#our performer young k :’)

[raguiras]

Music Weeks at NRC!

A Twisted Wonderland fan event

For a big event, Night Raven College splits into four large music groups, each with their own unique style and aesthetic. Follow the beat of your heart and create something miraculous!

These are just some quick sketches, but I'm pretty happy with them!

SHARING IS SUPER APPRECIATED!!! ♡♡♡

DEADLINE: none :) // My other ongoing event (ship art trades)

ALL INFO BELOW THE CUT!

☆ LORE ☆

RAGU Entertainment, an up-and-rising music company focusing on young talents, has offered Night Raven College a sponsorship and cooperation! The student body is being split into four large music groups, each with their own aesthetic and style. For every song made by the students, Night Raven College is rewarded with both exposure and money in exchange for promoting the company through the students' music. Some of the teens chose their groups themselves, others were assigned to one; some are performers, others work behind the scenes. Additionally, everyone is turning the music weeks into an unofficial battle — who makes the best, most well-received songs?

The NRC faculty members supervise the groups themselves, and Allen, the Ramshackle student known for his lyrical talent, organization skills and passion for music, is in charge of supervising the event's quality while simultaneously also working as the co-leader of his own group.

☆ GROUP INTROS ☆

Hazard/Riff: hip hop/rock fusion // street style aesthetic // leader: Deuce (+ Allen)

PASTEL BXMB!: bubblegum/dance pop fusion // pastel aesthetic // leader: Kalim

GLOWCHAIN: k-pop/EDM fusion //sparkly, mature aesthetic // leader: Vil

lonely lantern: indie/soft pop fusion // light academia/cottagecore // leader: Silver

The descriptions are rather vague so there's more room for you to be creative.

You obviously aren't limited to these pictures and can expand on the aesthetic as long as it's still similar! Draw your OC in whatever clothes you consider to be fitting.

☆ HOW TO PARTICIPATE ☆

Pick one of the four groups for your OC. Which one suits them best?

Use said group's designated background (scroll down in this post to find them) and make a TWST event card for your OC!

Write some voicelines, such as gacha or homescreen ones.

OPTIONAL: Make a GROOVY version portraying your OC in a music video scene (may be posted separately).

OPTIONAL: Include a few fun doodles or outfit-related stuff.

Post it with the hashtag ragu music weeks, tag (@) me so I can see it, and link this post in it!

I will link your OC's card in the official lineup section of this post.

Writing a fic, drawing something other than a card, or just doing anything creative in general is also allowed! You can obviously mix multiple of these things, too.

I'm looking forward to ALL types of entries.

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

☆ RULES ☆

No NSFW.

All types of NRC student OCs are allowed (except for fan children/another generation)! Faculty OCs are also allowed, but as supervisors instead of performers.

Your student OCs can be anything: a vocalist, rapper, dancer, instrumentalist, producer, lyricist, makeup artist, stage designer, director, choreographer, whatever! Just don't make them a co-leader without my approval.

You can obviously enter with multiple OCs!

Making cards of canon characters is technically allowed, but the event is supposed to focus on OCs. (I will draw Deuce's OFFICIAL card and maybe also some others.)

There are no canon ships (other than Deuce x Allen, which is only canon/extremely implied because Deuce's planned event lore is heavily dependent on his relationship with Allen), so please don't bash anyone for implying that their OC is dating/crushing on the same canon character as yours.

Don't make your OC beef with other people's OCs unless they've given you permission to do so.

Don't move a canon character into a different group. The official lineups can be found below.

☆ CARD BACKGROUNDS ☆

Hazard/Riff -> PASTEL BXMB! -> GLOWCHAIN -> lonely lantern

☆ OUR LINEUPS ☆

[Your OC will be added here with a link!]

Hazard/Riff (supervised by Vargas)

DEUCE, Allen, EPEL, ACE, LEONA, RUGGIE, FLOYD, Zian, Estella, Iyad, Estelle, Yuhua

PASTEL BXMB! (supervised by Sam)

KALIM, LILIA, IDIA, ORTHO, SEBEK, Carla, Bonbon, Astrid, Romeo, Fiend, Yumi, Yuya, Forsythea, Ben, Ruby, Victor (links will be added once I've regained them... they got removed 😭)

GLOWCHAIN (supervised by Crewel)

VIL, TREY, CATER, AZUL, JAMIL, MALLEUS, Ryuuni, Viviroe, Stephanie, Erin, Kyoi, Aurinelle

lonely lantern (supervised by Trein)

SILVER, JADE, RIDDLE, JACK, ROOK, Jinx, Cass, Yorrana, Illysabeth

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

☆ OUR LEADERS ☆

DEUCE: Having adapted music as an outlet for his delinquent tendencies from Allen and enjoying himself with this form of self-expression, Deuce is the born leader of Hazard/Riff. Not only have his vocals and especially his rap greatly improved by now, but he also writes lyrics together with Allen.

KALIM: Spread joy! Despite it being different from his usual aesthetics, Kalim immediately felt intrigued by the concept of PASTEL BXMB! and knew that this was the group he wanted to join. Through his naturally positive aura and ability to bring people together, he fits them incredibly well, and serves as a vocalist as well as the main dancer.

VIL: GLOWCHAIN has a mature, elegant sparkly aesthetic — it was a no-brainer that Vil would be its leader. The ambitious, talented artist makes sure that the group stands out and draws people in with his preexisting popularity and charisma. He is a vocalist as well as the visual of the group.

SILVER: Being calm, kind and well-liked, Silver is a fitting leader for lonely lanterns, an indie group welcoming to all kinds of personalities and skill levels. With his soothing vocals, good looks and somewhat odd aesthetic, he became the face of the group.

(ALLEN: Being the person who introduced music as a coping mechanism to Deuce, Allen is the co-leader of Hazard/Riff. Not only is he a talented producer and rapper as well as an exceptional lyricist, but he also has a blind understanding with Deuce, and the two spend tons of time together. When it comes to the group, Allen is perfectionistic but enthusiastic.)

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

☆ GROUP FOCUSES ☆

Hazard/Riff: Partial usage of instruments. Focuses on rap, rock vocals, and meaningful lyrics.

PASTEL BXMB!: No usage of instruments. Focuses on positivity, good vibes and dance.

GLOWCHAIN: No usage of instruments. Focuses on aesthetics, elegance and good vocals.

lonely lantern: Partial usage of instruments. Has no focus and is the most open-minded group.

☆ INSPIRATION PLAYLISTS ☆

Hazard/Riff — PASTEL BXMB! — GLOWCHAIN — lonely lantern

☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★☆★

☆ OTHER EVENT NOTES ☆

You're very much allowed to include my designs, Allen (his profile is linked in the leader section), or the Deuce x Allen ship (they have duo magic too!) in your OC's card's groovy version. No need to ask for my permission!

Interactions between your OC and Allen are very much encouraged! Feel free to mention him in your OC's voicelines, too.

I'll make a card for Allen, and I'll also make Deuce's OFFICIAL card. If the mood strikes me, I'll possibly also draw official cards for some other canon characters.

I'll reblog every entry on my reblog blog and also link all entries in this post!

If this event ends up being well-received, I'll do a second part someday! So far, the idea is that it would be vkei/electro swing/weirdcore/Europop.

All resources were found on and downloaded from Pinterest, then edited. The event art was drawn by me.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment!

[808airsoftbros]

Forgotten or Not (Nana/Bae Suzy)

Author: This is a commission hiring from my good friend @elryuse but I added my own edits and twists to it so I hope you all enjoy it. Also if you want to read more of my fics check out my Masterlist

Y/N's POV

The grand dinner event was a whirlwind of glitz and glamour. The air was thick with anticipation as fans worldwide gathered to celebrate K-pop's meteoric rise. As a relatively new member of the scene, I felt a mix of excitement and nerves.

Suzy and Nana, my two girlfriends, were by my side. Their presence was a comforting balm amidst the chaos. We had been together for several years, our love a quiet, steady force in our lives.

As the evening progressed, I couldn't shake the feeling of a growing divide between the older and newer generations of idols. The younger stars, like Blackpink, exuded a confidence bordering on arrogance. Jennie and Lisa, in particular, were known for their outspoken nature.

I overheard them making derogatory remarks about the older generation, dismissing them as "grandmas" and claiming they were relics of the past. My blood boiled.

“If it weren’t for us we wouldn’t be in this position in the leaderboards!” Taeyeon argued but Jennie simply sniffed.

“Hm. Maybe so but your time is over and there is nothing left for you to give now it’s time make way for new gen idols like us!” Jennie replied and Lisa snickered.

“Enjoy your time Grandma, while it lasts~” Lisa remarked and laughed as they walked away.

I could tell Taeyeon-Noona wanted to say more but she didn’t because we all knew they were right…

I had always admired the pioneers of K-pop. It’s true they had paved the way for artists like me and the fact that our time is nearing but to see them treated with such disrespect was infuriating. Suzy and Nana tried to calm me down.

"Don't do it," Suzy whispered, her voice firm.

"It's not worth it." Nana agreed. "They're just young and naive. They'll learn eventually."

I knew they were right, but my anger refused to subside. As I watched the younger idols perform on stage, I couldn't help but feel a sense of resentment. I had worked hard to get to where I was, and I didn't appreciate being dismissed so easily.

“I know but they didn’t have to be so rude about it!” I pointed out and Nana sighed.

“To tell you the truth… I was just like them when I was there age, when Afterschool debuted we were one of the best there was and for the previous generation of my time, we showed no sympathy in their situation, we thought we were invincible and we’d last forever… But I was wrong, as we got older, dancing and singing along with the ruthless practices got more difficult and eventually our company retired us and were quietly replaced by younger rookie idols and eventually we were forgotten,” Nana explained her story.

“And this cycle will always continue as long as K-pop stands, our companies are always working on training better and stronger idols than will ever be, and eventually as they get older they will soon feel the same as we did, we are lucky enough to still be in the industry as actresses, and in some cases… It doesn’t matter how old or how young idols are, they too will be replaced before they know it,” Suzy finished giving a dead serious look in my eyes.

That night, as I lay in bed, I couldn't stop thinking about Suzy and Nana's words. They reminded me of the transient nature of fame. One day, I too would be considered outdated and replaced by a new generation of idols.

It was a harsh reality, but it was one that I would have to face. I realized that I had been so focused on proving myself that I had lost sight of what was truly important. I had been so eager to be recognized as a rising star that I had forgotten to appreciate the journey.

The next morning, as I prepared for another event, I felt a newfound sense of perspective. I had faced a challenge, and I had come out stronger on the other side.

I realized that the future of K-pop was bright, and I was excited to be a part of it. As I stepped onto the stage that day, I felt a sense of peace.

I knew that I had a responsibility to the younger generation of idols. I would be their mentor, their guide. And I would do everything in my power to ensure that they were treated with respect.

But most importantly, I would cherish the love and support of my two incredible girlfriends, Suzy and Nana. Their love was a constant in my life, a beacon of light in the ever-changing world of K-pop.

The incident at the dinner event had brought Suzy and Nana even closer to me. The shared experience had deepened our bond, revealing a new level of understanding and empathy between us. Nana, always the practical one, had taken the lead in comforting me in the aftermath of the event.

Her gentle words and warm embrace had provided me with the solace I needed. Suzy, on the other hand, had offered a different kind of support.

Her quiet strength and unwavering belief in me had given me the courage to face the challenges ahead. As time went on, I found myself appreciating the unique qualities of each woman in my life.

Nana's grounded nature and unwavering support provided a sense of stability. Suzy's quiet strength and unwavering belief in me gave me the courage to face any challenge.

Their love for me was a constant in my life, a beacon of light in the ever-changing world of K-pop. Together, we navigated the ups and downs of our careers with grace and resilience.

We celebrated each other's successes and offered support during difficult times. Our bond grew stronger with each passing day, a testament to the power of love and friendship.

~

Five years later…

As five years passed since the dinner event, though may seem little time has passed but it felt a decade, the industry changed drastically than I could ever imagine. Blackpink who were one the worlds most famous K-pop group eventually fell under.

With new groups such as Le Sserafim, IVE, NewJeans, and others debuting, they got off huge while Blackpink went off the leaderboards with their absence of comebacks and attending other events and the same can be said for the previous generation groups.

As for myself, I decided to propose to my two beautiful girlfriends and when they said “yes” I was ecstatic and we got married a month later, and already discussing our retirement from the industry as we believed we’ve earned it after working for years.

One evening, as we sat together on the balcony of our shared apartment, I turned to Suzy and Nana.

"I'm so grateful for you both," I said. "You've made my life so much richer."

Suzy and Nana smiled at me. "We're grateful for you too," Suzy replied.

[cartierre]

RUN DEVIL RUN | tw

SOCIAL MEDIA!AU toto wolff x fem!kpop idol!reader (fc: kim taeyeon)

side note: the title has literally nothing to do with this... but it is one of snsd's most cuntiest songs

♡ liked by 374,938 people

tagged: yourusername, voguekorea

f1wag Y/N Y/L/N on the cover of Vogue Korea! Wolff's girlfriend has a past in the K-Pop industry and will return to the music scene coming Feburary. She's been spotted a lot in South Korea with many of her old collegues and friends. Why do you think she's suddenly back into music after a 5 year break?

view all 4,580 comments

user1 how did i not know y/n is a literal kpop idol?

user2 watch me get into kpop because of my girlypop

user3 it's so funny that none of y'all cared enough to look up what y/n's been doing in the past

user4 kpop stans have been knowing about y/n being one of the biggest kpop idols forever ⤷ user5 fr like how are people surprised bffr girls generation is one of the most known groups?

♡ liked by lewishamilton, mercedesamgf1, mickschumacher and 937,394 others

yourusername 'INVU' 2022/02/14 6pm (KST)

view all 12,394 comments

user6 mother is coming back

user7 I AM SO OBSESSED WITH YOU

lewishamilton 🙌🏻🙌🏻

user8 i just know if toto had social media he'd go feral in the comments ⤷ user9 we stan a supportive boyfriend

mercedesamgf1 our new anthem 💙🤍

user10 tell a friend to tell a friend SHE'S BAAACK

♡ liked by choiminho_1209, georgerussell63, tiffanyyoungofficial and 827,938 others

yourusername had the most fun performing for you guys again! thank you so much for welcoming me back with such love 🫶🏻 한국, 사랑해요! (korea, i love you!)

view all 10,384 comments

user11 she was born to be a performer

user12 she has not been on a stage in 5 years and still knows how to perform as if there's no tomorrow. much respect to her!

user13 minho saw you all thirsting for him and came back to y/n's posts lmao ⤷ user14 they actually broke up on a good note. bet they're friends now

tiffanyyoungofficial much much love to you and your new song! i love seeing you back on stage again, right where you belong!! ⤷ yourusername aahh i love you so much tif 🩷

user15 y/n is such a sunshine i love her so much

♡ liked by georgerussell63, hyoyeon_x_x, mercedesamgf1 and 738,167 others

tagged: mercedesamgf1, lewishamilton, georgerussell63

yourusername it's finally race week again!! happy p3 & p4 boys

view all 6,483 comments

user16 she serves so much all the time

user17 love that she's feeding us some toto content because she knows we're starving ⤷ user18 i need her to convince toto to get instagram so bad

user19 the mercedes family is so sweet honestly... i just know everyone there loves y/n to pieces

georgerussell63 let's go up from there! comment liked by yourusername

user20 i need y/n to become my wife i cannot do this any longer

♡ liked by 515sunnyday, hyoyeon_x_x, tiffanyyoungofficial and 1,023,746 others

tagged: hyoyeon_x_x, yulyulk, 515sunnyday, sooyoungchoi, tiffanyyoungofficial, seojuhyun_s, yoona_lim

yourusername happy 15th anniversary to girl's generation! it's been nothing but fun with my girls and our fans 🫶🏻🩷 as a little present to you guys, we're happy to announce our return for a 7th album! #gg4eva #forever1

view all 11,284 comments

user21 first y/n did a whole solo album, her DEBUT album, and now you're telling me she's coming back with girl's generation??!!

user22 i just know toto has booked front row tickets for the whole mercedes team ⤷ mercedesamgf1 this does not sound like a bad idea...

user23 SO SLAY OMG

user24 the way i cannot fathom y/n has been in the music business for 15 whole years? miss ma'am looks so young i want to know her secret

lewishamilton thanks to you i'm really getting into kpop comment liked by yourusername ⤷ user25 GET IN THERE LEWIS

[filmofhybe]

new written series ! — by filmofhybe.

IN EVERY MULTIVERSE

in which

> y/n was a young girl who believed in the multiverse. Believed that in each multiverse your in, something special or memorable would happen. What if she figures out a way to travel through each and every multiverse she would be in, and meet seven different boys that captures her eyes. Which she sadly can’t seem to get them off her mind at the end of every Adventure.Will she ever meet them again in her every multiverse?

PAIRING : ot7! x reader

🥥 GENRE : friends to lovers , academic rivals , streamer x streamer , stranger to lover , patient x doctor , singer x dancer , café owner x regular customer , coming of age

WARNINGS : angst , swearing , kissing , romance , kys jokes , dad jokes lmao

🗯️ FEATURING: enhypen obvi , rei - ive , K & Jo - &team , Yunjin - Le Sserafim , Sana - twice , Hanbin - ZB1

TAGLIST : feel free to comment to be added :)

STATUS : every Friday :) (hopefully…)

The perfect blend - YJW

synopsis : can you ever imagine in this multiverse, you having the biggest fattest crush on your best friend - Yang jungwon, however knowing he already has a “girlfriend” hurts more than just a sting from a bee.

warnings : angst (100%) , fluff , crying , kissing

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

video our love - LHS

synopsis : you were extremely camera shy in the actual world, so what makes you be so confident in front of millions across the world while facing towards the camera with your lover - Lee heeseung.

warnings: kissing , slight angst towards end (not much tho) , tooth rooting fluff

Healing hearts - PJS

synopsis : doctors and patients aren’t suppose to have romantics love towards each other. However, in this multiverse, your very much in love with you hot doctor - Park Jeongseong. Whose secretly trying to heal your broken heart..

warnings : kissing , tooth rotting fluff (cheer cuz there isn’t any angst on this one WOOHOO!!)

Academic Enmity Rivalry - JS

synopsis : all the studying just to make your parents proud until your biggest academic rival - Sim Jaehyun decides to have the biggest academic comeback. And offering you free legit tutoring lessons so you can beat him

Warnings : tooth rotting fluff , kissing , begging

Amidst Crowns - PSH

synopsis : crazy to think about how your a Royal in this multiverse, only for the crazy self-obsessed prince himself - Park Sunghoon to hit on you 24/7. Finding it annoying you decided to throw insults at him, not knowing the consequence.

warning : insult comments , fluff , slight angst , crying

Brewing Love - KSN

synopsis : now your a café owner?? Serving your favorite regular customer- Kim Sunoo everyday was the highlight of your day. Realizing you were falling for him before he starts bringing in girls, crushing your heart as you can’t handle it.

Warning : ANGST (I mean heavy) , kinda fluff , kiss on hand

Melodies of music & love - NR

synopsis : the last and final multiverse , your a singer to your lover dancer - Nishimura Riki. Promised to Perform together until realizing it isn’t your passion anymore. Maybe you want to continue in this universe and never go back… but how when you miss every boy you met in the other 6 multiverse..?

warning : sweet fluff , comfort , angsty (at the end.)

TBA….

SERIES TAGLIST : @enhaz1 @dubuii @in-somnias-world @ultimatestayandminoronce @yenqa @euncsace @hoondiors @yannew @mrchweeee @ariadores @oldjws @frukkoneeeeg @dimplewonie @seobstarr @asteria-wood (white = i cant tag)

; AUTHORS NOTES : since is December 1st on Friday , I would be updating this series every Friday leading up to January-February (or even earlier than that) . I hope you guys enjoy this series as much as I do. Don’t hesitate to ask to be on the taglist by commenting!! I love you all and hope you enjoy this series that’s going to be delivered to you soon :)

© filmofhybe on tumblr — do not copy , translate or share.

[mirai-e-jump]

Hero Vision Vol.43 (2012/Winter) ft. Kamen Rider OOO Cast Members Watanabe Shu & Miura Ryosuke Memorial Trip (translations below)

Publication: March 7, 2012

-Silent Relationship-

Miura: In the year and a half since I first met Shu, the more I got to know him, the more I liked him.

Watanabe: In what ways?

Miura: Shu's been an actor for 3 years, right? Just as anything can be mastered after 3 years, I think you're at the stage where you've established your "base."

Watanabe: During that time, I was able to work on "Kamen Rider OOO," something I had always dreamed of doing, and, I was also able to meet Ryon-kun

Miura: Shu was grateful for everything and didn't take anything for granted, so he was able to establish a proper base. It's become his strength, and now he can go anywhere and do anything. If we want to learn from our mistakes, we make them, if we want to succeed, we make it happen. He's only 20 years old, so he's got alot of potential. I've been an actor for 10 years, and I'm at the point where I'm thinking, "What should I be doing from now on?" There are many people who say that if you can't do something, you're not allowed to do it. At the 10 year turning point, I was able to be apart of OOO, a work that I could really devote myself to. I realized that because I had the opportunity to meet Shu, who had so much potential, I had the chance to reflect on myself.

Watanabe: I've noticed alot of things from Ryon-kun too. Ryon-kun must've been thinking alot about how to make Ankh a "beloved monster," and how to express "Ryosuke Miura" himself in his photobooks. Never wasting any energy or time. The clothes, makeup, facial expressions, and movements all convey the desire to create a theme or concept, and then accomplishing it. That's why I used to get so angry during the filming of OOO. Especially when the makeup artist didn't arrive at the right time or there was a delay on set.

Miura: There were many times when I'd "freeze" the scene with a single word I said…..But, that was because I thought, "This isn't the way work should be done," or "This isn't the way the workplace should be."

Watanabe: Yeah, I want to learn from Ryon-kun's professionalism. That's how I was taught to be aware in the field, with a straight forward attitude to straighten things out. Ryon-kun has his own principles, and he wants to make sure that they're properly carried out, right?

Miura: I don't like being taken advantage of like I used to. I don't want people to think, "This is good enough for a young actor." Shu and I would never suck up to someone in a higher position. That's not what we're about, we want to make ourselves recognized by growing on the set. That's why I didn't have any unnecessary conversations with Shu or anyone else before a real take. Being an actor is job where you have to keep fighting with yourself, and there are many times where you'll feel lonely. There are some sites where the cast members act casual in order to make up for it, but I don't like that.

Watanabe: When Ryon-kun was on standby, there was a sense of tension that spread through the set. I could hear him quietly saying, "No more playing around." It was then that I realized, "This isn't the place to be screwing around," and I think the rest of the cast and staff felt the same way.

Miura: Everyone in OOO was able to perform with a high level of professionalism. If someone as talkative as Shu was on the scene without thinking, I feel like he would've caused too much trouble.

Watanabe: The reason that didn't happen was because of Ryon-kun. He led us through his actions. I did many things to Ryon-kun though. Things like the "Cola Incident."

Miura: You're going to bring this up again?! (laughs)

Watanabe: While on location for filming of the second half, Ryon-kun said he, "Wanted to drink some cola", so I told him, "I'll buy some for you," but I couldn't find a vending machine. While on the location bus eating my boxed lunch and thinking, "I'll take care of it later," Ryon-kun came to me and said, "Why are you eating food instead of buying me a cola?" You were just messing around, but you were still angry, right?

Miura: I just wanted to eat together with you.

Watanabe: It didn't feel like that (laughs). It wasn't just the cola, you were frustrated by alot of other things, right? I tried to lighten the mood by saying, "Why don't you have lunch?," I was able to buy a cola on location after filming, so I left it on Ryon-kun's seat.

Miura: When Eitoku-san (Suit Actor who played Ankh) told me, "It's from Shu-kun," I remember being really happy. Doing things like that, Shu always fills the space in my heart.

-On an adventure together-

Miura: Since OOO is over, I think we should go on more adventures.

Watanabe: Adventures?

Miura: To use a styling analogy, Shu often says, "Ryon-kun, what are you going to wear today? What should I do?" But, it doesn't matter what I answer. I know that you're always looking for the answer that's inside of you. I know this because I usually have an answer in my mind, even though you ask for opinions from others.

Watanabe: That's right. I'm impatient and want to know the answer right away, so I'll ask, "What do you mean?," and sometimes I'll say, "That's what it means, right?," responding before the other person can answer.

Miura: When it comes to clothing, Shu would say, "This isn't my style, so I won't wear it." I used to think, "I can't do this," but wearing different clothes changes you, and sometimes you like them even better. I've come to believe that these things are like anything else.

Watanabe: It's easy to understand if you compare it with clothes. Ryon-kun's visual sense of adventure is incredible. Are you still exploring things? Or have you decided that this is your style?

Miura: I don't decide. It's not that I think, "I'm the one who wears leopard print," I just think, "I'm the coolest" or "I'm definitely cuter than other people." Coolness and cuteness differs depending on the person, but I want to do everything I can and can only do now, fully utilizing both my own ideals and the appeal of the Ryosuke Miura that others desire.

Watanabe: Hmmm~ (is impressed). When I saw Ryon-kun's paisley patterned setup with a blue background, I thought, "So cute!~" (From Miura-kun's blog, February 20, 2011). When I saw it, I thought, "People can do so many things!" But since it's Ryon-kun, it'll probably take some time before I can pull it off myself~.

Miura: Wanna do it? (laughs). You've got an adventurous spirit.

Watanabe: Ryon-kun is slim, so he looks good in both cool and cute styles.

Miura: I used to avoid leather jackets because they didn't fit my body type, but after I was allowed to wear a biker's jacket as part of Ankh's costume, I began to think, "They're cool." Then I started to wear them in my private life, and now I wear them alot. You should try wearing them too.

Watanabe: Isn't it boring to settle on an idea?

Miura: No matter what Shu wears or what he does, he's still Shu. But it's definitely fun to be particular. Now, let's try wearing skinny jeans in our private lives.

Watanabe: Can I really wear them~?

Miura:: It doesn't matter if the zipper doesn't close. Just think that skinny is the only thing in this world!

Watanabe: That's an interesting concept! (laughs).

-We want to be "special" to each other-

Watanabe: In contrast to his fashion, Ryon-kun keeps his own problems to himself.

Miura: I just don't tell Shu about them.

Watanabe: What?! I should be the first one you tell!

Miura: Shu doesn't listen to other people. When he speaks, he looks the other person in the eye and leans forward, but when the other person begins to speak, he lowers his tone and says, "Hmm, hmm…."

Watanabe: My goal this year will be to listen!

Miura: Shu wants to be the center of attention. It's cute how visibly flustered he gets when someone other than himself is being focused on (laughs).

Watanabe: I don't like it when Ryon-kun hangs out with someone else, talks to someone else without me, or talks about something I don't understand even though we're together. I think, "What? Is Ryon-kun that type of person?," it's similar to the jealousy of accusing someone of cheating.

Miura: !!! (he burst out laughing). It's fine when he interrupts the conversation or tries to compete with me by saying, "I'm better than you," but it's a problem when he stays quiet. Shu doesn't talk when he's angry. When I say something, I have to say it all…..

Watanabe: That anger may be because he thought of me, or it may be about something that isn't negotiable at work. While I was happy, I was also worried about Ryon-kun himself.

Miura: At times like that, he'd ask, "Ryon-kun, what's wrong?" Whenever he's in a bad mood, I always try to calm him down, and I'm lucky if I also don't get stuck in a bad mood.

Watanabe: I overdid it sometimes (laughs). However, many things happened during our time together. I had alot of happy times and alot of frustrating times. I don't want to talk about it because it might distort my position and my feelings about the show……but, I thought it was great that Ankh was loved by so many people.

Miura: I think so too. Every time I saw Shu acting brave as the main character, and seeing him being loved by the staff, I thought it was something I couldn't do. Humans are always begging for something they don't have. We have different positions and characters, so it's not like we want to change for the other person (bitter smile).

Watanabe: Thanks to that, I was able to become more attached to my role and love it even more. What may seem like a negative thing can end up improving each other. Because I'm like that, no matter how close Ryon-kun is to other actors in his private life, he always comes back to me in the end. I'm number one among Ryon-kun.

Miura: Where does that confidence come from?

Watanabe: It's my desire for it to be that way.

Miura: (laughs). It's true that Shu is special to me. I've been surrounded by older people since I was little. There are people who pampered me and people who took good care of me, but somehow I couldn't trust them enough, and I always thought, "I have to get my act together." Especially on set, there's no place to relax….

Watanabe: That's true….

Miura: But, Shu's special. Only Shu can be spoiled. Shu's the first one where I think I can do anything with this person. Whether it's a photo shoot or an event, when Shu says, "Ryon-kun, it's okay," I can trust him with everything. Shu changed me from my very core.

Watanabe: Ehhh? Am I spoiled?

Miura: Shu was given special treatment during the photo shoot, right? When we all went to a donut shop to celebrate the makeup artist's birthday, I only bought grape juice for Shu (laughs).

Watanabe: That's right! I was the only one! (is happy).

Miura: I remember things like that every now and then. "We were together every day when we co starred together, so now it's fine if we don't see each other for a few months," I don't know why I ever said that……

Watanabe: Did you realize how much I meant to you after you left? Perhaps you got stuck in the "Watanabe Spiral?"

Miura: What does that mean?! (laughs).

Watanabe: It's the same for me. When I entered the set of OOO, I realized how blessed I was to be there. I felt like everyone loved me so much. At such times, I want to meet Ryon-kun and to confirm that, "I'm not alone."

Miura: Ahahaha!! (he bursts out laughing).

Watanabe: Well, after all, it's lonely, and we have to say "bye bye" now that we've finished filming.

Miura: I thought it was fine up until now, but I want to continue working with Shu and the others…..But, Shu doesn't think I'm special. To Shu, everyone is special.

Watanabe: What are you talking about?! Ryon-kun is the only one who keeps in touch with me this much.

Miura: I don't contact you as much as you say.

Watanabe: Is this because of the "email incident?"

Miura: When we first met, I said, "I don't feel comfortable messaging men."

Watanabe: I don't even message my friends to say, "See you tomorrow." The only emails I send are things like reminding my parents to send me contact lenses, or business matters like saying "I understand" to my manager (laughs). And yet, even though I send them to Ryon-kun myself, I can't?

Miura: You attach heart marks too.

Watanabe: That's right. Because you're really special to me.

Miura: I see (is satisfied). I'm a person who wants "Love" to exist in everything, including people, things, and work. I expect the same from others, can be jealous, and am abit troublesome.

Watanabe: Really? What if I want love too?

Miura: Then we're the same (is satisfied again).

Watanabe: I also rely on Ryon-kun. If I'm at a loss for materials at an event, if I'm talking too much, or if I feel like I'm going to make things worse, I'll say, "Hey, Ryon-kun?" and wave at him. When Ryon-kun replies, "Yeah?" or "What is it~," I respond with, "Miura-san, can I ask you something?," and then we end it with a joke.

Miura: Ah, that interaction, it really saved you (laughs). I'm glad~.

-The complete opposite path-

Miura: I feel at ease knowing that I'll be able to meet Shu again in the future, whether it's for interviews or at someone's birthday party. But, I'd like to keep in touch with Shu more easily. Even if it's, "I'm hungry, let's get something to eat even though we only have an hour."

Watanabe: Let's do it, let's do it!

Miura: And yet, for some reason, Shu can't do that……

Watanabe: Me being underage was probably a big part of it, huh? I also found myself wanting to meet Ryon-kun. Well, I already told you today, I'll change our relationship.

Miura: Please, by all means.

Watanabe: But, I'm short of money, and lately I've been eating alot of foods with a combination of bean sprouts (laughs). I don't like it when Ryon-kun takes care of me.

Miura: It'd be fun to have a "tasty bean sprout eating contest" at Shu's house.

Watanabe: Sounds good! I'm the best when it comes to bean sprouts, right?

Miura: Save some for me (laughs). Even if you say, "I can't do it because I don't have enough money," I'll say, "Okay, let's do it next time," or "It's okay, let's go together." Shu is serious about things like this. He seems to live freely, but he always tightens up where he needs to. It was the same with OOO.

Watanabe: That's because, as much as I was happy to be able to appear in a production that I admired, I also felt anxious and pressured. When it came to my acting, my responsibilities as the lead role, and communicating with Ryon-kun and the others…..I had alot of worries. When I saw Ryon-kun worrying, I had an optimistic attitude and said, "That's not something to worry about, right?," and it was because I didn't want to show everyone that I myself was worried and depressed.

Miura: Ah…I see…..

Watanabe: For me, I wanted to be everyone's "sunshine" on set. I felt that it was required of me, and I really wanted to make my dreams come true in a better way by being that way. That's why I wanted to challenge myself to do things that were beyond my capacity.

Miura: You overdid things.

Watanabe: I feel so too. There were times when I held in what I wanted to say because I didn't want to get into a fight with Ryon-kun. I instinctively avoided him because I was afraid that if my relationship with Ryon-kun deteriorated, it would become even more difficult to stand firm.

Miura: Why can we talk like this now?

Watanabe: I guess it's because I started seeing things from a different perspective. Just because I talked to someone about my troubles doesn't mean that the tension on set goes down. I don't think I needed to hold myself back so much, and I probably should have talked to Ryon-kun about it. I had too many assumptions about how things should be.

Miura: But, everyone was at ease saying, "Shu-kun doesn't change every day," and they respected Shu for that. This work was possible only because Shu was able to suppress his "insecurity" and "impossibility" and stand firm. By letting me out, the both of us survived together.

Watanabe: I see……We were complete opposites, but we faced the same direction as well.

Miura: That's why my feelings for Shu are actually very simple. At first I was surprised and thought, "Such a person exists!," then I thought, "He's amazing," "He's wonderful," and "I love him." I'm so grateful for him.

Watanabe: It feel the same. For me, this year and a half was because of Ryon-kun.

Miura: Now that our environments are changing, I think it's okay to feel down and talk to others when things get tough. You may run into conflicts when you ask for someone's opinion, and they may not tell you how to solve them, but it is much better than worrying about them alone. I don't want to run into the same problems again, so I think about them until the very last moment, and if it still doesn't work, I vent about it to someone else.

Watanabe: I see…..that sounds fine. Ryon-kun will listen to me now, right?

Miura: Of course, go ahead.

Watanabe: Thank you. Hah~……Today was the first time I've heard or talked about many things. I didn't have as much time as I thought I did while we were performing together (bitter smile). I think there are still alot of things I haven't talked about with Ryon-kun.

Miura: Let's talk whenever you want. It's sad to see the show end, but it was a year and a half of many encounters. I'm very happy that the people who came to know us through these encounters are supporting both of us together. I hope everyone will continue to watch over and support us as husband and wife for many years to come.

Watanabe: (laughs). It's been over a year and a half since me and Ryon-kun became a pair….I believe that together we were able to bring dreams and smiles to many people. We want you to support us forever, and let's grow even more so that we can live up to that.

Miura: Right!

_

Japanese Alphabet with Shu and Ryosuke (+ other page details)

Go to Hakone (page 65)

A: "The moment I'm in love" (Ai o kanjiru toki)

Shu: It's constant……Like the other day, when Ryon-kun gave me the bracelet that he'd been wearing for such a long time. Why'd you do that?

Ryosuke: I've been wearing it for many years now, and I wanted someone I cherish to have something that I cared about. I wonder if Shu writes about me on his blog or talks about me at events.

Shu: I wrote about Ryon-kun in my first blog of the year!

E: "The important part" (Erai tokoro)

Shu: It's strange for me to say this, but he's extremely professional. However, when he messes up, he really messes up.

Ryosuke: The organizers do a better job (laughs).

Shu: I was the organizer of my 20th birthday party and the New Year's party during OOO (laughs). Because it was a party with Ryon-kun and the others, I took the initiative.

Ryosuke: Everyone gets together because it's Shu, and even if they can't make it, they'll definitely let him know.

I: "Want to hold an event?" (Ibento o yarunara)

Ryosuke: A comedy act. At the request of one of my fans at a live event, they said I should be the funny man and Shu should be the straight man (laughs).

Shu: I like singing with Ryon-kun, so it'd be a concert.

O: "What happens when you're mad?" (Okoruto dounaru)

Shu: Ryon-kun stops talking to me and drags me through the day. He's never honest, even if he's sorry during the middle of the day, he won't talk to me until the next day.

Ryosuke: Shu is more flustered than mad. He always wants to be the center of attention, so when I'm talking to someone else, he wants to get between us (laughs).

U: "The jealous part" (Urayamashii tokoro)

Shu: Your visuals and the way you present yourself to the media. The way that you know what's expected of you and can express it.

Ryosuke: That you're full of potential. _

Arrives in Hakone Yumoto (page 66)

(top right) "Although the Romancecar (express train) had some trouble and had to stop at Odawara, it arrived safely at Hakone Yumoto without incident! "We have to take a picture that we've arrived!," and Watanabe-kun and Miura-kun went together to stand in front of the signboard."

KU: "A frustrated heart" (Kuyashii kokoro)

Ryosuke: There are alot of things. He bought an iPhone before I did, he built the cool and stylish house he lives in now, and he's a really strong drinker (laughs).

Shu: His fashion sense. Even if it's a single bag, it's an expensive high brand item!

KE: "Your ideal marriage partner" (Kekkon aite ni osusume ha)

Ryosuke: Definitely Shu. I think he'd be a good dad. He'd take us to various places to have fun, find amazing things for us to do during Summer vacation, and make delicious food to eat.

Shu: Definitely Ryon-kun. He can cook and do housework like a wife. Just being together with him is healing.

KO: "Love" (Koi)

Shu: When it comes to love, I want an answer immediately, so all I want to know is, "I like you or I don't like you." I don't think I could play around.

Ryosuke: I can't do it either. And I'm pretty jealous, so I'm sure I'll weigh them down.

Shu: There are some people who feel more loved the more they're bound!

Ryosuke: I guess so…..I wonder if it has to do with compatibility….

KA: "The cute parts" (Kawaii tokoro)

Ryosuke: His smile and dimples!

Shu: He's surprisingly innocent. I'm the same way, but when he's moved by something, he becomes all, "Uwa~ah!! (with sparkling eyes)"

KI: "Areas of concern" (Ki ni naru tokoro)

Shu: Sometimes, at our events, we'd speak using a fake Kansai dialect (laughs). Saying things like, "Why's that?" and "Is that so?"

Ryosuke: Even though neither of us are from the Kansai region (laughs).

Shu: It did make me feel closer to the guests though. _

Hatsuhana (page 67)

(top center) "When walking in front of Hakone Yumoto Station,"

Shu: Is that the soba shop? Right over there?

Ryosuke: It says "Inn" (laughs).

"Within a 5 minute walk, Watanabe-kun discovers multiple phantom soba shops."

SA: "The surprising thing" (Sapuraizu na koto)

Shu: I'll say it here. I got a Bluray recorder from Ryon-kun as a present for my 20th birthday!

Ryosuke: It's too late to say it! People think I didn't give it to you (laughs).

Shu: I missed the opportunity. So here it is now.

Ryosuke: In a good way, my impression of Shu hasn't changed since I met him. Also, I was really surprised at how well he eats (laughs).

SHI: "Horror story" (Shippaidan)

Shu: I don't mean to offend, but I often end up hurting people with my words…..

Ryosuke: If it were me who had done it, I wouldn't think, "That's terrible"….(laughs).

SU: "My favorite part" (Sukina tokoro)

Shu: There are alot of things, but if I had to pick one, I'd be that he's devoted to me.

Ryosuke: The part where he's always pulling me along, whether it's out of excitement or just to talk.

SE: "World view" (Sekaikan)

Shu: Recently, when we're together, we sometimes spend quiet time together.

Ryosuke: During the stage greeting for the film, "Kamen Rider x Kamen Rider Fourze & OOO: Movie War Mega Max," when I saw Shu sitting at the very back of the location bus, silently admiring the scenery outside the window, I thought to myself, "He's become more sexy since turning 20" (laughs).

Shu: I was probably just trying to appear cool (laughs).

SO: "When you need me by your side" (Soba ni ite hoshii toki)

Ryosuke: Now that Kamen Rider OOO is over, I hate that I'm not next to you.

Shu: I currently feel the same way. I've never been loved so much on a set, so I want to meet up with him once in awhile and spoil him, and I want to confirm that, "Ah, I have friends, and I can do my best going towards tomorrow."

TO: "Times where I make him feel special" (Tokubetsuda to omou toki)

Ryosuke: Always. In front of the other OOO members, I've always shown that, "Shu is the best."

Shu: I rarely send emails outside of business, but I only send emails with hearts attached to Ryon-kun.

TE: "The appropriate part" (Tekitona tokoro)

Shu: When I'm messing around. Sometimes I respond with, "I'm too busy to bother you" (laughs).

Ryosuke: Shu basically relaxes when he doesn't have to do something for himself or others (laughs).

TSU: "The cold (hearted) part" (Tsumetai tokoro)

Ryosuke: It wasn't towards me, but Shu's face was cold during a pre event meeting with the MC. I immediately asked, "What's this all about?," as it was a face you don't want to show to the visitors.

Shu: When I talked to Ryon-kun after the "Cola Incident", usually he'd laugh and say, "I see~," but he instead responded with, "No, I don't understand" in a cold way……It was scary.

CHI: "The part that's different" (Chigau tokoro)

Shu: Our personalities are the exact opposite. We're like the S and N on a magnet, so we fit together perfectly and can't be separated.

Ryosuke: Yeah, I'm interested because we're different, and I like seeing how things play out.

Shu: We look completely different too! A Japanese face and a Western face!

TA: "Fun memories" (Tanoshi katta omoide)

Ryosuke: During filming for OOO, we had our first date in Ueno! (May 22, 2011)

Shu: After filming, we went to Fuji Q Highland (interview done by Tokyo News Mook: Good Come, November 16 issue). But, you know, I always enjoyed those moments when we had off time, whether it was having a meal during a break or just sitting on the location bus. _

In the Corridor (page 68-69)

NA: "What would you name it?" (Namae wo tsukerunara?)

Shu: E&A, since it's Eiji & Ankh….."EA!" (pronounced ia = ear)

Ryosuke: Hey, are you sure that's okay? (giving a dirty look).

Shu: Eh~? (unhappy). Then, what about Miura-san?

Ryosuke: I want to be on "Team (blank)"

Shu: Since it's the year of the Dragon, how about "Ryuseikai?"

Ryosuke: Sounds good! Our goal is also to get more male fans, so it doesn't matter how grand it is!

NU: "The part I want to leave out" (Nukitai tokoro)

Shu: Dance! And also, professionalism!

Ryosuke: I have none. In the first place, I can't beat Shu, so I have no desire to lose to Shu, or to destroy Shu.

NI: "Similar parts" (Ni teru tokoro)

Ryosuke: That we value our family. Shu loves his family too, doesn't he?

Shu: Yeah, I love them. The similarity with Ryon-kun is……(thinking hard)……I can't think of any! I always see him as my complete opposite.

NE: "Sleeping face" (Negao)

Shu: Ryon-kun's sleeping face is beautiful.

Ryosuke: Shu's is cute. He's like a baby. He must feel comfortable, because he drools down to his collarbone (laughs).

Shu: That's how "Lake Watanabe" will be created.

Ryosuke: That's so gross! (he bursts out laughing).

NO: "Drinking" (Nomi)

Ryosuke: I want to drink at a kushikatsu (skewer) restaurant or some place with a counter.

Shu: I'd rather go to a dirty restaurant than a fancy one and share my true feelings with him. _

Hakone Glass Forest Art Museum (page 70)

HA: "Embarrassing things" (Hazukashii koto)

Ryosuke: I didn't want anyone to see the moments where I went into water, stood on high places, or anything I don't like, but I showed them all to Shu during the filming of OOO. I have nothing left to hide from Shu.

Shu: I'm lazy at home. I watch TV with just a towel wrapped around me after a bath, and my laundry is sometimes left in the washing machine, where it becomes stiff and crumpled…..

HI: "Secrets" (Himitsu)

Ryosuke: There's none. We're generally talkative, and when Shu acts stranger than usual, I get curious and ask what's up. Shu will often ask me, "Ryon-kun, did anything happen today?," so there are no secrets (laughs).

Shu: I have none either!

FU: "Dissatisfaction" (Fuman)

Ryosuke: When I'm having trouble with something I don't want to talk about, he asks me in front of everyone, "Ryon-kun, did something happen yesterday?" I'd like it to be just between the two of us.

Shu: Sometimes he says things that are impossible. Like, "Come to my concert in Osaka."

Ryosuke: Why's that? I'm requesting for Shu to show off his cute performance.

Shu: But, I also have plans…..

Ryosuke: I'll be in a bad mood if you don't come, okay?

Shu: Yeah, I'm not dissatisfied. This isn't dissatisfaction (laughs).

HE: "Disguise" (Hensou)

Ryosuke: I want to act cool like you always do.

Shu: Me too. I'm going to be cool like you always are.

Ryosuke: Can I pull it off?

Shu: Ryon-kun's coolness might be too difficult for me right now (laughs).

HO: "A serious moment" (Honki no shunkan)

Shu: The look in your eyes the moment you start your performance. It's completely different from usual.

Ryosuke: As expected, it's times during the performance.

(middle right) Fusing Experience "While wearing matching friendship bracelets, Miura-kun gave Watanabe-kun the handmade bracelet as a gift, and the two have a close relationship when it comes to accessories. They both made accessories by melting glass and presented them to each other."

Shu: Since it's the year of the Dragon, I think I'll choose something with a dragon motif for Ryon-kun~.

Ryosuke: Eh~? (unhappy).

Shu: No good? Well then, let's do something cute then.

Ryosuke: Hmmm, as I thought, Shu should get a "mask."

"And with that, they start with a complete showdown!"

(middle left) "They also created a gift for the readers."

Ryosuke: Don't move everything I just put down~ (laughs).

Shu: Ah, sorry.

"Watanabe-kun said, shifting the glass beads while curling, so we couldn't see the finished product."

Shu: The one I placed (a glass bead in the bottom center) doesn't make too much of an impression, huh? (laughs). Ryon-kun, please do something about it~

"In the end, Miura-kun arranged and completed it by hand."

(bottom left) Their collaborative "Heart Spoon" will be given away to 1 person!

(bottom middle) From Ryosuke to Shu: A mask necklace

From Shu to Ryosuke: A sparkling key holder _

Onsen (page 71)

MU: "Defenseless moments" (Mubobi na shunkan)

Ryosuke: The times when Shu is sleeping, right? (laughs). I personally think I'm flawless.

Shu: That's a lie~. He already said he's revealed alot of things to me.

Ryosuke: Hmmm, the truth is, the more I like someone, the more conscious I am about how I'm perceived. I just don't do it well with Shu (laughs).

Shu: Ah, I see!

MA: "Things I'm serious about" (Majimeda to omou tokoro)

Shu & Ryosuke: Things relatings to work.

MI: Miura Ryosuke

Shu: The kanji that make up bewitching, "Mysterious" and "Gorgeous," and even "Beautiful" suits him. His appearance, expressions, and everything about him is erotic and cool. Anyway, he's very sexy.

Ryosuke: Are you serious? That makes me happy! I think the eternal theme for me is to have "Love" in everything.

ME: "Meal" (Meshi)

Ryosuke: I'd like to pound real mochi using a mortar and pestle. I'll do the pounding and Shu will do the kneading. And, I want to try different flavors, like chocolate.

Shu: I want to have dinner at a fancy French restaurant in Ginza that costs 30,000 yen per person. I wonder what'll happen to us there.

Ryosuke: We'd probably panic? (laughs)

MO: "The popular parts" (Moteru tokoro)

Ryosuke: You have vitality, and the confidence to do so for whatever reason (laughs).

Shu: I think it's because I want to lead. I'm recommend by younger people (?). But, I'm not looked up to by people my age or those older than me……Ryon-kun is devoted. I can feel that he thinks of me as the center of his life.

Ryosuke: I still think that's heavy to say.

Shu: That's because there are some people in this world that want to be bound. _

Kiritani Hakoneso (page 72-73)

RU: "The parts of his looks that I like" (Rukkusu de sukina yo koro)

Shu: His small, well defined face and slim legs (he slaps Miura-kun's thighs). And, he has a flexible body.

Ryosuke: Actually I'm pretty stiff (his fingers can't reach the floor when he bends forward). I'm like Shu, I've got a firm face.

Shu: We both want things the other has.

RI: Request (Rikuesuto)

Shu: I want Ryon-kun to hurry up and invite me to his house!

Ryosuke: I don't want to because it's a mess right now. I'm planning to move, so wait until I'm in my new home.

Shu: Of course!

Ryosuke: My request would be to go out to eat a meal casually, not just for birthdays or New Year's parties, but also on days when there's nothing going on.

RA: "The lucky things" (Rakki na koto)

Ryosuke: After I met Shu, we started eating alot more food, and we started talking alot. I'm a much more positive person than before.

Shu: I learned alot about the rules of how things should be in the field and how things should be in this industry.

YO: "Weakness" (Yowami)

Ryosuke: It's no good to ignore Shu.

Shu: Loneliness and indifference are the worst. Ryon-kun is lonely too, isn't he?

Ryosuke: It's because I'm a Rabbit, as I was born in the year of the Rabbit.

Shu: I see, you're a Rabbit-chan~ (Does he even understand?)

YU: "How did you come up with your unit name?" (Yunitto mei o tsukerunara)

Shu: Ryosuke's R and Shu's S are taken to make "R&S." By the way, the "&" is taken away from "Earth." Earth also has it's meaning!

Ryosuke: I think it's nice to be big (laughs).

YA: "Being kind to me" (Yasashiku sa reta koto)

Ryosuke: Shu often asks, "Ryon-kun, are you eating your food properly? Are you hungry?" and "Ryon-kun, if there's any leftover, please give it to me."

Shu: In the end, it's my desires (laughs). When I call someone and they don't notice, Ryon-kun joins me and we call together.

Ryosuke: That?! (laughs)

Shu: It's too much that no one moves!

RE: "Means of contact" (Renraku shudan)

Shu: It's mainly emails. We send each other about the same amount. Ryon-kun often sends me messages when he's drunk, saying, "Shu-chan" or "To my beloved Shu."

Ryosuke: When I'm drunk and lonely, I want to meet Shu. It varies whether we respond to each other or not (laughs).

RO: "Lost (what they don't want to lose)" (Rosuto)

Shu: Our friendly relationship. The rest is my personality. As people often say, "I hope you don't change," and if there is a part of me that can support Ryon-kun now, I want to continue to do so.

Ryosuke: My job. I met Shu through work, and if it wasn't for this job, we might have never met.

WA: Watanabe Shu

Ryosuke: He's free…..the way I see it, he's not pretending about it.

Shu: I'm bright and positive. But, I may not be able to show my true self easily.

(bottom right) Since the Hero Vision release date was close to Miura-kun's 25th birthday (February 16th), Watanabe-kun gave him a surprise after dinner. Watanabe-kun was enthusiastically singing "Happy Birthday dear Ryon-kun~" (with a hint of euphoria), and Miura-kun was surprised and said, "Eh? Eh? You're kidding, right?" Miura-kun, with some tears in his eyes, said "Thank you," and Watanabe-kun gave him the biggest smile in return. _

Return to Tokyo (page 74)

(W)O: "The end" (Owari)

Shu: I heard that Hakone got the most snow this winter today. The snow must've been waiting for us to come. Maybe the snow said, "Ryon-kun, Shu-kun, why don't you come quickly? The scenery will be beautiful when it's all piled up."

Ryosuke: What's wrong with you? Saying such cute things (laughs).

Shu: It was alot of fun. The hot springs and the food were great, but I really enjoyed being with Ryon-kun! What about you Ryon-kun?

Ryosuke: It was fun. Since I was with Shu, I ate alot more food than usual (laughs). _

See You! (page 75)

N: "From now on" (Kore kara)

Shu: Next time, we'll climb Mt. Fuji, and at the top we'll shout, "Waaah~!"

Ryosuke: I want to climb it. But, it's said that you're risking your life.

Shu: Is that so? Well then, let's go fishing instead.

Ryosuke: Let's go to a river. I want to eat river fish.

Shu: Then let's go camping! Decide on sweets up to 300 yen.

Ryosuke: Then it's a field trip (laughs). I don't mind if we go to Korea and enjoy fancy gourmet food, or if I pick up some bamboo and go to Shu's house to have Nagashi Somen.

Shu: That's a wide range. Also, are you planning on leaving my house drenched? (laughs)

Ryosuke: Anywhere is fine if I'm with Shu.

Shu: Eh? (is happy)

Ryosuke: It'd be interesting to have an interview where we're just eating (laughs).

Shu: Then you can visit anytime! (laughs)

(*no Japanese word starts with the singular "N" character)

[elusivesloth]

|•Pairing: Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy•|

|•Chapters: 3/?•|

|•Genre: Romance/Political Drama•|

|•Angst/Enemies to Lovers/Forced Proximity/Wizarding Politics/Hurt/Comfort/Slowest of the slowburns•|

•Summary: Hermione Granger has faced numerous closed doors. Such is the consequence of attempting to do good; people, driven by personal interests, will obstruct your path. Hermione is well aware of this reality, yet, in her stubbornness, she persists in believing that she can make a difference single-handedly. However, there are times when sheer determination falls short.

Cornered, she will reluctantly form an alliance with the last person she would have ever considered collaborating with for the greater good.•

|•Extract from this chapter:|•

She hadn't recognized him by his voice. It was deeper, more authoritative, and detached—a far cry from the shrillness of his adolescent years. His features had hardened, each line etched with sharpness: thin lips, elongated eyes, a slender nose, and a chiseled jawline. Even his attire exuded rigidity and repulsiveness—all dark colors, if not outright black, a departure from the vibrant hues typical of wizarding fashion. But perhaps that was precisely his intention—to stand out or distance himself from the crowd.

She was partly taken aback by the extent of change in just 10 years.

However, not even time could perform miracles. Certain details and habits remained etched and unchanging. She recognized him by his hair. Blond, almost white, they shimmered under the sunlight streaming through the blinds, giving him an almost forbidden, Luciferian aura. She almost chided herself for observing him with such fascination.

His eyes, too, held a familiar storm within them. In an instant, she saw the tormented young wizard of her sixth year at Hogwarts, burdened by the weight of his actions.

But what sealed her hesitation from completing the sentence was the intensity of his gaze.

Draco Malfoy stood before her, surveying her from head to toe—and beneath the cold exterior, she sensed a deep contempt. The subtle curl of his lips. The arched eyebrows.

Draco fucking Malfoy was confronting her, and Hermione Granger suddenly felt like the schoolgirl in uniform, tears welling in her eyes after yet another insult about everything that defined her—her hair, her teeth, her lineage.

She waited for it, as if it were inevitable.

Mudblood.

Art done by me!

[waitmyturtles]

At a bar in Euljiro, one of Seoul’s up-and-coming hip neighborhoods, two voices intertwined in a duet. One was high-pitched, the other an octave lower.

But there was only one singer, a 27-year-old named jiGook. The other voice was a recording made years ago, before he began his transition and hormone therapy deepened his voice.

“I don’t want to forget about my old self,” he told the 50 or so people at the performance, a fund-raiser for a group that supports young L.G.B.T.Q. Koreans. “I love myself before I started hormone therapy, and I love myself as who I am now.”

Like many other South Korean singers, jiGook, who considers himself gender fluid, transmale and nonbinary, wants to be a K-pop star. So do Prin and SEN, his bandmates in QI.X, a fledgling group that has released two singles.

What makes them unusual is that they are proudly out — in their music, their relationship with their fans and their social activism. They call themselves one of the first openly queer, transgender K-pop acts, and their mission has as much to do with changing South Korea’s still-conservative society as with making music.

In the group’s name — pronounced by spelling out the letters — Q stands for queer, I for idol and X for limitless possibilities. Park Ji-yeon, the K-pop producer who started QI.X, says it is “tearing down the heteronormative walls of society.”

Very few K-pop artists, or South Korean entertainers in general, have ever been open about being lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender or queer. Though the country has become somewhat more accepting of sexual diversity, homophobia is still prevalent, and there are no legal protections against discrimination.

For entertainers, coming out is seen as a potential career killer, said Cha Woo-jin, a music critic in Seoul. That applies even to K-pop, despite its young, increasingly international fan base and its occasional flirtation with androgyny and same-sex attraction.

“K-pop fans seem to accept the queer community and imagery so long as their favorite stars don’t come out explicitly,” Mr. Cha said.

That’s not a compromise that QI.X is willing to make.

The bandmates’ social media accounts, which promote their causes along with their music, are up front about who they are. So are their singles, “Lights Up” (“The hidden colors in you / I see all the colors in you”) and “Walk & Shine,” which Mx. Park says “celebrates the lives and joy of minorities.”

“Someday, we want to be on everyone’s streaming playlist,” said Prin, 22.

As a producer, Mx. Park, 37, who identifies as queer and nonbinary, has worked on hits for well-known K-pop acts like GOT7 and Monsta X. But she wanted to make music that spoke directly to people like her, with “an artist who could encapsulate our lives, love, friendships and farewells.”

She met some of the QI.X members through a K-pop music class she started in 2019, designed with queer performers in mind. (In other classes, she said, “It was assumed that female participants only wanted to learn girl-group songs and male participants only boy-group songs.”)

SEN, 23, said that when Mx. Park asked her to join QI.X, “it was as if a genie in a bottle had come to me.”

SEN had been a dancer and a choreographer for several K-pop management agencies, including BTS’s agency, Big Hit Entertainment, now known as HYBE. The people she worked with knew she was queer, and they were welcoming.

But whenever she auditioned to join an idol group, she said, she “never fit the bill for what they wanted.” People would say she was too short or boyish, or comment about her cropped hair.

That’s not an issue for QI.X, which doesn’t aspire to the immaculately styled look of the typical K-pop act (and, in any case, couldn’t afford the ensemble of stylists those groups have). Individuality, they say, is part of the point.

QI.X often performs at fund-raisers, for L.G.B.T.Q. and other causes, and sees its music as inseparable from its activism. Maek, for instance, an original member who sang on both singles but is on hiatus from the group, works for the Seoul Disabled People’s Rights Film Festival and volunteers for a transgender rights organization.

With no support from a management agency, Mx. Park and the group do everything themselves. They handle their own bookings and manage their social media presence, recording videos themselves to post on TikTok and Instagram.

Many of the videos are shot at LesVos, an L.G.B.T.Q. bar in Seoul that often serves as QI.X’s studio and rehearsal hall. Myoung-woo YoonKim, 68, who has run LesVos since the late 1990s, grew up at a time when lesbians were practically invisible in South Korea. “I would often think, ‘Am I the only woman who loves women?’” they said.

The QI.X members adore Mx. YoonKim, whom they call hyung, a Korean word for older brother. During a recent video session at LesVos, after dozens of increasingly comical lip-syncing takes of “Walk & Shine,” Mx. YoonKim started to join in. Before long, everyone was bent over with laughter.

To a casual observer of K-pop, it might seem surprising that so few of its artists are out. As Mr. Cha, the music critic, notes, L.G.B.T.Q. imagery has been known to surface in K-pop videos and in ads featuring its stars.

Some critics see this phenomenon as “queerbaiting,” a cynical attempt to attract nonconformist fans — or to deploy gender-bending imagery because it’s seen as trendy — without actually identifying with them. To Mr. Cha, it suggests that K-pop has a substantial queer fan base, and that some artists might simply be expressing their identities to the extent they can.

Mr. Cha thinks the taboo against entertainers’ coming out reflects a general attitude toward pop culture in South Korea: “We pay for you, therefore don’t make us uncomfortable.” (Similar attitudes seem to prevail in Japan, where one pop idol recently made news by telling fans he was gay.)

QI.X’s fans, who call themselves QTZ (a play on “cuties”), love the group for charging over that boundary. Many are overseas and follow the group online, leaving enthusiastic messages. “I’m so happy I can finally have an artist in the K-pop industry that I can relate to on a gender level, on a queer level,” one said in a video message to the group. “I’m so excited for you!”

The band also gets hateful messages, which its members do their best to ignore. Prin, 22, is optimistic that attitudes in South Korea are changing. (Joining QI.X was Prin’s way of coming out as gender queer, but friends were much more surprised by the news that Prin was in an idol group.)

The biggest show of QI.X’s career, so far, was in July at a Pride event, the Seoul Queer Culture Festival. In recent years, it had been held at Seoul Plaza, a major public square. But this year, the city denied organizers permission to hold it there, letting a Christian group use the space for a youth concert instead.

Activists saw that as discrimination, though the city denied it. Conservative Christians are a powerful force in South Korean politics, having lobbied successfully for years to block a bill that would prevent discrimination against gay, lesbian and transgender people. Organizers held the festival in Euljiro.

For its set, QI.X had about 20 backup performers, some of whom were their friends (Mx. YoonKim was one of them). They had rehearsed only once together, on the festival stage that morning, because they hadn’t had the money to rent a big studio.

Christian protesters were picketing the festival, some with signs that read “Homosexuality not human rights but SIN.” But fans were there, too. As QI.X sang “Lights Up” and “Walk & Shine,” hundreds crowded in front of the stage, many wearing headbands that were purple, the group’s color. There were Pride flags, and signs that read “We only see you QI.X.”

Hours later, the excitement still hadn’t faded for QI.X. “I felt alive for the first time in a while,” SEN said.

Text by Jin Yu Young, photos by Chang W. Lee (if you have a NY Times subscription or a free trial, the videos and photos of this piece are wonderful!)

[y2klostandfound]

Review - Jet Set Radio Future on Evolution Magazine Vol.3 (Videogame Magazine) (Italy, 2002)

Translation in English:

(Page 54-55)

DISTRIBUTION - INFOGRAMES

GENRE: ACTION PLAYERS: 1-4 MANUFACTURER: SEGA DEVELOPER: SMILEBIT FORMAT:XBOX MEDIA: DVD-ROM

The concept of love, roller skates and a can of spray paint...

Almost two years ago, Jet Set Radio for the Dreamcast revolutionized the concept of modern video games. It wasn't a sequel, it wasn't a third-person adventure, it couldn't benefit from a character of attraction like Sonic but, despite everything, we were facing a great game. To tell the truth, it wasn't even easy to classify it in a precise genre; Jet Set Radio was an action game, but it had one feature that was increasingly difficult to find in this industry; the originality. Too bad that for most everything has gone unnoticed for the simple fact of running on Dreamcast. Fortunately, the European launch of the Xbox has resurrected a franchise deserving of the attention of the mass (yes: I said mass) of gamers.

The scenario of the action is a futuristic Tokyo of 2024, in which we will dart around with our "fireblade" model skates at high speed, drawing graffiti on the walls and performing acrobatic evolutions on all plausible and "grindable" surfaces. The aim of the mission, in the role of the young skater Yoyo, will be to recruit new members for our gang (after having regularly defeated them) and fight the terrible Rokkaku, a corporation that keeps the city on fire and acts with the complicity of the police local. This will chase us with any means, including tanks and helicopters! The whole adventure will be narrated by Professor K, a rebel DJ at the head of the transgressive private radio Jet Set. After passing the tutorial, disguised as the first level of the game, and having made the acquaintance of Gum and Corn (already present in the Dreamcast version ) we will be ready to dive into the most eclectic and fun challenge of our new career as writers: painting the walls of the city! And it's a real blast running around Tokyo, especially thanks to the beauty of the levels, some of which are truly jaw-dropping. Local traffic, crows perched on the roofs of houses, people in modern clothes who run away when they see us, everything has been created with particular attention to the refinement of detail. Unlike the first episode, in which the graffiti was created through complex rotations of the analog stick, now it is sufficient to press the R key (or the X and Y keys if you are in the air); understandable choice, if you take into account the fact that most of the graffiti you will have to do during the race. Jet Set Radio Future, in fact, is faster and more adrenaline-pumping than the prequel, and the emphasis was placed by Smilebit more on the stunts to be performed with skates than on the drawing of the graffiti. Precisely for this reason, to try to reach the most hidden areas to paint, we will have to learn how best to exploit the livery of our skates to slide (grind) on the most unusual surfaces (telephone wires, railings, stairs and lamp posts) and increase the thrust of our jumps. Furthermore, after collecting ten cans of spray paint, we will be able to activate the turbo boost, useful for having a greater thrust during the stunt phase. This effect is emphasized by the Xbox hardware through a spectacular screen deformation, which lets the gamer's jaw sink a few feet.

If all this were not enough, know that by continuing in the missions we will be able to select new characters, each with their own personal characteristics, from a rich roster that includes twenty-one skaters. JSRF is not only great playability: the originality and immediacy of the gameplay are accompanied by an equally valid technical realization. Graphically, Jet Set is one of the best titles to appear on Xbox so far, if not the best. The three-dimensional engine behind the Sega production is entirely in cel shading: although the environment is entirely polygonal, the less trained eye has the impression of watching and playing a real cartoon. The large number of moving objects on the screen at the same time immediately catches the eye; but the much-discussed slowdowns are very few and, certainly, not such as to negatively affect the gameplay.

The richness of details is astonishing: not only will you be "inundated" by polygons wherever you turn, but also the variety and resolution of the textures are incredible. The whole game is full of touches of class: lighting effects, lens flare used at best, stylistic traits designed to give greater dynamism and speed to the evolution of the characters, very vast and decidedly "alive" environments. And all of this shoots at an almost constant 60fps! Fortunately, Xbox Pai owners weren't penalized by the conversion: JSRF makes use of the 60 hertz mode, the image is full screen, without annoying black bars, and all the dialogues have been subtitled in Italian.

The audio part is no less impressive, with a soundtrack that mixes songs from the Japan and U.S.A versions of Jet Set Radio and adds new ones. The opening track made by Hideki Naganuma (The Concept Of Love) is already an editorial catchphrase, and we wouldn't be surprised if you started humming it habitually, too. If you own a Hi-Fi system with Dolby Digital 5.1 decoding, be sure to plug in Xbox and savor the sweet panning of Jet Set Radio Future. If you do not yet own it, you may be satisfied with the more classic stereo mode.

“...the originality and immediacy of the gameplay are accompanied by an equally valid technical realization.”

Some elements of the three-dimensional environments can be destroyed.

The characters are made up of polygons in Cel Shading and animated in a fluid way.

(Page 56)

THREE CHEERFUL GUYS OUT OF THEIR MINDS

JET SET RADIO FUTURE SOUNDTRACK

The Jet Set Radio Future soundtrack includes a tracklist created by artists from the American hip hop scene. The Latch Brothers, a group formed by three nice composers (Mike D, Tick and Wag), wrote and composed five tracks of the soundtrack of the title Smilebit. The chosen style varies from rock to hip hop, passing through electronic music that gives the title a greater futuristic atmosphere. In addition, the Latch Brothers have remixed the songs from the prequel (which we recall were played by the likes of Bran Van 3000, The Prunes and BS 2000), resulting in an almost unprecedented musical accompaniment. To top it all off, there are some "extended versions" by other musicians on the defunct Grand Royal label: Bis, Cibo Matto, Scapegoat Wax and Russel Simins. WaveMaster's Hideki has also left his mark on the Xbox version of JSR: by him the opening track "The Concept Of Love". A track that has already entered the Evolution charts ...

The Latch Brothers discuss with Smilebit the possibility of composing some tracks of the Jet Set Radio Future soundtrack.

After an elaborate discussion, the proposal is accepted! In exchange for three copies of the game, the Latch Brothers will produce five unreleased tracks and the remix of those from the last edition. Of course, the final compensation was quite different....

(Page 57)

On the longevity side, Jet Set Radio has some ups and downs: although finishing the game the first time will not engage you for more than 10-15 hours in total, the Sega title is not the classic product that, once completed, you abandon altogether. In addition to the aforementioned characters to unlock, we will have the opportunity to "learn" new graffiti as well as to create new and customized ones. In this way, we will be able to unleash our artistic talent and daub virtual walls with only the limit of our creativity. In addition, multiplayer ensures (if you have friends to play with) a good number of additional hours of gameplay. There are five modes available, supporting up to four players: City Rush, a real speed race; Tagger's Tag, in which the goal is to "tag" your opponent first with spray paint; Graffiti Wars, the "graffiti war," in fact, where the winner will be the player who manages to cover as many walls as possible with their graffiti (you can even draw over each other's graffiti), Flag, a nice variation of the "capture the flag" seen in titles with pronounced shoot-em-up ambitions, and, finally, Ball Hog, a race through the chosen level in the company of a ball that we won't have to let get out of our hands.

The latter mode is even more fun when played "cooperatively" together with a partner to whom you can pass the sphere!

Looking for flaws in a title like Jet Set Radio Future leads one to first analyze the framing system: often, in fact, the virtual camera, in the grip of the speed at which your "skater" travels, tends to lose sight of the centrality of the scene. Other times you will have to move on very narrow surfaces, and, at times, the too-close view will be the cause of easy and deleterious falls. Although in the long run this slight flaw can be frustrating, it will be possible, at any point in the game, to bring the virtual camera view back perfectly behind our backs by simply squeezing the left trigger of the pad (somewhat as happens in Capcom's Maximo). It is actually likely that you will still make it through all the levels without too much trouble.

The difficulty, on the other hand, could and should have been calibrated in a more thoughtful way: overall, Jet Set Radio Future is quite simple to complete and, in some points, it is boring having to repeat the same situation too many times; just think of the fight with the boss of the last level: to get to the platform where he awaits you and to be able to face him, we could take more time than the actual fight requires. Also, the streamlined nature of the graffiti certainly doesn't add to the hostility of the missions. In any case, these are minor flaws, which in no way affect Jet Set Radio Future as a must for anyone with an Xbox and looking for a fast-paced and fun game, but also exceptional to watch and... to listen to! And if you loved the prequel on Dreamcast, you really can't miss it: JSRF is worth at least double its parent! - Ornella Lepre 

“... the Sega title is not the classic product that, once completed, is completely abandoned.”

This is the amazing screen warping effect you will witness when you activate the turbo charge

The dialogues are all subtitled in Italian and help to better understand the story.

CONTROL BOX - XBOX

PLUS:

- Breathtaking graphics that are smooth and full of classy touches - Original and funny - Excellent Pal conversion - Numerous multiplayer modes

MINUS:

- Framing system not always perfect - Simplified graffiti system - Long-lived but not infinite

GRAPHICS - 9

PLAYABILITY - 9

LONGEVITY - 7

SOUND - 8

GLOBAL - 8

An original title, fun to play, beautiful to look at and full of touches of class. A must for new Xbox owners

[abybweisse]

Why I think Undertaker has to be Cedric, revisited

At this point in the series, I'm a bit surprised how many in the fandom not just don't see him as Cedric K. Ros-- but actually rail against the idea.

So, here's a long, somewhat thorough overview of the situational and physical clues that he's Cedric, the father of Vincent and Francis/Frances.

Situational hints

How he cries over the details of Vincent's death. Not just that he died but what became of his remains. I'd cry over my dead son, too, especially if I had the ability to reanimate corpses but his body was destroyed by fire so that I couldn't do that. Let alone the fact his cinematic records were destroyed, so I not only couldn't make a bizarre doll of him, but I couldn't even review his memories to see what happened right before he died. This ties in with what he later says about not wanting to lose any more Phantomhives. But it strongly suggests that whoever set the fire did so specifically to thwart the efforts of a grim reaper. Whoever did that either knew Undertaker was a reaper or was at least following the instructions of someone who knew.

The whole not wanting to lose more Phantomhives thing. Claudia/Cloudia is gone, and so is Vincent. Reanimating real Ciel is the best he can do to not let the older twin go. He tried to destroy Sebastian to release our earl "Ciel" from their demon contract and might try again. Makes you wonder just how many Phantomhives he's really lost already. As well as where others might still be alive. What exactly was his business in France? 🤔

Even his odd comment to our earl (before the attack) that he wasn't sure which twin this was... but that it didn't matter because they were both Phantomhives. Instead of seeing an heir and a spare, he saw them equally. At least he did then. I suspect he now sees our earl as a spare soul... or conversely sees real Ciel as a spare body. I guess both could be true, making them still essentially equal in his eyes. Again, this could be another attempt to save our earl from Sebastian. By putting our earl's soul into the unmarked body of real Ciel, that might void the contract... unless the seal on our earl's eye also somehow affected his soul. 🤔 Anyway. I digress, since that gets into a separate theory discussion.

Standing in to help young Mr. Pitt take a photo of the twins. That's right after telling our earl it doesn't matter which twin he is. Then the other twin and Mr. Pitt arrive, the latter holding a new camera. It's odd that Mr. Pitt would ask a non-relative of the kids (besides a nanny) to help stage the photo, though Pitt is perhaps the non-traditionalist anyway. Undertaker seems like he's shocked to be asked, but he also seems amused. Mr. Pitt likely doesn't even suspect Undertaker is the twins' paternal grandfather, otherwise he might have seen it as a scoop, á la "LOWLY UNDERTAKER IS SIRE TO PROMINENT NOBLE FAMILY" or something equally scandalous. Because undertakers were considered low class citizens. So, Undertaker acts shocked but complies with giddy delight. By asking Undertaker to help stage the photo, he has likely, unwittingly asked a relative of the boys, which would be considered completely appropriate for the time period.

How he treats the Midfords. He recognizes Lizzie's talents and skill with a sword, otherwise he wouldn't have wanted her at Sphere Music Hall as a protector of the lords of the stars, while he kept them and Blavat hidden away. So he probably had Blavat bring her into the cult. Undertaker might see some of himself in Lizzie, but he definitely sees it in Frances/Francis, and I don't just mean physically. Both women fight in a similar manner as he does: highly skillful and graceful. Idk what he thinks of Edward, but I know he got a great laugh from watching the Phantom Five (including Edward) perform onstage. He doesn't interact much, if at all, with Alexis, who isn't a Phantomhive.

What he says to Francis/Frances, as well as how she responds. Again, he hardly acknowledges Alexis' existence, but Undertaker speaks directly with "Lady Phantomhive". That's really important because she's married into the Midford family and hasn't gone by her maiden name in many years. As long as Edward is old plus at least a bit longer, since she strikes me as too proper for a shotgun wedding, even if she weren't a noble. So, he sets her apart from her husband because she was born a Phantomhive. He doesn't want to lose her, either, because she is her mother's daughter. Then, when she nervously states he hasn't changed in roughly four years, he pokes fun at the fact he hasn't changed in a much longer time frame. He says her birth, over 30 years ago, seems like just yesterday. She's sweating bullets, and it's not just his creepy vibes. She knows he means it -- that 30-some-odd years is nothing to him... and that he very specifically recalls her birth. I'm pretty sure she knows he's her father, and she's horribly embarrassed by the fact. Alexis doesn't have a clue about it, and she'd rather keep it that way. But what he says strongly implies that he was present at her birth. Maybe down the hall, like Vincent was when his sons were born, but there... and just as anxious and excited and proud.

How the years for Cedric's birth and death dates are hidden by a speech bubble. Cloudia/Claudia's dates are fully shown because she's a regular human being. Well... a human, anyway. But if Undertaker is Cedric, then the birth and death dates for him would be from when he was a human, before he committed suicide and was sentenced to serve out his punishment as a reaper. That death date could be decades or even centuries before Cloudia/Claudia was even born. Remember that this family tree isn't one prepared by humans; it's part of the dossier that the German reapers have for our earl. The focus is purely biological ancestry, not marriages. Cloudia/Claudia and Cedric don't have to be married to be on this family tree; he is biologically the father of both Vincent and Francis/Frances.

Physical hints

He looks a lot like Francis/Frances and Edward. And Yana-san tweeted years ago that Francis and Edward look like Cedric. Here's a comparison between Edward and Undertaker. Here's one between Francis/Frances and Undertaker.

The place on his right where his hair has a long braid seems to match up with Lizzie's and Francis/Frances' right side locks that tend to stick out. He's got it tucked behind his right ear, but the braid might originate from the same spot. If Lizzie and her mother pushed those locks back, behind their right ears, the placement would be the same as Undertaker's braid.

He has the exact same baby hairs at the nape of his neck as Lizzie and Francis/Frances. They might be a bit shorter, but they are definitely there. Here's an old post about it. Edward possibly does, too, and we could tell if his hair was grown out and pulled up, but his hair is short and a bit shaggy on the nape of his neck, so we can't be sure.

[day6source]

hello loves! after such a long, treacherous wait, it's finally here! the 8th mini album fourever is finally coming out march 18th, 2024! if you were around for letters with notes, you'll remember i had a little masterpost detailing where to buy albums, photocard and video call events, where to listen, interviews, promotional videos, performances, and this is no different! i'll keep this updated with all the new bits of content, and reblog every time i update so that you guys make sure you don't miss out! everything will be under the cut, so without further ado!:

SHOPPING

just like before, below are options for where to buy! most of them are online shops linked directly from twitter, as well as a few places i personally like to buy from that have pretty good prices. i did my best to include mostly international sites (they default to english) for the main set provided by jyp. if you have any sites used in your country feel free to send them and i'll add the links in (these are american centric given i'm in america haha).

STANDARD VERSION (*indicates a pre-order benefit):

THE JYP SHOP* | YES24 | WITH MUU* | APPLE MUSIC | MUSIC PLANT* | MUSIC KOREA* | BLUE DREAM MEDIA* | ALADDIN | SUBK SHOP | MUSIC PLAZA | CHOICE MUSIC LA | KPOP TOWN | KTOWN4U

PLATFORM NEMO VERSION:

THE JYP SHOP | YES24 | WITH MUU | APPLE MUSIC | MUSIC PLANT | MUSIC KOREA | BLUE DREAM MEDIA | ALADDIN | SUBK SHOP | MUSIC PLAZA | CHOICE MUSIC LA | KPOP TOWN | KTOWN4U

VIDEO CALL EVENTS

MECIMA SHOP [MARCH 11-30th ✤ APRIL 3rd] | MMT [MARCH 19-24th ✤ APRIL 19th] |

PHOTOCARD EVENTS

LISTENING

APPLE MUSIC | SPOTIFY | AMAZON MUSIC | BUGS! | DEEZER | FLO | GENIE | ITUNES STORE | MELON | PANDORA | TIDAL | YOUTUBE MUSIC | YOUTUBE VIDEO PLAYLIST

WATCHING

below is all of the content to watch!! m/v's, concerts, promo stuff, performances!! if it pertains to the album it goes here!

FOUREVER Concert

DOWNLOAD LINK

OFFICIAL VIDEOS

TRAILER FILM | ALBUM PREVIEW FILM | TRACK PREVIEW FILM | SUNGJIN CAST SPOILER | YOUNG K CAST SPOILER | WONPIL CAST SPOILER | DOWOON CAST SPOILER | 'FOUREVER' ALBUM SAMPLER | 'WELCOME TO THE SHOW' OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO | 'FOUREVER' JACKET FILMING

WELCOME TO THE SHOW' M/V BEHIND | 'WELCOME TO THE SHOW' SING ALONG GUIDE | 'WELCOME TO THE SHOW' M/V REACTION | 'WELCOME TO THE SHOW' SPECIAL ENSEMBLE VIDEO | 'WELCOME TO THE SHOW' LIVE CLIP

PERFORMANCES

MCOUNTDOWN 240321: 'WELCOME TO THE SHOW' PERFORMANCE | FULL CAM | SUNGJIN CAM | YOUNG K CAM | WONPIL CAM | DOWOON CAM | BEHIND THE SCENES | DRUM CAM | DAY6 BTS PHOTOS | SUNGJIN BTS PHOTOS | YOUNG K BTS PHOTOS | WONPIL BTS PHOTOS | DOWOON BTS PHOTOS

MUSICBANK 240322: INTERVIEW | 'WELCOME TO THE SHOW' PERFORMANCE | FULL CAM | SUNGJIN CAM | YOUNG K CAM | WONPIL CAM | DOWOON CAM | SUNGJIN FACE CAM | YOUNG K FACE CAM | WONPIL FACE CAM | DOWOON FACE CAM

Lee Hyori's Red Carpet 240322: 'TIME OF OUR LIFE' PERFORMANCE | 'TIME OF OUR LIFE' VERTICAL CAM | 'YOU WERE BEAUTIFUL' PERFORMANCE | 'LOVEHOLIC' PERFORMANCE | 'LOVEHOLIC' VERTICAL CAM | 'WELCOME TO THE SHOW' PERFORMANCE | 'WELCOME TO THE SHOW' FULL CAM | 'WELCOME TO THE SHOW' VERTICAL CAM

INKIGAYO 240324: 'WELCOME TO THE SHOW' PERFORMANCE' | FIRST ROW CAM | SUNGJIN CAM | YOUNG K CAM | WONPIL CAM | DOWOON CAM | BTS PHOTOS

[bluwavez]

DeepDive began their journey originally in 2014 under the publicly known money laundering flop company Stormedia with an original five-member lineup. The group was in the pits of nugudom, only having four releases and a consistently rotating lineup. Son Jinhwa, the former Angelico CEO, would buy the rights to the group in late 2015. Nothing is ever simple with Jinhwa. DeepDive would go under an intense rebranding, where not only all the content and music they made under Stormedia was wiped from the internet and is now considered lost media but would also put the group through a survival show where the lineup would be remade.

Many fans believe that the official start of DeepDive was in 2016, excluding the ones who have been following the group for almost 10 years. They consider the true original lineup to consist of Han, Jisung, Blue, Noah, Woojin, Kiwoo, and Finn. Unfortunately, the group faced some difficulties when Woojin left the lineup in 2019, and he was quickly replaced by Jacob Lee, a former member of Wanna One. The last lineup change occurred in 2023 when Han exited the group due to their contract being acquired by Flowerbank Entertainment.

Though the group's history is a complete mess, there is one undoubtable fact: The music goes hard.

THE SOUND OF DEEPDIVE cannot be described as one sound but as cohesive noise that is regarded as one of the best and most diverse boy group discographies in Kpop.

2016 — WHAT DO YOU KNOW ABOUT ENERGY ?!

Debuting three months after their survival show concluded, the now seven-member piece would come out the gate with the physical single "Energy," which, despite being a banger, was overlooked by most of the general public.

While not having a strong debut like they planned to, DeepDive would come back with their first mini-album, "Happiness," promoting the title track "Get Around" relentlessly just to end up with the same disappointing results. The mini album would perform better than their debut, but that's not saying much since Energy didn't chart anywhere, and Get Around only managed to hit 103 on the Goan digital chart.

Their last release of 2016 would still stick to the sweet and fun concept, dropping the once nugu beloved hit "Daisy Dayz, " the title track from their second mini album of the same name. Daisy Dayz would manage to break into the top 100 but would only hit #89 once again not meeting expectations.

2017 — OH...THEY'RE TRYING SO HARD...

The boys stayed on a consistent release schedule shockingly enough. Ushering 2017 in with the floppiest single, "Sweat," which fans don't even remember, nor do they rarely bring up when discussions of their discography arise. It seems the hundreds of fans they did have were over their sweet concept despite most of the boys being teenagers at the time. Listening to fans, their first full album, Our Ocean, would have a more "mature" concept.

It became clear with this shift in sound and concept that the problem with DeepDive's lack of success hadn't to do with their music quality but with the fact the oldest member at this time would be barely 20 years old and the youngest, turning 16 that year. To put it bluntly, they looked silly singing these grown ass songs with their baby faces, and everyone saw it! Still, this didn't deter Angelico, and DeepDive would release another classic in their discography, "Bounce," which would gain traction amongst K-pop fans.

It's worth noting that the boys, primarily Noah and Finn, began producing the group's music during this time despite their young ages. Noah was just seventeen around the time of Bounce's release, while Finn was still 15.

Bling Bling would not receive the same amount of love Bounce did. In fact, Twitter would tear this song to shreds. Though hated at its release, it has become a beloved song in DeepDive's discography, notably being one of their most hyped songs to hear live. Fans blame Bling Bling for Angelico shipping DeepDive off to Japan the next year.

2018 — JAPANESE DEBUT (THE NUGU DEATH SENTENCE)

Desperate to make some money off this group, Angelico would give DeepDive a killer Japanese debut. "Ride or Die," would be a massive hit in Japan, securing DeepDive a strong and dedicated fandom in the country. This success would result in the group practically living in Japan for the rest of 2018. They were so famous in Japan, guys. Ride or Die was literally everywhere, they were on every variety show, they were performing concerts practically monthly at that point. They were finally reaching the success Angelico wanted with just one album.

So, of course, they released another banging album. "Burning Up" would be more successful than "Ride or Die," getting an English and Korean release due to its online success amongst international audiences. Becoming the face of K-pop in Japan, Sirens began to fear the boys would never come back to Korea which, honestly, a valid fear because they would release another Japanese album that year.

"Reaction" was a more controversial release but successful nonetheless. Nothing notable happened with this release.

The boys returned to Korea in December after spending 11 months in Japan. They released their second full Korean album, "Click Play," with the title track "Click." Due to their massive success in Japan, this release actually broke into the Top 50 on the Goan chart, a first for their career. Click would be a notable turning point for their career, seemingly starting their rise in Korea.

2019 — WE'RE PICKING UP STEAM NOW ...

Okay, so, Click's success wasn't enough to keep them in Korea long because the boys were back in Japan with an EP within two months. "Love Fire," is a deeply beloved title track by fans but nothing notable would occur during this promotional period except that fans feared they really were staying Japan for the rest of their career.

The last Japanese release would be "Your Love," another beloved song by Sirens. The song is one of their softer and cuter ones, as well as being the last release with member Woojin before he was removed from the group.

Desperate to come back with a bang, adding newest member Jacob Lee to the line up, the boys would touch down in South Korea and release "FIRE" a single that would grab the attention of the general public. FIRE is notable due to it selling 65,000 copies, the highest amount of sales they've ever reached as a group. DeepDive was becoming known at this point, being called "up and coming" or "on the rise" despite being well into their career at this point.

No Pressure would be released to much fanfare, finally fully catching the attention of international audiences, specifically those in America and Brazil. They say that once you're famous in Brazil, you're famous for life, and DeepDive was famous in Brazil! Still, they were just under the mark of making it in Korea, but just barely.

Then...

2020 — DASHI RUN, RUN, RUN OUT OF NUGUDOM !

NUGUDOM IS FINALLY OVER! THE BOYS MADE IT! RUN would be the song to break the glass ceiling, truly. Topped every chart, won them their first music show award, and won them a MAMA award––Baby, they were everywhere and the standard. DeepDive became the poster child of "Rags to Riches" and was soaking up every second of fame they could.

Refusing to be one-hit wonders, the boys came back swinging. "New Things" would become a viral hit as well, with every idol and their mother doing the choreography, which was created by Jisung. Another point that made DeepDive so unique is that they created everything they ever put out. Music, album designs, choreography, they used to edit their vlogs––They are those boys! Always have been! They were working their asses off for this type of success.

Call Out My Name was a moment. Everyone was talking about it. It was on the radio, it was on your timeline, it was winning awards, and covers of it were everywhere. You could not escape this song, but it's not like you wanted to because it's a banger through and through. It was clear these boys were going no where.

2021 — DAMN...THAT'S LOUD AS FU—

So, this era is interesting! Finn and Noah would take a break as the producers of DeepDive, leaving Jacob in charge for the first time.

Then...Sticker was born.

Sticker, as you can imagine, was highly controversial and is still being discussed to this day by K-pop stans. Due to it's controversy, yet success it was literally super successful, Finn would return as DeepDive's producer.

Still, the music from this time would be notably noisy and divisive, but they were from at a point in their career where it didn't matter what kind of music they released; they were topping the charts.

2022 — THEY'RE THOSE BOYS !

You'd brag, too, if you were in DeepDive! There's not much to say here except they were still topping charts, selling out arenas, hit over 50 million albums sold overall. They, again, could've released Finn banging spoons together and it would've been a hit but they weren't! At least not this year! They released hot girl music and went on their first worldwide tour with 120 dates! Great year for DeepDive!

2023 — GIRL, WTF JUST HAPPENED ?!

Then the storm hit! Flowerbank Entertainment scooped these boys up and basically tried to ruin their careers! They only had two releases this year and barely any promotions because Flowerbank sucks at their job and was sabotaging them.

Notably, Han would leave the group this year, and Woojin rejoined the group. Which is literally the only good thing to come out of this year.

2024 — OKAY, BACK ON TRACK !

And we're at the current day and they're killing it again!

MOST RECENT RELEASE :: TAX WRITEOFF

[fictitouscore]

FAVORITE GIRL GROUP IS A FICFAVE AWARD!

They're so good, you will they were real! Meet our seven beautiful nominees for FAVORITE GIRL GROUP!

VENUS is a five-member fictional girl group that debuted on March 17, 2018.  Often called "TRENDSETTERS" and "RECORD BREAKERS" VENUS has solidified themselves as one of the best-performing girl groups of all time. \\ @venusvity

SUGAR N' SPICE is a five piece fictional korean girl group that made their debut in the music scene on april 6th, 2019. exploring the stories of five contrasting young adult women as they discover where they are meant to fit in this world. \\ @snspice

v i v i d is a fictional 5 member girl group under angelico entertainment that originally debuted under cube entertainment on the 3rd of feb 2018. the group consists of dayna, yuri, sora, sisi, and leo. \\ @alwaysvivid

honeylemon is a fictional k–pop girl group , managed by seventh heaven. the group debuted in 2020 and consists of six members : joori , meilin , anna , ryuhyun , ej , and kenzie ! their stories explore themes of fame , friendship , girlhood , betrayal , finding oneself , forgiveness , and more ! \\ @andsour

Introducing L8RBOY, Inferno Musik’s most prized possession. Really, IAN! Cry me a river! If you don’t know them, trust me, your favs do. Their debut wasn’t a big thing, nothing they released under Hidden Entertainment was. But Inferno came in the rescue and made them cool, getting rid of those two sad excuses of idols, Hana and Lo. Everybody say: thank you Inferno! \\ @seeyal8r

KRUSH is a 4-member (fictional) girl group under BIGHIT MUSIC. they debuted on october 1st, 2017 with the track “CLASSY.” \\ @urmykrushhh

hiraeth  히라스,  stylized  as  hiræth,  is  a  female  trio  under  octavia  music  co.  currently  regarded  as  south  korea's  darlings,  the  angels,  and  one  of  the  generations'  top  sellers  and  highest  selling  groups  thanks  to  their  charming  but  haunting  concept  about  three  seasonal  angels  stuck  in  a  never-ending  loop. \\ @almostyours

  ┈─★ ⠀⠀⠀CLICK HERE TO GET TO VOTING!

[tomorrowxtogether]

Tomorrow X Together are rebels with a cause in first-look photos for Minisode 3: Tomorrow

From rebellious rockers to fairytale princes, there’s no concept that Tomorrow X Together can’t pull off. 

The K-Pop group (pronounced ‘Tomorrow By Together,’ or TXT for short) is officially back with its sixth mini-album Minisode 3: Tomorrow, and to celebrate, Entertainment Weekly is exclusively revealing five never-before-seen concept photos that highlight Soobin, Huening Kai, Taehyun, Beomgyu, and Yeonjun’s versatile style. 

The snapshots are part of the group’s "Ethereal" and "Romantic" photo concepts for the album, each of which, Taehyun tells EW, “distinctly encompasses a unique story and emotion that we wanted to deliver visually through Minisode 3: Tomorrow.”

They’re also completely different from one another aesthetically. The "Romantic" photoshoot draws upon Snow White-inspired imagery with the quintet's dreamy outfits, while their "Ethereal" snapshots turn TXT into modern-day rock stars — complete with their own winged guitars, amps, and big rig. Minisode 3: Tomorrow's final two concepts — "Light" and "Promise" — further expand upon the group's artistry as they're seen outfitted in ballet slippers, angel wings, and crowns.

“We wanted to [experiment] with a diverse range of fashion styles,” Yeonjun says. “I think, at this point in time, one of our greatest strengths as a band is our versatility, not only in music and performances but also in aesthetics, which we always aim to absorb and make our own.” 

And yes, in case you were wondering, those winged guitars were seriously hefty. “During the 'Ethereal' version concept shoot, I was surprised by the weight of the guitar!” Beomgyu recalls. “It was quite cold on set, and I thought it was so cute how we would huddle around the heater during breaks, which added a heartwarming touch to the experience.”

TXT fans, called MOA (short for 'moments of alwaysness'), will also spot that the concepts directly relate to the group's past albums. “The props like the truck and guitars are reminiscent of our previous releases ‘0X1=LOVESONG (I Know I Love You)’ and ‘LO$ER=LO♡ER,’” Taehyun says. “I hope MOA enjoy the throwback!”

That connection can also be heard on Minisode 3: Tomorrow. Leader Soobin says the group is “connecting the dots from our previous releases" with the record, especially on their title track, “Deja Vu.” He adds, "Including lyrics such as ‘I ran away countless times,’ and ‘be my eternity,’ from ‘Run Away’ [from their 2019 album The Dream Chapter: Magic] added a nostalgic touch that I think our fans will enjoy rediscovering."

While TXT is honoring its past, the album still has its own story to tell. One of EW’s concept photos (below) features the group sitting on a truck that reads, “We made a promise when we were young. That’s the reason I have to live for tomorrow.” 

“The phrase hints at the underlying story of Minisode 3: Tomorrow,” Soobin explains. “It means that we will remember our past promises and embark on a journey to find 'you' to charge forward and face a hopeful 'tomorrow' together.”

Beomgyu describes the seven-track album as a “treasure trove of diverse sounds” that “represent the stories of today's generation.” Throughout their careers, TXT has never been afraid of openly and honestly discussing the physical and mental hardships that come with adolescence and, now, young adulthood — the 23-year-old’s favorite track on the album, “Quarter Life,” is actually about navigating a quarter-life crisis.

“Taehyun, Huening Kai, and I participated in the lyric writing to express the inner thoughts that we have at this point in our lives,” Beomgyu says about the song. “I love the track's mood and melody, too!” 

In fact, four of Minisode 3: Tomorrow's tracks were penned in part by the members of TXT. Yeonjun — who co-wrote “I’ll See You There Tomorrow,” “The Killa (I Belong To You),” and “Miracle” — says that the album’s lyrics “have greater depth and uniqueness” this time around because they’re framed through the members' worldview. 

“We have collectively been improving in our lyric writing, and I think it shines through in this album,” he says. “As we aim to give voice to the common experiences of our generation, we tried to focus on applying our own stories in the lyrics.”

And, just like in their "Ethereal" concept photos, TXT will soon find themselves hopping aboard a tour bus and hitting the road when their upcoming Act: Promise tour kicks off stateside next month. The 11-date concert series will see the members perform across the country, including two nights at Madison Square Garden in New York City.

“We are visiting even more cities across the U.S. this time around, so I'm thrilled to meet and interact with more MOA!” Huening Kai says. “Our fans will be able to see some brand new performances of tracks from our new album, so I hope they can look forward to it. Just like our album's opener, ‘I'll See You There.’”

Minisode 3: Tomorrow is available now.

[novemberthewriter]

wip snippet #1 [novella project 'dagmar']

context: this is from 'part 1: machinations' of my queer dark fantasy/horror novella. we're laying the foundation for the way our protag, 18-year-old zeke omezie-fumudoh, views her world and her girlhood and her one-sided attraction to authority figures

taglist [anyone wanting to be added/removed from this or other taglists for my work, pls shoot me an ask or dm! finally figured that is the best way for me personally to keep track of things] :

@s-pendragon7 @sshawthorne @kyuponstories @heartshapedgreen @halfbit

@juliebarnes

@agirlandherquill @leahnardo-da-veggie

--

I think he’s pretty in a ‘can I make out with your brain’ way.

He spent so much of the first years he had me trying to get me to Form Good Habits — and God, was I resistant to writing everything by hand (I write like a doctor, I type so much better), to doing the cartography assignments (a handmade map copied out of the textbook for Every. Single. Learning Unit), etc, etc.

Until end of 11th grade hit me with the realization that I only had one more year in which I'd be justified in hanging around him all the time. Just like that: I was leaning into everything I admire about him, and his mind, and all his quirks. My own Senior Sendoff (since Dodie’s not here but let's not dwell on that now).

The new block schedule means I get to bask in him more during his sessions. I, like all the other students, use the excess time to help him decorate his classroom and rearrange desks and all the things good pupils should do. I, like all the other students, get told ‘lovely job, dear’ — but I’m fairly certain I’m of a small, small population of people really honing in on the use of ‘dear’. It’s a pet name and I know it’s platonic but I love silly teacher crushes so much, it’s fun to imagine the pet names are meant as sweetly as I want them to be. The camp and melodrama and theatrics of it all. Performance. Girlhood as Drag and Cabaret.

I had a similar teacher pet name sitch when I took a supplemental history course on a whim last year. Miss Hendrix made me shudder every time she did roll call. She made me shudder just by existing. I loved studying her. She was a Young Teacher, bright and tiny and could've been in K-12 with me, she wasn't that far out of college. She had that … surfer blonde look. Peggy Lipton in the 60s. Or Bridget Fonda in Jackie Brown. She was a history teacher that teased the hipsters among us about our old movie obsessions. Listen, I was failing that class 'cause I couldn't pay attention 'cause every time she called me 'honey' I thought I’d melt through the floor into the bottom of the earth.

[songbirdseung]

staff only / park jongseong

Today was another busy day for you, a staff member that works for SBS Inkigayo. It has been 1 year since you got the job at the music program broadcast at the young age of 20.

As the clock struck 8:00 on that busy Sunday morning at SBS Inkigayo, I found myself in the midst of a whirlwind of activity. It had been exactly one year since I had landed my dream job at the music program, and every day felt like a new adventure.

Today was no different, with several K-groups already on site, ready to film their segments for the show. Enhypen, the group I had grown to admire over the past year, was among the early arrivals. They were here to promote their latest song, "CRIMINAL LOVE," which had captivated fans since its release.

My role as a staff member had me deeply involved in designing and preparing the stage for Enhypen's performance. Given the dark and alluring theme of "CRIMINAL LOVE," I had meticulously planned a set that would match the mood. The stage was adorned in shades of dark red and black, with subtle hints of mystery and romance.

I double-checked everything, making sure the lighting was perfect and the props were in their designated places. The anticipation was building, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride knowing that I had contributed to creating the perfect backdrop for Enhypen's performance.

As the time for their rehearsal neared, I couldn't help but steal a moment to catch a glimpse of the group members. They were busy going over their choreography and discussing their performance, their dedication evident in their every move. It was moments like these that reminded me of why I loved my job so much – the chance to be a part of something so vibrant and creative.

As I put the finishing touches on the stage, making sure everything was in its place and the lighting was just right, my attention was so focused on the task at hand that I didn't notice someone approaching from behind. Just as I was about to step off the stage to take a break, I felt a sudden collision.

Startled, I turned around, my eyes widening as I realized I had bumped into none other than Jay. His warm, brown eyes met mine, and for a moment, time seemed to stand still.

"I'm so sorry," I stammered, my cheeks turning a shade of crimson. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

Jay flashed a charming smile, his hand gently steadying me. "No worries at all. It happens."

I couldn't help but feel a mix of embarrassment and admiration. It wasn't every day that you bumped into a K-pop idol, especially one as talented and charismatic as Jay.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his concern genuine.

I nodded, managing to find my voice again. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you. I was just caught up in making sure everything was perfect for your performance."

Jay's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "Oh, you're part of the stage crew?"

I nodded, feeling a little more at ease now that the initial shock had passed. "Yes, I've been working here for about a year. It's been an incredible experience."

"That's awesome," Jay replied, his smile widening. "We really appreciate all the hard work you and the crew put into making our performances look amazing."

His kind words made my heart flutter, and I couldn't help but smile back. "Thank you, Jay. It means a lot to hear that."

We chatted for a few more moments, discussing the set design and the upcoming performance. Jay was genuinely interested in the creative process, and I was touched by his down-to-earth personality.

As our conversation came to an end, Jay extended his hand. "Well, it was nice meeting you. I'll make sure to give it my all on stage."

I shook his hand, feeling a rush of excitement. "I'll be cheering you on from backstage."

With a final smile, Jay headed off to prepare for the performance.

Sitting in my designated seat, I watched Enhypen rehearse their performance alongside the new camera director of SBS. The atmosphere was tense, as it had been ever since his arrival. Rumors had been circulating among my co-employees about his temper, and it didn't take long for me to see that they were not exaggerating.

As I observed the rehearsal, lost in admiration for Enhypen's talent and dedication, the tranquility was abruptly shattered. The music abruptly cut off, and the director's voice boomed through the megaphone, filled with anger and frustration.

"What are you doing? This is a live broadcast, not a child's play!" he shouted at the camera operator, pointing out a minor mistake that had been made.

My co-workers exchanged knowing glances, their faces bearing the weariness of dealing with the director's outbursts. It was clear that his harsh demeanor was taking a toll on the team's morale.

I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease as the director continued to berate the camera operator, his words growing more scathing with each passing moment. Enhypen, on the stage, looked uncomfortable, their once-confident expressions now marred by concern.

Feeling a deep sense of empathy, I decided to take action. I stood up and approached the director, trying to diffuse the situation. "Excuse me, sir," I began, my voice as calm and respectful as possible. "I understand that we want everything to be perfect, but maybe we could address this issue in a less confrontational way?"

The director turned to me, his face still flushed with anger. "And who are you?"

"I'm part of the stage crew," I replied, trying to maintain my composure. "I've been here for a year, and I've seen how hard everyone works to make this show great. Yelling like this might not be the most effective way to communicate."

My words seemed to catch him off guard, and he took a moment to collect himself. Finally, he let out a sigh, his shoulders slumping. "You're right. I shouldn't have lost my temper like that."

Relief washed over me, and I offered a reassuring smile. "We're all here to support the artists and create an amazing show. Let's work together and make it happen."

The director nodded, and the tension in the air began to dissipate. The camera operator received some constructive feedback, and Enhypen resumed their rehearsal with renewed focus.

As I returned to my seat, I couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction in having helped defuse a difficult situation. While the challenges of working with a temperamental director were far from over, I knew that teamwork and understanding would be essential in creating a successful and harmonious broadcast.

As I settled back into my seat, relieved that the tense situation had calmed down, I couldn't help but notice Jay looking in my direction. His grateful smile warmed my heart and brought a genuine smile to my own lips in response.

It was a simple exchange, a silent acknowledgment of our shared moment of understanding amidst the chaos of the rehearsal. Jay's expression conveyed appreciation, and I felt a sense of connection, even though we had only briefly interacted earlier.

With that encouraging smile, Jay returned to his position, ready to resume the rehearsal with renewed energy and focus. The music started again, and Enhypen delivered a breathtaking performance, showcasing their incredible talent and the hard work of the entire team behind the scenes.

As I watched them dance and sing on stage, I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of pride and admiration for the group. And in that moment, I knew that all the challenges and long hours were worth it to be a part of this incredible world of music and performance.

The grateful smile from Jay remained etched in my memory, a reminder of the moments that made working at SBS Inkigayo so special, and a source of motivation to continue supporting and contributing to the success of K-pop artists like Enhypen.

Couples of hours have past and it is nearing 3:00, the time the show airs live. All the k-groups and soloist are in their respective waiting rooms while I was in the cafeteria on break.

As I sat in the cafeteria, savoring the last sips of my coffee and preparing myself for the live broadcast that was rapidly approaching, a friendly presence suddenly settled down in the chair beside me. I looked up, and to my pleasant surprise, it was Jay.

"Hey there," he greeted me with a warm smile.

I couldn't help but return the smile, grateful for the opportunity to chat with him again. "Hey, Jay. How's everything going with the the final take?"

Jay shrugged playfully. "Well, it's been a rollercoaster, but we're getting there. Thanks for stepping in earlier. You really helped diffuse the situation."

I chuckled, feeling a sense of camaraderie. "No problem at all. Sometimes, a little teamwork and understanding can go a long way."

We continued to chat, the conversation flowing easily between us. Jay shared some stories about their preparations for "CRIMINAL LOVE," and I listened with genuine interest. Despite his fame, he was down-to-earth and easy to talk to, making me feel comfortable in his presence.

As we talked, we also shared a laugh about the earlier incident with the director. Jay had a way of finding humor in even the most stressful situations, and it was contagious. The tension from earlier seemed like a distant memory as we enjoyed each other's company.

Before we knew it, the clock was ticking closer to 3:00, and the live broadcast was about to begin. Jay and I exchanged well wishes for a successful show, and he headed back to the waiting room with a promise to give it their all on stage.

Watching Enhypen perform later that day during the live broadcast, I couldn't help but feel a sense of pride, knowing that I had played a small part in helping them prepare. And as I watched Jay's energetic and charismatic performance, I couldn't help but smile, grateful for the unexpected friendship that had formed over a cup of coffee in the bustling cafeteria of SBS Inkigayo.

(Later)

As I stepped into my house, looking forward to a calm and restful night after a long day at work, I was met with an unexpected rush of excitement. My roommate and best friend, Seo Lee, practically stormed towards me, her phone clutched tightly in her hand.

"Guess what just happened!" Seo Lee exclaimed, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

I raised an eyebrow, curious about her sudden enthusiasm. "What's going on?"

With a mischievous grin, Seo Lee began to show me screenshots of articles and social media posts. My heart sank as I quickly realized what was unfolding before my eyes. The headlines and comments were all about Jay and me hanging out in the cafeteria earlier in the day. The photos from our casual chat had spread like wildfire across the internet, fueling rumors and speculation.

Rumors spread quickly in the world of K-pop, and it seemed that this was no exception. I felt a wave of guilt wash over me as I realized the potential consequences of our impromptu coffee break. Jay might have to deal with unnecessary scrutiny and rumors that could affect his image.

"I didn't think it would blow up like this," I muttered, feeling a mix of regret and concern.

Seo Lee patted my shoulder reassuringly. "It happens, don't beat yourself up about it. But you should probably reach out to Jay and explain the situation."

I nodded, realizing that was the right thing to do. However, the challenge was that I didn't have a direct way to contact him. My interactions with Jay had been limited to our brief encounters at work, and I didn't have his contact information.

Seo Lee must have read the worry on my face. "Don't worry, I'll help you find a way to reach out to him. We can draft a message together and try to get in touch through the right channels."

Grateful for her support, I agreed. We spent the evening crafting a thoughtful message, explaining the situation and my genuine apologies for any inconvenience our accidental interaction might have caused Jay.

As we sent the message off into the digital abyss, I hoped that it would reach Jay and that he would understand that the cafeteria incident was never meant to harm him or his career. It was a reminder that even small interactions in the world of K-pop could have significant consequences, and it was essential to handle them with care and consideration.

Meanwhile, Jay had returned home after a tiring day of rehearsals and the live broadcast, and exhaustion had taken over as soon as he had hit the bed. He had fallen into a deep sleep without even checking his phone, blissfully unaware of the storm that had brewed overnight.

The next morning, he awoke feeling somewhat refreshed, ready to tackle another busy day. As he stepped out of his room, he was met with an unexpected sight – his manager had a worried expression on his face, and he held out a glass of water along with Jay's phone.

Confused, Jay accepted the glass and took a sip of water before turning his attention to the phone. His manager didn't say a word, allowing Jay to read the message on the screen.

As Jay's eyes scanned the message sent by Y/N, a mix of surprise and concern washed over him. It detailed the incident in the cafeteria, the screenshots, and the growing rumors on social media. Y/N had explained the situation, expressed genuine apologies, and even offered assistance in managing the aftermath.

Jay's heart sank as he realized the magnitude of the situation. He knew that rumors and scandals could spread like wildfire in the K-pop industry, and he didn't want this innocent interaction to harm his image or cause any undue stress to Y/N.

He looked up at his manager, who was still watching him closely. "I had no idea this had blown up so quickly," Jay admitted, his voice filled with concern.

His manager nodded sympathetically. "These things happen, Jay. It's important to address them promptly. Y/N seems genuinely apologetic and willing to help."

Jay sighed, feeling a mixture of relief and gratitude towards Y/N. "You're right. I should reply and let her know that I appreciate her understanding and that there are no hard feelings."

With his manager's support and guidance, Jay composed a reply, expressing his gratitude for Y/N's message and understanding. He also reassured Y/N that he didn't hold her responsible for the situation and that they could move forward positively.

As he hit send, Jay couldn't help but feel relieved that he had the chance to clear the air with Y/N. He hoped that their communication would help put an end to the rumors and allow them both to focus on their respective careers without any unnecessary distractions.

Jay understood that addressing the situation publicly was the best course of action. He decided to go live on Weverse, where he could directly communicate with his fans and set the record straight. With a deep breath, he went live, and his face appeared on screens around the world.

"Hey, Engene," he began with a warm smile. "I hope you're all doing well. I wanted to talk to you about something that came up recently."

As he explained the situation in a calm and clear manner, Jay emphasized that the cafeteria interaction with Y/N was entirely innocent and unintentional. He expressed his understanding of the rumors and assured his fans that he they should not hold hard feelings towards Y/N.

"I know how passionate our fans are," Jay continued. "But I also know that misunderstandings can happen. Y/N and I have already talked, and everything's good between us."

Meanwhile, Seo Lee had been watching Jay's live stream as she got ready for work. She realized the importance of Jay's message, not only for Engene but also for Y/N, who had been unfairly dragged into the situation.

Seo Lee quickly grabbed her phone and sent a message to Y/N, along with a link to Jay's live stream. "You should watch this. Jay's addressing the rumors."

Y/N, who had been feeling a mix of anxiety and guilt since the previous day, eagerly clicked on the link and began watching Jay's live stream. Her heart warmed as she listened to his sincere words and saw the comments from supportive fans.

Seo Lee's message accompanied by Jay's live stream brought a sense of relief to Y/N. It was a reassuring sign that Jay was taking steps to clear the air, and she was grateful for his understanding and support.

As Jay concluded his live stream, he thanked his fans for their unwavering support and understanding. He hoped that this would put an end to the rumors and allow everyone to move forward positively.

Y/N, having watched the live stream, felt a sense of closure and appreciation for Jay's efforts to address the situation publicly. She decided to send him a message to express her gratitude and to let him know that she was relieved that things had been resolved.

The following Sunday arrived, and with it came the day of another SBS Inkigayo broadcast. Y/N had made up her mind to keep a low profile and avoid any interactions with Jay or any idol for that matter, not wanting to draw unnecessary attention or cause any more misunderstandings.

As she went about her work backstage, she couldn't help but notice Jay occasionally glancing in her direction. It seemed he had noticed her efforts to keep her distance and maintain a professional demeanor. Y/N couldn't deny that a part of her was curious about what he might want to discuss in private, but she was determined to stick to her decision.

During a break, as the bustling atmosphere backstage momentarily quieted down, Jay took the opportunity to approach Y/N. He walked up to her discreetly, careful not to attract the attention of cameras or onlookers.

"Y/N," he said softly, "can we talk in private for a moment?"

Y/N hesitated for a moment but then nodded. She knew it was better to address whatever was on Jay's mind privately rather than allowing it to become a public spectacle.

They made their way to a quieter area backstage, away from the prying eyes of the cameras and curious onlookers. Once they were alone, Jay spoke earnestly, "I've noticed that you've been keeping your distance, and I want to apologize if my earlier message and actions have made you uncomfortable."

Y/N sighed, her shoulders relaxing as she appreciated Jay's sincerity. "Thank you for understanding, Jay. It's just that I didn't want to cause any more trouble for you or Enhypen. I hope everything's okay now after your live stream."

Jay nodded, his expression earnest. "Yeah, everything's settled. I wanted to talk to you to make sure you knew that there are no hard feelings on my end. What happened was a misunderstanding, and I don't want it to affect our working relationship or your experience here."

Y/N felt a sense of relief hearing Jay's words. "I appreciate that, Jay. I also want to clarify that I hold no ill will towards you or Enhypen. It was an honest mistake."

They both smiled, a shared understanding passing between them. It was a brief but meaningful conversation that helped clear the air and strengthen their professional rapport.

As they returned to their respective duties backstage, Y/N couldn't help but feel a sense of gratitude towards Jay for taking the initiative to address the situation privately.

As Jay reentered the waiting room, he was greeted by the playful banter of his fellow Enhypen members. Ni-ki couldn't resist a teasing comment, and Sunghoon added to the fun by fanning the flames.

"Trying to make moves, Jay?" Ni-ki teased with a mischievous grin.

"Trying to make the rumors, real?" Sunghoon chimed in, unable to resist a good-natured jab.

Jay chuckled, shaking his head. "Shut up, you guys. I just wanted to make sure things were okay."

However, the members continued to tease Jay in their own lighthearted and affectionate way. Their camaraderie was evident in their interactions, and it was all in good fun.

Little did they know that Y/N had passed by their room and overheard their banter. She couldn't help but chuckle at the playful exchange between the Enhypen members. It was clear that their bond was strong, and they knew how to keep each other grounded, even in the midst of the K-pop industry's whirlwind.

With a smile, Y/N continued with her tasks backstage, feeling a sense of contentment that the earlier misunderstanding had been resolved, and that both she and Enhypen could move forward with professionalism and mutual respect.

Jake's comment caught Jay by surprise, and he playfully raised an eyebrow in response. "Well, of course, she is," he admitted with a grin. "But that's not the point."

The other members couldn't help but laugh at Jay's response. It was all in good fun, and they knew that Jay's intentions were entirely professional and respectful.

"So you would?" Jake continues.

"Would what?"

"Date her?" Jake laughs at Jay's expression. Jay couldn't help but laugh at Jake's teasing persistence. "Well, Jake, let's just say that dating isn't exactly my top priority right now. I'm fully focused on our music and performances."

As the manager interrupted their playful banter and instructed the members to prepare for their stage performance, the conversation came to an end. Jake and Heeseung shared a laugh, and they all headed toward the stage, their focus shifting to their upcoming performance.

While on stage, Jay couldn't help but steal a glance in Y/N's direction, spotting her among the backstage crew. His smile was warm and genuine, a silent acknowledgment of their earlier private conversation.

Jake, ever the playful one, noticed Jay's smile and made a mental note to tease him about it later.

[reflections-in-a-critical-eye]

The line between acknowledging and being vocal about industry issues, idol management, company policies and much more and becoming a manager fan that is convinced their favorite idol is persecuted and disrespected at every step is a really fine line which is getting crossed more and more and I feel that we're losing a grip on reality.

Especially when this is a discourse surrounding rich, influential and respected idols. Not that they would be immune, but I'd say it's a bit different if we're talking about a successful man in his 30s or a young boy in a rookie group that gets ignored. Or women idols for that matter. We shouldn't forget them.

I'm saying this because there's always a slippery slope that I saw with Jimin's case and now with Taemin. As much as there were clear and evident issues with Jimin's solo album release, he's also one of the most important idols out there. His name means something. He's among the top succesful idols which says a lot as we know that a big percentage of idols don't get a high level of success or a really significant income. I was never shy in talking about the things that went wrong with that promotion period, the weird weverse articles and everything else, but Jimin also resigned a contract, he's staying at that company and he's part of that group and so far there hasn't been any other news so let's not turn unsaid, imaginary things or our own wishes into reality.

As to Taemin, he too had a short period of promotional activities which seems to be the standard now. What a shame to go through it at such a fast pace that we're not able to sit with an album, to have performances spread throughout, to immerse ourselves. This is the industry's fault and I hope that at some point, people with decision power will realize and make some changes.

Taemin not performing at an end of the year show is unfortunate. Yes, it is. But why the need to exaggerate? Why? Just a couple of weeks ago he had more than 2h of performances in a show that will be taken to Japan. Taemin promoted the album and the title song and having a 2-day concert is not something insignificant. Why are we forgetting this?

Taemin is not disrespected, he's the idol in SM that has had the most opportunities since early on and we can see that until present day. He's been able to perform how he wants and do the concepts he likes and he's actively creating a legacy. He is K-Pop. A 20 something idol doing a cover of Guilty is the proof of the influence Taemin has. This is not something new and certainly not bad. I'm surprised at how many people can't seem to understand that.

We need to find a balance and stop with the persecution theme that has been spread through fandoms.