ⏯ now playing… pluto – xdinary heroes | undercover – a.c.e | injured crow – bears in trees

── ⋆⋅♫⋅⋆ find more stories from backstage at venue:hell here!

He didn’t pull away when the kiss broke, affectionately nuzzling his nose with yours again. “Yeah…” he murmured, a content smile on his face. “I get it.”

“Get what?”

“The sappy love songs, all the wars, carving things in trees, the locks on bridges, all of it.”

The excited hum of the crowd was audible from backstage as you helped the band with their final checks before going on.

“Shotaro, your in-ears,” you handed said equipment to the frontman.

“Oh, I was looking for those! Thanks!” He grinned as he took them from you, slipping one in his ear.

“Wonbin, I thought you weren’t going to wear more white shirts after you stained the one from yesterday blue with your sweat,” you reminded the guitarist, fixing a piece of his freshly-dyed dark blue hair that was out of place.

He looked down at his white tank top as if just remembering this, then shrugged. “This was the only clean shirt I had.”

“Laundry. We’re all doing laundry tomorrow,” you declared, looking around for the remaining members. “Where are the other two?”

“We’re here, we’re here,” Sungchan appeared at your side, Eunseok right behind him, tucking his shirt in. “Just had to use the bathroom.”

“Alright, everyone good?” You pointed at all of them, receiving various yeses and thumbs-up in return.

Another crew member called out two minutes before they had to go on, and you started backing away as they grabbed their instruments. “Okay, good luck, have fun, I’ll see you guys after.”

“Thanks, Y/N!” The other three members beamed at you, attentions turning to the stage in front of them.

Sungchan hung back with you for another moment, cupping your cheek with a hand to pull your lips to his. “Thank you, baby.”

“Good luck, Sungchan,” you murmured, giving him one more peck. “I love you.”

“Love you more.” He let you go with a grin.

You emerged from backstage almost directly in the crowd, having to pass through a set of curtains and step over one rope until you were in the packed venue. Feeling a bit bad as always, you tried to squeeze through the people as nicely as you could. A staff member of the venue who was standing up by the stage and facing the crowd eyed you as you got closer and closer, and you held up the lanyard around your neck indicatively. Hanging from the lanyard was a crew member badge for the headliner band. Roses for Eyes hadn’t been able to get any of their own made—both due to how last-minute of an addition they were, and because they didn’t really have any crew or staff of their own, relying pretty much on the headliner’s crew and you—so you had been given a badge from the headliner’s crew to allow you to move freely in the venues.

The venue staff member relaxed and nodded, gesturing between them and the barricade, asking if you needed to get in there. You shook your head, stopping a few people behind barricade and off to the side.

As the guys came out and started their first song, you pulled out your phone to start taking pictures. On top of becoming the de facto tour manager for Roses for Eyes, you had also been in charge of taking videos and pictures of all the performances for their social media. They only had a thirty-minute set, and you always felt the pressure to capture all the best moments from each night.

You were focusing in on Wonbin’s guitar solo when you became aware of a presence over your shoulder. Thinking it was just someone in the crowd trying to get closer, you shuffled forward as best you could while still recording Wonbin.

“Hey.” A guy’s voice was right by your ear, making you nearly jump out of your skin.

The guitar solo was over, and as you switched back into taking pictures, you offered a polite nod to the man next to you in the crowd who had spoken to you. “Hi.”

“They’re good, right?” He was still shout-talking to you over the music.

“Yeah, they’re awesome.” You agreed, catching the perfect moment of Eunseok and Shotaro jamming out together.

“You a fan?”

“Uh-huh. Big fan.”

The lights went down for a dramatic rise back up into the next song, and you pointed your camera at Sungchan, knowing he always went hard on the intro of this one.

“So are you here by yourself?”

“I’m working,” you told him shortly, flashing your badge at him.

He either didn’t get the hint or didn’t care. “Cool, cool. So are you single?”

“Nope.”

“Really?”

Rolling your eyes, you decided to stop answering, focusing back on your job.

“Come on, what’s—” As soon as his hand grabbed your upper arm, you whipped around to shake him off.

“Fuck. Off.” You glared at him, lowering your phone as you focused on this problem.

“So you were lying. About not being single?”

“Don’t fucking touch me,” you hissed back. “Doesn’t matter if I’m single or not.”

He held his hands up. “We got off on the wrong foot. Can I try again?”

“No. Fuck off.”

A group of women who had been off to the side of you must have taken notice of what was going on, as two of them stepped in between you and the man, staring down at him from the top of their very tall platform boots.

“She said fuck off.” One of them spat at him. “We heard her tell you twice.”

“We were just talking.” He looked at you sheepishly, as if expecting you to defend him.

“No, we weren’t.” You retorted.

“So fuck off.” Another woman took a step closer to him, crossing her arms over her chest.

He muttered something about bitches as he slunk off into the crowd. You let out a breath of relief as the women swarmed you to check on you.

“Are you okay?” The first woman who had stepped in bent down to ask you.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” you assured them. “Thank you, really.”

“Of course!” A third one fixed your jacket for you. “We weren’t going to stand around with that happening right in front of us!”

“Do you want to watch the rest of the concert with us?” The first woman offered. “We’ll keep you tucked in safe right in the middle of us.”

You flashed them an appreciative smile. “If you don’t mind, then please.”

“Oh my god, of course!” They welcomed you into their group, encircling you, and letting you get lost in their fun energy for the night.

At the end of the show, you were sat at the band’s merch table. In addition to being the de facto tour manager and photographer/videographer, you also usually managed the merch table for Roses for Eyes. The headliner had plenty of crew to spare to work it, but you wanted to help however you could, and this was honestly one of your favorite parts. Various members usually came to hang out by the merch table and meet and talk with the concert goers, and you loved hearing all the praise that was showered on the guys. Almost nobody had heard of them before coming to the concerts, but it made your chest puff up with pride at how many people stayed just to tell the guys how much they loved their set.

Roses for Eyes didn’t have a lot of merch. In fact, they had exactly one kind of t-shirt, and CDs of their one and only semi-professionally recorded EP for sale. Which made your job easier, you just had to either hand them a CD, or ask their size in shirt.

“Oh my god, you’re here too!” Your next customers were the women who you had spent almost the whole concert with, their eyes sparkling with recognition and delight at you.

“Yes, I am!” You laughed as one reached out to fix your hair. “I’m everywhere, I swear. What can I get you guys?”

They each got a shirt, and a couple got CDs too. As you ran their cards and accepted their cash, they raved to you about the show.

“You know, I’d never heard of them before this, but they were so good!”

“That’s what everyone says,” you replied with a grin.

“I loved the first song they played, that was like—” She started mimicking the melody, and you recognized it immediately.

“Ah, ‘Lonely as Mars’!” You perked up. “That’s one of my favorites.”

“What’s your favorite song then?”

“Oh, I can’t say.” You grinned. “It’s not released yet…”

They all laughed and giggled at this. One peeked at the track list of the CD she had just bought from you again before looking up at you. “Guess we’ll have to wait until it’s released then, huh?”

“Yes, yes, please keep an eye out!” You couldn’t help it, you were proud of your boyfriend and the rest of your friends.

“Alright, beautiful, we’ll stop holding up your line.” One of them chuckled, giving your cheek a final tweak before the four of them moved over to the short line to chat with the band.

You couldn’t pause on that moment for too long, as more patrons came up to your table.

Once people had finally started trickling out of the venue, and you had no line left in front of either your merch table or to meet the band, you were unsurprised when Sungchan pulled up an extra folding chair next to you.

“You know,” he let out a sigh, scooting right up next to you until your legs were pressed together. “I think we need to completely deck you out in Roses for Eyes merch from head to toe.”

“One, you guys don’t even have that much merch. Two, I think all that would accomplish would be making me looking like a crazed fan.”

“Aren’t you?”

“I am your biggest fan,” you acquiesced with a giggle at how serious he looked, squeezing his leg. “But we need security to let me in, you know.”

“What about a shirt with my face on it?”

“I think that’d be even worse.”

“It can say ‘CREW’ on the back or something.”

You laughed again. “I did tell that guy I was working, you know. Which did nothing.”

“I know, baby, I’m not mad at you.” Sungchan put an arm around the back of your chair, leaning in closer to inform you, “I was up on stage wishing I could’ve been kicking his face instead of the bass drum.”

“Well, I’m glad you didn’t hop off stage just to beat up somebody in the crowd.” You whispered back. “Even if it would’ve been deserved.”

“God, I don’t know if I can take another month of hearing you get hit on from right next to me.” He was presumably referencing times like now, with you at the merch table and him nearby talking to patrons.

“You think I like hearing people compliment your tattoos as an excuse to feel up your arms?”

“I don’t let them!” He protested. “And sometimes they do actually like my tattoos!”

“I know, Sungchan,” you snickered. “It’s hard being the hottest couple ever, isn’t it?”

“God truly gives his toughest battles to his sexiest soldiers,” Sungchan joked back, letting his arm drop down to your waist.

“Hey, on the bright side, tomorrow is the Venue:Hell show,” you reminded him. “I’ll have Jeno and Jaemin and my other two much less sturdy friends there. Not to mention Anton, Sohee, and Seunghan.”

He didn’t seem much happier about this, letting out a little grumble, “Mmm, alright.”

You looked around at the nearly empty venue, the only fans left chatting with a couple of the members from the headlining band by their table. “Do you think we can shut it down for the night?”

“Yeah, I think you’ve done plenty, baby.” He snuck a quick kiss to your temple. “So thankful for you.”

Your hometown was only a short, three-hour drive from the previous venue, so Roses for Eyes made the very cost-effective decision to drive straight there after the show to crash at the band’s apartment for the night instead of getting a hotel in the city right next-door. All of you let out groans of both relief and exhaustion when you finally opened the front door to their apartment. Luggage was immediately dropped on the floor of the living room as muttered ‘goodnight’s were lazily tossed over shoulders and everyone disappeared into their own rooms. After the five of you had been sharing two (or sometimes one) hotel rooms every night and a van every day for the past month, you knew everyone was glad to have some space again. You dropped onto Sungchan’s bed, a subtle happiness spreading out through you at being in the familiar surroundings again.

Sungchan flopped down pretty much on top of you, burying his face in your neck as he wrapped his arms around you tight.

“Night, baby,” he pressed a kiss to your cheek, then left his face there, nuzzling his nose against your cheekbone. “Love you so much.”

“Mm, night, Sungchan.” You pulled one of his hands up to drop a peck on the back of his fingers. “Love you so much… even more…”

In the morning, you woke up still underneath Sungchan, and smiled to yourself, letting your eyes flutter shut. You fell asleep again for who knows how long, being woken up by gentle kisses being peppered all over your cheek.

Shifting a little bit, you squinted one eye open to offer Sungchan a sleepy smile. “Morning.”

“Did I wake you up?” He whispered. “Sorry, baby.”

“It’s okay, Sungchan,” you chuckled softly. “It was a great way to wake up.”

“I just woke up and saw you and I was thinking about how much I love and appreciate you,” he hummed, pressing two more kisses to your face. “Love you so much, and I’m so thankful for everything you’ve done for us, you know.”

“I was serious about being your biggest fan.”

“I know. But I mean, we would’ve already crashed and burned so many times on this tour without you. And you stepping up not only to manage, but take photos and run our merch table? You didn’t have to do any of that. I asked you to come with because I couldn’t stand the thought of going two months without you. Not because we needed a crew member.”

“But you did need a crew member. Several, actually,” you replied humorously. “And I wasn’t going to just tag along and do nothing. Even if you had a manager and social media person and a fully staffed merch table already, I would’ve found something.”

“I don’t doubt it.” He kissed the corner of your mouth. “God, I’m so in love with you. Love you so, so much I feel like I’m going to die.”

“Alright, well don’t do that,” you hummed, shifting onto your back and carding your fingers through his hair. You pulled him up to give him a kiss on the lips, laughing into his mouth when he dropped his full body weight back onto you again. “I love you too, Sungs. You big, clingy snugglemonster of a guy.”

“Your guy.”

“Yeah, you are.”

With your second load of laundry in the dryer, you hauled the stuff you’d just pulled out of the dryer into Sungchan’s room, dropping it onto his bed to start folding it. It’d all be going right back into your suitcases, but it was nice not having to do this in a laundromat.

You hadn’t heard a peep from the other three all morning, and as far as you knew, they were still passed out. Not that they were really morning people under normal circumstances anyway, but you figured they deserved to sleep in for today. If they weren’t up by the time Sungchan came back with lunch for everyone, you’d probably wake them up. After all, they had a show tonight, and you would need to be back on the road tomorrow morning.

Sungchan’s bedroom door opened again, your boyfriend poking his head in. “Food’s here.”

“Can you help me finish folding all this first?” You requested, and he obliged immediately, joining you by the mattress and picking up a t-shirt. “We should probably wake everyone else up so they can eat before the show.”

Suddenly, Sungchan started chuckling as he grabbed the next article of clothing to start folding.

“What’s so funny?” You questioned.

“Nothing, I was just thinking about how… normal this is.” He pointed between you, him, and the laundry. “After being on the road for a month, it’s weird. I love it, I love not being cooped up in hotel rooms with everyone and having to smell-test my clothes as I’m rushing to get changed to go on stage but—” He laughed again. “I don’t know, it’s crazy how I love even stupid little chores like laundry with you.”

“Ah, Sungchan.” You tossed aside the socks you had just paired up, wrapping your arms around his waist and pressing your face into his back. “You’re going to make me explode if you keep saying stuff like that.”

“Explode because you love me so much, I presume?” His grin was audible in his voice as he kept moving around to fold the rest of the laundry.

You just nodded against his back, continuing to hold him.

“Are we going to eat lunch like this?” He asked, and that’s when you realized he had finished up the last few garments.

You let out a dramatic sigh, taking your arms back. “I guess not.”

“You want to wake up Taro and Eunseok while I get Wonbin?”

Knowing that he was willingly taking the short end of the stick, you agreed easily. “Sure.”

You knocked on Shotaro’s door first, waiting for a few seconds before knocking again after you got no response. This time, you heard a garbled ‘Eh?’ from inside.

“Taro? You up?” You called out.

He groaned, and you could hear his feet as he shuffled over to open his door. The frontman rubbed his eyes and yawned. “Mm, hey. What time is it?”

“Lunchtime,” you informed him. “Good morning.”

“Oh, morning.” He grunted and stretched. “I’ll help you get Eunseok up.”

The two of you approached the bassist’s door together, and on the other side of the apartment, you could hear Sungchan’s unsuccessful attempts to wake Wonbin. Shotaro attempted very loud banging on the door once, and when he inevitably got no response, just threw it open. It was pitch black in the room thanks to Eunseok’s blackout curtains. You hung back by the doorway as Shotaro flicked the lights on then grabbed his bandmate’s shoulders.

Eunseok swore loudly, throwing an elbow out towards Shotaro as he rolled over and tried to push his face into his pillow.

“Nope!” Shotaro shook his shoulders again. “Come on, Eunseok! Wakey wakey! Good morning! Food! We have food! And if you don’t come eat it now, we’ll eat it all without you.”

Eunseok let out a long, slow sigh before sitting up straight in his bed. He pushed hair out of his face as he glowered at Shotaro. “If there’s no food, I’m going to cut your guitar strings one by one with kitchen shears while you watch.”

“Good morning, Eunseok,” you added with a snicker. He wordlessly flipped you off. You returned the gesture.

The three of you were already in the kitchen by the time Sungchan came back, practically dragging a still-snoozing Wonbin with him. Sungchan had a harrowed look on his face, while the guitarist yawned and nuzzled his cheek against your boyfriend’s shoulder.

“Glad you could join us, sleepy,” you cooed, fixing Wonbin’s bedhead.

Shotaro and Eunseok finished making their plates and took them into the living room to eat—the guys had no dining table. You immediately started fixing two more plates of food in addition to your own, for Sungchan and Wonbin. Carefully balancing the three plates you brought them out to the living room as well, Sungchan dragging Wonbin behind you. He deposited Wonbin onto the couch next to Shotaro, and you set his plate and utensil down on the coffee table in front of him. Shotaro immediately took over prodding and waking Wonbin up to start eating, letting you and Sungchan squeeze into the armchair together with your food.

Roses for Eyes were doing their soundcheck that evening when you felt your phone start buzzing in your pocket. Checking it quickly, you saw that it was Jaemin, and stepped away to take the call.

“Hey!” You greeted him brightly, plugging your other ear to be able to hear him better. “Are you guys here?”

“Yeah, we can’t figure out which door to use?” He said, and in the background, you could hear the distant voices of Donghyuck and Renjun bickering. “And we don’t want to get the cops called on us or anything.”

“That wouldn’t happen, promise,” you snorted. “Places like this aren’t particularly fond of cops. Anyway, I’ll come get you! Are you by the front?”

“If the front is an unmarked rusted metal door, then yes.”

“Okay! Wait there!” You hung up.

Stepping back into the band’s eyeline, you lifted a hand to get their attention. They didn’t stop playing, but a couple of the members looked at you indicatively. You jerked a thumb at the exit and mouthed ‘be right back.’ Sungchan nodded, and Shotaro, who had been holding his mic with two hands anyway, gave you a thumbs-up.

Jogging through the venue, you opened the front door, squinting against the bright light of the sun for a moment. It was easy to find your friends, as Renjun presently had an arm around Donghyuck’s neck and Jaemin and Jeno watched on like they were two dads grilling at a cookout.

“Hey, guys!” You called out, running up to them.

“Y/N!” Jaemin whipped around, bright smile on his face as he went to hug you. “Oh my god, hey! You’re okay!”

“Hi, Jaem,” you laughed, hugging him back just as forcefully. “I didn’t go off to war, you know.”

“I know, I know.”

“Just ran off with my dirtbag boyfriend,” you couldn’t help but tease him, feeling as he scoffed, and perfectly imagining the eyeroll that came with it.

“Yeah, you haven’t let that one go, huh?”

“I’m afraid the guys are going to get matching shirts at this point.”

“I didn’t even call him your dirtbag boyfriend, I’m pretty sure I said—”

“Alright, you’re hogging her and now you’re nagging her,” Jeno interrupted, grabbing Jaemin’s shoulder.

Jaemin sighed and patted your head fondly as he let you go.

“Hey,” Jeno was beaming too as he grabbed you for a hug next.

“Hey, Jeno.” You squeezed him tight. “Thanks for the save, as always.”

“We used to be ‘the guys,’ you know?” Renjun had let Donghyuck go, and lodged his own teasing complaint as he gave you a brief hug. “Now it’s them?”

“I’m staying out of this one,” you announced, holding your hands up in surrender. “You all were my first ‘the guys,’ they’re my ‘the guys’ I’m around all the time right now, and Sungchan is, well, we all know—”

“Your dirtbag boyfriend!” Your friends said in unison, even Jaemin.

Renjun peered at your face inquisitively then, declaring, “You’re different.”

“What?” You tilted your head, absent-mindedly patting Donghyuck’s back in a one-armed hug.

“He’s right,” Hyuck agreed. “You’re not our same boring Y/N anymore.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment then,” you snorted. “Come on, you guys can catch the rest of their soundcheck.”

Walking back into the venue with the other four in tow, you could already tell which song they were playing just from the drum beat that reverberated up the stairs that you were descending. The air became noticeably cooler as you went underground.

“Ooh, you guys are lucky,” you told your friends over your shoulder. “They’re playing one that isn’t released yet. It’s my favorite.”

You emerged back to where the main stage was, staying put towards the back as the band kept playing. Your foot tapped along to the beat, and you hummed along to the melody under your breath as Wonbin started singing first. Your eyes strayed from the band over to your friends’ faces every so often, however, anxious to see if they were enjoying it at all. You could still remember clearly the only other time they’d seen Roses for Eyes perform, and how well that went. They were here to show their support for you as your friends, not because they actually liked your boyfriend’s band, you were aware of that.

Jeno was bobbing his head along to the music, Renjun didn’t seem to be outright put off by it this time, but it was Jaemin and Donghyuck that concerned you. Their heads were together as they seemed to be quietly talking, but they were too far away for you to distinguish anything they were saying.

An errant sound in the song made you snap your head back over towards the stage, and you could tell that the rest of the members had noticed it as well, all of them looking at Sungchan for a second as they continued performing. As the song finished, you walked up towards the stage, concerned frown on your face as you looked up at your boyfriend.

“You alright, Sungchan?” You questioned. “You came in early for the last verse and hit the snare instead of the toms…”

“Yeah, baby, I’m okay,” he reassured you, pushing some hair off his forehead that had stuck there. “Just got distracted and accidentally started doing the last verse for Lonely as Mars instead.”

“Mm, alright.” You sighed. “Drink some water. All of you! I’m going to ask them to turn the AC up in here, you guys are dripping already and there isn’t even a crowd yet.”

A chorus of ‘thanks, Y/N’s followed you as you turned from the stage. Your friends were still standing uncertainly by the back wall, and you detoured over to them for a second.

“Sorry, can you guys wait here a second?” You requested. “I have to talk to the venue staff, it’ll just be a minute. I’ll also grab you a few VIP passes or something.”

When you returned, with the AC successfully nudged down a few degrees and four of the headliner’s VIP passes in hand, you saw that your friends had approached the stage, and were chatting with the band. Shotaro was sat on the edge of the stage, tuning his guitar, as Eunseok stood behind him, Wonbin was splayed out on his back on the stage, and Sungchan was still sat at his kit, miming drumming so as to not distract the others. His brow was furrowed with concentration as he ran through a pattern, not paying mind to anybody else.

“Here you go,” you smiled, handing out the VIP passes to all your friends. You then turned to the band to announce, “It should start getting much colder in here soon.”

Wonbin just lifted a thumbs-up in response before flopping his arm back onto the ground next to him.

“Thanks, Y/N!” Shotaro beamed. He turned to your friends again, “Like I was saying, we don’t know what we would’ve done without her. I don’t know how we managed before her, honestly.”

“You guys were doing just fine.” You shook your head. “You got invited on this tour all on your own, I had nothing to do with that, remember?”

“Dumb luck,” Eunseok snorted. “Their first opener’s vocalist broke his leg.”

“But if you guys hadn’t already put in the work yourselves, and weren’t awesome, they wouldn’t have asked you to fill in.”

“Alright, maybe you have a point,” Shotaro grinned.

Sungchan had finished what he was doing, and lumbered over to the edge of the stage, hopping down to stand next to you. He wrapped an arm around your waist, pulling you close to him.

“Hi,” you smiled up at him. “You done already?”

“Seemed like everybody else was taking a break.” He gestured to the rest of his bandmates.

“Because you said you needed to run your solo in ‘Split Seconds’ again on your own,” Eunseok retorted.

Sungchan pointedly ignored him, turning to your friends instead, giving them all good-natured nods. “Good to see you guys again. Glad you could make it out.”

“Yeah man, you too,” Jeno gave him a smile back.

“Of course, thanks uh, for inviting us out here…” Jaemin looked around the underground venue that you all were in, having a hard time keeping the uncertainty from his face, if he was even trying.

“Yeah, that was really convincing,” you hissed, pinching his arm.

“Ow!” His hand flew to rub the spot that you had just wounded, a pout coming to his face.

“So, where will the safest place in the crowd be?” Renjun asked the band, gesturing to the empty area behind you all.

The band exchanged confused looks. You clarified, “They don’t want to be in the mosh pit.”

They let out unanimous ‘ohh’s, and Shotaro took over explaining.

“A pit usually forms in the center… front-ish.” He waved his hand over a large swath of the venue. “So if you stay off to the sides, you should be fine.”

“I’m usually up by the barricades and off to the side, since I’m taking photos and stuff,” you added.

“Honestly, you should try it,” Eunseok suggested. “One of the rules of a mosh pit is to look out for the other moshers. You shouldn’t get trampled or anything.”

Renjun shot a look at Donghyuck, who already had a mischievous grin on his face. “Lee Donghyuck, if you shove me into a mosh pit, so help me, I’m dragging you in with me.”

The other guys snickered, and you couldn’t help but smile at the familiar bickering of your friends.

Checking your phone for the time, you then nudged Sungchan’s side and started shooing the rest of the band back towards the stage. “Alright, break’s over. You guys need to finish your soundcheck so we can hand the stage over.”

“Yes, ma’am,” Eunseok saluted you as Shotaro hopped back to his feet and both of them started yanking Wonbin up.

Sungchan kissed your temple and squeezed your shoulder in a wordless ‘thanks’ and ‘be back soon’ before effortlessly climbing back on stage. You stepped back to stand with your friends as the band counted off for their next song.

“Shotaro said that you’re not just tagging along, you’re like, doing everything for them?” Jaemin lowered his voice as much as he could to keep the conversation between the two of you, but still be heard over the music. “Like, tour manager, running their merch table, photos and videos…”

“Huh?” You looked over at him from where you were watching Sungchan closely to see if he had gotten out of his funk from earlier. “Oh, yeah, yeah. They needed some help, it’s not like I was really doing anything else.”

“I thought you might at least pitch in like doing merch or something, but…”

“But what?”

“Do you think you’ll keep doing this? When you get back? Being their manager or whatever?” Your friend sounded genuinely curious. “They all said they really rely on you.”

The expression fell off your face as you blinked at him, having never genuinely considered this. You frowned and tilted your head. “I… don’t think so.”

“Why not?” After a beat, he half-joked, “Pay’s not great?”

You gave him a light-hearted eyeroll at that. “Not only are they covering my travel and lodging expenses, but they’re insisting on giving me a cut of the tour and merch proceeds, too. Whatever we actually end up making, if anything.”

“Not bad.”

“I mean, I filled in now because they needed someone now. But, I just don’t think that’d be good for me and Sungchan,” you admitted. “Pitching in at their merch table or even backstage every once in a while is one thing, but working together that closely and dating… I don’t think it’d be good to do for the long-term. You know?”

Jaemin nodded in understanding. “That makes sense. So you’ll be looking for a job when you get back?”

“Yeah, I’ll have to find something.” You shrugged. “Eventually.”

All of you were hanging out in the band’s area backstage when a venue staff member tapped you on the shoulder. You turned to her inquisitively, stepping away from the conversation to hear her properly.

She sighed and shook her head. “There’s three guys at the front claiming they’re with you all. They’re really insistent. Anton, Seunghan, and Sohee?”

The look on her face made it clear that she didn’t believe them, and she was expecting this whole errand to be a waste of her time.

“Oh, yeah, yeah!” You replied brightly. “Where are they? I’ll bring them in.”

“Front door.”

“Thanks!” You darted off through the building. Grabbing three more passes from the headliner’s crew first, you then poked your head out the front door.

A line had begun forming already, and off to the side were your three friends, waiting with a rather unamused-looking venue staffer. You walked over, greeting the staff member politely.

“Hi, I’m Y/N, Roses for Eyes’ crew.” You showed him your badge. “Thanks for letting us know. They’re good to come in.”

You were handing the guys their own lanyards as you spoke, and the employee glanced over you one more time before shrugging.

“Cool. You got it from here?” He asked.

“Yep. Thanks again.” You flashed him a smile before starting back towards the door. Addressing your friends over your shoulder, you added, “Hi, by the way. You guys weren’t giving them trouble, were you?”

“What? Us?” Sohee replied with mock offense. “Never!”

“Did you get a haircut or something, Y/N?” Seunghan asked suddenly.

“Huh?” You looked back at him. “No, my hair���s the same.”

“Maybe it’s the clothes,” Anton suggested. “I think is the first time we haven’t seen you in a pantsuit.”

You scoffed. “It wasn’t growing from my skin, you know.”

“Yeah, we know that now.”

“They’re right,” Sohee agreed. “Something’s different.”

“You think so?” You looked down at yourself, furrowing your brow thoughtfully. “That’s what my friends said too…”

“Did you dye your hair?” Seunghan was apparently still stuck on your hair. “Like, a different shade of the same color?”

“No, I didn’t change my hair.” You shook your head. “You guys are late, by the way. Completely missed both bands’ soundcheck.”

“Sorry, Mom,” Anton teased, making the other two snicker.

You turned around to grab his ear. “Not your mom, you little punk. Take out your mommy issues on some other girl.”

“Ow! Ow!” He whined. “Okay, fine, you’re way more like an aggressive older sister anyway.”

Sohee and Seunghan were still laughing at Anton, who cradled his wounded ear as the three of you reentered Roses for Eyes’ green room. It hadn’t been very spacious before, already rather cozy with the band, you and your friends, now a bit cramped with the addition of the other three.

“They’re finally here!” You announced loudly as you opened the door.

The band’s faces immediately lit up at seeing their friends again, welcoming them in.

“Your girlfriend’s a bully, Sungchan.” Anton apparently wanted to continue your hallway bickering.

“Whatever it was, you probably deserved it,” Sungchan replied without hesitation, putting him in a headlock and messing up his hair for good measure.

Packed into the crowd, with your friends all around you and Roses for Eyes’ music coming through the speakers by your head so loud that you could feel it rattling your ribcage, you couldn’t picture anywhere else you’d rather be in that moment. The crowd was unbelievably energetic, feeding right back into the guys’ performance, and you eagerly yelled back the lyrics to them, one of the few who did, but entirely uncaring of that fact as every time you caught your boyfriend’s eye, or one of your friends’ gazes up on stage, they would give you the wildest grin and continue singing along with you.

For their part, your friends did look like they were having fun. They danced with you, clapped and cheered between songs, and followed your lead on chants. Anton, Sohee, and Seunghan were of course having a blast, this was already their scene, and they broke away from you to join in on the mosh pit when it formed. They even managed to convince Donghyuck to come along, and you couldn’t help but laugh as you watched the four of them disappear into the throng.

Sungchan had taken you aside before the show and told you to not worry about pictures or videos tonight, to just have fun with your friends. And you were, fully immersing yourself in the moment.

You excitedly hit the closest person’s arm—Jaemin—as the vocals stopped and tension rose in the song, knowing what was coming next. “Ahhh! Listen! Listen! Here!”

It was one of Sungchan’s drum solos, and you couldn’t hide your pride, gripping Jaemin’s arm maybe a little too hard as you jumped and cheered. As it finished out and the other instruments joined back in, you let out one last yell of Sungchan’s name, and he threw his head back to shake his hair out of his face, shooting you a grin and a wink.

“Y/N!” Jaemin yelled from next to you.

“Yeah?” You replied just as loud, still half-watching the performance.

“He’s really good, but I think you’re going to make my arm bleed!”

“Shit! Sorry!” You let go of where you had been unintentionally digging your nails into his forearm in your elation, and he rubbed his other hand over the skin.

“It’s okay.” He patted your back, a twinkle in his eye as he looked at you. “I’m having fun.”

“Good!” You beamed, giving his arm a kinder squeeze this time.

After the concert, the others all went back to Anton’s place to drink and continue catching up—you again were surprised when your four friends accepted the invitation that had been extended to them. But Sungchan waved them off, saying he was worn out from the show.

Since the others had taken the van, you and Sungchan were left to walk home, which you didn’t mind, their apartment was just a fifteen-minute walk from Venue:Hell, and the night was cool and clear. Your path took you along the riverfront, and you pulled on Sungchan’s hand to stop at the railing overlooking the water. The lights shimmered along the dark, rippling surface of the water, and you took a deep breath of the crisp air.

Sungchan pecked your temple, letting out a sigh against your head before letting go of your hand and moving to sit down on a nearby bench. He let out a deep-held groan as he lowered himself to sit, resting his elbows on his knees.

You turned around, leaning back against the railing to watch him. “Do you want to go straight home? I know you said you were tired…”

“No, it’s okay, baby. It’s nice out here,” he reassured you, and his tone didn’t make you think he was lying about that, but there was still something that was bothering you.

“Is something wrong, Sungs?” You questioned. “You’ve been… off since soundcheck.”

“It’s being back home, made me realize that it’s going to be over.”

“Aw, you’ll go on tour again.” You pushed off the railing to close the space between you two, cradling his head to you and kissing his hair. “I know you will. You guys are only going to do bigger and better things.”

“Thanks, baby.” He wrapped his arms around your waist, pressing his cheek against your middle. “But that’s not what I was talking about. I meant being with you all day every day, getting to see you be our badass manager and stuff.”

“Ah, Sungchan…” You cooed again, rubbing his back. “I’m going to miss this too. I think this was really good for us, being able to spend time together like this, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I’m so happy that you invited me to come with you, that I’ve been able to really see what you do and do this incredible thing with you, even if it kind of terrified me at first. But I don’t think that working together like this all the time would be sustainable for our relationship long-term.”

He let out a loud, drawn-out sigh. “Yeah… You’re right. You’re always right.”

“So you keep saying,” you replied humorously. Your voice turned soft and serious again as you added, “I’ll always be there supporting you guys; don’t think I’m going to stop being your biggest fan. But I don’t want to risk this in the process.”

“Neither do I.” He kissed your stomach through your shirt, making you giggle at the ticklish feeling. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Sungs.” You kissed his head again. “And tonight also made me realize something else too.”

“What’s that?”

“As much as I’ve loved helping you guys out and being able to support you from behind the scenes, and I’m looking forward to spending the second half of the tour doing that… I also missed being able to just cut loose with the rest of the crowd and support you like that too.”

Sungchan looked up at you, a fond smile coming to his face. “Yeah, I loved seeing you have so much fun tonight. I want you to have the time of your life at every one of our shows that you’re at, not be working.”

“Then after this tour…” You pecked his nose. “I quit.”

He was smirking as he teased back, “Not if I fire you first.”

You couldn’t help yourself, cupping his cheek and kissing him. Sungchan eagerly kissed you back as one of his hands went under the hem your shirt, fingers on the skin of your waist as he pulled you even tighter to him.

You broke the kiss with another giggle, squirming and grabbing his hand that was under your top. “Your fingers are cold, Sungs.”

He didn’t seem offended by the rebuff at all, watching you fondly as you sandwiched his one large, cold hand between your own two slightly warmer hands in a futile attempt to warm it up. “Hey, have we done your something new yet today? We’re back home, it’s not a new city.”

You let go of his hand to check the time on your phone. “It’s almost one in the morning…”

“It’s not tomorrow yet until we’ve gone to sleep.”

“Alright,” you chuckled. “What are you thinking?”

“It’s a surprise.” He jumped to his feet and offered you his hand with a grin.

You took it without hesitation, letting him pull you down the empty sidewalks at a near-run. The two of you finally skidded to a stop at the back of a building you’d never seen before in your life.

Sungchan tested the door handle, chuckling when it opened easily. “He still leaves it unlocked.”

You didn’t question where you were, who Sungchan was talking about, or if you were allowed to be here as you followed him in, the door slipping shut behind you. You ended up in some kind of stairwell, and your boyfriend started taking you up. A few yellowed lights dimly lit the concrete stairs under your feet, flickering every so often, but affording just enough visibility that you didn’t think you’d trip and face-plant. You passed by doors that seemed to lead to the actual inside of the building, only marked with numbers indicating their floors. You reached the top of the stairs after floor four. There was another door, this one marked ‘ROOF ACCESS – KEEP CLOSED’ and propped open with what looked like a broken mop handle.

Sungchan pushed the door open without hesitation, leading you right onto the roof. While the building you were on top of wasn’t a skyscraper by any means, it was taller than the others in its immediate vicinity, affording an unobstructed view of the city lights at night, glittering and shimmering all around you. The air was cool on your cheek, but you were kept warm by Sungchan’s jacket. Leaning against the railing that went around the entire roof, you took your eyes off the view and looked up at Sungchan.

“This is great, Sungchan,” you said, feeling the persistent smile on your lips that was there whenever you were with him.

“Hold on.” He slipped off his backpack, and you watched with interest as he rooted around in it before bringing out a box. It was a box of hand sparklers, these ones in particular being familiar to you as the same ones you all had gotten a few stops ago to celebrate Shotaro’s birthday.

“I thought we used all of them,” you accepted them from him as he fetched a lighter from the bag before dropping it on the ground.

“Eunseok found one more box rummaging through a box of cables earlier.”

“So you stole them.”

“So I stole them, yeah.”

You took out one sparkler for yourself, and handed another to Sungchan. He lit yours first, the firework immediately sparking in front of you. A giggle bubbled out of you as you held the sparkler out in front of you, watching it until it fizzed out. Getting another two and turning to Sungchan for him to light, you realized he hadn’t even used his first one yet, his gaze resting on you.

“Hey, you didn’t light yours,” you nudged him.

“I was watching you, baby,” he admitted freely, grabbing you by the waist to kiss your forehead. “Trying to remember that forever.”

You shoved the other sparklers haphazardly into his hand before wrapping both your arms around him and burying your face in his chest. He chuckled, rubbing your back. You could feel the curve of his smile where his cheek rested against your temple. His hand left your back before you heard his lighter click and the familiar sizzle of the sparkler again. You turned your head just enough to peek at it over your shoulder, seeing that he was being careful to hold it as far out away from you as his long arms would allow.

When it went out, you turned yourself fully around in his arms, leaning back against him. He playfully pushed you forward with his body until the two of you were both leaning against the railing on your elbows, Sungchan caging you in with his arms and hooking his chin over your shoulder to see around you to light your next pair of sparklers.

You moved to draw a star in the air with yours this time, and Sungchan spiraled his around until they both went out. On your next ones, you held yours still as he seemed focused on writing his name. His went out a second before yours, and you laughed victoriously.

“I win!” You declared, holding your still smoldering sparkler.

“Oh, we’re playing the game now?”

“Mm-hm,” you confirmed. “Didn’t you hear my telepathic message?”

“Missed that one, sorry, baby,” he snickered, giving you a sweet kiss. “But I’d never forget your prize.”

Both of you held your respective sparkler still this time, watching the tiny pops and miniature explosions as they burned through. Sungchan’s went out right after yours, and you let out a huff as he waved his burned stick in the air.

“I won.” He didn’t cheer very loudly, with his mouth right next to your ear.

You turned your head, nose bumping into his for a moment, making the both of you let out a synchronized breathy giggle. Pressing your lips to his, you let your eyes flutter shut as you melted into him even further—if that were even possible. He moved his mouth against yours as if he hadn’t just kissed you a few moments before, teeth and tongue eagerly joining too.

He didn’t pull away when the kiss broke, affectionately nuzzling his nose with yours again. “Yeah…” he murmured, a content smile on his face. “I get it.”

“Get what?” You asked quietly, searching his eyes curiously.

“The sappy love songs, all the wars, carving things in trees, the locks on bridges, all of it.”

You pushed your forehead against his, unable to do much more past the insurmountable feeling of your heart about to explode. “That almost sounds like the start of a sappy love song right there, Sungs.”

“You think?”

“Sappy love songs, all the men who went to war, locks on bridges, all the tree barks carved with hearts,” you mused. “I’m no songwriter, but I think you can pull some rhymes out of that.”

He was grinning now. “And I promise the next time you hear it, it will be one entire sappy love song unto itself. All about you, baby.”

“Gah!” You clutched at your heart as you twisted enough to bury your face in his neck. “If I don’t die of an exploded heart before then.”

“I won’t let you,” Sungchan growled playfully, rubbing your back. “You’re stuck with me. We haven’t even done all that stuff yet.”

“Is going to war for me is on that to-do list?”

“Duh. Now who’s missing our telepathic messages?”

You laughed. “That’ll be a ‘something new’ for the history books.”

At the second to last stop of the tour, you had caught brief respite in a narrow spot backstage behind the curtains, careful to stay out of the way of the other crew members bustling about. Roses for Eyes were all either changing, eating, or otherwise hanging out before the show began, and you were in a rare moment of not putting out a fire or looking for smoke before one began.

“Y/N?” A voice that you’d only heard over loudspeaker announcements or in addresses to the entire crew came accompanied by a gentle tap to your shoulder. You turned to see the tour manager for the headliner next to you, snakebites spreading with the wide grin she was giving you.

“Yes, is there something I can assist with?” You stood up straight and at attention. She was usually so busy coordinating literally everyone on the tour that you’d never even had the opportunity to introduce yourself and talk to her one-on-one like this, surprised that she even knew your name.

She offered you one of the two sweating water bottles in her hand as she flipped up the mic on her headset. “Nayoung. I don’t think we’ve officially met.”

“No, but I understand, you’ve been very busy.” You accepted the bottle with a thankful head nod.

“So have you.”

You were once again amazed that she had apparently also taken note of any of what you were doing this whole time. Honestly, you were worried about being a nuisance—a band member’s entitled girlfriend tagging along on the tour, not even lifting a finger to help, and just making the entire crew’s lives harder sounded like a pretty plausible issue for her and her staff to have faced before.

“Thank you.” You bowed your head again.

“You seem like you liked it, you picked it all up really quick after being thrown in the deep end, you know.” She cracked her own bottle cap before lifting the drink to her pitch-black painted lips.

“I’ve really loved it all, actually. Not just supporting the guys, but the work itself, surprisingly enough,” you beamed fondly as you twisted your water open. “It’s totally different from what I used to do, so it’s been really awesome learning about it all. Your staff is incredible, by the way, they’ve been so patient with me whenever I’ve had questions and helping us out when we need an extra extra hand. Really, you guys have been fantastic, we couldn’t have done it without you.”

Nayoung lifted a dark eyebrow curiously. “So what’s this I hear about you quitting after the tour then? You and Sungchan didn’t… did you?”

“Oh, no no no,” you couldn’t help but laugh a little. “The opposite, actually. We agreed that working this close together isn’t a good long-term plan for us. But it was a good experience, and I’ll figure out a way to put it on my résumé.”

“Résumé,” she repeated with mild interest, giving you an avenue to keep talking.

“Yeah, better than just saying I was unemployed for two months when interviewers ask,” you chuckled. “Not looking forward to breaking out the pantsuits again when we get back, though.”

“Who says you have to?” She asked. “You’ve been exposed to jobs outside of an office, you know there’s other options. Did you like your old sort of job so much, despite your apparent dislike for the uniform?”

You faltered for a second in what had so far been a pretty light-hearted conversation on your end, your easy-going smile slowly dropping off your features as you became overcome with confusion. “I guess… that’s what I’ve always done. I know I’m okay at it, I can get a job like that again.”

“But you don’t have to. If you don’t want to.”

You looked down at your feet as you took a thoughtful sip of your water. “You’re right. I’ve… I didn’t even think of that. Thanks, Nayoung.”

“And once you polish up that résumé, send it my way, hm?”

You almost did a spit-take on her, covering your mouth as you coughed and choked down the water in your mouth. “Wait, seriously?”

“My whole crew’s loved you since day 1. I’ve kept my eye on you, and like I said, I can tell you’ve really taken to all of this. You’ve pretty much been informally interviewing for two months already. I just need the résumé.”

“Absolutely!”

She took out a business card for the event and tour management company, this one with her own number and email on it and handed it to you. “Here, when you’re ready. We do all sorts of local stuff too, by the way, we’re not just on the road year-round. There’s a lot of planning that comes before that part.”

You held the card with two hands, well aware that your eyes were shining at her. “That sounds perfect, actually. I will totally send my stuff to you. Thank you!”

“Look forward to hearing from you, then.” She gave you one last grin before snapping the mic back down into place on her headset and started off in another direction with purpose in her steps, already talking to someone else over the mic.

Sungchan found you still rooted to that same spot, looking down at the business card in your hands. He hesitantly grabbed your elbow, startling you from your happy trance.

“Hey, what you got there?” He peered over your shoulder at it curiously.

“Nayoung asked for my résumé,” you told him brightly, practically shoving the card in his face to show him.

He jerked his head back to actually read the writing, a big smile coming to his face as well as he held a hand up for you to high-five. “Congrats, baby!”

You hit his hand hard before throwing your arms around his neck, excitedly bouncing up and down even as you had a vice-like grip around him. He just laughed and hugged you back, doing a small spin with you that the narrow space behind the curtain would allow.

“We’ll just have to make sure all your future acts knows that you were our badass tour manager first,” he teased, smirking as he cradled the back of your head to kiss you.

You pressed your lips to his once, twice more before pulling away with the same wide grin on your face as before. “Oh of course. And hopefully one day, they won’t ask me who that is when I say that.”

His jaw dropped in mock offense as you went to give him another kiss on the cheek in apology, despite your giggles. He just scoffed and pinched your side, making you squeal. “Rude.”

“I’m kidding, Sungs, you know I’m kidding,” you leaned against him affectionately. “Like I keep telling you, you guys are only going to do bigger and better things. I’m going to be the one bragging that I was your first tour manager.”

“Pretty sure you have something even better to brag about,” he reminded you, and you could feel him practically puffing out his chest with pride. “But I’ll take it.”

As you were about to open your mouth to continue your teasing banter by acting confused about what he could possibly mean, something suddenly occurred to you. It didn’t seem like Sungchan had just stumbled across you backstage, or was even looking for you just because he wanted to see you—he had seemed to be on a mission when he found you. You pulled back enough to look up at him with a knowing frown.

“Did you need something, Sungs?” You questioned.

“I didn’t need anything but to see my beautiful, awesome girlfriend.” He put a defensive hand over his chest, then added, “But Shotaro lost his in-ears again.”

“Of course,” you sighed, beginning to detangle yourself from his grasp. “One more night of this, huh?”

⤷ au masterlist | blog masterlist

[gnabnahc]

Hiiii, canon comp skz fic anon here, thank you so much for answering my question over with chanrizard :) Coming off anon because I have more questions if I may, please. Do we know if chris/felix/jisung/jeongin shared a room in the dorm too, or were they more evenly distributed across those three rooms that skz ended up taking over completely in ep 2 of the show? My understanding was that Changbin, Hyunjin, and Seungmin were also already around (basing this on how long they said they were trainees for from ep 1), tho presumably in a different dorm I guess? And that Minho joined as a trainee last... Sorry, just trying to get my timelines straight here before I write too much more fic *sweatdrop*

omg no problem of course!!!

based on what we see in the show, those 4 are already at the dorm space they seemed to keep until 2022-ish. this is what it looks like when we first see it:

they all end up moving their things around so i don't think they shared rooms necessarily, but definitely the dorm itself! i know for sure chris used to room with young k of day6 (and roomed with him the longest, i think they said abt 5 years), and if memory serves i believe bambam also shared with them (fun fact, they used to steal young k's mattress off of his bed and drag it around to eat fast food on)

i don't think it's ever really said by anyone, but i personally have always assumed people that live in seoul sort of used the dorms as needed if they're staying late (which was...a lot), but those who had come from overseas or other parts of korea that were too far had more permanent spots in the dorms (of course), or maybe had separate ones even based on that distinction.

i think they also tried to keep them pretty close to each "debut group", but not necessarily stuck to it, but for reference the original debut group for skz was chan, allen (now in cravity), jisung, changbin, steven (now in luminous/ahof), hyunjin, jeongin, yao chen (former r1se member now a soloist), seungmin, felix,🤢woojin, and minho at the very tail end. cute pic of (most) of them all here (p sure thats minho in the very bottom lmao)!

which if u want a brief history lesson for some backstory:

yao chen ended up going to a chinese boy group called r1se (that...no longer exists but he's v successful solo now! i do wonder if he was actually meant to be in boy story but was perhaps a bit too old/concepts were changed? their oldest are 04 liners LMAO) and allen was actually meant to be in it as well but apparently didnt like the idea so he ended up going to starship and minho ended up taking allen's spot in the group and show despite being there like barely two months (p sure allen had been in there for a WHILE). steven's never said anything about why he left jyp, but he was on produce 101 and i'm p sure left sometime after that (common).

there was an additional almost member named john aquino who ended up moving back to america, but he's met up with them before on tour and also put up one of the funniest instagram stories i've ever seen of him putting bottoms up by trey songz to the my house cover chris did calling him mr.stealyourgirl because he "has that kind of vibe about him" (also realized getting this tweet the Youth™️ do not know abt this song and have proceeded to make a big deal abt it and taking it as like....Fact and serious bc they didn't live through the swag era like some of us). here's another funny ass tweet w/ some posts. i think this is the funniest way i've ever seen somebody refer to him as being sexy by saying he could take anyone because he's so hot and charismatic (it's also soooooo late millennial/early gen z of him sLKSDJGLKSD john reminds me of young k's old friend from toronto terry actually)

other boys who were considered i believe at some point: yuchan and byeongkwan, who both left in abt 2016 to go to beat interactive and debuted in a.c.e (yuchan and chris were the treadmill zombies in the twice mv for like ooh-ahh!) and daehwi and woojin from ab6ix!

all that to say i have to assume all these boys were in these dorms at one point given they were all overseas trainees (yao chen from china, steven from sydney, and allen and john from the us), so if anyone was bunking there it was them, which would also explain why those beds were empty now since they were no longer part of the debut project. i wanna say maybe allen and chris shared a room at some point but i can't put fact to that, but allen has a lot of stories about chris's mom so they were close! if you want the order of who joined:

chris (2010), jisung (2014-2015-ish), jeongin, hyunjin, changbin, woojin (2015-2016), felix, seungmin (2016/2017, seungmin passed an open audition, felix finished out his school year), minho (2017)

lmk if this helps any!!! old jyp lore is my favorite topic 😊

[boysplanetrecaps]

Build Up Episode 1: Don’t Go

Hello and welcome back to my Build Up recaps! In the last one, we covered the first two “Pre-4” Mission performances -- If You and Every Moment of You. In this post, we’ll cover Don’t Go (Kajima) and wrap up episode 1, finally!

I found some decent links to watch the episodes. 

Episode 1

Episode 2

I’m deliberately hiding them behind a read more since I’m not sure if MNET knows about them and/or if they’ll be there forever, so watch while you can! 

Just a little note before we dive in -- I noticed after I had posted the previous one that Seunghun from CIX has braces! 

I’m just really surprised, because I would have guessed that his agency would have made him take them off for this show, or something. I’m glad he has them if he needs them, for sure -- it’s just a surprise. Knowing this helps explain why he smiles so strangely sometimes. 

Anyway! 

Don’t Go

The next performance is Kajima, Kajima (Don’t Go, Don’t Go). 

A little about the song before we get to the performance. It was originally performed by a singing duo called Brown Eyes, which, per Wikipedia, is “considered one of South Korea's most important R&B groups, given their immense commercial success.” The duo consists of Yoon Gun and Naul, both of whom have gone on to do other stuff. Naul recently did a duo with Sung Sikyung, the guy who first sang Every Moment of You (the previous song on this show). The song Kajima, Kajima won the Best Ballad/R&B Performance award at the 2008 MNET Asian Music awards.

Kajima, Kajima is the miserable wail of a deserted lover begging their partner to come back. Some of the lyrics, per a blog I found: “Stupidly / I still live for you / Where are you? / I need you so much / Oh baby, my only one / Please stop and come back now / Just tell me this is a joke / Simply return to me.” 

Mini Korean lesson: You might recognize the -jima ending from the GOT7 song Stop It, when they say “hajima, hajima” over and over (“hajima” means “don’t). And you heard the “ka” verb at the beginning of the Oneus song Lit, when they say, “Kaja!” (let’s go!) So ka is for go, and -jima is a negative command, so kajima is “don’t go”. Woot! 

Kajima, Kajima is known for a really high note -- a high G#5. I would have to warm up to hit that note at all -- and I’m not confident I could hit it with much resonance. And I’m a mezzo-soprano -- it would be insane to hit that note as a tenor!  Like the other ballads on this show, it’s known for being particularly emotional, but in this case it’s also tricky to sing. That’s why the other guys call it a “hell song.”

So, who would want to take this song on? Why, mister high notes himself, Park Jeup.

Park Jeup was second to choose and chose this song right off, but it took a while for anyone else to join him, to the point that he started to get nervous. But after a bit, 16th ranked Detective Donghun from A.C.E. chose it while there were still spots open in every song. It turns out that Donghun really wanted to sing Breath but chose this song so that he could work with Jeup. Aww! They were on I Can See Your Voice 4 together, so Donghun may have admired Jeup’s voice for a while. They’re “chingus” in the sense that they were born in the same year, 1993, and in Korean culture having someone around who is the same age as you is sort of meaningful, almost like when you meet someone from your home country when you’re abroad.

“Will I be able to sing this song well?” … “I’m sure you’ll do well.”

Also, Donghun proved he’s not scared to tackle tough material when he did an EXO song for his teaser performance. 

By the time Neon chose the song, Ditto, Tomboy, and Shall I Love You Again  were closed, but he seems to choose this song without hesitation. By the time 36th place Hyukjin choose it, the only songs open were this song, Every Moment Of You (the one we just saw), or Breath, but I think he might have really wanted this song anyway. Based on his teaser performance -- that wild metal performance -- he also likes to tackle tough material. (Hyukjin was also born in 1993, making him also a chingu to Jeup and Donghun. Neon is a little younger, about 28 years old.)

In my original assessment of Jeup, I noted that I loved his technique but wasn’t sure about his timbre, but that I’d give him a chance to grow on me. For Hyukjin, I recognized the ambition of what he tried to do and again decided to reserve judgment. About Neon, I said that he has nice, clean vocals, with good technique and a lot of power. And I said that Donghun has an appealing warm vocal color with good breath support, but strains his throat a bit. If I had to pick a favorite voice of the four based on their teaser song, I’d choose Neon, but Donghun wouldn’t be too far behind. This is a group of powerful vocalists, regardless of the category they chose, and I am hopeful that it will turn out well.

The group seems pretty happy to all be working together, and they view each other as talented colleagues, which might make it tricky to divvy up the parts. They’re all really good, so who should sing what? 

Look at how shiny Hyukjin’s suit is! Those gray lines are just lights reflecting off of creases in the material. 

They begin singing the song a bit to test out the waters, and Jeup’s strong clear tenor fills the studio. Over in team Beautiful, Lim Sang Hyun wonders out loud, “Is that the original song playing?” 

LTR: Lim Sanghyun, Taewoo, Jeong Yunseo, Kim Minseo 

They take turns singing a bit and they all sound fantastic. They’re not really sure what to do, because Jeup doesn’t want to take the verse, which he thinks is too low for him, and so he wants to do the chorus, which is a long part. Donghun also wants to do that long part, but decides that it suits Jeup more and decides to do a different part that is more emotional, even if it’s shorter. The rest of the part distribution goes well.

Then we go into a mini montage of Donghun’s struggles in his life. He’s always wanted to sing, and went on various shows to make that happen, but though he made top 10 of Superstar K5 that wasn’t quite good enough, and then he made the debut lineup of that shitshow that was MIXNINE but of course that group didn’t debut. He thought that debuting (in A.C.E.) would make it ok, but it didn’t. I beg to differ, sir! People really like A.C.E.! But I guess it’s not like A.C.E. have hit the highs of BTS and Seventeen, so I understand what he’s saying. “Actually the survival program itself was a bit of a trauma for me,” he adds, and I feel that. These shows seriously should gift each contestant at least 20 hours of a post-show mental health counseling. 

The guys are meeting in some sort of staff room, probably at one of their agencies. Looks like three of them were drinking something cool, but smart Jeup is drinking something hot. Cold stuff is bad for your throat, my friends. Jeup knows where it’s at.

Left to right: Hyukjin, Neon, Donghun, and Jeup

Also, I think Jeup looks so much nicer with his hair this way, sort of parted and brushed back, instead of down over his face like bangs.

Anyway, at this meeting, Donghun is saying, “I want us to decide what kind of thoughts we’ll have when we sing this song, so that we have a unified approach. The song title is Don’t Go, Don’t Go. We can make it about our dreams. I haven’t seen my dream lately, and I hope it comes to me now.”    

The editors play some sad piano music as Donghun’s words sink in. All four of them know what he’s talking about. Honestly, Hyukjin and Jeup know what he means even more than he does -- A.C.E. is about 100x more popular than Jeup’s group was, and about 100,000x more popular than Hyukjin’s current group. 

Hyukjin, partly quoting from the song, says, “Living like a fool is heartbreaking. But we keep living like fools.” Then he smiles incredulously, as if he almost can’t believe that he’s made that connection. Donghun has really hit a nerve here. 

Donghun agrees with Hyukjin, and says, “yes, we keep singing like fools.” He interviews that he wants to reclaim his dream and get it back. 

As the lights go down on performance day, Donghun voiceovers, I want to sing my heart out with no regrets. 

Here’s the full version, no reactions. 

My thoughts:

Damn, that was good. 

Let me nitpick for just a few seconds. Yes, Hyukjin’s voice is a little thin and he strained on the highest notes, and Jeup’s voice is a bit too high in timbre to be my favorite, and Donghun’s voice still sounds strained, like he must be hurting his throat. 

But it all ended up working. I don’t know, man, this was good. For one thing, all the voices are really good individually, and then they also are a great mix. You’ve got the slightly tart Jeup, like a strawberry. You’ve got the bright voice of Hyukjin, like a raspberry. You’ve got the slightly challenging voice of Donghun, a pineapple. And then the smoothest voice, Neon, as a slice of banana mixed in to smooth the whole thing down. It fucking works. I don’t even like this song and I liked listening to their performance. I mean, this is going on my playlist, you guys. This is good shit.

I particularly like Neon’s voice, even though I recognize that it’s not quite as powerful or well trained as the others’. To me, he sounds just a little like Do Kyungsoo and that’s just about the highest compliment I can give to a singer. 

Also, damn, I don’t normally talk about this kind of thing exactly but Park Jeup, in addition to being a real sweetheart, is a really good looking dude. I’m not made of steel, you guys. 

Those cheekbones! Those shoulders! Am I alone on this…? 

The MNET edit, like all the edits so far, is pretty restrained. I guess they told their editors to not do a whole bag of coke before they sat down to their editing control panel. There are a few instant replays of high notes, but they’re blended in to the background mix so it’s not so jarring to listen to. 

All the reaction shots are positive. We see the judges just loving all of them. Vocal Coach Guy even asks, “wait, is this live or playback?” The love seems slightly more focused on Jeup and Donghun, less so on Neon and even less so on Hyukjin, but all four of them get some love, which is nice. 

Solar likes it. I think. I guess? Not sure.

She’s excited Jeup hit that one high note! She tries to hit it too and kind of can’t! 

Backstage, the guys all kind of fall over hearing Jeup’s high note. They almost can’t believe it. Hwanhee kind of hits his own knees with his hands involuntarily. 

When they’re done, the judges give them a standing ovation!

They lavish praise on all of them, again focusing a little less on Hyukjin and a little more on Donghun. They think that the four of them could just debut as a group the way they are. Basically, the judges agree with me, so that’s good.

Vocal Coach Guy points out that Jeup doesn’t just hit high notes -- he sings with emotions. Then he adds that Jeup has nice shoulders, so that was funny. Wendy asks about Jeup’s range, and he says that he can sing any male song, that they’re all in his range. 

Dahee says that it was nothing but compliments, so the question is, who could win? Backstage, the boys aren’t sure either. No one floats Hyukjin’s name as top tier, but the other three get named, and the boys think that all four were excellent. 

So, who wins…?

Baekho, Solar, and Vocal Coach Guy all vote for Donghun from A.C.E. 

Eunkwang and Jaehwan vote for Neon, and Wendy votes for Park Jeup. 

So, Donghun wins! Vocal Coach Guy lavishes a bit more praise on him, saying that it was an easy choice to pick Donghun because his voice is so good. 

And then, oh guys, it’s so sad. Donghun starts to cry, saying it’s the first time he’s been recognized like this. 

The judges are a little uncomfortable because the “win” is kind of a minor one, and they’re surprised at his reaction. It’s like this is what Donghun has been waiting his whole life to hear. 

Donghun adds that he didn’t expect to win, that he was focusing on working well with his team.

Backstage, the guys are like, oof, wouldn’t want to have to follow that! 

So who is up next? Team Breath. The editors do that thing like they’re trying to trick you into thinking that the performance is starting, but the episode is almost over and this obviously just a teaser. Thanks, editors. Theditors. 

Since we’re at the end of the episode, I’ll end the post here. Woo! Finally to the end of the first episode! I'm only two full episodes behind... great! Anyway, I'll see you in the next one, and thanks as always for reading. <3

[poffzy]

Hii!! I really really like your characters and your story!! You have a very pretty artstyle!!!!!!

I don't have any questions, but I would love to know more about the characters? Anything you can give us? I just wanted to let you know your blog is Really Cool

(Ps. It's so funny to me that your story is called A.C.E, an acronym which is a name for an organization, BC MY STORY IS CALLED D.O.V.E WHICH IS ALSO AN ACRONYM FOR AN ORGANIZATION HELPPPP)

Sorry, hope I don't come off weird, I just rlly like your blog!!!!

I LOVE THE COINCIDENCE THAT'S SO FUN!! And thank you soo much, i'm really glad that you like my art! I can't wait to see what you're doing for your story too :D

A.C.E is still a wip because there's still a lot of stuff I need to iron out which includes characters I haven't drawn yet because I need to decide how relevant they are to the story :p

The majority of the main cast works under A.C.E, an organised crime syndicate who perform assassinations given by outside clients (similar to your own story :>). They used to be a really influential gang before this, it changed because the leader of the gang(Silas) struck a deal with the CEO of the most influential tech company, Worlds Grace. His name is Casimir and they actually knew eachother since they were kids.

BACK TO THE MAIN CAST,

Constance is the most important character, she's also the gang leader of the Patchworks. This gang started when they were all really young and they only really recruited young strest kids as way to protect eachother, and as they grew older they started becoming less amateur and more big time. That was until she was scouted by A.C.E. She started making TONS of money and she used that money to get members of her gang out of that life as best as she could. She's still the leader of the Patchworks though, they've just gotten much smaller.

She's got a sister, Dania, who's a tech whizz and a massive superfan of Worlds Grace. She isn't adept at fighting and doesn't work under A.C.E, but does hope she could work for Worlds Grace one day.

Constance's partner in A.C.E is a women called Merav who's been working for A.C.E since she was a child. She's soilder-like, no nonsense and doesnt enjoy comedy. But loves drinking tea(my story is set in fictional london).

AND MY FAVOURITE CHARACTER, Nika. There's a big fact about my story I haven't exactly mentioned yet but I think I'll leave it for another post, it relates heavily with Nika and her plotline. Nika is Merav's sister and often comes off as her polar opposite. She's charismatic, reserved and surprisingly down to earth. But she's also observant and very manipulative. She often uses the fact that she's smaller, thinner against other people who underestimate her.

At the point of the story starting she just got out of a VERY intensive surgery, she's the lady with tons of scars :]

I DIDNT MENTION ALL THE CHARACTERS but here's some info on a few of the really important ones! I hope it was interesting for you! :]

[lost-inthedream]

Kim Byeongkwan from A to Z

The smut alphabet collection of A.C.E is now complete!

Pairing: Byeongkwan X female reader

Read under the cut

A = Aftercare (what they’re like after sex)

It might be surprising but he seems to be more energetic than before you had sex. Often asks you to shower together right after his high fades away. Still wants to make out underwater a little bit but will help you, scrubbing your back or anywhere you need.

B = Body part (their favorite body part of theirs and also their partner’s)

He likes his body structure. You often receive photos of him at the gym or trying outfits for A.C.E MVs. That makes you anticipate his new songs even more.

On you it's your hands. He is always holding hands with you and in the bedroom he enjoys guiding your palms and fingers along his body. Loves it when you prop your hands on his chest while riding him.

C = Cum (anything to do with cum, basically)

Honestly he doesn't have any preference or kink regarding cum, then It depends on the moment.

D = Dirty secret (pretty self explanatory, a dirty secret of theirs)

He consideres recording you two having sex but he is afraid of telling you such a pervert dream

E = Experience (how experienced are they? do they know what they’re doing?)

He wishes he had more but he is actually pretty experient. I would say 6 or 7 partners even.

F = Favorite position (this goes without saying)

He enjoys standing sex a lot! Expecially when he is pushing in you from behind so you try and reach him without seeing, you look desperate and thirsty. He loves it.

G = Goofy (are they more serious in the moment? are they humorous? etc.)

He is serious because he loves hard.

H = Hair (how well groomed are they? does the carpet match the drapes? etc.)

Bare or close to bare. That's a thing he has about himself, looking like a model or something. He doesn't mind if you have hair.

I = Intimacy (how are they during the moment? the romantic aspect)

I can't see him being very romantic because he is too intese. Yet he will reply if you say "I love you". You won't feel any doubt in his voice even if it's shaking from pleasure.

J = Jack off (masturbation headcanon)

He does it quite regularly. Likes his fist to slide easily so he might apply lube or his own saliva on his d.

K = Kink (one or more of their kinks)

Top three:

Marking (giving and receiving because his skinlooks so nice with hickeys...)

Dirty talking (giving)

Voice kink (he likes it when you moan his name in person or through the phone)

L = Location (favorite places to do the do)

Other then the bedroom, the bathroom and the kitchen counter.

M = Motivation (what turns them on, gets them going)

You saying you need him in any situation. When you miss him, when you need help, anything.

N = No (something they wouldn’t do, turn offs)

Apart from weird things, there's nothing he would not try.

O = Oral (preference in giving or receiving, skill, etc.)

He really likes receiving, especially when you massage his balls too. Not the type to look lost when coming but actually loses his sanity.

But he gives decent head, his tongue can move fast and he concentrates for real on it until yo push him away.

P = Pace (are they fast and rough? slow and sensual? etc.)

He definetely moves fast because he is not good at controling his hips when it feels good. He will slow down if you ask him to.

Q = Quickie (their opinions on quickies, how often, etc.)

He is professional at quickies! Find him on the backstage and he will wear you out then he will do a perfect stage afterwards. Also, if yo go for it in a party toilet he will look so excited with his friends once you all come back to the reunion.

R = Risk (are they game to experiment? do they take risks? etc.)

BK doens't mind getting caught because sex is a natural part of adults life. So sensate.

S = Stamina (how many rounds can they go for? how long do they last?)

Enough for the whole night.

T = Toys (do they own toys? do they use them? on a partner or themselves?)

He owns quite a lot toys such as vibrators, things to restrict you and paddles to make sure your butt will be marked lol

U = Unfair (how much they like to tease)

Good luck, he TEASES. Through the phone, during the dinner, at your parents' house, you name it...

V = Volume (how loud they are, what sounds they make, etc.)

He moans in moderate volume. Beautiful moans, slightly airy and breathy.

W = Wild card (a random headcanon for the character)

The first time you made love you thought he was calm...

X = X-ray (let’s see what’s going on under those clothes)

Pretty average in terms of length but a bit thicker. Also points to the side a little bit, that's a special charm.

Y = Yearning (how high is their sex drive?)

3 - 4 times a week.

Z = Zzz (how quickly they fall asleep afterwards)

He takes some time thanks to the excess of energy. He will let you sleep though, but still peppers your face and shoulders with kisses before himself dozes off.

___

Thanks for reading it until the end! Leave a comment or an ask to motivate my work if you feel like it. You will find more smut alphabets on the tags.

[phoenix-positivity]

12 april 2024

busy day. currently triggered. so why am I writing this then. good question. want to stay aware I guess. am dissociating. im overwhelmed. I'll put on a song I like. I tried grounding earlier and it worked but it was weird cause I think it wasn't me. whatever. got triggered outside. likely the smell. smell has been REALLY intense today. I think it must be pollen? I saw a lot of pollen floating around. i started dissociating outside. I used the grapefruit scent stick outside. At home I put on this one lotion I bought that has a cooling effect and smells strongly of menthol. I also had a sour candy. I hated it, it was so sour. I might put on the menthol again.

aye. youtube is autoplaying a song that makes me dissociate more..

no clue how much time passed but I'm back and more grounded I think?

apparently an hour has passed.

The song playing right now gives me so much strength and hope. It really hits my heart. ( A.C.E. - Callin' ) I don't know why but that song always gives me hope for the future. It's about self acceptance for me.

I'm so out of it. I think making this post has a purpose. I think I was going to go over my day.

My mother asked me to go for a walk with my grandma and I agreed. My grandma needs to practice walking. She has a walker I bought her but even with the walker she still struggles. My mother drove us to a location at the water. I recognized it from trauma memories. I didn't know we were going there and I hadn't been there for years. I didn't want to get out of the car at first but I didn't want to tell my mother and grandma why so I just got out reluctantly and told myself it was okay. There was also a strong scent of spring. A lot of memories resurfaced from seeing the location. Luckily the memories were pretty mild trauma (in terms of how I judge it for myself). I was extremely on edge that my abuser was going to be there. I was scanning my environment like crazy. Eventually I managed to be more calm. I focused more on the water and the boats and the wind and the smell of the water. There was also a lot of people walking their dogs. We went inside somewhere to have a drink and cake. I felt safe there. I had no memories inside that location.

I had set the goal for myself to have lunch in the city to do exposure there. Even though I did unexpected exposure already, I still wanted to proceed with my plan. I walked to the city choosing the most scary roads. I usually ask myself: 'which route brings me the most fear to walk?' and then I pick the one that scares me the most to challenge my fears. I felt proud of myself for the way I walked. I decided to not have lunch because it was rather late, but I did go to the lunch location to just walk around it. I did exposure at another store that really scares me. I managed to stay inside about 2 minutes. Then I walked the scary road back to the bus stop and took the bus home.

I'll have to take note of the resurfaced memories so I can maybe process them in therapy if they don't fade to the background again.

[t3kandson]

Reunited in Death

Word count; 7,537

Fandom; A.C.E. & The Boyz

Pairing; Reader X Son Youngjae Aka Eric & Reader X Lee Donghun

Characters; Lee Donghun, Son Youngjae, Ji Changmin, Kim Byeongwkan, Bae Jacob, Lee Juyeon, Kim Sunwoo, Lee Hyunjae, Moon Kevin, Kang Yuchan, Kim Sehyoon & Park Junhee

Warnings; Sacrifice, Ghosts, The dead, crime, death, Oral, Giving, unprotected sex, Claiming kinks.

Notes; Set in 2034

The last part in Deathly Powers/Power Starved.

Please check out A.C.E.'s new song piñata

"You ok Baby Girl?” Donghun ask as he slips beside you as your watching a new movie, Mint Chocolate in hand. "Yeah," you mutter lost in the drama as Donghun tips the spoon to his mouth chuckling as you spin to look at him. "Lee Donghun, you thief," you splutter as he chuckles. "You can't eat this and not expect me to have a bite," he teases as you muffle your snigger before resuming back to the tv. "Are you not going to the temple?" He asks as you pause it to look his way. "Just you still dream about him, yet you normally take solace up there," he asks suspiciously. "Well ice cream and chaotic dramas, work just as well," you lied as he didn't look convinced. "Plus you told me to stay away from the spiritual world, the temple still is that world," you explain as he nodded understanding. "I get that just i get reassured a lot knowing your there safe, when me and Yuchan is away. I worry that some vengeful spirit will be lured by him to removed that from you," he said tapping your pendent. "Plus Sunwoo really misses you," he added as you chuckled his way. "I thought you didn't like me hanging with him," you scoff as he rolled his eyes. "I have no problem with you and Sunwoo, as long as he keeps his thoughts to himself," he groans. "I can still see you kissing him when ever I touch him," he said shivering for effect. "He was Eric," you reply as he closes his eye grimacing. "As if that makes it any better," he pouts. "Sorry," you wince as he half smiles your way. "I forgive you if you let me have a couple more mouthfuls of this," he chuckled swiping the pot of ice cream off you. "Hey," you grumbled as he playfully looked offended. "What so you don't want to be forgiven?" He teases bumping your shoulders. "Fine," you splutter. "It's a good thing I'm crazy in love with you," you say as he pauses the spoon towards his mouth. "You are?" He questions slightly off guard. "Yes silly, it's you that makes me crazy," you whisper as you place your mouth around the spoon. "I'm crazy in love with you too," he whispers completely besotted with you.

Waiting for Donghun to leave you pull out your laptop and your note pad. You had spent the last three months searching every piece of information of Eric and Minjae. They had been high school love sweethearts, marrying 13 years ago before buying the house that Kim Sehyoon now resided in. A House that you now knew was empty as Sehyoon had been living with Byeongkwan. Eric's encounter gifting him the talent himself. Donghun had taken him under his wing with Yuchan. October 31st 10 years ago Eric who’s real name was Youngjae was found standing over the blooded body of his wife Kim Minjae. He had proclaimed he found her, that a loan shark had killed her because of lack of payment. He was convicted of Murder, due to the life insurance he had got out on him and his wife six month prior. He was sentenced to life in prison. While a Mr Shin Hyunmin purchased the house, Eric had escaped prison taking his own life exactly where his wife had passed. But what was interesting was Mr Shin two years ago was arrested for money laundering. Your inkling when you focused on his picture was he was her murderer, and Eric's loan shark. But you needed to research where he was held, you needed to prove Eric was innocent so that Donghun would allow you to work to free him. But you wasn't as clever as Hyunjae with his research. Focusing on Mr Shin you decided to research him on the hope you would find him yourself. ------------------🔺--------------------

"Hi Ms Shin," you said standing to take the woman’s hand. After weeks of tracking down his Sister pretending to be a social media journalist, she agreed to meet. "Miss Kim," she said taking her seat. "Before we start know that any documentary you wish to proceed with, has to be checked with me before publishing," she said sternly as you smiled her way. "Well I would like to meet with your brother before we decide to go ahead. As I said on the phone we can decide to do it together, all three of us. You and Mr Shin will be navigating the agenda of how you both want the public to view this," you said as she thought heavily to herself. "I was looking into his case and found that there were many errors by the police. If I'm honest can I say I'm suspicious that someone in the police force framed him," you say calmly as she blinks in surprise at your support. "You think my brother was set up too?" She said leaning into listen to you further. "Yes, I believe he had somehow upset someone much higher up who decided to expose him for this," you say intently as you watch the excitement in her eyes. "You will work to free him?" She questions as you smile. "I can't free him Ms Shin, but what I can do is put this out there. I can get the birds whispering that will put pressure on the case and hopefully open it back up," you smiled as she thought deeply. "At least let me talk to your brother so i can lay this offer out to him, I won't force him to accept I promise you," you said sitting up showing some authority. "Can you let me think this over at the very least," she said sitting up as you nodded feeling a little disheartened. "Y/N," you froze hearing the voice calling you. "Thanks Ms Shin please let me know when you've come to a decision," you say hastily standing up, ignoring him as his hands found your shoulder. "I will do, I will let you know what I decide soon, i promise," she said holding her hand to shake before walking off.

"Who's that?" Donghun asked looking at you suspiciously. "Promise not to get mad?" You said pouting at him which made him look concerned. "What did you do Y/N?" He questioned. "He wanted help and I wanted to At least offer my research sources," you rambled as he shook his head. "Who Y/N? research I'm confused," Donghun said looking baffled. "Sunwoo said he bumped into someone whom was guilty of this, he wanted to show off to Jacob that he could be talented. And I wanted to prove I could Atleast do research," you explain passing him the document of Hyunmin’s crime hoping he wouldn't focus on the detail. "Y/N I thought we agreed you wouldn't do things in this world," he said gripping you tightly to him. "I'm sorry I just want to help Sunwoo this once, please my side involves humans not the dead," you said into his warmth hold. "Fine just this once," he groaned as you snuggled into him tightly feeling extra guilty. "Can you do me a favour though?" You said wincing up at him. "Don't let Sunwoo know that you know, I think he wants to prove a point to Jacob that he can do well. Yuchan so good it's hard to convince him he can do just as good," you said as he chuckled. "Yuchan’s better then all of you," he said with enthusiasm. "Ouch," you said playfully pushing yourself away. "Y/N, your retired," he said pushing a loose hair behind your ear. "Well you retired before you could run," he sniggered as you playfully slapped his shoulder. "Baby," you whined as he laughed harder. "It doesn't matter though to me you retired for me," he said placing his hand on his heart. "Good thing I love ya," you chirp as he holds on to your hands before kissing it. "Good, shall we get some lunch," he asks as you nod.

---------------------------🔺--------------------------

You looked at the prison while sitting in your car. You were relieved that Ms Shin had given details of her brother’s prison but also he had accepted your invite. Taking a deep breath you walked into the high secure prison.

His face was disheveled like he had given up, his eyes full of evil and darkness. "What ever this is, you won't be able to get what you want," he growls looking less friendly as his sister. "I explained to," , "I don't care, this is how it is, don't go fishing around in things you don't understand little girl," he snarled as you tried not to let him shake you off. "I'm trying to get answers, and maybe your life back," you continued as he chuckled.

Your body turning to ice in that second, that laugh you had heard it before. In the room seconds before the knife plunged in. "You really think you can, huh," he said leaning in, his breath hot in your face. "You can't even begin to imagine, so off you go home," he growls standing up. "I know you didn't do this, I know that you once had the police in your pocket and this," you paused tapping the file on the desk. "This came because you wasn't useful to them anymore," you said as he sat back looking amused. "You really think you know it all," he smirked intrigued. Hand falling around your pendent you pulled begging for some spiritual assistance. The Room darkened, several blooded spirits appeared angry and vengeful. "You don't think I can name them?" You bluffed trying to show you wasn't nervous. Eye contact being refused at the spirits by your side. "Inspector Kang," you said watching him nod smirking as you named Eric’s case inspector. "Prosecutor Kim," you continued naming Eric’s Prosecutor. "Y/N what do you think your doing?" You hear the voice you've been desperate to hear. "Hmmm let me think who else used and abused your services," you said sitting back finger to your chin hoping a spirit would answer. "Judge Choi," you hear the whisper as Eric comes to your vision. "Why you here? it isn't safe," he whimpers. "Maybe Judge Choi," you say eyes refusing Eric’s contact to take his. "Now I know your ass can see me," Eric scathes at you. The name being exactly that that wipes the smile off his face. "Assembly Moon," you said after another whisper name is given. "You think names thrown out will persuade me," he says trying to pretend he's unbothered.

Standing up your hands fall to his shoulder as screams, cry's, victims, many of them pleading for help. All his crimes flashing till you reach Minjae's. Hyunmin’s evil smirk when Eric sentenced. But worse was the image of Minjae asking him for Money to pay for fertility. Minjae was infertile, Eric didn't owe him money Minjae did. "Y/N," Eric whimpered as his hands held you still as your hands left Hyunmin. "I know every person you killed too," you whispered almost out of breath. "Yeah come on then name that list smart ass," he dared as you sat back down smirking his way. "Y/N lets go, put that necklace back on, go home to Donghun," Eric pleads in desperation.

"Kim Minjae," you said her name as his face half dropped. "Just like I know you abused a girl in love who just wanted money to start a family. Your jealous of that aren't you Hyunmin. Jealous that some woman would sacrifice herself for the man she loved. Not like your mother did that herself," you added as Eric stood backwards from you. "What? What are you saying?" He looked in shock and horror. "The guy who went down for her murder killed himself thinking he was responsible for the woman he loved death, he thought it was his debt," you said arms folded anger in your veins.

"What did you say?” Eric yells totally in shock with your words. "I can help you Mr Shin, I don't want names because I have them, I just want to work with you to clear you from this case," you said tapping the file. "What do you say?" You relaxed in your chair eyes never leaving his. "Y/N what are you doing, leave this prison, don't stay here for a damn second," Eric stammers in fear. "So sister right?" He smirks as you look puzzled his way. "I remember how she looked, how her body felt gasping with her last breath as I held her. You're her exact double image," he smirked as Eric pulled his hands to hurt him. But Evil couldn't fight a bigger evil then him he was powerless against him. "How do you know I'm not her, how do you know I'm even alive. Maybe I'm the ghost of your past to haunt you," you stood up walking to sit on the table as close to him as you could. "I don't believe in ghosts," he said amused. "You were waiting in the room for my arrival? Yanking my hair back as I cried for my husband, with my last breath I said," you paused to get close to his ear. "Please Eric save me," you said in the same whispery lack of oxygen whisper from that night. "You then ran from my bedroom by the window, that black cap with the initials KW on them," you said standing up to take your seat again noticing Eric had disappeared. "Believe in ghosts now?" You said smirking as you took your seat. "Halloween was weeks ago?" He said trying to pretend to sound unconvinced. "Well, what if I said I had the evidence of that actual event?" You questioned as his face dropped. "Confess to this charge, let both of them rest in peace. I will let this charge resolve itself and no one will know it came from you," you said as he laughed once more. "You see there is, what is your name?" You turned to the female Victim by his side her face looking like it was mauled. "Park Jisoo," she said as you repeated her name to him. "You see being dead myself I can do things to your family," you smirked as his whole facade dropped. "You think by protecting those people you're protecting your loved ones. But you're not, the dead can do a lot more, trust me," you said picking the file up and standing. "Let me show a little demonstration for you," you said standing up as he chuckled. "Go on then try it," he challenged as you laughed back. "Wait for the phone call," you pretended to show sadness before chuckling as you left him.

Heart racing you go to your phone turning the recording off. There has to be something there that could convince Donghun his innocent, even get Eric’s name cleared. As you get to the car your phone rings, Donghun's name flashing on the screen. "You took it off, in a prison full of multiple vengeful spirits, are you really stupid?" He shouts down the phone. "How did you know?" You ask despite knowing that some how Eric found a way to warn him. "Don't worry how I know, I'm on my way to the prison now, stay there," he demands. "No meet me at Park land Cemetery," you whittle back as he chokes out. "Why are you going there?" He snaps as you pull your files and phone to your chest. "Cemeteries are safe against vengeful spirits, aren't they?" You scoff. "So is the temple Y/N," Donghun reply's with annoyance. "Donghun please come to the Cemetery and please bring everyone else with you," you reply feeling ready to put everything in action. "Y/N I swear to god," you hear Donghun mutter as you turn the phone call off.

----------------------------🔺-------------------------

Driving the ten miles to the local cemetery it starts to darken with snow beginning to fall. Your phone continuously buzzing from them all trying to ring you. Parking up you grab your files placing them to your chest as you make your way. Hundreds of gravestones are marked up as you look frustrated at the gate. Hands falling to your arms you turn to find Eric stood there. "You really went and told him?" You cry out feeling a little betrayed. "Because I won't let you come to harm Princess," he said pulling you into him. "How? When you haven't been able to before?" You question as he pulled you back by your arms to look at you. "Sunwoo, he was already possessed by me before and thankfully he wasn't at the temple," he said looking pleased with himself. "So why didn't you use him before when I needed to speak to you?" You splutter as he chuckles. "I did Princess, but you ignored my calls and messages," he said cupping your face. "I was too busy proving your innocence," you replied as he smiled. "I know, I was with you the whole time watching you as you worked hard," he said stroking your hair. "But you should never have put yourself in danger not in a place like that, even if it's to prove my innocence. Now you're in danger with the living as well as the dead," he said showing pain in his face. "Eric you know I'm not Minjae right?" You questioned as he looked hurt nodding. "I didn't, but I do now. Forgive me, you look just like her from the way you smile, your laugh, even the mole under her ear," he smiled touching your birthmark blemish. "I chose to watch over you and then you got this talent, it was too much for me I got greedy. I needed you to be her and to remember. By remembering I remembered that I wasn't a peaceful spirit," he explained looking pained. "I'm sorry I caused this mess," he whimpered. "I'm glad you did, because I'm going to find a way to reunite you," you smiled holding his hand as he look bewildered your way. "You can't Y/N it's impossible," he said in fear. "She's here right?" You said turning to look at the gravestones. "Just tell me where, trust me," you said as tears started falling from his eyes. "It's by the smaller chapel on the right, look for her cherubs," he smiled. "I don't even know what it looks like now," he said hands on the shield stopping him entering. "I'm sure it looks just as pretty as it did then, when the others get here I will convince them to help your soul be at peace," you said pressing your hand to his shoulder. "You can try but I won't get my hopes up, first you won't ever convince Donghun and two I made a deal with the devil remember," he said turning to face you. "Have faith Youngjae," you say as he looked at you with surprise. "No one has called me that since we got married. I mean since me and Minjae got married," he says hand over his heart. "She never let you down so I won't neither," you said pressing a kiss to his cheek as you made your way to the graves in search.

The snow was beginning to flow heavier as you continue your search. You begin to wonder if it's been destroyed and looking in the wrong place. When you spot the familiar cherubs the stone covered in ornamental ivy.

Kim Minjae

14-06-00 - 31-10-22

A small photo is attached to the stone one of herself laughing. You smile recognising your features in her. "No wonder why Eric had an issue thinking it was you," you said as your hand pressed the cherubs. "You've seen Eric," you heard your own voice from behind you. Turning to face her you could see every inch of you in her. "Wow you look like me,” She questioned in equal surprise. "Yeah I been told that," you smiled at her. "You said you saw my Eric?" She questioned with bated breath. "Yeah, he’s not doing good, they think he," , " I know they think he killed me," she cuts you off looking sad to the grave next to her. "He turned bad didn't he because of that?" She asked as you nodded. "Have you never tried to search for him?" You asked as she shook her head. "Not since that day, when he," she choked up as tears started to fall. "You were there watching?" You asked as she nodded. "It was my home, my peaceful bubble of afterlife. Till then when I couldn't even enter or even get close to him. I've been here ever since," she said sobbing. "He found me and thought I was you recarnated," you added as she stopped her tears to sniffle a chuckle. "Well you do actually look like me," she said admiring herself in you. "The thing is I work with some talented spiritual guides. We're soul savers and for some strange reason only i can see him. They sense the evil, they see the deed and don't believe he's safe. They won't help him," you said as she looked hurt to hear your words. "That sounds so lonely he has no one,” She chokes. "He had me fighting his corner, I can prove he didn't kill you, but I need you to," "Kim Y/N," you hear Donghun growl behind you. "To show yourself to him to help me," you finish to turn around to find Donghun with Changmin, Byeongwkan, Jacob, Juyeon, Sunwoo, Hyunjae, Kevin, Yuchan and Sehyoon not far behind. "What the hell have you done," he shook you, tears falling down his eyes. "Donghun I have to, this is work," you said as he whimpered. "Eric is innocent Hyunjae, you're all wrong," you splutter. "Juyeon the crystal please," Donghun said impatiently as he made his way to you. "Fine I will, just let me have five minutes and then I will do what ever you ask me to do," You plead to Donghun as he holds his hand up to stop Juyeon.

"Tell them, find a way to tell them or I can't find a way to save him, he be alone for eternity," you plead with Minjae. "How?" She asks with sadness in her tone. "Can any of you see her?" You ask them as they all shake there heads. "Sehyoon have you got your pendent on?" You question as his hand reach to it. "Take it off please I beg you," you plead. "Don't it's not safe," Donghun demands as your eyes widen. "Touch, touch me you can see it through me right?" You question hands holding out. Donghun humouring you as he shrugged. "Nothing," he said looking annoyed. "Changmin please?" You plead, hand out, as he reluctantly took it. His eyes widening as he took her in. "You can see her right?" You question getting excited. "Their is two of you," he gasps as you grin feeling relieved. "Show him don't tell him he won't believe words, show him please," you turned to Minjae and begged. Pressing her hands to his shoulders he passes out as Byeongkwan goes to catch him. "Changmin," Donghun screeches slapping his face. "He's in her world now, proving that Eric didn't kill her," you stated as Donghun looked at you in rage. "Y/N this stops, it stops now, even if he was innocent and didn't kill her, he is evil otherwise he would make it to inside the temple or here. He can't because he's Evil we can't help him," Donghun splutters. "Then agree to let me work with him and find a way," you plead. "Why are you always asking for too much from me. You think it's been easy being with you while you have lovey dovey emotions for him. For heavens sake you even kissed him in Sunwoo's body in our relationship. You run to him all the time and when I told you that if you pulled that off then we would be over you still did it," he said with his vein in his neck showing from his anger. "I'm not enough for you clearly," he said throwing his arms in the air as Changmin came too whimpering. "You saw it right you saw it all please tell me you did?" You plead. He crawled to the grave next to him and brushed the dust and dirt.

Son Youngjae

22-12-00 31-10-24.

"Wait, he’s here?" You gasped. "Next to her," Byeongkwan said looking at Changmin. "Why would they allow it?" Jacob spluttered. "The guilty Inspector Kang Allowed it I saw it his funeral. He didn't kill her," Changmin said as you smile full of happiness. "Facts are still facts we can't save his soul, he's turned to the evil side. All we can do is send him to hell is that what you want?” Donghun splutters as you choke. "No, no, their has to be another way," you said trying to rummage your thoughts.

"There is a way," you hear a voice call out as you all see Sharman Park behind them. "You did it Y/N," he smiled at you as Donghun looked between you both. "Wait you sent her to do this?" He questioned with anger laced. "Work is work you leave the personal stuff at the door," he lectured. "You asked for help to Mentor her, I did just that. Now do I really have to tell you two how this can be done or can you both work it out," he said turning to Changmin and Byeongkwan. "Right his body is here?" Byeongkwan said excited. "Correct, he's taken no life so the contract he has with natures of evil at the moment isn't concrete. He just used it to live in the hate he has for himself," he states. "Wait so all we have to do is Set him free from that pain of self hating," Changmin adds as he nods. "Free him from his self loathing Y/N, and then bring him here," the Sharman says your way. "How do I do that?" You ask feeling overwhelmed. "Your figure it out my clever Y/N," he reply's. Your eyes take to Donghun who looks like he's sulking quietly. You remember Sharman Parks words that he would eventually come around to events.

Walking to the gate you find Eric looking frustrated walking up and down the pathway. His eyes find yours and his hands fall to the shield parting you. "Y/N what's going on?" He says eyes wide. "I don't really know," you said as you pressed your hands on his shoulders. "Why did he think I could do this?" You spluttered looking at them in the distance. "What's going on? Did you see her?" He ask as you nodded. "She's broken without you Eric," you said as he gasped. "She misses you so much and needs you to survive. She refuses to cross over till you come with her," you say as his eyes water once again. "I can't remember, evil," he said throwing his hands down his body. "The only evil you committed is to yourself Son Youngjae, you haven't killed a single person," you said holding his hand tightly. "I can't enter," he said looking to the shield. "I'm evil," he scathed at you. "Because you're punishing yourself too much, you refuse to love yourself," you state cupping his face. "But I killed her," he whimpered. "You didn't, you heard Mr Shin she went to him herself. It wasn't your debt that he was chasing," you said as he threw your hands off him. "I know why she's dead, I don't deserve peace," he spits out. "What about Minjae?" You screech out startling him. "Doesn't she deserve to be free, you throw around that Bullshit of you going to hell to protect her. Yet she’s right there waiting for you and all you have to do is forgive yourself," you rant at him. "Y/N I don't even know how to love myself," he whimpers lost. "Let Eric be evil and you be Youngjae, be her Youngjae. Be the Youngjae that made me fall for when I was in Minjae's memories. You were perfect, you loved so hard. If fate hadn't been on evil side you would have got there in time. You were on your way remember. I wish you could see," you paused as he sobbed. "I just have to make you have to see," you whispered to yourself. "Eric I can see thing sometimes when I touch you, or things that belong to you. Wait what do I have that my essence. Wait I know," you pause as you mind wracks around so much as you struggle to focus. "Wait here," you gasp as you dash towards the grave.

Throwing your lips around Donghun taking him by surprise. He's so desperate for your touch that he doesn't care to fight you off as your tongue and teeth clash in a frenzy. "I'm so so sorry I have to do this," you reply panting. "What?" He questions as you pull away. "If I told you you would probably scold me, you can do that later, right," you said as a couple of tears pricked your eyes. Grabbing Sehyoon's hands you drag him to Eric. "Y/N," he grumbled as you pull the necklace. "Jump in then?" You say impatiently as he looks over your shoulder that tells you Donghun’s standing there. "Hurry," you snap as he jumps into Sehyoon. "Now what?" He says with Sehyoon’s glasses sliding down his nose. You pull his hair slightly, exposing his neck.

"Y/N," Donghun and Eric says in unison. Your teeth bite into his neck as you suckle on him letting your own dna flood into him. But as you suckle on his neck you remember the flash backs. The way you loved him so much and was so besotted with him. You gave him every memory he had given you but from your perspective. Filling him the love that your sure Minjae had for him. You feel His hand fall to your waist, fingers digging in as you recoiled your experiences in bed with him. Lastly you showed him your own emotions. The one where you were so broken to see him dead and the relief he was with you even in spirit form. The desperation and determination to prove his innocence because you believed in him.

As you let go of him you looked up to him sobbing with the memories as he left Sehyoon's body. "Sorry," you whispered as he choked in with his sobs. "You're not evil Youngjae, you deserve to be at peace, back with her," you smile holding his hands. "I can see him," you hear Changmin say behind you. "Wait what," he says wiping his tears. "It means your not evil no more if he can see you," you smiled. "It means you can go to her Eric," you choke back your relief. "Really I can see her?" He says in disbelief as you nod. "She's waiting for you," you wiped your own tear away as he looks a mixture of nervousness and excitedness at the same time. "Do I look ok?” he asks nervously brushing his hair through as you chuckle. "Eric Sohn wondering if he doesn't look hot, well you did fall from hell," you tease as he looks at you with a smile. "Y/N you fall from heaven not hell," he says as you roll your eyes. "What ever, stop wasting time here with me and go to her," you said as he looked to her gravestone and made his way.

Your eyes briefly take to Donghun, his eyes tell you he's furious with you despite his sullen expression. "Donghun," you bit out towards him. "Don't, you chose him remember that," he said coldly as he walked towards the gravestones. "He will come around Y/N," Sehyoon said rubbing his neck from your bite. "Sorry by the way," you said as he half smiled. "Suppose it's expected in this field to be bit from your colleague," he said playfully. "Too right," you chuckled as you turned to follow them all.

Eric gripped her tight in his views as they both sobbed from their reunion. As you gave them there privacy. It was weird watching a version of you with him in a way that you had remembered. "You did Well Y/N I knew you could do it," Sharman park said as you looked up to him. "Why have I got a feeling you sensed him all along?" You questioned him as he smirked. "Well I didn't till you came to me broken in despair, I felt his essence that very second. His own despair covering you that he would never see you again. His prays to keep you safe I heard them off you," he said as you smiled. "I wasn't in love with him though and he wasn't in love with me," you said looking at them in a passionate kiss. "You both was, just it was for the purpose of this, to reunite them and for you to gain strength," he said proudly. "What about Donghun? He won't forgive me for what I did. First kissing Sunwoo and now biting Sehyoon. Well that's before the fact I ran to Eric so many times when he begged me not to," you said looking at Donghun deep in conversation with Yuchan. "Donghun loves you for you, the you who ignores and winds him up. If you change then the relationship’s over any way. He will see that eventually," he said gently tapping your shoulder.

"Are you ready?" Changmin said walking towards them as they nodded with puffy red eyes. "Thanks Y/N," Minjae said looking your way. "No problem, look after each other up there right," you smiled. "She won't need to because I will look after her every second of eternity," Eric said squeezing her hands. "Hey Princess, i can't thank you enough, but your miss me when I'm gone right?" He teases as you nod, tears falling from your eyes. "Of course I will, it will be dull not having a pain in the ass sidekick," you sob out. "Y/N don't cry, be happy for me right," he said coming to you to wipe your fallen tears with his thumb. "I just got so use to you being somewhere the last year and a half, that knowing I’ll never see you again it’s going to be weird," you admitted as you felt your heart heavy. "Where ever we are I’ll be there,” he pauses to touch your heart. “Whenever you're in danger call my name and I’ll send some people to come to save you," he teases. "Yeah that would be good," you whisper through your sobs. "But you don't need a army of mine though, you have him," he pauses to look Donghun’s way. "I'm sorry, I tried to take her away. I know your angry with her, but I saw her thoughts she loves you way more then she loves me. Don't punish her for too long. Well punish her for a while keep her on her toes," he teases as you playfully hit him. "Don't let this sweet natured girl get away," he adds wiping his own tear away. "Just promise me one thing?" He says sounding more demanding to you. "What?" You whisper. "Promise me that when he says wear that crystal, wear that bloody crystal. And stay away from Shin Hyunmin and those lot," he demands as you pause. "I have to clear your name Eric," you reply. "I don't care, the people who is important knows I'm innocent, that's all that counts. Don't let me be responsible for your death like I believe I was of Minjae’s," he said lowering himself to look you in the eyes. "Y/N, I won't let Donghun take you back if you don't promise me," he says with more authority. "I promise," you relent as he smiles. "Promise on my soul," he says eyes widening as you roll your eyes. "I swear on your soul," you reply as he nods contented. "Well then that's the goodbye done," he says looking at Changmin before looking to Minjae. "Let's do this?" She says excitedly kissing him.

Byeongkwan and Changmin speak their old Chinese as the couple refuse to look anywhere but themselves, content in their reunion. But before he leaves Eric turns to you and blows a kiss as you air catch it as he disappears. Your sobs fall a lot more harder now he's gone as your heart is heavy. He poured so much emotions in you that you still were struggling to adjust to every single feeling he gave you. You felt a warm arm pull you in by your shoulder and your surprised to see Donghun standing there. He's not looking your way but comforting you as you stand looking at their grave in silence.

"Well that was a complex case wasn't it," Sharman Park said as they all looked to him. "Let's go back to the temple and cleanse ourselves," he adds as he walks with them following. "It's ok Y/N, we're find a way to clear his name," Byeongkwan says reassuringly as he touches your shoulder. "I have some files and a confession that can help. But don’t ask me to do anything I promised him," you said looking at his gravestone. You felt Donghun’s body tense before he left you to follow. You knew those words hurt him, but to leave the world of Eric Sohn behind you had to At least give him something. --------------------🔺------------------

You spent a month at the temple, each day felt better as your mind cleared as Eric's emotions start to drip away. "You coming home?" Donghun asked like he asked every night as you nodded. "Ok well I’ll bring some of your, wait did you nod?" He said pausing to take your action in. "You want to come home?" He asks as you nod once more. "Yes if you will have me, I think we need to talk," you said as he nodded. "Well let's go," he said opening his hand to you. -------------------🔺-------------------

Arriving back home you pull the mint chocolate from the fridge taking it to the living room patting the couch between you. You pass him the spare spoon as he sit’s by your side. "I'm sorry I've hurt you so badly," you say as he takes his first mouthful. "I know I made you feel second best but that really wasn't it," you explain as he nods with his mouthful. "It's ok Sharman Park explained. He said that your talent is emotions, your truly an empath," he pauses to scoop some ice cream to pop in your mouth. "He said that as time goes your get use to what is you and what is spirit," he says smiling your way. "Is this why you stopped being angry and visited the temple often to check on me?" You asked as he nodded. “I'm sorry that for someone who works in this field that I acted like you was the crazy person," he adds as you peck him on his lips. "Is that all I get Kim Y/N, my amazing yet pain in the ass pupil," he says eyes looking flirtatious. "I'm too hungry to do much else," you say as you pop a spoon full in. "Food and then bed," he says with eager eyes. "You don't want to talk no more?" You question expecting it to be long and brutal. "You love me right?" He asked as you nodded. "You promise to let Changmin and Byeongkwan sort Mr Shin and those evil people out yes?" He questions as you nod once more. "You Promise to listen to me when I say it's dangerous," he demands as you shook your head. "If I did that then I wouldn't be me and you wouldn't love me no more," you said repeating Sharman Parks words as Donghun raised an eyebrow. "How about instead of treating me like a child we talk things through. That what ever happens we are responsible for our own safety. That we should trust each other’s judgement unless it’s through jealousy," you reply as he tsssk into the air. "Jealous I wasn't jealous," he Denys as you muffle a laugh. "Yeah sure sure you wasn't," you tease as he rolls his eyes. "Fine I suppose that’s a deal then," he smirks as you cup his face.

"How about I order dinner and we have dessert while we wait?" You say staring into his beautiful brown eyes. "Yeah sounds a plan," he says breathless. You sink to your knees as he looks at you agape. "Let me have mine while you order for us," you say with a wink as your hand falls to his jeans. Fingers fighting with the buttons you bring his member out. Missing his taste the last month, you envelope your mouth around him taking him as deep as you can. Moans escape him as he drops the phone hitting your head. "Fuck Y/N," he hiss as he enjoys you bobbing up and down him. Your hands finding his belly as you enjoy the warmth of his skin. "Shit slow down I won't last long like that," he pleads as his hand fall into your hair to pull you off. "I haven't released for weeks, please don't let me blow my load before I'm in you," he pleads as you smirk his way. "Well then I meet you in bed then," you smirk standing up and dashing to the room with him chasing after you.

Like he's possessed himself he jumps on you that you land on the bed, his heavy weight pinning you down. "You're my prey baby girl," he says as he peppers kisses along your neck. Hands fall to your bottoms as he pulls them off. His hands tuck under your breast to your shirt as he buttons them away. As he pulls them from your arms his knee at the bottom of your back keeps you flat. "I need you so bad you've left me so badly deprived," he growls like he's becoming lost at the sight of you. Leaning himself on to you, you enjoy the feel of his naked warm chest against your back. The warmth of his skin and his personalised scent intoxicating you. Your heat is burning with need of him to fill you and he waits no time being impatient himself. Sliding himself in he sinks his face to your neck still for a short while. Your walls taking the time to clamp around him as he hums against your neck. "Your mine Y/N," he demands as you wiggle your hands for his to lace which he obliges. Slow thrusts start as his lips never leave your skin, pressing soft kisses against them. His weight restricts you from meeting him as he increases his pace. The way his thrusts hit your body has your folds rub delicious on the mattress. Hands clenching with his you Moan as your high creeps up. "Baby wait for me," he whimpers behind you as his pace speeds. Teeth press to your collarbone but they don't dig in. "Bite me, mark me, make me yours," you plead as he moves his lips away. "Your already mine," he growls as your coil comes close to snapping. "I'm only yours, just yours," you cry out as your euphoria hits. Your left whimpering convulsing as you milk him to his own defeat. Teeth digging into your collar bone he bites through his own. "Fuck," you hiss as he leans against your back spent.

"He might have bit you to give you memories but I'm biting you as I fuck you," Donghun pants pressing small kisses to the bite mark he left in your skin. "I do love you,” You whisper to him as he refused to move from you. "You might have looked and been enticed by others but I'm the one who won you in the end," he said sniggering as you closed your eyes remembering Sunwoo and Sehyoon. "Oh god please don't remind me," you said rolling him off you. "Hey who say you could leave me," he pouts as you spread his arm, rolling yourself up to him.

"Minjae is Eric's destiny you are mine that's all that counts," you said smiling as you kissed him finally content. "Well if I'm honest he did help me out," Donghun said biting his lip. "What? How?" You said intrigued. "If it wasn't for him I wouldn't have had the courage to let us be more then friends. I'm positive he came to make me man up," he chuckled pulling you in tightly. "Well let's never let each other go then, he might come back to haunt us," you smirk as he strokes his hand through your hair. "Well that's a pact then, what ever happens your mine," he says with his pinky finger out as you commit to him to finally let Eric go.

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[baekhyunnybyun]

3, 10, 22 for the ask game!💖

3. who is your bias in your favorite group(s) and why?

I did exo here. but I'll do svt for you ☺️💜 I have 4 biases in svt (bc who can have just one). wonwoo, dokyeom, mingyu & seungkwan. dokyeom first of all has one of my favorite voices in all of kpop. I love love love hearing him sing. him and seungkwan. I need more main vocal unit songs from them. wonwoo & mingyu came from me being a big fan of the hip hop unit & coups being my first svt bias 😂 my eyes just kept getting drawn to wonu & gyu when they performed. plus all 4 have really silly & endearing personalities. kwannie's the newest addition to my svt bias line and he's just very dear to me. almost like a little brother. I will fight anyone who hurts him 🥊

10. an idol you think would match your freak

akskfjsj love this question. there are several but the first one i thought of was sehyoon (wow) from a.c.e. followed closely by dawon from sf9 and I'm not gonna overthink it 🤭 as a fellow carat, from svt? jun

22. your favorite concepts

hmmmm I really like darker concepts. esp with like a supernatural element. big fan of the evil doppelganger concept exo did with obsession for example. a.c.e's goblin (favorite boys) is another good example. svt's fear concept's a fave of mine from them too. that kind of stuff ☺️

send me a question from this kpop ask game

[timelineofdarkness]

Task Force X

I mean, everybody knows this one, but maybe you didn't catch how it started. How it really started.

You remember Amgrin? Big Nordic dude, "Free Ballard", that guy? He of course died in Leilani's Praxis, but about two or three years ago he was acknowledged as the Prince of Ballard and it became this island within Seattle. Prince Mariana was weirdly chill about the whole thing. A bunch of Kindred made their way to Ballard and everybody acted like it wasn't going to be crazy unsustainable to have that many vampires living in such a concentrated area. Well, everybody with any kind of power to do anything about it. So of course my co-workers and I see right through it as the unhinged thing it is. So we start sniffing around and shit gets weirder. The Green Lake Monster is out of the lake and not being a monster. Turns out he was a vampire called Odik the whole time. The story goes that he had become a wight, fully giving into his Beast and going feral, havening in a cave under Green Lake. But he's here, walking, talking, giving out hugs. I'd never heard of a wight coming back to their senses, so I needed to know what was going on.

There exists an entity called the Djinn of Wishes that dwelled within Seattle at that time. Needless to say, they grant wishes. There's a good deal that would be tempting to wish for, but we chose the status quo, stability, get out of here with your wishes. He of course twisted our first wish in a predictably irritating fashion. The Ventrue made a second wish that was so specific and weird, that he must remain so many cubic miles away from her at all times I think it was? It's going to be a while before he's able to interact with Planet Earth.

Which meant that all of the wishes he was maintaining, like, Odik being in control of his Beast...? About the time this occurred to us, I got a message from a panicked kindred saying "Oh God, he's killing everybody". Shortly after that, an earthquake.

I trust you also remember Nyx. Old crone, stuck a tree branch up my ass to cure it of sexually transmitted demonspawn, sire of Amgrin? She also died in the Praxis. Before her Final Death, Nyx had been a master of Koldunic Sorcery. I believe they call the power she used Kupala's Fury. It creates a brief localized earthquake. This lead to the collapse of The Longhouse, where the Gangrel Embassy had been, as well as the creation of Lake Ballard. One of my co-workers, a neonate called Talon, dove off the collapsed bridge leading to Ballard and swam to the ruins of the Longhouse, dragging each and every torpid Kindred to shore. We elected to destroy the Wight then and there, begging the Prince's forgiveness for skipping the formalities of the tradition. Our legal theory for such an act was that a vampire no longer in control of the Beast is no longer a vampire at all.

This clusterfuck inevitably leads to The Government stepping in. Curfew was declared, hunter groups started flocking to the city, and everybody is encouraged to lie low. This particular group of hunters, A.C.E., was an all-ghoul outfit that went around hunting kindred and sustaining their extended lives and enhanced combat abilities with their vitae. Keith Mann saw their vehicle outside and went out to investigate. We stopped hearing from Keith after that. When we talked to Sheriff Kellog about the situation he sent London in obfuscated and almost immediately we heard machine gun fire. Apparently, automated turrets don't care about obfuscation. They call in another vehicle to take London somewhere, and we give chase. We catch up with them, incapacitate their vehicle, and force a fight in the street. I've got my sword, the Malkavian is firing the gun more enthusiastically than effectively, and we make quick work of them. A call to Topcent to clean up the evidence and we're back to base with London.

One would hope that the Seattle Kindred lie low from here, but it's also the Summer Solstice and we have a few traditional observances that some of us are unwilling to suspend. The moment we got the Toreador Primogen to concede that we should cancel the festivities this year, I received several messages from Lester Gold, who had already launched his annual event. He'd bribed the cops to allow it to carry on. Unfortunately, Task Force X, the super secret government goon squad of supernatural creatures, was drawn right to him. They quickly incapacitated him and took him to a second location.

This leads directly to us being charged with a rescue mission. We get a guide through the sewers (after paying the Nosferatu for information on where the vans go), and we pop up in their base almost without a hitch. Expect for the part where I slipped and ended up getting carried out to sea and had to get carried back to the action by Nananua, who was coincidentally hanging out near the pipe I got shot out of. By the time we got back, they were already fighting, no chance to do anything too clever. Combat went pretty smoothly until we got different ideas about strategy. I got shot in the head one too many times while expecting a follow-up that never came. I'm told that more kindred than I realized were even captured were freed, as well as several fae creatures, and a horrifying green slime that eats everything. I'm told Nananua was able to neutralize the slime after we escaped.

A year later I woke up in a little pod with a note instructing me to come back to Seattle in a year from that point, and it'd been a few years since I'd been on tour, so of course it seemed like a perfect time to give the people what they wanted.

T.T

[bulgasari-seo]

my (very first) kcon experience 🌱 with pics!

hello hello! this weekend i was in LA for kcon 2024 - read on for more ~

if you want to watch my vlogs, click here

kcon + the exhibitors

80% of the booths we visited were giving away free items, which was very cool! but every line was looooong. i think this is because there just wasn't enough exhibitors to take up the space - the convention center itself wasn't packed the way i've seen anime expo and lvlup expo. kcon itself was probably anticipating most people were showing up for the stages - i didn't watch these because variety content isn't really what i'm into kpop for.

i did not visit the samsung booth - from what i understood, this was the only way to access the kcon stage, which was sectioned off from the rest of the convention space. that booth was promoting samsung AI, and as an artist, writer, and designer, i am a generative AI hater. and yes, i missed out on seeing A.C.E. because of it, which sucks since i've been passively following their music since 2017, but i just can't support AI!

the shein booth had long lines all three days, and as much as i wanted to get the free accessories, the time in the line would not be worth it. if you're familiar with shein, you know it's nothing different from aliexpress, wish, or temu in terms of the variety of items offered.

we also got to see wooing by connie woo. my friend got one of the pieces of jewelry she made, and we listened to her talk about her story. i found it deeply inspiring, but also a little demotivating - as someone who wants to be part of the industry, as a designer, it feels like you need to know someone to get in. of course, every industry is like that these days, so i really have to work on getting more connections, but i just haaaaaate networking. it feels so soulless.

🔽 everything here are freebies from exhibitors, merch i bought, and fan-made freebies.

a special appearance from trainees?

on day 2, as we were entering the con, lots of people were gathered at the entrance. my friend got photos with a bunch of young korean guys in white shirts, and one of them handed me a package. inside was a diy bracelet and a photocard. (pictured above)

we looked them up, and they're called HinLove! they were promoting their upcoming debut. i believe many of them were contestants on boys planet, and they're from the same company as A.C.E..

on day 3, they were busking in front of crypto arena before mcountdown. those boys worked SO HARD in the sunlight, and they dance so well. it was a very interesting glimpse into the hard work that these kids put into making their dreams happen, and if anything, it's also very inspiring.

the stages @ the con

coming face to face with watching groups well, do fanservice was a little eye opening. i had a moment where i like, stepped outside of myself as a kpop fan, and looked at it from a normie perspective. i mean yes, it is cute seeing a hand heart every now and then, but to be praising these idols with such enthusiasm, for the bare minimum.. was.. well, interesting.

the red carpet stage was cool too, but it was scheduled so close to mcountdown that you would basically miss the entire pre-show if you wanted to see everyone on the red carpet. because of that, i didn't get to see quite a few of the younger rookies.

mcountdown

the whispers and conversations i could hear from fans were all saying that this was the smallest crowd they've ever seen, and that the lineup sucked. but are you kidding me?! this lineup was amazing!! i got to see many groups i started following in the last six months - boynextdoor, p1harmony, enhypen, and zerobaseone to name a few. tragically, keeho, leader of p1h, is VERY attractive, and that man knows how to work a camera. and i was right about hanbin being such a cutie IRL, too.. i now have merch of his, and i will be following his career for a long time.

listening to every group made me realize that i am indeed in ncity for life - their vocal colors across all units are unique. i feel like many of the groups that are trending right now all have similar vocals, which is by no means a jab at them - they're just not enough to overtake nct for me. like, you will be hard pressed to find someone who has a gorgeous deep singing voice like jae's, or the rhythmic rapping you see with marky. or even the roughness of yuta's roars!

nct 127 (what we were all waiting for)

oh, my boys...

the last time i saw them was five years ago, in dallas, on their first tour. even if they weren't complete, and haven't been for a long time now, it's more obvious than ever just how much they've changed as a group. they opened and closed day 3 of the show, and my boys johnny, mark, and jaehyun basically hosted the whole thing.

their stage presence is just.. otherworldly. you can tell every single one of them loves their job deeply, and the entire arena was neo city. i was so grateful for every nctzen that showed up to support 127, and i felt that i made the right decision doing the same.

i don't understand why sm is so intent on retiring them so early into their career - nct as a whole have such a HUGE global presence that just isn't tapped into. it's the reason that we're falling behind when we have to vote for music shows. it also doesn't help that many nctzens who spend all of their time online will turn on the members at the flip of a switch.. ncity is nct's second-biggest enemy, trailing behind sm themselves.

but i'm glad that nct never give up, and keep working their hardest. like i said earlier, it is deeply inspiring and makes me want to pursue my own dreams.

and who would i be if i didn't mention johnny?

oh, johnny suh.. this man. this lovely, lovely man. his energy was enough to light up the arena. he's been shining more than ever for this comeback, and it makes me so, so happy that the rest of ncity is finally seeing him.

there's a lot more i want to say about him, but that is neither here nor there. just know that i love him deeply, and will always support him, through thick and thin. i call myself the last johfam for a reason, after all. 💕

in conclusion...

a fire has been burning in my heart for the majority of this year. i found the home i'd been searching for my entire life in kpop, in ncity, in nct 127. and there is nothing more that i want than to contribute to the culture, be it as a fan, or as one of the many cogs that work behind the scenes of a comeback. kcon only added fuel to that fire, exploding into a brilliant flame of orange and blue.

for seven years, it's been my dream to work with nct on their album and merch designs. i lost my passion for design a few years ago, and now that it's finally back, i know what i have to do.

i want to create. and if i can't join the industry just yet, i'll have to make my own mark on the world, in my little corner of ncity. i have intentions to become an nct merch shop next year, if i can manage it. no, not if.. i'll make it happen.

one day, my talents will be discovered, and until then, we keep going. keep creating things that make me happy, and knowing that they'll make others happy.

forging ahead, in the only way i know how.

[livinglifeonpause]

BUILD UP EP 1 - who are they even?

V1: Seunghun (24) (CIX) (All-Round) teaser - 4/10 votes - 7 **ohhhh, he is MUCH better than this teaser. It's too low. - ep1: brown jacket, white pants - I'm crying I love him so GD muchhhhh! - NO. you give this boy ALL the good things and only the good things. V2: Jay Chang (22) (ONEPACT) (Soul) teaser - 8.5/10 votes - 23/40 **he's got a Crush vibe with how he gets kinda whiny. here for it. -he goofy looking, but seems soft-spoken and I dig that -ep1: white shirt, tan pants

V3: Bain (22) (JUST B) (Soul) teaser - 9/10 vote: 9 **I NEED MORE OF THIS.

V4: Sunyoul (27) (UPT10TION) (Unique) teaser - 2/10 votes: 24 **this does nothing for me -

V5: Lim Junhyeok (30) (Ex-Day6) (Power) July 17, 1993 teaser - 1/10 vote: 7 **never have liked this kids voice. isn't it for me V6: Jeong Inseong (29) (KNK) (All-Round) teaser - 5/10 vote: 22 **biiiiitch for singing Day6, wonder if it was before or after that other kid, it's fine V7: Kang Hayoon (20) (Loud) (Unique) teaser - 7/10 votes - 27 **not here for the tone, but I 100% want to hear more! - look at Seunghun straight staring at this baby - ep1: blue shirt, pink vest, black pants V8: Choi Haram (22) (Musicals) (Power) teaser - 2/10 votes: 14 **meh V9: Lee Minwook (23) (NewKidd) (Soul) teaser - 4/10 votes: 11 **like fine, I dont really care V10: Lee Geonwoo (22) (JustB) (All Round) teaser - 2/10 votes - 11 **what a fucking weird ass song to do for a vocal show?? - ep1: orange hair, blue sweater V11: Jeon Woong (26) (AB6IX) (Unique) teaser - 3/10 votes - 14 **also a weird ass song for a vocal show - ep1: denim shirt - V12: Wumuti (24) (Solo?) (Unique) teaser - 8/10 ***6 once he started rapping, ??? votes: 13 ***okayyyyyy, here for this I think? oh wait, whys he rapping? V13: Taehwan (30) (Vanner) (all round) teaser - 9/10 votes: 12 ***i like his pic, i like his voice, im down V14: Lim Sanghyun (26) (solo?) (soul) teaser - 5/10 votes: 25 **ooh, okay deep ass voice. Tooooo low for me to enjoy, but I want to hear more, cause i like the tone V15: Park Juhee (17) (trainee) (soul) teaser - 1/10 votes: 13 ***look at this cute ass angel baby. Hard pass though love. V16: Kim Seong jeong (24) (nothing) (soul) teaser - 1/10 votes - 25 **WHAT? no. get that deep voice away. dislike - tan jacket, tie, leather pants (what??) V17: Choi Suhwan (22) (X101) (all round) teaser - 3/10 votes: 11 **too nasally i think. squeaky. like not here. V18: Kim Seohyung (22) (musicals) (unique) teaser - 2/10 votes: 18 **cool. stick with musicals. PASS. V19: Lee Gwangseok (25) (solo) (unique) teaser - 1/10 votes: 32 **wtf, why this sound muffled. He eating the mic? - leather jacket - omg the english kid that goes "whaaat" after homie said he works as a model V20: Lee Donghun (30) (A.C.E.) (soul) teaser - 6/10 votes - 18 (oh fuck them all) ***oh, we 100% here for him cause A.C.E, but objectively I think he did well. and YAS that power note! - ep1: khaki jacket, tie

V21: Hong Sungwon (25) (solo?) (unique) teaser - 7/10 votes: 21 **weird song to do bro. but I 100 get why you did! I WANT MORE. I need to know more about homie here. Is he a musical actor? Because he 100000% needs to be V22: Hyukjin (30) (100%) (Power) teaser - 7/10 votes: 10 **he screamed, I was out. He sang I was back in. V23: Yun Inhwan (32) (solo - ENAN) (Power Voice) teaser - 4/10 votes: 13 **mehhhhhhhhhhhhh, whiney V24: Ji Yeonwoo (??) (nothing) (All Round) teaser - 7.5/10 votes: 17 **not 100 sold, but I do want to hear more. V25: Ma Jaekyung (27) (Romeo) (Soul) teaser - 3/10 votes: 12 **not here for it. regretfully pass. V26: Jo Hwanji (28) (Musicals) (Power) teaser - 3/10 votes: 18 **okay, but he look dumb af at the beginning bopping around like a dick. Maybe with a different song choice, but not here V27: Hong Seongjun (24) (BDC) (All Round) teaser - 5/10 votes: 13 **like its not a BAD voice.... butttttt "All Rounder"?? No. V28: Taewoo (26) (solo) (Unique) teaser - 5/10 votes: 25 **Im not real sold. but not 100 turned off. the tone & rasp are kinda cool. V29: Hwang Inhyeock (25) (Nada) (All Round) teaser - 3/10 votes: 22 **meh. oh, he started singing and no. pass. WHINE central. V30: Jung Soomin (19) (Solo) (Soul) teaser - 4/10 votes: 25 **feels kinda average. I do like the tone, but I need a little more? V31: Jang Intae (26) (nothing) (AllRound) teaser 1/10 votes: 5 **i hate everything about this. I hate the generic back-track, I hate his whiney ass voice, I hate the lack of passion, I hate the odd gasping. dislike dislike. V32: Jeong Yunseo (??) (nothing) (all round) teaser - 2/10 votes: 13 **what? why? this is just boring V33: Neon (23) (nothing) (unique) teaser - 1/10 votes: 13 ** why is he like rapping? i hate that. fucking stupid. I feel like I love his voice, but this is bullshit. - ep1: green sweater, looks old af.

V34: Park Jeup (30) (Imfact) (Power) teaser - 8/10 votes: 28 **DADDY! If he isn't in the final, I'm fucking mad. - I'm glad they all recognize talent - HAHAHA, the kid in the beanie's Faaaaace! V35: Kwon Euibin (24) (Idol Band) (Unique) teaser - 4/10 votes: 24 **its pretty, but I am so fucking bored V36: Bitsaeon (28) (M.O.N.T) (All Rounder) teaser - 5.5/10 vote - 21 **okayyyy, okayyyy. Dumb ass song. - ep1: looks like Code Kunst, white fuzzy sweater V37: Kang Seokhwa (23) (Wei) (Soul Voice) teaser - 7/10 votes - 15 **he has a real pretty voice - ep1: blonde, pink sweater V38: Lee Hwanhee (25) (UP10TION) (Unique) teaser - 3/10 votes - 15 **WTF is this song? just sing bro. I cant hear your gd voice at all. - ep 1: denim shirt V39: Kim Minseo (21) (nothing) (Power) teaser - 4/10 votes: 13 **I hate when ppl cover this song, especially non-english speakers. It sounds awful. That said, his voice is okay. better than this song. V40: Yeo One (27) (Pentagon) (All Round) teaser - 2/10 votes - 22 (WHAT?) **hey, I know that kid. why is it so lowwwww. - blue shirt, black blazer So is the premise we're picking one from each?? Ep 1. - fuck yes Seunghun is too famous for this show! I was surprised! - Who said "I'm a small time player?" cause he is effing adorable! Jung Soomin) - *crying* how is Jeup so cute with his little bow?? - (((why did they drop subs while this beezy was explaining the ruleeees!))) - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE give me Jeup + Seunghun interactions. I am literally begging!

[baekhvuns]

Hello! No London for me bestie, I'm not going back to the UK, I'll be in Prague actually 😂 then maybe Italy if I have enough money and energy

SM artists truly need to unonise, because Taeyeon now?! SM can't respect their older idols aka those who have been brining money to their table for years, I don't even know what's the newest groups' situation like. AND A NEW GG soon?!?!? Also where are Shotaro and Sungchan, where is their group at..... I'm so tired

CAN'T BELIEVE I MISSED SHINEE'S CONCERTS I HATE EVERYTHING. At least I watched the livestream 😭 and everyone was there, Jongin </333 Okay, love my 5th gen rookie Shinee <333 Hard is very "current bgs sound" it does sound like Nctee a little bit, but the vocals!!! Sounds like a banger tbh, it's not too weird so I can digest it quickly lmao. I like when Shinee is having fun, even though it may not be my fave TT from them, I feel like I may like it more than DCM. The MV was very NCT, perhaps not my fave, SM is a hit or miss with their music videos. Anyways, it's very 1st gen, got some Seo Taji and the Boys vibes. BUT THE BSIDEEEEEES!

It's frustrating because KQ can put so much thought and creativity into the lore, the MVs got so much better too, but the photos? And why do they only post one for each concept, Hybe drops 2737272 photos and they're usually really cool.

Shinee's concepts may be simple, but the Thom Browne ones are very aesthetically pleasing and the NCT-esque ones are fun too, because the pics are dynamic despite the boring background. Love all the boards you've prepared! I actually bought some more SM albums, particularly NCT's and Aespa's (I know, fuck SM, but I got a good deal) and the photos?! WOW. The issue is KQ is scared of taking risks, they can't commit fully, even the outfits for this comeback, we thought we'd be getting Yeehawteez, but it's so half-assed and we're back to fucking bikers and bodyguards, lol. And I'll never understand why they had funky hair colours for Halazia and not this. And now Jongho is purple??? A bit late, mate. I genuinely think the hair could add more quirkiness to the concept photos

(I appreciate the idea of combining regular photos with manhwa concept, but not sure about the execution https://twitter.com/zhouang/status/1671524592387596288?t=OtcpMguvP4yo722xCzVnWg&s=19)

I know we're in the cyber post-apo world and they probably won't be back to the sea y'know, like pirates, but if we ever actually get the sea concept. A.C.E are truly the standard https://twitter.com/sehyoonshoney/status/1661359705506164741?t=B4l7FsVLKDdePdTlMwOTlQ&s=19

Seriously??? The man is trying and yet https://twitter.com/hwalilac/status/1672083626736095233?t=7QYMQFWYXUf3LPgcWGdZTw&s=19

Yes, Outlaw just like Movement is very cohesive, but I feel like that kind of cohesiveness is overrated and a bit too much. The songs blend in, I don't know where one ends and another one begins, and they're STACKED with noise and switch ups, so listening to the whole thing from the beginning to the end is a lot. ZFP1 is a cohesive album, it fits the late summer vibe, yet each song is very different. I'd say ZFP3 is similar. I just wish they let Jongho's voice rest, the amount of high notes *sigh* I think it's Wake Up? He straight up yells, and listen I'm an opera lover, but this isn't it ://// Edenary is pissing me off a bit, ngl...

Sorry, everyone's meeting Yuta except you 😭 the same friend of mine met Taeyong twice, once he walked past her on the way to Loewe's show (and girl lost her earring), then gave her his autographs after the show.... 😭 and hold on?! https://twitter.com/mintmag_th/status/1672549191372124170?t=YYeGI5dSL65PF-FbjGREnQ&s=19

Ok but 127's line up I just.... gonna say something possibly controversial, but I don't think it's that unpopular: Haechan should be in Dream only and Mark in 127, they're already overworked. I love TY and I know why he's the center, but putting my bias aside I feel like sometimes his time could be given to someone else, same with lines. Or maybe if they had a proper 3rd rapper, not Jamal, he needs to sing! And not Johnny - bless him, but he's not a rapper, sometimes they make Yuta rap and I can't even... Wait, did you hear this cover Yuta did? https://www.instagram.com/p/Csi1KVEo5_3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== I really like the original and I can't believe he did that 😭 my jrock loving ass was shook

Troye?! https://twitter.com/5ugaring/status/1672121681866014721?t=ZJtmpVafz1VTQsiqupEsdQ&s=19 why are you everywhere jgdhahajshdhahshshs he got Taeyong too 🥴

Uncle Hwaaaa! Oh to be a little kid and paint Hwa's toenails and run around carelessly ajhdhshdhahshsjshsshhaag and what's with all that kids content? Rip to y'alls ovaries or something 🤭 it's just like that one kindergarten teacher Seonghwa fic I once read

HAVE YOU SEEN A MAN SO BEAUTIFUL LIKE I'M SO DAMAGED YET HEALED BECAUSE OF THESE PICTURES LIKE?!?!?! https://twitter.com/pseonghwapics/status/1671800295607730176?t=WK-G9vQ55AbTm_2jkdGUCg&s=19 AND https://twitter.com/nobodylikehwa/status/1671662936652120067?t=rS8KzmH1gZC9GlxamGwjCA&s=19

BITCH THESE PHOTOS I- https://twitter.com/aurorahopee/status/1672552412383531008?t=BUwMKD8sfT3Xcp7IZ9YUfA&s=19

The Titan situation is sad, but at the same time, why do people do that? It didn't sound safe from the beginning, like leave the Titanic alone...and now they shared the same fate, the 19 year old shouldn't have been there... :/ ofc it's an awful thing, if they were even alive up to this point, imagine waiting for your death. But also MONEY TRULY MAKES PEOPLE GO FUCKING DERANGED WTF

Heeeeeey, See You in My 19th Life drama!? I totally missed it. Also started Bloodhounds, it's so sad, but wholesome too and WDH is so good, I missed him

Do the quiz Baek, I got Ricciardo lmao: https://uquiz.com/quiz/V6eoyv?p=983346

????? Wow https://www.reddit.com/r/kpop/comments/14imekp/former_miss_a_member_jiaformer_fx_member_amber/

And yet another Min Hee Jin controversy, I hate her so much. But I hate the defendes even more - DV 💖

hello!!!!

Hello! No London for me bestie, I'm not going back to the UK, I'll be in Prague actually 😂 then maybe Italy if I have enough money and energy //// SM artists truly need to unonise, because Taeyeon now?! SM can't respect their older idols aka those who have been brining money to their table for years, I don't even know what's the newest groups' situation like. AND A NEW GG soon?!?!? Also where are Shotaro and Sungchan, where is their group at..... I'm so tired

hello!! u escaping london three times i know why, u don’t wanna see the treble winners celebrations i get it 🤚🏻 OOOOO IN PRAGUE??? ITALY???? PLS FBQKDBWK LIVING THE ACTUAL LIFE !!!!! live ur old money in italy, wine and cheese and fruits (im sorry but what is that combo??) no bc taeyeon and everyone need to unionize??? fifty fifty also suing their company + IU fans sending trucks to her company??? is this truck season 😭😭 sm truly never lets their groups hit their peak and keep hitting it and make them bigger and brighter and better??? A NEW GG W SO MANY MEMBERS??? a girls generation dupe?? 😭😭 im so glad i bought nct’s resonance album bc they had everyone in it like sungchan was like jaejoong’s 4th generation,,, sm couldn’t have two jaejoong’s in one group they had to get him out 😭😭😭

CAN'T BELIEVE I MISSED SHINEE'S CONCERTS I HATE EVERYTHING. At least I watched the livestream 😭 and everyone was there, Jongin </333 Okay, love my 5th gen rookie Shinee <333 Hard is very "current bgs sound" it does sound like Nctee a little bit, but the vocals!!! Sounds like a banger tbh, it's not too weird so I can digest it quickly lmao. I like when Shinee is having fun, even though it may not be my fave TT from them, I feel like I may like it more than DCM. The MV was very NCT, perhaps not my fave, SM is a hit or miss with their music videos. Anyways, it's very 1st gen, got some Seo Taji and the Boys vibes. BUT THE BSIDEEEEEES!

NAURURUEUEUO I SAW THE CLIPS AND EVERYONE AND THEIR MAMA WAS AT THE SHOW??? minho is such a dilf. JONGIN IS LIVING HIS LIFE LIKE AFTER HIS 9-5 IS DONE HE IS OUT AND LIVING and pissing armies off fhkwhdkwdk 😭😭😭AND KAI??? like i bet he’s at his 9 to 5 not knowing he gagged everyone,,, my 4th gen kings.. god and the tittle track is a mix of love shot and kokobop, how will they do the sexy without the original sexy.

HARD IS ACTUALLY SO SEO TAJI AND BOYS THEME UR SO SO RIGHT I DID A LIVE REVIEW AND I LOVED IT SO MUCH,, me listening to this all like

— they didn’t sing that much till 1:56?? when the beat went to taemin it made me realize that i didn’t hear them sing enough

— THE BEAT KIND LIKE BIG POPPA’S BEAT THE WEST SIDE SIRENY WHEN IT THEY SAY HARD LIKE MA FLOW AND BOOM ITS THAT SIREN NOISE

— DUCKIGKW EJKQHDKWHD THIS IS HIP HOP FHWKFJWK THE ENDING AT THE “KOOOO” THIS IS HIP HOP !!! WEST SIDE !!!! THIS IS SO GOOD FUCK OFF IM SO INTO THIS IS SEO TAIJI BOYS AND THE GROUP TEDDY PARK WAS IN FUCK OFFFFFF THIS IS SO GOOD RHWKDHKW my only complaint is they sand less in the first majority half aND THAT THIS WAS A VERY SHORT SONG this gotta he put on kdrama edits immediately

also did the bsides :::

juice : FUCK IT UP I LIKE U I LIKE SO MUCH SHINEE U GOT SO MUCH JUICE 😭😭 BASS???? DEM JOINTZ X KENZIE DID THIS??? FUCK IT UPPPP !!!!!!! DEM JOINTZ ILYSM

10x : oh ayo??? so funky retro piano?? WAIT OKAY THIS GOT FLOWYY PHEWW THIS IS TRIPPY current fav,, this is so chill omg a cute funky poppy song that can be played at retail stores

satellite : HARMONIES ??? classic shinee x new sm?? this is so nostalgic like it belongs in a show like stranger things omg their voices blended together is >>>

identity : MOONSHINE FUCK IT UPPPPP THIS IS SO FUN,, NAH THIS ONE WON THIS IS IT THIS IS ITTTTTTT MOONSHINE I LOVE U SO MUCH U NEVER DISAPPOINT ME 😭😭😭OH THIS IS MY FAVOURITE OHH MY DAYSS??? ONEQWW UR VOICE FHWKDHW

the feeling ; so nostalgic 🤚🏻🤚🏻

like it : oh this is kokobop album vibes,,, OHOOOO THE ANGELIC BGM,,, YES YES YES THIS IS SO SUMMERY FHWKDJWK OH GOD THIS IS ALSO SO FX CODED OMG ROADTRIP

sweet misery : oh we slow omg,, nostalgia?? almost like atz’s fever?? MY JAW DROPPED SO HARD OH MY GOD SWEET MEMORIES LINE??? OH GOD OH MY GOD THE BEAT FHKWHDKAHDKADBKADJAKJDKA THIS IS SHINEE’S FEVER,,, OH MY GODD THIS WHEJ UR ON A ROADTRIP IN A CONVERTIBLE UR HANDS OUT THE CAR AND LEANING ON UR ARMS OHHHH MY GODDDD SHINEEEEEE DECZ & BOUTIN I LOVE U FUCK OFFF THIS IS SO GOOOD IM CRYING

insomnia : oUUUUUUU ok ok it’s like ur in those edits “ur in a bathroom while the party is outside” ou key??? oHHHHHHHHH???? BASS IS CRAZY oh my god this is trippy but fun,, so lowkey,, yes. GOD THIS IS SO GOOD THIS BEAT IS BEATING LIKE NEVER BEFORE

gravity : oh ballad?? oHo oUU THE DROP omg the blueee note wowzie yes serve a calming rainy day song,, OH OH FUCK FBQMDHWK GRAVITY GRAVITY YEAH THE VOICES 😭😭😭😭😭 SHINEE I LOVE U SO MUCH 😭😭😭😭😭 this is so chill but playful,, like a kdrama song where they show a montage of them falling in love omg

my current list : sweet misery, gravity, satellite, insomnia, identity and then everyone else

It's frustrating because KQ can put so much thought and creativity into the lore, the MVs got so much better too, but the photos? And why do they only post one for each concept, Hybe drops 2737272 photos and they're usually really cool.

rIGHT??? they need a new creative director or something bc there’s soOOO much that can be done?? like give us every single penny form ur budget in that photobook,, GIVE US FILTER SOME FACIAL FEATURES need them to hire a sm creative director, i just need to see something,, ur right! hybe has great photos, sm’s 2014 era esp fs’s red tape side, wowzie like let’s get on that bar 😭😭

Shinee's concepts may be simple, but the Thom Browne ones are very aesthetically pleasing and the NCT-esque ones are fun too, because the pics are dynamic despite the boring background. Love all the boards you've prepared! I actually bought some more SM albums, particularly NCT's and Aespa's (I know, fuck SM, but I got a good deal) and the photos?! WOW. The issue is KQ is scared of taking risks, they can't commit fully, even the outfits for this comeback, we thought we'd be getting Yeehawteez, but it's so half-assed and we're back to fucking bikers and bodyguards, lol. And I'll never understand why they had funky hair colours for Halazia and not this. And now Jongho is purple??? A bit late, mate. I genuinely think the hair could add more quirkiness to the concept photos

sEE ITS MY ONE FAVOURITE THING ABT SM,, even if the photos are simple, there’s just so much to look at. like their features, the makeup, the camera angle, the bright outfits and it POPS w the shinee one esp?? LIKE it’s so simple but they make it look so like an editorial from a street fashion magazine???

(I appreciate the idea of combining regular photos with manhwa concept, but not sure about the execution https://twitter.com/zhouang/status/1671524592387596288?t=OtcpMguvP4yo722xCzVnWg&s=19) /// I know we're in the cyber post-apo world and they probably won't be back to the sea y'know, like pirates, but if we ever actually get the sea concept. A.C.E are truly the standard https://twitter.com/sehyoonshoney/status/1661359705506164741?t=B4l7FsVLKDdePdTlMwOTlQ&s=19 /// Seriously??? The man is trying and yet https://twitter.com/hwalilac/status/1672083626736095233?t=7QYMQFWYXUf3LPgcWGdZTw&s=19

when i first saw this, it remained me of exo’s power era where they implemented comic books into their concept but differently than what atz did,, theirs suits it! the green meshes w the comic style im glad there’s no cloud bubble with some random thing written in it 😭😭 UR SO TRUE ACE’S PHOTOS FOR THAT ERA WERE SO MAGICAL IT GAVE ARIEL A RUN FOR HER MONEY?? esp w those hanboks wow???? ateez doing that but in their piratey outfit, in the water like that, w like a little glitter in the water <33 SEONGHWA REALLY IS TRYING WITH THE BARE MINIMUM LIKE GIVE HIM SO SOME METAL ROD OR SOMETHING OR A BROKEN TV HE COULD LEAN ON 😭😭

Yes, Outlaw just like Movement is very cohesive, but I feel like that kind of cohesiveness is overrated and a bit too much. The songs blend in, I don't know where one ends and another one begins, and they're STACKED with noise and switch ups, so listening to the whole thing from the beginning to the end is a lot. ZFP1 is a cohesive album, it fits the late summer vibe, yet each song is very different. I'd say ZFP3 is similar. I just wish they let Jongho's voice rest, the amount of high notes *sigh* I think it's Wake Up? He straight up yells, and listen I'm an opera lover, but this isn't it ://// Edenary is pissing me off a bit, ngl...

everything u said here esp “i don't know where one ends and another one begins,” !!!! THEY ARE STACKED ABSOLUTE TO SOUND THE SAME oh ur spoke so right, zfp1 was so late summer almost autumn, it’s like each song was a different weather or season transitioning into the other,, no ur right some songs he’s just yelling, i wish to hear his softer notes where he completely breaks us,, with those almost whisper like notes OHHH IM WAITING FOR THAT DAYYY SO PATIENTLY LIKE JONGHO BREAK ME!!! sometimes his notes reminds me of winters,, sometimes there’s some similarities may b just me 🤚🏻im with u on that

Sorry, everyone's meeting Yuta except you 😭 the same friend of mine met Taeyong twice, once he walked past her on the way to Loewe's show (and girl lost her earring), then gave her his autographs after the show.... 😭 and hold on?! https://twitter.com/mintmag_th/status/1672549191372124170?t=YYeGI5dSL65PF-FbjGREnQ&s=19

NO BC IM FURIOUS GET THE FUCK OUT YALL OUT HERE MEETING TAEYONF ON THE STREETS??? the most i ever met a idol was svt being 10 mins away from me and me not noticing until they posted pictures w them stripping in the ocean. LOST HER EARRING?? gonna be a delulu and say did taeyong find it and did it become her cinderella momenf,, OH WITH EMRATA??? wait now that i think about it they kinda look alike 🧍🏻‍♀️

Ok but 127's line up I just.... gonna say something possibly controversial, but I don't think it's that unpopular: Haechan should be in Dream only and Mark in 127, they're already overworked. I love TY and I know why he's the center, but putting my bias aside I feel like sometimes his time could be given to someone else, same with lines. Or maybe if they had a proper 3rd rapper, not Jamal, he needs to sing! And not Johnny - bless him, but he's not a rapper, sometimes they make Yuta rap and I can't even... Wait, did you hear this cover Yuta did? https://www.instagram.com/p/Csi1KVEo5_3/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA== I really like the original and I can't believe he did that 😭 my jrock loving ass was shook

controversial but so damn talented and cohesive,, oUUU UR KINDA SUPER RIGHT i think mark fits that 127 style so much,, he brings so much spice into it and taeil easily can take over,, haechan has such a warm tone and it’s so pretty to listen to it and it somehow fits dream better?? johnny has such a nice voice like it’s so snakey esp when he said “if u happy and u know it clap ur hands” WHEWWWWW THE VOCALS ???? jamal😭😭😭 FHWKDHWK oh yuta. oh yuta that starting nOTE JUST ELEVATED ME TO A DIFF LEVEL???? SO CREEPY BUT SO PERFECT fits his scorpio so much what a talent sm scouted

Troye?! https://twitter.com/5ugaring/status/1672121681866014721?t=ZJtmpVafz1VTQsiqupEsdQ&s=19 why are you everywhere jgdhahajshdhahshshs he got Taeyong too 🥴 /// Uncle Hwaaaa! Oh to be a little kid and paint Hwa's toenails and run around carelessly ajhdhshdhahshsjshsshhaag and what's with all that kids content? Rip to y'alls ovaries or something 🤭 it's just like that one kindergarten teacher Seonghwa fic I once read

wHY IS TROYE EVERYWHERE???? MEETING EVERYONE LIKE WHAT MAGNET IS HE???? UNCLE HWA GOT THE ROWDIEST KID IT MAKES ME LAUGH BC HIS KID GOTTA BE LIKE THAT FBWNDHWKD RIP TO OVARIES SORRY IM ON MY TIME OF MONTH NOT MY OVARIES STAY SAFE THO 😭😭😭

HAVE YOU SEEN A MAN SO BEAUTIFUL LIKE I'M SO DAMAGED YET HEALED BECAUSE OF THESE PICTURES LIKE?!?!?! https://twitter.com/pseonghwapics/status/1671800295607730176?t=WK-G9vQ55AbTm_2jkdGUCg&s=19 AND https://twitter.com/nobodylikehwa/status/1671662936652120067?t=rS8KzmH1gZC9GlxamGwjCA&s=19 /// BITCH THESE PHOTOS I- https://twitter.com/aurorahopee/status/1672552412383531008?t=BUwMKD8sfT3Xcp7IZ9YUfA&s=19

he’S SO FUCKING CYBERCORE ??? LIKE KQ BE DOIKG THE STYLE WRITE ONLY FOR DAYS LIKE THIS BUT NEVER AS A FULL CONCEPT HE WOULD SLAY SO HARD OMG FHANDHKW YEAH THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE NEED

HE IS SO BOBA

The Titan situation is sad, but at the same time, why do people do that? It didn't sound safe from the beginning, like leave the Titanic alone...and now they shared the same fate, the 19 year old shouldn't have been there... :/ ofc it's an awful thing, if they were even alive up to this point, imagine waiting for your death. But also MONEY TRULY MAKES PEOPLE GO FUCKING DERANGED WTF

it really is so extremely sad esp on the 19yo who wanted to please his dad and went with him omg 😭😭😭 saw posts from ppl saying that if your death is written in the depth of the ocean, you'll rent even a submarine to reach there on time. it’s so awful knowing that they can never recover their remains bc they’re probably just nothing now,, i feel for their family especially the man’s wife who said they were having a hard time breathing just thinking about them 🤲🏻🤲🏻 i just know the father’s biggest regret was bringing his son with him,, also saw a video of a man who was supposed to be in that exact ship a week before but didn’t go bc the weather was terrible and it shows the head guy saying what was wrong, and they still went. ill link it here bc it was truly scary to watch,,, makes me think that the guy in the video who brought the wreath for the titanic, titanic took saved him in that way

and this seems very awfully familiar.

Heeeeeey, See You in My 19th Life drama!? I totally missed it. Also started Bloodhounds, it's so sad, but wholesome too and WDH is so good, I missed him /// Do the quiz Baek, I got Ricciardo lmao: https://uquiz.com/quiz/V6eoyv?p=983346

YES IT ISSS !!!! ITS ACTUALLY SO GOOD??? bloodhounds got me crying man 😭😭😭 wdh’s acting just, it’s something about his face that when he cries it PAINS me to watch,, im also vv glad he’s back! hoping he gets some big projects and picks his options wisely!!! I DID AND I FBWNFHSJ I FOT SEBASTIAN 😭😭😭 LMFAOOOO??? NOT U GETTING HIM 😭😭

????? Wow https://www.reddit.com/r/kpop/comments/14imekp/former_miss_a_member_jiaformer_fx_member_amber/ /// And yet another Min Hee Jin controversy, I hate her so much. But I hate the defendes even more - DV 💖

OH THE VISUALS??? jia’s visuals are so beautiful like wow wow wow god is a woman.

im actually so appalled by the topic, like there’s absolutely no way she didn’t know what she was doing, either she’s trying to get traction or completely ruining herself….like even the god damn names??? sure they are common but when u put them against that title track and the history??? im convinced she knew what was happening, did it on purpose for the sakes of popularity and didn’t not expect the potential boycott. in the name of art you’re using a t*rrorist aesthetic?? what a new low.

😭😭😭

zayn’s joining exo??? LMFAOOOO

and jongho is so pretty??? this hair suits him so much

i got a uquiz

did we….did we manifest this

[floralbfs]

do not have anything against him i love him but WHY does every single a.c.e cover have chan in it?????? @ beat interactive a.c.e has five members pls use them🥰 i know yall have a chan obsession but like other members can cover songs too♥

[minghaocouture]

Kpop group ask: A.C.E

if i’m still getting into them

who or what caught my attention

Their dances definitely caught my attention. They’re so cool to watch.

why i want to stan

Their music is really good and their dance skills are freaking crazy. I don’t think there is a song of their’s that i’ve listened to that i haven’t liked.

what i already know about them

I know they used to busk a lot and that’s how they started off, which is really cool but that’s like all I know.

current favorite member

Uhhh i don’t know a lot about the members yet but probably Donghun or Wow 

a question I have for veteran fans

I don’t think I have one? but i am curious how other people got into them!

🕊SEND IN A KPOP GROUP & I’LL REPLY WITH

[sanstropfremir]

Hi! First I wanted to say I've really been enjoying your q&a! :) So here's another one. Not sure if you have any thoughts on this since it's on the music rather than the design side, but why do some 4th gen groups only have one person sing the chorus? I thought usually members have their individual lines and then the entire group songs the chorus together. It took me so long to notice because they layer the vocals in the recordings so it sounds bigger. Only when I started watching some covers did I notice only one person is singing. Specifically I was watching the various Mirotic covers and wondering why it sounds so thin, and then once I saw I started seeing it everywhere. And 4th gen is probably not right, because Twice does it too. But why? The producers know it would sound better since they layer vocals on the actual recording version. Why not just do it in real life too, literally all the members are already there.

thank you!

well, the short answer is because no one in fouth gen can sing.

the long answer is that there's been a significant decrease in the amount of debuted idols that have good vocal technique that can be performed while dancing. certain priorities are placed by companies in terms of what type of vocal training idols get, how much training they get, what type of choreography gets chosen, and even what type of people even get cast in the first place. obviously the industry is no stranger to streetcasting a rando just for looks, but in the past, and particularly with sm, there was generally effort put in to making sure that everyone slated to debut was at least a passable vocalist, even if they were cast purely for dance. but now that the trend in the industry has shifted to being more performance forward, some companies have changed some of those priorities. you can't do the same kind of vocal work that you see in second gen performances because now the choreography is too difficult and not optimized for it. the mirotic choreo is a fantastic choreo, but if you have really strong training, it doesn't inhibit vocals like something like ateez's fireworks choreo, which actively prevents them from holding steady notes. also, most companies have made the choice to emphasize dance training because it's been proven in the last several years that group vocals and even the quality of vocals don't particularly matter to the hardcore dedicated fans. fans are going to stream anything from their faves regardless of the sound, so why bother making songs that utilize a specific type of skiill that needs specific training, when you could just not and save the time and money. it takes a lot of musical training and notably training about music (not just vocal technique) in order to sing like nct or any other sm group, which is pretty much the only company that still trains their idols with good technique. there are a couple of small groups that still keep to the old standards, like a.c.e, tan, purple kiss, and onf, but it's much less common because it's become cost inefficient.

the other reason as to why they don't do it in actual performance that often is bc singing and dancing at the same time is fucking HARD. there's a reason why vocal quality improves when people are standing still. dancing and singing both involve having to control when and where you breathe and it's very difficult to do both those things together, so in order to accomodate for the increase in difficult choreography + lack of good vocal training, it's become common practice to rely more on backing tracks or exclusive line distribution in order to take the strain off the members and allow them to focus on the choreography rather than singing.