#like sir you’re already there. congratulations. you are a misogynist.

[wewontbesleeping]

it is so fucking annoying when men are “ironically” misogynist. like what’s the joke here? how is just smiling when saying you hate women a joke? and then I’m the killjoy for not laughing at it ofc.

[maknaesdancersrappers]

Devoted 2

part 6

Overall warning/s: kinkier smut (eg. voyeurism, exhibition, etc.) character death, dark themes

TRIGGER WARNING: dubious consent & possible drug use

Just how devoted is Jaehyun to you?

prev: Part 5

wc: 9.4k

“So you’re trying to get pregnant, Ms. [L/N]?” Dr. Ahn asks after pleasantries, going through your chart as she sits beside you. She’s been your gynecologist since you were a teenager; she was nice and funny, kept you comfortable throughout your appointments, she spoke to you like a wise friend instead of a condescending adult.

“Yes. My fiance and I would like to have kids soon.” You fold your hands over your lap after smoothing out your gownie. 

“Oh, congratulations! Well, according to your cycle, you’ll be ovulating in a week. If you had unprotected sex recently, you can get pregnant since sperm can live in the vagina for up to 5 days.”

“This early? I thought it would take months.”

Dr. Ahn shrugs her shoulders, “Yes, but you seem to have a very active sex life, Ms. [L/N]. If you think it’s too early for you to get pregnant, I suggest you switch to pills or use a condom; or just abstain from sex for a few days just to let your body adjust to the sudden change, but you’ll have a higher chance of getting pregnant with than an IUD. I can prescribe some pills later after we get this Mirena out - if you still want to remove it.”

“Oh...” You hesitated, “Is it better to have it taken out when we’re trying for a baby immediately?”

She nods, “If you’re worried about getting pregnant before the big day and having a swollen belly, I’d suggest we keep the IUD in. But it’s all up to you, Ms. [L/N].”

You were right about your colleagues throwing you a farewell party; giggling a bit as you finish your small speech of gratitude with a toast to top off the night. Your boss coordinated everything - much to your surprise. He always seemed strict during work hours; drowning in paperwork and phone calls when he’s not overseeing projects.

“[Y/N], you’ve made so many projects under the company, I’d like to have them compiled under one major portfolio for you. Consider it a token of appreciation from us.” Your boss raised his glass of champagne at you.

“Oh, sir, you don’t have to.”

“Too late, dear, it’s already in production and has been paid for. We’ll have it delivered to you.”

“Thank you, sir. But we might be moving soon, I’ll send the new address once we move.”

“Alright. Congratulations again, [Y/N].”

He moves away from you, and you’re willing to bet he’s slowly making his way back into his own office because he’s a serial workaholic, more than Sicheng and Jaehyun combined.

Kyungwon had hooked her arm around yours by the time your (former) boss had left and she nuzzles the side of your head, “I miss you already!”

“Kyung, we’re still working on a project together.”

She whines, making it obvious she’s drank more than she could handle, “Your last project! After that, I’ll be all alone until you steal me away.”

You hush her, although you’re laughing at her words, “Shh, okay, no one knows I’m starting my own company; let alone taking you away. I have to wait until I actually start it before I can hire you.”

Kyungwon nuzzles the side of your head while clinking your glass at the same time, “‘till the day comes!”

She murmurs about needing help to the ladies’ room and you sling her arm around you to haul to the bathroom. When she’s in her cubicle, you enter the adjacent one to take care of your own business.

“It’s sad that [Y/N] is leaving.” You hear a female coworker say after the distinct sound of the door swinging open and close.

This makes you blush; flattered by their sentiments on your resignation.

“I know! Jeongin from the accounting said the other guys will be re-hired now that she’s gone.”

This, however, makes your brows arch in confusion.

“Ugh, they shouldn’t be re-hired. They’re sleazy and misogynists!” Another woman grumbles, “Maybe if I had a powerful fiance like [Y/N], then maybe every other sexual predator in this company gets booted.”

You swing the cubicle door open and your co-workers jumped at the sudden action. They’re blushing, hands frozen on their faces as they were trying to powder themselves. “I didn’t mean to eavesdrop! But… what are you guys talking about?”

Your co-workers, Jihyo and Nayoung, share a look with one another. Jihyo cocks her head at you, “Wait, didn’t you request Choi Jinho and the others to be transferred for being… inappropriate?”

“Choi Jinho?” You repeat. You remember him; he left last year all of a sudden. He was very affectionate and quite flirty, he liked to throw his arms around everyone - including you. “No. I was shocked when he left. He was one of the most sought after architects in the company.”

Nayoung scoffed, “Yeah, but he’s a serial molester. Rumor has it that it was your fiance that had him pulled out of the company.”

You blinked at them; it was highly possible that it was Jaehyun’s doing, but how did he even know? You never talked about Jinho at all to him. “N-no… I don’t know anything about that.”

“Well,” Jihyo shrugs her shoulders, “They’re all coming back since you’re leaving.  Whether or not your fiance had anything to do about it, it sounds awfully coincidental, doesn’t it?”

It does sound coincidental, but given Jaehyun’s power and personality, he probably did do something about the sudden resignations and transfers of your former male co-workers.

“Regardless, we really are going to miss you, [Y/N]. Us women in the company felt a lot safer when you started working here, I just wish our boss wouldn’t re-hire those jerks.” Nayoung offers you a sad smile before stuffing her cushion back into her purse.

“Fear not!” Kyungwon kicks the cubicle door she was in open, startling all three of you, “[Y/N] can save us all!”

She stumbles forward and you worriedly called out her name while stepping forward to help support her.

“Kyungwon really has low tolerance, huh?” Nayoung giggles, taking Kyungwon’s other hand and draping it around her shoulders to help you with her weight.

“She’s also right, I suppose.” You paused, “Give me… a month or two. I’m leaving the company to start my own and I’m aiming it to be a predominantly female company. I’d hire all of you in a heartbeat if you’d want to join me.”

Jihyo gasps and claps her hands, “Really? [Y/N], that’s amazing! Of course we’d love to! I’m willing to bet everything is going back the same way it was before you entered the company now that you’re leaving. Haven’t you realized that the guys don’t talk to you unless it’s work-related?”

You did realize this, but you always excused it because Jaehyun often picked you up from work and accompanied you during functions or parties. You had his picture on your desk; anyone could tell you were off the market and that’s the reason why your male co-workers didn’t bother with you like they did with your other female colleagues.

“Now that you mention it…” You trailed off, casting your eyes downwards.

“You’re so lucky that you have someone who constantly looks out for you.” Jihyo sighs, “My ex broke up with me because he thought I was cheating on him, when really the guy kept messaging me even though he knew I was taken.”

If they only knew the real reason behind why Jaehyun did those. You gave her a sympathetic smile, “I’m sorry about that, Jihyo.”

“Don’t apologize, [Y/N]. It’s okay, if he can’t even trust me with guys that I only see as friends or colleagues, then he doesn’t deserve me. What’s the point of a relationship without trust, right?”

Her words pricked your heart for some reason, but you shrugged and nodded halfheartedly.

Nayoung offers to take Kyungwon home, after she heaves the alcohol out of her stomach and sobers up with a few glasses of water, and Jihyo volunteers to help her. They accompany you to where Mr. Kyung was already waiting with your boxed items already in the backseat and bid you farewell.

When you get home, you dropped your stuff at your home office and sat on the couch; too drained and tipsy to make it all the way to the bedroom. You don’t feel good - not in the sense you want to vomit after drinking. It was what Jihyo and Nayoung talked about in the bathroom. Did Jaehyun have control of your surroundings even at work? How did he even know? You had so many questions and it only made your head ache.

Staring at the 77” LG OLED TV, you frown at your reflection. Your mind is taking you back to three years ago: when Jaehyun had made it seemed you had a stalker. The fear is still fresh in your heart and it made the little hairs on your arms rise up. As if the world was playing a cruel joke on you, your phone rings and drained the color from your face. But instead of an unknown number, it was Yuta’s.

Calming yourself down, you pick up his call. “Hello?”

“[Y/N], I-I’m sorry, but you know how I invited Sicheng and Jaehyun out for some drinks?”

“...Yeah? Is something wrong? What happened?”

Yuta nervously chuckles, “Nothing… particularly bad. They’re just… really drunk and I was planning to book them each a suite at the hotel I’m staying at, but Jaehyun is adamant about going home to you.”

This alarms you; Jaehyun probably has one of the highest alcohol tolerance among the people you know. He could down beer and soju one after the other and still end up being a little goofy - but never shitfaced wasted.

“Oh my god, okay, uhm… I’ll text you our address.”

“Okay, thanks, [Y/N]. Don’t worry, I’m not driving. We’ll call for a cab.”

It was barely 11PM when you hung up on Yuta and it was just odd that Jaehyun would get that drunk so early in the night. Maybe they had more hard liquor than the usual mix he goes for.

An hour later, there’s a knock on the door and you’re sprinting towards it. Before you open it, you could hear Jaehyun arguing in slurred words that he doesn’t want to wake you up and he could open it with his house keys. Opening the door wide, you’re greeted by Yuta supporting both Jaehyun and Sicheng on either shoulder with a tired, apologetic look on his face.

When Jaehyun sees you, his face brightens up immediately. “Baby!”

“H-hey. You had fun, babe?” You stifle your laughter as he lunges forward and wraps his arms around you, hugging your figure as tight as he can. Turning to Yuta, you sigh “Yuta, I think you and Sicheng should stay the night. We have a guest room with twin beds for both of you and I’m sure I can find some clothes for both of you to wear.”

“Oh, maybe Sicheng, but I can still go home.”

“Please, I insist. It’s late and you look just as hammered as these two.”

Yuta finally relents and you usher them inside. Jaehyun slumps down on an armchair while Yuta sits Sicheng down on the couch and takes the space beside him afterwards. 

You bring them bottled water; opening it for Jaehyun while Yuta does it for Sicheng. “What did you guys drink and how much of it did it take for Jaehyun to be even this wasted?”

The question was directed to Yuta, who was obviously more sober than the two, but Jaehyun answers anyways in a giddy voice, “The whole bar! Sans wine because there are hundreds of those there…. Oh, babe, I had the best scotch there.”

You hum, bringing the bottle up to his lips so he could drink water.

In your peripheral vision, you catch Yuta fondly watching both of you. “Must be nice to have someone waiting at home for you; ready to take care of you when you need them, huh?” He comments.

“Are you retiring early from the bachelor life? Your bachelor pad isn’t even complete yet.” You tease, running your fingers through Jaehyun’s hair to push it back from his face and he gives you a sleepy, childish grin.

“No, I’m gonna enjoy it a little longer. But I can’t be a bachelor forever, [Y/N].”

You excuse yourself to get clothes for them and brought back some shorts and shirts Jaehyun doesn’t use often. You direct them to the guest room where Yuta hauls Sicheng to the bed and promises to help him change after the latter whined about being too lazy. You wish them a good night and made your way back to Jaehyun.

As you close the door, you gasp to see Jaehyun already beside you, leaning his weight against the adjacent wall. “Babe! Oh my god, come on let’s get you to bed.”

“Let’s get you to bed.” He repeats with a chuckle, nose scrunching at you.

You warily eyed him, you’ve never seen him in this kind of state before - and that’s saying something. There was one time you both endlessly drank until you (just you) were throwing up and even then, Jaehyun was still his right state of mind to take care of you. 

He holds your hand and lets you lead him to the bedroom, “You’re pretty.”

“I’m pretty?” You stop in your tracks, just a little past the doorway and turn at him with an incredulous expression. “The last time you called me pretty was seven years ago; when we first started dating.”

“I stopped calling you pretty?”

“No, you just used other adjectives.”

“Like?”

You feel your cheeks heat up, “Like beautiful, gorgeous, sexy… and the likes.”

Jaehyun cocks his head and grins, “You’re all of that.”

“Thank you, Jaehyun. Now let’s get you-” He cuts you off with a kiss, bringing his hands on your hips to pull you towards him. You entertain it for a moment, slinging your arms around him and even tiptoeing to push yourself up. But in the back of your mind, you remember the conversation with your former colleagues and you’re pulling away from him.

Jaehyun doesn’t get the hint and continues to press his lips on your skin, “I love you so much, [Y/N]. I’ve wanted you for so, so, so long and now you’re here; a few months away from being my wife.”

“I love you, too, Jae,” You try to stop him but he holds you with a firm grasp, “I think we should get to bed now.”

He hums in approval, bringing his lips back over yours all of a sudden; catching you off guard when he forces his tongue into your mouth and you could taste the variety of alcohol he’s consumed. He’s nudging you back until you’re by the bed and he pushes you down onto it.

“Jaehyun, wait,” Your eyes fall to the unclosed door, worried that your sudden guests would hear or need something and stumble into a salacious scene. You hate how that turns you on; how the idea of someone walking into you and Jaehyun fucking gets you wet from the get go. But you’re not keen on doing anything tonight; not when he’s too drunk and especially not after what the girls told you. “I’m not in the mood.”

Your words fell on deaf ears as Jaehyun hooks his fingers on the band of your pajama bottoms and underwear that you changed into while waiting for them and yanked them both off your legs. You try to shut your legs, but Jaehyun just wrenches them apart and dives face first into your pussy.

A gasp leaves you, your back arching off the bed and your hand shooting to grab hold of his hair. “Jae, please- wait a minute, I-”

He directs his attention to your clit; engorged and throbbing to be touched, sending pleasurable waves coursing through your veins with every lick and suck Jaehyun does.

Moments later, you feel him slip two fingers into you without any forewarning.

“You’re always so wet for me.” He grumbles, giving you a few more drawn out pumps from his fingers and kitten licks on your clit before standing to unbuckle his belt.

You take this as an opportunity to move away from him, scooting up the bed and sitting up. “Jaehyun, can you just wait for one-oh!”

He chuckles at you, grabbing onto your ankles and pulling you back near him; hovering above your frame with a mischievous smile. “Hi.”

“Hi…”

He just smiles at you; a lazy, mellow grin on his puffy face. 

“Are you okay?” You whisper, touching his arms and running your hands over them in a soothing manner.

He nods, “I’m just happy.”

“I can see that.” You giggle for a second, eyes darting from his upturned lips to the hot, hard cock resting on your thigh, before your face falls. He’s acting really weird. “We should really go to sleep, Jaehyun.”

“But I’m horny.” He pushes your shirt up to expose your bare chest to him, “And you’re so hot. I can only get off on you.”

You bite down on your lower lip when his hands grab each of your breasts and gave each a good squeeze, thumbs stimulating your nipples until they were hard peaks. You look up at him, watching his eyes glint with lust at the sight in front of him. He looked so different… he doesn’t seem like himself - at least his persona of this age. It was like he was back in his early twenties, trying to get into your pants for the third time.

Jaehyun reaches over his head to remove his shirt, tossing it aside as fast as he could. He’s sweating for some reason, although the entire apartment is air-conditioned. His muscles are tensed when you hold his arms.

“Jae, are you okay?”

“Never better.” He grits out, capturing your lips into an open kiss.

When he pulls you closer, you could feel his heart beating drumming onto your chest. You pull away, “Jaehyun, your pulse is going insane.”

“Of course, it is.” He dismisses, pushing your legs apart. “It’s because of you.”

Feeling dismissed, you sigh, “Okay, Jaehyun, just one round - ah!” 

You get cut off, loudly moaning when he surges forward and his cock pierces into you with minimal difficulty.

You woke up sore and aching; especially lower half. Last night, you came about five times after 3 rounds one after the other. Jaehyun was insatiable; unrelenting to your soft pleas for even a quick break. He just… wasn’t himself - at all.

With much struggle, you sit up the bed and pull up the sheets to your naked body. The clock on the nightstand reads it’s about 7AM which means you’ve been asleep for a measly 3 hours. You ought to take a shower; you slept drenched in sweat and not to mention both yours and Jaehyun’s cum dried up and crusty all over your nether regions.

A pained moan leaves you once you tried to get up; you hiss, “Damn, am I getting old?”

Holding the sheets to your body, you trudge to the bathroom but the door suddenly opens and Jaehyun steps out, paler than usual.

“Jaehyun?”

He jumps a little at your voice and he stares at you, wide eyed. He releases a sigh, eyes furrowed in the middle of his forehead. Before you could ask what’s wrong, he takes a step forward and pulls you into a tight hug.

“[Y/N], I’m so sorry.” Jaehyun mumbles into the crook of your neck, “I’m sorry. I don’t know what came over me.”

“What?”

He kneels in front of you, taking one of your hands into his and kissing your fingers repeatedly. “I’m sorry, baby, I really am. I - it was like I had no control of myself. I’m a monster.”

You hunched down and cup his face, “Jaehyun, stop, what are you talking about?”

“You,” He almost snaps, “You didn’t want to have sex last night, but I insisted. I forced myself on you; I-”

“Jaehyun, it’s okay.”

“That’s not okay, [Y/N].” He cuts you off, “You said ‘no’ and I ignored it. I’m a monster, [Y/N], I practically ra-”

You grabbed his shoulders, “Don’t even say it! I wasn’t in the mood in the beginning, sure, but I still enjoyed myself… you should know, I came a lot.”

“But,” He tries to argue, but you hushed him.

“You know I wouldn’t go down without a fight; if I really didn’t want to, I would have made it very clear.”

“But,” Jaehyun looks at you with doubt, prompting you to give him a loving kiss on the lips. “If you had resisted… I think it would have been even worse.”

You pull away at his words, trying to search for an explanation in his face, but he has his eyes looking down to his lap. Swallowing hard, you kiss his cheek, “Monsters don’t know what’s good and bad; they don’t apologize for what they’ve done. You have, though, you know what’s right and wrong. I’m not mad or disgusted by you, Jae, I still love you.”

He finally looks at you, “I don’t deserve you, but I love you, too.”

Pulling you into a hug, he kisses your shoulder over and over again while you soothe his back with your hands.

“Although,” You trail off, leaning back on your legs, “Last night… it felt like you weren’t even here. Y-you were completely different. What were you drinking last night?”

Jaehyun sighs, “Too much of everything… I’ll ask the guys if they remember what we had so I can avoid it next time. They should be hungry now if they’re awake. I’ll go make breakfast.”

“Okay, I’m gonna take a quick shower.”

He leaves you to bathe after sharing another kiss and you wait until he’s gone before you lumber into the bathroom and stepped into the shower.

As warm water cascades down your body, you let out a sigh of relief as you feel your muscles relax under the steam. You still had to question Jaehyun about what Jihyo and Nayoung had told you, but it had to wait until your guests leave.

You’re in and out of the shower in 10 minutes, putting on proper clothing after drying off and applying  some moisturizer. You tame your hair down until you’re decent enough to present yourself in front of Sicheng and Yuta and you walk out to the dining room where Sicheng exaggeratedly calls for you.

“Jiejie!” He cries, “I wanted to eat your cooking for breakfast.”

“Maybe next time?” You sympathize, glancing at Yuta as he looks through framed pictures on the shelves with a steaming cup in hand. “Are you guys alright? I hope the hangovers aren’t too bad.”

Yuta shrugs at you, “Bearable. I don’t know about these two, they were hit the hardest.” He gestures to them with his mug before taking a long sip.

“Did we drink anything you didn’t?” Jaehyun calls out from the kitchen, pausing from his cooking to ask him. “Because I’m not humble bragging or anything, but I have a very high alcohol tolerance - higher than Sicheng.”

The latter cradles his head and sighs, “I don’t even want to contest to that.”

“Hmm…” Yuta gives it a thought, approaching the table and sitting beside Sicheng. “The rum one, perhaps? I don’t like coconut that much so I didn’t even try it.”

You made yourself a cup of coffee, frowning at what Yuta had said because you’re certain that Jaehyun had downed that in a minute. Peeking at him, with the way his brows furrowed and arms crossed while watching the soup simmer, told you that he did remember the drink. You walk to him and lean your head on his shoulder, “Was it good at least?”

“Yeah, it was.” He grumbles, stirring the dried pollack soup he makes for anyone with a hangover (usually you.)

“There had to be something in it.” Sicheng pounds on the table like it was a gavel.

Yuta sits back on his seat, “Like drugs?”

“It’s the only possible reason why Jaehyun and I were so out of it; I mean, if it were only me, then it wouldn’t raise suspicion, but the fact Jaehyun…”

“We should take drug tests, Cheng, and if we come out positive; then we’ll sue the bar.” Jaehyun turns the stove off and you help him serve the soup to them. After giving a hefty portion each to the boys, you and Jaehyun serve yourselves and sit across them.

Sicheng moans at the first spoonful of soup, “I still think [Y/N]’s version is better.”

You let out a little laugh while Jaehyun scowls at him, “We use the same recipe.”

But the Chinese national just rolls his eyes and continues to eat, Yuta on the other hand, nods his head as he chews. “Wow, is there anything you can’t do?”

“He’s annoying, isn’t he?” You teased, “I used to think he was too perfect for me.”

Jaehyun nudges your leg with his, shooting you playful disapproving look.

“No flaws at all?” Yuta wonders out loud.

“Of course, I have flaws.” He defends, “Everyone does. Don’t you?”

“Oh!” Yuta dramatically exclaims, “Ask all my exes.”

Everyone chuckles at him - even Jaehyun, to your surprise; it looks like he isn’t as apprehensive towards Yuta anymore. Maybe the night out allowed them to get closer, open up a bit more about each other rather than being business associates. You reach under the table to squeeze his thigh, making him glance at you, and you simpered at him.

He returns it with his hand covering your own to hold it momentarily before both of you resume eating and entertain your guests with stories from the night before.

Yuta and Sicheng don’t extend their stay any longer and began preparing to head back to their respective homes after breakfast, dressing themselves back in their soiled clothing from the night before and were gracious enough to throw the clothes they borrowed into the laundry themselves.

“Thank you for your hospitality, Jaehyun,” Yuta sighs, nodding at him and then at you, “[Y/N].”

“Don’t mention it.” You lean onto Jaehyun as he lays his arm over your shoulders, “It’s been awhile since we had people stay the night.”

“Until next time, then!” Sicheng jokes, tossing his coat over his shoulder.

“A tamer next time; perhaps we’ll tackle their wine collection?” Yuta raises a brow at Jaehyun.

He hums, halfheartedly shrugging, “Until a tamer next time.”

Both of you see them off and once Jaehyun shuts the door, you step away from him and walked away with crossed arms. This doesn’t go unnoticed by him, following after you tentatively. “[Y/N]?”

You spin on your heels and scowled at him, “Did you have my boss fire men at the company?”

He blinks at you, “Yes…?”

“Jaehyun! Why would you do that?”

“Kyungwon said they were inappropriate and disrespectful; not only towards you, but the rest of the women at your work. I had only suggested doing something about it in passing, but she seemed to like the idea.”

You reel back and let your arms fall to your sides, “Kyungwon?”

Jaehyun nodded, “Although, she was a little drunk that time… when we first went out to drink with her and your other colleagues. She was complaining about how one of the men kept trying to touch her. I had to do something, [Y/N], it would be for your sake, too.”

“Oh.” You felt guilty now; you were ready to give him an earful for meddling in your corporate life but now you know the truth, you’re admittedly a little speechless.

“Did Kyungwon tell you? I asked her not to tell you because I’m sure you wouldn’t  like it, but-”

“No,” You shake your head, “She didn’t. I overheard it in the bathroom. It seems like they’re rehiring those people now that I’m gone. I’m worried about Kyungwon and the others now; I need to start the company now so I can hire them.”

Jaehyun frowns, “I can hold the rehiring until then, baby. For now, how about I handle on your start-up to make it a little quicker? You just worry about Yuta’s apartment and our new house?”

“Are you sure? You seem pretty busy these days.”

“I have people to handle the paperwork. They’ll need your approval and signatures, but that would be it.”

“Okay.” You bite down on your lip, “Thank you.”

He chuckles, tipping your chin upwards so he could kiss you, “Anything for my everything.”

Your arms slip over his strong built, pushing yourself to hug him and press your cheek on his chest where you could feel his steady heartbeat thumping. You feel his fingers combing through your hair while his other hand rested over the small of your back.

“Is something else bothering you?”

“I just wanted to hug you…” You murmured, “But… I suppose it’s bothering me that I feel so… dependent on you. I don’t even know how different my life would be without you. You solve all my problems with a wave of your hand or snap of your fingers - to be frank,” You abruptly pull away from him with a pout, “You solve it through your wallet.”

He sighs, “[Y/N], you know money isn’t an issue to me or my family. I understand it can be overwhelming and almost impudent to solve all our problems with money, but it’s more efficient that way. My family… your future family has a steady flow of income; enough to sustain our lives and those who need it.”

“Those who need it?”

Jaehyun cocks his head, “We have plenty of charities, and provide sponsorships and scholarships, [Y/N]. The Jungs aren’t that greedy. Each of us donate to our respective charities twice a year.”

“What’s your charity?”

He hesitates, “I regularly donate to a rehabilitation center that deals with people who need psychotherapy that cannot afford it and…”

“And?”

“I also donate to the Golden Acres nursing home.”

You gasp, hands flying to your lips, “Golden Acres? That’s where…”

He nods, “Your mother mentioned about how your grandmother had been there since you were in high school. Don’t you want to visit her?”

“She doesn’t remember me.” You sadly tell him. Your grandmother had early onset Alzheimer’s at the age of 62. Your parents were working so hard to even support everyone in the house that no one could take care of her. By the next year, they had decided to move her into Golden Acres where she could be cared for 24/7. “Or at least she doesn’t remember that I’ve grown; I’m basically a stranger to her.”

“But she was an artist, yes?” Jaehyun’s hands rubs your shoulders, “You got your artistic skills from her.”

“Yeah,” You let yourself smile; when you were younger, your grandmother always encouraged you to draw or paint when she’d watch over you for your parents while they were away. “I miss her, though.”

“Then let’s visit her one day. Invite her to the wedding; whether she remembers you or not.” He kisses your forehead and pulls you back in for a hug. “What do you want to do today?”

You hum, trying to decide until you remembered that it was Sunday. You jump away from him with a gasp, “We were supposed to meet with my parents and Kun today for dinner! I haven’t contacted him at all last week.”

Jaehyun couldn’t help but chuckle at you as you briskly walk back into the bedroom. He saunters after you, crossing his arms and leans against the door frame while he watches you type on your phone. “Did you tell your parents at least?”

You glance up at him, “Yeah, of course I did.”

“So you genuinely forgot the man of the hour?”

You roll your eyes, hitting send after composing a message and picking out Kun’s contact number. “Okay, you know what? My mind has been everywhere the past couple of days; from designing a loft-type bachelor pad to a full sized home - that we haven’t even chose yet - resigning from my job and starting my own to save my female colleagues from pervs; cut me some slack, Jae. I can’t even start thinking about our wedding, although I really, really want to.”

He lightheartedly scoffs, approaching you on your seat at the bed and kneeling in front of you, “Baby, you know I was just teasing you. Don’t think about your company just yet, I’ll take care of that. How about we spend the rest of the morning planning for the wedding together and after lunch, we could browse through the catalogs of the Jung Properties’ real estate.”

“Sometimes I forget that your family is actually in real estate. You guys have too many business branches and different agencies.”

“We’re a conglomerate for a reason.” He gathers your hands into his and kisses your ring, “Soon, we’ll have a design agency under your name and ownership; which in retrospect, should be a smart business move. We have all these lands and properties, subdivisions and condominiums, yet we rely on other companies to build and design them.”

“So it all works out in the end?”

He hums in agreement, standing to his feet. “Well, should I get your laptop for you or do we work on our wedding in your office?”

Considering the fact that you’ll both not end up doing what needs to be done if you were to work on the bed, you chose the latter and he helps you stand up after you grab your phone. He holds your hand and swings them as you make your way to your office; grinning like a child and it’s so contagious that the same grin forms on your face.

In your office, he insists that you sit between his legs as he scoots further into your high back office chair to make room for you. Once comfortable, he rests his chin on your shoulder and wraps his arms around your waist as you open your iMac.

“You wanted an intimate wedding, yeah?” He kisses your neck, “So around 50 guests or less?”

“Does it sound too little for you?”

“No. What matters to me is that we’re both present with our parents. I don’t mind a civil wedding, either.”

You whined, “Where’s the fun in that?”

His chuckle reverberates onto your back,  “I suppose. So at a church? Hotel function room? A beach? The casino?”

“We’re not getting married at the casino.”

“Hey,” He tightens his hold around you for a second, “Lucky 7’s function rooms are quite nice.”

“Doesn’t change my mind on it.” You shrug, “I can’t choose between a garden wedding or a beach wedding; so you choose.”

On the monitor screen, you pull up the pinterest board you’ve compiled everything wedding related and Jaehyun hums in contemplation as you slowly scroll through them. “How about a garden wedding with a beach view?”

You twist around to look at him, “We can do that?”

“I’m sure it’s possible.” He presses his lips on your jaw, “We’ll make it possible.”

“Okay, well if it’s technically a garden wedding, then I think it’s fitting that the theme would be a little casual, but still romantic.” You type the keywords into the search bar and show him what you meant.

“Weddings like these are perfect for spring.” He comments, “Would you like to set a date for when the cherry blossoms have bloomed?”

“It would be nice, but that would mean we’d only have 6 months or so to plan this wedding - and that’s if we make it our priority. We’re both so busy.”

He leans back on the chair and massages your shoulders, “Babe, you’re worrying too much again. Remember, we might be busy; but my mom won’t be. She’ll gladly take care of this as an event planner. She’s been waiting to plan my wedding before I even learned to walk.”

You snort at him, shaking your head in disbelief, but move on with the planning; “Would you like to suggest a color scheme? Don’t you dare fucking say black just because it’s your favorite color.”

He lets out a laugh, “Gray, then. Something neutral.”

“Garden weddings typically have purples and pinks for color schemes; like pastel shades, or lavender and peaches.”

“I like that,” He interjects, “Peaches or coral.”

You look back at him for a moment, “Alright, then. Let’s pick out some photos and print them out.”

As you save photos you both agreed on and print them out, Jaehyun makes himself a little more comfortable by cuddling you and pulling you flush against him. As you wait for the rest of the photos to print out, you run your hands along his arms, feeling the little hairs on them.

He mumbled something incoherent on your neck, tickling you slightly.

“What was that?”

“I said,” He pulls away a little, but his lips are still brushing against your skin as he speaks, “I can’t wait to see you in a wedding dress.”

Butterflies erupt in your stomach at the image of you in a flowy white dress, hair styled to your liking, walking down the aisle where Jaehyun waited in his own white dress shirt and black pants.

“Do you have any requests on what my dress should look like?”

“Anything would look good on you.” He leans back and forces you to lie back on him, “It could be the sluttiest dress ever or the most matronly piece - I don’t care.”

You shift to face him, cupping his jaw and moving your thumb over his cheek. His own hand mimics your actions, lightly caressing your thigh. There’s a comforting silence that takes over; lulling you closer to each other until your lips are pressed and melding together. There wasn't any urgency or desperation, nor was it hasty and in passing.

He took his time with you, nibbling on your lower lip and steadily bringing the soft flesh between his. The printer made a sound that signaled its’ done it’s job and he pulls away but you hold him steady, whimpering a sound of disapproval that makes him chuckle.

He continues to kiss you, running his tongue along your lower lip to ask for entrance and you grant it. Teasingly, he slips the wet muscle into your mouth and sliding it along your own. He tasted like coffee: a good kind of bitter with a hint of sweetness, the kind you get addicted to.

Your hand falls to his chest and you could feel his pulse with your fingers, beating steadily with calm thumps. 

Both of you pulled away for air, resting your foreheads together. He has a ghost of a smile on his lips and you give it a little peck to make it wider.

“I love you.”

You’ve exchanged these words so many times already yet it never lost its meaning. It still sent warmth spreading across your face, made your stomach giddy, and made your heart feel full. “I love you, too.”

Jaehyun leans back down, opting to kiss your cheek while combing his fingers through your hair.

After a few more minutes of basking in each other’s presence in absolute peace, you break off from each other to pin the printed photos onto the corkboard you had hanging in your home office. It was a nice way to spend the rest of the morning before ordering lunch; it felt a little recreational but also exciting. By the time the food Jaehyun had ordered arrive, the board was practically filled with your ideas for the wedding.

You discussed it some more over lunch and he managed to squeeze in a little talk about the honeymoon, chowing down on your meals on the couch.

“Venice? Greece?” He feeds you some of his pork dumplings and you hum at both the savory flavor and his suggestions, “I already know a place in Greece I’d like to take you to.”

“Wherever, Jaehyun,” You roll your eyes, scooting your body closer to him and draping your legs over his lap. “I’m sure I’ll love wherever you’ll take me.”

“A month?”

You snort at him, “That’s too long; two weeks max.”

He pouts down as he mixes his fried rice around in the take-out cup, letting out a little grumble, “Okay.”

Once finished with your lunch, he volunteers to clean up the mess and tells you to go into his office, instructing you to open his computer and open the new email from their real estate office. You give him a quick smooch on the cheek, thanking him for cleaning up, and made your way into his office.

You sat in front of his desk; turned on his iMac, typed in his password, and waited for his mail to load when you pulled the window up. You weren’t the type to snoop or pry through his business life, but your eyes glazed over his other emails. It as oddly satisfying how he kept it so organized; having different email addresses for work, personal life, and such. But one email handle caught your eye; it was for a Jeong Yoonoh. For spam mail, perhaps? A little voice at the back of your head told you to open it, but before you could even reach for the mouse; Jaehyun comes into the room with a glass of white wine in each hand.

“Have you opened it?” He asks, using the back of his hand to close the door.

“Not yet,” You quickly clicked on the email from Jung Properties and stood up to let him sit before making yourself comfortable on his lap like earlier. You took a sip from the wine he offered and almost spat it out when he opened up the digital brochure on the screen, “These are all mansions.”

He hums, “Yes, they are. Too big?”

“How many rooms do we need? It’s just going to be the two of us.”

“For now.” Jaehyun chuckles in your ear, playfully biting your lobe.

You gasp, perking up from your seat before twisting around to send him a glare. “Don’t.”

He continues to chuckle to himself, browsing through the houses while drinking from his glass. “Don’t what, baby? We’ve talked about children before.”

“We still don’t need all that space.” You argue, mumbling into your glass.

“Yes, we do. We’ll need it for our private offices, a few guest rooms, our children’s playroom…” Jaehyun’s free hand runs over your stomach, “Our playroom.”

“We’re not going to have a playroom if we’re going to have children.” You flinch away from him but he holds you against him, making you gasp.

“You mean, we’re going to have children because of the playroom.” His hand has now unabashedly slipped under your shirt to cup your boob.

You put your wine glass down on the table, afraid to drop it. “You’re insatiable.”

He merely laughs, following after you and setting his glass by yours. “Have you seen yourself, baby? How aren’t you turned on by your own reflection?”

He reaches past you to grab the wireless mouse and opens the photo booth app, your bodies being projected on the monitor. “Look at yourself.”

His hands push your shirt over your chest and pull your bra down; his brows giving away his annoyance towards the clothing article. He’s watching the screen with you, using it like a mirror to figure out where your nipples were to roll between his fingers.

You let out a mewl, arching into his touch and holding onto his knees. The bulge in his pants grew beneath you, slotting perfectly under your clothed mound.

“Do you want to see me fuck you, [Y/N]?” He peppers small kisses on your nape, still kneading your breasts with his palms.

“I-” Your voice hitches when you began to grind on him, “I want you to record it.”

Jaehyun stops, “What? You want to make a sex tape-”

“Yes,” You whined, stretching your arm out to start recording on his computer before removing your shirt and bra.

“You’re such a naughty girl, [Y/N], hm?” Jaehyun dryly laughs, pulling you back against him and maneuvering your wanton body so his mouth had access to your chest. He licks your pert nipple a couple of times and bites the patch of skin by it. His hand had jammed itself past the garter of both your leggings and underwear, drawing a circular pattern over your clit. “You want to make a sex tape, yeah? What if someone gets a hold of the file, huh?”

“Then they’d see how good you make me feel; how you fuck me so good.”

An approving croon vibrates from his chest, sitting back for a moment to watch you grind yourself on him and although he’d love to put music on to complete the lap dance, he would have to ask you for one some other time. He gently nudges you off him, tugging at your leggings. “Off.”

You push your pants down with your underwear and toss them aside while Jaehyun just pushes his down enough to free his erection. He guides you to sit on his cock after giving himself a few pumps with his fist. Once you were eased in, he forces your legs apart by draping them over his knees and spread his legs wider.

“Smile for the camera, baby.”

Dinner with your parents and Kun had been going smoothly; you have to admit that even Jaehyun seemed to be enjoying himself while listening to Kun’s med school stories. You were midway through finishing your glass of sangria when your mother comments about how Kun and his family suddenly moved back to China.

“Ah,” Kun swallows his food and brings the napkin from his lap to wipe his lips, “It was rushed, for some reason. All they told me was they were both offered better paying jobs back at home; it would have been churlish to decline it, especially since it guarantees full payment of my tuition.”

You caught Jaehyun mindlessly nodding to Kun. You bump your knee against him and once he looks at you, you pointedly question his actions with a cock of a brow.

“Hm? Oh,” He clears his throat, “I would have done the same if I were in your parents’ shoes. No matter how great the sacrifice to be made is.”

Kun’s eyes glanced at you; he seemed melancholic as he agrees with Jaehyun’s words. You don’t know how to feel about his expression, choosing to busy yourself by cutting up your steak into even smaller pieces.

“If you don’t mind me asking, how did you and [Y/N] meet?”

Jaehyun chuckles and you’re already rolling your eyes because you know how he likes to answer this question.

“She slapped me with her hair.”

Your parents join him in laughing as if they didn’t know the story already while Kun was nice enough to bite back his own laughter. You huff, “We were classmates during freshman year. He tapped my shoulder to ask something and I turned to face him too quickly so my hair smacked him, okay?”

“I see.” Kun grins, probably imagining the scenario in his head. “Peculiar way of falling in love.”

“Love at first smack.” Jaehyun jokes and you step on his foot under the table, “Ow!”

“I could have ignored you, you know.” You threatened as if it would make a difference.

It was his turn to roll his eyes, “I would have kept bothering you, then. It’s not like I could ask the next table for help.”

Your father turns to Kun, “How about you, Kun? Any lady in your life?”

Kun’s face flushes into a soft pink, “No. I’m too focused on school and work. It would also feel weird to have a girlfriend while my specialization involves putting my hands between another woman’s legs.”

“How did you even end up in obstetrics?” You stab one of the steak pieces and bring it to your mouth, remembering how Kun got shy whenever you were in a promiscuous position while making out. Now he had to work with vaginas.

“My cousin passed away because of childbirth.” He solemnly admits, “It was a high-risk pregnancy and there weren’t any obstetricians in our hometown that specialized in it, so we lost both her and the baby.”

“My god,” Your mother gasps, “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

“It was years ago. She acted as an older sister to me, so losing her really left a mark. She’s the reason why I took up obstetrics. I plan to go back home to my country in a few years and set up a clinic there.”

You’re chewing slowly, trying to remember if he had ever mentioned to you about his cousin. You hear your name and you blink up at Kun, who was looking at you with curiosity. Swallowing, you cough a little, “What was that?”

He smiles, “You’re an interior designer, right? Doyoung mentioned about you working at a firm near the hospital.”

“I am and I was.” You wash down your food with a swig of water, “I quit my job a few days ago and I’ll be starting my own.”

“Soon.” Jaehyun quips, “Very soon.”

“That’s amazing.” Kun nods, “My dad had always wondered how that worked out for you.

You feel yourself blanching at the memory of his father the last time you saw them, “Your dad?”

“My grandfather, his dad, was an architect so he worked closely with interior designers.”

“Oh.” You lick your lips, trying to remain passive. Unable to shake the thought that if his grandfather was an architect, why were his parents so against you and your career choices?

“How are your parents, by the way? Did they move back here with you?” Your father inquires, reminding you that he and Kun’s father used to drink together with Doyoung’s dad.

“They didn’t move back with me, but they planning to visit for a few days next month or so. We should have dinner again with them.” He suggests and your parents express their enthusiasm towards him, “However, my mother…”

You peer up a him through your lashes when his voice trails off.

“She was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer’s a year ago. But don’t get me wrong! She’s doing wonderful, the symptoms are there; barely noticeable, really. She’s receiving therapy back at home and her lifestyle has completely changed for the better.”

You feel the urge to cry, remembering your own grandmother.

“That’s good to hear.” You’re grateful you mom reaches over to squeeze his hand before you could, “Although truly unfortunate; is it genetic?”

“I hope not.” Kun warily smiles, “I’m cutting back on a lot of potential vices, I keep follow a strict diet and workout routine.”

“No wonder you’ve lost weight.” You comment in an attempt to turn the somber mood around , finishing off your meal and putting your cutlery down. “I assumed it was from the all-nighters brought by med school.”

Kun chuckles, bringing out the dimples he had - dimples you remember loving. “Mayhaps that, too.”

Dinner shortly ends after sharing a small platter of seasonal fruits and you’re seeing your parents off as they enter their car. “Drive safe, dad. I love you guys.” You kiss your mom’s cheek through the open car window give a flying kiss to your dad.

“We love you, too, [Y/N]. You and Jaehyun drive home safely as well, okay?”

You pull away and wave at them, watching your dad put the car in reverse and drive off after nodding at you. Looking back to where you left Jaehyun and Kun, you feel uneasy at how they were conversing while sneaking glances at you. When you walk back to them, they both smile at you. “What are you guys talking about?”

“Kun was just telling me about that one time in high school-” Jaehyun sniggers and you gasp, smacking Kun’s arm out of habit.

“What did you tell him?!”

Kun yelps, reeling back and grabbing his arm. “I didn’t say anything!”

Jaehyun scoffs, “I was joking! He didn’t tell me anything… yet.”

You huffed, backhanding Jaehyun’s chest and he, too, cries softly in pain.

“Okay! I was just asking Kun if he could be your obstetrician - especially if there are complications in your pregnancy.” Jaehyun massages his chest with a pout, “I’d prefer having someone we both trust than just someone who’s just good at their job; so I asked Kun.”

“And I’d love to.” Kun adds, “I get to hold my nieces and nephews before Doyoung.”

You tittered at them, rolling your eyes. “It’s getting late.”

“Ah,” Kun nods to your observations, “I have an early shift tomorrow. Thanks for dinner. It was great seeing you again, [Y/N], and it was great meeting you!”

Jaehyun grins as he shakes the hand Kun offers to him, “You, too. We should do this again next time; you can tell me everything embarrassing [Y/N] did back in high school.”

You slap his shoulder, but he merely laughs with Kun.

“I’d love to! We should invite Doyoung, too.”

After a few more pleasantries, you and Jaehyun see Kun off as he gets into his car and drives away. Jaehyun opens your side of the car door for you and shuts it once you were seated inside before rounding to enter the driver’s side. While he starts the car, you put your seatbelt on and watch him with pursed lips.

He notices after he secures his own seatbelt, leaning over the center console to kiss you. He asks, “Are you okay?”

“Did you like Kun?”

Jaehyun laughs, sitting back properly to start driving. “Yeah. He’s a good man; family-oriented, a loving son... So, you like guys with dimples?”

“Shut up! I swear, that’s just a coincidence.” You crossed your arms, “So you mean everything you said? About meeting up with him and all?”

“Yes, [Y/N], I actually genuinely like the guy.” He rolls his eyes, but his voice drops into a murmur, “I understand why he’s your first love… he’d be a better option than-”

You put your hand over his while it gripped the gear stick to stop him from talking, “But I don’t love him anymore, you know that right? You can only call it first love because it ended. There’s only you for me now and forever.”

He smiles, moving his hand so he could bring yours up to his lips while keeping his attention on the road. “I know. I love you.”

“I love you, too.” You watch him concentrate on driving for a few minutes, relieved at how the night turned out. You were expecting Jaehyun to be petty or at least sulky; but he initiated and held conversations with Kun - more than you did - as if they were the ones rekindling a friendship. Pride and love blooms in your chest. Jaehyun really is doing his best in correcting his flaws. “By the way,”

“Hm?”

“You basically gave my ex access to my vagina.”

He sneers at you, “The only time he’ll actually have access is when it’s dilating and pushing a baby out; doubt he’d do anything else, babe.”

A grimace makes its way onto your face, albeit you agree with him. It felt a little awkward thinking about it now, but you’re sure you’ll be in too much pain from going through labor to even care about having Kun deal with your ‘down under'.

“You have plans tomorrow, right? IKEA with Yuta and Kyungwon?”

“Yeah, after lunch.”

“Oh, good.” Jaehyun hums, “Would you like to go to therapy with me tomorrow morning?”

You snap your head towards him, “Tomorrow?”

“Yeah.” He shrugs, “Unless you want some other day; that’s fine, too.”

“No, I’d like to go. I can’t wait.” You affirm, letting your thoughts drift off to wonder what it would be like to attend Jaehyun’s therapy with him. You knew he had a mental disorder, but he wasn’t comfortable telling you what it was back then so you never really pressed him. It never really bothered you that you didn’t know what exact disorder he had because he seemed to be getting a better control of it. But now the topic is resurfacing and you can’t help but ponder on it. Will knowing what it is have an impact on your relationship? 

Trepidation stirs within you; if it does have an impact, then how badly will it affect you? You’re trying to convince yourself that nothing will change your perspective of Jaehyun. This man has been trying so hard to change for you; trying so hard to be an open book to you like you are to him. The least you could do is learn and understand his flaws, right?

a/n: yay for update. buT WAIT !! the next part is the much awaited therapy session!! i’ll let you guys send in some questions you’d like to be tackled during the therapy session (pls dont send these with an open forum ask)

next: part 7

~ buy me a peach? but why?

[dietaku]

Amazing Quest 1: Chapter 5

Chapter 5: My Little Sister can't be this Rig Vedic! (Before we go on, I got this from PalsOwnFire: "The Kimyawa minigame is actually the harder of the two options open to the AQ1 This is because, while it doesn't allow for later paths opened with the griffohump, it does grant Kimyawa massive stat bonuses, and also gives her the "KitsnCllr" an item which not only grants her even LARGER bonuses, but also reveals her darkest secret: That she too is a Chimera. Kimyawa: Since you have spent so much time to help me, I wanted you to know this... Hiro: Eh? Kimyawa: (Produces a fluffy tail) I'm actually a Chimera. My family doesn't like me showing it off. They say I should be a human. Hiro: I don't think much about it. Heck,I don't think there's a true human on our team... Kimyawa: Aaaaaw, Hiro-kun! (The two hug, as Ozma glares from a corner, with "The True Human" flaring over her) "So, yeah. It's kinda cute, not the "Monstrous misogynistic exercise in subjugation" that Amelia Sardinian, that Feminist e-celebrity, posits. Of course, this is also the minigame where Hiro dresses up in a jogging suit and quotes Rocky, so..." (We then get a cut-scene with Zoddon and Jaydea) Jaydea: So, brother. It seems that the Light Pudding dreck has gathered quite the army. He's captured two of the Talismans, and proceeds to trek towards Us even now. He seems quite driven. Zoddon: No matter. We still have the ace in the hole. How goes the Work to sway Toneland to our cause? Jaydea: (Cough) I'm working on it... Voice: GYAHAHAHAHA! Working it, you mean! Jaydea: Kodas! Show yourself! Kodas: Not just me! (Three shadows appear) Zoddon: Ah, your Four Heavenly Kings. Shadow: Four Kings and One Queen. Kodas: Then it removes the entire motif! Just roll with it, Ceuri! Ceuri: (Pouts) Jaydea: No matter, go take care of them! I'll be along in a moment. Zoddon: What exactly are you doing in Toneland? Jaydea: Ehehehe...Well... We then assume control of the party, at the far end of the racign bridge from Chapter 4. There, we're in a large desert. You'll note that the desert saps health slowly so long as you're on the sand. The trick is to go towards a cave to the southeast. Loyroll: This heat is oppressive! My hair is going to go limp! Kimyawa: Aaaaan! Hiro-kun, can't we do something? Ozma: Just suck it up, all of you, we can do this! Hiro: Ozma, you're beet red. Are you okay? Ozma: Erm... Hiro: Anyways, we need something to help us... Mancala: I KNOW! Hiro: You do? Mancala: Yes! It's a great treasure! But one thing. Only I can go to get it. The lands I'd be going to are secret! Loyroll: Ok. Ozma: Go ahead. We'll be here. Kimyawa: Hai! Resty-resty~. Hiro: I guess we're staying here. Mancala: (Pouts) Fine! You then control only Mancala. Proceed to the left, to a pool of water, which connects to the Oceans you were in before. Return to Mermania, and back to the Guild house. There, an elderly merman is crying. Talk to him to proceed. Merman: A bloo bloo bloo! Mancala: Guild Patriarch! What's the matter! Patriarch: Ah, Mancala. You're like a tax hike on my assets on top of this insane revenue cut that already has struck! Mancala: Oh no! Is there anything I can do? Patriarch: I'm not sure how, but my assets are being attacked. The Stone Lord Kord has summoned the Grim Reaper to slay all of my assets and plummet Mer Culture's economy into the Deep Trench! Mancala: OH NO! I must stop it! Patriarch: Psh. I don't see a conniving woman like you acting altruistically. Mancala: Hey! Eh, well, okay. But, I know someone who WILL! And you need me to get them!  Patriarch: I'll give you one hundred gold to get them to fight! (You then get a choice between accepting the money or haggling) Mancala: One hundred ? Pocket change. I'd have to swim aaaaall the way back, and that's hard. Patriarch: TWO hundred! (Another accept or haggle choice) Mancala: Two Hundred? Geez, that's hardly an improvement. I could make that setting up a lemonade stand. Patriarch: FOUR Hundred! (Yet another prompt) Mancala: Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeh... Patriarch: You're a giant, colossal bitch. EIGHT Hundred! Mancala: Mmmmm, deal! You then have to return the cave. You'll probably notice at this point, that Mancala on her own is pretty terrible in battle, but that's neither here nor there. Talk to Hiro to proceed. Mancala: Well, I have good news! Hiro: You found the item to let us travel across the Desert? Mancala: What? NO! I got us a job! Hiro: Wait, what were you doing? Mancala: Relax, I needed to grease some palms! If we do this, it'll be easier! Loyroll: And whose palms needed greasing? Mmmm? Mancala: Shut up, you greaser reject and help me! (Mancala returns to the party) Enter the pool that Mancala left from and return to Mermania. Talk to the Patriarch. Patriarch: These are your soldiers? They don't look so tough. Mancala: Relax. Where's this reaper? Patriarch: I last heard he was going to slay a Miner in Dun Falafel to the northeast. That miner owes me sixty trillion!  Mancala: We got this! Be sure to have the cash ready! Patriarch: Yeah, whatever. Go north, to the ridges north of Mermania. Follow those, and then go east when you can't go north any longer. You ought to find a cave by the coast. Welcome to Dun Falafel, City of Chimerae. --Dun Falafel-- Dun Falafel has an impressive upgrade set for everyone. Grab a OrichSbr for Hiro, KnklDst for Ozma, NOdhi for Kimyawa and FlSHST for Hiro and Loyroll. To find the Miner, he's in the west house. Chimera Doctor: There's no use. He's going to die in an hour. Chimera Nurse: But, doctor, all you did was check his pulse. Doctor: I think HIS presence makes it a foregone conclusion. Reaper: Hello. Miner Moore: Tell my ma I love her, wouldya? Doctor: Um, yeah, sure, kid. Reaper: Can you guys get this out of the way? I gotta reap this sumbitch. Doctor: By all means, Mr. Reaper. Mancala: STOP RIGHT THERE! Reaper: Mm? You'll try to stop me? But, why? Why stop a natural course? All die within time. Mancala: Why? WHY? FOR MONEY, OF COURSE! --Boss Battle!-- Grim Reaper x1 LP:12000 MP: 6000 Grim Reaper is an annoying jerk, because he spams DEATH, KILL and BREAK, all of which have chances to instantly kill people. Also, don't use any weapons that inflict death, such as the Decap Shuriken from Mermania, as they instantly restore him to full health. Just stock up on Smelling Salts, and he's no trouble. --Boss Battle!-- Reaper: Fine, fine, you crazy people can have him. I'm going to reap some old cat. Moore: Ah, shucks, thanks, folks! Kimyawa: Yatta~! Hiro: Okay, so we did what you asked. How does this get us an item to travel across the desert? Moore: Hello? Y'all listenin'? Mancala: Watch and learn, Hiro! Moore: Oh, y'all are leavin'. Okay, I'll be here...I'll just take a nap. (Return back to the Patriarch) Patriarch: I just heard! Congratulations, you she-devil, here's your cash. Mancala: Ah, here's the thing. I did so much work, so, now, the deal is the money AND the Magic Fan. Patriarch: Wait, what? Mancala: Oh, we can go back and kill that miner if you want? Patriarch: Fine, fine! Here's your fan! Now get the hell out! Hiro: Wow, Mancala. That was...decidedly mercenary. Mancala: Let's go, goons! Hiro: ... You then return to the desert, and entering it, Hiro holds the fan aloft and then switches it on. You now don't take damage, but there's now a large dust cloud flying around the desert. If you encounter it, you'll discover its source: the giant Dark Pudding motorized army. Dark Pudding Soldier: Sir! We found the Light Pudding Army! Praetorian Faa (A woman in oversized silver armor): Splendid! Inform Lord Kord. Dark Pudding Sir! Hiro: So, are they gonna come closer, or... (The Dark Puddings begin firing on the Party) Hiro: BACK TO THE CAVE! You're then returned to the cave from before. Hiro: We can't go back now. Where do we go? Go deeper into the cave. After dropping to the second floor, you'll find a hole. Drop into it to enter the Aero Spire. --Aero Spire-- The Aero Spire is a large cavern with small plateaus the party can walk on. Yu'll get prompts to jump over from one to another. The problem is the swinging blades that damage you should you get hit. On top of that, the enemies shift from the Giant Bats and Cave Trolls to Magik Munchkins and Ghost-o-mancers, magical enemies who love to attack you with party-wide spells. After reaching the end, you'll find a flashing phantom. Phantom: Halt, you cannot pass. Past here is the Ancient Sage. Ozma: Wait, like Ancient Sage that crafted the Talismans in the Long-ago Days? Phantom: Yes. However, to get to her, you need to get past me. Hiro: Seems fair, I guess. Phantom: R-really? Kimyawa: Pretty much, Dead-san. Loyroll: True! Phantom: O-okay, then. --Boss Battle!-- Phantom x1 LP: 18000 MP: 1000 Phantom is nothing new. He enjoys blasting you with light and earth spells, while occasionally striking you with Eghitr, a multi-hit physical skill which also has a high critical chance. Fight as you normally will --Boss Battle!-- Phantom: (Cough) You have proven your worthiness. You may proceed. (Inside is a large bed where a chimera woman is sleeping peacefully) Phantom: Oh, dear. She still hasn't awakened.  (He pokes her, claps his hands, and then smacks her with a pot. Nothign rouses her) Phantom: One second. GHOST! (A palette swap of Phantom appears) Ghost: Yes, Phantom? Phantom: We have Worthy Ones here. Help me wake her up. Ghost: You mean? Phantom: Yes. (The two then assume positions around her, and then blast her with electricity. The Woman jumps up.) Chimera: WHAT! WHO? Phantom: Mistress Deima, we have Worthy Ones here. Deima: Worthy, huh? (Peers at Hiro) Whaddya want, hot stuff? Hiro: Yes, well, um, we were stuck down here because of the Dark pudding Army, and... Deima: Dark Puddings. So, the time has come at last. I assume you're Light Puddings, then? Hiro: Well, I am, yes. Deima: Well, that settles it, then. I'm going to help. What we need is a Lava Worm. Hiro: ANOTHER fetch mission? Deima: Relax! I got it right here! (She produces a brown orb from behind her back) All we need to do is put it in a volcano! Now, the normal thing to do is to return to the surface and go south. NOT, go back to the volcanoes near Zaius and Heston, although that does merit a surfing minigame in the remake, where Hiro and company surf a stone slab over lava back towards the Desert. There, you'll enter Mt. Metalgi. --Mt. Metalgi-- The mountain is home to a good number of fire-themed enemies, including Flame Munchkins, Toasties, and Hella Goodbyes. From the start point, proceed east and north, as you work your way into the heart of the volcano. From there, Deima will drop the egg in. With that, walk out. Hiro: So, how do we know that it worked? Deima: Relax! It totally worked! (The Dark Pudding Army drives up) Faa: Ah, you just don't learn, do you? (The Volcano explodes, and a large writhing worm made of fire descends on the Army) Hiro: I suppose an apology is in order. Deima: Apology accepted. Soldier: OH GOD, IT'S EATING ME! Faa: (ICE SABERs the Volcano Worm, which explodes into steamy chunks) Soldier: I'M OKAY! Faa: GRRRR! MY ARMY! --Boss Battle!-- Praetorian Faa x1 LP: 22000 MP: 15000 Faa abuses Ice Armor and Ice Saber, skills which counterattack with Water-1 and a heavy physical water-themed attack. The best option to counter her is to throw up Kimyawa's Aqua Veil to lessen the oomph of her skills and abuse Loyroll's Whirl form with Hiro. Nothing too bad. --Boss Battle!-- Faa: AAAH! BROTHERS! I WILL JOIN YOU! (Explodes) Hiro: ... Ozma: Nothing? Hiro: No, I'm over it. Kimyawa: Sourpuss. Deima: Well, that's that. If you need anything else, feel free to call. Buh-bye! (Deima then leaves) Now, without any other obstacles, you can then go west across the desert. There, the terrain shifts into greenlands, with farms here and there. If you talk to the villagers, you'll learn that the Dark Puddings were using their technology to restore the desert to arable land, and there was a Dark Pudding Noble in the Hell Garden Keep further on. --Hell Garden Keep-- The overgrown castle is filled with plant monsters, making Kimyawa useful here with her many fire-themed attacks. Once you reach the second floor, you get to a large plaza, where four robed figures were line dancing with Jaydea. Hiro: Jaydea! Where's my sister? Jaydea: Four, five, six, seven, eight! Okay, guys. Looks like they finally came in.  (The four figures take off their robes, revealing a short, fat man in blue robes and a turban, a tall, blonde woman with long razoe nails, a chiseled man without a shirt, and a short, blue man with a monocle) Short, blue man: Biomancer Kodas! Short, beturbanaed man: Dream Magister Modt. Blonde Woman: Star Lady Ceuri. Chiseled Man: Stone Lord Kord. Jaydea: And me, Piedmon! Erm, Jaydea! I've been waiting, Light Pudding! Show us, what progress have you made? Kord: All on you, Boss. Modt: Yes, um, I'm not big on physical confrontation. Ceuri: Yeah, I just painted my nails? So, no. Kodas: I'LL HELP! Jaydea: Yeah, no. (Sigh) Fine, you four... --Boss Battle!-- Jaydea x1 LP: Infinite MP: Infinite Better late than never, this is Jeffcom's obligatory forced loss battle. She'll engage Figgy Pudding, and destroy you with ease. --Boss Battle!-- Kodas: Ooh! Ooh! Jaydea: (Sigh) Yes, you can have them, Kodas. (The party is then seen in a lab, tied to slabs, where Kodas putters about) Kodas: I wonder what would happen if I feed you this shrinking potion? Mm. Whatever, well, it takes a while to take effect. See you in thirty! (He then leaves, as the party begins to shrink) You then fall onto the floor, free. Go north, to a crack in the wall. Inside is a village of mice, who reveal to be escapees from Kodas' experiments. They have an inn and an item shop. Also, in the back, is a mouse who mourns his Panacesean, cheese so good, it cures any illness. He then mentions that the cockroaches took it, who live above them on the next level of the castle. You then need to exit the village, and go east, into another crack in the wall. Continue up, going up the insulation in the wall, until you enter a large, pink room. Follow around the discarded vinyls, books and clothing items, until you see the resident. Hiro: This room seems pretty girly, is this.. (Jaydea walks in. In the US version, she's wearing pajamas, and in the Japanese, she's in a t-shirt and her panties.) Jaydea: Gods above, those idiots. Oh, well. Time to crank the tunes. (She turns on her stereo, and begins to do a dance) Hiro: !!!! You now need to avoid the flailing dance moves of Jaydea, If you get hit, it's an instant game over. Thank goodness for the save point that drops immediately after the cut-scene. The worst, is the fact that, if you take too long, it becomes impossible to exit, as Jaydea plops down, her butt blocking where you need to go. Thus, go as fast as you can, to find another village, of cockroaches. Cockroach leader: Attention all! The Goddess of Destruction has resumed her dance! We will now sacrifice the cheese stolen from those foul mammals to appease her! Hiro: NOT SO FAST! Ozma: WOW! Mancala: My heart! So manly! Kimyawa: YECH! Cockroach cheese? Cockroach Leader: Cockroach Knights! To action! --Boss Battle!-- Cockroach Knights x6 Cockroach knight LP: 4500 Cockroach Knight MP: 2000 By themselves, they're not hard, but together, they tend to run ragged on people. The best option is to whirl with Ozma and smash each knight in turn. If you keep them all alive, they will use "Swarm" on you which inflicts heavy magic damage and a random status.  --Boss Battle!-- Cockroach Leader: Um, let's not get so hasty! Take the cheese! Hiro: Thank you! (The party all eats the cheese, as they grow in size, producing a bang, which gives pause to Jaydea's gyrations, as the party falls onto the floor below) Kodas: Where did they go? (The party falls on him) Kodas: YOOOU! --Boss Battle!-- Heavenly King Kodas x1 LP: 27000 MP: 9600 Kodas isn't so hard at first, casting second tier magic. When you take off half his LP, he then uses the "Kodas drinks the POITON" action and mutates into a horrible, leafy plant monster. This raises all his attacks, and gives him the obnoxious "Viney Winey" attack which hits all targets for earth damage, and also the "Spore" Attack, which causes Red. Smack him down, as you would any other plant-type monster --Boss Battle!-- Kodas: ACK! (falls over and dies) Ozma: So, what do we do now? Hiro: Um, I hadn't thought that far ahead. So, uh... WE JUMP! (The party then jumps out the window)