#she's well intended but she hasn't realized yet that the part she does wrong is in the method not in the result

[nieves-de-sugui]

I need to put my thoughts somewhere so here goes.

I'm currently watching this show on netflix and I have thoughts. I am super intrigued with it so spoilers ahead for the people who might happen to be watching it.

Ok so, I just watched the most recent episode and I am a little sad they decided to have Kang Ho get back his memories like this. One of the things that I liked about this show is that despite having the typical corruption storyline they seemed to be going/exploring a different outcome when they had Kang Ho's mom burn all the evidence. Which I was intrigued by. The kdramas are all about vengeance and justice, however this show is about good intentioned people making bad choices in the name of revenge or pursuing justice. Kang Ho's mom wanting to save Kang Ho from this revenge plot he's put himself into (that has cost him his life and happiness). Trying to correct the mistake she made when she forced him on the path of becoming a prosecutor.

It seemed to me like they might explore another way out, by letting the past be in the past and learning to move on with Kang Ho's current condition. There's enough to unpack there, and also the whole exploration of living with someone with a disability. How much Kang Ho and his mother have hurt each other, how much they love each other, and how to find happiness in such a complex family situation.

I would have loved for Kang Ho to get his memories slowly. I still hope he does, and doesn't revert back to being who he was a 100%. Hopefully he gets them back gradually and, combined with his most recent memories he can learn from his past mistakes and learn to understand his mother more. I hope they end up having a few heart to hearts by the end of the show.

I really love how they show how even with the best intention mother can be bad. We see it in how Mi-joo doesn't tell the truth to her kids about their dad. In Mijoo's mom who wants to save her from a fate similar to hers, but doesn't listen to her daughters wishes. In Samsik's mom too.

Anyway, all this to say that for me this show is about healing. And Kang Ho getting his memories back implies we're gonna spend more time with the revenge/corruption plot line. Which is intriguing and all but I hope it doesn't eclipse the main part of the story. Which is about learning from our past mistakes, stop thinking we know better than others (and hurt them I the process) and enjoying the present in whichever shape it comes.

I hope this show sticks the landing because it could easily become one of my faves. So fingers crossed! 🤞

[mytheoristavenue]

OP Usopp x Jealous!Reader - Attention Pt. 1

Summary: During Uta's concert, you find yourself growing spiteful of her due to Usopp's constant fawning over her.

Warnings: Film Red spoilers, dangerous situations, mean and bitter reader.

Note: This will be the first part of two. I had originally intended for it all to be one, but while writing I realized it'd become too long, so I divided it!

"C'mon, (Y/N), why aren't you ready yet?" Usopp whined, glancing at your plain face and hair. "You promised you'd dress up with me!" You sighed, flipping open a handheld mirror, and began to apply the glam rock make up look that he'd picked out for you. You couldn't take him seriously when he was dressed like that, but you'd do anything to make him happy, and he knew that, so it was useless to argue further.

As you did, you vaguely listened to Jinbe inquire about the consumes nearly everyone wore, to which Usopp explained that there'd be some sort of reward for doing so, showing off a set of commemorative pins between his fingers. "You're making us all dress up for buttons?" you deadpanned, shoulders slumping, not deeming that as reason enough.

"For free!" he argued as you rolled your eyes. "Besides, this is her first live show, so they'll be worth a ton of money one day!"

"Uta is a pop idol," you pointed out with a grumble. "What's the point in making us look like we just stepped off stage with KISS?"

Usopp simply brushed off your comments as the lights began to dim. You used the lack of illumination as an excuse to give up on your make up and came to sit on the grass of the pillar you'd all set up shop on. Glancing up at him, you watched his face light up as his eyes traced her movements. Usopp was one of her biggest fans, you knew that much, just from how many times you'd had to tell him to shut off his transponder in the middle of the night. You knew practically all her songs by heart, not by choice, but by how often he repeated them. This was a big moment and you were happy he got to experience it, but you couldn't put away the pang of envy that his undivided attention caused.

-----

"He's totally lost it, right?" you coughed, frozen as your captain walked himself right up on stage while Uta was performing. "Surely this is a bad idea, I mean, she's probably got security, right?"

"I'm sure she does," Nami replied, equally as worried, her brow furrowing. "Probably not enough to take him down, but still. It's attention we definitely don't need."

You couldn't hear the conversation that followed, but you watched on anyways, gasping when Luffy enveloped Uta in a strong hug. "There's no way they know each other, right?" you fretted.

"They better not!" Usopp growled, his fists balling with jealousy. "Man, why does Luffy always know the hottest girls!"

"Usopp!" you shrieked. "Go to hell!"

"What?" he asked, looking around to his friends for backup, wondering what he'd done wrong, only for the ones who cared enough about his question to reply with a disappointed shaking of the head. "What'd I say?"

"I wonder how they know each other though," Robin thought aloud, collecting everyone's attention. "Correct me if I'm wrong, but Uta's been in hiding up until now, hasn't she?"

"Well, yeah." The sniper replied, shrugging. "So what?"

"And we've never met her, so she must be some sort of ghost from Luffy's past."

Usopp's expression shifted from his brief curiosity, back into envy over his friend's privileges' to know his crush on a personal level. "Well, we'll just have to ask him then!" He determined, before turning back to face the stage as, ferocity in his eyes. "Hey, Luffy! Since when are you so chummy with Princess Uta?!"

Your stomach churned at his phasing. 'Princess' Uta? She wasn't a princess, it wasn't even a part of her stage name! You were about to confront his words before Chopper pushed past your legs, jumping in the air, and waving his glowsticks in the air. "Yeah, tell us!"

Curiosity disarmed your anger as you captain turned back to his crew with a gleeful grin, one hand still around the pop star's shoulders, and the other holding his hat to his head. "Since forever," he laughed, eyes closed peacefully. "Uta's is Shanks's daughter!"

A shocked hush fell over the crowd, which seemed to encapsulate the whole stadium itself, you and your friends included. A few concert goers shouted out to the singer, asking if what Luffy had said was true. Before she could confirm, however, the show was put to an abrupt pause by the sudden appearance of new faces on the stage.

You grabbed your weapon an prepared to move in with your nakamas upon collectively recognizing a few of them as enemy pirates. "No way," you breathed, brows knit. "Is that-?"

"Brulee." Snaji answered. "Oven too."

"What are the Big Mom pirates doing here?" you asked quietly, backing behind him nervously.

"Don't know," he answered, parting his lips and tossing his spent cigarette to the ground before stomping it out. "But whatever it is, it's got something to do with Uta."

Before you could gather your bearings on what was going on, the Straw Hats were charging into battle to defend the idol, only to be swiftly stopped short by her surprisingly laid back attitude. She kept going on and on about how her would-be captures were, in reality, just overly excited fans. Of course, your valiant sniper had something say about that as well.

"Hold on," he said cautiously, lowering his slingshot, if only slightly. "These guys aren't your fans, they're gonna hurt you!"

The smug look on Uta's face sent chills down your spine as she stepped forward, seemingly to address the crowd, yet she never did. She wasn't really going to sing at a time like this, was she? "Then I guess I'll just have to make a song out of them."

Before you had time to inquire, an angelic voice filled the stadium with the beginning of another set, golden armor materializing on Uta's skin as she danced. To your disturbance, the other pirates you'd been ready to defend her against were forced against the invisible walls of the stadium, suspended in mid air by some sort of sticky white strip.

When the song concluded, Uta gracefully floated back down to solid ground, battle equipment shattering into puffs of glitter as she finally spoke to her audience. "You're all safe now, I taught those mean old pirates a lesson!" You swore you could almost make out tears rolling down her cheeks as you began to return to your camp. "I promise, as long as you're here, nothing will hurt you ever again!" she fluffed, reaching her hands out. "We're gonna have so much fun together, forever!"

You halted in your tracks at her words. Something about how she'd phrased her last address to her fans deeply unsettled you. What did she mean 'Forever'?

-----

The was a recess in the show, where Uta had busied herself with providing all her fans with snacks and commemorative trinkets. She'd even be so kind as to grace your crew with all the resources necessary to have a comfortable cook out. You listened idly as your friends remarked about the blessings they were most thankful for. Sanji mentioned that there were a few ingredients he'd been supplied with that he hadn't used since he left the Baratie, simply for their rarity or high price.

It saddened you to see your nakamas having such a good time, while you were stuck with this pit in your stomach. Did not a single one of them have a bad feeling about this concert, or was it possible that it was only you that hated being here? You had considered the fact that maybe your distain for the idol had an ulterior motive- a silly one at that. Surely, there was no way she'd reciprocate Usopp's feelings and magically steal him away, right?

"Uhm, Robin?" you breathed, sliding into a lawncare beside the woman as she set down her novel to assist you in whatever you needed. "Could I ask you a silly question?"

"No question is silly, as long as you learn something from it." she smiled, turning to sit on her thigh, in order to face you. "What's on your mind?"

You blushed a bit, feeling embarrassed about sharing your suspicions, now shy at the prospect of sharing them with the most intelligent person you knew. "W-well..."

"Is it about Usopp?" she interjected with a knowing giggle. "It's perfectly natural to be jealous with how he's been acting all day."

"W-What?!" you flustered, eyes wide and lips hung again in surprise. "N-No! It's not about him! I-"

"So, you admit he is an issue, just not the most pressing one."

"Robin!" you whined. "I don't have an issue with Usopp!" You whispered, or at least you thought you had. Unbeknownst to you, the sniper had perked at hearing his name, and silently tuned into your conversation, politely parting from his own, in favor of inching closer. "My problem is with Uta."

"Oh?" the archeologist replied, feigning surprise. "What would be the issue with her? You know she isn't influencing his actions in any way."

You huffed, regretting coming to her for advice in the first place, unsure if she was just having a dense moment, or toying with you, considering how common bother were. "Robin, I swear this has nothing to do with Usopp, or how annoying he is when he talks about her, or how jealous I-" you stopped yourself short, back tracking and correcting. "-you think I might be."

"Then what's bothering you so much about her?"

"I've just got a bad feeling about her, I can't put my finger on it." You confessed with a defeated sigh. "I just feel like some of the things she's been saying are kind of...weird?"

"Could you give me an example?" she asked patiently, interest now peaked, especially at the prospect on an observation she may have missed.

"Like that forever thing," you answered. "She said this concert was gonna last forever, that doesn't strike you as odd?"

Robin thought for a moment, admitting that you did have a point. "That is odd, but I would chalk it up to how emotional she is. She said it herself after her first song, all this praise is a lot to take in at once. It may be easy to see her as other worldly, but she's actually just a girl, your age, actually. After living in secret for so long, I could understand wanting such a life changing moment to last forever."

After things had been made clear for you, your vision flashed back to when you'd thought you'd seen Uta crying on stage earlier. You supposed that this was an emotional time for her, maybe Robin had a point. "Okay," you accepted, reloading another example of behavior that you found abnormal. "What about that second song?" you asked, brow cocked, and tossing a thumb in the direction of the other pirates, still hanging in mid air. "How could she possibly do that, just by singing?"

"I thought about that too," she confessed. "It has to be some sort of devil fruit power."

"Yeah, a dangerous one." Before you could talk further your conversation was interrupted the raging of the Straw Hat sniper.

"Are you serious right now?" Usopp spat, fists clenched at his sides. "Are you really shit talking Uta at her own concert? How petty is that?"

You were stunned by his sudden outburst, before you came to an angering realization. "You were evesdropping? What the hell, you creep?!"

"Kinda hard not to when you said my name like four times!" he shot back. "Honestly, I gotta say it's really frustrating to see you stoop so low, (Y/N), over jealousy no less."

Your knuckles whitened with the tightness of your fist as you began to see red. "Jealous?! Don't flatter yourself, Big Nose!"

"Oh, now we're name calling?" he growled, eye twitching with anger. On the sidelines, Robin carefully slipped off her chair, not wanting to be apart of this drama. A few others crowded around the both of you, some to watch you fight, and the others to break you up. "Well, I might have a big nose, but at least I've got damn brain to compensate, unlike you!"

"Puh-lease, you and Luffy might as well share a devil fruit, because you've got a fucking rubber brain!"

"Oh no, is everything okay over here?" A sweeet and gentle voice soothed, one that was foreign to your crew. Glancing to your left, you froze, Usopp, as well as the rest of the Straw Hats following suit. "Please don't fight, we're here to have fun, remember?"

Usopp instantly straighten his back, dusting himself off and clearing his throat. "P-Princess! We weren't fight we were just-uh..." frantically, he hooked a tan arm around your neck, pulling you into a friendly embrace with nervous grin on his plush lips. "Playing, yeah!"

Uta's smile returned, replacing her concern as she giggled at his antics. "What a relief. I hate seeing good friends fight!" With that, she turned away from the pair of you, walking over to Luffy to catch up with him. As soon as her back was turned the sniper relaxed and withdrew from you with a scowl.

"Nice going, you almost ruined my chances with Uta." His words and tone broke your heart. He really was perusing her after all, this wasn't just some silly crush. And now he was unhappy and it was your fault.

"Usopp, I-" you began, guilt tugging at your heart stings. Robin was right, you were just jealous.

"Save it." he snapped, turning away from you to join your friends in swarming the childhood friends as they bickered over the score of a game they played as kids. You sat to the side by yourself, on the ground and hugging your knees as the pair prepared for another round of this game.

You sighed as they finished, both returning to the camp, still arguing over who won. You tried your hardest not to listen, but you couldn't resist when her tone changed.

"Luffy, why don't you stop being a pirate?" she asked sternly, a harsh juxtaposition for the fun loving attitude she'd kept so far. "You could stay here with me forever, all of you. Wouldn't that be fun?"

For the first time, Usopp seeming uncomfortable by Uta's presence, seemingly wanting out of it as soon as possible. You wished you could have taken a bit of pleasure in noticing, but this was not the right time.

"That sounds great...but," Nami began, laughing nervously. "We can't just stay here forever."

"Yes you can," the idol insisted. "I can give you food and shelter and all the things you could ever want!" she chirped, trying so hard to keep up her friendly demeanor, and failing miserably.

"Sorry, but no." your captain finally said, making an executive order. "Becoming a pirate was always my dream, you know that." He gave her a kind smile, turning to descend the steps of the rock formation you stood atop, laughing her offer off. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go back to the Sunny and take a nap!"

"No," she finally growled, head hung in fury. "I wont let you leave."

Pt. 2 coming soon!

[kpopfoyoseoul]

Little One; Prologue

Mafia au

Word Count: 1309

Stray Kids Chan x Reader

Story by Admin A

Why do I even bother showing up? You thought as you walked home from yet another boring day being the secretary for a man who rarely ever shows up and cancels everything when he does. For the last two weeks though, no one had seen him at all. Every morning you dropped off any paperwork he needed to do at his home, only to return the next morning and find it untouched. A few times you considered using the spare key that you had accidentally found last week, just to make sure he was alright, but the stories of what happened to his previous secretaries once they entered kept you from doing so.

All of his previous secretaries had been fired, only to be found dead; their bodies barely recognizable, a few days later.  Every time, all the evidence pointed to the members of SKZ, a mafia lead by the elusive CB97. The first time they thought it was a coincidence but after the third the police realized the pattern. They made the mistake of making the information completely public, so now everyone has been spreading rumors that your boss is a member of the group.

You never believed them of course but weren't willing to risk your life should they be true. You would've already quit if your landlord hadn't upped the rent suddenly. Five times already this week the police had shown up at the office asking to speak to him, only to be told once again that he hasn't left his house in two weeks. 

Tonight you were late leaving the office because someone had only faxed over the ginormous packet of paperwork you needed to get signed by the start of business tomorrow three minutes before you were supposed to clock out. Your boss, Jiyong, had long ago made a rule that all work, other than his own, had to be done at the office for some reason. This of course, led you to being at the office for two hours later than normal, reading over every single word of the packet to check if it was correct and signing on the many lines that required it. By the time you finally got to leave the sun had long set and the last bus had shut down for the night, leaving you to walk the half-mile to your apartment completely in the dark, save for your phone flashlight, in the five-inch heels that your uniform requires.

As if that wasn't bad enough your phone battery was getting quite low. With at least 8 minutes left and the flashlight burning through the last 15 percent of your battery, there was no doubt that you would have to finish the walk in total darkness unless you took the shortcut through the alley. Normally you would, but at this time of night no one dared to go through there except criminals.

Your neighborhood is controlled by SKZ and everyone knows it.  Your landlord, Felix,  is a member of the inner circle. Even the police know but the group is so powerful that no one other than rookies desperate to prove themselves will ever do anything about him.  Despite being among CB97's highest ranked, Felix has never been anything other than nice to you.  He is honestly the best landlord you've ever had.  The only reason he upped the rent is to discourage all the people who tried to sign a lease without intending to ever pay.

Thinking about it now, you probably should have called him the second you realized your battery wouldn't last the whole walk.  He likely would have come to get you since he treats you like family.  At this point though, your battery won't even last long enough to get the call through.  You eventually decide to screw it, you're going through the shortcut.  Though you don't want to see anything illegal, you're well within SKZ territory.

By complete chance, the alley is empty tonight and you walk through undisturbed to your street.  It's a good thing that you took the shortcut because the second you get your door unlocked, the phone dies, plunging you into darkness for the few seconds before you switch on the light.  Locking the door, you drop everything on the couch, plug in your phone, and finally go to bed.

The next morning, you get up early, change into your uniform and head over to Jiyong's to drop off his paperwork as usual. When you get there, however, the door is ajar.  From what you can see without opening it any more, the inside is trashed.  Furniture flipped on its side, vases shattered, paintings splattered in red.  Of everything, this is what alarms you most. Without another thought you push the door open more and step inside, intent on finding your boss.

Carefully, you make your way through the mess, scanning for anything living.  At one point a cat scampers from the stairs to the kitchen but you pay it no mind. Seeing that he isn't on the ground floor, you slowly walk towards the stairs.  As you begin your ascent, voices slowly become audible.  Although you can't hear what they're saying, you can tell where they are, so you go in the opposite direction in hopes of finding your boss, preferably alive, before having to risk running into the owners of the voices.

Once you confirm that, no, your boss isn't on that side of the house, you start toward the voices, freezing as you get close enough to hear what is being said and recognize the deep voice and accent of your landlord.

"Chan, we can't find it. Maybe it's not here. It might be at his office instead, or maybe our intel was bad and he never had it to begin with."

"Keep looking, Bobby's intel has never been wrong before," replied Chan, "He has it and has hidden it somewhere in the house."

Another voice chimes in, "It took a while, but he's finally out. He just kept refusing to die."

"You're getting slow, I think we need to start you on anatomy training again," Chan teased.

"Whatever.  We need to get out of here before his secretary gets here," the last voice reminds as all three of them start walking.  At that, you snap out of your scared stupor and scramble to hide under an overturned armchair.  Apparently, you don't breathe quietly enough, since the footsteps stop right next to your hiding place.  A moment later, the chair is flung away, leaving you exposed to the three men.  The first two have pistols aimed at your head, while the third, Felix, just stares at you, surprised.

"Wait.  Chan, Jisung, don't hurt her.  She's one of my tenants and completely harmless."

"Then what do you suppose we do? We can't just let her go…"

"Yes we can.  She won't go to the police, and if she does we know where she lives!" Felix points out.

"He's right Jisung, we do know where she lives, but how about we give her an option.  Either she goes on with life as normal, forgets everything she saw or heard and be constantly monitored for the rest of her life, or she can come with us and we will take care of her needs. Either way works, she doesn't say anything to the cops.  But we did just kill her boss, didn't we?" reasons Chan.

Felix confirms, "We did.  She would have to find a new job."

"Those are the choices. Come with us and never have to work again, find a new job and be constantly monitored, or we do the same to you as we did to your boss.  Of course, I'd rather not have to hurt someone who accidentally got involved," Chan said as he turned back to face you, "so what do you say little one?"

Part One Coming Soon...

[blackasmidnightcats]

Book 1 Nostalgia

WARNING: This post will have spoilers to the SGE series

The first book in any series will always hold a special place in anyone's heart I think. There is just something beautiful, whether the writing was phenomenal or lacking, about the introduction to a new world and the characters that you're going to know. After reading further into the series, sometimes you just wanna go back to the start, where everything was a lot simpler.

SGE kinda falls into this feeling for me.

I don't think I'm ever going to get over the interactions between the characters (and we haven't even explored most of them) because, personally, Soman is incredibly good with how he does character intercations but the story and plot have a lot to improve on.

And now comparing TSY with TCY it's very glaring.

Soman really has a problem with his plot so much so than with his storyline. It's very repetitive and the storyline suffers from it.

After Book 1, every plot seemed to be the same case; Sophie is an important piece to the main villain, Agatha tries to fix everything, Tedros is getting more crap than needed, annoyingly unhealthy romantic relationships are explored, and the other characters do things.

The last of these examples are really the only things that varies. Everything else is almost always the same in one way or another.

The first book doesn't really follow that pattern. It's a introductory book and I wish Soman did the same vibe as it in QfG.

Though Book 1 wasn't perfect. My biggest main problem with it was how Soman handled Agatha's development from thinking herself a freak and realizing that she was just a beautiful as anyone else (and Tagatha, of course. They had a very unconvincing start) compared to the detailed and precise handling of Sophie's decent and eventual acceptance her wickedness.

I said it once and I'll say it again: I miss vengeful, spited Sophie. Who made the School for Good suffer because Tedros didn't keep his promise and her very impressive Talent to summon Evil creatures at will to do her bidding.

This was the Sophie that I expected more from in the later books but might never get again. With the way that the OTK cover portrays her as the Lion, whether that would be a thing or not, it's clear that Soman wants the readers to look at Sophie in a better light and not as the anti-hero that she is but I could be wrong.

In Book 1, Sophie was incredibly selfish to the point that she wouldn't do anything for others even those that she should care about (i.e. Tedros in the Trial) and in the end, she had to pay for the selfishness by seeing just how Evil she could become and be seen as the witch that she was. Her development from Pink Princess to Witch of Woods Beyond was believable; her ambitiousness combined with her selfishness was what made her gain everything through manipulation and wickedness but it couldn't be hidden for long. Once everyone, including herself, saw what lied underneath her exterior, she lost everything and because of the things that she chooses to do, she naturally hurt and attacked the people that wronged her just as Evil does.

It was caused by a failed romantic pursuit, yes, but unlike the other later romantic relations that she had, the one in Book 1 focused more on the outcome for her character development than in the relationship itself. Honestly her relationships with Rafal, and Rhian, and maybe now Japeth, idk, make absolutely no sense with the importance that the story puts on it because these relationships didn't help further Sophie's character development. It stunted her really.

Now compare this to Agatha.

I think everyone and their cats agree that we all miss witchy Agatha in book 1 and I hope we write more of her in our fanfics like that since Soman won't do it. The thing is, with Agatha, unlike Sophie, whether she is written as a straight-up hero or as a sort of anti-villain with her portrayal as the Snake in the OTK cover, it won't be that far fetched. I don't know if Soman intended this or not but it's pretty frickin impressive with how he managed to make Agatha a pretty versatile character.

Book 1 did not to good with how she went from Graveyard Girl to Fairy Tale Princess. At most, we saw her heroic characteristics but Soman didn't put much effort with making it believable and we were left to our own imaginations with how she could have believably developed and grown into herself. It should have taken more than one chapter to make us believe that Agatha suddenly grew confident with herself and her own brand of beauty and how her relationship with Tedros should have started.

But because of the fact that she's now comfortable as both being a little different and unique in her own way but is still guided by the values of Good and holds it dear to her soul as well as her loyalty to those she loves, she can do great with the best of both worlds.

Agatha hasn't stopped growing since book 1 and I think that reason for that is because Soman knows that he has to square up whenever he writes her. Whether she's developing on her own or with others, she's always learning new values and finding ways to express them in the way that she's comfortable with.

Soman does express that he loves writing in Sophie's POV the most, but it can be a double edged sword if not careful. And I think Soman hasn't been careful.

Now back to the glory of Book 1.

Book one had the most simplest plot and most fluent storyline than in any other book. Even TLEA.

I think I could recall a lot more events in Book 1 than in the more recent ones because there was a lot more events and chapters that were actually necessary to the plot.

So, to go by statistics;

TLEA has the most recorded chapters in the series as of current before the release of OTK with 35 chapters and 3 parts to divide it.

It's followed by Book 1 with 30 chapters.

Then QfG is next with 28 chapters divided into 2 parts.

And aCoT follows with 27 chapters and 2 parts as well.

Last is AWWP with 24 chapters divided into 2 parts as well.

If going by this then OTK should either have a chapter or two more or less than TLEA but not less so than Book 1 because it's going to now be the official last book of the the series.

But that is besides the point. My main problem with the books' storytelling after Book 1 is how disoriented it has become.

Let me make an example with QfG and aCoT. These books are more or less very similar with each other in the number of chapters with only one being the difference while the start of the the "Part 2" portion was a bit different with QfG's starting at chapter 21 while aCoT's started with chapter 17.

But the reception and the fluency of these two books could not be more different from each other.

To say that QfG completely destroyed the fandom is an understatement. I can't tell of aCoT managed to regain the series's former glory for long enough to not let OTK flop but let's be hopeful.

Anyways, the fluency of the storytelling with TCY was wack and QfG and aCoT completely show that.

WARNING: Spoilers about QfG and aCoT will be discussed in this section.

I could not remember almost 70% of QfG because of how much I hated the plot and looking back at the chapters, I honestly could not believe that the asshat Rhian was only introduced on Chapter 21. Everything after Chaddick's POV chapter seemed to be a blur and Rhian's b*tch ass seemed to have corrupted the whole experience.

8 chapters. He was only in QfG for 8 chapters and yet it feels almost like he's been in it for more than half. Frick. He is traumatizing.

Basically, the middle part of the book, namely chapters 7 to 20, was all about the main cast trying to frickin understand wtf was happening. Agatha and Sophie were trying to figure out the Lion and the Snake thing while Tedros was back in Camelot doing (or failing or being sabotaged with) politics and also trying to understand why tf was Excalibur having a tantrum.

Then Rhian entered and I don't know why or how Nottingham and Robin Hood got involved but he did.

And then more figuring out stuff and sabotaging Tedros and then Rhian and Excalibur and then cliffhanger.

It was all very abrupt and confusing. More confusion was added all because there were more questions asked than actual answers and a sense of depression was felt in the end because nothing was really achieved.

Imma compare this with Book 1 later but first Book 5 comparison.

Now aCoT. It was just the storyline that we needed to get back to the hype that the series had. Was it a satisfying read? Yes but was it able to heal the pain that QfG inflicted? No.

The fandom did not come back the same again.

But anyways, aCoT, personally, had a lot more scenes and events that I remembered than in any other book besides book 1 but that there was the problem with this book.

Too many things happened with this book. So much so that the fluency of the story was sacrificed to tell it.

Look at it this way, several shifts in the book happened.

This all happened in Part 1 only;

Rhian became King and his regime was sort of explained.

Agatha was introduced to the First Years and got her Army.

Sophie was in some sort of GOT-esque knock off experience as Rhian's Captive Queen.

Agatha manages to save some of her friends.

The concept of OTK was explained.

Tedros's execution was on way.

Nevermind, Agatha and her army just straight-up hijacked it.

Prof. Dovey died as a sacrifice.

Okay, now to Part 2;

Reaper is a Gnome King.

The Crystal of Time was finally explained.

They finally find out about Rhian and Japeth's origins.

The Gnomes were ambushed and I feel sorry for them.

Sophie tipped Rhian off with the location because she believed that she would end it all.

We kinda get background with why Rhian wants to be OTK????

Rhian DIES?!?!?! and now Japeth's King ☠

They sort of manage to know about wtf happened with the Lady and Japeth

Tedros and Arthur have a heart to heart and he gets the Ring of Power.

Cliffhanger

It's a lot to take in and I don't really think that Soman should have cramped it all in one book.

Some of the plot points should have been in QfG so that it wouldn't be as depressing.

The whole of Part one was a book in itself and Part 2 was one as well.

At some points of the book, I sometimes got the feeling that it was gonna be the end but it just kept going and going and now I don't really know what's left with OTK. It can be both a good thing or a horrible thing.

Let's see wtf happens. I expect more action than drama Soman.

So again with Book 1.

Book 1 was a classic and the ideas easily hooked anyone interested.

It had the same unaswered questions with QfG but why did it suceed when QfG didn't.

First, is that Book 1 had its atmosphere clear from the start of the book. It was clear that the main thing that needed to happen was that Sophie and Agatha needed to realize the actual nature of their souls. There were more technical questions that needed to be answered but the main point that needed to be addressed was addressed by the end of the book.

And also the ending was also a cliffhanger but it a much lighter note.

Sophie and Agatha realized their capabilities and understood themselves but they still chose each other in the end and that sort of gave way to a much hopeful future for the two of them. (At that time, at least)

All the while, QfG was one depressing ball of events that led to one horrible moment to the other.

It was just sad.

And so I kinda go back to Book 1 from time to time to refresh myself with why I started this series to begin with and I'm always reminded with the possibilities and the explorations about good and evil and the complex duality of differences and parallels that so many things that Sophie and Agatha sort of beautifully personify.

I love reading the very first chapter of Book 1 because it so beautifully captured Sophie and Agatha and their complex relationship that I've always wanted to read in other books.

I always loved reading Sophie's amusing thought process and the reason why she does everything that she does; she does it because she believes that she deserves more and she'll everything to get it.

I also loved how Agatha was such a character that I've always wanted to read about. She's spunky and shy and lonely and reflective and despite everyone shunning her, she could still see the good and find it in herself to help them. She was simply wonderful.

I'm thankful that I found this series and I hope that a lot more books can talk about the philosophies and concepts that this book has managed to introduce. And despite all of its set-backs and nonsense, I would still recommend this as a read but to that they should also think about what they've read and maybe talk about what they've found interesting with it.

[gone4neow]

The New King ♔ dks

Chapter Four

- kyungsoo x reader, royalty AU, prince!kyungsoo

- warnings : swearing, mature content, arranged marriage, good looking men

- word count : 3,080

chapter three or chapter five or masterlist

♔ ♔ ♔ ♔ ♔

The princess held onto Sehun's hand loosely as they made their way towards the fitness hall, where they were going to be participating in some archery. Sehun's friends trailed behind them closely, all chattering away excitedly about the sport. The princess was excited herself. She had grown up learning all about archery, since her father claimed it was only logical that he taught her in case she ever needed to fend for herself in the wild. She hadn't so far, and perhaps she never would have to, but she had grown to be excellent at the sport.

She was so used to be included in things the rest of the world deemed too masculine for women that she was genuinely surprised when the group of men excluded her from their fun after their arrival. She watched all of them ready up to enjoy themselves while she stood off to the side. They smiled and laughed with one another, all selecting the finest bows she had ever seen in her life. The frown on her face could not be hidden, no matter how much she tried to hide it.

"The princess seems sad today. What have you done now, Sehun?" Baekhyun spoke to his friend loudly, making sure that the princess heard every word. She continued to look in a different direction and pretended she had not heard a single one. Sehun glanced up at his future wife and a frown of his own formed on his face.

"Nothing. I'm not sure what's wrong with her," Sehun remarked. Kyungsoo handed his brother his bow but didn't join in on the conversation. He was curious as to what had upset the princess himself, but it wasn't the place or time to make such a fuss. The men continued on with their activities, taking turns releasing their arrows from their bows. The princess was impressed with their abilities but she knew she could do better.

"Do you want to learn how to shoot a bow?" Sehun during the boys' snack break. They all looked at her while they ate on their sandwiches. She wanted to laugh at his question, knowing good and well that she already knew how to shoot a bow.

"Are you saying I have permission to use the bow?" She answered with a question of her own. Prince Sehun held up his bow to her as an offering and she could not have moved quicker to take it from his hold. She felt as if she had been given water after being dehydrated for months. The group boys started to chat amongst themselves loudly as they watched the princess pick up an arrow. She stood where the prince had stood only minutes before, copied his posture, and pulled the string of the bow back without any complications. Suddenly, the loud volume behind her came to a halt. There was only silence as she readied her arrow.

A moment later, the arrow was released from its hold. It soared through the air in one smooth movement before it buried itself in the center of the target the boys had been using. She couldn't keep the corner of her lips from lifting into a victorious smirk. The boys behind her erupted in a sudden chaos.

"Did you just see that?"

"She shoots better than Jongin does!"

"Jongin? She shoots better than all of us combined!"

"Speak for yourself Baekhyun. You suck at archery."

"Yah! You want to make it personal do you?"

She turned on her heels and walked back over to the group, where she handed Prince Sehun his bow without another word. He sat with wide eyes and parted lips. She was surprised when he began to laugh with disbelief.

"Where did you learn that?" He asked her.

"My father taught me," she confessed. If her mother seen her now she would have a stroke immediately. It felt nice to be able to show off her skills to someone that wasn't her father.

"He should give Baekhyun lessons," Jongdae joked as he wrapped his arms around the man's shoulders. Baekhyun didn't even disagree - he only nodded as he took another bite from his sandwich.

"He left to return home this morning," The princess told the group of friends. She already missed her father and his honey-like eyes.

"Your father shouldn't allow you to participate in a man's game," Sehun told her. From his tone, he hadn't intended for his words to have such a venomous bite to them but they did. The princess felt her heartbeat skip as anger began to seep through her veins and circulate to her heart. She looked at him with raised eyebrows and every man near them took a step backwards. Even Kyungsoo, the man in which she feared had become frightened for his brother.

"Why? Is it because I do it better than you or is it because you can't do it as well as I can?" She retorted. Prince Sehun scoffed.

"Better than me? That was a luck shot. No woman in this universe would be able to shoot a shot like that more than once," he continued on. She narrowed her eyes at the man, and tried to remember the last time she had been so angry. The only person to ever get her this riled up was her mother. She was so sick of living in a world where people found women inferior to men. Without another word, she picked the bow back up and returned back to her place in front of the target. A few minutes later, she had shot three arrows into the center of the target. She turned to look at the prince with a scowl. He was staring at her as if she had just kicked his puppy.

To drive her point home, she picked up one last arrow. She aimed it at his head, to which he jumped up from his seat quickly. She released it, moving the bow at the last minute so the arrow would land where he had just been sitting. He gaped at her in disbelief while his friends cackled at the sharp gasp he had released at the moment the arrow had flown in his direction. They began to applaud for the princess as she neared them. She paused in front of Sehun before she shoved his bow into his chest. His hands grabbed at its wooden frame just as she let it drop from her hold.

"You should be careful when speaking in such a way to women. Not all of us go along with men's idiotic views of us," she told him. It was the last thing she said before she left the group of men standing with their half eaten sandwiches and wide eyes.

"That girl," Sehun hissed under his breath.

"Yah, if you don't marry her I will," Baekhyun told Sehun as he wrapped an arm around the man's shoulders.

"I've never seen the princess so angry before," Jongin commented as he turned to look at Kyungsoo. The prince looked away from the princess's retreating figure and up at his friend. He agreed quietly and watched as Jongin shook his head in disbelief.

With her father gone and no friends to run to, the princess found herself deciding between two places to run to for comfort: her chambers or the stables. Ever since her trip to the village, Prince Kyungsoo's horse had been a thought stuck in the back of her mind. She wished she was able to ride Striker throughout the entire kingdom. If she focus hard enough, she could almost feel the air blowing in her hair already. It had been such a long time since she had been able to feel as free as she did when she rode liberally on horseback.

Her mind told her to hide away in her chambers because it was only logical, but the adventurer in her heart was screaming to go to the stables. She navigated through the castle until she was met with the warm air outside once more. Guards were scattered throughout the area but she was not concerned with them. She had a goal today.

The stables weren't busy today. Horses ran freely in their fenced in areas and the princess was so awestruck by the sight that she had to stop and observe. She laid her arms against the top of the fence and rested her head against the soft skin of her arms as she watched the beautiful creatures enjoy themselves. When she found Striker hanging out near the far end of the pen she couldn't help but raise her head to look at him. She clicked her tongue loudly, hoping to gain his attention. Just when she thought he hadn't noticed her, he began to gallop in her direction. A wide grin formed on her face and for the second time that day she felt victorious.

The horse neared her but did not fully approach her. He was somewhat shy, despite his obvious boastful nature. He raised his head highly as if taunting the other horses with how beautiful he was. She laughed and stuck her hand out at him. Still, he kept his distance from her. She called out his name lowly and in a loving way soon after. It was like the princess had attached a pair of magnets on her and the creature. He came to her instantly, allowing her to pet his snout tenderly. She shared compliments in the form of a soft whisper as she did so, already forgetting the events from earlier.

The princess was so focused on the horse that she hadn't heard the footsteps approaching her from behind. It didn't help that the footsteps were quiet, even against the gravel covered ground beneath them. Prince Kyungsoo did not speak as he came to stand next to the princess's side. Instead, he found himself reaching out to pet the horse lovingly. The princess glanced over at him and sighed softly once she realized it was him.

"Did you know I would be here?" She questioned quietly.

"No. I came to visit Striker. I can't say I'm surprised to find you here, though," he admitted to her. Her face contoured into confusion at the admission.

"Why?" She couldn't help but ask.

"I seem to find you in all of my favorite places. Are you stalking me, Princess?" He told her with a hint of teasing in his voice.

"The idea of stalking you hadn't popped up into my head yet, but now that you've mentioned it I can't say it's a bad idea," she replied to him.

"Why's that?" He wondered aloud.

"Your the only person in this entire kingdom that hasn't given me a complete headache yet," she told him. He laughed an airy laugh, as if he weren't completely convinced it was the truth, and let his head drop slightly.

"My brother doesn't mean to hurt your feelings. He was brought up to believe the things he does," The prince tried to defend his brother after a brief session of silence. The princess looked away from him and back at the horse in front of them.

"Then you must believe the same things," she commented with a dry mouth.

"No," The prince denied. She looked back over at him curiously, as if she would see a sign on his face that would scream I'm a liar. When she didn't find one she felt her heartbeat quicken. His stare was as intense as ever and the thought of him viewing her as a woman who wasn't just a pretty face or a helpless maid had her feeling a way she had never felt about a man before. Oh, how easy it would have been if they universe had given her him and not his brother. It was like a wave of confidence washed over her now that she knew the prince looked at her as an equal.

"I'm going to go somewhere. Would you like to join me?" The prince spoke before she could. She was thankful, as she wasn't sure what would roll off of her tongue in that moment.

In less than ten minutes, Kyungsoo had gotten Striker ready for a ride and had turned to the princess to help her climb on. She waited for her to join, surprised when he settled behind her instead of in front of her. He handed her the reins and didn't say a word about it. He didn't have to. She understood everything from the way he had looked into her eyes. He patiently told the princess what direction to ride in and she listened. That feeling of freedom that she had craved earlier had washed over her entire body in the span of just a few minutes. Though her hair was tied up and could not blow in the wind as she had pictured it, she did feel the warm glow of the sun hitting her exposed skin. Kyungsoo leaned back as he felt the cool summer breeze brush across his face, and he knew that this was a memory he would never forget. He could hear the sound of the princess laughing freely for the first time since he had met her and it paired so perfectly with the sound of the birds hiding away in the treetops as they rode through the woods.

They eventually arrived at their destination. Kyungsoo helped the princess climb down from the back of Striker. She thanked him quietly but did not look at him - she was far too interested in the sight before her. The prince had brought her to a natural spring, that resembled a small, raging waterfall. It led to a small pool of water that looked far too inviting as they stood under the rays of the sun.

"This place is beautiful. How did you find it?" The princess spoke in a dreamy tone as she asked the question.

"My brother has a tendency to upset people, I suppose. I come here when I need to clear my head," he explained to her. He watched as she approached the small pool of water with fast footsteps. She raised the ends of her gown as she stuck her toes in the water. It felt perfectly cool against her warm skin. Without a second thought, she let down her hair and shrugged off her gown. Kyungsoo's eyes widened as he watched and wondered if his face was as flushed as he imagined it to be. The princess climbed into the water once she was left in nothing but her undergarments, which consisted of underwear and a thin, white gown. She ducked underneath the surface of the water and emerged a few seconds later, screaming out in delight as she pushed her hair out of her face.

"Join me!" She called out to the prince.

"Princess, I don't-"

"My name is Grace. Call me by my name when we are alone."

"That's pushing boundaries."

"It doesn't have to be."

The two stared at each other without speaking for a moment. Kyungsoo's heartbeat had never raced like this before. He had brought the princess here to convince her to forgive his brother, or so he had convinced himself that's why he had, but he wasn't so sure he could do that now. All his life it had been Sehun who had gotten everything he wanted and Kyungsoo had finally found something that he refused to let his brother have. With that thought in mind, he began to shrug off his royal garmets one by one. His skin felt on fire under the burning stare of the princess but he continued his actions.

The princess admired him from her spot in the water. His skin was the shade of the sweetest caramel and it glowed beautiful as the sun shone down on the man. The way he looked at her would intimidate anyone else, but she felt almost comforted by the sight. He joined her in the water with footsteps that seemed too drawn out for her liking. His face reveal how deeply he enjoyed the feeling of the cool water tickling at all inches of his skin.

"My mother would murder me if she found us out here," The princess whispered quietly, needing to say something.

"My father wouldn't approve of me being in this situation with my brother's fiancée," Kyungsoo replied lowly. It was wrong. Everything about it was wrong. Why was it so right, though? The princess felt similar to the prince, but as she swam closer to him all the thoughts in her mind were slowly vanishing. She wrapped her legs around his waist once she was close enough to him and brought her arms to rest around his neck. He watched her closely, not knowing what her next move would be. He never did.

She stared at him for a moment before she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his own plump, heart shaped lips. He was frozen for a second, not responding to the kiss. She went to pull away and her body already glowed with embarrassment. Kyungsoo lifted his hand and rested it against the back of her head before he connected their lips again. This time was far better than the first. The kiss was slow and dripping with so much passion that she could feel it crawling up her spine. The prince surprised her when he let his tongue dart across her bottom lip, and she couldn't resist allowing him to taste her. She knew, as she kissed the prince back feverishly, that there was no chance that she would ever be able to love the eldest prince. She was putty in Prince Kyungsoo's hands.

When they parted, they were panting slightly as if they had just finished a game of tag. Their eyes were locked, both not knowing if they could look away. A small smile formed on the princess's face and before she knew it she was throwing her head back with joyful laughter. Prince Kyungsoo smiled widely at the sound.

"Lets never return back to the kingdom," she suggested once her laughter had faded away.

"We'll run," he told her in a gentle tone. All smiles and laughter were gone. She let one of her hands rest against the side of his face, her thumb running over the skin of his round cheek softly. There was a sad expression on her face.

"We can't."

a/n : hi!! just wanted to pop in and say thank you to everyone that has been reading my story! i’m actually quite shy when it comes to sharing my works and this is the first time i’ve actually published anything so i hope everyone enjoys it! i also wanted to clarify that i don’t think Sehun would ever make comments such as the ones made in this chapter or even believe in any of that - but it’s fiction and i feel that in this time setting and au he would definitely use these kind of common beliefs to get under the princess’s skin. point is : Sehun is a sweetheart (or as sweet as an Aries can get, haha)

[astronomicalpi]

Missing

I have found that, as of late, that your name has come up in conversation or in my thoughts. I thought that I was making and had been making progress in getting over you in the resolution that you don't miss me. Lately I found that I miss you, which isn't unusual to miss an old flame and the sex shared, but I miss something more than that. I miss your smile and being able to spend time together, being able to laugh and goof with you, I miss the support you gave me when I struggled in my path and I tried to do the same for you, I miss that I had gotten to a point where we didn't have to have a physical moment to be close and honestly I miss the potential of us and for us. Potential does not and will not supercede the reality that there is no us and my missing you is very much in vain because you don't miss me and have gone as far to find someone else or anyone else rather than me.

And that is okay. It hurts but that is okay because it must be, I must be, and it has to be in order I believe for you to find your happiness and for me to move forward and find mine as well. In many ways I really don't know exactly why I miss you but can only speculate on ideas that might be or leaning on hopes that what I know to be true is wrong but I know it isn't as evident by the final exchange of words.

I plan to tell you happy birthday but don't know what to say and really don't feel like spilling my heart's content away for it to be disregarded and stepped on. Time and age has softened a once hardened heart because this wouldn't have been something I need a while ago and I hate it but understand maybe that this is to make me a better individual so I will say happy birthday simply because I miss you and it will put me at ease to at least show that I am thinking of you even if you think not of me.

Maybe time will heal because I know I have put in the work and effort to move forward and heal but am just not there yet stuck missing you that maybe rejection will absolve or personal confirmation and closure of what I know to be true.

___________________________________

Fast Forward about a week or so after your birthday:

Well...I said happy birthday to you and if I am honest I said a lot more than just happy birthday days prior that lead to an argument of sorts, a futile gush of remnant feelings and the cool reality of no reciprocation that I said I made my peace with a while back and that I did but still dug a knife deep into my back that I am begrudgingly pulling out of a old wound to realize that even though it doesn't hurt like before, doesn't bleed profusely like the past, that is still aches to remind me that it isn't quite healed even if it isn't quite fresh but the longer I prod at it the wound will fester and infect my being with a toxicity that threatens to undermine and destroy the very life and goals I intend to build for myself simply because I allowed myself to hurt again over someone who forgot about me a long time, who saw our moment as a bit of fun and nothing more and whose being should mean nothing to me but for some reason still does for now.

Honestly I am angry. I am angry at myself for being stupid enough to fall for you knowing that we quite inevitably would never work. I am angry that I, a individual of logic and analytics, became so fucking naive over a woman who basically is a hot pile of mental angst, past trauma,aloof stubbornness and aimless pantings; I am angry because I believed that things would work based on sexual chemistry negating that I knew only a little bit about her and she knew only a little of what I told her when in all actuality I know nothing of her (Only the bare skeletal basis) and she hasn't an idea about me (only abstract pieces in various aspects of my life which may have her concede to an preconceived notion of me). I am angry because I shouldn't have let her get me this low but I did. I am angry because I thought I loved her...I loved the idea of her, of what she could be, what we could have been, where we could have gone. But. That wasn't meant to ever happen because we, as 2 individual and cosmic forces and beings, would continually butt heads because we would never be on the same page, continually causing rips and tears at the fabric of our beings hoping that the temporary salves of sex and sexual intimacy would be a farce cement to hold a failing infrastructure together. I am angry because because I realize that now fully well but the pain and angst of her still lingers like the wound not quite healed quite literally because I poked the proverbial nest part to hear what I expected: anger and the burning of a brigde or a love suppressed not what occurred in the expelling of whatever was left of my heart's content for her to aloofness.

I am angry in a way because I have found myself unraveling at the seems quite a bit becoming rash and hot tempered when other things and people tempt or prevoke me when truly I shouldn't let them and because I know that I am far smarter and better than that then to let them win and potentially ruin my future by succumbing to the temption and pressure of the present by an old wound that I should leave be to heal with time, patience, elevation and the refusal to compromise or degradate to the level of individuals who aren't on my level and worth my time.

Writing this serves as a salve because in my festering of unwritten or spoken angst they compile rage and toxicity in my spirit that like her that I must stop poking and let be. We are " friends" at the moment but even that is a far cry from the actuality of our position: as aquaintances with differences in knowlegde, direction, purpose and a myraid of other things that may honestly see this not last long or be forgotten until a house cleaning is in order and removed subsequently by either or. I am angry but really I shouldn't be, I have no need to be, nor do I want to be at all. I wish to be in complete peace and focused on what I need to be to accomplish the process to reach where I want to be and part of that is acknowlegding my anger, hurt, and pain; my part in it and subsequently my expression of it in chanelling it and relinquishing it.

It won't be easy but I think it is time and I am ready to forgot this moment, remember this lesson, and move forward with focus, vigor and strength!