#because you can't have a contest without competitors | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

seospicybin · 9 months

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TOO HOT TO HANDLE.

PART I

Lee Know x reader. (s)

Too Hot To Handle Masterlist

Synopsis: You and Lee Know become contestants in a reality dating show, Too Hot To Handle. (10,8k words)

Author's note: Hope you like this one too. Feel free to send feedback! x

Content warning: This is entirely a work of fiction and not affiliated with real Too Hot To Handle show.

YOU: I'm always on the hunt. I'm always looking for the next exciting thing [giggles] I know I may sound conceited saying this but... I usually get what I want [bites lip] Well, I'm beautiful, I'm fun, I have a great body... they can't say no to me [winks] get ready 'cause I'm coming in hot!

Having all these eyes on you the moment you walk in is nothing less than your expectations.

You used to get stared at by people, it's something that you've been dealing with after you went through puberty. For one, you don't have either the big boobs or the ass, your body is... average. But people still stare at you like you have all of that on you.

That's when you learn that sex appeal doesn't have anything to do with your appearance.

You can engage in a boring conversation with someone and they'd still find you sexy. Sex appeal is a gift, a very lethal gift.

"Hi, everyone!" You sweetly greet them with an elegant wave of hand.

"Girl, you're really cute!" One of the females says.

You smile even though you prefer to be called anything but cute, coming from her makes it sounds like you're small and not a threat to them.

However, a compliment is a compliment and maybe she meant it in a good way.

"You too," you return the compliment with a quick cheek-to-cheek kiss.

Skipping the females, you go straight to introduce yourself to the male guests, "Hi, hello!"

There are three of them, blonde, brunette, dark-haired, chocolate, vanilla, and caramel. They got everything in here and you can't decide which one you want to taste first.

"Jai!" The dark-haired says. The tattoos covering his left sleeve catch your attention.

You know that accent everywhere, "Australian. I like it," you say with a flirty smile.

You turn to the next one, "And you are?"

"Luca," he answers with a rather different accent.

It's hard to tell but he's tall with a very well-built body, it's safe to say he's an athlete.

"Do you play sports?"

"I'm a professional footballer," he answers.

"Soccer?" You ask for confirmation because football means a different sport in a few countries.

He nods, "Do you like it?"

"Well, I like what I'm seeing," you shamelessly reply.

It amuses him so much that he laughs, "I mean, soccer," he corrects himself.

"Only when you're playing," you answer without a beat.

You move on to the blonde one that has the biggest body out of the three. It's hard to miss those abs even with his oiled body reflecting the sun at you.

"Bryan," he introduces and doesn't hesitate to kiss your cheek.

"You're so big," you say in awe.

"The bigger the better?"

You grab a glass and let him pour you one, "Well, cheers to that!"

YOU: Oh... [fans your neck] They're all so hot. Not sure I can survive in this heat.

It's better to consider the other female guests as your friends rather than competitors.

They're all attractive and have their own charms, it's not like you're here to compare looks. You're here to have fun in a show called Pleasure Island.

From the name of it, you can imagine all the fun you can have and hopefully, get some action in the process.

The next male guest who enters the villa is a bit shorter than the previous ones, he has long curly hair and a great body.

He comes in your direction and introduces himself to you first before anyone else.

"I'm Jack!" He says with a smile that showcases his perfect white teeth.

"Hi, you have a nice smile!" You say.

"I love your smile," he flirts back with a subtle wink.

He leaves quite an impression on you, he has wild youthful charms.

YOU: Jack is cute. He'll make a cute boy toy. If you know what I mean.

It comes down to the last guest.

Your eyes are already busy silently checking them out while sipping your fruity cocktail but how can you say no to another body you can ogle on?

This guy sure has a lot of confidence in him. Wide strides, a sly smile, and a face that would make Michelangelo rise from his grave just to immortalize it into a sculpture.

Sadly, he only introduces himself briefly to everyone from the other end of the group of people lining up to face the camera.

"I'm Minho," he shortly announces his name with an enigmatic smile that would make Monalisa run for her money.

There's something about him, something you can't put your finger on. He got the body, and the face, he even got that improved, sexier version of The Kubrick stare.

You quietly watch him as he speaks to a girl with rosy cheeks, ginger hair, and a Scottish accent, you believe her name is Maisie.

Something about him makes you can't look away. A part of it must be because he's pleasing to the eyes and the other part is... You are simply attracted to him.

It feels as if he knows he trapped you in his magnetic field, he catches you looking.

Instead of looking away, you stare deeply into his eyes and sending him signals that you're indeed attracted that you can't stop looking.

Before it turns into an intense staring contest, you slyly smile and raise your glass at him for a toast.

He slightly raises his glass as well and sips it without breaking his eye contact with you.

That means signals received so let's see if he gets them right.

YOU: Minho is dangerous but who likes to play safe anyway? Definitely, not me [smirks]

"I like Jai. He's hot..." says the beautiful girl with strawberry blond hair, Agnes.

It's obvious that she'll be the main character of this show. She's hot, very likable, and has a perfect smile that would get her teeth-whitening ads.

"What about you?" She asks the tallest girl with legs for days, Zara.

Her dark skin glows under the sun and her curly hair flows down her back, radiating that goddess beauty.

"I like Bryan. I like big boy," she answers.

"And apparently, you like vanilla too, huh?" you playfully add.

Everyone cracks a laugh at your witty response and accidentally takes your turn to answer, "I like Jack, he's cute. I like cute boys."

YOU: Jack is the safest choice for now. I have my eyes on Minho too but I want to check the competition first.

"Yeah, he is, I think he's the youngest of them all," the one with midnight hair and light brown eyes, Alia.

Maisie nods in agreement, "But I got my eyes on Minho," she says.

The first competition appears and you keep your face straight, playing dumb.

"Oh, good choice!" You calmly respond.

"Did you see his face? He's so beautiful, like a Greek God!" Maisie says with a dramatic sigh.

"And his body, ooh..." Alia adds, overwhelmed by just the thought of Minho.

"Oh, you like him too?" Maisie asks, faking her surprised tone.

"Yeah, I'm going for him, he's so my type," Alia daringly says.

Forget what you said about them as your friends!

Maisie and Alia are your competitors now but you're not going to declare a war just yet. For now, you want to gather as much intel as possible to assess the probability of winning against them.

YOU: Minho is quite the ladies' favorite I see.

You're the last person to come into the bedroom and everyone seems to have chosen their territory.

There are five beds anyway, you're not afraid of not getting one and you're alright sleeping with anyone.

Maisie can have her victory when you see her getting onto Minho's bed.

You sit on the sofa looking away and when everyone else is busy chatting with each other, you look at Minho's direction laying down with hands tucked under his head.

Once your eyes make contact and lock in a gaze, you keep staring into his eyes with your thumb tugged between your teeth.

When you deem he gets the message as he flashes you his signature half-smirk, you look away and shift your attention to someone else.

"What's good, Jack?" You ask him who's looking lonely on his bed.

"You," he answers.

"I think I'm more than just good," you tell him with a flirtatious laugh.

"There's only one way to prove it," his eyes that keep looking at anywhere but your face tells it all.

YOU: Jack is just so... feisty? He's so young, so eager. He's like a rabbit, ready to have sex 24/7. A jackrabbit.

The theme for tonight's party is Greek Gods and Goddesses.

The males are wearing togas while the females are wearing white and gold dresses with less fabric and high slits on them. You put on a dress with a plunging neckline and a golden headpiece on the crown of your hair. Not forgetting to put layers of lipstick on because nothing arouses men more than seeing red-painted lips.

The male cheers when all the females are descending the stairs to the beach where the party is held. There's a bonfire, glasses of cocktails ready for everyone to grab, and platters of food arranged so beautifully to snack on.

To get it started, music is blasting through speakers so everyone can warm up with a dance, gyrating and humping against each other and whatnot.

You notice Jai and Agnes already got things going on as you caught them kissing in between changes of songs.

While Jack is hopelessly trying to get something out of you for a while.

At one point, you let him rest his hands on your hips as he stands behind you, dancing and rubbing yourself against him as a little treat for him.

YOU: Everyone is looking so hot, so divine... the sexual tension is rising and the night hasn't even started yet.

The music abruptly stops playing and everyone is told to sit down while Jack is taking center stage, announcing a game everyone is going to play.

"Nectar is the drink of the Olympian gods but unlike them, we have a new way to drink it!" He begins by sharing a little knowledge of the Greek mythology.

You have zero idea what it's got to do with a game everyone is about to play.

"Everyone is going to stand here and let the other Gods or Goddesses drink the nectar from their bodies," he explains, pointing to a bowl of honey on the table.

A few of them coo in excitement and probably start thinking about what they're going to do with it.

"Nothing is off-limits! It's whatever, wherever, whoever you want to do," he playfully remarks.

Bryan is the first one to take his turn and he stands there with his big body, looking like a true Greek God in his toga and crown.

You see that Zara wastes no time to take her chance, taking a spoonful of honey and letting it dribble down his abs. She drops to her knees to lick the honey clean on his glorious abs.

"Whoo!" You howl and applaud her because she sets the standards so high already.

She doesn't miss the chance to kiss him after, getting his big boy just like she planned. Now that's hot!

It gets crazier with each turn and you want to have fun as well, ultimately, you want to show everyone how to get it done.

It's Agnes's turn. You don't usually have a thing for blonde but she's pretty and she'll make a great conquest.

Before Jai can have his chance, you dash toward her and brush her lips with honey right with your finger. She has soft lips and you're so eager to taste it.

You lean in and passionately kiss her, showing off your skill in kissing and giving everyone a little show. Just as expected, kissing her only convinces you that girls are better kissers.

"Oh, damn!" You faintly hear one of the males exclaim.

Agnes gasps as she lets go of the kiss and suddenly, Jai takes over from you, afraid that you'll take her from him.

YOU: It's a party. I want to have a lot of fun and kiss everyone.

You return to your seat with a triumphant smile on your face, on the way, you shot a glance at Minho to dare him.

However, both Maisie and Alia didn't get any from him. You start to wonder if he's going to kiss someone at all or not. When it's Minho's turn though, Maisie is excitedly put honey on his neck and licks it off for him, finishing it with a kiss on his lips.

Alia takes her turn after, kissing him right on the lips and well, you must admit that he's a good kisser. He's lacking in hand placement.

Sure, you would love to get up there and show him what a good kisser you are.

YOU: It's still day one. There'll be lots of opportunities to kiss him and if not, I'll make the opportunity myself.

When it comes to your turn, you expect nothing from Jack but he's waiting for it, rubbing his hands together, impatient to execute his plan on you.

"Come, get your honey," you playfully say.

Jack picks up the whole bowl of honey and pours it down your cleavage. You're gasping the second the sticky liquid lands on your skin and trickles down the valley between your breasts.

Putting the bowl down, Jack dives right in and buries his face between your breasts, he's smearing the honey all over instead of licking it off of you.

You admire his creativity for this even though you know it's coming from the pit of his lewd, juvenile brain.

"Oh, yeah!" He lets a celebratory roar but it soon dies down as someone else comes toward you in his confident, wide strides.

Your stomach is fluttering as Minho stands right in front of you, looking like Adonis with his sharp nose and chiseled jaws, got you holding your breath and wondering what he's about to do to you.

Minho is unpredictable which is exactly what you're looking for in a man.

You see he dips his two fingers into the honey and brings them close to your lips, smearing it all over. Your lungs are shrinking the longer you hold your breath yet you can't seem to breathe when he's leaning so close and about to...

Minho doesn't kiss you. Instead of that, he licks your lips and you can feel his hot tongue on your lips. One lick is all it takes to make your heart skip a beat.

When you think he's done, Minho tugs your lower lip between his teeth and gently bites it, pulling at it before letting it go.

As he takes a step back, Minho shoves his fingers to his mouth, a half smirk that signified he just evened the score with you.

YOU: Minho got the signals after all [slyly smiles]

When the host of the show enters you finally snap yourself out of it.

"Wild night, huh?" He asks everyone.

"Yeah!" Bryan answers the loudest.

"It gets wilder because I have a surprise for you guys!" The host announces.

That gets everyone excited, guessing what kind of surprise they'll bring on the first night of the show. They expect so much because everything has been great already. More girls? More boys? A celebrity guest? A DJ?

"Are you guys ready?"

Everyone is hyped, shooting up from their seats and jumping in excitement like kids on Christmas morning.

"Bring it in!"

The attention shifts to the two staff carrying a big wooden box and placing it in the center. The anticipation is rising and everyone can't wait to see what's inside.

"Five! Four! Three! Two..."

Everyone counting down the second and when it finally gets to one, the side of the box opens, revealing a cone-shaped thing inside, lighting up in purple colors.

Then you hear the infamous ding sound that you know for sure it's coming from Lana, the ultimate cockblocker.

Your excitement fizzles out in a second and drop your head on your hands, "Oh, fuck!"

Maisie squeals while Agnes shrieks in horror and the rest are wondering what is that thing, oblivious to the fact that they're about to be forced into celibacy.

"Is that an air freshener?" Jai asks in pure confusion.

"That's Lana!" You say.

"What?" He cringes and is still confused.

"She's going to cockblock us!" You concisely tell him what's about to happen to all of you.

"We're on Too Hot To Handle!" Zara breaks the news for everyone and makes it real for you that you're trapped in this show.

"Hello, I'm Lana, your personal digital assistant!" The cone starts speaking.

"Welcome to the retreat!"

YOU: What. The actual. Fuck?

"The purpose of this retreat is to help you gain deeper and more emotional connections."

Alia whines and then sighs, "I signed up for dicks," she lowly mutters.

You lowly laugh at her words, not realizing that you're also laughing at your pain.

"For the last 12 hours, I have been watching you and learning about your behavior. You have been selected as all of you are having meaningless flings over genuine relationships."

The more Lana speaks the more you feel like fainting. Can't believe that she threw a party, and got everyone all hot and bothered, delivering shocking news in the middle of it to let everyone know that they can't have a release at the end of it.

"As part of your social development, I have allocated a prize of $200,000."

YOU: That much money makes me horny, to be honest.

"How about I give you $200,000 for you to go away, Lana?" Luca jokingly offers but it falls short since Lana has no ears.

Even if she had one, she wouldn't listen to him anyway, Lana is her own boss.

"However, I will deduct money from the prize fund if there are breaches of the rules."

Looking at them and how wild the things they've done this night alone, you can tell that there'll be not much money left at the end.

"For those of you who need reminding, there is to be no kissing...."

"Fuck!" Zara bluntly curses.

"No heavy petting, no sex..."

"Oh, my God!" Agnes panicking, looking like she's about to hyperventilating.

"And no self-gratification."

Jack's eyebrow raises in question, "What's that mean?"

"No masturbating," you tell him with a sad smile.

He looks devastated as if you've just told him a relative has died, "for real?"

You stifle a nod.

"Welcome to your long, hard, sexless summer," Lana finishes.

YOU: Boys make me horny. Money makes me horny. I'm fucked.

Everyone in the dressing room is groaning and complaining about the turn of Pleasure Island into No Pleasure Island with Lana ending the party for everyone.

You don't want to be dragged down into the misery pit and decide to finish your night routine quickly, wanting to end the day already.

Minho's bed is right next to the door and he's laying there as if he's been waiting for you.

"You'll sleep on this bed," he says, stopping you from walking.

You tip your head to the side, then let out a low chuckle, "How are you so sure?"

He leans back on his pillow and puts his hands under his head, "because I'm sleeping here," he answers.

Minho is so cocky, so pretty, a menacing force in this retreat and you're intrigued to see what it feels like to sleep with the devil's advocate.

You crawl onto the bed and lay next to him, not showing any signs that you'll fall into his temptations, at least, not tonight.

YOU: Well, as expected, the best girl won!

The next thing you anticipate is how Maisie or Alia is going to react to seeing you in one bed with Minho.

Minho has his hand resting on your stomach like he's trying to hold you down, not letting you go anywhere even though you're under the cover with him, chatting with Agnes who's occupying the next bed with Jai.

Maisie is the first one to see that her number one guy is on the bed with someone else, she glances away and is left with no choice but to sleep with Jack tonight.

You don't have to look to know that she's throwing daggers at you with her eyes from across the room.

And Alia looks calm about it, she's going to sleep with Luca anyway. Perhaps, she's switching onto his lane tonight.

"No one breaks the rules tonight!" Bryan remarks.

There's always that one guy who's going to protect the money but it's a surprise that it's going to be Bryan.

"Be good!" He warns once again as he looks around the room.

Something about being reminded not to do something though only encourages all of these horn dogs to do it.

You turn your head to see Minho and can't tell what he'd likely do. With most men, you can easily tell everything about them but Minho... he is uncharted territory but it's a good thing that you're eager to explore.

YOU: Minho is so perfect and I feel the need to violate it.

You're usually jealous to see anyone prettier than you but not with Minho.

Instead of being jealous, you want to admire him, and worship him like a divine being he is. You hesitate to touch him because it doesn't feel real to exist in the same space and time with him.

It's getting dangerous now that the lights are out and anything can happen in the dark.

He turns to lie on his side and face you, with the dim light coming from the sleep lamps you can see his eyes are open and looking at you.

You reach for his hair and put the strand away from curtaining his forehead, "Are you going to be good tonight?" You keep your voice low as everyone else is going to sleep.

His hand finds your waist under the cover and then he answers, "I don't know."

He then slides his hand to the arch of your back and using all of his strength, he pulls you close until your body is against him.

Brushing your hair to the side, he then brings his mouth close to your ear and whispers, "We'll see."

His vague answers only make you feel uneasy but your chest is overflowing with excitement that you can't sleep, even when you're sleeping, you feel alerted with every movement of his body against you.

In the middle of the night, he disrupts your sleep with a gentle kiss on your neck. He then slides down the strap of your tank top so he can place kisses along your collarbone.

The quiet in the room is filled with the rustles coming from this bed as Minho hovers above you, he takes both of your hands and pins them above your head.

You believe he specifically chooses this time to see if you can keep it quiet as he places kisses down your neck and chest. Each kiss leaves a searing mark on your skin with a few low moans slipping past your mouth.

You don't even try to break away from the hand pinning your hands by the wrists but can't stay still as he's teasing you more by kissing you all over your face, except your lips.

He teased you earlier by only licking your lips and by doing this, he wants to see how far can you go and see if he can make you push the limit.

Minho is a fucking sadist but what can you do when you get pleasure in pain?

He lands his lips so close to your lips that you reflexively open your mouth, ready to return his kiss but he retracts himself, you can see how pathetic you are from the way he's looking down at you.

"Are you going to be good tonight?" He asks you back, then loosening the hold around your hands.

Minho is turning the table back, leaving the decision whether to rule break or not to you.

In that case, he was wrong to think you'd be afraid to be the first to rule break.

YOU: Well, I mean... [bites lips] I've never been a good girl anyway.

That half-smirk of his is mocking you but he looks so damn attractive whenever he does that.

You hate losing but for this one time, you're going to like it.

"You fucking tease," you mutter to him, putting your hand on the nape of his neck and bringing his head close.

The bad wins tonight and you can feel the burn as both of your lips touch and clash in a blazing kiss that sets your body on fire.

You wrap your legs around his waist and draw him closer, leaving not even an inch between your bodies, your breasts squashed between your chests.

You kiss him hard and deep, making the most of it knowing that it will cost you money. Your hands are tugging at his soft locks.

His tongue skillfully parts your lips open and invades your mouth, deepening the kiss to get as much taste as he can. He is one phenomenal kisser and even if you had to die of asphyxiation, you don't want to stop.

However, you still want to live to play this game with him and he seems to have the same plan by the way he slowly pulling away. You both gasp for air the second you let go of the kiss.

You land soft pecks on his cheek and neck, turning his head to the side, You whisper "I let you win tonight," then playfully bite his ear.

YOU: And just like that, we're the first to break the rules in the retreat.

"Good morning!" Agnes cheerfully greets everyone the second the lights are on.

"Morning!" You mumble your reply, still feeling sleepy with how little you slept last night.

Bryan pinches the bridge of his nose and scans everyone to spot any guilty faces, he looks even bigger topless next to Zara who owns a model body.

"I really thought I was dreaming that I'm in Too Hot To Handle," Agnes innocently shares.

You softly laugh at that and indirectly, at the satire of your own life. You turn to look at Minho, looking so beautiful even when he's just woken up from sleep.

"How about you?" You put your leg over him under the cover, rubbing his shin with your toes.

"Did you dream a sweet dream?"

Minho slouches down on his pillow, looking like he's about to go back to sleep, "It was sweet but it wasn't a dream."

He casually says that like it wouldn't bring back the recollection of how the two of you kissed last night and you're not going to lie, it gets you wet just thinking about it.

YOU: Waking up next to him, the first thought that comes to mind is our kiss last night. Gosh... it was so fucking hot.

"Didn't you say you like Jack?" Zara asks the second both of you are out of everyone's earshot.

"But I didn't say I only like him," you playfully respond.

She giggles in amusement, "You're a trouble. I like it," she says.

Working out with her at the beach, earning you some tips and exercises you can to get her perfect body figure.

"You got some real competitions though," she says while doing a minute-long plank.

You're running out of breath but manage to answer her, "So?"

Zara chuckles again, "You're not afraid you're juggling two men and going against two girls at once?"

When she puts it like that it sounds like you're creating a problem for yourself. In this retreat, you can't just do whatever you want without getting the consequences considering that you're locked in with them for the next few weeks.

"Well... I like Minho more," you tell her and drop to the mat as one minute has passed.

"Yeah?" She asks for further details.

"But he makes me second guessing everything," you concisely explain.

You turn over and cover your eyes to shield them from the morning sun, "with Jack, it's easier. I don't have to think around him."

Zara turns to start doing side plank, "You're not looking for a good pet here!" She playfully scolds you.

You laugh and follow her lead to do the same, "Unless Minho likes someone else then he's my number one right now."

Zara gently slaps your butt, almost sending you toppled to the front, "that's a good girl!"

YOU: It's only day two and the options are still open but I know what I want. I want Minho.

It's convenient that the dressing room is empty at this time with most of everyone already dressed and dolled up for the day.

"Did anything happen with big boy Bryan last night?" You slyly ask while she's putting her fake lashes on.

She lets out a long sigh in response and slaps her spatula on the table, "What do you expect from an accountant?"

It all makes sense now. Bryan is an accountant, he thinks about the money more than treating his girlfriend with a smooch.

You burst into laughter and stop applying mascara, "hate to say it to you but you chose the wrong guy to be in the show with."

She glares at you from her table then looks back in the mirror, "he chose to play the good cop so that leaves me no choice but to play the bad cop."

"Ooo..." you coo, impressed with her determination to make Bryan break the rule with her.

"If you need a smooch, just know that I will give it to you in a heartbeat," you tell her with a sly smile.

Luca walks in on you applying sunblock on each other's body and he refrains from getting to his locker.

"What did I walk into?" He confoundedly asks.

As Zara bends down against the table, you lather sunblock on her ample butt then slap at it, entertaining the sole spectator in the room.

Luca is too stunned to speak that he's just standing there with his locker door open, "Damn. Do that again!"

The sight that welcomes you as you walk out of the house is of Minho in the pool with the Maisie and you owe it to her to give her a chance, making it a play fair.

You turn the other way and decide to sunbathe on the lounger with Alia, chatting about some good skincare products since she's done some beauty ads.

After a while, you see Agnes and Jai walking back from the beach. From the way Jai is grinning from ear to ear, you can tell that they did something that cost some money.

"Hey, girls," she innocently greets you both and sits on the farthest lounger.

"Hey," you reply then exchange a look with Alia.

She seems to also get the same impression and straightforwardly asks Agnes about it, "Did you just spend some money?"

Knowing that she has a bad poker face, Agnes licks her lips and stifles a nod.

"Oh, no..." Alia sighs and picks up her water tumbler from the floor to take a sip.

You see Jai is joining Luca and Jack in the pool, it's only about time that everyone knows someone has broken a rule and the others will soon take their turn.

YOU: They just didn't know that they're not the first to break the rules, eh? [bites thumb]

Zara packed a lot of outfits with her and you get to borrow one.

"I'm going to look so hot Bryan can't say no to me," she remarks.

You must admire her confidence and it's indeed looking good on her, you should have some on you as well if you want to win this competition.

The night is cool with a warm breeze blowing from the sea, carrying the salty air ashore. It's so easy to locate Minho since he's the only one that always catches your eye.

He's wearing a white shirt with the three top buttons open, exposing his chest muscles, and sitting with his legs spreading open.

You feel like dropping to your knees between those muscular legs and... you push the thought away. You focus on the mission you have to do.

One of the things you like about Minho is that he doesn't waste time, he's straightforward and that's what you're about to do, going straight to business.

"Calling for me?" You poke fun even though he doesn't say anything but sipping his drink by himself.

The sofa can fit three people but Minho's thick thighs are looking so comfortable you can't help yourself to sit on them.

"Do I look good?" You take his hand and put it on your waist.

"Not bad," he answers.

He reclines on the sofa, head tilting upward looking at you and that way, you can admire his beautiful face from the top, inexplicably never getting tired of it.

There's no need for words when you can see everything in his eyes, the way he's intensely staring into your eyes with his thumb lazily rubbing the arch of your back.

The tension is there and it's electrifying, you feel alive when you're with him.

"I like your eyes..." you say as you put your hand on his jaw and your eyes drop to his lips.

Minho softly laughs because he knows you're looking nowhere near his eyes when you say it. He puts a finger under the thin strap of your dress and twirls it around his finger.

"I like yours too," he says back as he's undressing you with his eyes.

YOU: God! I want him and I'm going to get him.

Putting your hands around his neck, you draw him close and put a few inches of safe space between your faces.

Pfft, it's not like it's going to stop you from breaking the rules.

"Are you going to be good tonight?" You ask.

"I haven't decided yet," he shortly answers.

You lean into whisper into his ear, "If you're good then I'll give you something as good later."

Now Minho knows what you mean by being good. That he won't let anyone turn his head or get tempted to break the rules with someone else.

Knowing his nature, you doubt that it will not stop him but it's worth trying. He got a taste of it last night and there's a big possibility that he wants more of it.

You softly kiss his cheek and take his glass of drink from his hand, not hesitating to take a sip.

Let's see how the night goes.

YOU: I think it's going to be a good night.

Too much confidence isn't good either.

You feel a little bitter when you see Minho openly flirting with Alia just a few feet away from you. A moment after that, he talks to Maisie.

You scoff because he decides to turn it into his game and you know what?

You feel like making him sweat a little, especially with Jack sitting across from you and checking you out long enough that you can't ignore it anymore.

You lay on your side and decide to tease him a little, "Nice shirt!"

His mouth curls into a sly smile, "Nice body!" He shamelessly compliments you back.

Agnes comes into the scene and sits on the sofa, letting you rest your head on her lap.

"How about me?" She asks.

His smile grows wider, "You two are on the top of my list!"

"Really?" Agnes asks in curiosity as she drags the letter R.

He points at you and says, "I'm obsessed with you but I think you know that."

"Whoa!" You respond in awe, surprised by how daring and blunt he is.

YOU: I'm not going to lie but I like the attention Jack is giving me right now.

You make a space between you and Agnes, patting it as you tell him, "Come sit here!"

Agnes folds her legs on the sofa and also tells him to come, "We're not going to bite unless you want us to," she says.

Jack, like the puppy he is, hops onto the sofa and sits between you and Agnes.

You lean in close to his side and put one leg over his thigh, slipping your hand into his brown, curly hair.

"Not sure about some bites but Jack wants some kisses," he confidently demands like the two of you would easily give it to him.

Agnes looks at you and you look back at her, in a few seconds of eye contact you know that she wants to do it, she shares the same chaotic energy with you.

"Jack wants some kisses, huh?" You childishly talk to him.

Jack turns his head to look at you and puckers his lips.

"Only if you say please!" You tell him.

"Please..." he pleads by adorably dragging the word.

You grab his chin and lean in to kiss him which he eagerly returns with so much passion, trying to show you what he got.

Not wanting to give him too much, you pull away from the kiss and say, "Agnes is a better kisser," you jokingly say to bruise his little ego.

"Yeah?" He says with an eyebrow raised.

"Why don't you try yourself?" You dare him.

Jack turns to the other side and Agnes doesn't give him one second to prepare himself, showing him how to get it done. You take your drink and sip it while watching them kiss in front of you.

YOU: I kissed Jack not because I have a feeling for him. We're just having fun [shrugs]

It was an eventful night.

Even though you have no idea what Minho did the rest of the night, you don't want to think too much about it, especially after what you've done behind him.

Thankfully, Lana hasn't announced any rule breaks yet and you can sleep in peace for tonight.

You walk to the bedroom in heavy steps and hate that you're feeling scared that Minho suddenly decides to sleep with someone else after being busy flirting with everyone the whole night.

You never know with him and this time, there's no excitement, it's just anxiety. You push the door with your shoulder and find the bed is still empty, you reckon he's still washing up.

Jack flashes you a smile as you get under the cover and it's only making you more anxious. You get startled when the bed shifts as Minho climbs from the other side.

Since he's not that cuddly of a person, you take his arm out so you can rest your head on it and snuggle close to his side, letting out a quiet sigh of relief.

"How was your night, my beautiful man?" You ask, your hand gently rubbing down his clothed chest.

"Good," he replies, twirling his finger around the thin strap of your black tank top.

"I can make it better," you whisper, lowering your hand down until your fingers meet the waistband of his boxer.

He looks at you and one corner of his mouth raises into his signature half-smirk, "No one is stopping you."

Bryan catches the two of you being suspicious and points it out at everyone, "Hands where I can see them!" He orders.

Instead of complying, Minho shoves your other hand under the cover and keeps them there.

"Minho, man, come on!" Bryan hopelessly scolds him.

It's in the dark that Minho once again starts his exploration.

He pulls you by the waist until there's not an inch of gap left between your bodies, you perfectly mold into his body as he spoons you from behind.

As he presses his lips on the nape of your neck, his hand traces the side of your body, stopping on the back of your thigh to squeeze the soft flesh there.

"I've been good tonight," he whispers to you.

You softly chuckle, not expecting that he'll be asking for what you promised him.

Without turning, you softly slip your hand in his hair, "Really?"

He places a long peck on your jaw, "mmh."

You turn to lay on your stomach and prop a hand under your head, leisurely looking at his beautiful face in the dark.

The plan was you're going to tease him just like he did with you the other night but after what you did and the assurance you got from that misbehavior. You want to show him that you don't want to play a game tonight, or ever again.

Tenderly, you caress his face and hold his jaw as you lean in, kissing him so slowly yet passionately. Minho seems to sense that there's something different about the kiss.

He brushes your hair to the side and holds it there as he returns the kiss to you, his other hand is slipped under your tanktop, splayed on your back with his thumb faintly rubbing the skin.

If only breathing wasn't necessary, you would keep kissing him.

You pull away and press your head close to the side of his head, placing little kisses on his jaw.

"That's money well spent," you comment.

He turns his head to face you and it only entices you to kiss him again but immediately refrain out of the fear of being head-locked by Bryan's giant arms tomorrow.

You sweetly kiss his cheek and lowly mutter, "Goodnight!"

Minho glides his hand up to your neck and looks at you, "Goodnight!"

YOU: Honestly, I wasn't thinking of Minho when I kissed Jack but after it happened, it only got to me then that I really like him.

When you wake up, anxiety dawns on you.

You feel sick in the stomach when Lana chimes in and lights up in the corner of the room.

"Good morning, everyone!"

You silently plead that Lana would not drop the news this soon. Not when you just woke up from a nice, long sleep with Minho cuddling you all night.

"Morning," you meekly answer with a yawn at the end and accidentally meet Agnes's eyes on the next bed, exchanging a knowing, uneasy glance.

"Today's weather will be sunny with highs of 82⁰ Fahrenheit and there will be zero chance of sex."

Jai breaks into laughter and puts his arm around Agnes's shoulder, "She's fucking quality, she is."

The day barely started, you can already tell it's not going to be a good one. You're counting down the minutes or even seconds until Lana tells everyone all of your sins.

YOU: I'm a bit on edge. Not a bit actually. I'm on THE edge.

Even after a session of yoga with Alia, doesn't help you relax at all.

You've done this plenty of times before, going from one casual partner to another in the blink of an eye and never feeling the slightest bit guilty about it. You don't know what changed when you're playing the same game and the only difference is that you're doing it with Minho.

It's after you showered and are immersed in the girl's talk while doing your make-up you finally can have a little peace.

"Have you cracked big boy Bryan yet?" You ask Zara.

Zara carefully swipes the brush on her cheekbones to apply some highlighter, "Girl, as if!"

"That big body comes with a tough personality too," Agnes comments, squinting her eyes to draw a neat line of black eyeliner.

"When we cuddle in bed, he locked me with his arms to make sure I didn't do anything," Zara rants, borrowing your pencil liner without asking.

"You should be grateful that he didn't headlock you to sleep," Alia chimes in as she braids her hair in front of the mirror.

You and Agnes are breaking into laughter at the same time.

That's when Lana decides that it's time for judgment. The cone chimes, startling everyone in the dressing room.

"Hello, girls!" She says.

Zara fans her eyes as she just puts on her fake lashes, "What's up, Lana?"

"Please gather everyone to the cabana!" She orders.

You exchange a knowing and uneasy glance with Agnes as your heart is beating out of your chest. Every step you take to get to the cabana is getting heavier the closer you get there.

There's a space next to Minho on the sofa but sitting next to him will only make you more anxious. You sit in the middle between Luca and Maisie, it's safer to be out of Minho's sight.

"I wonder who kissed who?" Luca asks with a haunting tone.

YOU: Counting my own mistakes, I know for sure that I broke the rules three times [shakes head in disappointment]

Your concern is not the money.

You believe someone else broke a rule or two as well. For example, everyone knew about Jai and Agnes's kiss at the beach.

Also, you're not afraid to admit the ones you committed together with Minho, it's the other ones that you're not proud of.

The sickening sound of Lana coming online makes your heart drop to your stomach.

"Hello, everyone!"

You can't find it in you to reply to her and awkwardly smile in response while everyone else is weakly returning her greeting.

"You were brought here to form deeper emotional connections and were given rules to adhere to. Those rules forbid sexual contact."

Even though Lana is a high-tech virtual assistant, you can hear in her voice that she's not pleased with everyone.

"Despite this, yesterday, your flagrant disregard for the rules has resulted in a deduction of $21,000."

There is a mix of shrieks, gasps, and curses happening all at once. Well, at least, now you know you're not the only one spending the money.

"You guys are blowing it," Alia says in disappointment.

"In total, there were seven rule breaks," Lana shares further details.

YOU: I contributed three out of those seven rule breaks but who did the other four? [squints eyes]

"Time to fess up!" Bryan calls the shot.

Everyone is looking at each other and trying to see any guilty faces. After a while, Minho points at you and calmly says, "I kissed her twice."

Now, that's a man. Minho doesn't falter as he owns up to his misdeeds and even says that it was he who kissed you when in fact, you were the first one to cave in to the temptations.

Maybe it's because of how fast Minho comes clean about it or it could be because of how overwhelming for him to know that two rules have been broken, Bryan only sighs and then moves on to find where the rest of the money went, "how about the other five?"

You gulp air again and pass the turn to someone else. Jai has the worst poker face he can't keep himself from grinning, "We did too," he says while half laughing, "You guys knew we did it on the beach once and did it again last night."

Agnes is looking down on her lap as Jai admits everything and adds an apology at the end, "I'm sorry, you guys!"

Bryan closes his eyes and his eyelids flutter, "Okay then, anyone else?"

Luca who's sitting next to you suddenly raises his hand, "I kissed Maisie last night," he confesses.

That is not what you expect and you're aware that you're getting in between them by sitting there. You didn't know Maisie had given up on Minho already.

"Just once!" He quickly adds.

Maisie even backs him up right after, "We shared a moment and we wanted to see if there's chemistry."

That shocks everyone but Bryan seems to give him a pass for only breaking one rule. Not sure what he'll do when he finds out about the last two rule breaks.

Agnes has been avoiding everyone's eyes and you don't expect much from Jack, he's staying quiet because no one suspects anything because he's harmless and the youngest.

YOU: But I have to be honest, right?

"I kissed Jack," you blurt out.

There's a long pause then Zara snaps her head in your direction, "What?"

Luca laughs next to you, "Look at him, sitting there all quiet," he says and keeps laughing afterward

A grin blooms on Jack's face, maybe it's the grand scene that he's been pictured in his head that he's not what everyone thought he was.

"Well, it's obviously because I like her," he shortly explains.

He rubs his chin and continues speaking, "And I don't regret that one if I'm being honest."

You've been avoiding looking at Minho's direction but you get the urge to see his reaction, not sure what you're expecting but he looks strangely calm about this.

When he's about to look your way, you hurriedly look away though.

You turn to look at the other culprit who's smiling like an angel next to her guy and you can't go down on your own.

"Agnes!" You call and wait until she looks at you to say, "You kissed Jack too!'

"WHAT?" Zara gasps and then covers her mouth, her eyes widen in surprise.

"Why did you do that?" Bryan asks since she's sitting close to her.

Jai who's sitting next to her looks not pleased at all, leaning back with his hands balled into fists on his sides. You would love to see Minho get a little upset too but when you glance his way, he looks not bothered at all.

Now that the offenders have admitted their crimes, Lana can announce the damages done to the prize money.

"I must also inform you that with these multiple rule breaks that happened in the last 24 hours, I have been left with no choice but to double the fine as of this moment."

Bryan's face drops onto his big hands and brushes his head to the back, making his combed hair disheveled in a second.

"Which means $42,000 has been deducted from the prize fund."

There are moans and groans of complaints but there's nothing anyone can do except try to keep their hands to themselves from now on.

"No more spending!" Bryan remarks, crossing his muscular hands together to form the letter X.

Everyone else is nodding in agreement but with almost a quarter of the prize money lost in one day, you're not the only one feeling pessimistic that there would be money left at the end of the retreat.

YOU: That means I spent $18,000 in one night? Whoops.

What makes them think that doing bondage in a workshop would help to take your mind off sex?

You're not sure if that's what the workshop is going to be but you see the waxed ropes and that's the first thing you have in mind.

"Today, we're going to learn Shibari," the guest sex expert announces.

"An ancient Japanese technique used to improve intimacy and trust in relationships," she shares with everyone.

Minho and you have no problem with intimacy but with what you've done recently, it seems that Minho is likely to have a trust issue with you.

"It's a bit more risque but it really does teach people how to trust which is the foundation for any long-lasting relationship," the expert further explains.

"Have you guys ever played with bondage, handcuffs, or any type of restraints?" The expert asks.

A few raise their hands in pride and you see Minho as the experimental type, always open to everything. You don't see him raising his hand, he's too busy shielding his face from the sun.

You take the first turn and can't decide which one you want to do, you haven't done this. Picking up the smaller rope in red color, you decide to do the simplest one called the Hand Prayer tie.

Minho doesn't need to be told, he puts both hands together in front of him and lets you tie rope around it.

"It goes around the middle fingers," he instructed.

As expected, Minho knows how to do this. It's a piece of information that both excites and scares you but in the best way.

After a lot of errors, you are finally done and not impressed with how you didn't tie the rope tight enough that Minho has no problem taking it off without your help.

YOU: Oh, yep, just exactly what Minho needs right now: tie me up.

"Are you ready?" Minho asks as he takes the bigger rope in the color black.

Now that he's about to tie you, you suddenly get a little nervous too.

"No," you answer with a low laugh.

He starts by turning you around, making you stand with your back facing him, not allowing you to see which knot he's going to do with.

"Hands to the back," he orders with his head looming on your shoulder.

You comply right away, putting your hands to the back.

"Shibari is based on power play. When you're the person with the rope, the rigger, you're actually the one who is surrendering and trusting your partner," the expert says as she walks around watching everyone tying each other up.

That's what you're going to do, you're going to trust Minho and he'll be having too much fun with it but he'll do nothing to hurt you.

The second the rope brushes with your skin, you feel a chill down your spine and when Minho pulls them, tightening them around your wrists, you let out a low moan.

Once he's done with the hands, he tidies the ends of the rope before instructing you to lay on your stomach on the mat

You're getting even more nervous as he bends your legs to the back and ties them together.

"Too tight?" He asks.

You test the knot by twisting your ankles together but it doesn't budge at all, "mmh," you hum in answer.

"Good," he calmly responds.

If this is his way of getting back at you then you just have to accept it. You should be grateful that he doesn't tie the rope around your neck.

He then brings your hands and legs together, tying them with the rest of the rope. He pulls at it to make sure the knot is securely tied.

You try to wiggle your body and try any way you can to break away but it's a fruitless effort, you're running out of breath from lying on your stomach for too long.

Minho notices and helps you to turn over, but your hands are now pressed under your body as you lay on your back.

"I can't get out of this," you tell him as he stands, towering over your body.

"No, you can't," he says with a malicious grin.

Minho then lays next to you on the mat, scoots closer to shield you from the sun, and then props a hand under his head as he enjoys watching you helplessly lying next to him.

"You're enjoying this," you say.

That's a wrong thing to say because he hasn't started yet. He picks a flower from the plant near him and uses it to caress your body, dragging the soft petal down the front of your body.

He knows that it does things to you and he can see it from the way your chest is heaving as the flower reaches to your lower abdomen.

Your legs are slightly shaking as he drags it lower and then stops right on the elastic band of your bikini bottom, tugging the flower there.

YOU: I must say it's the best kind of punishment. I don't even think it's a punishment [winks]

"Why did you kiss him?"

You know that Zara has been waiting to ask you that from the moment she found out about it.

You dab your face with a layer of foundation to get ready for the night, "I don't know. I was having fun."

She gives you a scolding look and tips her head to the side, "Girl!"

"I know but at that time I was feeling like... You know, it was so easy to break the rules," you honestly answer because you did feel that way.

There was nothing intimate about the kiss with Jack, if anything it was selfish of you to spend money on a meaningless kiss. You can see now how foolish you were for doing that.

"But instead of upset, I am so jealous of you," she says with a sad sigh.

You get quiet because you know how hard it is for her to even try to tempt Bryan to break the rules with her.

"He didn't even let me cuddle him," she adds.

It's a good thing that Bryan wants to be on Lana's good side but he disregards Zara's opinions about it, putting her needs aside which makes him just as selfish as you are.

YOU: The plan is I'm going to look hot, be a good girl, and talk to Minho. Wish me luck [Crosses fingers]

Taking a glass of drink to fuel your courage, you check if Minho is in a good mood before coming and start talking to him.

"Can I sit with you?" You ask for his permission when you usually would plop down next to him without asking.

He glances up and nods, "Yeah."

Minho doesn't talk much and you should be used to his short, concise answers but it seems a little different tonight, there's an edge to it.

You sit next to him and put a space in between, "You look good tonight," you compliment.

Minho is indeed looking good tonight. That's why he model, because everything looks good on him but you bet that he looks better with nothing on.

He tips his head to one side and looks at the dress you're wearing, "You too," he compliments back with a thin smile.

A little attention is better than nothing. You sweetly smile and mutter, "Aw, thank you!"

Before you forget your initial reason because of just one compliment, you remind yourself that you come to talk.

"So... how are we feeling?" You ask, testing the water before diving right into it.

"About what?" He innocently asks.

You lick your lips before answering, "About the kiss."

"Which kiss?"

Your palms are getting sweaty on your lap. It's like whatever answer you're going to give him would be a wrong one.

"Our kisses or...?" He asks again because you stay quiet.

You take a breath and try to slowly explain everything, "I think the kisses we shared are special. I can see that we have chemistry and connection."

He tilts his head low enough to give you the stare, "If that's so then why did you kiss someone else?"

You keep your calm and answer, "That kiss with Jack, it was nothing. I don't have any feelings for him so you don't have to worry about that."

Minho responds with a nod but no words come out of his slightly parted mouth.

YOU: I usually just walk away from a situation like this and stop caring about it but I want to make this work with him.

"Are you mad at me?" You ask because that's what you're dying to know.

He's been too calm that you start to think that he probably doesn't like you to even care about it but he only replies with a shrug.

"I don't want you to be mad at me because I do like you," you tell him to get an answer out of him.

He stares at you and makes you wait in anticipation to get a response from him. After a while, he leans back on the sofa and says, "We'll see."

You usually like the mystery those words bring whenever Minho says that but not this time.

"'We'll see'? What is that supposed to mean?" You ask in pure confusion.

"I need time," he answers.

You scoff and try to process his answer, "You want me to sit around and wait for like what? A week? Ten days?"

He slumps down the sofa and spreads his legs, casually he says, "I need time to get over it so until then... We'll see."

YOU: I kissed Jack because I saw Minho flirting with the other girls so why am I the only one having to wait for him to come around?

"Okay," you meekly say even though you're not sure that he'll get over it before the retreat ends.

You think that this is possibly his way to keep his options open or maybe that your fear is true, he doesn't like you that much. You just like to play games with each other.

"Are we still going to sleep in the same bed?"

"I don't know," he replies.

This is probably the right time to cut everything off before you get too attached to him when the options are still wide open and who knows that Lana will bring more guests to the retreat, there are many possibilities so why do you have to trap yourself in such a confusing situation and wasting your time on one guy?

You look away and shrug, "Okay, alright."

YOU: If Minho doesn't want to give me what I want then I'll just have to get it from someone else.

You're not tired but you're so ready for bed. You brush your hair quickly before going to the bedroom.

You don't look around but going to Jack's bed, you put the duvet away and say, "Come on, you're sleeping with me tonight," you tell him.

He looks taken aback but awkwardly follows you as you climb onto the bed you shared with Minho for the past two days.

Agnes is giving you the questioning look but just like everyone else, they don't say anything but let the drama unfold.

You get under the cover with him and turn to the side to look at him, "Are you cuddly, Jack?"

He pauses for a moment then says, "I am."

"I love good cuddles."

"Yeah?" He asks with a gleeful grin and eyes that are filled with hopeful glints.

"Of course."

YOU: I told you, Jack is my cute boy toy.

You slip your hand in his curls and play with it, at the same time, watching the door because Minho can come at any minute now.

"Your hair is so soft," you comment.

The door swings open and Minho steps inside, stopping on his track for a second to see that someone else has taken his spot.

The brief look he gives you is enough to make you gulp air, he's saying nothing but has to share a bed with Alia.

The silence is suffocating as everyone watches intently every gesture or expression on either you or Minho to get any hints about what's happening between the two of you.

Their eyes are going back and forth because your beds are facing each other.

"Don't you feel a little hot, Jack?" You ask.

"Uhm..." he hums as he thinks of an answer to such an easy question, "I think so."

You sit on the bed and look in Minho's direction, not necessarily seeing him eye to eye. You take your top off, not caring that this will be broadcasted all over the world and everyone can see your tits.

"Oh... fuck..." you hear Jack curses under his breath next to you.

Minho takes a sip of water from his tumbler and you can see that his jaw tensed as he swallows his water.

Once the lights are out, you get under the cover and turn to the side to face Jack. For someone who kissed two girls at once, he's playing safe by keeping his hands away from you.

You lean in close to his pillow, "How was your day?"

He rakes his brain to answer another simple question, "Can't complain," he answers.

You giggle because of how cute he is, how oblivious to the fact that you're using him to make Minho jealous. When you think about the kiss you shared with him, he isn't that bad of a kisser, he was too excited at that time to focus on using his skill.

You kind of want to give him a second chance so you lean in closer and ask him, "What do you think about spending 6 grand tonight?"

YOU: We'll see? No, Minho. You'll see.

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maoam · 6 months

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I'm sorry for this long ass ask. I just wished to get a bit this out of my chest. Feel free to delete it if you would want to feel a bit more positive!

As you said once, if I remember correctly, there is no one more mysoginistic in fandoms (especially shonen) than the het shippers rather than the "fujoshis." In my personal experience, at least, I rarely have seen people hate a girl because she is in the way of their mlm pairing. But I have seen in het ships women be especially vile with their words like slut shaming, body shaming (flat chest vs busty discourses).

Especially in the Naruto fandom, I don't understand why NH and SS stans have to be on the march of war against each other, or why pit their favs against each other when they clearly are "not in the way" of their respective pairings, or even harass all other ships. In fact, I Hinata and Sakura are even in friendly terms. If not outright, they don't care about each other's existence for most of the time, I think?? So why so much catty?

Sometimes, I visit NH/SS/NaruSaku blogs out of curiosity, without doing anything but looking. Usually their content is all about shitting on other pairings but just that. They don't support other creators who appreciate the pairings, like writers or artists. Just shit on the rival pairing while be like "unlike that shit, this pairing has sense and is better". Like, they are more obsessive about what they hate rather than what they love. Absurd.

I have seen people call Sakura a cumdumpster (I swear to god that word-) and Sarada a hoe/slut, and considering Sarada is like 12 to 16 years old... well, it weirds me out. Or shame on the fact Hinata is a busty woman and usually that's the only bad thing they can say about her that comes to my mind, along with other slut shaming.

Or the weird obsession Sakura fans have about Sakura's body, like "THIS IS WHY SHE IS NOT FLAT." Why do you care so much if she's beautiful anyway?

I can go long but I won't because it sounds kinda frustrating.

But why can't these people just... stay in their planes? And ignore each other? Or if they love their one true pairing, just support artists or recommend fan fictions they like, or heck do something themselves and create a more positive environment not only for the fandoms but for themselves as well. Because most of the time, they go on anti - or pro tags and just harass people who think differently like they do with you or sneezemonster-

Again, sorry for the rant, and thank you if you had the patience of reading. Bless your day and keep doing what you do! What you write is always interesting to read <3

People mistake fujoshis (or just people who ship gay pairings) complaining about the het ships having no mutual development/how the female character in said ship has no individual development/revolves only around the guy she likes as "hating on the female character/misogyny". Which it isn't. Sure there might be couple who are misogynists, but that really isn't what I usually see. Meanwhile het shippers are indeed very vile in their ship wars.

"I don't understand why NH and SS stans have to be on the march of war against each other, or why pit their favs against each other when they clearly are "not in the way" of their respective pairings"

Because to them shipping is also a contest, and everyone is their competitor. They need to show everyone how they ship the best ship or how "their girl" is the best girl of the show. NH will talk about how Hinata is more "fertile" than Sakura (which is really misogynistic), how she is the heiress, how she is the richest girl in Konoha (lol). All very shallow things, none of them she even earned. And SS will go out of their way to "prove" Sakura is better looking than the other Naruto girls, because somehow that matters more than Sakura not having any dignity in the story... And yes, SS's crazy need to prove Sakura is not flat, sometimes they straight up edit Kishimoto's drawings so she would have a bigger chest.

This is also why these especially crazy people don't flock to shojo as much, since shojo doesn't usually have as big of a mainstream audience as shonen. And maybe they are addicted to one-sided interaction, because they relate to it? They can't relate to a female character that has reasonable feelings?

But yeah, recently I have seen a lot of Historia hate and it's all "she's spreading her legs to the farmer", "Whorestoria", "even her whore mother didn't like her", "blonde whore" and so on from certain het ship fandom. But sure fujoshis are the worst ones for saying Mikasa's character revolved too much around Eren...

#anon #fandom stuff

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petermurphyfunkopop · 5 months

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i grew up in the height of emo/scene/rawr aesthetic. like i was in middle school when mcr, fall out boy and patd got HUGE and it was so oversaturated and their fans were legitimately fucking awful people, rude and mean for 0 reason whatsoever (i'm not saying they are NOW just that's how it felt then). like i was ready to go see my favorite band of all time but then mcr joined the tour and i changed my mind bc i didn't want to be around those people. i didn't end up seeing the band i wanted to see for like 8 more years.

i was always kinda into panic (until after pretty odd, brendan urie in general has rancid vibes and i don't trust him) i don't really have an opinion on fob (i did eventually get over my shit and check them out and i like some of their stuff but lets be real - their singles are the singles for a reason) but i cannot stand mcr. i did my best to actually sit down and listen to them to see if i could enjoy them without the "wah it's popular so it sucks!" shitty teenager vibe but straight up, i never could. and i have NO idea why the younger generation loves them so much, except maybe their older siblings who would be my age were into them. gerard is an extremely whiny singer, and that's coming from a longtime placebo fan.

but really what this comes down to is that i just don't like pop punk

and i really, really wish people would stop thinking mcr is a goth band

"let people like things" i'm not saying you can't like anything i'm just saying i think it sucks

also side note in high school me and this other girl wanted to see who the better writer was so we each wrote fanfiction and had a third person read it. my competitor wrote waycest and i wrote vam.... which was, unfortunately, ville valo and bam margera. they used strawberry shampoo as lube and i won the contest. she was so fuckin' mad and said i only won it because i'd written porn but i was under the impression that i was supposed to? idk

that competitor was the same person who, a few years later, was busted writing Hanson incest smut fanfic on a school laptop and was forced to read it aloud to her social studies class until the teacher figured out what direction it was going in and made her stop

hanson hadn't been popular for like a decade at that point and now that girl is married to a guy who posts a lot about how much he loves guns and had a new england patriots themed wedding cake

#darren is broadcasting his pointless thoughts and opinions again

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anotherwvba · 8 months

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20 Questions with Niki Binary

excerpt from WVBA Online Magazine

The boffins here at the WVBA Online devised a series of surveys to get to know our Women's Circuit competitors just a little better. Today, we catch up with none other than our own "I.T. Girl" Niki Binary.

Q: What’s your favorite sandwich and where did you eat it?

A: Odd lead off, but okay. This is easy, a simple tomato sandwich. Tomato with a little Duke's mayo, black pepper, on plain cheap white bread. My grandma used to make 'em for me.

Q: What’s your favorite place on earth?

A: Man, this is gonna sound so cliché. Right now, the ring. Especially after my fight with Cutie Hondo, it's a high you just can't duplicate.

Q: What’s one place you've visited that you never want to return to?

A: Ha! Easy, Radio Shack! Nobody knew what they were talking about, at least not the ones around here. Now, I don't have to.

Q: What’s the best show on TV right now?

A: Not counting us? *wink* Probably Cobra Kai. I love the story and way they show respect to the franchise's history.

Q: If you could only eat one food for the rest of your life, what would it be?

A: Tiramisu! Oh man, it would be a short life, but what a way to go.

Q: What’s the worst movie you ever saw?

A: The live-action version of Dragon Ball. And before you go all comic shop and say, "Actually, there were three Dragon Ball live-action movies," one, I know that and, two, I said what I said.

Q: What’s the best thing you’ve read in the last five years?

A: No contest, I just read this book called "Gravity" by Sarah Deming. It's all about a girl from New York that makes it to the Olympics as a boxer against all odds. So inspiring.

Q: What’s the one item of clothing you couldn’t live without?

A: My khaki slacks. I know, I'm a geek. But they are comfy, they have pockets, and they go with like 90% of my wardrobe.

Q: If you could only bring three things with you on a deserted island, what would you pick?

A: Oh. That's hard. Wait... no it's not. Got it! My laptop, my portable wi-fi rig, and a solar generator. This girl ain't stayin' on a deserted island!

Q: If you could save one material thing from a fire, what would you save?

A: Easy! My laptop. Lots of places have free wi-fi :)

Q: What’s your biggest pet peeve?

A: People being fake. I can get along with most anybody. You can be the biggest jerk in the world, it's fine with me. Just own it. Don't pretend to be one thing to my face and something else behind my back.

Q: What is your favorite movie of all time?

A: Okay... Minions. It's cute and it's funny and I like to laugh.

Q: What is the best concert you have ever been to?

A: 3 One Oh! They are amazing! I almost picked She's on Fire as my walk-out music.

Q: What’s the worst date you’ve ever been on?

A: I got set up on a blind date once with this guy that thought because he had a BA and I had an Associate's that he was soooo much smarter than me and had to mansplain ALL the things. Ugh! I'd like to see him solder a motherboard by flashlight...

Q: Would you rather be hot or cold?

A: Cold. I can always put more clothes on. You can only take so many off without jail time... lol

Q: What’s your favorite karaoke song?

A: Seeing as I can't carry a tune with a handle, whichever one Cutie is singing. Girl's got pipes!

Q: What’s your favorite quote?

A: LOL! Okay, this one's from my coach, "Fall down twice, stand up thrice. Don't fall three times, that's a TKO."

Q: What was the best meal you ever ate?

A: This will sound silly. It was here! They've got a sushi chef that works here on Wednesdays and, oh... My... GOD! Amazing!

Q: What’s your least favorite genre of music?

A: Death Metal. It gives me headaches like you wouldn't believe. I'd rather take one of Coach Von Kaiser's uppercuts.

Q: Do you like coffee or tea better?

A: Oh... that's hard. You're asking me to choose between my kids. I... nope... can't choose. Love them both! I live on caffeine and coding.

#punch out #punch-out #punch-out!!#punchout #super punch out #super punch-out #super punch-out!!#punch out wii #punch-out wii #punch-out!! wii #punch out oc #punch-out oc #punch-out!! oc #wvba #niki binary

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ofcxnsequence · 1 year

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HEADCANON; RE: DAYNA - Joust && Mechanisms of Injury

The last two competitors in the 2010 game of Panic were Luke Hall and Dayna Mason. As an annual event, Joust involved both competitors meet on a single lane back road. The road changes every year.

Both contestants have to meet at the center of the road to establish to rules of the final challenge, make sure no one wants to forfeit, and the cover story is established in case of an accident to protect Panic and all of those involved.

Dayna drove a 1998 Toyota Camry and Luke drove a 1987 Chevy S10. Neither forfeited and neither swerved. The cars hit each other head on with Luke's truck sliding up and over Dayna's car, wedging them together.

Dayna's injuries included a dashboard fracture ( pelvic and bilateral knee fracture from impacting the dashboard) fractures in the bilateral radius and ulnas at varying points from trying to protect her face upon crashing. A C6 complete spinal cord injury as well as several fractured ribs and vertebrae from being slid down as Luke's truck went over her car. She had a concussion and several facial contusions as well as skin sheering from her seat belt and air bag.

She almost died and was in a coma for a good long while.

Dayna's current level of function after her recovery includes:

Dayna does not have any lower extremity function. She is able to grasp items with her hands by flexing her wrists so her hands will grasp items. She has control her shoulders and arms but fatigues quickly when sitting unsupported due to poor trunk control. She can roll over when in a laying position and can utilize a sliding board to self transfer, though she does need help transferring from softer surfaces such as her bed. its a lot easier on her for Dodge to simply lift her.

She cannot control any of her body below the upper-middle portion of her chest. that means that Dayna has trouble with:

breathing - this level of injury effects and paralyses the the intercostal muscles between the ribs, which are essential for expanding and shrinking the chest cavity as you breathe.

bowel & bladder function - Suprasacral bladder dysfunction occurs after cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spinal cord injuries. This means that the bladder reflex is essentially ‘over-active’ and the bladder may involuntarily contract without warning. This can cause urge incontinence, where individuals are not able to control their bladder functions. Dayna utilizes a catheter because of this. She can manage it herself. Dayna's level of injury resulted in reflexive bowels. This type of neurogenic bowel dysfunction describes when the anal sphincter remains involuntarily contracted. Because individuals with reflexive bowels experience difficulties relaxing the anal sphincter, they generally experience constipation and waste retention. Dayna has opted for a colotomy and can manage most of that care. There are still elements that she can't manage herself.

Dayna's mobility && adaptive equipment

Wheelchair- Dayna's main form of transportation. She has break extenders on her chair so she can park by herself and foam covered hand rims on her wheels. Insurance covers one pieces of adaptive equipment every five years so this was the only piece of equipment that was covered. Dayna can take her arm rests off with a little bit of a struggle to self transfer with her sliding board, but only really does this in her home setting.

sliding board- a wooden plank that Dayna can place underneath her butt to connect herself to another surface and scooch from point A to point B. She relies mostly on her arms and does need a spot for inclined or soft surfaces because of her poor trunk control.

Built up adaptive items- foam tubes that are inserted over her silverware or other hand held items that she has difficulty managing due to her lack of fine motor skills ( she can't pinch or use most of her finger functions). She can use these things ( tooth brush, pens/pencils, silverware) without them being built up, but she's more likely to drop or mishandle these items because of her lack of proper hand control. She also has adaptive equipment for her needlecrafts or has just had to figure out new and creative ways to keep doing the crafts and hobbies she enjoyed before the accident.

Leg lifter- a black solid strap that Dayna uses to hook her feet to assist her in and out of bed.

Reacher- a hand held device that enables dayna to pick up items off the floor.

TBU as needed

#ᵗʰᵉ ʷᵃʸ ᶤᵗ ᶤˢ ᶰᵒʷ║ HEADCANON #tw; disabilites #tw; injury #tw; hospital #tw; spinal cord injury #tw; car crash

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directondemands · 2 years

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B2B LEAD GENERATION: 5 PROVEN STRATEGIES TO TREMENDOUSLY BOOST YOUR BUSINESS

Lead generation is the practice of attracting consumers to your brand via numerous channels. You’re looking for consumers who fit in your target audience and who have the means and desires to purchase whatever you sell.

Effective lead generation is one of the cornerstones of good business. It helps you attract interested consumers to your products or services to convert them to specific offers.

At the top of the sales funnel, your customer hasn’t decided what or when to buy. This is the time to ingratiate yourself to prospects and show them what your brand is made of.

If you’re constantly testing the system and new methods, though, you’ll find the ideal combination. Marketing will get infinitely more straightforward because you’ll know how to reach and attract your target audience. Here are some of the lead generation strategies which will help you succeed in the long run.

Build a digital footprint

Build and maintain a modern website. Gone are the days where you can sustain yourself with a simple website and a meager online presence. If you are stuck on your marketing techniques, you can hire a digital marketing company to help you through this process.

Focus on Content

Content marketing is one of the most effective ways to generate leads. Consumers can find your content via search engines, then discover what services or products you sell. The best content solves a specific problem. It hits on a customer’s pain point, describes a process or solution, and offers something memorable to take away. Of course, the text isn’t the only practical type of content. You can also publish podcasts, videos, infographics, and other types of content to expand your audience further.

Create Irresistible Lead-Generation Offers

A lead magnet is designed to incentivize signups or other desired actions. Your audience doesn’t have any reason to convert to your offer without a lead magnet. The important thing is to create an irresistible offer for your audience. If you’re marketing to people who don’t like reading, an e-book becomes a waste of time as a lead magnet. You could offer a video or audio recording instead.

Other potential lead magnets include webinar replays, calculators, cheat sheets, templates, and case studies. You can decide what will most delight your audience.

Invest in paid social-media lead generation

You can't just depend on free social media publicity. You also need to invest in paid social media advertising for your businesses. It’s not that expensive, plus it reaches a large audience beyond your followers.

Most social media networks offer robust tools to enhance any lead generation strategy.

Create Strategic Partnerships to Generate New Leads

Partnering with other business owners can improve your lead-gen efforts. You gain access to each other’s audiences, which benefits you both. Look for partners who operate in the same industry but that aren’t competitors. For instance, if you sell clothing, you could partner with a footwear company. Cross-promote each other’s content, link to one another in your blog posts, and host shared contests or giveaways. You’ll both maximize your lead generation and build more brand awareness.

If you’re struggling with lead generation, focus on implementing our 5 quick and simple tips. Focus on content and optimize every page of your website for lead generation generation services and conversion. You can create lead magnets, invest in paid social-media lead generation, and partner with other businesses in your industry.

For expert assistance in creating more prospects for your business and improving the overall growth rate, please reach out to Direct On Demands as we would love to be your partner in growth.

#B2B Lead Generation Services #B2B Lead Generation Company #B2B Lead Generation Agency #Lead Generation Services #Lead Generation Company #Lead Generation Agency #Lead Generation Experts

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annaisu · 7 years

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Cutthroat Kitchen: Prepare Nyehself!

AN: Cutthroat Kitchen is under rights of Food Network, and I make no claims to it as such. Alton Brown is a real person, and I have no claim to him, either. Papyrus, however much I would love him to be real and to lay claim to him, is in fact created and owned by Toby Fox.

This is a work of fiction created for @undertailfanficcontest starring Papyrus in the humor category! And let me tell you, this was the first time I’ve ever lowered my word count on purpose.

Tags: Humor, one of the characters is a bastard, just deserts, friendship

Summary: Papyrus is quite pleased to be part of a cooking competition where he can show off his skills – only his opponents are paying for him to wear a catsuit and cook with aluminum foil utensils?

Tonight, hopes would be crushed, dreams would be shattered, pride would take a mighty fall, and these chefs were going to spend all their money making sure that the other cooks were the ones to suffer. Alton Brown surveyed his domain, feeling a sadistic glee begin to grow. Yes; this would be quite the fun show.

His introductory speech began playing in the background, just the thing to set the mood as he pulled out a metal briefcase. “I have $100,000 of cold hard cash; four chefs get $25,000 each. But if they want to leave the kitchen with any of this cash, they have to survive three culinary challenges – and each other. In a game where sabotage is not only encouraged, it’s for sale.” Memories of past challenges passed through his mind – ice cream made with liquid nitrogen, ramen without any noodles, his victims forced to cook while stuffed in cumbersome and humiliating ‘superhero’ outfits, cooking in canoes – good times, good times.

The host smiled in the anticipation of the poor, unsuspecting chef’s future frustrations. They thought they knew – they always did – but they were always wrong. Tonight, there was something even more special than normal – something that had never been seen on this show before. They would be host to a true monster – and only time would tell if he was a monster in the kitchen as well.

He hid just out of sight, watching as the four contestants descended from his ‘tower’, one at a time. They had all given their biography to the camera before this event, and he recalled the pertinent facts as they paraded across his kitchen – let them prance while they still have the chance.

Dave was first; a big, burly southern guy. He’d discovered a taste for cooking as a kid and learned his craft from his grandma’s hip – classic southern boy. He was here to show off that country strength, to have fun and make some money. He laid out his fine array of steak knives and cooking utensils, folding his arms across his chest in a gesture of preemptive defiance.

Hank was next; he was much slimmer than the first, well dressed with hair slicked back. He walked as if he was the second coming of Gordon Ramsey, and had the attitude to go with it. He was so proud to serve his food only to the elite, seemed to think that they were the only ones deserving of his work. His little chef kit was well made – likely tailored and made of expensive leather. Alton didn’t bother to hide his grin – he did so love making this type of person suffer.

Their special guest came next, bounding into the room with disturbing levels of energy for what looked like the dead. A tall skeleton, dressed in red booty shorts and a white crop top, proudly took his place behind his stand. He pulled out what looked like a homemade bag, containing his cooking utensils with… faces and hearts stenciled on top? And stickers of spaghetti? The apron he was wearing, somehow securely wrapped around his skeletally thin – and just skeletal in general – body looked well-made and well-loved. Little patches had been torn and sewn up, and there were messily embroidered pictures of… a human and a skeleton holding hands at the bottom? And the words “COOLEST CHEF” splayed across the chest? Well, this Papyrus was certainly going to be a fun contender.

Papyrus was here to show off his cooking skills and represent monster-kind – “WELL, MYSELF MOSTLY, BUT ALSO MY TEACHER AND FRIEND UNDYNE! AND MY FRIEND THE HUMAN, AND MY BROTHER THE SLOVENLY SLOB – SANS, IF YOU’RE LISTENING, PICK UP YOUR SOCK RIGHT NOW! I CAN’T BELIEVE YOU’RE EMBARESSING ME WHEN YOU’RE NOT EVEN HERE!” The sheer force of his words, combined with his macabre appearance, created quite the frightening visage. Yet, he was wearing a smile, and was radiating a friendly atmosphere – quite the interesting contradiction.

Cynthia was his last victim of the day – and the only female, unless the monster was hiding something unexpected under his short shorts and poofy shirt. She was from up north, divorced and with three kids. After returning to college, she had opened a very friendly family restaurant. She was here to prove to her Ex that she was worth something, that she could succeed no matter the odds life placed before her, and take home some money to her teenaged kids. She took her place as the last in the row, pulling out a well-maintained kit.

The host prepared himself, ready to introduce himself to the poor saps. Time to see which cooks would trip and fall in a blaze of humiliation!

“HELLO, FELLOW CHEFS!” The monster beamed out, and Hank didn’t bother resisting rolling his eyes. The creature on his right was loud, unsightly, and creepy as heck. The blank, empty black eyes seemed to stare into his soul as he accidently met the thing’s searching gaze. He shuddered, and pointedly turned his back to it, facing his human fellow chef.

“Think you’re suited up for the day?” he casually asked, seemingly unintentionally tugging the collar of his suit as he surveyed the other man’s dress. Plaid shirt, jeans, cutthroat kitchen apron – hmph.

The other fellow – Dave, or something equally plebian, let out a hearty laugh. “I think I’m quite well suited for cooking, thanks, but don’t you have a business meeting to be getting to?”

Hank sniffed, not bothering with a comeback. It seemed that neither of his temporary neighbors would be worth speaking to in the least. He couldn’t help flinching as the skeleton started shouting again, animatedly talking with the woman at the other end. He was quite ready for the host to come out and for this farce to begin.

Alton did appear, with a casual suit and a bombastic attitude – quite the match for the figurative bombs he would be dropping throughout the show. At the beginning of the round, he’d assign a dish, and they’d have 60 seconds to collect absolutely everything they would need to cook said dish from the walk-in cupboard – and they’d only have seconds to compose their mental grocery list.

Alton finally started talking about what he was looking forward to the most – auctioning off sabotages, where he would be encouraged to buy ridiculous inconveniences for his opponents. They would all be given 25 Grand – likely more than any of these plebeians had ever had in their lives’ – to purchase said items, and whatever was left at the end the winner would take home. Of course, Hank himself had no real need for this money, and was already planning to spend all of it tripping up his unworthy opponents – mostly that ridiculous skeleton and the woman, neither of which had any right to be in the same kitchen as him.

It never even crossed his mind for a single second that he might not succeed, so assured of his victory was he. Not a single other person in the room, save the well-dressed host, was even worthy of a second glance or thought of consideration. No, he was the only one that would claim this culinary victory – and he’d make his ‘opponents’ miserable the entire time through!

Alton opened up his briefcase and began offering out the money – two bundles apiece. As the uncultured savage to his left rubbed the money to his cheek, clearly enjoying the entirely new sensation of wealth against his skin, he daintily picked out his two bundles of cash. He looked upon them with disgust, wondering just how many grimy hands had handled these $100 bills.

Returning to beside the metal table in the center of the open area, the host began speaking. “To start everybody off on a roll, I’d like to see a good, breakfast casserole!” Alton cheerfully exclaimed, bouncing slightly as he spoke. Hank jumped as a shriek of outrage sounded from beside him, and Alton paused in his words.

“WAS THAT A PUN?!” the monster exclaimed. Resisting a grimace, Hank pointedly ignored its words. He supposed monsters were far too uneducated and stupid to recognize even the most basic parts of human humor, even of such a low a form as bad puns.

Alton didn’t seem to take offense, though he did seem to be slightly thrown off. “It was indeed a wonderful play on words, only some of the most punny forms of fine humor!” Hank peeked to his right, watching as the skeleton groaned and covered his eyes.

“HUMAN, THAT JOKE WAS ALMOST AS BAD AS MY BROTHER’S – IT WAS COMPLETELY BARE BONES! NYEH-HEH-HEH-HEH!” the skeleton cackled and Hank grimaced .

Alton, contrary to Hank, seemed quite pleased by this reaction. “Well then, I hope the skele-ton more that I have won’t break you before you finish your breakfast casserole ! You have 60 seconds to gather everything you’d need to make this delightful dish, starting now!”

Startled, Hank was a second behind everyone else in grabbing his basket to go shopping – and thus he had the clearest view of when the skeleton did a front flip right over the judging table. He stared, unbelieving, not moving as time ticked by – only when he realized that all the other chefs had made it into the cupboard did he start forward on his own.

What was that skeleton doing?! He tried not to stop and stare as the skeleton darted around the cupboard, items seemingly flying into his basket of their own accord. He distractedly groped for his next ingredient, unable to ignore the spectacle before him.

“30 seconds remaining!” called a very unwelcome voice from just beyond the cupboard door. Hank felt the panic well up, as he realized he didn’t have half the things he would likely need, and could not for the life of him remember the other half. He began grabbing everything he could get his grubby little hands on.

“10, 9” Nonono- Hank knocked the closest things into his basket and ran out the door, knocking into another contestant and cursing as the collision sent several ingredients flying out of his basket as he fought to make it through the door. “4, 3,” he burst free, panting as he staggered back to his station. “2, 1, time’s up!” Discreetly mopping his sweaty brow, Hank surveyed his spoils of war, and everyone else’s as well. He… technically had everything he needed for a good, refined breakfast casserole.

The skeleton, who seemed just as cheery as could be, had a neatly packed basket full of a random assortment of goods – clearly, he’d just grabbed whatever was closest to hand! Hank ignored the hypocrisy of his own statement, peering around the Halloween prop to see the girl’s basket, and then pointedly looked away. She seemed well-enough prepared, so what. The country hick to his left seemed to have filled his basket with bacon, bacon… and more bacon.

Finally, their host was beginning to roll out the sabotages. Hank licked his lips in anticipation, watching as the symbol of the other’s demise was slowly lowered… and revealed to be a roll of aluminum foil. “Win this, and you can force a chef to give up all of their cooking utensils and pots, and they must instead make their own cooking! Who’s willing to start off the bid with $500?”

“$1,000!” he cried, and waited to see if anyone would dare challenge him.

“$1,200,” came the drawling voice on his right. Of course it wouldn’t be that easy, surrounded by people who couldn’t recognize their inferiority.

“$2,000,” he bid back, noticing that the skeleton seemed quite unconcerned. He ended up spending $3,500 on his roll of aluminum foil, but was quite pleased at this deal as he debated on which of his foes should suffer first. The man, for daring to challenge him, or the skeleton for being here and existing in the first place. Yes, definitely the skeleton.

He sauntered up to Alton, trading his money for the foil and dropping it on the thing’s station, noting with disdain the cheap and marked up case that held the thing’s now unusable cooking implements. He returned to his station, satisfied, and ready to win another bid. He ignored the skeleton’s words of, “WOWIE! IT’LL BE JUST LIKE COOKING AT HOME, AFTER UNDYNE AND I DESTROYED ALL OF THE POTS WITH THE FORCE OF OUR COOKING PROWESS!” Was this thing serious?

Hank fumed as the skeleton shaped his cutlery with ease, somehow forming a perfect looking knife and a well-rounded bowl in less than a minute. “I HAVE A VERY SHARP MEMORY, AND I HAVE ENCOUNTERED QUITE THE NUMBER OF KNIVES, YOU SEE! NYEH!” Just ignore the skeleton. “WOWIE, MR. HOST-HUMAN, YOU SURE HAVE A LOT OF ALUMINUM FOIL! LET’S SEE WHO CAN WEAR IT BEST!” Wait, wear it?

Looking up from where his prep work was beginning to come together, Hank saw the judge and the thing both wearing ridiculous looking foil hats. The Judge was wearing something like a pirate hat, and the bag of bones was rocking… an open-faced helmet? Just when did he have time to make that ridiculous thing? Hank had barely even gotten his work laid out properly, yet this thing had already crafted his workstation and costume decorations?

Growling in frustration, Hank was at least pleased to see that the country cad was struggling, if no one else was – thanks to the two other sabotages he’d bought and delivered. Reassured, he returned to his work. He didn’t have all the ingredients that he wanted, but he… probably had enough. Probably.

"Wha- that's totally cheating!" Hank declared, staring aghast at the pearly blue bones flashed around the skeletons station, dancing to a tune no one else could hear. The clubbed end of one bone was stirring the batter, and the skeleton was using the tip of the other as a sharp knife to slice his vegetables into perfectly sectioned slices. The craziest part was how the spinning bone was doing so without any guidance - it was just moving about on its own!

"OH!" The wretched skeleton faced Hank with a beaming smile. "I SEE THAT YOU HAVE NOTICED THE BEAUTY THAT IS MY CONJURED BONES!" The bony chef paused, a worried look sliding across his face. "PLEASE DON'T BE JEALOUS, FELLOW CONTESTANT HUMAN! I REALIZE THAT YOU CANNOT SUMMON BRILLIANT BONES OF YOUR OWN, BUT I AM QUITE PREPARED TO LEND YOU SOME OF MINE! A GREAT PERSON AND CHEF, SUCH AS I, MUST ALWAYS BE GENEROUS AND KIND TO OTHERS!"

Gritting his teeth, Hank barely resisted spitting at the stupid, ugly monstrosity beside him. "I wouldn't touch any of your filthy bones if you paid me." Unnoticed by any of the contestants, most especially Hank who was once again doing his best to ignore everything around him, Alton’s eyes glinted with a brilliant, sadistic new idea.

Hank barely hid the curl of his lip into a sneer as the judge appeared – a woman, of all things.

The judge finally made her decision after trying each dish – she ‘had to’ let the farmer go. Hank watched as the man returned his untouched cash to Alton, calmly accepting his fate and giving Alton a ‘manly’ handshake. Of course Hank had won this round – and he fully expected to win the next two and humiliate everyone else along the way.

Finally, the round was finished, and they had a short break to talk to the cameras while the next round was prepared.

Cynthia’s new friend helped her stand up, using a strength at odds with his skeletal appearance to bring her to her feet as they walked together back to the main room. They’d had a relatively quiet and quite friendly chat between the rounds, but now it was time to return.

Alton waltzed back in with full aplomb, wearing what seemed to be a pinstripe suit at first glance – until Cynthia realized the stripes were actually noodles hanging onto his suit. “Welcome back contestants, and get ready for round two! It’s certain to tie you up into knots, and leave someone stranded! We’re going for a true classic today – spaghetti!”

Papyrus squealed in glee beside her and she gave him a smile, already knowing of his love for the pasta dish. She couldn’t help but take satisfaction on how the sleezeball skittered away in startlement.

“Indeed! You are free to create any variety of spaghetti you wish, this traditionally meaty pasta dish! We have all the ingredients you could need, and your shopping time begins… now.

Cynthia darted off after Papyrus, falling behind as he used the table to launch himself further forward, sketching the list in her head and the best way to grab each item as fast as she could. Having children and anticipating their needs had prepared her for this, and she was at a huge advantage to the business-chef that was only slightly lagging this time.

Making her way back to her station at a much more sedate pace than she had left it, Cynthia double checked that she had grabbed everything that she wanted for her chicken alfredo spaghetti – she did. A glance to the side told her that both of her fellow chefs had collected plenty as well. She thought back to the first round and couldn’t help but to snicker – Hank had forgotten plenty of things in the beginning rush, and she could easily overhear his muttered cursing whenever he came across his missing ingredients.

Turning her attention back to the host, she braced herself for the first sabotage to come. “Well, now that we’ve spent time together and found ourselves closer together, I think it’s time to get closer still!” Alton knocked on the panel, waiting for the item to be lowered before he revealed – a length of rope. Cynthia paled, memories flashing before her eyes. Ropes never meant anything fun for her. “Win this auction, and you can force your opponents to be tied together! They will be forced to cook together, work together, and stick closer than a strand of spaghetti that was left in a pot overnight. Starting bid at-“

“$2,000!” Hank interrupted once again, and she would have glared had she not been silent with fear. She saw Papyrus glance at her out of the corner of his eye, and watched as the eye socket closest to her slowly closed, then reopened. Neither of them said anything.

“Opening bid at $2,000, anyone willing to give me 21-hundred? Anyone, anyone? Going once, going twice – sold, to the gentlemen in the boring suit for two thousand dollars!” She smiled weakly – compared to the host’s noodle suit, Hank’s suit was rather boring, if more expensive than what she spent on groceries in a month. There was a reason she was competing for a cash prize, despite going up on TV against others being entirely new for her.

“Now, I know that this show can be a bit of a cat-astrophe sometimes…” Alton trailed off, opening the panel to reveal a cat headband. “But I was feline like I couldn’t paws-ibly resist! Win this bid, and you can force your opponent to dress up with these adorable cat ears, a matching cat tail,” he continued, pulling up a long tail from beneath the table – it had to be at least 4 feet of solid black faux-fur! “And of course, the cutest part of cats – their little paws!” He ducked his hands under the table once more, this time arising with giant, fluffy gloves that completely encapsulated his hands. “As sweet as they look, these don’t make for the easiest cooking experience! Who’s willing to buy the best catsuit seen on this show yet?”

“$2,000!” Hank predictably exclaimed.

Cynthia decided that this was one outfit she was willing to spend money on, if only for the sheer humiliation value in forcing the uptight man into it. “2,500!”

Hank still ended up being the winner, but he spent a full 5k on a fursuit – and he ended up giving it to Papyrus, who immediately donned the admittedly adorable outfit, beaming all the while. She was pretty sure Hank only had about 11k left.

“Now, people, don’t get yourselves tied into a knot; we’ve got a giant pile of noodles right here that have done that already!” Cynthia groaned as she a wagon with a proper Gordian’s Noodle Knot roll into the center of the room. “Win this auction, and the chef of your choice will have to untangle this knot before they are able to begin cooking!”

She fought long, and Papyrus fought hard, but they both backed down when Hank bid a whopping ten thousand dollars on the ridiculous time waster. He had to be down to the last of his money – he had successfully won every bid so far, often paying exorbitant sums to do so. To her dismay, she was the one gifted with the lovely time waster.

“Now, I know we had someone who wouldn't pay to touch our friendly skeleton's bones - but how about we have someone else pay for it?" Alton called out, this time not revealing anything from the behind the screen. So this was why Papyrus had been called away separately – so that he could give permission for this.

“$1,500!” She called out, before Hank could even try. If she was right…

“$2,000!” He bid back, and she felt her heart sink. Was she wrong?

“AAAANK,” Alton called, doing a remarkable impression of an incorrect buzzer. “You, my besuited gentleman, are only in possession of $1,500 – something new to you, I’m sure.” Hank stared, slack jawed, and Cynthia felt the rising tides of victory. “Now, unless someone else can pay at least sixteen-hundred dollars, this round is going to this lady right here – no? Going once, going twice – are you sure you don’t want to speak up again, Hank – sold, to Cynthia! Please approach your fellow contestant for his magic touch, and then confiscate all your victim’s knives, spoons, whisks, and other various implements.

Cynthia did so with great glee, taking the two large bones and handing them over to Hank, who still had a horrified look on his stunned face.

“Now, chefs, two of you are ready to proceed to cooking, and one of you is to remain here with me. As soon as this lovely lady finished, she and our resident monster will be strung together tighter than the red strings of fate!” Cynthia couldn’t help but shudder – at the thought of being tied up, and the thought of being tied to another person like that. “On my mark… go!”

She paused for a moment in thought, then nodded. “Wait one moment, please.” She approached the wagon with her longest, sharpest knife. “The Gordian knot couldn’t be solved, until…” With a few sharp slices, she began carving the ball into two. “Until the knot was split.” Noodles fell to either side, losing shape as their knot came undone.

Alton groaned theatrically. “At this rate, you’ll finish the task in a tenth of the time it took to set it up!” She flashed him a smile, but didn’t reply as she was too busy straightening out the short strands on the table before her, smearing them out in great handfuls and shaking them straight.

“Just have to raise them properly, keep them on the straight and narrow,” She quipped. “Make them realize the consequences if they don’t straighten out.

All too soon, she was back in front of her cooking station, and she realized that she had only hastened the arrival of the dreaded rope. This was a Gordian knot she couldn’t cut. Papyrus cheerful greeting helped soothe her nerves, and she managed to keep her breathing steady as an extra helper loosely tied them together.

“ARE YOU READY, HUMAN PARTNER?” She nodded, anchoring her perceptions on his solid voice to fend off flashbacks. “AS I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE HAD A HEAD START AND CAN CLEARLY SUCCEED DESPITE ANY DIFFICLUTIES, I INSIST THAT WE HEAD TO YOUR STATION FIRST!”

“Thanks, Papyrus,” she offered him a small smile as they toddled over to her station. “Just let me know when you’re ready to switch back, alright? We want to be sure that both of our dishes succeed.” They were united in a single purpose – take down the most unlikeable person in the room, and send him home crying.

Looking over at the disgruntled face of said ‘foe’, she laughed at how he seemed to be trying his best to touch the lowest amount of surface area of the lightly glowing bones .

Hank began to audibly fume, screeching with unmanly terror whenever he touched too much of the magical bone. Everybody else traded eye rolls, though Papyrus seemed to be doing his best to remain dignified and proud, as was befitting of the mascot of monsters.

Someone who wasn’t trying to remain dignified was Alton, busy attaching more noodles to his costume as they worked. Soon, it wasn’t just spaghetti noodles, but penne, rotini, linguini, lasagna, and just about every other noodle that existed. Soon, his outfit was a mishmash of different carbohydrates, and Papyrus actually stopped to grin and give him a giant thumbs up. “NOTHING CAN TOP PASTA THAT SUIT, HUMAN! SAVE MY OWN COOL OUTFIT OF COURSE, NYEH-HEH-HEH!” The next time Cynthia saw Papyrus’ outfit, it had noodles draped across it in matching reflection to Alton’s outfit, and a noodle circlet around the cat ears which had been taped to his head. The skeleton made the noodle look work .

“I’m sorry, but I have dismiss… Chef Cynthia.” Cynthia nodded, determinedly biting at her lip and refusing to cry. Her new friend had passed, after all, in a sparkling flame of glory. He had to win and destroy that Hank in the next round. She couldn’t hear the judge’s explanation over the pounding refrain in her head, how she was worthless and her cooking was barely even fit for dogs, and-

“Arf!” …She was hearing things now, wasn’t she? She turned slowly, looking for the source of the sound. Happy barking came from behind her station, and then a little white dog popped out – muzzle coated with her spilled spaghetti. Apparently, her meals were fit for dogs – this one certainly seemed to be enjoying it.

“NOOOO!!!!” Papyrus cried, sinking to his knees. “WHY MUST YOU PERSIST IN TORMENTING ME, WHEREVER YOU GO?” The dog just yipped happily, grabbing one of the bones and trotting up to the judge’s table.

“Does this dog belong to you?” The judge, Antonia, asked. She was already petting the dog, which seemed to be preening in the attention, licking it’s chops.

“WHAT?!?!” Papyrus yelped. “OWN THE MEDDLING CANINE? NO ONE OWN’S THE ANNOYING DOG – THE ANNOYING DOG OWNS YOU!” In the short amount of time it took Papyrus to speak, A.D. had eaten all of Cynthia’s spaghetti, all of Papyrus’ spaghetti, and had knocked Hank’s weird dish right onto his suit.

“Good dog,” Cynthia whispered to it as it came up to her, and Hank began to scream and rant, all composure long spent. “Very good dog.”

Papyrus was very pleased and somewhat saddened with how this cooking competition was turning out. He had made a new friend! And had fun cooking with said friend! And got to dress up like a cat, which he most certainly did not enjoy at all, nope, and he was definitely not looking forward to seeing Alphys’ reaction when she saw the show!

Yet this brand-new experience had been soured by his other neighbor, the cruel human with the heart of pride and greed. Papyrus was still having fun, still enjoying the novelty of being on TV – he was on television right now! Like Mettaton! – and still so proud of being one of the first monsters that truly showed themselves to the human world. He was monsterkind’s mascot after all, and he needed to present a good face!

Even when Angry-Human attacked him and his new friend, again and again and again. That was the only way the prideful human was still on top – by putting other’s down. It saddened Papyrus, knowing that the human could do better – and knowing that the man would likely refuse to ever try being so.

Still, it had been quite amusing to see the man gaping at his brilliance, clearly impressed by his stunning flips and culinary feats! Perhaps if he was lucky, he would still manage to walk out of here with two new friends!

Papyrus wasn’t worried as Host-Human declared the challenge: Upside-down Pineapple cake. He may not have been the best cook below ground, but he had learned much in the years above – how to cook for humans, how to cook without burning the house down, and how to pay a mortgage! All very exciting things!

Humming happily, Papyrus took his groceries to his workstation and happily set up camp, chopping away, mixing and stirring with exacting precision. The clever yet cruel sabotages were to come in the middle of this final challenge, rather than before! He couldn’t help but be impressed by some of the ideas – and the many ideas of the episodes before this one, his own episode. If he won, he would be the star of the show!!!! Even more widely seen than Mettaton, star of the Underground! Such an incredible new experience… as was this entire adventure!

Fighting together with his ally to defeat the foe, finding the secret treasures hidden in the closet of glorious foods – as soon as he returned home to his brother, he was insisting on getting a matching pantry! – to talking with so many humans and to the camera… and hopefully, he would have the new experience of bringing enough money home for his family. The above-ground had been semi-welcoming, but it wasn’t always… kind. But that’s why Papyrus was here!

“Chefs!” Host-Human called out and Papyrus peeked up, staring in outrage as he saw the Annoying Dog perched on top of the judging table. “I know that sometimes you can’t always find everything you need in the pantry in the limited time you have, so I took the liberty of shopping for you! For a small price, this basket of food is yours to do with as you wish – keep it for yourself or swap out your opponent’s basket!” Papyrus couldn’t help the rush of glee that filled him – his foe had no money with which to win this prize.

The ingredients Host-Human was holding were… somewhat what was necessary for the desert, but they were also of the lowest quality possible. Now, Papyrus knew that he could easily deal with such a handicap – it was no different than struggling for human and foreign ingredients underground, but… wasn’t it almost fair, for a human to be forced to deal with this instead of a monster, for once?

Yes, Papyrus decided. This was karmic justice, of which his brother would approve most heartily! “$1,500!” he cheerfully called out, knowing that the human had no more than that. Indeed, moments later, he gracefully gifted the human with the food, and went to take back the old basket – only to draw back in surprise as the human spat in it and at him.

“NOW, HUMAN, THAT IS NO WAY TO REACT,” Papyrus scolded. “THAT’S NOT THE SPIT-RIT OF THINGS! NYEH-HEH-HEH!” he laughed as he retreated out of range, unwilling to get human slobber on his pearly bones. The dog’s slobber was bad enough!

Several minutes later, Alton spoke up again, while petting the dog. “You know, something interesting about the upside-down pineapple cake is that it’s turned upside-down. I know, who would have guessed? So, I was thinking… how about turning one of you upside down? Whenever you want to work at your station, you must be suspended in this sling and hung upside down at a lovely 45-degree angle. Who would like to-“

“Just give it to the damn skeleton already, you know he’s got the money!” the human beside him snarled out. Papyrus didn’t know that humans could turn that shade of purple – he was learning new things everyday!

“Well, alright! Papyrus, would you like to place your bid, please?” Papyrus somewhat uncertainly offered the expected 15-hundred, but he wasn’t sure about the action. Would the human be okay? He hadn’t been planning on bidding; as a monster, he was much more suited to physical difficulties, and he could still use magic to assist in his cooking. But if the other insisted…

With a deep scowl, the human was strapped into a deceptively simple rig, whereupon the same person that had tied him together slowly rotated the contraption until the human was at a very awkward looking angle. Papyrus felt a bit bad, but the human had quite literally asked for it!

No more sabotages came, but no more were necessary. The other human was hissing and spitting, no longer biting back his vitriol. Specks of spit landed in his…cake, as he attempted to bake. Papyrus felt pity for this poor human – if he could not get over himself, he would have absolutely nothing – nothing to show, nothing to hold onto, nothing to be proud of.

…and at the moment, the human had absolutely no pride whatsoever. He was red in the face, puffy in the cheeks, angry in the eyes, and empty in the money pocket. Quite frankly, it was everything he asked for and deserved – and the helper he had to ask to lift him each time was a female human! Which, for some reason, this male human despised.

He had to ask her nicely, too, or she’d dump him entirely on his head. It took him quite a few tries to figure this out! Papyrus shook his head at the lack of decency, and exchanged a high-five with the girl as he passed. He was so hip and with the times!

Papyrus grinned and the man let out a new stream of curses as one of his pans caught fire. Undyne would approve!

Papyrus watched with anticipation as Judge-human – different than judge-monster, who was Sans and had an entirely different job than this human judge – took a bite of his cake. He let out a short protest – no, not a squawk! Not at all! – as she then fed a bite to the dog that had successfully pulled off the Puppy Eyes Maneuver, ™. Papyrus could never get that look to work on anyone other than his brother – it wasn’t fair!

“Well, chefs, I have to say this is one of my easiest choices,” the judge said as she pulled back. Both she and papyrus looked over at his competition – a sad, burned and crumbling cake that was falling apart as they watched. The dog had refused to eat it when offered – Papyrus supposed that the dog did clearly have good taste, only going after the finest bones and cuisine – his, of course.

“And with that, I am proud to say that you, chef Papyrus, are the winner of cutthroat kitchen!” She said, and the dog let out a happy yowl as Papyrus screeched with joy.

“YES! YES! SANS, I DID IT! I WON! I WON!” Papyrus jumped up and pulled the judge into a hug, and then the host. “I ACTUALLY WON AT COOKING! I ACTUALLY WON IN A HUMAN SHOW! I MEAN, OF COURSE I’D WIN – I’M CLEARLY THE COOLEST MONSTER HERE – BUT… I WON!!!” Papyrus began to dance, only to be interrupted as A.D. started to growl.

“You rotten little-“ clearly the other human did not like losing, as he was approaching Papyrus with murder clear in his eyes. Papyrus slowed his celebrating and sighed – there was nothing so trying to his patience as a human trying to murder him.

*tinkle tinkle tinkle* Everybody stopped, as a rain of yellow liquid splashed down on the approaching human. He roared and launched himself forward, only to slip in the doggy residue and land face first in his ‘cake’.

Security came in, and quickly removed the stinking human, leaving Papyrus to his victory. Well! That had certainly been new!

-fin-

I hope you enjoyed reading! I’ll be posting this to AO3 after I get some sleep - I stayed up until 9 in the morning with no sleep so far - and a sequel with a few of the bits I had to cut to reach the wordcount. Hopefully it’s not too choppy, and that you enjoyed reading! This was my first intentional humorous - or should I say, humerus, story, so I hope it goes over well!

Thank you again for reading, and have a wonderful day!

Update: Link to AO3 version here!

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#Undertale #Undertalefanficcontest #@undertailfanficcontest #Papyrus #Cutthroat kitchen #Alton Brown #OCs #because you can't have a contest without competitors #humor #friendship #sabotage #Annoying Dog #my stories #my stuff

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loopy777 · 2 years

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So you know how James Bond stories basically started as an ex-spy's fantasies about a British secret agent continuously saving the post-imperial world using the 'good old' patriarchal values that were being increasingly questioned?

Okay. So. What if a former Fire Army Intelligence Officer with too much time and not enough love for Zuko's post-war policies decides to write a book? It's trash fiction, a tawdry adventure about a secret agent going to exotic locations, fighting baddies, seducing pretties, and saving the world from super-villains who have capitalized on the new post-war state of affairs.

And the main character is Princess Azula, protecting the Fire Nation and its interests because whatever the Earth Kingdom thinks, everyone knows who the real global super-power is. She is depicted as being officially ignored by Zuko because he can't run the world without her constantly saving it and no one else is good enough; after all, she's a full-on Mary Sue who is better than everyone in every way. She accomplishes things that no human being could, and it's because she's just that good. She's also the best at flirting. The villains are all implied to be homosexual or bisexual-but-inadequate, while Azula has charged-but-subtly-implied dynamics with other female characters while she effortlessly seduces and discards 2-3 men on each adventure (one bad, one good, and maybe one just for information at some point in the first act).

And the novels become huge bestsellers. Fire Nation conservatives love them for the messaging and affirmation that everything good in the world came from the war-era. Everyone else loves them for being trashy but fun adventure stories, especially since (despite the author's intentions) there's something interesting about this obviously flawed professional killer bouncing between glamorous locales and violent trauma.

Zuko wants to have the author jailed but can't because that's illegal. Mai is not amused by any of this and pretends it's not happening. The books are banned on Kyoshi Island thanks to Suki's urging and Ty Lee had a panic attack the first time she sees one for sale in the Fire Nation. Aang thinks they're in poor taste but won't judge someone for liking problematic literature. Katara is absolutely judging you for liking them. Sokka is sure this can't be legal and can't believe that there's no widespread commentary on how the main character advocates beating Water Tribe people to keep them in line. Toph wants to know why they can't just find the author and beat them up.

The Ember Island Players start producing shows adapting the novels. They make things a little more fun and breezy, and also add increasingly more 'gadgets' for Azula to use that show off the company's special effects. The lead actor, a former competitor in Firebending demonstration contests (different from fighting tournaments), becomes an international superstar and household name despite putting less and less effort into her performances.

Azula, relatively isolated in her compound where she's plotting her next terrorist action, is eventually given one of the books.

She is very confused and sure this can't be legal.

#azula #princess azula

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vro0m · 2 years

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Here’s an overlook of the whole appeal situation

Alright. So that's probably not what you wanna hear right now as we're all angry and disappointed about the situation but anyway. Here's how it goes :

About the statement :

First of all, you can see that they are standing with Lewis in the fact that they begin with "We left Abu Dhabi in disbelief of what we had just witnessed. Of course, it’s part of the game to lose a race, but it's something different when you lose faith in racing."

This is actually rather strongly worded for a PR statement. They do say they think it wasn't right. They do say that it's not about Max or RBR but the safety car use. They do not condone what was done. They do not back out of holding the FIA and Masi accountable for what they did, even though they don’t name them per se (”[...] the way thing unfolded wasn’t right.”)

Then they confirm what I thought about the FIA analysis thing :

Of course they're probably trying to temper down the issue with Mercedes. It seems unlikely to me that there hasn't been some kind of negociation happening behind the scenes these past few days. Maybe it's even a demand from them but I'm speculating.

The statement says : "... We have since been in a constructive dialogue with the FIA and Formula 1 to create clarity for the future, so that all competitors know the rules under which they are racing, and how they will be enforced. Thus, we welcome the decision by the FIA to install a commission to thoroughly analyse what happened in Abu Dhabi and to improve the robustness of rules, governance and decision making in Formula 1. We also welcome that they have invited the teams and drivers to take part."

Of course the whole question then is : Who exactly is gonna sit in that commission? Who will have decision-making power? How neutral, how independant is it gonna be? My guess : not very. Mercedes states that they will actively work with the commission. That is also not going in the direction of making the commission an independant review.

The statement cannot be more strongly-worded than that. That’s just good PR management. You cannot realistically expect them to unleash fury and insult everyone or get more oppositional. That would lead absolutely nowhere in the grand scheme of things. They just cannot burn bridges like that because they are a ultimately a business.

What about Lewis?

This is probably the best possible outcome for Lewis. Hear me out. Once the last lap of the race happened, there was no coming back from it. Again, I'm gonna cite myself (sorry about that but why rewrite what I've already written?)

Both people congratulating Lewis for his dignity and people who say if they were him they would be publicly raging all over the place seem to forget that Lewis doesn't have the luxury to do anything else than what he is doing which is nothing.

He can't yell. Can't make accusations against the FIA. Can't criticize anyone. Can't make statements. Can't give his opinion. Can't show any emotions.

You know damn well what would happen if he did. It would be weaponized against him. And yes, yes, mostly because he is Black.

And maybe he's okay with not talking right now I'm not saying I know how he feels. But what I'm saying is even if he wanted to talk and yell and unleash chaos he fucking couldn't.

And maybe that's also why the whole appeal thing is more complicated than it seems.

And then earlier today, I said :

Some of you pushing for Mercedes to go forward with the appeal without nuance are honestly fooling yourselves. I hope they are smart enough to find a way to hold the FIA accountable but ultimately it might be worse for Lewis if they contest the championship title. Or if they appeal at all tbh.

I feel like it's a lose-lose situation for him on a personal level. I hope it's an aspect that's also taken into account by the team re: the appeal.

If they had appealed, there would have been unimaginable backlash especially against Lewis. If they had appealed and somehow stripped Max of his title (which I don't think would have been a solution or would have happened to begin with), can you imagine the abuse? If they had appealed, it would have made everything worse for Lewis in the long term. I mean. Have you heard the booing this year? Can you imagine what it would have been like had they gone through with the appeal?

They did what they could do.

I hope they find a way to hold the FIA accountable but ultimately it might be worse for Lewis if they contest the championship title

The whole "analysis commission" thing is them holding the FIA accountable. The whole not going through with the appeal is them protecting Lewis the best they can. (It's also them protecting their assets though don't get me wrong, because as I hinted about before...)

...About Mercedes :

Mercedes is not your friend. Mercedes is not a social justice advocate. It's a brand. I don't expect anything from a brand. As I said when the "detailed analysis and clarification exercise" thing came out :

I don't think they are scared though. Also you have to understand that mercedes is also in it for the money and probably trying to strike a deal rather than go to court.

And whether or not Toto personally is standing with Lewis he can't make this decision on his own or he might not even be able to have much of a say in it at all so yeah. Because it's important to remember that these are brands before they are sport teams or whatever. It's all about the money.

I don't expect much.

As in I don't expect a brand to go to court over principles and sporting ethics.

Mercedes is not gonna throw money out the window to go to court. Mercedes is a company trying to make money and Formula 1 is very costly. And I’m talking about the BIG Mercedes, not the Team, not the mechanics, not the inviduals. They are not independant of the big ass company that’s funding them. In the end, it’s unfortunately all business.

In conclusion :

This is not a simple no-nuance issue. We’re all emotional about this because we support Lewis and we love the sport but it’s much more complicated than “just appeal, drag them to court, they deserve it”.

It’s much more complicated than right or wrong. It’s much more complicated than Max VS. Lewis. It’s much more complicated that RBR VS. Mercedes. It’s much more complicated than Mercedes VS. the FIA or Lewis VS. the FIA.

It’s a multifactorial thing that cannot be (easily or even at all) solved. Mercedes knows that. The team knows that. The mechanics know that. The FIA knows that. Toto knows that. Lewis knows that. The appeal wouldn’t have done much good in the end.

What would have come out of it ? Think about it. Even if it hadn’t changed anything to the validity of the race or the result or the WDC. Even if it was “just” about Masi and/or the FIA (which it couldn’t have been btw, it will always be bigger than just that which is the whole issue), the backlash to the appeal would have been the same. What good could it have done ? Seriously think about it.

And don’t get me wrong that makes me angry. The fact is this situation shouldn’t have been brought to exist in the first place. It was wrong. What they did with the safety car was wrong. What is frustrating is, no one can do anything about it anymore. As soon as they changed the rules, I repeat, there was no going back. The only thing that can be done now is going forward, while not letting it go forgotten. That’s the point of the analysis commission thing, I guess.

This whole situation is disappointing for sure but there was no good solution.

Hopefully things will be different in 2022.

#f1 #lewis hamilton #2021 #2021 abu dhabi gp

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bxllafanficc · 3 years

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¡Skate/sing your hearts out! (Yuri Plisetsky x reader)

(Part two)

Part two. Part one Part three Part four part five

Summary: After last year's cancellation of Figure Skating Grand Prix, Yuri Plisetsky finds himself unable to bring out his inner skater after a year of doing nothing but enjoy life like a regular teenager. That's when you enter the picture; We Are Voice Grand Awards's currently hottest competitive vocalist come first place two years in a row. Just like the other competitors of Grand Prix, it turns out that Victor and Yuuri faces the same issue. With an arrangement between Victor and Yakov, they agree to travel to Japan and hire you as a mutual coach for Yuri and Yuuri to help bring back the emotion into their performances like before, maybe even more intense than ever. Yuri however, who's never experienced issues with his coaches before, for some reason finds this one particularly difficult to coexist along with in their (reasonably) odd partnership. Warnings: none

*Your POV*

There. All set and done. You took a last look at the pair of eyes staring back at you in the full body mirror. Your hair all dried up with a blowdrier and a pair of white jeans along with your favorite leather jacket. A grey turtleneck on that and that was the outfit for today. Keeping it classy since Victor failed to cancel the meeting with the press a couple of hours from now. 'A big hoodie would've been the ideal alternative though' you thought and sighed. Nowadays it's all about keeping it as simple yet kind of professional for every day. Social media were all star struck about the world's latest announcement. 'Winner of this year's Grand Prix senior division goes on a tour with none other than the (y/n) (l/n)!' The newspapers were first out as usual thanks to the reporters crowding her personal space since two weeks from now since the news came out. A collaboration between a figure skating competition and a competition for vocalists. You never saw that coming but you could see the appeal. The currently hottest male skater along with a popular female singer, fighting for the spotlight even though they're sharing it evenly. Him with his skills and she with her voice. You agreed to participating when asked, of course. It was a great opportunity and experience. And currently you sought out every great possibility at the market right now. That's what lead you here.

You made your way out the room you were staying in and headed towards the dining area in deep thoughts. 'So that's Yuri Plisetsky up close?' You thought as you passed the living room. You entered the dining area and stood still at the entrance to take in the scene before you. Yuri Plisetsky is sitting at the dining table with his back facing you. Beside him with his side profile turned at your direction is coach Yakov who's chatting with Victor and Yuuri opposite of the table. Yuri is not talking. He's busy eating a dish called the pork cutlet bowl, you assumed. You had never tried one before but the dish was all too familiar thanks to the last Grand Prix competition on Yuuri Katsuki's behalf. You eyed Yuri carefully and entered the room. He's a little shorter than what was given away on television but other than that, very much the boy you'd seen competing time to time. His skating was without doubt impressive to say the least. His jumps were always perfect as expected and his upper body movements in beat to the music. Though, you always deemed something missing in his already amazing performances. Expression. The year he won gold at the senior division, you saw some great scenes of emotion displayed in his skating but it was clear that he never let them consume him. It always looked as if there was something on his mind and that held him back, even made him stop and hesitate sometimes.

"Whoo! (Y/n) is back! Yuri! Meet your coach in musical expressional performance."

The boy's attention was suddenly entirely on you now, in comparison for being totally relaxed and unfocused. He tensed up and the pair of breathtakingly blue and green eyes widened at her for the second time today. 'Hope this is not becoming a regular habit of his' whenever he sees me. It's starting to get a little embarrassing.'

"You! What even- What are you doing here?! A-aren't you like 19 years old or something? That's just two years away from me! That's.. You're far too young to be my coach!" The startled reaction of his kind of made you wonder what was up. He did meet you just about- ah. Your face mask and your covered hair clearly disguised you well enough for the boy not to recognize you. Though he clearly knew you.

"Great, so you're familiar with me. Then I don't need a further introduction." You flashed him a smile.

"Who isn't familiar with the star of We Are Voice and winner of gold two years in a row? At this point, you're basically stealing the spotlight I fought so hard to gain at my senior division debut." The words came out in a mutter and the negative impact of the comment made you raise an eyebrow at the boy on the floor in front of you. He still hadn't stood up to greet you which would be the appropriate thing to do first time meeting your coach. Then you pouted and leaned your now crossed arms against the wall to your right.

"Though, I am a little disappointed you didn't recognize me by voice. I mean, if I am as famous as you speak of, you surely would've known right away." That just earned a scoff from him.

"There are thousands of girls who sound similar to you. Yes, even with that (nationality) accent. Your voice isn't that special." The other men in the room widened their eyes. Ouch. And he's just as grumpy and homeboy teenage-crisis as he was portrayed in television and social media as well. You had thought it was only mere acting in an attempt to shun people away and making the attraction towards him less appealing.

"I see... Well that's one way putting it."

It certainly worked on you, you had thought for several years now but turns out he's just a jerk. Yakov moved to get in Yuri's face and scold him.

"Where is your manners? Quit playing a brat all of a sudden."

"What? Am I not allowed to speak my mind now when you have to suck up to miss universe over here all of a sudden?"

You raised a silent hand for the arguing pair to let their words die down and then you locked gaze with the insolent boy. Your eyes were blank but rock hard and you could swear that you saw a faint gulp forming in his throat.

"Get on your feet and get over here. Turn sideways." At least I didn't have to ask twice. But I didn't really ask him either. He rose to his feet and took some hesitant steps towards me. It was clear that he didn't trust me. 'Something to work on' I hummed to myself. His posture was stiff and crooked but after another word from Yakov, he straighten his back for me to see him properly. He pulled the hood of his hoodie off and mirrored my blank hard stare. I began to circle him, getting a fair look on what I would be working with for a set of weeks. His eyes didn't dare follow mine as I stepped beside him, knowing that I was out for him to break character. A stale being is much harder getting to know than a forward and open one.

Then, when you were behind his back, you reached out with your hand to his back and - shoved him casually forwards. A yelp of surprise echoed through the room as he stumbled and fell towards Victor who caught him right before hitting the floor face first. You and Yakov locked gaze and gave each other a slight nod before you once again turned to the upset boy.

"What the hell was that? You pushed me for what? Are you that sensitive for a little negativity for once?"

"Your balance is off." You simply said with the same blank expression and a headshake. He seemed dumbfounded of the answer and got off Victor with quick feet. He was close to you this time and the daggers you received was intended to leave wounds after he was done.

"Because you pushed me."

"Exactly."

"I wasn't prepared!"

"Exactly."

"We have some work to do, Yuri. Your break has been too long, it seems. She was only picking up on where you left off, in a way." Yakov spoke up between the one-sided staring contest. The boy turned towards the man which included his back facing my front once again. But this time, he was careful on taking a few steps forward to avoid history repeating itself.

"She's not you. She shouldn't do your job. It's none of her business anyway."

"It actually is if you think harder on it. There's no point in me working on your emotional performance if your practical performance is flawed. A skater who can't manage a simple shove will not get up on his or hers feet at the competition as well." You expected some kind of backlash from Yuri, at least a glare or something. But you were met with nothing to your surprise. He didn't speak up either.

"It's settled. You and I will rehearse you back into your former shape before your time with (y/n) begins, starting tomorrow. Meanwhile, also take some time to get to know each other, you two. You seem to need it." Yakov declared the schedule and choose to pinpoint the obvious tension between you and Yuri. You somewhat agreed on spending time besides training. Though, you would rather not take a verbal beating more than once a day further on.

Yuri still didn't speak up but he didn't object either.

"(Y/n), there's food left for you too! Please join us for dinner." Yuuri Katsuki exclaimed and waved an energetic hand towards the bowls and plates on the table. In front of you, you saw the back muscles of the Russian skater's form tense at the words.

You had to decline though. If not for the meeting, then for the sake of giving Yuri some space. It must be hard, after all. Whatever's he's going through right now.

"I would love to! But I have to excuse myself this time. After all, I have a meeting to attend and if I don't get going, I'll soon be running late. See ya folks later!"

And with that, you dashed off.

#yuri on ice #yuri katsuki #yuriart #yuri plisetsky x reader #yuri plisetsky #yurianime #anime fanfic #fanfiction #yuri on ice fandom #yuri on ice fanfiction

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azeemmohammedglasgow1 · 4 years

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Azeem Mohammed glasgow Simple Lead Generation Strategies You Can't Go On Without

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#Azeem Mohammed glasgow

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seospicybin · 8 months

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TOO HOT TO HANDLE.

PART II

Lee Know x reader. (s)

Too Hot To Handle Masterlist

Synopsis: You and Lee Know become contestants in a reality dating show, Too Hot To Handle. (11,1k words)

Author's note: Happy reading and feel free to vent in my inbox after :)

Content warning: This is entirely a work of fiction and not affiliated with real Too Hot To Handle show.

MINHO: I'm a dancer. I sometimes model too. I have some moves [shows off dances] but I don't need any to get it on with someone. My face does all the work [smirks] I was born with it. Why? Are you jealous? [Lopsided grins]

Minho feels like hurling his pillow across the room when he hears that melodic chime.

"Good morning, everyone!"

He forces himself to wake up and sits on the bed, covering half of his face with the duvet. He doesn't want to look see you and gets reminded that you chose to sleep with someone else but it's hard when you're right there in front of him.

MINHO: If I didn't like her, I wouldn't be this upset.

"No one broke the rules last night, right?" Bryan asks, worrying so much about the money that he forgets about the lady sitting next to him.

Zara slumps down the bed and picks on her nails, she surely won't be answering him because nothing happened between them.

"I heard you guys," Agnes turns her head in your direction.

"Heard what?" You ask with an innocent smile.

Agnes flashes you a sly smile, "something was going on last night," she wildly guesses.

You scoff and break into a dry laugh, turning to Jack to make him answer it for you.

He clears his throat before calmly answering, "Nah, nothing happens."

Jack moves like a snake. It's only yesterday that he sneakily kissed two girls in one night, not afraid of going against two guys at once. One thing he learned is that a calm face of Jack could be a lie.

He can't listen to what Lana is saying when he's focused on seeing you playing with Jack's hair. He takes it that you're trying to make him jealous.

Well, if that's a game you want to play with him, just know that you're playing a tricky one.

MINHO: It would be a lie to say that I wouldn't be upset if she did break another rule with Jack. Am I going to tell her that? No.

Minho spends the morning doing his upper body workout with Jai. There's no gym equipment that he usually uses for his routine but he'll manage with some dumbbells.

"Who would have thought, huh?"

Was Minho too busy controlling his breathing to hear him talking or Jai just asked him something without giving him the context?

He drops the dumbbell and glances his way, "What were you saying?"

Jai also stops doing squats while holding a dumbbell between his legs, "Who would have thought that Jack is going to be our competitor?" He says as he's catching his breath.

Minho feels repulsed even at the mention of his name. He's not interested in giving an opinion on Jack but he only realized now that he's working out with another guy who went through the same thing with him.

"He's so slick," Jai says, then carefully puts down his dumbbell back in its place.

"Fucking dude got game," he adds.

That's what pissed him off too. He didn't expect that guy would ever dare to touch his ego but he did, Minho just won't admit it.

Minho picks a heavier dumbbell from the rack, "How are things with Agnes?"

Jai wipes the sweat on his forehead with the back of his hand, "I appreciated it that she was being honest to me about her feelings afterward but I—"

He catches his breath to continue talking, "I need to play it safe for now."

Minho nods and sits on the concrete to cool down with the help of the cool morning air blowing from the sea. Jai is following suit and takes off his top as his body is wet with sweat.

"What about last night though?" Jai asks back, leaning back with his hands propped behind him.

"It was tense, mate. Everyone was on the edge," he lightly chuckles while looking out at the beach.

To be honest, he shouldn't be asking this to him because it's you who chooses to sleep with someone else so Minho nonchalantly shrugs.

Jai scratches his chin, "Have you tried having another conversation with her?"

Minho shakes his head, "I need time," he concisely explains.

"You're not sure about her or... you're not sure about your feelings for her?"

That is such a profound question that Minho is frazzled, he doesn't know how to answer that. It's too early to say he has feelings but he does feel something.

"I miss her," Minho innocently admits.

He shakes the front of his sleeveless top to let the air in, "but the way she acts... I'm not okay with that."

Jai briefly looks at him and nods, "That's fair."

MINHO: I need time and see things through [shrugs]

Drops of water are dripping down his body as Minho walks back to the house after having a quick dip at the beach to wash the sweat from working out.

He doesn't expect to see you sitting by the pool with Jack swimming not far away from you, chatting.

"....the blue?" You ask.

"The color matches the sky," Jack says.

Minho believes he's complimenting the bikini you're wearing today, one piece with sky blue color and thin straps crisscrossing on the back.

"You too. You look good today," you compliment back.

"Oh, thank you," Jack answers, flashing a quick look at Minho as he walks past behind you.

His dislike grows more intense with the way Jack is toying with his ego and he hates it even more because you choose to be on his side.

Minho wishes that everyone just leave him alone but that is impossible because he's not the boss in this house. He puts on anything he packed with him, a black shirt and blue jeans.

The night hasn't started but it's worse already. When he walks into the bedroom, he sees you again with Jack on the bed, just talking with Agnes, Jai, and Luca from their beds.

Minho is about to turn on his feet and walk out until the cone in the middle of the room lights up and dings.

"Hello, everyone!"

"Yes, Lana!" Agnes lazily replies to her, dropping her head on Jai's shoulder.

"Please assemble in the cabana!"

Minho wastes no time but be the first to head there, telling Zara and Bryan whom he met on the way. It's certainly that time of the day when Lana is going to announce rule breaks.

Everyone takes a seat at the long sofa and Minho sits at the farthest end, away from you.

"Jack, did you dare some girls to kiss you today?" Luca jokes.

Jack only grins in response and Minho wishes he didn't care but God, his blood is boiling.

MINHO: If they did break a rule, then... there's nothing I can do anymore to save it.

Here comes the melodic chimes and Alia gasps next to him.

"I have some news," Lana announces.

Bryan takes a deep breath, then says, "Let's hear it!"

"Last night, there was an incident of sexual contact," Lana shares.

His eyes dart in your direction because the first thing that crosses his mind is that you did break a rule with Jack.

"Oh... who is it?" Alia quietly asks.

Everyone starts to assume that it's you as well since Agnes pointed it out this morning.

"We didn't rule break," you assure everyone.

Jack doesn't say anything but points at Lana, "You guys won't trust me anyway so I'll just let Lana speak," he coyly says.

Minho didn't do anything therefore he shouldn't be this anxious. However, Lana has been quiet for a moment, probably giving everyone a chance to confess anything.

He sees you taking a long, deep breath when Lana calls your name then Jack.

A part of him wishes he can get this thing over with so he can move on but another part of him wishes that it's not true. The latter part is bigger than the other, to be honest.

"They did..."

Minho silently holds his breath, nervous for what's to come. Starting over with someone new is not a bad thing but

"... not break any rules last night," Lana finally continues.

It's like he can finally breathe properly again and he glances your way, seeing you giving everyone the I-told-you-so smile.

MINHO: They didn't lose any money so yeah... [smiles] that's good.

"However," Lana suddenly adds.

"There was another incident that violated the rules."

Minho is still caught up on the previous announcement that he's unaware that someone else has broken the rules instead, not you.

"These things always come out so better fess up," Alia says, craning her neck to look around and scan for any guilty faces.

Minho catches Jai is quietly grinning and the last time he grinned, thousands of dollars lost from the prize fund.

"You're grinning," Minho points out.

"Jai..." Bryan calls him like a father who catches his children doing something bad.

"No, I'm good," Jai says with a crisp laugh and he may have covered his lie well.

Meanwhile, Agnes is uneasily rubbing her neck and sheepishly smiling at her lap.

"Agnes, you have something to say?" Zara asks.

Agnes can only keep her face straight for a second before it crumbles down, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry," she repeatedly apologizes.

Jai quickly does damage control, "It happened not long ago. In the shower. We got a bit carried," he butchered the sentences.

"Just tell us what you did!" Bryan impatiently says.

"I gave him a handy," Agnes shyly answers.

Minho can hear Alia groan next to him and everyone else mutters so many things at once but shows the same sheer disgust.

"This rule break has resulted in $8,000 being deducted from the prize fund."

What they did is selfish but Minho understands that Jai got that urge, he even shared with him earlier that his balls hurt so much that he needs a release.

An intrusive thought pops in his head and Minho's urge is to speak his intrusive thoughts out.

He looks at Jai and asks, "Did you finish though?"

"We were showering together and I just sort of touched it, then I realized that we shouldn't do it," Agnes answers for him.

"We lost money and you still have blue balls," Luca lays out the facts for everyone.

MINHO: That's the most expensive hand job I've ever heard and he didn't even climax [sniggers]

"The prize fund now stands at $150,000," Lana updates.

Bryan's eyes almost popped out of their sockets when he heard it. He rubs his chin and inhales air through his nostrils.

"We spent $50,000 in three days," he says.

It's scarier when he says it with a blank expression, it's his big posture that adds suspense to his words. Minho is smart enough to know to never pick a fight with him.

"There has been a total of eight rule breaks. Jai and Agnes have been responsible for half of these breaches," Lana continues.

"Wow!" Zara exclaims on behalf of everyone.

"Jai and Agnes," Lana calls.

Their faces turn tense at the mention of their names.

"To show me you are committed to the process. I am putting you both to the ultimate test."

Agnes covers her eyes as if that would help her to escape reality, "Oh my God!" She mutters, so full of worries.

"In order to pass, you need to demonstrate self-control and show you can form a real connection without breaking my rules."

"Oh, no!" Jack groans as he reclines on the sofa.

"Therefore, you will spend the night alone in the private suite."

Opposite to Agnes's distressed expression, Jai just can't stop grinning, it seems like he's going to enjoy having a room just for themselves.

"There's no way!" Bryan is so quick to judge that they will fail the test.

MINHO: Well, I'm with Bryan on this one.

"If you refrain from breaking the rules, I'll put $20,000 back in the prize fund," Lana adds as a form of encouragement for them to not break any rules.

Everyone is cheering but Minho still doubts that they will make it through the night without touching each other. They broke rules with everyone in the room so what makes everyone think that they will not break any rules when it's just the two of them in the room together?

"One more reason to not spend money!" Luca says.

Bryan leans forward and looks at them, "Just don't do anything. That's it!" He warns them.

Minho looks around and it seems like he's not the only one thinking that they'll spend money tonight.

"Jai and Agnes, please make your way to the private suite!" Lana orders.

"We will not do anything," Jai promises to everyone before turning around to leave, not forgetting to flash his sly grin.

MINHO: No [shakes head] I don't trust that grin.

The night is still long but with Lana sending Jai and Agnes to the private suite and probably would cost everyone more money than giving them back, everyone is too restless to enjoy the rest of the night.

Minho is enjoying the quiet and the faint sounds of the waves crashing from afar when he feels someone else sitting down next to him on the small sofa.

He turns his head to the side to see you're smiling at him.

"Hi, how are you?" You ask, shifting your body to the side to face him.

Minho smiles back at you, "good," he replies.

You put your legs up and fold them together, "I get why you're upset and I'm sorry," you say with a sincere apology.

You grab his hand resting along the headrest of the sofa and put his hand in yours, "but now you know that I don't like Jack that way. He doesn't get me excited but you do."

You lean in close but keep a safe space between your face, "You turn me on, not Jack."

Minho can't help but feel flattered to hear it. People get flirty with him all the time but he likes how you're forthright and open.

"Yeah?"

"Duh!" You answer with a dramatic eye roll.

MINHO: I'm glad she understands why I was so upset and I don't see why we can't move on from this.

Minho snickers at you and you slyly smile at him, "You don't need more time, you need to get back on the bed with me," you tell him.

Last night was weird, to be honest, Minho knows that Alia has something for him but she's not exactly sharing the bed with him by choice.

You put your leg over his leg, rubbing your heeled feet against his thigh, "Come on, don't you miss cuddling with me?" You ask with your eyes sparkling and your eyebrows downturn, a combination that works well to make him can't say no to it.

Minho nods with a suppressed smile on his face.

Your smile grows wider, "Tonight?"

He verbally answers it this time, "Yes."

The next thing he knows, you throw yourself at him and kiss his neck. You pull away to look at him and mewl, "I want to kiss you so much."

And he wants the same thing.

You probably think he doesn't care but oftentimes, he can't help himself but look at you, especially with you dressed so impeccably in a skin-tight dress that enhances every curve of your body.

"Why not?" He asks you since you didn't hesitate to kiss him the first time you broke a rule.

You make eyes to the cone perched on top of the small table, silently watching everything in the corner.

"How about we put her into a box and send her to the open sea?" Minho suggests a wild idea, sending you bursts into laughter.

MINHO: She's so hot. I just want to kiss her.

It seems like you already told Jack about the bed situation. Minho would love to evict him out of the bed himself but alas, he's already tucked in with Alia.

He throws the extra cushions to the floor and puffs each pillow to make it comfortable to sleep on. He must admit that it feels good to claim his place back.

Minho is listening to everyone chatting about random things from their respective beds when the door swings open and he sees you coming. You squeal as you jump right onto the bed next to him.

It's so cute seeing you excited for a simple thing like this, he gets the impression that you do like him more than he thinks you are.

You spread his arm out to rest your head on it and snuggle to his side, "Isn't it nice, mmh?"

Without looking at you, he replies with a hum, "mmh."

The hand resting on his chest moves to his neck, and then you slip it into his hair, gently brushing it between your fingers.

"At first, I thought this is your real hair color," your warm breath tickles his ear as you speak.

"Orange suits you well," you compliment with a sweet kiss on the cheek, then place another kiss on a different spot.

Mischievous, he turns his head to the side and offers you his lips next. You giggle and turn his head away, but he keeps turning his head at you with puckering lips.

"No more spending!" Bryan reminds everyone the second the lights are turned off.

You face the other way, probably to stop yourself from being tempted to rule break.

Minho has another idea, frankly, he has a lot of ideas but they're all against the rules. First, he puts his hand on your waist and pulls you close until your body molds against him.

He puts his hand across your chest and slowly puts his hand around your neck, turning your head to the side so he can look at your face.

He teases you by rubbing his lips on your jaw and softly places a kiss on the skin behind your ear. He presses his mouth close to your neck and stays there, drinking in your heavenly scent.

You catch up fast on his intention and lowly laugh, "We can't break another rule," you tell him.

That only makes him drag his lips back on your jaw again, there's not much you can do when he can angle your head with his hand around your neck.

You stifle a breath as his lips are hovering dangerously close to your lips, you hurriedly move your head away.

"Technically speaking, I'm only one rule break away from Lana sending us to the private suite," you explain.

He smirks with his lips against the side of your face, "even better!"

MINHO: The things I want to do to her in the private suite [smirks] I think we'd leave the retreat with a huge debt.

Lana chimes the first thing in the morning.

"Good morning, everyone!" She greets.

Minho refuses to wake up and pulls the duvet to cover his face. The day has barely started but he feels tired already, he believes it's because his mental has been perpetually put in tests in this retreat.

"The breakfast menu today includes toast and freshly squeezed juice."

You delightfully hum in response, "Sounds yum!"

"Served with a side of celibacy. Enjoy!" Lana adds a snide remark at the end.

"She got a bit of lip on her today, eh?" Jack says.

Which reminds Minho to look to the side and see you. He can't lie but he likes waking up next to you again. You hold his face as you place a soft peck on his cheek before lifting yourself to sit with your back against the headboard of the bed.

Minho scoots to you and puts his head on your lap, letting you play with his tousled hair.

"Who else thinks that Jai and Agnes messed up?" Luca asks while roughly brushing his hair to the back with his fingers.

Minho looks around to see Maisie is the first to raise her hand next to Luca, then Zara and Bryan. He looks straight ahead and sees that Jack also votes the same but you, you're just sitting on the bed with a blank expression on and your hand brushing his hair.

"Ugh, sorry, no faith," Alia comments with a sneering smile.

MINHO: I just hope that when they come back, I don't see Jai grinning from ear to ear.

In contrast to having no faith in them, everyone is cheering once they see Jai and Agnes entering the bedroom.

"They seem to be happy," you mutter.

Minho agrees because when he looks at the most spending couple in the retreat so far, he notices the slightly wicked grin plastered on Jai's face.

MINHO: Oh no, I see the grin.

"Do we get the $20,000 back? Yes or no?" Bryan wastes no time to ask the most important question.

They both sit at the end of their bed and all the eyes are directed toward them.

Instead of answering, Agnes boasts about the private suite.

"Incredible! There were flowers, champagne, a massive bed, condoms, and stuff. We took a bath—"

Bryan slightly shakes his head and presses his lips together into a thin smile.

"We don't care," Luca cuts through their small talk and tries again, "We want to know if we get the $20,000 back!"

Minho watches as Jai and Agnes exchange a look between them, probably deciding which one of them should break the news. It's too early to worry about money but he can't help but get as nervous as everyone else.

Agnes stifles a breath and apologizes, "I'm so sorry, you guys."

Then a smile blooms on her face, "but we won the 20 grand back! Yay!"

Maisie and Zara start bouncing on their beds but Luca once again decides to be the one to slice through everyone's happiness.

"I won't believe a thing until Lana confirms it," Luca states.

Everyone is back in panic mode and waits until the cone lights up, signifying her appearance.

"Jai and Agnes," Lana begins.

"Last night, you were able to spend time away from the group to get to know each other on a deeper level."

Everyone gives them a round of applause thinking that that's just it.

"However," Lana continues.

MINHO: I started to hate that word. However [mimics Lana]

Minho closes his eyes to brace himself for the worst outcomes.

"You still broke the rules last night," Lana announces.

The atmosphere turns dark despite the sunny weather outside can be seen outside the windows.

"What did you do, Agnes, babe?" You ask, your voice goes higher at the end of the sentence.

She aggressively shakes her head, "I swear to God we didn't do anything!"

Jai nods, "Nah, we didn't even kiss," he defends Agnes's remarks.

Minho's eyes are swinging side to side to see who's lying.

MINHO: But Lana can't be lying, right?

"There were incidents of excessive grinding and self-touching," Lana pulls out the receipts right away.

Agnes lets herself collapse onto the bed and repeatedly chants, "Nah, nah, nah, nah..."

You stop playing with Minho's hair and turn to look at Agnes, "You didn't plan on riding anything so why did you rev up your engine?"

Minho can't tell if you're upset or amused hearing your question but it looks hot to him nonetheless.

"These breaches have resulted in a deduction of $10,000."

Instead of getting some money back, Jai and Agnes cost everyone more money. Everyone was right to not trust them.

Agnes hugs Jai from the back and whines, "So sorry, you guys."

The grin on Jai's face has been replaced with tensed jaws and a big sigh coming out of his parted mouth.

"We woke up happy and we didn't think that we would have lost more money, so truly sorry," Jai emphasizes every word to show how sincere he is with what he's saying.

Since everyone has expected this though, they can't say anything else but try to move on with the day.

MINHO: The day has only just begun but we already lost ten grand.

It's not getting any easier for Minho.

He finds it getting harder to resist and not when he sees you walking around, looking hot and slyly smiling at him. Sometimes the temptation comes when he least expected it, he steps into the bathroom and finds you bending down against the sink as you fix your make-up.

The black bikini you're wearing today doesn't help either, it's so tiny, covering just the important bits. It's so obvious that you notice him right away.

"You can see as much as you want but you can't touch, sir," you tell him while you move on to the other eye and carefully wipe the excess makeup with a Q-tip.

There's nothing that can stop him from ogling over you. If anything, he so badly wanted to feel those beautiful curves of your ass with his own hands.

He refrained though, but decides to use the towel he's holding and slaps your ass with it.

"Harder," you tell him.

Laughing, he slaps you harder with the towel.

"Harder, come on, don't be shy!" You dare him, also laughing along with him.

MINHO: It's getting hard, not only figuratively but like... literally.

Lana gathers everyone in the cabana when it's usually time to get ready for the night.

She's not wasting time on greeting everyone first, "To further aid your further growth, you must learn to resist your urges."

"I don't like this," you immediately remark even though Lana hasn't announced anything yet.

"So, I am putting some of you to the test."

You glance at Minho and pout, resting your head on his shoulder after.

"I have arranged two dates," Lana announces.

A few coo in wonder and also, feel a little suspicious that Lana suddenly sending people on dates.

MINHO: [Shrugs] There's always a catch.

"Both with new arrivals."

Minho grins because he's right, there's always a catch. He catches you notice him and scrunches your nose.

"The first new arrival is... Esme!"

He can't know the look of someone just from her name but it's exciting for everyone because there hasn't been a new face for a while now.

"I have allowed the new arrivals to select who they want to ask out on their date."

Minho can feel that you're getting tense next to him. It's easy to tell that you're afraid this new girl is going to choose him. Even Minho himself is not that confident, so what should you worry about?

"Esme has chosen... Jai."

Minho darts his eyes at Jai and there's the grin again, "Are you happy?"

His question puts Jai in a predicament but that's why Minho enjoys it.

Jai scratches the back of his head and coyly answers, "It is what it is."

Just as expected, Minho knows that Jai would be more than happy for the chance to get on a date with another girl. He's off to a bad start already with Agnes frowning next to him.

MINHO: They failed the ultimate test and now they're being tested again by the new girl. Lana, you're evil but I like you.

"And date number two will be with Noah," Lana continues.

The gasp you let out is unmissable, he can hear the slight excitement in it. He doesn't want to be affected by it but the thought that you may get picked to get on a date quite irritates him.

"He is also allowed to choose his partner for the date."

Minho chooses not to care whether you get picked or not. He's going to be cool about either way.

"He has chosen..."

You sit up straighter and lean forward as if that would help you hear better.

"Zara."

MINHO: Oh okay, that was thrilling.

"Jai and Zara, you may now leave for your dates."

Everyone is weakly cheering and you gently slap at Zara's butt as she walks past you.

"Be good," you mutter to her.

You let out a sigh as you rest your head on his shoulder, "Look at Bryan," you whisper.

Minho can see the panic on his face, gritting his teeth with his jaws clenched like that. He lowly chuckles, "It's going to be hard for him."

You shake your head, "No, it's going to be hard for Zara to not break the rules."

MINHO: Let the game begin!

"I didn't think you'd genuinely be this jealous," you say to Bryan who's sitting on the other sofa.

Minho has been watching him fidgeting in his seat and it's making him nervous too.

"I genuinely am," Bryan shortly replies.

"Now, it feels real, huh?" Minho says, pouring salt over his wound instead of trying to soothe it.

"I care about her," Bryan fussing like a toddler.

"Then you should have shown her that," you excuse yourself to get more drinks after.

Maybe you feel the need to tell him that because you're close to Zara and maybe she's telling you things about their relationship.

It's not his place to say anything about their relationship, but everyone can see the problem here, Bryan hasn't been treating his girl well, he puts her second after the money.

"But she's right though," Minho adds his opinion.

Bryan clicks his tongue and then scoffs, "I'm trying not to be selfish here," he defends himself.

He sips his drink before continuing to talk, "I know."

He gets quiet for a while and thinks of something to say to lighten up the mood, "I think my girl cuddles your girl more than you," he jokingly says.

Bryan is cackling in his seat, "Oh, I think my girl cuddles your girl more than you," he says back to him.

Minho feels a little offended by that.

MINHO: I'm not big on showing affection. It's just... I don't know, weird?

Jai and Zara are finally back from their dates and that's good because if they had taken another hour, Minho would have fallen asleep on the lounger.

Jai brings the new girl to introduce her around to the girls. He refills his drink to refresh him and walks out to join everyone.

Minho is the last to be introduced to the new girl, Esme, she's beautiful, with long dark hair and plush lips.

"What's your name?" She asks, holding his hand in hers.

"Minho," he replies.

"I'm Esme," she introduces, not letting his hand go yet.

She stares at him long enough that he feels the need to snap her out of it, "Nice to know you," he says.

"Yeah, very nice," she says with a flirty smile.

MINHO: Lana knows how to stir things up, huh?

Esme gets swept away by the other boys, they're all sexually frustrated and more than excited to get to know the new girl.

Minho can't say the same with the other one.

Noah is tall and blonde which are two things he doesn't have. He's not saying his jealous and not sure if that's your type as well. Even if he is, Minho doesn't feel intimidated at all.

From what he sees though, he doesn't need to worry your head is turned at this British guy. You're sitting next to Zara and chatting with drinks in your hands.

Minho takes a seat in the space next to you, taking your glass to have a sip.

"What do you think of the new girl, Minho?" Zara suddenly asks him.

He swallows his drink first before answering, "She's good-looking, has beautiful eyes, and yeah, beautiful."

Zara nods and asks again, "Is she your type?"

"She looks a lot like my ex-girlfriend actually," Minho adds.

Zara snorts with her mouth deep in the glass.

"Oh, yeah, I wish my ex looked like her too," you add with a fed-up tone and take your drink back from him.

MINHO: I don't see what's wrong. I was just being honest.

The new arrivals sleep together on the newly installed bed in the bedroom and no one changes their bed partner so that's a good thing.

Minho can't wait to end the day as well, feeling tired from doing nothing but worrying about money that is not his or not yet his.

You comfortably tucked under the cover, taking a sip of water before lying down next to him. Sighing once your head hits the pillow.

Minho doesn't get to talk to you much the entire night and he kind of wishes to play a little with you.

You turn over, laying on your stomach with your head facing the other way. The silk camisole you're wearing looks good on you, he can't stop himself from feeling the fabric and touching your exposed skin while at it.

You turn your head at him and mumble, "I'm tired."

"Stay up with me a little longer," he says, pulling at the strap of your camisole and snapping it against your skin.

You kiss his cheek and say, "Goodnight."

"Goodnight," he says back but you already turn your head away from him.

Why does it feel like he's done something wrong and it's your way of telling him to figure this out himself?

MINHO: I think with the new arrivals there's this change of dynamic and everyone is not ready for that.

Minho chooses to cool down with a quick dip in the swimming pool after working out today.

He has no swimming skill to show off whatsoever, he takes a few dives and lifts himself out of the water.

"Hey," Esme says, looking up at him with a smile.

He points at his towel, "You're sitting on my towel," he points out.

"Oh?" She gets up to pull it out under her and hands it to him.

"I hope you don't mind I'm keeping it warm for you."

Minho smiles at her and unfolds the towel to dry his body then his hair next.

"You have a nice body," Esme compliments.

"Thanks. You too," Minho compliments back out of courtesy but she seems to take that as some sort of his way to flirt with her.

"Do I?"

Well, Minho can't take back a compliment without hurting her feelings so he nods.

"Oh, wow, thank you!" She giggles in response.

Minho is about to leave when she asks him, "I heard you're a dancer. Is that right?"

He feels bad to always have to look down at her so he sits down, "I am."

"I am a dancer too," she says with eyes widening.

"Yeah?" Minho half-heartedly asks.

"I do ballroom dances," she further shares.

Living in the retreat and being locked out from the rest of the world reminds Minho of the things he's interested in besides dating.

Talking about something that he's so passionate about helps him to relive that excitement that he's not aware of how long he sits there talking with Esme.

"So... are your options still open or are you settled with your current partner?" Esme asks.

Of course, the talk will eventually lead to this and Minho is lucky because the talk has to be paused as all the girls get called for the workshop.

MINHO: Esme is great. She's nice and beautiful. I can't complain.

Something strange is happening.

Minho never felt this thing before because you're always there when he looks around. And now, not seeing you for most of the day feels doesn't right to him. You can't possibly out of the villa, you're just in a different part of this big place so there's no need for him to be this dramatic.

Jai catches Minho scoffing at himself, "What's that?"

"Nothing," Minho replies, shaking his head.

He decides to open a conversation with him to not let things get awkward, "How are things with Agnes?"

Jai scratches his nose before speaking, "She was mad jealous when I went on the date."

He wipes his wet hair to the back, "I usually jump ship whenever a new girl appears but I feel like I'm stuck with her," he explains.

"Stuck in a bad way or...?" Minho asks for a detailed answer.

Jai laughs and wipes the beads of water on his chest with a towel, "Like I can't like someone else but her."

Minho never feels that way with someone or maybe he hasn't found that someone, he's not that confident he'll ever find one. The sound of Agnes squealing surprises him as she jumps right onto Jai's lap, not caring that he's all wet from swimming.

Minho looks in the direction of the side gate to see if you have come back too. You walk back in behind Zara and he's sure you catch him looking at you, but instead of coming his way, you make a turn to the bedroom.

The day feels long but short at the same time.

Minho gets so confused about picking what he should wear for tonight that he raids Luca's locker to see if he can borrow something. The dressing room is packed because Lana is throwing a party to welcome the new arrivals even though it's a day late for that.

The girls are doing make-up while the boys are goofing around while trying on each other's clothes. He sees you quietly styling your hair at the far end of the vanity table.

"Oh, you're so flexible," Luca exclaims at someone.

Minho turns around to see Esme is showing everyone her grand battement.

"You do ballet too?" He asks her.

"Yeah, jazz," Esme answers as she fixes her dress.

"You're a dancer?" Bryan asks.

Esme nods as she picks up her shoes from the floor and in his peripheral vision, he sees you heading to the bathroom with your make-up bag. He follows you there, seeing you leaning in close to the mirror like you always do.

You don't say anything even though you see him walking into the bathroom and seeing him sitting on the edge of the tub, watching you putting on your contacts. The silence that hangs in the air is deafening and he needs to break it.

"Hey," he softly greets you.

You don't say anything for a moment but wash your hands under the running water.

"You still want to talk to me?" You finally talk after drying your hand with a towel.

"Didn't I just talk to you?" He says.

You turn to face him, leaning against the sink and crossing your arms together in front of you.

"I don't know maybe you prefer to talk to Esme," you tell him.

Oh, so this is all about. Minho gets it now why you've been so quiet and it's because you think something is going on between him and Esme.

"I only talked to her a little bit," Minho explains

"She's only been here for like what? A day? And you're giving her all of your attention," you tell him.

Perplexed, Minho jerks his head back and mutters, "What?"

You hold the edge of the sink and fiercely stare into his eyes, "I'm struggling to get you to make the same effort for me so yeah, I'm angry," you tell him.

One thing he learned is that overdoing things is always a disaster and Minho thinks he gives you just the right amount of attention.

"If you want to explore or keep your options open, that's fine, go ahead," you shove everything back into your pouch.

"But I can't do this," you say for the last time, then leave him in the bathroom.

MINHO: I don't know why I need to explain the reason why I talked to her when I am free to talk to anyone.

Minho isn't the only one getting confronted by his partner, Bryan got it worse with Zara putting an ultimatum on him.

"She wants me to break rule, man," Bryan grumbles and it's a funny thing to see him doing.

"It doesn't necessarily have to be something against the rules," Luca says.

Minho nods in agreement and he's surprised that Zara didn't drop him sooner. Bryan is too busy keeping everyone's hands in their pants and forgetting to treat his girl.

Bryan is so dense, refusing to admit that he's wrong for doing it because, for him, he's only doing the right thing.

"Damn! What did they do in the workshop?" Bryan loudly sighs.

It doesn't feel like a party when everyone is having mixed feelings about the night.

Once the music is blasting though, they throw their weariness away and start dancing. He sees that even you can't stop yourself from moving your body to the fast-paced song.

Just like always, Lana chimes in and abruptly stops the party from going wild.

Everyone is dragging themselves to the cabana, walking in heavy steps and mentally prepared for what she has to say.

"Unfortunately, I must inform you that..."

"Come on! Fess up!" Maisie says with an exhausted tone.

"What I'm observing is far from positive."

Zara groans then links her arm with yours, making Minho glance across the table to see you leaning on Jack's shoulder.

Everyone's eyes are aimed at Jai and Agnes, the biggest spending couple.

"I swear to you, I'm celibate," Jai convinces and with no grin on his face.

"So far, you have lost $60.000. You are taking this process for granted. It is clear I need to streamline the group."

MINHO: Lana, what have you done now? [Glares at camera]

"Two of you must leave the retreat tonight," Lana informs.

Minho automatically thinks of the things he's done wrong in the retreat and the possibility that he's one of the two is big. He looks at you and you slump down on the sofa with Jack putting his arm around you.

He wishes that he could hold you because this probably would be the last time he's able to.

"The first one to leave the retreat is... Alia."

Alia breaks into tears, looking so disappointed but she seems to have expected this. Agnes who's sitting next to her, hugs her for comfort.

MINHO: I think Alia isn't investing herself enough into the process and Lana sees that.

"The second person leaving is... Jack."

Everyone sees this one coming and that includes Jack. Minho can breathe now that he's still here and not being sent home tonight.

Jack has been treating this retreat like a playground but maybe that's because he's young, he doesn't think much about the repercussions of the things he did.

"It is now time for both of you to leave the retreat."

You kiss Jack on the cheek and hug him, Zara having no problems hugging both of you with her long arms.

Minho gets up to properly send them away with a friendly hug and a goodbye.

"I hope this is a lesson for the rest of you to take this process more seriously," Lana concludes.

MINHO: I'm very relieved to still be here. Guess I have to try a little bit harder.

Everyone wakes up still in loss of Jack and Alia, not expecting that their absence would leave the space this empty.

On the other hand, it makes Minho did a lot of thinking last night as he slept on the bed alone. He wants to do things right from now on but it's not easy to build connections, especially after you choose to sleep alone on the vacant bed.

Minho just wanted to be left alone for the day but that's impossible.

In the afternoon, Lana calls everyone to the cabana. The first thing everyone sees is the little gift boxes on the table.

"Are we getting gifts from Lana?" Maisie asks.

"It's about time we get some good news," Luca comments as he plops down the sofa next to her.

Jai squints his eyes as he stares at the box in front of him, "I don't know. Seems like a trap to me," he jokingly says.

There goes Lana's melodic chimes and everyone is collectively taking a breath to mentally prepare themselves for whatever she is going to share.

"Hello, everyone. I have a gift for each of you."

Minho hopes that whatever it is inside that box, he hopes it's something that encourages him to do good in the retreat.

MINHO: Some money would be good, Lana.

"The gift will serve as a reward to those couples who show me that they're taking the right steps towards deeper connections," Lana continues.

Couples. Minho gives up already because there's no way he can get any reward now that he doesn't have a partner in the retreat.

"They will be given the chance to take those connections further."

Jai gets impatient at the slightest mention that he can do some physical contact as a reward, "Can we open it, Lana?"

But everyone takes the gift without waiting for her answer and Minho takes his, opening it to find a smart watch inside.

"Oh, it's not a vibrator," you meekly say with a disappointed look on your face.

Minho smiles at your cute pout and quickly takes his watch out of the box to put it around his wrist, helping Bryan after as he has such a big wrist.

"When I observe two people forming a genuine connection, they will be given a green light like this..."

The watches chime and turn green at the same time. Agnes is cheering the loudest out of everyone.

"Where the rules do not apply for a limited amount of time," Lana further explains.

For a limited amount of time but at this point, Minho takes whatever he can get.

"I would like to remind you that those who do not receive a green light are not displaying enough process."

MINHO: Green light means you can fuck. No green light means you're fucked.

Minho is pessimistic that he'll get a green light.

For that to happen, he has to have a partner first. Even after he has a partner, there's no guarantee that he'll have that connection with that person.

The complications do not stop there, for a connection to form, he has to open up and share personal things with someone. He's been doing casual dating where he doesn't need to do all of that.

Lana wouldn't put that much money into a prize if it's easy to win it. Giving praises to each other wouldn't grant you a green light which is what Jai and Agnes are doing right now.

"Lana is a computer, she must have installed the latest high-tech BS detector," Minho tells them, sending them into waves of laughter.

MINHO: I have one person that I think I shared a connection with but she's... uh, I think she hates me now.

Minho watches as the couple grows and falls apart around him.

For tonight, another ship goes down as Zara switches Bryan with the new arrival, Noah.

He knows that it's only about time that Zara takes such a great measure to teach Bryan a thing or two.

However, Minho doesn't expect that he'll be collateral damage in all this.

Since Zara is sleeping with the new guy, leaving Esme bedless, and has to choose a different partner tonight.

The first option is Bryan but of course, she's not going to insert herself in the drama. The safest choice would be to share a bed with you but she senses that you're not that welcoming of her.

There's no way she's going to sleep on the sofa so Minho scoots to his usual side of the bed and lets her have the other side.

There's a big chance that you're going to think that he's happy to share a bed with Esme and that makes him stay awake the whole night thinking that you'll hate him more after tonight.

MINHO: Esme is a good bed partner but I don't think she's the one I can form a connection with.

It's not cocky.

Minho knows that he's attractive and girls like him, they get flirty with him. In conclusion, he knows when a girl is into him.

Esme has been too obvious. The first thing he saw this morning was the eyes and the smile she gave him.

Minho is sitting with half of his body soaked in the pool water when Esme jumps in and joins him.

"Hey," she sweetly greets.

Minho smiles and greets her back.

"So, how did you feel sharing a bed with me?" Her hands are floating around, making ripples on the water.

"It was nice," he answers.

She chuckles in response, "It'd be much nicer with some cuddles."

She fixes the straps of her bikini and continues talking, "How are things? Where's your head at the moment?"

Minho is a firm believer that honesty is the best policy but oftentimes, being honest leads him to hurt people rather than do them good.

At the same time, Minho shouldn't keep leading her on with false hope. He should be honest but do it gently.

"I was already with someone before you came and I know we're not on good terms right now..." he pauses as he has to filter his thoughts first before speaking them out.

"You're pretty and nice, but I owe it to her to try and see where this is going," he explains more.

Esme nods and her smile falters a little. It's not a thing that she can accept in a second. She needs time to process this.

"Yeah..." she meekly answers.

Minho takes this as a cue to give her the space, "I'll see you later?"

"Yes," she answers.

MINHO: Esme and I... I just don't see any chemistry there between us.

Lana starts the night early by throwing a party at the beach.

There's a bonfire, coolers full of bottled beers, and glasses of exotic-looking cocktails.

It helps Minho to relax after a nerve-wracking moment of rejecting a girl. It's a big deal because if he's out there, he wouldn't drop a beautiful girl like Esme like that.

Also, Minho knows best that when something good happens, he becomes suspicious that Lana will interrupt with a shocking announcement.

The only shocking this is the arrival of two new guests on a boat.

The music stops playing as the first guest walks down the stairs and jumps onto the water. A girl with long black hair and voluptuous body, and bright eyes that catches attention.

"Hi, hi," she greets everyone.

Jai looks too excited even though he's pretty much settled with Agnes, offering his hand to help her walk, "What's your name?"

"I'm Sofia," she says.

Luca elbows Minho on the side and foolishly grins, "She's hot," he quietly mutters.

Sofia proceeds to introduce herself to everyone with a quick hug and when it gets to his turn, Minho shakes her hand instead.

"Minho," he keeps his introduction short.

MINHO: The new girl is attractive. Very beautiful eyes.

The girls are cheering as the other guest jumps down the boat.

The new guy is tall and has abs that look like they were sculpted by God himself. He flashes everyone his bright, white smile and steps into the party.

"Hey, I'm Kane," he introduces, not wasting time eyeing the girls.

Minho catches that his eyes stay a second longer on you than on everyone else. He drains his bottle of beer empty and quickly grabs another.

They get comfortable as the party continues and questions get thrown around at them as the sun sinks lower into the horizon.

"So, what's your type?" Maisie asks the new guy.

"I'm getting a lot of eyes right now," he says with a sheepish smile.

Minho turns to look and you are one of the girls giving him the eyes right now, tugging a straw between your teeth and waiting in anticipation for his answer.

"I like a girl with a nice body and a beautiful smile," he says, sneaking a few glances at you as he speaks.

You turn to whisper at Agnes and he can read your lips saying, "He's cute."

He scoffs because it takes you one cute guy and barely an hour to change your mind.

MINHO: No. I don't feel intimidated at all. [Nonchalantly shrugs]

The problem with starting the night early is that it's going to be a long one.

Minho changes his clothes, styling his hair quickly and he doesn't feel like talking to anyone but Bryan drags him to accompany him talking to the new girl.

He's not sure that Bryan is making a good choice right now.

"We're just going to talk to her, nothing else," Bryan says.

Minho sighs and sits down on the sofa on the terrace, "Yeah but you're giving the impression that you don't care about Zara anymore," he bluntly tells him.

The smile vanishes in a second and Bryan trudges away to talk to the new girl by himself.

That's good because Minho feels like he wants to spend the rest of the night alone. Luca decides to break his serenity by sitting on the other sofa.

"You're not talking to the new girl?" He asks.

Minho reclines on the sofa and shakes his head.

There's a sound of laughter coming from the bedroom and from the window he sees you talking to the new guy. He doesn't want to care but... he cares.

Luca seems to pick it up right away, "I know you're trying to play it cool and act like it doesn't bother you," he says.

"But you have everything you need and the chance to make things better," Luca pauses to sip his drink.

"It's all up to you."

Minho is feeling so called out and the one who's doing it is Luca. He seems to be more mature than his actual age but he respects him for saying things that not many people would dare to say to him.

"Do you think she likes him?" Minho asks as he leers to see you laugh.

"Why don't you ask her?" Luca simply asks him back.

Minho doesn't know why he waits around for you when he's been the one acting so selfishly, talking to another girl like it's not going to affect you.

He gets it now, the taste of his own medicine.

MINHO: Yeah, okay, I get it now.

It's so hard to get some alone time with you, it's even harder with two new guests in the house.

He quietly watches you as you wipe your make-up clean in the dressing room and you'll eventually go to the bathroom to wash your face.

Minho changes into his comfortable clothes and goes to the bathroom half-naked, knowing that you'll be there.

"Having a good night?" He casually asks as he's using the other sink next to you.

You stay quiet as you wash your toothbrush under the running water, "Sofia is hot. Why don't you have a good night with her?"

Minho finds your passive-aggressive endearing instead of annoying. He quietly smiles as he takes his toiletry bag from the drawer.

"Do you like the new guy?" He asks.

You take a hairbrush from your toiletry bag, "I do like him."

"Yeah, he's cute," Minho half-heartedly comments.

He puts a dollop of toothpaste on his toothbrush and then shrugs, "I'm happy for you."

You burst into laughter and strongly accuse him, "No, you're lying!"

Minho starts brushing his teeth and skips on denying your accusation. He sees that you're still chuckling from the reflection in the mirror.

You put your hairbrush down and get in front of him, putting your arms around his waist.

"You should stop running away from me," you tell him while looking into his eyes.

"I started to get tired of chasing you," you mumble and rest your head on his chest.

Minho misses this. He stops brushing his teeth and wipes his mouth with a towel, hugging you back with his arms around you.

You look up to see his face and putting your hand on his cheek, tenderly caress it before placing a gentle kiss.

"Goodnight!" You softly whisper, then you break away from his hug and leave him again.

Minho is getting the same bitter feeling as you did it for the second time to him. He doesn't want it to happen for the third time, never again.

MINHO: [Shakes head] No, it's not over yet.

Everything feels off.

Not just himself but everyone in the room seemed to be feeling the same when they woke up this morning. Minho shared the bed with Esme again last night and Bryan proceeded to make the worst choice by sleeping with the new girl.

Worst of all, you're sleeping with the new guy and he keeps glaring at him even though he knows it wouldn't scare him off.

After last night, Minho gets hit by the realization that he is missing you and there's a slim chance he can fix everything. The problem is he doesn't know where to begin, he's not poetic nor soft-spoken, he's a man of actions. Other than that, he is running out of time.

When he thought that was the only problem, Lana assembles everyone in the bedroom except for the new guests.

"Hello, everyone. I have gathered you as I have some news."

MINHO: Let it be good news, Lana.

"Sofia and Kane have been given the opportunity to form more meaningful connections by choosing one person each to accompany them on private dates."

This is what Minho forgot to add Lana to the equation. He doesn't want to even think about it but he knows for certain that the new guy will choose you for the private date.

"Sofia has chosen to go on a date with Bryan."

It's so rare to see Bryan smile so brightly and as much as she wants everyone to believe she has moved on, Zara is not pleased with it.

"Kane has chosen to go on a date with..."

Minho doesn't wait to hear your name because it's an obvious one. He keeps his calm and his face straight but Luca is checking on him from across the room.

He slightly shrugs and raises an eyebrow in response to his thumb up.

"Please, go and get ready for your dates."

Minho watches as you get up from the bed and walk with Bryan to the dressing room.

MINHO: I felt fine about her going on this date but since she's left, I'm dwelling on everything.

Minho succeeds at pretending not to care and putting on a tough face.

Except that he can't stop himself from putting on an annoyed face as Jai and Agnes are canoodling on the next bed.

Initially, he thought Jai and Agnes wouldn't last this long but he's relieved to know that he's wrong. He's happy to see them happy but God, he's getting sick of them being lovey-dovey so close to him.

He looks to the other bed and sees Maisie hugging Luca from behind while talking about something. Ugh, it's like the universe is trying to punish him.

"I didn't sign up for this," Minho mumbles to anyone who hears him.

"Are you nervous?" Maisie asks.

He passes on answering and sits on the bed just waiting for the dates to end.

Agnes injects herself by saying, "He is nervous!"

Jai turns on the bed to look at him and laughs, "Hang in there, man!"

MINHO: Not nervous. Just a little... uneasy.

Everyone has claimed their bed but the ones that went to the dates haven't come back yet.

Thankfully, Esme understood right away when Minho kindly asked her to share the bed with the new guy. Like it or not, Minho is going to take you back to his bed tonight, he'll drag you if he had to.

Bryan has returned to the bedroom with a grin plastered on his face, it's kind of disturbing that he steals Jai's antic.

Not long after, the new guy is back by himself.

Minho doesn't want to assume anything yet but he takes it as a good sign. He stays on his bed for some time before going to the dressing room.

Instead of you, he finds the new girl doing her skincare routine.

He flashes a smile as he walks across the room to go through the next door that leads to the bathroom. The sound of water running tells him that you must be in the shower.

This is just perfect, Minho gets the privacy he needs.

MINHO: It's about time. I have to bring her back to me tonight. No matter what.

Minho looks through the glass door and sees you inside with water raining down on your body. He can stand there all day watching you showering but he reminds himself that he has something to do here. Something important.

He opens the shower door just enough to show himself to you and you immediately turn on your feet at the sound of him knocking on the glass door.

The sight of your naked wet body is so distracting that he forgets to talk.

After licking his lips, he finally says, "Hey."

You step away from the shower and wipe the beads of water from your eyes, "yes?"

It's so sudden and out of the blue but Minho knows that it's better late than never. He resists looking anywhere but your face or else he'll forget to speak again.

"You're sleeping me tonight," he confidently remarks with that half smirk of his.

"Why should I?" You ask, tipping your head to the side.

He takes a step forward and leans against the doorway, holding his hand out at you. He can see that you're hesitating but eventually take his hand.

There's no need for words when Minho can show you how much he misses you and wants you back by his side.

He's pulling you close until you stand right in front of him, gliding his hand up to the nape of your neck to tilt your head a little to the side and slowly, he leans in for a kiss.

The kiss is better than he remembered. Maybe it's you or maybe it's the longing that amplified it, either way, it's a one hell of a kiss.

Considering that he's spending money for it, he puts his other hand on your waist to draw you closer and deepens the kiss to make it worth every penny.

You let out a low moan as his tongue invades your mouth and keep your mouth open for him if not returning his kisses with the same eagerness.

He ignores the fact that your wet body dampens the top he's wearing and reluctantly pulls away when he knows you're running out of breath.

Minho smiles as he looks at your face and puts the hair stuck to your forehead to the side, "I'll keep the bed warm for you," he says.

A smile blooms on your face and you nod, "Okay."

MINHO: I'm not good with words but I'm good at something else [raises eyebrow]

You're like a five-year-old to him.

Minho is not saying that you're immature, it's just that your moods are rapidly changing. One minute you're happy, the next minute, you're fussing about something, next thing he knows, you're angry at him.

It can be such a headache sometimes but he likes it because you don't hold back, you're honest about your feelings and you're adorable to him, he wants to tease at any chance he gets.

The happiness is clearly drawn on your face as you're walking to his bed in giddiness and this time, he's ready to offer his arm for you to rest your head on.

Minho shivers as your hand makes contact with his bare chest, he already got rid of his damp top and is too lazy to go to the dressing room to get a new top.

You put your hand across his chest as you settled yourself next to him, nuzzling your nose to his neck, "Did you shower?"

"No," he lies with a sly smile on.

You plant your nose onto his neck to take a sniff and lowly sigh, "I like it," you tell him.

Now that you're by his side, Minho doesn't care about anything else. He doesn't care about the eyes looking at him whether in jealousy or curiosity as to why you got back to his bed again.

Minho wants to focus on you and make you never leave his side again.

MINHO: Okay, now Lana, I need you to close your eyes cause you're not going to like what you see.

Oh, how he misses your body!

Even in the dark, Minho knows what his hands are exploring, miles and miles of silky soft skin, warm and sensitive under his touch. He's only using his fingertips, he wonders what's going to happen if he's using his mouth so he places a long peck on your neck with his hand slipped under the cropped top you're wearing to bed.

"We're not going to sleep tonight," he whispers.

He can hear your smile even without looking and you slightly turn your head to look at him, looking at him as if he wouldn't dare to break rules.

In his opinion, everyone has been doing it wrong. If Minho wanted to break the rules, he wouldn't do a kiss today and another kiss tomorrow. If he's going to break rules, he'd break every rule there is and make it worth every single cent of it.

You curve your hand around his neck and look at his gleaming eyes in the dark, "What do you have in mind?"

Minho puts his hand around your neck and places a trail of fluttering kisses down your jaw.

He takes his hand from under your head so he can hover above you, carefully, putting his whole body on top of you.

A soft moan escapes your mouth as you wrap your legs around his waist and you quickly muffle yourself by pressing your lips together into a thin line.

Just feeling your body against him is enough to arouse him. He turns your head to the side and presses his mouth on your ear.

"We're going to spend a lot of money tonight," he whispers with his hot breath tickling your ear.

MINHO: Well, unless you're into it, you're welcome to watch, Lana.

Support my blog by kindly reblog, comment or tip me on my ko-fi!

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aiyunyingjj · 4 years

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GM\ Chevy Bolt Is Not Serious Competition For Tesla\ Model 3

GM\'s commendable Chevrolet Bolt is clearly a great car and a step forward for electric cars.

However, the hype around Chevrolet Bolt is a bit out of control.

Some see this as a serious competitor to the upcoming Tesla Model 3.

Bloomberg, for example, said it could be a \"Tesla killer \".

\"These assessments ignore the significant differences between the two vehicles, particularly the huge advantages of Model 3 in charging, aesthetics and advanced driving assistance systems (ADAS) technology.

On top of that, Chevrolet Bolt is $2,500 more expensive than Model 3.

Finally, GM plans to produce only 30,000 Chevrolet Bolts a year, while Tesla plans to produce 400,000 each year.

Chevrolet Bolt (left) and Tesla Model 3 (right ).

This is significant for GM and Tesla because it shows that the company still lags behind Tesla in the transition from the automotive industry to electric vehicles, although GM seems to be ahead of other competitors.

Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) predicts that electric vehicles will achieve cost parity with gasoline vehicles in 2022 when the cost of battery packs drops to $200/kWh.

Tesla has pushed its battery pack below this threshold.

This suggests that the cost advantage of Tesla electric vehicles is in sight if BNEF\'s predictions are correct.

Therefore, it is likely to depend to a large extent on how quickly automakers can transition to electric vehicle production.

GM still has a lot of work to do to catch up with Tesla, but Chevrolet Bolt marks the company taking electrified more seriously than most.

This is significant for Tesla, as it means that the only competitor to Model 3 will be a petrol vehicle.

Gasoline vehicles within the price range of Model 3 usually also have aesthetic disadvantages.

In terms of ADAS technology, all cars are at a disadvantage.

Gasoline cars also lack the acceleration, control, noise, energy costs and environmental advantages of electric vehicles.

With Model 3, Tesla is likely to launch a product that will change the industry and bring new expectations to the car.

In the first part of this article, I will compare Chevrolet Bolts and Model 3 in five aspects of price, charging, aesthetics, ADAS technology and planned production volume.

In the second part, I will explore the impact of this comparison on the competitive positioning of GM and Tesla in the transition from the automotive industry to electric vehicles.

Part 1: The basic price of Chevrolet Bolt and Model 3 is $37,500, and Chevrolet Bolt is $2,500 more expensive than Model 3, $35,000.

In the case of the same other conditions, cheaper cars are more desirable.

Model 3 has an advantage from the beginning.

In the United States, however, the two cars will initially receive a federal tax credit of $7,500.

When manufacturers sold a total of 200,000 electric vehicles, the tax credit began to be phased out.

Tesla will reach this threshold before GM, which means that at some point Bolt will be $5,000 cheaper than Model 3 in the United States. S.

Similarly, if GM sells bolts (or other electric vehicles) in a volume similar to Model 3)

Tesla plans to sell 400,000 vehicles a year

The tax credit will also be phased out.

Therefore, in the total sales competition, the tax credit does not give GM any advantage over Tesla.

For a distance of more than 238 miles, it is impractical to check the Chevrolet Bolt.

Trying to take the Chevrolet Bolt on a long trip requires \"no result in finding a charging station or waiting for the time (and time) for the car to fully charge ).

\"Not only does Bolt lack a wide three-stage charging infrastructure, but the car itself lacks hardware that charges more than 50 KW.

Driving 383 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles, drivers have to park for about an hour to recharge.

In contrast, Tesla has a wide network of superchargers that can easily cross North America.

The supercharger charges at a maximum rate of 145 KW.

For the same road trip on the same range of cars, the driver only needs to stop for about 20 minutes.

Although most drivers rarely travel more than 238 miles a day, mileage anxiety remains their top concern for potential electric car buyers.

Tied 119-

Mile radius is not what people like, especially in North America, and long-distance driving is important due to geography, infrastructure and culture.

For example, a significant proportion of American families take car holidays every year.

Even if family cars travel more than 238 miles a year in just one day, car buyers may think it is necessary to do so --have.

Aesthetics is the most important factor in the decision-making of car buyers.

I decided to do my own research on the aesthetics of these two cars through a survey of 100 people in the United States.

Respondents chose to complete the survey through Mechanical Turkey (they paid for it),if not, it was a random sample.

The description or investigation itself does not mention the name of the car or company.

Results: 94% of respondents said they preferred Model 3, a surprising percentage.

Which car is more beautiful for consumers? No contest.

Chevrolet Bolt only includes basic driver assistance.

On the other hand, Model 3 is equipped with advanced software functions and complete self-

Drive hardware.

While enhanced self-driving features should be available later this year, in the chart below, I only include features currently enabled on both the S and X hardware 2 versions

Another obvious advantage of Model 3\'s ADAS technology, compared to Chevrolet Bolt, is that Model 3 will receive performance updates around each month and continue to improve over time.

Chevrolet Bolts have the technical ability to receive excessivethe-

The Air update, but it seems GM intends to use the functionality to patch existing software instead of improving performance or adding new features.

Obviously, if GM produces 30,000 Chevrolet Bolts per year, Tesla produces 400,000 Model 3 s per year, then GM gets a theoretical maximum of 30,000 cars a year from Tesla or seven cars.

5% of total planned annual sales.

Tesla\'s production plan cannot be realized unless GM changes its production plan, which is the worst --

Case scenario for Tesla.

When GM is still eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit and Tesla no longer does that, the price of the base Chevrolet Bolt will be $5,000 lower than the base model 3.

Is it worth saving $5,000 to accept an unrealistic car for long distance driving, not so aesthetically pleasing and with more basic ADAS technology?

I can\'t say for sure without market research on this issue.

However, based on the general principle of consumer behavior in the automotive market --

For example, the importance of aesthetics

I suspect more than a small number of consumers will choose Chevrolet Bolt instead of Model 3.

Bolts are good for GM but Model 3 is better for TeslaThe Chevrolet Bolts

Range, relatively low-

Electric vehicles for the mass market.

GM\'s achievements here should not be underestimated.

At present, Bolt\'s low sales have little impact on GM\'s top models, as the company sells 10 million cars a year.

However, as long as GM continues to focus on the ball and continues to iterate, Bolt is a promising sign for the company\'s future.

To attract more consumers, GM should redesign the look of the next generation of bolts.

It should also upgrade Bolt\'s charging hardware and add its Super Cruise ADAS technology.

If it is able to do this cost-effectively and build more and faster tier 3 charging infrastructure and increase production, then it can be hit with real damage.

However, some industry watchers have exaggerated GM\'s achievements in Bolt, suggesting it will be a serious competitor to Tesla\'s Model 3.

As I have shown in this post, Bolt is far behind Model 3 in terms of charging, aesthetics and ADAS technology.

The number of last bookings was 373,000, rising every week, and consumers expressed a rare enthusiasm in the automotive industry.

The story of hundreds of potential customers queuing outside the Tesla store in the rain to book Model 3 is more reminiscent of the launch of Apple (AAPL) products than cars.

Although the Bolt may be great, it is not at that level.

Potential customers line up in the rain at the Tesla store in Montreal at five o\'clock A. M. to book the Model 3.

Photograph: nitrodude.

Part 2: GM and Tesla in the electric future of CarsSource: global outlook EV 2016 report from the International Energy Agency.

The tipping point for electric carsHere is an underrated point about electric vehicles, which I will illustrate through a thought experiment.

Assuming industry standard technology A, gold can be mined at $200 an ounce.

Using Technology B, it takes $300 to mine an ounce of gold.

Therefore, B technology enjoys a high reputation as an unrealistic and expensive mining technology.

However, the cost of technology B is down by $25 a year.

Within five years, tech B costs $175 per ounce of gold, while tech A costs $200.

Technology B will cost $100 in eight years.

Suddenly, the dynamic is flipped.

Now, the cost of technology A is very low and Technology B will dominate.

This is the case with gasoline and electric cars.

According to the estimates you use, electric cars become either close to or have reached a level that is cheaper than gasoline at the same price.

Electric vehicle battery pack prices are down 13% per year on average

Tesla is much faster.

As noted above, Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) estimates that the tipping point for electric vehicles is $200/kWh.

Tony Seba, a lecturer in startup, subversion and clean energy at Stanford University, evaluated this: battery manufacturers usually keep costs secret.

Neither GM nor its battery supplier, LG Chem (OTCPK: LGCLF), disclosed the cost of its battery pack.

However, GM has angered LG Chemical by disclosing the cost of the battery --

Different from the battery pack-

Bolts in Chevrolet.

In April 2016, Tesla simply stated that its cost was \"below $190/kWh.

\"According to a promotional video released by Tesla, electronic travel writer Fred Lambert speculated that Tesla\'s battery cost could be less than $124/kWh as of February 2017.

If Lambert is correct, then Tesla is at least close to the $100/kWh threshold for Tony Seba and may have exceeded that threshold.

However, it should be emphasized that the figure has not yet been confirmed, and Lambert\'s possible conclusion is wrong.

This data shows that electric vehicle manufacturers may be at the cutting edge of cost advantage compared to gasoline vehicle competitors.

If so, the price of electric cars will exceed that of the same gasoline.

Tesla\'s battery production at Gigafactory 1 in Nevada. Source: TED.

Electric vehicles are crucial to the development of automobiles.

In the above section, I discussed the upfront cost of electric vehicles.

Another indicator will play a vital role in the coming years: Cost per mile.

The emergence of shared self-fleet

Driving a callable vehicle on demand will further accelerate the transition to an electric vehicle.

Energy costs, maintenance costs and vehicle life change from some important to manufacturing when the car is driving or charging for up to 24 hours a day-or-

Break the business model of the company.

Analyst Li Wei Tillemann-

Dick estimated that a self

The cost of driving an electric car per mile may be 80% lower than that of a gasoline peer.

This means that companies using electric vehicle fleets will be able to charge less for rides, forcing any competitor who may use petrol vehicles to switch to electric vehicles or to abandon the market.

The proportion of electric vehicles in today\'s sales is small, but their share will grow rapidly. It is this understanding of the future that has prompted me to pay so much attention to Chevrolet Bolt --

Of a company that sells 30,000 cars a year, a car that plans to sell 10 million cars a year --and on Tesla -

A company that plans to sell 500,000 cars in 2018, the industry sold 90 million cars in 2015.

In the end, electric cars will become the whole car market.

Based on the ever-decreasing cost of batteries and the Coming self

Driven by demand, the shift to this possibility will be faster than many industry watchers currently expect.

If some companies are able to achieve this shift faster than their competitors, their competitive advantage may range from considerable to devastating.

However, there is a general attitude of complacency and inertia in enterprises --as-

Typically in the automotive industry, an industry analyst believes that Ford (F) should focus on incremental improvements to gasoline pickup trucks instead of reducing the development of new technologies.

Investors should take advantage of the seriousness of automakers in terms of electricity and self-management

Try to measure the possible financial and competitive conditions in the coming years.

The result is: GM got B-

Tesla\'s electric and autonomous driving will quickly take over the automotive industry.

Selling petrol vehicles to individual drivers will become a difficult business model.

In evaluating the long term of a car manufacturer

Long-term growth prospects, the most important thing is whether the company can surf in the wave of change, or be overwhelmed by change.

For this reason, I think the presence of a car manufacturer

Its technological and competitive fundamentals are secondary.

For a long time, the former was only important in enabling the company to execute the strategy based on the latter.

Internal R & D work is often difficult to evaluate.

It is difficult to distinguish the real progress from the optical attractive progress, but kludgy demoware or direct vapourware.

This is the most effective test of progress.

And serious

It is the most ambitious product publicly released by a company.

That\'s Chevrolet Bolt for GM.

For Tesla, this is Model 3-

Or will come in a few weeks.

With Chevrolet Bolt, GM is also doing well.

I give it a B. .

The rating may seem stingy, but GM has yet to prove that Bolt is more than just a compliance vehicle.

If GM makes adjustments to meet the needs of the masses and increases production, it will be easy for me to change its grade to B or. .

The launch of Model 3 will be Tesla\'s iPhone moment.

Venture capitalist Mark Anderson recently made a comparison like this: tesla\'s growth in price, charging, aesthetics, ADAS technology, and production volume has led it in the transformation of the automotive industry to electric vehicles.

Its strong brand and loyal fan base, willing to endure early morning queues in the rain, just to book a car, it laid the foundation for Tesla\'s breakthrough success in future models such as Model 3 and Model Y.

Tesla got.

Mark Anderson recently spoke to Barry risalz.

Anderson\'s comments on Tesla begin in about 27 minutes.

A plausible scenario for Tesla is the snowball effect, in which its success on Model 3 and its own

Through its efforts, it is able to further accelerate vehicle production and finance the development of new vehicles and energy products.

This in turn generates more capital to reinvest in manufacturing and product development, thus preventing competitors from catching up and even taking the lead further.

That\'s why even if Tesla deals in a completely new way

I think this stock is a huge opportunity for growth.

My suggestion: buy TSLA and hold it for a long timeterm-basis.

Note to the author: in the previous version of this article, I incorrectly described enertution\'s arguments about Chevrolet Bolt and Model 3.

I encourage readers to read the article on enertution to understand their arguments accurately.

I apologize for this mistake.

Also, I confused the cost of the battery and the cost of the battery pack, which is different.

The article has now been corrected.

I apologize for this mistake.

Disclosure: I am/We are long TSLA.

This article was written by myself and expressed my views.

I have not received compensation (except for Seeking Alpha ).

I have no business relationship with any stock company mentioned in this article.

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cstesttaken · 7 years

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9 Digital Marketing Tools You Can't Live Without

Neither author nor SEJ has any affiliation with any of the tools mentioned within this post.

To help you kick off 2017 right and reach your marketing goals this year, I’ve put together a list of must-have digital marketing tools that simplify and enhance work life, day in and day out. From Google Analytics to Mention and Copyscape, let our favorites be yours!

Google Analytics: Know Your Audience

What we see a lot in new clients who explore digital marketing for the first time is that they don’t know where to start when it comes to utilizing their data. With endless ways for customers to interact with your brand in the modern era — everywhere from in-store to tablets to smart watches — it can become a challenge to piece together a complete picture of your audience. Yet that full understanding of your audience is key to make the right marketing moves. That’s where Google Analytics comes in. As a digital marketing agency, three of our most used functions are:

Bounce Rate: Bounce rate is measured as the number of visitors that come to your site and only view one page before they leave again without completing an action. Bounce rates can gauge if your website is visually appealing, has good content and good user experience, and is easy to navigate if visitors are looking for certain info. While all businesses should take advantage of small adjustments to lower bounce rate, if your bounce rate is significantly above 40%, it’s time to audit your site and figure out what is driving visitors away. Sometimes simple common sense will give you the answer, or maybe you need user testing to identify the issue.

Conversion Rate: This is very straightforward. It reflects the number of visitors who perform a specific action on a page that converts into a lead for you. Why is this important? If you have an action you want users to perform (buy something, book something, download an item, or fill out a form), the conversion rate tells you how effective each of your pages is in leading users to complete that action.

One of our clients, for example, works with a complex eight-step booking system on their website. We’ve implemented Google Analytics and can now tell exactly how often potential bookings don’t get completed and in which step of the process users drop off. That’s crucial information and helps us optimize the process to see higher conversion rates and to craft the best customer experience possible.

Plus, especially with consumers shopping more online, the effectiveness of your website is a vital KPI for e-commerce businesses. These statistics by Custora E-commerce Pulse visualize the potential loss of sales for online businesses with low website conversion rates:

Channels: Where are your visitors coming from? Is it organic search traffic? Referral? Paid? This helps businesses gauge your marketing efforts. For example, if you are running radio ads, you may see a spike in direct traffic because you mention your website at the end of the ad. If you’re investing in SEO, you will see movement — hopefully an increase — in your organic search traffic. If you’re running a Facebook contest, you’d hope to see more visits from social. The breakdown in channels basically helps businesses see which marketing efforts are driving the most eyeballs to their site. By engaging other metrics like bounce rate and conversion rate, you will find out if your website is what users want to see.

MailChimp: Power Up Your Email Campaigns

Constant Contact used to be the go-to service for newsletters until MailChimp came along. MailChimp makes crafting newsletters fun — our designers love it. It’s a fantastic email marketing tool that lets you create, send, and track HTML email campaigns with an easy-to-use drag-and-drop user interface.

From an SEO perspective, we love that it has powerful reporting features and comes with integrations that give its functionality that extra bit of oomph: WordPress, Twitter, Facebook, Magento, Salesforce, ZenDesk, Shopify, WooCommerce, Mandrill, Eventbrite, Unbounce, Squarespace, Drupal, Slack, and Google Analytics — just to mention a few. One click and the recipient can share your content on Twitter, helping you increase your exposure!

In terms of understanding your audience and giving them what they want, Mailchimp’s A/B testing feature is gold. It allows you to design two entirely different emails — or just two different subject lines — and send option A to one-half of your subscribers and option B to another while tracking opening rates for both. That way, you collect valuable information about what speaks to your audience and learn how to craft amazing content that drives up your opening rates in the future and ultimately helps increase your page conversions. Since email is still the driving force behind e-commerce purchases this November, you’ll want to definitely up your game to make every email count.

That way, you collect valuable information about what speaks to your audience and learn how to craft amazing content that drives up your opening rates in the future and ultimately helps increase your page conversions. Since email is still the driving force behind e-commerce purchases this November, you’ll want to definitely up your game to make every email count.

With MailChimp’s aggressive approach to bad delivery practices and its anti-spam policies, you’ll be in good hands. MailChimp also ranks at the top of the list when it comes to delivery success rate:

Canva: An Editorial Team’s Best Friend

Canva for Work has been a great tool for our SEO, editorial, and social teams. We’ve created a template that can easily be used by anyone on the team and is aligned with our brand standards. When working with clients, it is important that the designs used for their social shares are in line with their visual standards and not ours. Thanks to Canva’s template feature, we can create those templates for any of our clients and have a stunning post or blog image done in no time — with no design training required. It saves a lot of time and the flexibility you have within the tool makes it fun to work with.

Mention: Let’s Give ‘Em Something to Talk About

Mention is a media monitoring and tracking tool that helps you monitor virtually all mentions of your brand online. Mention helps you get the most out of your online promotional efforts by allowing you to track and stay informed of every instance of your brand name online (including web and all major social media). Mention also allows you to stay informed on relevant topical discussions in your industry through keyword tracking, which offers the opportunity for your brand to enter the online discussion in real-time and build brand awareness within relevant audiences.

When you set up Mention, you will create alerts for words and topics you would like to track. These alerts will include your brand name and could also include relevant keywords you would like to track in your industry. The great thing about Mention is that they offer in-depth search refinement functions so you can exclude irrelevant instances of your keywords and you are only notified of the most relevant mentions. Mention will send you daily emails with your results for quick and convenient tracking. Average mentions per day and which sources you are receiving those mentions from also conveniently gets tracked, therefore visualizing your increase or decrease:

SEMrush: Do You Want to Be Found?

SEMrush is an online software that digital marketers and online businesses use to collect valuable information about their online presence. We use it to analyze traffic and keywords statistics plus research keywords for our clients. SEMrush allows you to observe the success of your online marketing efforts but also track your competitors, which is great.

This powerful software has grown to allow you to observe backlinks, display advertising stats, video and display ad research, and sample ads. All of this is provided in one scan and can be exported using their reporting capabilities.

So why are we addicted to SEMrush? This program has grown and developed to be a one-stop shop for all our clients’ online marketing needs. Whether we need to know what keywords a client is ranking for or if we want to start targeting certain ones on a website, SEMrush can show how difficult it will be to rank and if we’ve already had success in this. Track your progress in a saved project and generate reports also allows you to display progress in a visual manner and to you and to other stakeholders. All of this can help marketers and businesses make decisions without having to use six tools on the web.

Copyscape: Because You Don’t Want to Get Kicked Off Google

No matter what your profession is, plagiarism is always something you’d want to avoid. From an SEO perspective, however, this really is a life or death matter. The worst potential consequence of plagiarism is the risk of being deindexed by Google. If your page is deindexed, it will be completely invisible in search engines and the only way to access the page is via a direct link to the URL. In addition to the offending page being deindexed, your entire site could be deindexed if the problem is deemed widespread or severe enough. For most businesses, this is a death knell. There are also potential legal consequences and negative ramifications in terms of brand reputation and trust, especially if the entity you have stolen from has the means or interest to strike back. When working on new website content, blogs, email campaigns, and Google ads, we always run every piece of content through a plagiarism check. Our service of choice here: Copyscape. It lets us run a full scan on websites and helps optimize our SEO to the max.

Grammarly: Double Check Every Word You Write

Grammarly makes you a better writer by finding and correcting up to ten times more mistakes than the good old word processor. Just copy, paste, and fix your errors. This is an absolute favorite for our content writers and social media specialists. It’s great because it does much more than just correcting your spelling and grammar mistakes. It makes word suggestions to help you enhance your vocabulary usage and provides citation suggestions to address plagiarism which is very helpful to optimize web content for our clients.

Another great flexible detail we love is its adjustable writing style. The tool allows you to choose from editing styles for students, business professionals, bloggers, ESL, medical professionals, technical writers and more — which is great if you’re a blogger or work with a wide range of clients like we do. Plus, once you’ve installed the Grammarly extension, its automated proofreading feature works pretty much everywhere on the web.

MailTester: Spam-proof Your Emails

According to email spam stats published on , marketing emails are responsible for about 70% of spamming complaints. Yikes. And those can get expensive! Due to the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003, you could be fined with up to $11,000 for each spam email that goes out of your account. Obviously, that’s something you might want to avoid but also from a business perspective, having your email campaigns end up in somebody’s spam box isn’t the goal. You’ve worked on it for hours, came up with a great offer and interesting content for your customers, and are hoping to see conversions spike after you hit “send.” MailChimp already provides a ton of useful tips to help you craft the most efficient and spam-safe email possible but to make extra sure that your campaign is worth everyone’s while, another test is always good.

You’ve worked on it for hours, came up with a great offer and interesting content for your customers, and are hoping to see conversions spike after you hit “send.” MailChimp already provides a ton of useful tips to help you craft the most efficient and spam-safe email possible but to make extra sure that your campaign is worth everyone’s while, another test is always good.

Toggl: Make the Most of Your Day

According to Brandfolder, 65% of our workday is spent talking to clients, colleagues, or business partners. A business with 100 employees spends an average of 3.4 hours each day clarifying poor communication. Apparently, we also spend about one-quarter of each day reading emails and responding to them. Or looking for stuff.

Our team uses Toggl to track the use of our time each day and optimize it to be our most productive selves. It’s not just great to identify your daily time wasters but especially when working with clients, the easy one-click time track feature is super convenient to never lose a minute.

What’s your favorite digital marketing tool? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook, or LinkedIn!

Neither author nor SEJ has any affiliation with any of the tools mentioned within this post.

Source

https://www.searchenginejournal.com/9-digital-marketing-tools-cant-live-without/179356/

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