#Survey for Due Diligence

[tainsan]

misfits IV (college!ateez x reader)

pairing: ot8 ateez x fem! reader

warnings: cursing, negligence, mentions of suicide, a fight between yeosang and yunho

word count: 8.5k

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{if you asked to be in the taglist and dont see your name, i am incredibly sorry but your account cannot be tagged.}

--- THIS IS AN 18+ STORY MINORS DO NOT INTERACT ---

“You’re also adding the overall total to the mean, it doesn’t need to be there.” You explain to Jeongin, who immediately face plants into his palm.

“Are you serious?” He groans, understanding his amateur mistake. You recognise the frustration, relating to the problems, having them yourself in the past due to being very stressed and sleep deprived.

“Don’t worry, it happens to the best of us.”

Jeongin and you are sat side by side in the quiet solitude of the library, Jeongin finds himself engrossed in the assignment, his brow furrowed as he surveys over his mistake. The air is filled with a hushed diligence, the only sounds being the soft rustling of papers and the occasional scratch of pen against paper. The library offers a sanctuary for their focused work, providing a space free from distractions where they can dive deep into the realm of knowledge and learning. You are not too far from the spot where you tutored San and Jongho last week. Yet you decided to stay away from the particular spot, so you don’t get too distracted by the strong memories and thoughts of the two men.

“I feel like I could’ve sorted that out by myself, I’m sorry for wasting your time.” Jeongin looks extremely apologetic, and you can’t help but feel bad for him.

“It’s really okay, my morning was free anyways, and I’m always glad to help a friend.” You smile at him, his remorseful gaze melting away and being replaced by his signature eye smile.

“You better get going though, you’ve got an important date to attend to.” You wink at him, wiggling your eyebrows jokingly. Jeongin rolls his eyes before grabbing his things and bidding you a sweet goodbye. You reflect on Jeongin’s happiness, a wave of warmth and affection washes over your heart. Thoughts of your friend finding someone he truly likes, brings a genuine smile to your face. Silently hoping that this newfound relationship will last, the look on his features pure.

As the time passes by, you realise it’s time to find Jisung and attempt to explain your situation in a way that won’t freak him out too much. Grabbing your phone, you send him a text that you’re in the library, you await his presence by editing the finishing an assignment that needs to be uploaded by tomorrow.

“Girl, I haven’t heard from you in days where the fuck have you been?” Jisung’s voice speaks from behind you loudly, causing fellow library attendants to send him pointed glares. Jisung sends the look back, telling them to mind their business before bringing you into a warm hug. The two of you sit down next to each other, your assignment pushed to the side. Turning to your best friend, you give him the apologetic look you can muster.

“It’s been really crazy, I’m so sorry.” You reply, regretful for denying the events from the past few days from your best friend, knowing it would’ve been much more manageable with Jisung by your side.

“Right? Minho told me that Kim fucking Hongjoong came into your lecture and demanded you to see him?”

You grimace, remembering that day and how likely it was that the whole school is talking about you right now, “yeah that did happen?”

“Did he threaten you? Stab you? Poison you? You know he’s the leader of the group, right?”

“Yeah, a good leader too.”

“Is that seriously the only thing you got from that sentence?”

“Jisung I’m fine, he actually offered me a place to live…” your words are careful, trying to be quiet, knowing someone is probably listening to your conversation after hearing the words ‘Hongjoong’. Maybe even listening in since they saw you, knowing the attention you are receiving now is much more than usual.

“Okay what.” Jisung looks at you in disbelief, he eyes scanning yours to look for any sign of a joke, “she’s gone insane holy shit.”

“Jisung I’m not insane shut up. His mother is a real estate agent, and they pulled some strings.”

“Okay you’re telling me that the Ateez magically pulled strings for you.”

“I know it’s hard to believe but they really aren’t as bad as you think, only one of them is… questionable.”

Jisung gaze towards you softens, “I want to believe you, but I’ve seen it first-hand how rude they can be to people,”

“Maybe they are trying to change? Come on Ji, it’s me, you know damn well I’m a good judge of character.”

There is a long pause between the conversation, Jisung letting in the information you have provided him with. Jisung knows you are very good at reading people, due to past events you’ve had many situations where you don’t like a friend of his, even if they are the kindest person in the world to him. They always end up the way that you see them and warn Jisung of. At this point Jisung judges your gut feeling more than his own.

“I trust you. If you say they are nice then I will believe it. Just be careful around them, okay?”

You nod at Jisung, happy he understands. As you sit in quiet reflection, an intense sense of gratitude washes over you, directed towards your cherished best friend. With each passing thought, you are reminded of the countless moments you have shared, and the unwavering support Jisung has always offered you. He has been a pillar of strength and a constant source of comfort in your life, and you are overwhelmed with an immense feeling of thankfulness for the presence of Jisung in your life.

“So, what place did you get?” Jisung asks, curious as to where you ended up staying. You realise you never actually told him the full story. Preparing yourself for the worst, you try to find the right words to use.

“Do you promise to not freak out?” You question, your words again quiet, fearful of someone listening in to the conversation. Jisung raises an eyebrow in your direction, very intrigued as to why you would have to caution him not to freak out.

“After finding out Ateez are actually sweethearts, nothing can freak me out.”

“I’m living with them.” You deadpan, not finding any easy way to put it. Watching as Jisung’s eyes open hugely, his mouth takes in a large breath before opening. Before he can even get any words out, you cover his mouth with your hand, stopping his scream from echoing across, likely, the entire library.

“Please don’t freak out!” You exclaim, attempting to silence him as quickly as possible, hoping not to get kicked out of the library. Slowly removing your hand from his mouth, his shocked expression stays present on his face. If this were a scene from a movie, it would definitely make the two of you laugh.

“I’m not freaking out, you’re freaking out.” His voice is high pitched and out of breath, his ears not believing the absurd words exiting your mouth.

“Look I know, it’s insane, but it was my only option.”

Jisung slightly relaxes, yet his entire body is noticeably still tense and on edge.

“I’m saying this because I love you, but are you fucking stupid?” Rolling your eyes at him, you start to speak yet you get cut off, “you can’t live with eight guys.”

“That’s how it would’ve been if I moved in with you.” You retort.

“Yes, but Minho and I would be there to keep you safe if they tried anything. I don’t know your roommates; how do I trust them not to hurt you?”

“Jisung, I really appreciate that you care, but I trust them. They are too respectful to do anything. Plus, you know if they ever hurt me, I’d WWE the shit out of them.”

Jisung’s laugh is boisterous and echoes in the library, when he gets shushed by the people around him, he quickly puts his finger to his lips and shushes them back, again. Looking back at you, his eyes scan your face for any signs of discomfort. When he sees none, his body relaxes a little.

“You’d call me if anything happened, right?” Jisung questions, he moves his hand to rest on yours on top of the large oak table.

“Of course, Ji. It’s not like anyone else is on my emergency contact list.” You say joking through the bitterness evident on your voice.

“Speaking of, have you heard anything from your dad?” Jisung’s voice is soft, knowing how sensitive the subject can be for you.

“Not really, and I don’t particularly care. I did see on Facebook that he has found a new family to terrorise.”

Jisung’s eye roll is almost audible, he lets out an exasperated groan, “this guy never fails to surprise me with his bullshit.”

“You’d think he’d had enough after destroying one family.”

“Let’s not talk about it, he doesn’t deserve the attention.” A comfortable silence begins, and you feel yourself relax, Jisung continues talking when he realises, he didn’t ask a crucial question. “You do have your own room, right?”

“Yes of course. It’s a super nice room, and the bed is so big and comfortable. Plus, I have my own bathroom, so I don’t need to worry about walking in on them naked.” You reply, thinking about the amazing rest you had the previous night.

“That wouldn’t be too bad.” Jisung confesses, leaning back in his chair.

“What the fuck are you saying?” You hit Jisung’s arm, baffled by the nonsense coming out of his mouth, “weren’t you the one who was literally bashing on them earlier?”

“What? Just because I don’t especially like them, doesn’t mean they aren’t undeniably handsome and sexy as fuck.”

“Jisung shut up, you literally have a boyfriend.”

“I also have two perfectly functioning eyes, and if they are so respectful and kind maybe you should bag one,” Jisung looks over at you, a devious glint in his eyes, “or all.”

“Not a chance, Yunho fucking hates me for some reason.”

Jisung looks at you with a gobsmacked expression, “Yunho? Hate you? How can this guy hate you? You’re the sweetest person in the whole world.”

“I don’t know to be honest, Seonghwa said it was because he’s bad with new people, but I feel like there’s something more to the story.”

“Hang on we will unpack that another time. The Park Seonghwa?” Jisung questions, his eyes even wider than before. You start to wonder how wide his eyes can even go at this point.

“Yes?”

“He’s so fine holy shit. If you don’t bag him, I will.” Jisung relaxes back into his chair again.

“Again, you have a boyfriend.”

“Multiple boyfriends are a thing.” The short male jokes, wiggling his eyebrows.

“You’re unbelievable.”

“I’m joking. I love Minho to bits, you know that.”

Laughing at Jisung whilst rolling your eyes, he gently pushes your arm, clearly wanting more details.

“So, you’re telling me you have zero feelings for any of them?” Jisung inquires, leaning closer to you, resting his chin on his hand, a questioning look on his features.

“Why are you so interested in my love life Han?”

“I’m your best friend, your love life is very interesting to me.”

Just as you're about to respond, a vibrant flash of pink captures your attention from behind Jisung, causing you to momentarily lose focus. As the source of the pink draws nearer, you realize it's Mingi approaching your table. His piercing gaze sends a chill down your spine, and you can't help but notice the awe-struck gazes of onlookers as he effortlessly navigates past numerous tables. There's an undeniable air of confidence in his stride, similar to that of a model confidently strutting down a runway, leaving you in awe of his presence.

Caught off guard by your sudden distraction, Jisung turns around, following your gaze to the approaching figure. Sensing his confusion, you instinctively reach out, placing a comforting hand on your best friend's shoulder, offering him reassurance amidst the unexpected arrival of Mingi.

“Don’t worry, he’s one of the nicer ones.” You whisper in his ear, Jisung’s tense shoulders relaxing slightly.

“So, you weren’t lying about moving in, were you?” Jisung whispers back, his eyes not leaving Mingi’s tall structure.

The tall male reaches the table you are at, you are glad that his back is faced towards all the people staring, otherwise they would see the smile that spreads across his features.

“Hey,” Mingi smiles at you, not even paying attention to the smaller man sat closer to him.

Jisung stares at Mingi, shocked to even see a smile on Mingi’s face. Eventually, Mingi looks towards Jisung, and his smile fades slightly, but doesn’t disappear. Gently nodding his head in Jisung’s direction, as if he says hello, he turns his head back to you. 

At this small gesture, you are somewhat happy that they are not treating your best friend the cold way you have heard so much about. It is huge for Mingi to be nice to you, so the fact he is also being pleasant to your friend makes you feel extremely touched by the small act.

“You have anatomy soon, right?” Mingi’s deep voice questions you. You and Jisung are both surprised that the man knows what you have next.

“Yeah, I do, how did you know?”

“I’m walking in the same direction; do you want to go together?"  Mingi ignores your question leaving you confused, yet you decide to pay no attention to it.

“Well, I was actually going to walk with Jisung.” You say, slightly upset for denying the pink haired man, seeing that he came all the way to find you so you could walk together.

Jisung’s eyes light up like lightbulbs as a thought enters his head, “no, she wasn’t. I was walking by myself. Goodbye you two. It was nice to meet you Mingi.” Jisung has a huge grin on his face as he grabs his bag off the floor and rushes to leave the library.

Confused out of your mind, you look towards Jisung as he leaves, with your arms signing ‘what?’. The only thing your best friend does is point towards Mingi, who still has his eyes on you, he then mouths the words ‘bag him’ before laughing and almost sprinting out of the large room. Wasn’t he the one who said he didn’t want you to be around them? ‘This guy doesn’t have enough time to be playing match maker,’ you think in your head and let out a groan.

“Is it that bad to walk with me to class?” Mingi questions, his expression sorrowful, worried from the groan that just left your lips.

Immediately, you feel bad and reassure the man in front of you, “no Mingi of course not. I was just weirded out by his actions; I’d love to walk with you.”

Instantly, the frown on his face is replaced by a relieved smile. Feeling happy you’re comfortable to walk with him, Mingi helps you pack your things into your bag and the two of you head out of the library, trying to ignore all the stares you get from the people around you. If this is what it’s like to be friends with Ateez, you might as well get used to it, even if you hate being in the spotlight.

As Mingi bids you farewell and heads off to his next class, a wave of realization washes over you. Despite living with the Ateez members, there is still so much you don't know about them. Determined to resolve this, you make a mental note to engage with them individually, realizing that one-on-one conversations might be more manageable and less overwhelming than having them all in one room together. Living under the same roof provides ample opportunities for deeper connections to form.

As the professor enters the classroom, the chatter subsides, and a hush of anticipation settles over the students. You take a seat in the back, preparing for the extended lesson that lies ahead. Thoughts of the impending dinner with the Ateez members fill your mind, stir up mixed feelings within you. It has been quite some time since you've had dinner with a larger group of people, reminiscing about the warmth and amity that accompanied those moments back in high school. The sight of them gathering around the table, like a chosen family, tugs at your heartstrings. However, the prospect of encountering Yunho once again fills you with concern. The words Seonghwa spoke about Hongjoong's "good way of disciplining" linger in your thoughts, leaving you with a mixture of curiosity and uncertainty. You contemplate the dynamics at the dinner table, resolving to find a seat away from Yunho to avoid any confrontations or discomfort.

Realizing that you've allowed your mind to wander, you refocus your attention on the lecture, determined not to miss any crucial information. The upcoming dinner remains at the back of your mind, a blend of excitement and apprehension. You reassure yourself that tonight will be an opportunity to observe and evaluate the dynamics of the group, to see how everyone interacts and finding your place. Deep down, you know that time and shared experiences will reveal more about each member's true nature, allowing you to navigate this new chapter with openness and resilience.

With renewed focus, you immerse yourself in the lecture, ready to absorb the knowledge before you and face the dinner with a mixture of curiosity and cautious optimism.

---

Frustration consumes you as you struggle to insert your key into the stubborn lock, the front door refusing to yield to your attempts. With an exasperated sigh, you lean forward, allowing the weight of your frustration to manifest as a slight bang against the door, as your head comes in contact with the white door. The lecture had ended at four, and you had planned a quick shopping trip with Jisung to grab the forgotten essentials like toothpaste and shampoo. However, fate had a different plan in mind as you unexpectedly ran into Felix near the school. Before you knew it, the three of you found yourselves lured into a charming café that Felix had discovered through the enticing realm of TikTok. Sensing the minutes slipping away, you bid your hasty goodbyes when the clock neared seven, anxious not to be tardy for your inaugural dinner together.

Fortunately, someone had left a key for you on the kitchen counter this morning, yet you are starting to think it’s not the key to the house. Maybe it was Yunho playing a trick on you, so you can’t get into the house, and you will leave him alone. Luckily for you, you happen to be pretty stubborn, and you are not going to give in to whatever this ruse is.

Pulling out your phone, you go to your contacts and push in San’s number. You think you should probably get the rest of the boys’ numbers so if you’re stuck outside at least you have more of a chance of getting inside.

The phone rings about three times before the phone picks up, and you’re surprised at how fast San picks up.

“___, hey. What’s up?” San speaks over the phone, his voice is soft, yet for some reason you can hear he has a smile on his face, perhaps he had a good day. Hearing the smile on San’s face brings a smile to your own and you frustration pointed towards the door melts away. You can hear him shuffling around in the background.

“Hey San, are you home at the moment?” You ask, putting you key back into your pocket.

“Yeah, I am. Why?” The curiosity laced in San’s words is unmissable.

“My key isn’t working for some reason, could you please open the door for me?”

“Ohhhh,” San speaks out, realising the problem, “try pulling the door towards you slightly when you turn the key.”

Reaching into your bag once again, you pull out the key and place it back in the lock. This time, gently pulling the door towards you and just like magic the lock turns fully, opening the door.

“Ah thank you San!” You exclaim as you walk inside the house and start to take off your shoes.

“No worries” a voice speaks out from in front of you. Whipping your head up, you see San leaning against the railing of the staircase with a small smile on his face. Why does he look so handsome suddenly?

“How long have you been there?” You ask, wondering if he was just passing by.

“Since the first time you tried to unlock the door.”

The disbelief washes over you as you observe the guy standing there, seemingly oblivious to the fact that he could have easily opened the door for you. 

A wave of guilt surges through you, realizing that you had unfairly blamed Yunho for something that wasn't his fault. It dawns on you that perhaps it's premature to judge him as a horrible person without giving him a chance. The thought lingers in your mind, igniting a flicker of curiosity you decide maybe you should try to get to know him better before passing any final judgments.

“Why didn’t you open the door then?” You groan as you walk past him, into the kitchen where you see Jongho sat at the island, watching a video on his phone. San follows you behind, and watches as you place your bag on the island, catching Jongho’s attention.

“___,” Jongho says with a smile. You return his smile as you take a seat at the island not too far from Jongho.

“If I had opened the door for you then you would never learn how to properly open it.” San explains, his smile is still on his features, yet you can see just a hint of teasing behind it.

You feel your annoyance fade away as you realise, he has a point, still being stubborn though, you blow a raspberry at him, faking annoyance, causing a laugh to erupt from his throat.

Approaching you with a playful demeanour, San affectionately places a hand on top of your head, his touch causing a gentle ruffle of your hair. A soft smile tugs at his lips as he leans down, bringing his eyes to meet yours, and in that intimate proximity, your faces mere inches apart, he confesses, "You're cute."

The sudden admission sends a surge of warmth rushing up your neck, setting your cheeks ablaze. Overwhelmed by the intensity of the moment, you instinctively break eye contact, leaning back as if to create some distance between you and the rush of emotions that swirl within you. San, now standing tall again, leans against the counter behind you, his presence a comforting anchor amidst the fluttering of your heart.

In an attempt to collect yourself, you shift your gaze towards Jongho, who observes the exchange between you and San with a knowing smile. Catching the small glare Jongho directs towards San before turning his attention to you, his smile resumes, radiating a sense of reassurance and understanding.

“How was your day?” Jongho asks, turning off his phone and placing it face down on the counter.

“It was good, I helped a friend with his project and then had an extended lecture which I am absolutely exhausted from. I also went to a really nice café with Jisung and Felix” You reply, sinking into the chair.

“Who is Felix?” San asks, curious at the unfamiliar name. His voice is a little sharp and you can’t help but wonder why.

“He’s one of Jisung’s friends, we don’t hang out that often, but it was nice to see him today.”

“Are you two close friends?” Jongho is the one who questions this time.

“Not that close, he’s more of an acquaintance to me.” I explain to the two.

They both lets out “ah’s” as they let the information process in their heads.

“You didn’t go to Wooyoung’s café?” San questions, sitting next to you, “he was working today.” San adds.

Feeling bad all of a sudden, you remember the café Wooyoung works at.

“Next time I’ll go there for sure,” you say, hoping they aren’t mad about you not going to their friend’s café.

“Don’t worry, I’m sure he doesn’t mind.” Jongho reassures you the second he sees the slightest amount of guilt on your face. Smiling at Jongho, you silently thank him for reassuring your worries.

Then, you suddenly remember the unfinished assignment essay you have yet to submit to the online drop box. Checking the time on your phone, you are relieved to see that you likely have enough time to finish it before dinner.

“Excuse me, I need to finish this essay, I will see you two later.” You explain as you grab your belongings off the island, turning to walk to your room, you take one more look at the men in the kitchen. They are both watching you as you leave, but they have smiles on their faces.

“Good luck,” Jongho says before you close the door to your room.

The next forty minutes are spent in your room, putting the final touches on your assignment, a sense of accomplishment fills the air around you. With a satisfied smile, you close your laptop, knowing that you have poured your efforts and creativity into completing the task at hand. Glancing around, you realise that dinner is still in the process of being prepared, and a surge of anticipation awakens your taste buds. The tempting aromas wafting from the kitchen ignite a hunger within you, making you eagerly await the culinary delights soon to be served. In this brief moment of transition, you revel in the satisfaction of a job well done, ready to savour the flavours that await you at the dinner table.

When Seonghwa knocks on your door to let you know that dinner is almost ready, you send a smile in his direction before getting back to your screen, only having to upload the document. As dinner gets closer, you hear more noises around the house of people entering the abode, your excitement intensifying as you hear Wooyoung’s high pitched laugh from the kitchen making you chuckle under your breath.

Just as you send in your assignment, you hear a soft knock on your door before you hear Mingi’s deep voice speak explaining dinner is ready.

You take a minute to put your laptop into your bag again and clear up your desk quickly before heading out the door and towards the living room. You pass Yunho in the kitchen who is stirring something in a pot. Walking around him quietly, strategically avoiding his gaze, you make it past the kitchen without him seeing you.

As you enter the room, you notice the group gathered around the expansive table, everyone is present except for the notably tall male figure. Finding an empty seat beside Mingi and Seonghwa, you greet everyone with a respectful hello, initiating a brief conversation with Mingi to ask about his day. The conversation flows effortlessly, yet it is cut short as your attention is swiftly diverted by the entrance of Yunho.

He is carrying plates of food. A smile tugs at your lips as the pleasant aroma wafts towards you, instantly recognizing one it as of your favourite meals. Your mouth begins to water in anticipation as you watch Yunho meticulously place the plates in front of each person around the table. However, as he reaches your spot, he strangely passes your plate and instead sets it down in front of Seonghwa, a confusing act that leaves you momentarily taken aback. With a mixture of surprise and confusion, you lock eyes with Yunho, who takes a seat directly across from you, further adding to the mystery of his actions.

“And ___’s plate, Yunho.” Hongjoong questions, his voice is strong and authoritative yet the glare that Yunho gives you shows he ignored Hongjoong completely.

“Sorry, I only made enough for eight.” Yunho glares at you, ignoring the sighs of disappointment and groans from the seven males around him.

“You can have mine,” Seonghwa begins to put his plate in front of you, yet you stop him. Smiling at him gently, you turn back to Yunho in front of you.

“Enjoy your meal, Yunho. I hope you’re happy.” You deadpan, before standing up and pacing out the room, irritated with the bullshit that Yunho is pulling. As you rise from your seat, Wooyoung makes a move to join you, concern written across his face. However, you gently halt his advance, urging him to remain seated and enjoy his meal. Seonghwa's assurance that Hongjoong would handle the situation lingers in your mind, but deep down, you harbour scepticism about Yunho's ability to change so quickly.

Despite feeling deeply disappointed by the turn of events, you gather your inner strength, resolved to confront the situation on your own terms. You remind yourself that you are capable of handling this setback, even though it casts a shadow over your anticipation for the dinner.

“Yunho what the fuck are you trying to do?” Wooyoung demands as he glares at the tall male, his disappoint and anger evident in his words, his stance defensive.

“Just eat. It’s her problem.” Yunho answers, starting to cut his food up.

----

“He didn’t make me food, on purpose, so I just walked out.” You explain the situation to Jisung over the phone.

“Now this is what I expected from an Ateez member to be honest. No hate.” Jisung groans over the phone, annoyance evident on his voice.

The enticing aroma of your favourite meal still wafts through the air, and you find yourself torn between anticipation and frustration. Yunho skilfully prepared the dish you adore, and you aren’t sure is he made the meal because he knows you like it, that would be impossible. Your irritancy intensifies as you realise this was a deliberate attempt to manipulate your emotions.

It becomes painfully clear that Yunho purposefully made the meal with the intent to excite you, using it as a weapon to push you towards the decision of moving out. The realization strikes you like a jagged bolt of lightning, igniting a mixture of anger and hurt. A part of you wants to go back into the dining room and snatch his plate from under his nose, but a stronger part of you resists, refusing to let Yunho's manipulation dictate your actions.

As soon as you entered your room, you found yourself calling your best friend, disappointed but not surprised by the actions of Yunho. Scurrying over to your bed, you rest on the edge still trying to fully process the events. Ranting to Jisung only makes you realise how annoyed you are on the tallest male.

“It’s annoying yes, but it’s manageable. If he starts squaring up on me though I will likely be very scared, bro is big.” You half joke, knowing that he likely won’t dare to start a fight with you due to Hongjoong being present. Tonight, wasn’t nice but it wasn’t like he threatened you or said particularly rude things, if it’s like this you are for sure able to manage at least until you find another place to live. Yes, this place is extremely nice and affordable but it’s not somewhere you see yourself living in for a long time.

“Have you at least eaten anything?” Jisung’s question leaves you shocked. No, you haven’t eaten anything since probably lunch. The second you think about food, your stomach emits a loud growl, leaving you to face palm. Definitely should buy some food, you think to yourself, still aggravated about missing out on the most delicious food you��ve smelt in a while.

Reassuring Jisung, then saying goodbye after about an hour of talking, you hang up the call and immediately open your fast-food app. Scanning through each restaurant you end up even more irritated seeing that there are no deals and most of the food will take at least an hour to arrive. You’re not sure you should be even buying food, seeing how posh the area is it would be a crime to even think about ordering cheap fast food. Flipping from the food application, you go to your bank account checking to see if you even have enough money to be buying a meal. Seeing the amount makes you audibly sigh, your ideas of getting food leaving your mind quicker than you can shut off your phone. Laying back on your bed, you close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, attempting to let the frustration slowly vacate your body.

‘Whatever.’ You think to yourself, you’re not eating so you might as well get ready for bed.

Walking into the bathroom and settling into your night time routine, a sense of annoyance creeping over you when you notice that your favourite moisturizer is running dangerously low. Frustration bubbles within you as you realise that you’ll soon need to replace it. You contemplate the possibility of squeezing out every last drop, hoping to prolong its usage just a little while longer. Sighing to yourself, you realise that you have to again spend money on something you would rather not. Wishing you could just ignore your need for moisturiser, you groan knowing you can’t due to having extremely dry skin in the winter and you’d prefer to not look like your skin was falling off. The moisturiser you use isn’t even that expensive, it’s just a supermarket own brand one that barely keeps your skin looking presentable, yet it’s all you can afford, you have other things you have to save your money for.

Making your way wearily back to your bed, where your phone rests on the charger, you snatch it up and settle on the edge of the mattress. With a swift search on YouTube, you strive to find the perfect video to unwind with before drifting off to sleep. Yet, as your finger taps on a selection, the video barely has a chance to begin before a soft knock reverberates from your door. 

Your head whips towards the source of the sound, a realization dawning upon you that someone seeks entry. Surprise tinged with guilt washes over you as you reflect on having walked out on dinner, aware of its importance to the other person. Amidst the rapid whirl of thoughts, you question why you are shouldering the blame when it was Jeong Yunho who acted insensitively. 

A flicker of panic flits through your mind, silently hoping that it's not Yunho standing on the other side of the door. Should you pretend to be asleep? No, that won't work, as they would have heard you using the bathroom. Lost in a flurry of racing thoughts, you momentarily forget that someone patiently awaits your response, mere inches away on the other side of the wall.

“Um ___? Can I come in quickly?” A deep sweet voice sounds from behind the wooden door and you immediately recognise it as Yeosang. Letting out a soft sigh of relief you answer back, letting Yeosang know it’s okay for him to open the entrance to your room.

From across the room, your gaze fixates on the door, anticipation coursing through your veins. It swings open, revealing the familiar figure of Yeosang standing hesitantly in the doorway, his presence both captivating and disarming. As your eyes slowly travel from the bottom of his body to his face, you can't help but take note of the subtle changes in his appearance. His usual jeans and hoodie are replaced by a black tank top that showcases his toned arms and snug grey sweatpants that accentuate his casual yet charming vibe. The sight of his bare arms, muscles defined and veins subtly visible, evokes a mix of admiration and intrigue within you. You find yourself captivated by the way his physique displays strength and confidence.

Caught in the act of observing him, Yeosang registers you checking him out, a blend of pride and embarrassment sweeping across his features. His cheeks dusted with a rosy hue, hints at the flattery he feels under your gaze. A contented, almost bashful smile graces his lips, revealing his genuine delight at being the centre of your attention. His usually carefully styled hair appears tousled, and you realise he must have been readying for bed.

However, your attention is abruptly drawn to the paper bag clutched in his hand, distracting your eyes away from his physique and back to his face. The red blush on his cheeks remains, giving him an endearing charm, while his eyes sparkle with a mix of excitement and nervousness. The sight of his dishevelled hair and his relaxed attire only amplifies his charm, adding a touch of effortless attractiveness to his overall appearance.

“I bought you some food. I wasn’t too sure what you’d like so I got a mixture of some things.” Yeosang explains, holding up the paper bag in his hand.

This act instantly makes your heart speed up and your chest to feel warm despite the freeing temperature of your room. This kind gesture warms your heart, and you can’t help but feel incredibly grateful to the man standing in your doorway.

Yeosang's gaze sweeps over your figure, his eyes instinctively drawn to the form-fitting pyjamas that hug your curves. A surge of satisfaction courses through him as he realizes the envy that would consume the other boys if they knew the position he is in at this very moment. Grateful for the stroke of fortune that has brought him into this position, he momentarily loses himself in a spiral of thoughts, silently expressing gratitude to whichever higher power may have orchestrated this unexpected encounter. However, his attention is abruptly redirected as your soft voice breaks through the reverie, grounding him back to the present moment.

“Yeosang, I,” you start to speak yet you can’t find the words to express your gratitude to him, you instead invite him to enter your room fully. “Please come in.” You request, smiling widely at the giddy man who is now in your bedroom.

It’s the first time Yeosang has been in your bedroom since you decorated it, finding some small posters and fairy lights to hang around your room, and some plants to place around making it feel more like home. He looks throughout the space, admiring what you’ve done to it.

“I still have some more things I need to buy before it becomes home.” You admit to the blonde male as he looks around. When he hears your statement, he looks towards you and smiles warmly.

“Here you go,” he says, handing you the bag, and stepping backwards, wanting to not bother you further and let you eat in peace. Looking down into the bag, you see a few different packages, wrapped in aluminium foil and the smell reaches your nostrils, filling them up with the most delicious savoury scent, causing your mouth to water and your stomach reminds you how hungry you actually were.

When you look back up, you see Yeosang back by the doorway, heavily debating whether he should leave or stay to make sure you finish the food, nervously shifting from one foot to the other, unsure of what to say. You smile at his actions, for a buff guy who is supposedly a ‘bad boy’, he sure is cute.

“Yeosang,” you speak out, catching his attention, he meets your eyes, and you swear you could have fainted at that moment. His gaze holds a gentle softness, yet beneath the surface, you sense a wealth of unspoken feelings concealed within the intensity of his eye contact. Words are on the tip of your tongue as you contemplate the question that weighs heavily on your mind, unsure of how to speak your thoughts.

Yeosang, sensing your hesitation and the hint of worry in your stance, takes a step closer, concern etched on his features. Something in the way you stand, lost in your thoughts while gazing at him, tells him that something might be wrong. “Are you okay?” He asks.

Before you can find the right words, however, you instinctively close the distance between you, your heart racing with anticipation. The bag of food you were holding slips from your hands, forgotten on the floor as you gently wrap your arms around him, seeking comfort in a tender embrace.

Yeosang tenses up, caught off guard by the sudden display of affection. Your abrupt departure only further fuels his uncertainty, leaving you standing a meter away, immediately apologizing for potentially crossing boundaries. “I’m sorry, I’m just extremely grateful for the food I’m so sorry for pushing your boundaries,”

But before you can utter another word, this time, Yeosang closes the distance, his hands enveloping you, drawing you closer to his chest. Your cheek presses against the warmth of his shirt, the sensation of his toned physique beneath it briefly registering in your mind. Overwhelmed by the strength and security of his hold, you find yourself tensing up this time, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected gesture. Yet, understanding his earlier hesitation from your own action, you reciprocate by wrapping your arms around his waist, surrendering to the comfort of the embrace.

Time seems to stretch as you bask in the comfort of his arms, feeling a sense of familiarity and longing that has been absent for far too long. Your light-headedness gives way to a contented sigh, revelling in the serenity given by his hug. Expecting the moment to end, you begin to pull away, only to be pulled back into his chest, your cheek colliding with his in a gentle 'oof' of surprise.

Moments blur into eternity as you remain locked in each other's arms, a silent connection between your two souls. Yeosang withdraws slightly, but his hold remains, your arms still embracing his waist, his still encircling your shoulders.

Your gazes meet once again, mere inches apart, illuminated by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. Even in the dim light, you can discern the flush that colours his cheeks, an unreadable expression adorning his features. It's an unfamiliar emotion that leaps around in his eyes, neither embarrassment nor discomfort, but something entirely new, leaving you dizzy with curiosity.

For what feels like an eternity, the two of you engage in a silent exchange, locked in a gaze that renders you weak at the knees. And just when you think your heart couldn't flutter any faster, Yeosang breaks the silence with a confession that catches you off guard. His eyes remain fixed on yours, unwavering and sincere as he admits, "Your eyes are beautiful."

“Uh thank you.” You reply, cheeks growing even hotter than you thought they could go. You just know if Jisung would see you right now he would scream his lungs out.

Moving away from Yeosang, he momentarily wonders if he screwed up by saying those words, yet when he sees the sincere smile on your face, his worries melt away and he gets lost in your expression.

“Would you eat with me?” You question, hoping he will keep you company, the question of ‘did we know each other before college?’ slipping your mind completely.

---

Seated cross-legged on your bed, you relish the delicious food that Yeosang thoughtfully brought for you. Across from you, he sits on the edge of the bed, one leg tucked comfortably while the other dangles freely. His eyes never waver from you, captivated by the way you devour the meal with avid hunger, and a sense of relief washes over him. It's evident that you must have been starving, and he silently curses Yunho for denying you a proper meal earlier during the disastrous dinner. In this intimate moment, he seethes with anger at the thought of you being deprived of a simple joy you were so excited about, confirming his resolve to make up for it.

As you converse one-on-one with Yeosang, the opportunity to have a genuine heart-to-heart arises, a chance to connect without the distractions of others. The conversation flows effortlessly as you delve into the events of your day, sharing thoughts, dreams, and anything that comes to mind. It's in these moments that you notice a subtle transformation in Yeosang's demeanour. His eyes shimmer with a radiant passion whenever he talks about dance, and his voice releases a fresh energy when he discusses subjects close to his heart.

Discovering his love for reading piques your interest, knowing your mutual fondness for books. This realization sparks a lively conversation about favourite authors and cherished books. The genuine curiosity and engagement exchanged between the two of you ignites a flutter within your chest, relishing the ease with which you connect and share your passions with Yeosang.

Yeosang remains by your side until the very last piece of food disappears, his unwavering presence a testament to his attentiveness and care. Not a single crumb is left, and as you sink back into the comforting embrace of your pillows, the weight of the day begins to settle upon you. The heaviness of your eyelids is a gentle reminder that rest is calling, but before sleep claims you, you can't help but feel grateful for the precious moment spent with Yeosang.

“This is the book I was explaining earlier!” Yeosang exclaims, turning his phone to you to show the book he couldn’t remember the name of. However, when he looks up to you, he finds you snuggled into the pillow, your mouth slightly parted, eyes closed. Surprised, his eyes widen as he peers over your sleeping form. Yeosang’s heart swells, revelling in the fact that you felt comfortable enough to allow yourself to fall asleep.

Tucking you into your blanket, careful not to wake you up, he studies you once more, taking in all of your features. He notes each freckle and mole on your face, the way your eyelashes rest against the swell of your cheeks, your hair falling messily over the sheets.

Yeosang gracefully exits your room, a gentle smile adorning his face and a faint blush colouring his cheeks. The evening spent together was a significant milestone in your friendship, and he couldn't help but feel content that he had won the rock-paper-scissors with Wooyoung to order food for you. However, what catches him off guard is the sight of Yunho emerging from his own room simultaneously, intending to make a trip to the kitchen for a glass of water. In that moment, disappointment flickers across Yunho's eyes as he witnesses Yeosang leaving your room.

“Are you seriously cosying up to her?” Yunho’s voice is once again full of venom, not even realising the tone he’s using to talk to his close friend.

“I’m not having this conversation with you right now Yunho.” Exhausted by the taller male's behaviour, Yeosang attempts to walk past him, seeking to put some distance between them. However, his friend intercepts him, halting his steps and preventing him from moving forward.

“I’m being serious, how can you just let her in after everything we have been through?”

“You can’t hold this grudge up forever; she lives with us now.”

“You were the one who said, ‘we will never let outsiders in again’ what the fuck happened to that?”

“It’s ___ dude, she was never an outsider, and you know that damn well.”

“Are you seriously this desperate to get your dick wet that you’ve forgotten everything we have been through?”

“That’s not what this is about, you know that.” Yeosang pushes past Yunho and walks towards the kitchen, taking a seat down on the barstool. Yunho follows him, grabbing a glass from the designated cupboard.

“She may have saved Hwa, Yeosang, but the second she is given the opportunity to leave us she will, just like Ryu did.”

“I don’t understand why you are acting like this after everything she did to help us get back on our feet. She is nothing like her, you would know that if you gave yourself the chance to get to know ___.”

“I don’t understand why you are acting like this. This is exactly what happened with Ryu, she got close to us, just to take away everything.”

“Aren’t you tired of acting like a dickhead to everyone all the time?”

“We do this, so we don’t go through that ever again.” Yunho’s voice raises slightly, his voice starting to echo in the kitchen. “We have acted like this for years because that is the damn narrative that that bitch gave us.”

“Are you seriously telling me after all these years you aren’t tired of being this way just to avoid getting your heart broken? It’s a human thing, Yunho, we deserve love too.”

“You aren’t the one who had your entire heart ripped out of your chest.” Yunho’s voice is louder this time causing some restless heads in the house to shake awake.

“You know damn well my heart was crushed too.” This time Yeosang yells back at him, taking the tall man by surprise. Yeosang barely ever raises his voice, let alone it being directed toward someone, Yunho steps back a little. “I know what you had with her, you thought was special, but you can’t keep dwelling on it. ­­­Back when this all began, ___ was the only person willing to be kind. I know for a fact you’d be lying if you said you didn’t feel even the smallest amount of love for her.” Yeosang’s voice is exasperated, begging towards his friend to stop the act he has up.

“Then what if I do love her?” Yunho’s voice cracks and Yeosang can see the tears starting to dwell in his eyes, causing him to soften slightly. Yunho continues, “there’s nothing stopping her from doing the same thing as Ryu the second Seonghwa’s dickhead of a father offers her the money to ruin us. She will leave us and our hearts, my heart will be broken again.” The tears in Yunho’s eyes fall onto the surface of the island, yet he doesn’t know whether they are from pure frustration or because the truth is starting to hit him like bricks.

“When we were KQ Fellaz, she knew we were trouble, she knew the rumours about us, she knew the danger she was putting herself in every time she stood up for us. When were all broken from the trauma and heart break she never once pressured us to talk about it, she never yelled at us when we yelled at her, she was never scared of us. Don’t tell me you don’t remember every time single fucking time she cleaned the wounds on your hands after getting in countless of unnecessary fights?” Yeosang runs his hands through his hair, frustrated by the sheer ignorance of his friend.

Yunho goes to speak but he gets cut off by Yeosang, who is half fuming half desperate. “She was kind to us without ever expecting anything in return, so stop letting your stupid prejudice against the human race blind you completely from what’s in front of you. If she was like Ryu, she would have let Seonghwa jump off that ledge.”

Yunho feels his heart drop as he remembers the sight of his older friend in such a fragile state, his only option to be to end it, him not being able to help the pain he was enduring.

“Please Yunho,” Yeosang’s voice is soft this time, nothing louder than a whisper, “just give her a chance.”

[cosmicjoke]

Yeah, I have to correct you on the "inhumane treatment of Levi and his family". This obsession with absolving Levi of any fault and not have him face the consequences of his deliberate actions is funny to me. Levi was a kill for hire. Erwin knew he was going to kill him and get the papers to a corrupt politician. Levi, Furlan and Isabel, despite of their hardships and horrible livelihoods, were doing illegal activities. They were about to kill someone for citizenship. What was Erwin and scouts supposed to do? Let them go on their marry way with a slap on their wrist? That's totally unrealistic and to be frank, far better than what they were about to receive - jail time.

lol, okay. You do realize that Erwin was the one that SET UP that entire situation, don't you? Erwin was the one who literally came up with the plan to bait Lovof into hiring Levi in the first place, and he did it specifically so he could entrap him and have him removed as an obstacle of the Survey Corps. He USED Levi and his family to further his own agenda, so don't paint Erwin as if he was just some upstanding citizen and soldier doing his job in stopping the nefarious activities of a bunch of Underground hoodlums. Levi and his family never would have gotten the idea into their heads to go to the surface and steal any documents from Erwin, or to attempt to assassinate Erwin if Erwin himself hadn't literally created the scenario to have that happen. He was never in danger because he was in control from the start. He purposefully let the rumor spread that he and the scouts were going to go Underground to try and recruit Levi, because he knew Lovof would hear about it and that he would then take it as an opportunity to hire Levi to steal the documents and kill him, with the promise of citizenship up top. It was pure entrapment.

I'm not absolving Levi of his faults here, I'm simply stating a fact. Levi was willing to kill to help his family. And? I never said it was a good thing that Levi was planning on killing Erwin, but simply stated that Erwin treated Levi and his family inhumanely for daring to resist his demands. We also have to remember that Levi wanted nothing to do with the plan originally and only agreed to it because Furlan pushed him to. If it had been up to Levi, they never would have accepted Lovof's offer at all. Erwin deliberately and with full knowledge pulled three kids out of the Underground and forced them into a branch of military service which had an astronomically high mortality rate. How is that better than prison? Levi and his family never would have ended up in prison or caught by the authorities at all if not for Erwin's very own machinations. Again, Erwin literally created the circumstances of the entire scenario, all so he could rid the SC of a political opponent. He wasn't going after Levi to stop him from committing a crime, he was going after him because he wanted him for the SC and because he wanted to get rid of Lovof. But you want to frame it like it was just him doing his due diligence as an officer of the law, lol.

And when I talk about Erwin's inhumane treatment of Levi and his family, I'm sorry, but having Mike hold Levi's face down in a puddle of sewage for simply refusing to give his name, and then threatening Furlan's and Isabel's lives with swords to their necks if he continued to refuse is the definition of inhumane. And it wasn't just jail time that Erwin was threatening, he made a very specific point of mentioning how the MP's were likely to treat Furlan and Isabel much more harshly than he had, this after threatening their lives. What exactly do you think that implies? Levi and his family were forced to join the most dangerous branch of the military, by far, under duress and under threat of torture and death. That's inhumane.

So later with this framing you're employing, of Erwin just being an innocent bystander who was being kind and generous toward Levi and his family by offering them military service instead of jail time for their "illegal activities". Erwin was the architect of those illegal activities in the first place. He needed Levi to come after him in order to get rid of Lovof. All we saw Levi and his family do themselves, before then, was steal some food from some merchants, that itself a product of the disenfranchised state of their existence from those living on the surface.

[genshin-impact-updates]

With a feather plume as gold as maize, uncharted borders are depicted as clear as day

"I recruited Mika into the expedition team to hone his combat skills. As for why he reports directly to me... Well, since Jean isn't with us, I needed someone trustworthy to deal with all the odd errands, hahaha."

— Varka's "explanation" to "Alder Knight" Frederica after a session of drinking.

◆ Mika

◆ Coordinates of Clear Frost

◆ Front-Line Land Surveyor of the Knights of Favonius

◆ Cryo

◆ Palumbus

Mika, who is a member of the Knights of Favonius Reconnaissance Company, always diligently fulfills all the duties that come his way.

Setting up tents, lighting fires for cooking, repairing equipment... Even Hertha, the logistics captain, has nothing but praise for Mika's excellent efficiency.

Mika's dedication to work is not due to a weak character or his inability to say no, but instead stems from the value that he attaches to teamwork, and a genuine desire to learn from his experienced colleagues.

"Helping everyone as much as possible benefits the entire team too!"

Mika's favorite pastime is closely linked to his primary duty as a front-line surveyor.

That is: surveying unexplored regions, recording topographical data, and drawing accurate and effective maps.

"There is an abundance of resources here, but it is surrounded by monsters. Take note to exercise caution."

Mika, whose dream is to become an expert cartographer, adds another annotation to the new version of the military map he is designing.

[mamani-bento]

five (satoru gojo)

satoru gojo x reader, 1.3k, reader is wearing a saree

established relationship, fluff + humour

gojo would be soooo good at helping you out of your saree. source? trust me.

mamani-bento's masterlist!

"how many did you say there were?"

"four, i think. wait, no. there's one at the bottom of the pallu as well. five."

gojo sits on the edge of bed, surveying your saree-clad body. his eyes move top to bottom, gaze catching on all the places you remember putting pins in. "what about the one fixing the saree to your blouse?"

"oh, shit. yeah, there's one there."

you stand a few feet in front of him, sparkling midnight-blue chiffon wrapped around your frame. if it hadn't been such an exhausting day, full of socialising and preening, you would have been out of the saree ages ago. but you don't think you could take it off gently enough, what with all the pins holding it up. hence, the extra pair of hands.

"do you want to just get started and deal with the pins when we get to them?"

gojo hums thoughtfully at your question. you hope he says yes. you really hope he says yes, but there's no rushing him. this is a project, and every project must have its due diligence.

finally, making you let out an internal sigh of relief, he rises from his seated position. "yeah, okay. let's do that."

placing two hands on your shoulders, slender fingers brushing against the skin that your blouse exposes, he turns you so you're facing the full-length mirror on the wall. you both look at each other through the reflection. the heat of his front warms the goosebumps that had risen on your fairly exposed upper back. his own suit has been discarded on the bed, leaving him only in his light-blue shirt and slacks.

his blindfold was swapped out in favour of a pair of sunglasses, and he looks at you over the top of them now, bright blue eyes ridiculously complementing the colour you're draped in. pushing the sleeves of his shirt up to his forearms, he kneels behind you so he can access the bottom of your pallu, one end of the saree.

his white hair flashes from behind your frame as he carefully lifts the fabric, gently unlatching the tiny, golden safety pin and holding it out to you on the side. you accept it in your hand, fiddling with the clasp as he rises back up. the free end of the saree is open now, gorgeous border fanning out.

"there are two here," he says, slipping a long finger between your blouse and your skin at your shoulder. he tilts the pin forward as much as he can so you can awkwardly crane your neck to look. "does it matter which one i take off first?"

"uh. one fixes the pleats of the saree and the other fixes the saree to the blouse. maybe open the pleats first?" there's an affection in your voice that you're sure wasn't there a few minutes ago. there's something about his concentrated frown as he carefully, reverently handles the garment, handles you.

he nods, maneuvering the slippery chiffon and taking out the pin above. immediately, fabric tumbles down your shoulder in a rush, covers the length of your arm, flows down until it's nearly brushing your knees.

gojo steps back in alarm at the sudden deluge of sheer fabric, and pauses when he sees your reflection in the mirror. "whoah."

you nod in agreement, marvelling at the easy elegance that the piece of cloth offers in this form, all regality and decadently deep blue. the material is one of your favourites, not stiff like pure silk but delicately flowing and moulding to the shape of your body. the way it sits now – pallu open and saree cascading down your shoulder – makes you look royal.

“how come you don’t wear sarees more often?” gojo asks, momentarily foregoing his pin-extraction mission in favour of wrapping his arms around your waist, one snaking under the open material on your left to meet the other winding along the bare skin of your midriff. his breath puffs over your short hair, already growing past your ears and desperately in need of a trim.

the unimpressed look you level at him through the mirror is in direct contrast to the way you lean back into his chest and place your palms over his hands. “you want me to spend half an hour draping a saree before leaving for my next mission?”

a low chuckle reverberates against your back as gojo dips to place an affectionate kiss against your cheek. “point taken,” he mumbles, regrettably pulling away.

the next pin to come off is the other one at your shoulder, the one holding up the fabric on the upper half of your body. a lone index finger spiders under the fabric of your blouse until it reaches the fastening and unclasps it. in another avalanche of blue, the material tumbles off the top of your body, leaving you in your blouse waist-up. the intricately woven, silver top has a curved v-neck, colour matching the stones lining the length of the saree body.

“nice,” gojo says with a wink at your reflection, fingers reaching out to quickly pinch at the side of your waist with no real heat. you scoff at the audacity, but before you can retaliate, he’s swooping to kneel on the floor behind you again, trying to find the next pin in the fabric.

you decide to keep the revenge for after he finishes helping you out, and throw him a bone so you can get there quicker. “it’s in the front.”

dutifully, he shuffles to round your body. his palms pat you down, fingers smoothing over the fabric from your hips to your feet as he tries to feel out the other pin.

“i think this needs to be untucked first,” you observe. you pull out the folded segments of your falling pleats neatly tucked into your front. before you can address the pin there, gojo’s hands reach out still yours.

“my job,” he says when you raise an eyebrow at him, flashing a cheeky grin.

your smile at the top of his head is sickeningly fond, and you can’t stop yourself from reaching out to run your fingers through his hair. he hums as your nails briefly scratch his scalp, but doesn’t say anything. only holds up the pin he’s retrieved so you can add it to the growing pile on the bed behind you.

it’s easy to see where the next pin is, the last catch holding the saree up. you’re standing in the middle of a shimmering pool of dark blue, and gojo tentatively shifts so he doesn’t end up kneeling on any of the stones. he has to bend a little for this one, sitting on his ankles so he can easily adjust the material to open the fastening.

immediately, the weight drops from your body, settling in a shimmering pile at your feet.

gojo rises smoothly, giving the sides of your covered thighs a quick pat in completion, palms skimming your hips above the material of the navy blue under-skirt. he moves his touch upwards, grazing the sides of your torso, front of your shoulders, toying with the tie at the back of your blouse.

“this too?” he asks, bending his neck to look at you over the tops of his sunglasses.

you nod. his forearms are a solid weight by the side of your neck, his fingers brushing against your skin as he tugs at the fancy end of the bow.

instantly, you breathe a little easier, letting out a whoosh at the subtle give around your lungs.

“thanks,” you say, huddling closer to his frame so you can wrap your arms around his waist. unsuspecting of any ulterior motive, gojo lets his own wind around your shoulders, humming in acknowledgement.

and that’s when you pinch him back.

[icarustypicalfall]

douceur

Alex Keller x fem!reader

MASTERPOST

This is my contribution for the Alex Keller contest. Thank you @glitterypirateduck for making this competition possible, I had so fun writing it.

I am writing the prompts 21 and 27

"This is by far, the dumpest thing I've done"

"You weren't supposed to laugh"

summary: your husband loves you dearly, he'll do anything for you, even if it means..

warnings: None!!

It was serenity that enveloped the Keller household on a tranquil Friday afternoon.

As you rested upon the couch, your husband, Alex, and your daughter, Lilly, messed around the house. Her laughs and giggles could be heard from downstairs. Due to your recent ankle twist, rendering you unable to carry out most household tasks, Alex gallantly assumed the responsibilities, insisting you rest while he prepared basic but tasty meals and did some simple shores.

Grateful for his kindness, you rested on the couch for the evening, working diligently on your laptop, keeping a watchful eye on your seven-year-old daughter.

Lilly, who had recently celebrated her birthday, found immense joy in dancing. More than once, she spent moments past her bedtime swaying in ballet dresses, making you and your husband smile at her swift movements and pretty grin.

Although, Lilly seemed upset today.

With a pout on her face, she turned to you and uttered, "Mommy?"

Ah, you remembered now..

Previously, you had promised to dance with her during the Ball, a grand event where little girls and their mothers swept themselves into princesses and waltzed together.

Alas, your injury had rendered dancing an impossibility. Lilly, disheartened, longed to dance with you. She crawled beside you and gently poked your arm, a pout still adorning her face. Alex, taking notice, settled beside you with a questioning expression. You briefly explained the situation, and with a sigh and nod of understanding, he empathised.

Alex urged Lily to follow him to the kitchen, excusing themselves as they "prepare us a nice dinner!"

You smiled, feeling slightly guilty for not being able to dance with your daughter, though you knew she'll understand. You carried on with your work before joining your family for dinner.

...

The next day, as you readied yourself to accompany your daughter to the Ball, your husband entered the shared room. You didn't notice him at first, too busy putting on your shoes carefully.

Alex's cough brought your attention to him. He grinned, assuming a somewhat awkward stance, his hands resting by his sides. The man now sported one of your pink silk shirts, barely fitting his huge abs and muscles. It did though compliment the smudged make-up upon his face, Lilly's work for sure, you had questioned the dissaperance of your make up bag. His fair locks were styled into small ponytails atop his head.

With a sigh, he rubbed his temple, a faint smile gracing his lips.

"This is by far, the dumpest thing I've done."

You stifled a laugh, surveying your husband, who appeared to have stepped out of the early 2000s. He shrugged nonchalantly. "She stopped crying once I promised to dress up and dance with her... I suppose it is only fair."

"I guess, don't you think it's a bit too much?"

He laughed, glancing at the ponytails atop his head.

"Anything for my two girls. As long she won't ask for worse. But darling, wip this thing off my face.. no clue how you can stand it.."

You nodded in agreement, planting a gentle kiss upon his cheek so as not to mess the already dishevelled make-up adorning his face. He smiled as you gently wipped the products off his face.

The gymnasium of the elementary school was now abuzz with children and their parents, dancing joyously. Positioned at the front, you readied your pocket camera, eager to capture this enchanting spectacle, you lnew you'll replay it every now and then.

Lilly beamed at you with excitement, clutching her father's hand and twirling around with him. Alex, valiantly attempting to follow the simple steps, contorted his body and exerted his best efforts to avoid colliding with others or tripping over children. Amused, you filmed their lighthearted dance whilst admiring your husband's spirit.

Many mothers cooed at his sweet gesture, he for sure had the spotlight, a natural charm along the kindness he had.

The song finally stopped, Alex joined you on the small chairs, his cheeks flushed and slightly panting. He sighed and playfully glared at your mischievous grin, muttering, "You weren't supposed to laugh..."

Unable to contain yourself any longer, you snorted with laughter.

Witnessing your husband and daughter exuding such happiness and sharing a laughter amidst the surrounding chaos was truly a magical experience.

[gothhabiba]

it's also really interesting and perhaps troubling that my basic, often downright dry analysis of the survey's and report's funding sources, methodology, organising assumptions, and stats analysis netted me—granted, no personal attacks—but certainly some asperity—

I was told to "go outside and touch grass," told that "any political fight for queer liberation still needs to involve lesbians* and only cops would think otherwise," told that if I was trying to dispute the claims that JLU made based on the survey this user would "kill [me]"—which I've been told was a reference to another post but like? lol?; told to "go outside and kiss a lesbian," yada yada

there's a lot of personal, affective attachment to the survey's claims going on here!** I'm especially interested in the "any political fight for queer liberation still needs to involve lesbians and only cops would think otherwise"—as though saying "this particular survey is making this particular claim, but an analysis of the survey's results with respect to that claim reveal x, y, and z methodological weaknesses. the claim may be true and it may be false, but based on this data we cannot tell" is the same thing as saying that I don't want the survey's claims to be true!!

as though the due diligence that I would give while reading the report of any survey or study ought to be suspended as long as I view the claims made on the basis of that study as desirable!!

it reminds me of a few responses that a history-focussed blog on here got because they disputed the factual basis of a certain historical myth that has a lot of currency ("Victorians ate all the Egyptian mummies")—they were asked why they were "defending" the Victorians, and why they couldn't just let people believe they did this bad thing because they did enough other bad things anyway and does it really matter if the things that people are saying are "true" as long as we like the vibes of the things that they are saying?

and they were like. I mean. yes in fact I think it does matter if things are true or not. lol

*it does not escape my attention that repeatedly during this conversation "lesbians" seems to be used to mean "cis lesbians"

**to be clear I think such an emotional attachment / optimism is understandable coming from trans women—I don't know the identity of any of these respondents & urls are wiped from my brain as soon as they're not in front of my eyes tbh

[calqlate]

i was watching king the land and was suddenly hit by a wave of inspo for some diluc brainrot (utc)

modern au whereby diluc is the new ceo of the dawn winery, a wine-making company famed for its expensive but high-quality alcohol. he had just returned from his six-year-long bachelor's and master's studies in sumeru (according to the press) and had been missing from his office for the longest time during then. no one had seen the ceo, not since his father passed away in a terrible accident when he was eighteen.

enter [f/n], diluc's new secretary. she was newly hired as things began to get hectic in terms of paperwork, and elzer couldn't possibly shoulder all that workload by himself. the tasks were then split between the two secretaries: elzer was in charge of finance and sales, and [f/n] was in charge of networking.

as such, [f/n] spent her time pretty much glued to diluc's side, accompanying him on visits and meals with investors and business partners within the region as well as across the world.

while working closely with his new secretary, he found himself falling for her. she was diligent and compassionate, and had a penchant for taking care of others when they were struggling in either their work or personal life. she was also indifferent to the fact diluc was born rich and showed him how regular people lived. (she once had to show him how to take public transport, much to her amusement.)

and then cue one night whereby the two had to share a hotel room due to a misbooking of rooms, and diluc insisted that she slept on the bed for the night.

[f/n] raised a brow at her superior, "and where will you be sleeping tonight, then?"

"the couch," he answered, and both heads turned to survey the plush sofa that was definitely way too small and narrow to accommodate to diluc's height and wide build.

"that's not happening," [f/n] said with a shake of her head, "you're never going to be able to fit on the couch, let alone sleep comfortably on it."

"i'll sleep on the floor, then," diluc answered.

she snorted, "i don't think you'll find it comfortable, sir." she turned her head to the queen-sized bed, which was big enough to fit two people side by side. she turned to him, "let's just share the bed."

"i don't wish to make you uncomfortable," he shook his head.

"and i don't wish to have rumours going around that i'm bullying our ceo during a business trip," she said, "anyway, it's just for one night."

[f/n] fell asleep quickly, leaving diluc lying on his back stiffly on his side of the bed, his mind spiralling into a frenzy as he tried not to panic. his brain set itself on the grill to fry, however, when [f/n] rolled over and snuggled up against his side.

his face burned bright red as he froze up, his breaths caught in his throat. never had he thought he would find himself in such a situation, where the girl he liked was sleeping on the same bed as him and was now hugging his torso.

he turned himself around slowly so that he was now facing her, careful as to not wake the girl. wordlessly, he reached a thumb out to push some stray hairs out of her face, then cupped her cheek gently. her breaths came out gentle and shallow, fluttering across his neck as she moved her head to rest in the crook of his neck.

gently, he wrapped his arm around her frame and pulled her closer to him. if this was the only time he could revel in his deepest fantasies, then so be it. he would hold her carefully in his arms until the sun rose the next morning, and he would sear this moment into his memory for years to come.

let's just say [f/n] was not prepared to wake up seeing her superior's sleeping face inches away from hers, and she has just about a mini meltdown in her head about this.

awkward blushy episodes ensue where the two would be too embarrassed to be within the other's one metre radius.

will an accidental confession episode happen? or will one of them accidentally overhear the other talk about how they like and cherish the person? idk, we'll see about that!

[centrally-unplanned]

(Reposting from the twitters)  There is this "admin bloat" fact going today, which is always positioned as a problem at US universities and an explanation for their high tuition:

Which, well Harvard has 20,000 students, its 2/3rds grad students - that is a very selective figure to quote. But anyway it comes from this MRU post quoting a Harvard Crimson editorial, which follows with this framing:

Yet of the 7,000-strong horde, it seems that many members’ primary purpose is to squander away tax-free money intended for academic work on initiatives, projects, and committees that provide scant value to anyone’s educational experience.

For example, last December, all Faculty of Arts and Sciences affiliates received an email from Dean Claudine Gay announcing the final report of the FAS Task Force on Visual Culture and Signage, a task force itself created by recommendation of the Presidential Task Force on Inclusion and Belonging. This task force was composed of 24 members: six students, nine faculty members, and nine administrators. The task force produced a 26-page report divided into seven sections, based upon a survey, focus groups, and 15 separate meetings with over 500 people total. The report dedicated seven pages to its recommendations, which ranged from “Clarify institutional authority over FAS visual culture and signage” to “Create a dynamic program of public art in the FAS.” In response to these recommendations, Dean Gay announced the creation of a new administrative post, the “FAS campus curator,” and a new committee, the “FAS Standing Committee on Visual Culture and Signage.”

Regardless of your stance on the goal of fostering a more inclusive visual culture, the procedural absurdity is clear. A presidential task force led to the creation of an FAS task force which, after expending significant time, effort, and resources, led to the creation of a single administrative job and a committee with almost the exact name as the second task force. I challenge anyone other than the task force members themselves to identify the value created for a single Harvard student’s educational experience.

This approach is very obsfucating in a way typical of this genre. The 'task force' thing here is a Gish Gallop - 24 members! 26 page report! 500 people meetings! Bureaucracy run rampant!

Which, yeah true lol, but not due to this. The use of "task force" here is meant to sound all formal, but at universities everything is a task force, its just what we call a recurring meeting - a bunch of people meet a few times w/ free lunch, that is it. 500 people polled? Harvard’s population is ~40,000, these ‘meetings’ we 20 minute zoom calls, on people & time spent that is a rounding error. That 27 page report is 50% copy-pasted appendixes, easy, it took someone maybe a day to write.

And the culmination is they hired a full time staffer. So ditch the jargon and reframe: a large org met multiple times and surveyed stakeholders before creating a new role. Literally all big orgs do this! This is standard procedure, if you gonna expand a team you need buy-in + role definition. Unis are overrun with this task force stuff, they are inefficient, but it is almost no one's job to do only task forces. They are 5% at most of every fac-staff's time, bullshit provost agendas or overwrought due diligence that you shake your head at and suffer through before getting back to your real job. Stupid, but nowhere near an explainer for 7k admin roles.

When you look at the Crimson source article, it really tips its hand on the analytical error:

Wrong. Harvard has instead filled its halls with administrators. Across the University, for every academic employee there are approximately 1.45 administrators. When only considering faculty, this ratio jumps to 3.09. Harvard employs 7,024 total full-time administrators, only slightly fewer than the undergraduate population. What do they all do?

Most administrators have a legitimate function. I will happily concede that the University does need administration to operate effectively. No professors want to handle Title IX compliance or send institution-wide emails about Covid-19 protocols. Yet of the 7,000-strong horde, it seems that many members’ primary purpose is to squander away tax-free money intended for academic work on initiatives, projects, and committees that provide scant value to anyone’s educational experience.

Oh, ~most~ have a legitimate function? How much is most? 65%? 85%? ...99%? Big world of difference there, if its 99% this article doesn't make sense any more. Of course it never says...just 'many'. And it names...one, the new FAS role. Lets look at that role, from the famed 27 page report:

That is...a public art manager. Harvard has a metric ton of public art! You think wall murals and statues and banners paint, hang, and rotate themselves? Its Harvard, its 30% museum, its a high prestige venue, its in demand from artists, it *trains* aritsts. This is a real job!! Its not fake at all. Harvard wants to expand how diverse its public art is so its expanding its team.

Now you might think universities should be bare-walled office buildings, which you can think...except you don't, if you had to send you *own* child there and are the running to pick Harvard as that option. Suddenly all this 'bloat' is a beautiful campus with facilities to provide happiness and status for your kid. Suddenly...the branding makes sense. Suddenly this role generates value. That is the issue all the 'admin bloat' arguments run into; when you actually have to spec out the numbers, you see 95% of the staff increase is because what unis *do* is different. Harvard wasn't an art museum in 1950, but it is today. It *makes money* from that role. 

What I am not saying is unis don't have an org problem - they absolutely do. It stems from unis serving this three-tier job as status/credential certifier, teaching institution, and research facility, which we only pretend aligns, they don't really.  Which is the frame admin 'bloat' must be understood through - as unis changed faculty pushed back on having their job change to meet it. But there was way too much money at stake, so admin were expanded to fill the gap the old ‘faculty-as-owners’ model was exposing, and that gap has grown over time. The bloat model doesn't capture this dynamic at all. It just holds up fig leaf arts/humanities roles as synecdoche for all admin when they are the exception. Unis could be massively restructured, absolutely, but as of now only 2-3% (at most) could be fired before revenue, operations, research, etc. were impacted.

The ‘problem’ at US universities is baked into their core structure and incentives - if it was trivial to fix, they would have done it.

[kquil]

Hi! I’m working on a project for an independent study before graduation that focuses on the Marauders era. I’m focusing on the queer community in the fandom and how we have built our own community that is maintained through fan channels. I was hoping you would fill out this survey- there are more details in the survey!! I would also appreciate if you could pass the survey along!!

https://forms.gle/g6aeuiZAmFRCW11w9

oh wow! this sounds so interesting and i'm very excited about your independent study project! if only i could do this when i went to uni but alas~ i was studying human and veterinary anatomy so it was nowhere near Harry Potter/Marauders haha!

i'm straight so i'm not part of the queer community, however i am an ally and so i will do my due diligence and spread the word of your paper! i hope you get a sizeable data sample and i wish you all the best on writing up your hypothesis, results, conclusions and all that good stuff <3

to anyone who has some spare time on their hands, is part of the queer community and part of the Harry Potter fandom, please feel free to take the survey -- just copy and paste the link to your browser and you're good to go! i've already checked if the link sketchy or faulty (you can never be too careful) and it's all good! you're just taken to a google survey page

EDIT : the survey is confirmed to be open for non-queer people too so anyone who has the time can have a go! yayyyy!

[attorneysinphuket]

Due Diligence in Thailand

Due diligence is an indispensable process when investing in property in Thailand. The complex legal and regulatory environment, coupled with the potential for fraud, makes it imperative to conduct thorough investigations. This article delves into the critical aspects of due diligence in Thailand.  

Understanding the Thai Property Market

Before embarking on due diligence, it's crucial to grasp the unique characteristics of the Thai property market:

Land Ownership: Foreigners cannot own land outright. However, there are mechanisms like leasehold agreements and condominium ownership.

Title Deeds: Chanote titles are the most secure, but other forms like Nor Sor 3 and 4 exist.

Legal Framework: The Thai legal system differs from Western systems, and understanding its nuances is vital.

Market Conditions: Local market trends, economic indicators, and oversupply or undersupply issues can impact property value.

Key Areas of Due Diligence

A comprehensive due diligence process involves several key areas:

1. Property Verification

Title Deed Verification: Ensure the title is genuine, clear, and free from encumbrances. Verify ownership history and any outstanding debts.  

Land Survey: Confirm the property's boundaries and any encroachments.

Land Use Zoning: Verify that the property's intended use complies with zoning regulations.

Building Permits: For constructed properties, ensure all necessary permits were obtained and are valid.

2. Legal and Regulatory Compliance

Ownership Structure: Understand the legal entity owning the property (company, individual, etc.) and its implications.

Contract Analysis: Carefully review the purchase contract, including terms, conditions, and obligations.

Tax Implications: Assess potential tax liabilities, including transfer taxes, property taxes, and income taxes.

Environmental Due Diligence: Check for environmental issues, such as contamination or protected areas.  

3. Financial Analysis

Property Valuation: Obtain a professional valuation to determine fair market value.

Financial Performance: If the property generates income (e.g., rental), analyze financial records.

Debt Analysis: Verify any existing mortgages or debts against the property.

4. Physical Inspection

Property Condition: Conduct a thorough inspection to assess the property's condition, including structural integrity and maintenance.  

Infrastructure: Evaluate access to utilities, transportation, and amenities.

Neighborhood Assessment: Consider the overall neighborhood environment, safety, and potential for future development.

5. Market Analysis

Rental Yield: If investing for rental income, analyze rental market trends and potential yields.

Capital Appreciation: Assess the property's potential for price appreciation.

Exit Strategy: Consider how you will sell the property in the future, including potential challenges and costs.

Engaging Professionals

Given the complexities involved, seeking expert assistance is highly recommended:

Lawyer: A Thai lawyer with real estate expertise can provide legal guidance and protect your interests.

Property Consultant: Local knowledge and market insights can be invaluable.

Surveyor: Accurate land surveys are essential for property verification.

Valuer: A professional valuation helps determine fair market value.

Additional Considerations

Timeframe: Due diligence can be time-consuming, so allocate sufficient time for the process.

Costs: Budget for the expenses associated with due diligence, including legal fees, surveys, and inspections.

Cultural Differences: Understanding Thai business practices and cultural nuances can facilitate the process.

By conducting thorough due diligence, investors can significantly reduce risks and increase the chances of a successful property investment in Thailand.

[biohackingosint]

Here are ten different things you can use OSINT for:

Investigative journalism: Journalists can use OSINT to research and investigate stories, gather facts and uncover hidden information.

Due diligence: Companies can use OSINT to conduct background checks on potential employees, partners or suppliers.

Competitive intelligence: Businesses can use OSINT to gather intelligence on their competitors, such as pricing strategies, marketing campaigns, and product launches.

Law enforcement: Law enforcement agencies can use OSINT to investigate crimes, track down suspects, and gather evidence.

Risk management: OSINT can help organizations to assess and mitigate risks related to their operations, investments, or other activities.

Cybersecurity: Companies can use OSINT to monitor and detect cyber threats, such as data breaches, phishing attacks, and malware.

Reputation management: OSINT can help companies to monitor their online reputation, by tracking social media conversations, news articles and reviews.

Academic research: Researchers can use OSINT to gather data for academic studies, such as social media sentiment analysis, online surveys, and user-generated content analysis.

Humanitarian aid: OSINT can assist in disaster relief operations by gathering information on the location and needs of affected populations.

Personal security: Individuals can use OSINT to protect their personal information and privacy, by monitoring their online presence and identifying potential threats or risks.

[elsa16744]

The Rise of ESG – What is the Importance of ESG Data Analytics? 

ESG data analytics has increased transparency in investor relations and financial disclosures. An independent data provider can enable investment managers to optimize their portfolios to prioritize investing in the top ESG-compliant companies. Meanwhile, businesses leverage ESG benchmarks in performance monitoring. This post will discuss the importance of ESG data analytics. 

What is ESG? 

ESG encompasses data gathering and sustainability accounting inspection across a company’s environmental, social, and governance activities. Several ESG integration services also allow for peer analytics to highlight how two organizations differ in their sustainability rating. 

An international organization employs a professional data provider to learn about ESG frameworks and standards. Simultaneously, investors determine which stocks to buy after conducting due diligence on a company’s ESG score. 

The statistical models used in calculating ESG scores are unique to each industry. After all, different industries exhibit specific environmental, social, and governance risks. Consider how a mining business affects the natural systems. The fashion industry’s impact on the environment will not be identical to the effects of the mining industry. 

What is ESG Data Analytics? 

ESG data analytics apply modern computing and statistical modeling techniques to estimate corporate compliance concerning environmental, social, and governance performance metrics. Businesses and investment managers work with an ESG data provider to ensure their assessments stay consistent with the sustainability accounting guidelines. 

You can study how different industries contribute to the total carbon emissions associated with human activity. Likewise, the social components include diversity and inclusion in the workplace environment at a company. So, collecting relevant data is essential to quantify how effectively a corporation mitigates environmental risks and improves employee relations. 

Sustainability and ESG analytics also deliver flexible reports regularly. Since advanced algorithms possess self-learning capabilities, automating report creation has become popular. 

Besides, many ESG integration services constantly monitor the changes in international frameworks. They can alert you and the involved employees when a new compliance metric affects the risk dynamics associated with your business model. 

The Importance of ESG Data Analytics 

Why do companies and investment funds consider ESG data analytics important? ESG data market can be a five billion-dollar industry by the end of 2025. Moreover, governments also want to use them to revise policies and standardize their sustainability enhancement regulations. 

We have listed the different reasons that highlight the importance of modern ESG data analytics and integration services. 

Reason #1| Demand for Transparency and Real-World Evidence 

The company can claim anything, like attributing itself with artificially inflated ESG scores. An unfairly competing business can create data about a renewable energy project that never took off. Therefore, investors must thoroughly inspect the impact of project deliverables before buying the stocks and supporting the company. 

Similarly, business managers want complete transparency in performance reporting. Governments and non-governmental organizations are curious about new ways of increasing industry participation in the fight against climate change. 

So, real-world evidence focuses on fulfilling the requirements of all the stakeholders demanding data transparency. An ESG data provider will conduct complex surveys and inspect the authenticity of collected data using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). They justify the growing up importance of ESG analytics and sustainability compliance data. 

Reason #2|Socio-Economic Cost of Climate Change 

An irregular shift in seasons affects the agriculture industry. However, many communities still rely on this industry as their primary income source and food. The same is valid for individuals whose livelihood depends on aquatic life and forest resources. 

Climate change also increases the risks of falling ill and malnourishment among children. Remember, many nations exhibit dangerously low levels of per capita annual income. When the agriculture industry suffers, these countries witness a significant rise in poverty and crime rate. 

All these events have statistical correlations suggesting that failing to restrict human interferences that accelerated climate change will detrimentally impact many countries for a long time. Therefore, all stakeholders must implement ESG integration services to curb greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and the release of industrial pollutants in natural ecosystems. 

Reason #3| Greenwashing Risks 

Greenwashing means the unethical modification of sustainability performance data to present a company as an eco-friendly and socially responsible organization. It involves deliberately assigning unrealistic ESG scores to make a business seem more sustainable than what the on-ground reality would indicate. 

Controversy analysts working with the ESG data provider maintain intelligence on corporations who have practiced greenwashing. Some enterprises also extend their greenwashing efforts to the marketing materials used to target customers. 

Both the investors and the consumers want to avoid interacting with a brand known for greenwashing. After all, when you support an objectively unsustainable corporation due to the manipulated ESG data, you miss the opportunity to help genuine and sustainable companies. So, firms that offer ESG integration services protect your investments against greenwashing risks. 

Reason #4| Ease of Compliance Auditing 

Businesses or investment funds can leverage ESG data analytics to conduct multiple compliance audits. Periodic assessments like compliance improvements often reveal which business aspects require more effort to increase ESG scores. 

Compliance audits use unique inspection criteria that will vary from industry to industry. If a common framework is absent, the auditor has to increase the reliance on intuition and empirical evidence. However, such a method is more susceptible to human errors. It further causes conflicts if the auditor’s evaluations fail to meet the requirements of the latest guidelines. 

Every reputable ESG data provider practices extreme care in data gathering, inside extraction, reporting, and performance benchmarking. So, verifying the compliance data legitimacy becomes precise. Moreover, modern firms will help businesses and investors archive critical intelligence. Retrieving it will also become more manageable if they use a cloud platform to process performance data. 

Reason #5| Promoting Inclusivity at Workplaces 

Discrimination continues to create tensions even in the world’s most developed regions. Unsolicited remarks and degrading treatment have also damaged the professional lives of many hardworking individuals. How can investors help the world eradicate discriminatory practices? 

The social pillar of ESG studies the harassment prevention policies that a company follows. Additionally, ESG integration services investigate how an enterprise implements balanced affirmative action plans to empower women, specially-abled, or historically marginalized individuals. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals are essential to improving your ESG scores. Fund managers also want to select corporate stocks that recognize the significance of combating discrimination in office environments and educational systems. Celebrating the differences between communities is essential, and an ESG data provider can help you embrace it. 

Reason #6| Saying No to Corruption and Tax Errors 

The governance pillar of ESG requires accounting transparency and enforceable anti-corruption rules. Therefore, businesses must cooperate with the authorities to ensure accounting precision. Appropriate checks and balances must inform the corporate leadership on how to prevent the misuse of company resources. 

Why is ESG’s governance compliance important for sustainable development? An organization can thrive in its target industry if its business fundamentals remain robust and outcome-oriented. So, accounting inconsistencies, non-compliance with tax laws, and bribing government officials are unacceptable to investors, employees, and consumers. 

ESG integration services ensure that the screened company performs well on the governance compliance metrics. They offer the fund managers the reports after using high-quality data validation technologies. The sustainability compliance data also assist businesses during mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deals. 

Reason #7| Risk Analysis for Business Mergers 

What are the events that affect corporate ESG scores and sustainability benchmarks? An organization’s ESG ratings change due to numerous factors like controversy exposure, business model innovation, and M&A deals. 

When a company acquires another firm, it carries on the risks and liabilities associated with the target firm. Your ESG score can experience a slight increment if you strategize your business mergers by prioritizing eco-friendly technology. 

Likewise, an M&A deal might cause ESG compliance performance to decrease if the acquired firm heavily relies on non-renewable energy resources. 

A professional ESG data provider may provide business leaders with intelligence on a company’s sustainability metrics before they proceed with mergers and acquisitions. It is an industry application that proves the importance of ESG data analytics. 

Reason #8| Meaningful Relationship with Stakeholders 

A brand is not about the logo, color scheme, or animation framerate. Branding means building meaningful and lasting relationships with your employees, customers, investors, and suppliers. Then, what is the role of ESG integration services in investor relations and customer loyalty? 

Customers have benefitted from affordable connectivity and mobile technology, educating themselves on ESG and sustainability frameworks. For example, the fashion industry receives a lot of scrutiny for using plastic polymers. Consumer associations and investors have also voiced concerns about the “use and throw” culture. 

Compliance with ESG standards allows businesses to address customer and investor concerns using data-backed performance analytics. When a company listens to its stakeholders, it increases the public trust in the brand. 

Conclusion 

Modern investment firms have concentrated their portfolio development efforts to reflect the rising importance of ESG analytics and sustainability compliance benchmarks. Therefore, every business wants relevant performance insights to increase its ESG score. 

The reasons for this trend include the greenwashing risks, the demand for transparency, and the impact of M&A on sustainability metrics. Simultaneously, preventing corruption and discrimination has been the priority of all stakeholders. 

SG Analytics, a leading ESG data provider, supports enterprises and investment managers in their sustainable development goals via holistic benchmarking. Contact us for scalable research assistance leveraging 25000+ sources and domain expertise in 16+ languages. 

[aki-bara]

Sex and gender are interchangeable for the purposes of a survey like that. Don't be pedantic.

They really aren't. Especially when the question is required and the only answers listed are male and female. Survey creator knew what they were doing.

Then they singled out self-diagnosed nd individuals in the very next question, with the answer choices being yes/no/I think so, but no official diagnosis/other, basically discouraging self diagnosed people from answering yes.

Other is already an option for people who may be uncertain. You don't need to include that caveat unless you want to dissuade self-diagnosers from answering yes.

Finally, anon, it doesn't matter if you think it's not a big deal. I was offended. I didn't do my due diligence and felt my followers deserved an apology and to know I don't condone that kind of bs. If you don't like it, block me.

Or if you want to have a good faith discussion on the topic, go un-anon.

[transxiao]

Mika ‧ Coordinates of Clear Frost Front-Line Land Surveyor of the Knights of Favonius

Mika, who is a member of the Knights of Favonius Reconnaissance Company, always diligently fulfills all the duties that come his way. Setting up tents, lighting fires for cooking, repairing equipment… Even Hertha, the logistics captain, has nothing but praise for Mika's excellent efficiency. Mika's dedication to work is not due to a weak character or his inability to say no, but instead stems from the value that he attaches to teamwork, and a genuine desire to learn from his experienced colleagues. "Helping everyone as much as possible benefits the entire team too!" Mika's favorite pastime is closely linked to his primary duty as a front-line surveyor. That is: surveying unexplored regions, recording topographical data, and drawing accurate and effective maps. "There is an abundance of resources here, but it is surrounded by monsters. Take note to exercise caution." Mika, whose dream is to become an expert cartographer, adds another annotation to the new version of the military map he is designing.

[teamarcstechnologies]

Ensuring Data Security in Online Market Research while using AI to Collect Data

In the realm of Online market research, the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized data collection processes, offering unparalleled efficiency and insights. However, alongside these advancements, ensuring robust data security measures is paramount to safeguarding sensitive information.

Encryption Protocols: Implementing robust encryption protocols is the first line of defense in protecting data integrity. Utilizing industry-standard encryption algorithms ensures that data remains encrypted both in transit and at rest, mitigating the risk of unauthorized access.

Access Controls: Implementing strict access controls ensures that only authorized personnel can access sensitive data. Role-based access controls (RBAC) limit access to data based on predefined roles and responsibilities, minimizing the potential for data breaches.

Anonymization and Pseudonymization: Employing techniques such as anonymization and pseudonymization reduces the risk of exposing personally identifiable information (PII). By replacing identifiable information with artificial identifiers, researchers can analyze data while preserving individual privacy.

Data Minimization: Adhering to the principle of data minimization involves collecting only the necessary data required for research purposes. By reducing the volume of sensitive information stored, organizations can minimize the potential impact of a data breach.

Secure Data Transmission: Utilizing secure communication channels, such as encrypted connections (e.g., SSL/TLS), ensures that data transmitted between clients and servers remains confidential. Secure socket layers provide end-to-end encryption, safeguarding against eavesdropping and tampering.

Regular Security Audits: Conducting regular security audits and assessments helps identify vulnerabilities and areas for improvement within existing security frameworks. By proactively addressing security gaps, organizations can enhance their resilience to potential threats.

Compliance with Regulations: Adhering to relevant data protection regulations such as GDPR, CCPA, and HIPAA ensures legal compliance and fosters trust among participants. Compliance frameworks outline specific requirements for data handling, storage, and processing, guiding organizations in implementing robust security measures.

Continuous Monitoring and Response: Implementing real-time monitoring systems allows organizations to detect and respond to security incidents promptly. Automated alerting mechanisms notify administrators of suspicious activities, enabling swift intervention to mitigate potential risks.

Employee Training and Awareness: Educating employees about data security best practices and the importance of safeguarding sensitive information is critical in maintaining a secure environment. Training programs raise awareness about common security threats and equip staff with the knowledge to identify and respond appropriately to potential risks.

Vendor Due Diligence: When outsourcing data collection or processing tasks to third-party vendors, conducting thorough due diligence is essential. Assessing vendor security practices and ensuring compliance with data protection standards mitigate the risk of data breaches arising from external sources.

By implementing these comprehensive strategies, organizations can uphold the integrity and confidentiality of data collected through AI-powered online market research. Prioritizing data security not only fosters trust with participants but also mitigates the risk of reputational damage and regulatory non-compliance.

Also read:

The Right Approach to Designing & Conducting Online Surveys

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