#spring loaded distribution box

[ask-de-writer]

WIND MEETS THE ROM : Part 6 of 27 :

MLP Fan Fiction

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Return to MLP Fan Fiction

WIND MEETS THE ROM

Part 6 of 27

by

De Writer (Glen Ten-Eyck)

Cover art by @wind-the-mama-cat

54212 words

© 2023 by Glen Ten-Eyck

Writing begun 06/01/18

All rights reserved. This document may not be copied or distributed on or to any medium or placed in any mass storage system except by the express written consent of the author.

//////////////

Copyright fair use rules for Tumblr users

Users of Tumblr.com are specifically granted the following rights. They may reblog the story provided that all author and copyright information remains intact. They may use the characters or original characters in my settings for fan fiction, fan art works, cosplay, or fan musical compositions.

All sorts of fan art, cosplay, music or fiction is actively encouraged.

///////////////////////

New to the story? Read from Part 1, here!

///////////////////////

Wind responded by putting her mug of tea in the middle of the plate and arranging her pasties around it, so that she could manage the whole thing with her one hand. Just then, a filly that Wind remembered from the game yesterday trotted up.

She gave Wind a curtsy and asked, “Would you like to eat with us? We foals noticed that not only did you play the ball fairly, you are learning to talk, read and write. That means that you are one of us!”

Wind looked over at Black Lotus, who looked on to Hoof Dancer, who nodded an emphatic yes.

Wind looked at her new acquaintance and picked up her plate. “Lead the way! I am Wind, um, Wind Whisper.”

The foals were sitting quietly in the shade, near to a neatly boxed in spring with open water tank for the use of ponies and horses that stopped at the wayside. Wind appreciated the how well the wayside was laid out for the convenience of its users.

The foals were happily chattering away in Gyptian, pausing anytime that Wind showed any sign of confusion or misunderstanding to explain or show her the meaning of what they were saying.

Wind was sorting out Gyptian's interesting view of “caravan” being any device that hauled things OR any group of such devices. You could say one particular caravan in a caravan. You could even say how many there were in a caravan. She was both amused and bemused by the amazing idea that there was no plural for caravan.

The foals were amused by Wind's amusement. Quiet trills that the Rom used for applause greeted her sorting the matter out. One filly explained, “Ponies always have trouble figuring that out. You got it in only a few minutes!”

They all fell silent at once. Wind, following their stares, saw a plain brown earth pony whose mane and tail were only a little darker brown pulling a heavily loaded wagon down the access road into the wayside.

The first sight of the stranger caused her heart to skip a beat. He was the exact same color as her friend Penny. It was quickly apparent that he was nothing like Penny.

First, he barged into the Rom camp, dragging his wagon and dropping the hitch as if he was part of their camp. Second, he tried to just help himself to their breakfast.

Wind and the foals could hear Marchhare's voice as he demanded, “Right of Privacy in our camp! You must find your own camp spot and fix your own rations.”

“I ain't movin' til you fixes my sour wheel and gives me a good breakfast! Got it?”

Wind's eyes went wide with surprise as Black Lotus just asked, “Mom, will you get this worthless pony out of our camp? I have his caravan.”

Soft looking blue magic from her horn enveloped the intruder's wagon and lifted the several tonne load up off the ground. The squalling pony was also lifted by Hoof Dancer's magic. Both of them carried their burdens to a well shaded camp space with a fire ring and supply of firewood. They left him and his wagon there.

Utterly sour, the brown pony stomped over to the wayside's boxed spring. He was starting to demand, “You brats get away from here!”

Wind quietly stood up and laid her hand on the side of his neck. She said in a gentle tone, “If you try to bully these foals, you could wind up all scratched up by the bramble.”

Just as he was blustering, “There ain't no brambles here! What are you talking about?” Wind flexed her hand slightly. Tiny trickles of blood ran down his coat from her finger tips.

Smiling, to show her fangs, Wind replied, “I am the Bramble. Get your water in peace and you will have no problem with me.”

Grumbling, he went around the foals, eating in the cool shade. “That Waller lied to me about everything! Said Rom on the road was generous and would fix wagons with problems and share meals and all. Lies, every bit of it.”

One of the fillies raised her eyebrows and asked, “Waller Left Leg?”

“That's him! Not a word of it true!”

The filly smiled. “For him, it is all true. I bet that he told you to always be polite and never intrude on our camps too, but you just left that out, didn't you?”

He actually looked down and scraped the grass with his hoof before answering, “Well, yes. That part don't make no sense. I means, you is all Rom, not even proper ponies. Why would anypony be polite to you?”

She batted her eyelashes at him and chuckled. “Last that I looked, courtesy costs nothing. It would have been repaid with an invitation to eat and the repair of your cara ...” she paused, “wagon. Well worth the price, I would say.”

Wind looked about and smiled, a cheerful mouthful of fangs. “We are done with breakfast! Let's take our dishes back to camp for cleaning! I understand that we are going to be on the road today!”

Happy foals charged across the wayside grass to their camp. Wind paused only long enough to say, “Hanar was right, you know. About courtesy, I mean.” She loped away to the Rom camp after the foals.

By the time that the brown pony had got his water and returned to his camp, the Rom were putting away the last of their now cleaned cookware and utensils. Lockers were open and rigging parts for hitching up to their caravan were being selected and set up.

The filly Hanar was showing Wind the parts, naming them and laying them out. Wind was linking the parts together as well as learning the names of the pieces.

Hanar looked up from the setup and smiled. “Wind, you are learning Gyptian far faster than anyhorse that I have ever heard of. From what I am hearing, what you need most is just to build up your vocabulary.”

Wind nodded. “I have a gift with learning languages. It really helps my adventuring. I learn most languages in only a day or two. Like Gyptian, I will still need to learn new words but that is pretty automatic as time goes by.”

Hanar nodded to herself as she finished her Pulling set up and used her magic to latch her harness into place. She gestured with her horn to a place beside her. “Hoof Dancer was very particular that you walk alongside me today. I will be leading off the Road Songs. We sing to keep cadence and the Pull even. The songs also help the kilometers to pass. We are going to visit mother's Lake today. It will be so nice to visit her again. Our Loved Dead are Always With Us but I feel her most strongly at her Lake.”

Wind reached into her pouch of holding and pulled out a nice reddish pebble. “I was told something of Laying the Stones. While we were breakfasting, I noticed this one in the outfall stream from the wayside water box. Would it be proper? I mean, Shansa Na Kili wa, I mean, is your mother. You would know best.”

Hanar's magic took the stone delicately from Wind's fingers. It turned this way and that under her scrutiny. “That would be perfect, Wind. It is a small carnelian with most of the cortex worn off by water and other pebbles. That is just the sort of thing that we look for.

“Look! Everyone is hitched! It is time for the starting cadence!” In a loud clear voice, she called out, “Lean Left! Lean Right! Pull Left! Pull Right! Pull! Pull!”

The whole caravan of Rom got underway, all of them in perfect step and cadence. Wind was impressed. As they hit the main road and turned south, Hanar called out, “Shehan Ja Rom!” Moments later the melodious voices of the Rom filled the roadway.

Wind listened closely and began humming first, then softly, so that her errors would not disrupt the others, filling in with words and guesses for words. The singing made it easier for her to add to her vocabulary and, incidentally, learn the origin of the Rom as a race.

It helped that she knew some of the story but the song filled it out and put muscles on the bare skeleton that she knew. She thoughtfully filed away that she could see the eyes of a good number of her new friends and they were all showing signs of tears. The song came to an end and the mood changed!

Red Roan's Lullaby had nothing to do with sleeping! Wind picked up the chorus quickly and the short verses had her giggling.

Another was almost a tone poem about the road and its nature and how much the Rom loved the road as their true home. Hearing it, Wind recalled her conversation with Black Lotus about finding a place to settle. Now she understood the black mare's reaction far better. The Rom were settled, just not in a single place. Home was the road and the caravan.

They turned into Royal Road Red Branch Section Wayside #6 well before noon. There was a party there before them. There were pegassi in armor and carrying weapons. Their leader ordered the troop, “Stand Down! This is the caravan that we have been waiting for!”

Lounging in the shade of a tree were two more Rom, or so they appeared. A pure white, horse sized unicorn lay quietly beside another, slightly smaller horse of deep blue. Both wore the unique headdresses that the Rom called Freedoms and they were in lovely sashes and harnesses.

They sprang to their feet and virtually charged forward, calling out, “Marchhare! We got away from our Duties early! We have been waiting for you! We are ready to set up camp with you!”

Wind saw the other Rom all eagerly greeting the newcomers with, “Tia! Midnight! We hoped that you would be able to join us! Will you be with us for the Haymarket Fair?”

“Try to stop us! We got our schedules cleared all the way through to Monday!”

There was the happy clatter of hitches being taken apart and stowed. Even more promising, was the different clatter of cooking equipment being set up. Having already learned about Rom priorities, Wind got busy helping Hoof Dancer to set up griddles, grilles and a portable oven over the wayside fire pits.

While she was busy, she noticed that her enthusiasm was not shared by at least some of the pegassi. Two were stopped by the officer in charge as they started to stomp over to the encampment being set up. There was some sort of disagreement before they returned to ranks.

Wind noticed that the newcomers, Tia and Midnight, were already hock deep in Ka'chek flour and rolling out the dough with delight. Wind's shyness was broken by Black Lotus calling, “Wind! Come over and meet Midnight and Tia! They want to see you in person. Reports are so often impersonal!”

Wind trotted over, muttering, “Did that old blue unicorn tell everyhorse in the kingdom about me?”

Tia's lips twitched up in a bit of a smile. Midnight snickered, “Not at all. He did put a note about you into the Chronicle but it was that lovely old dead donkey over there who sent us the reports.”

Wind sent a small not really glare over to Marchhare. He snorted and retorted, “An army may march on its stomach but the life blood of a kingdom is PAPER!”

By then, Wind was already stirring up thick apricot filling for some of the pastries to come. There was a pot of berry filling waiting for the final stirring and, to Wind's surprise, there were pastry fillings with both fish and fowl ready to go too.

Midnight noticed Wind's casual look at the feast preparations and replied to her unspoken question, “We know that you are a carnivore, dear. Both Tia and I are skilled surgeons. Things like meat and blood do not bother us. We know and entertain the Gryphons from time to time also. Fixing you properly savory food is not only no trouble, it will show Shansa Na Kili that you are truly a member of Marchhare's band.”

Tia put in casually, “I have a couple of questions to ask her myself. She is such a good friend and shares her knowledge so willingly.”

Wind nodded. “So I have heard. I want to thank her for the fine weaving of my new cloak. I found her a nice pebble for the Laying the Stones. Hanar told me that it was a good one.”

Midnight's eyes softened as she kneeded more dough and replied, “That is wonderful. Hanar loves to visit her mother.”

Suddenly soft looking many hued magic sprung from Tia's horn and shot over to edge of the wayside! One of the armored pegassi was snatched from over near the woods and slapped to earth hard, in front of Tia and Midnight both! He had a sling with a stone in it. The stone, a nice, shiny petrified wood, bounced free of the sling pocket.

<== PREVIOUS ~ NEXT==>

Return to the Master Story Index

Return to MLP Fan Fiction

[sockethub]

Automatic & Manual Balancing Valves – Diagram, Flow Chart & Price List Explained

 Efficient hydronic balancing is critical in HVAC systems, and balancing valves are the solution. Whether you're managing flow in a chilled water line, hot water system, or industrial plant, using the correct manual or automatic balancing valve ensures optimal flow distribution, energy savings, and system reliability.

As a reputed manufacturer and supplier in Delhi, Udhhyog offers a wide range of manual and automatic balancing valves that suit modern plumbing and HVAC applications.

This article explores the types of balancing valves, their working mechanism, diagrams, flow charts, and current market prices to help you make the right choice.

What Are Balancing Valves?

A balancing valve ensures that each branch in a fluid distribution system gets its desired flow rate. These valves help maintain hydraulic balance, which is especially crucial in HVAC and hot/cold water supply systems.

There are two main categories:

Manual Balancing Valve: Manually adjusted to regulate flow.

Automatic Balancing Valve: Self-regulating valve that maintains flow irrespective of pressure changes.

Manual Balancing Valves – Overview

✅ Working Principle

Manual balancing valves operate by adjusting a handwheel or calibrated dial. The installer sets the valve to a specific position based on flow requirements.

✅ Applications

Chiller lines

Cooling towers

Terminal units in HVAC

Radiator circuits

✅ Advantages

Cost-effective

Simple to operate

Suitable for steady-state systems

Automatic Balancing Valves – Overview

✅ Working Principle

Automatic balancing valves use a spring-loaded diaphragm or cartridge to keep differential pressure constant. This maintains a fixed flow rate regardless of system pressure changes.

✅ Applications

High-rise buildings

Variable load HVAC systems

Systems with pressure fluctuations

✅ Advantages

No need for recalibration

Maintains consistent performance

Reduces energy consumption

Balancing Valve Diagram & Symbol

Manual Balancing Valve Diagram:

Shows inlet/outlet ports, measuring nipples, and adjustment knob

Automatic Balancing Valve Diagram:

Features internal spring/diaphragm and a pressure regulating unit

Balancing Valve Symbol:

Square box with internal lines and arrows indicating flow direction and function

These diagrams are used in engineering schematics and installation blueprints.

Balancing Valve Flow Chart – Step by Step

The flow chart for balancing valves helps in:

Determining design flow rate

Selecting valve size

Setting or calibrating (manual)

Pressure balancing (automatic)

Performance verification

This ensures that each branch receives its required flow, reducing complaints of overheating or undercooling.

Balancing Valve Types at Udhhyog

🔹 Manual Flow Control Balancing Valve

🔹 Automatic Flow Control Balancing Valve

🔹 Pressure Independent Balancing Valve (PIBV)

🔹 Digital/Smart Balancing Valve

🔹 Dual-Function (Combined control and balance)

We also supply:

Balanced Bellows Safety Relief Valve

Balanced Plug Valve

Balanced Safety Relief Valve

Balancing Valve Price List – Updated Delhi Market Rates

Valve TypeSize (mm)Price Range (INR)Manual Balancing Valve15–50₹850 – ₹2,500Automatic Balancing Valve20–80₹2,500 – ₹7,500Pressure Independent Valve25–100₹4,800 – ₹10,500Digital Balancing Valve25–150₹15,000 – ₹35,000Balanced Safety Relief Valve25–100₹6,000 – ₹15,000Balanced Plug Valve25–150₹8,000 – ₹18,000

📌 Prices vary based on material, pressure class, and valve make. Contact Udhhyog for custom rates.

Where Are Balancing Valves Used?

🏢 Commercial HVAC systems

🏠 Residential heating/cooling lines

🏭 Industrial process piping

🏥 Healthcare & pharma facilities

🏬 Shopping complexes and data centers

Why Choose Udhhyog – Top Balancing Valve Supplier in Delhi

🏭 Wide Product Range

From basic manual to smart automatic valves, we cover all types.

📈 Tested & Certified

Valves conform to ISO and IS standards and are pressure-tested.

🚛 Quick Delivery in North India

We supply across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, J&K, UP, and Himachal Pradesh.

💡 Technical Support

We help with system design, valve sizing, and installation support.

💰 Affordable Pricing & Custom Orders

Get competitive rates, custom solutions, and bulk discounts.

Conclusion

Manual and automatic balancing valves both serve essential roles in HVAC and fluid systems. The right choice depends on flow conditions, system pressure, and design load variation.

Udhhyog is your trusted balancing valve supplier in Delhi with a full catalog of reliable, efficient, and affordable valve solutions.

Contact us today for help choosing the best valve for your project.

Contact Udhhyog

📞 Call Us or Visit Our Website to request a quote or technical catalog.

[msteeudhhyog]

Automatic & Manual Balancing Valves – Diagram, Flow Chart & Price List Explained

 Efficient hydronic balancing is critical in HVAC systems, and balancing valves are the solution. Whether you're managing flow in a chilled water line, hot water system, or industrial plant, using the correct manual or automatic balancing valve ensures optimal flow distribution, energy savings, and system reliability.

As a reputed manufacturer and supplier in Delhi, Udhhyog offers a wide range of manual and automatic balancing valves that suit modern plumbing and HVAC applications.

This article explores the types of balancing valves, their working mechanism, diagrams, flow charts, and current market prices to help you make the right choice.

What Are Balancing Valves?

A balancing valve ensures that each branch in a fluid distribution system gets its desired flow rate. These valves help maintain hydraulic balance, which is especially crucial in HVAC and hot/cold water supply systems.

There are two main categories:

Manual Balancing Valve: Manually adjusted to regulate flow.

Automatic Balancing Valve: Self-regulating valve that maintains flow irrespective of pressure changes.

Manual Balancing Valves – Overview

✅ Working Principle

Manual balancing valves operate by adjusting a handwheel or calibrated dial. The installer sets the valve to a specific position based on flow requirements.

✅ Applications

Chiller lines

Cooling towers

Terminal units in HVAC

Radiator circuits

✅ Advantages

Cost-effective

Simple to operate

Suitable for steady-state systems

Automatic Balancing Valves – Overview

✅ Working Principle

Automatic balancing valves use a spring-loaded diaphragm or cartridge to keep differential pressure constant. This maintains a fixed flow rate regardless of system pressure changes.

✅ Applications

High-rise buildings

Variable load HVAC systems

Systems with pressure fluctuations

✅ Advantages

No need for recalibration

Maintains consistent performance

Reduces energy consumption

Balancing Valve Diagram & Symbol

Manual Balancing Valve Diagram:

Shows inlet/outlet ports, measuring nipples, and adjustment knob

Automatic Balancing Valve Diagram:

Features internal spring/diaphragm and a pressure regulating unit

Balancing Valve Symbol:

Square box with internal lines and arrows indicating flow direction and function

These diagrams are used in engineering schematics and installation blueprints.

Balancing Valve Flow Chart – Step by Step

The flow chart for balancing valves helps in:

Determining design flow rate

Selecting valve size

Setting or calibrating (manual)

Pressure balancing (automatic)

Performance verification

This ensures that each branch receives its required flow, reducing complaints of overheating or undercooling.

Balancing Valve Types at Udhhyog

🔹 Manual Flow Control Balancing Valve

🔹 Automatic Flow Control Balancing Valve

🔹 Pressure Independent Balancing Valve (PIBV)

🔹 Digital/Smart Balancing Valve

🔹 Dual-Function (Combined control and balance)

We also supply:

Balanced Bellows Safety Relief Valve

Balanced Plug Valve

Balanced Safety Relief Valve

Balancing Valve Price List – Updated Delhi Market Rates

Valve TypeSize (mm)Price Range (INR)Manual Balancing Valve15–50₹850 – ₹2,500Automatic Balancing Valve20–80₹2,500 – ₹7,500Pressure Independent Valve25–100₹4,800 – ₹10,500Digital Balancing Valve25–150₹15,000 – ₹35,000Balanced Safety Relief Valve25–100₹6,000 – ₹15,000Balanced Plug Valve25–150₹8,000 – ₹18,000

📌 Prices vary based on material, pressure class, and valve make. Contact Udhhyog for custom rates.

Where Are Balancing Valves Used?

🏢 Commercial HVAC systems

🏠 Residential heating/cooling lines

🏭 Industrial process piping

🏥 Healthcare & pharma facilities

🏬 Shopping complexes and data centers

Why Choose Udhhyog – Top Balancing Valve Supplier in Delhi

🏭 Wide Product Range

From basic manual to smart automatic valves, we cover all types.

📈 Tested & Certified

Valves conform to ISO and IS standards and are pressure-tested.

🚛 Quick Delivery in North India

We supply across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, J&K, UP, and Himachal Pradesh.

💡 Technical Support

We help with system design, valve sizing, and installation support.

💰 Affordable Pricing & Custom Orders

Get competitive rates, custom solutions, and bulk discounts.

Conclusion

Manual and automatic balancing valves both serve essential roles in HVAC and fluid systems. The right choice depends on flow conditions, system pressure, and design load variation.

Udhhyog is your trusted balancing valve supplier in Delhi with a full catalog of reliable, efficient, and affordable valve solutions.

Contact us today for help choosing the best valve for your project.

Contact Udhhyog

📞 Call Us or Visit Our Website to request a quote or technical catalog.

[ssseamlesspipe]

Automatic & Manual Balancing Valves – Diagram, Flow Chart & Price List Explained

 Efficient hydronic balancing is critical in HVAC systems, and balancing valves are the solution. Whether you're managing flow in a chilled water line, hot water system, or industrial plant, using the correct manual or automatic balancing valve ensures optimal flow distribution, energy savings, and system reliability.

As a reputed manufacturer and supplier in Delhi, Udhhyog offers a wide range of manual and automatic balancing valves that suit modern plumbing and HVAC applications.

This article explores the types of balancing valves, their working mechanism, diagrams, flow charts, and current market prices to help you make the right choice.

What Are Balancing Valves?

A balancing valve ensures that each branch in a fluid distribution system gets its desired flow rate. These valves help maintain hydraulic balance, which is especially crucial in HVAC and hot/cold water supply systems.

There are two main categories:

Manual Balancing Valve: Manually adjusted to regulate flow.

Automatic Balancing Valve: Self-regulating valve that maintains flow irrespective of pressure changes.

Manual Balancing Valves – Overview

✅ Working Principle

Manual balancing valves operate by adjusting a handwheel or calibrated dial. The installer sets the valve to a specific position based on flow requirements.

✅ Applications

Chiller lines

Cooling towers

Terminal units in HVAC

Radiator circuits

✅ Advantages

Cost-effective

Simple to operate

Suitable for steady-state systems

Automatic Balancing Valves – Overview

✅ Working Principle

Automatic balancing valves use a spring-loaded diaphragm or cartridge to keep differential pressure constant. This maintains a fixed flow rate regardless of system pressure changes.

✅ Applications

High-rise buildings

Variable load HVAC systems

Systems with pressure fluctuations

✅ Advantages

No need for recalibration

Maintains consistent performance

Reduces energy consumption

Balancing Valve Diagram & Symbol

Manual Balancing Valve Diagram:

Shows inlet/outlet ports, measuring nipples, and adjustment knob

Automatic Balancing Valve Diagram:

Features internal spring/diaphragm and a pressure regulating unit

Balancing Valve Symbol:

Square box with internal lines and arrows indicating flow direction and function

These diagrams are used in engineering schematics and installation blueprints.

Balancing Valve Flow Chart – Step by Step

The flow chart for balancing valves helps in:

Determining design flow rate

Selecting valve size

Setting or calibrating (manual)

Pressure balancing (automatic)

Performance verification

This ensures that each branch receives its required flow, reducing complaints of overheating or undercooling.

Balancing Valve Types at Udhhyog

🔹 Manual Flow Control Balancing Valve

🔹 Automatic Flow Control Balancing Valve

🔹 Pressure Independent Balancing Valve (PIBV)

🔹 Digital/Smart Balancing Valve

🔹 Dual-Function (Combined control and balance)

We also supply:

Balanced Bellows Safety Relief Valve

Balanced Plug Valve

Balanced Safety Relief Valve

Balancing Valve Price List – Updated Delhi Market Rates

Valve TypeSize (mm)Price Range (INR)Manual Balancing Valve15–50₹850 – ₹2,500Automatic Balancing Valve20–80₹2,500 – ₹7,500Pressure Independent Valve25–100₹4,800 – ₹10,500Digital Balancing Valve25–150₹15,000 – ₹35,000Balanced Safety Relief Valve25–100₹6,000 – ₹15,000Balanced Plug Valve25–150₹8,000 – ₹18,000

📌 Prices vary based on material, pressure class, and valve make. Contact Udhhyog for custom rates.

Where Are Balancing Valves Used?

🏢 Commercial HVAC systems

🏠 Residential heating/cooling lines

🏭 Industrial process piping

🏥 Healthcare & pharma facilities

🏬 Shopping complexes and data centers

Why Choose Udhhyog – Top Balancing Valve Supplier in Delhi

🏭 Wide Product Range

From basic manual to smart automatic valves, we cover all types.

📈 Tested & Certified

Valves conform to ISO and IS standards and are pressure-tested.

🚛 Quick Delivery in North India

We supply across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, J&K, UP, and Himachal Pradesh.

💡 Technical Support

We help with system design, valve sizing, and installation support.

💰 Affordable Pricing & Custom Orders

Get competitive rates, custom solutions, and bulk discounts.

Conclusion

Manual and automatic balancing valves both serve essential roles in HVAC and fluid systems. The right choice depends on flow conditions, system pressure, and design load variation.

Udhhyog is your trusted balancing valve supplier in Delhi with a full catalog of reliable, efficient, and affordable valve solutions.

Contact us today for help choosing the best valve for your project.

Contact Udhhyog

📞 Call Us or Visit Our Website to request a quote or technical catalog.

[mtsuhail]

How to Build Scalable Web Applications with Java Full Stack Development

Scalability is one of the most crucial aspects of building modern web applications. As the number of users and data grows, it’s important to ensure that the application can handle the increased load efficiently. Java full-stack development with its robust set of tools and frameworks, is ideal for building scalable web applications. In this blog, we’ll explore how you can leverage Java Full Stack technologies to build applications that scale effectively.

What is Scalability in Web Applications?

Scalability refers to the ability of a web application to handle an increasing amount of workload or users without compromising performance. A scalable application can grow as the demand for its services increases, either by upgrading existing infrastructure (vertical scaling) or by adding more resources (horizontal scaling).

In the context of Java full-stack development, scalability involves both the back-end (server-side) and the front-end (client-side) of the application. Let’s explore how you can achieve scalability using Java technologies.

1. Building a Scalable Back-End with Spring Boot

The back-end of your application is responsible for handling requests, processing data, and interacting with databases. Spring Boot is an excellent choice for building a scalable back-end due to its simplicity, flexibility, and integration with various cloud-based tools. Here’s how you can ensure scalability with Spring Boot:

- Microservices Architecture

To build a scalable back-end, consider using a microservices architecture. Microservices allow you to break down a monolithic application into smaller, independent services that can be developed, deployed, and scaled independently. Spring Boot, combined with Spring Cloud, provides powerful tools for building and managing microservices.

Using microservices, each service can be scaled individually based on demand. For instance, if one service experiences high traffic, it can be scaled up without affecting the other services.

- Asynchronous Processing

Scalable applications often need to handle a large number of concurrent requests without slowing down. By leveraging asynchronous processing in Spring Boot, you can ensure that tasks like database queries or external API calls do not block the main thread, allowing the application to handle more requests efficiently. Technologies like Spring WebFlux provide asynchronous processing out of the box.

- Load Balancing

In a scalable system, it's essential to distribute incoming traffic across multiple instances of your application. Spring Cloud Netflix Ribbon and Eureka offer client-side load balancing and service discovery features, which enable you to route requests to the best-performing server instance, ensuring that your application can handle more traffic efficiently.

2. Front-End Scalability with React or Angular

The front-end of your application also needs to be scalable. React and Angular are two popular JavaScript frameworks that can help you build highly scalable user interfaces.

- Component-Based Architecture

Both React and Angular follow a component-based architecture, where the application is divided into smaller, reusable components. This modular approach makes it easier to scale the front-end by adding new features and components without affecting the entire application.

Additionally, React’s virtual DOM ensures that only the necessary components are re-rendered when data changes, improving performance even as the application grows in size.

- Single-Page Applications (SPA)

Modern web applications often use a Single-Page Application (SPA) approach, where the entire application is loaded once, and subsequent interactions with the server are handled asynchronously. SPAs reduce the number of full-page reloads, leading to a faster and more scalable user experience. Both React and Angular excel in building SPAs.

- Efficient State Management

As your application scales, managing the state (i.e., the data used by the components) becomes increasingly complex. Both React (with Redux) and Angular (with NgRx) offer state management solutions that allow you to handle large amounts of data more efficiently. These tools help maintain consistency across the application and improve performance.

3. Database Scalability

Databases are central to the scalability of a web application. Java Full Stack development provides several options for managing databases in a scalable manner.

- NoSQL Databases

For applications that need to handle unstructured or semi-structured data at scale, NoSQL databases (like MongoDB or Cassandra) can be a better choice than traditional relational databases. Java has strong support for NoSQL databases through libraries like Spring Data MongoDB, making it easy to interact with and scale these databases.

- Sharding and Replication

For relational databases, you can achieve scalability through sharding and replication. Sharding involves splitting the database into smaller chunks, which can be distributed across multiple servers, while replication ensures that data is copied across multiple databases for high availability and fault tolerance. Java frameworks like Spring Data JPA and Hibernate can be configured to support these features, allowing you to scale your database as needed.

- Caching

To further improve the scalability of your application, you can implement caching mechanisms that reduce the load on the database. Redis and Memcached are popular caching solutions that can store frequently accessed data in memory, reducing database queries and improving response times. Java has excellent support for integrating caching systems like Redis using Spring Cache.

4. Cloud Deployment for Scalability

One of the best ways to achieve scalability for your Java full-stack development application is by deploying it in the cloud. Cloud platforms like AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud offer flexible, on-demand resources that make it easy to scale your application as needed.

- Auto-Scaling

Cloud platforms provide auto-scaling features that automatically increase or decrease the number of instances based on traffic. This allows you to scale your application up during peak times and scale it down when traffic decreases, ensuring efficient resource usage and cost management.

- Containers and Kubernetes

Containers (such as Docker) and container orchestration systems (like Kubernetes) are widely used in scalable applications. Containers provide a lightweight, consistent environment for running microservices, while Kubernetes automates the deployment, scaling, and management of containerized applications. Spring Boot applications can be easily containerized and deployed to Kubernetes clusters, providing a robust solution for scaling.

5. Monitoring and Optimizing Performance

Finally, it’s essential to continuously monitor and optimize the performance of your scalable web application. Tools like Spring Boot Actuator and Prometheus can help you track performance metrics, identify bottlenecks, and ensure that your application is operating efficiently.

You can also implement load testing using tools like Apache JMeter to simulate high traffic and ensure that your application can handle the desired number of concurrent users. Regular performance testing and optimization are key to maintaining a scalable application.

Conclusion

Building a scalable web application requires careful consideration of both the front-end and back-end components. With Java full-stack development, you can leverage powerful frameworks and tools like Spring Boot, React, Angular, and cloud technologies to create applications that can scale efficiently with increasing demand.

By embracing microservices, optimizing databases, implementing caching, and utilizing cloud-based solutions, you can ensure that your Java Full Stack application remains performant, reliable, and scalable as it grows.

This concludes the blog on "How to Build Scalable Web Applications with Java full-stack development". Let me know if you’d like to proceed with another topic!

[openposthub]

Simplify Your Move with the Ultimate Guide to Moving Truck Rentals in PA

Moving into a new home is an exciting milestone, but it can feel overwhelming when faced with the logistics of transporting your belongings. For new homeowners in Pennsylvania, renting a moving truck can be a cost-effective and convenient way to take control of the moving process. Whether you're relocating within the state or traveling a longer distance, moving trucks offer flexibility and efficiency—saving you time, money, and stress.

This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about moving truck rental PA, from choosing the right truck to efficient packing strategies. By the end, you’ll feel confident and prepared to tackle your move like a pro.

Why Rent a Moving Truck? The Benefits for New Homeowners

For many new homeowners, the thought of coordinating professional movers can be daunting—and expensive. That’s where moving truck rentals come in as a convenient alternative. Here’s why they’re a game-changer:

Cost-Effective: Renting a moving truck is typically more affordable than hiring a full-service moving company since you’re only paying for the truck and not additional labor.

Flexibility: You get complete control over your moving timeline, allowing you to load and unload at your own pace.

Variety of Sizes: Moving truck rental companies offer a range of truck sizes to suit your needs, whether you're moving a studio apartment or a three-bedroom home.

Great for Local Moves: For homeowners moving within their city or region in PA, a rental truck eliminates the waiting time associated with moving companies.

Thinking of renting a moving truck? Keep reading for new homeowners’ essential tips on planning a smooth move.

Key Considerations When Choosing a Moving Truck Rental in PA

Before you rent, there are critical factors to consider ensuring your moving day runs seamlessly. Here’s how to find the best moving truck rental for your needs:

1. Truck Size

Small Trucks (10–12 feet): Ideal for single-bedroom apartments or small moves.

Medium Trucks (15–20 feet): Perfect for 1–2 bedroom homes or small families.

Large Trucks (22–26+ feet): Best for 3+ bedroom homes or moves involving lots of furniture.

Choosing the right size is key to maximizing space and minimizing trips. Unsure? It’s better to size up than risk running out of room.

2. Rental Location & Availability

Look for rental companies with convenient locations in Pennsylvania. Services like U-Haul, Penske, and Budget Truck Rental have multiple locations across the state, making pickups and drop-offs hassle-free.

3. Insurance Options

Accidents happen—but that doesn’t mean you need to shoulder all the risk. Most reputable truck rental companies offer optional insurance plans to cover potential damages to the truck or your belongings.

Top Tips for Efficient and Safe Loading and Unloading

Once you’ve secured your rental, it’s time to think about how to load and unload efficiently. Here’s how you can make the most out of the space while ensuring safety:

Pack Strategically: Place heavy items like furniture and appliances at the base of the truck, followed by lighter boxes on top. Secure items with straps or ropes to prevent shifting during transport.

Distribute Weight Evenly: Balancing the load will improve truck handling and make driving safer.

Use Moving Tools: A dolly or hand truck can save time and reduce the strain of carrying heavy items.

Enlist Help: Moving solo is tough. Ask friends or family to pitch in—or consider hiring local moving labor through your rental company.

Label Boxes: Clear labels will ensure the right boxes end up in the correct rooms, simplifying the unpacking process.

Cost-Effective Strategies for New Homeowners When Renting a Moving Truck

Moving doesn’t have to break the bank. Here are some ways to save extra cash on your rental:

Book Early: Demand for rental trucks in pa peaks during weekends and moving season (spring and summer). Booking in advance ensures availability and often locks in lower prices.

Move on Weekdays: Rental rates are typically cheaper during weekdays than weekends.

Bundle Equipment Rentals: Many companies offer discounts when you rent accessories like dollies or furniture pads along with the truck.

Trim Down Ahead of Time: Donate, sell, or recycle items you don’t need anymore. Fewer belongings equal a smaller truck and lower costs.

Compare Rates: Don’t settle on the first quote. Use price comparison tools to shop between multiple providers like U-Haul, Budget, and Enterprise.

Plan Your Move Like a Pro

Moving into a new home is exciting, and having the right tools can make all the difference. Renting a moving truck in PA gives you control, flexibility, and affordability—all critical for a smooth transition. Follow the tips in this guide to make the process seamless, from selecting the right rental to unloading with ease.

For extra help, download our Free Moving Checklist for new homeowners. It’s packed with pro tips to keep you organized and stress-free during your big move.

[ecswire]

Connecting the Dots: Exploring the Types of Wire Connectors in Electronics

Wire connectors play a crucial role in the world of electronics, facilitating secure and reliable connections between wires and components. With a variety of types available, each designed for specific purposes, understanding the different wire connectors is essential for efficient electronic assembly and maintenance. Let's delve into the various types of wire connectors in electronics and their unique characteristics.

1. Crimp Connectors

Crimp connectors are widely used in electronics for creating permanent electrical connections. They consist of a metal sleeve that is crimped onto a wire using a specialized tool, creating a strong and secure bond. Crimp connectors come in various types, including ring terminals, spade terminals, butt connectors, and quick-connect terminals, each suited for different wire gauges and applications.

2. Screw Terminals

Screw terminals are another common type of wire connector used in electronics. They feature a screw mechanism that clamps down on stripped wire ends, creating a reliable electrical connection. Screw terminals are often found in terminal blocks, electrical switches, and power distribution panels, providing a convenient and adjustable way to connect and disconnect wires.

3. Wire Nuts

Wire nuts, also known as twist-on connectors, are used to join multiple wires together securely. They feature a threaded cap that twists onto the stripped ends of wires, creating a tight and insulated connection. Wire nuts are commonly used in residential and commercial electrical wiring for connecting wires within junction boxes, light fixtures, and electrical outlets.

4. Push-In Connectors

Push-in connectors, also referred to as push-in wire connectors or push-in terminals, offer a quick and tool-free way to connect wires. These connectors feature spring-loaded slots where stripped wire ends can be inserted, creating a secure connection without the need for twisting or crimping. Push-in connectors are often used in lighting fixtures, switches, and electrical appliances for easy installation and maintenance.

5. Terminal Blocks

Terminal blocks are modular connectors that provide a convenient way to connect multiple wires or components. They consist of insulated blocks with metal terminals or screws where wires can be attached. Terminal blocks come in various configurations, including barrier strips, DIN rail-mounted blocks, and PCB-mounted blocks, making them versatile for different electronic applications.

6. D-sub Connectors

D-sub connectors, named for their D-shaped metal shell, are commonly used for data and signal connections in electronics. They feature multiple pins arranged in rows, with different configurations such as DB9, DB15, and DB25. D-sub connectors are used in computer peripherals, audio/video equipment, and industrial automation systems for reliable data transmission.

7. JST Connectors

JST connectors, manufactured by Japan Solderless Terminal (JST) Corporation, are compact and reliable connectors commonly used in electronic devices and appliances. They come in various series and styles, including wire-to-board connectors, wire-to-wire connectors, and board-to-board connectors. JST connectors are known for their low profile, high current capacity, and secure locking mechanisms.

8. RJ Connectors

RJ connectors, short for Registered Jack connectors, are widely used in telecommunications and networking applications. They include RJ45 connectors for Ethernet connections, RJ11 connectors for telephone lines, and RJ12 connectors for data transmission. RJ connectors feature multiple contacts that align with corresponding pins in jacks or sockets, providing a standardized and reliable interface for data and voice communication.

Conclusion

The types of wire connectors in electronics are diverse and specialized, each serving a specific purpose in creating and maintaining electrical connections. From crimp connectors for secure terminations to push-in connectors for easy installations, the variety of connectors available allows for efficient and reliable electronic assembly. Understanding the characteristics and applications of these connectors is essential for electronics engineers, technicians, and hobbyists to ensure proper connectivity and functionality in electronic devices and systems.

[laurafan13]

Outdoor fiber optic box can load 24pcs SC simplex adapters or 1pc 1X16 cassette splitter for cable distribution and connection.

OTB-P068

Features:

ABS plastic material

Waterproof IP65

Cable port: 1 oval port with 2 holes φ13.5mm for cable entry without cutting; 1 M20 PG cable gland port;

24 drop cable ports (each port with 2 hole for 2*3mm flat cable entry)

Capacity: max. 48 fibers

Can load 1pc adapter plate with 24 SC simplex adapter ports or 1pc 1x16 cassette splitter

Can load 3pcs 1x8 steel tube splitter & 1pc 1x16 steel tube splitter

Outdoor wall mounted or pole mounted application

#wallmount#facebook#napbox#fiberoptic#network#5G#fiberopticterminalbox#fibersplicebox#fiberbox#splicebox#pigtial#cable#fibercable #2024 #indonesia#hello#world#news#telecom#construction#contractor#wholesaler#factory#alibaba#madeinchina#OEM#ODM#patchcord#adapter#highquality#produce #product #telco #internet #fibernet #5G #cctv #catv #best #monday #friday #summer #spring #hotsale #business

[joyousaboutjaccars]

JAC T6 Bakkie Gets More Power

JAC Motors South Africa has beefed up its T6 one-tonne range by adding a 2,8-litre TDI double-cab variant, consequently from customer input locally and from neighbouring countries.

The 2,8-litre four-cylinder common-rail inter-cooled turbo-charged diesel engine develops 68 kW at 3 600 r/min and 210 Nm torque between 1 800 r/min and 2 000 r/min. The powerplant connects to a five-speed manual transmission in the 4×2 and a six-speed manual transmission in the 4×4 derivative.

The T6 2.8L TDI offers a claimed fuel consumption of 7,9 l/100 km, and the 4×4 achieves 10,5 l/100 km on average.

“Over the past five years, customer feedback played an important role in our brand’s local growth. We believe the market’s need for a reliable and fuel-economical 2,8-litre turbo-diesel engine is one of those examples where we can respond with tried and tested products,” says Karl-Heinz Göbel, CEO of JAC Motors South Africa.

The new engine came as a response to requests from customers from neighbouring countries and remote parts of South Africa, with its core focus on affordability, reliability, and ease of maintenance.

The T6 2.8L TDI engine earned its workhorse credentials globally and ticked off all the boxes in terms of what the local market wants, including excellent retail price points of less than R350 000 for the 4×2 and R400 000 for the 4×4 derivative.

Fuel consumption of the engine under normal and extreme working conditions is one of its main selling points. Add to that its track record of reliability and easy and low-cost maintenance, and the car caters for big fleet owners and regular customers.

The JAC T6 has a ladder frame suspension and a double-wishbone independent front suspension with coil springs, while the 245/65 R17 tyre size of the T6 2.8L TDI improves loading performance and reduces understeer.

It has a turning radius of 6,2 metres with a ground clearance of 197 mm and a 900 kg payload, also supporting a maximum Towing Mass (Braked) of 2,000 kg.

The double-skinned load box measures 1 520 mm × 1 520 mm × 470 mm with an anti-scratch and corrosion-resistant truck bed liner.

“Our T6 bakkies are reliable all-rounders with excellent gravel-road ability, comfortable cabs, and big load boxes. The addition of the 2.8L TDI derivative, with its reliable and durable drivetrain and low maintenance cost, now offers potential customers a choice of an economical workhorse at a much lower purchase price than its double-cab competitors,” says Göbel.

Standard features include fog lamps, electrically adjustable mirrors with integrated indicator lights, running boards, alloy wheels and a style bar.

The T6 2.8L TDI features two crash bags, anti-lock braking and EBD (Electronic Brake-force Distribution). A high-mounted brake light, reverse camera, rear parking sensors and speed-sensing auto door locks are standard equipment for added safety and convenience.

Interior trimmings include power steering, a height-adjustable leather-trimmed multi-function steering wheel, air-conditioning, leather seats and power windows.

The T6 2.8L TDI 4×4 features an electronically controlled four-wheel-drive system with an approach angle of 29,6 degrees, a break-over angle of 23,5 degrees and a departure angle of 22,4 degrees. 

The official retail prices of the T6 range include the company’s standard five-year/150 000 km manufacturer’s warranty and five-year/60 000 km service plan.

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Shared from https://www.carshop.co.za/news/

[royalfamilyhk]

What Mattress Should I Buy to Make Every Night a Dream?

Hey there, sleepyhead! If you've been tossing and turning at night, wondering, "What mattress should I buy?" you're not alone. Buying a mattress can be as confusing as trying to count sheep when you're wide awake—it's not a one-size-fits-all scenario. It's more like buying a pair of shoes; what might be comfortable for one person could be a literal pain in the back for another. But don't worry, The Royal Family Furniture has got your back (and your sides and your stomach) covered.

The Great Mattress Quest: What To Consider

When it comes to bedroom furniture, no piece is more crucial than your mattress. It's the silent partner that supports you through every night and lets you wake up refreshed and ready for the day. The question, "What mattress should I buy?" is a loaded one, and here are some key factors to consider:

Your Sleep Position: Whether you're a side sleeper, back sleeper, or stomach sleeper impacts the type of mattress you should choose.

Your Body Type: The right mattress should properly support your weight and body shape without causing discomfort.

Your Budget: Mattresses range from the budget-friendly to the bank-breaking. Figure out your budget first to narrow down your choices.

Lifestyle: Do you frequently move? You might want a box drop mattress. Got a partner who tosses and turns? Consider a mattress with good motion isolation.

A Sleeper's Guide to Types of Mattresses

There's a whole world of mattresses out there, each promising the sleep of your dreams. Let's explore some popular types and mattress guides:

Memory Foam Mattress

Ah, the memory foam mattress, the cloud-like wonder that hugs you as you sleep. These mattresses are a hit among side sleepers and those with joint pain, as they contour to your body's shape, distributing weight evenly and providing excellent pressure relief. They can be a touch warmer than other types, though, so if you're a hot sleeper, you might want to opt for a gel-infused version.

Innerspring Mattress

The classic choice from the mattress factory, innerspring mattresses, uses a system of metal springs for support. They offer a good bounce and excellent cooling properties. If you're a combination sleeper who moves around a lot or prefers a firmer surface, this might be your match.

Hybrid Mattress

Can't decide between memory foam and innerspring? A hybrid mattress combines the best of both worlds—pressure relief from the foam and support from the spring coils. It's a win-win!

Box Drop Mattress

A box drop mattress is essentially a bed-in-a-box. These mattresses are compressed, rolled, and shipped in a box, making them easy to transport and set up. They come in various materials, including memory foam and latex, and are a great choice for the modern mobile lifestyle.

FAQs: Answering Your Burning Mattress Questions

Q: How often should I replace my mattress?

A: Generally, a good-quality mattress should last about 7-10 years. However, if you frequently wake up with aches and pains, it might be time to bid your old mattress goodbye.

Q: What's the best mattress for back pain?

A: Memory foam or hybrid mattresses with targeted support are often recommended for those with back pain. They contour to your body, providing adequate support to pressure points.

Q: Are expensive mattresses worth it?

A: Not always! While higher-priced mattresses often offer more features and longer warranties, plenty of affordable options provide comfort and support. It's all about finding what works best for your body and budget.

Conclusion: Your Dream Mattress Awaits

So, what mattress should you buy? The answer, my friend, is as unique as your dreams. Whether you're a fan of the plush comfort of a memory foam mattress, the sturdy support of an innerspring model, or the convenience of a box drop mattress, there's a perfect match for you at the mattress factory. Remember, the best bedroom furniture helps you rest easy and wake up refreshed. Here's to sweet dreams and even sweeter awakenings!

Remember, buying a mattress is a personal decision. Take your time, research, and don't be afraid to test as many mattresses as you need to find your perfect fit. After all, you'll be spending a lot of time together. So sleep on it, dream on it, and decide when you're good and ready. Happy mattress hunting!

[sockethub]

Balancing Valve Price, Types & Working Principle – Best Supplier in Delhi

 In HVAC systems, hydronic networks, and industrial pipelines, balancing valves are essential for ensuring equal flow distribution and energy efficiency. These valves are designed to maintain hydraulic balance by regulating fluid flow in heating, cooling, and water supply systems.

As a trusted balancing valve manufacturer and supplier in Delhi, Udhhyog offers a complete range of manual, automatic, and advanced balancing valves for industrial, commercial, and residential use.

This guide covers the types of balancing valves, their working principles, flow diagrams, and an updated price list to help you choose the right solution.

What is a Balancing Valve?

A balancing valve is a control valve used to distribute flow evenly across branches of a hydraulic system. By doing so, it maintains consistent temperature, pressure, and energy usage throughout the system.

It is commonly used in:

Chilled water systems

Heating and cooling loops

Hot water recirculation systems

District cooling networks

Balancing Valve Types

🔹 Manual Balancing Valve

Requires manual adjustment using a handwheel.

Ideal for simple or fixed-load systems.

🔹 Automatic Balancing Valve

Self-adjusts based on pressure fluctuations.

Maintains constant flow without manual intervention.

🔹 Pressure Independent Balancing Valve (PIBV)

Combines control and balancing in one unit.

Useful in dynamic systems with load variation.

🔹 Advanced Digital Balancing Valve

Features sensors, actuators, and flow meters.

Provides remote control and diagnostics.

Balancing Valve Diagram & Symbol

A balancing valve diagram illustrates its:

Inlet and outlet ports

Adjustable handle or actuator

Flow measurement points

Symbol:

The balancing valve symbol in engineering drawings includes:

A square box with two diagonal lines

Directional arrows to indicate flow

These symbols and diagrams are essential for system planning, installation, and maintenance.

Automatic Balancing Valve – Working Principle

The automatic balancing valve contains a diaphragm and spring that respond to pressure changes. When differential pressure increases, the diaphragm restricts flow. When pressure drops, it opens to allow more flow.

This ensures:

Constant flow rate regardless of upstream or downstream changes

Improved energy efficiency

Reduced maintenance

Related Valve Types

🔹 Balanced Bellows Safety Relief Valve

Uses bellows to isolate the spring chamber from back pressure.

Ideal for boilers, steam, and gas pipelines.

🔹 Balanced Plug Valve

Plug is pressure-balanced to reduce torque.

Used in chemical plants and high-pressure pipelines.

🔹 Balanced Safety Relief Valve

Maintains accurate opening pressure even with variable backpressure.

Common in compressor discharge lines and steam systems.

Advanced Balancing Valve Flow Chart

An advanced balancing valve flow chart includes:

Design flow rate

Presetting steps

Flow measurement using differential pressure

Adjustments for optimum flow

This is used in digital models and ensures accurate commissioning of HVAC systems.

Balancing Valve Price List – Delhi Market

Valve TypeSize (mm)Price Range (INR)Manual Balancing Valve15–50₹850 – ₹2,200Automatic Balancing Valve20–80₹2,500 – ₹6,500Pressure Independent Valve25–100₹4,500 – ₹10,000Digital Balancing Valve25–150₹15,000 – ₹35,000Balanced Bellows Relief Valve25–100₹6,000 – ₹15,000Balanced Plug Valve25–150₹8,000 – ₹18,000

📌 Note: Prices may vary based on brand, material (bronze, brass, SS), and pressure class.

Applications of Balancing Valves

🏢 HVAC systems in buildings

🏭 Industrial fluid and steam systems

🏥 Hospitals and laboratories

🏬 Shopping malls and multiplexes

🏠 High-rise residential projects

Why Choose Udhhyog – Best Balancing Valve Supplier in Delhi

🛠️ Complete Range of Solutions

From basic manual valves to advanced digital systems, we have everything.

🧪 Tested & Certified Products

All valves are pressure-tested and compliant with IS/ISO standards.

📦 Quick Availability & Bulk Supply

We deliver across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir.

💬 Expert Support

We help you with valve selection, system design, and commissioning.

💰 Affordable Pricing

Get the best prices on high-quality balancing valves, direct from manufacturer.

Conclusion

Balancing valves are vital for maintaining energy efficiency and uniform performance in modern fluid systems. From manual to automatic, Udhhyog manufactures and supplies all types of valves to meet your specific requirements.

With a wide stock range, competitive pricing, and expert assistance, Udhhyog is your go-to balancing valve supplier in Delhi.

Contact Udhhyog Today

📞 Call or Visit Udhhyog for customized quotes, technical catalogs, and delivery information.

[msteeudhhyog]

Balancing Valve Price, Types & Working Principle – Best Supplier in Delhi

 In HVAC systems, hydronic networks, and industrial pipelines, balancing valves are essential for ensuring equal flow distribution and energy efficiency. These valves are designed to maintain hydraulic balance by regulating fluid flow in heating, cooling, and water supply systems.

As a trusted balancing valve manufacturer and supplier in Delhi, Udhhyog offers a complete range of manual, automatic, and advanced balancing valves for industrial, commercial, and residential use.

This guide covers the types of balancing valves, their working principles, flow diagrams, and an updated price list to help you choose the right solution.

What is a Balancing Valve?

A balancing valve is a control valve used to distribute flow evenly across branches of a hydraulic system. By doing so, it maintains consistent temperature, pressure, and energy usage throughout the system.

It is commonly used in:

Chilled water systems

Heating and cooling loops

Hot water recirculation systems

District cooling networks

Balancing Valve Types

🔹 Manual Balancing Valve

Requires manual adjustment using a handwheel.

Ideal for simple or fixed-load systems.

🔹 Automatic Balancing Valve

Self-adjusts based on pressure fluctuations.

Maintains constant flow without manual intervention.

🔹 Pressure Independent Balancing Valve (PIBV)

Combines control and balancing in one unit.

Useful in dynamic systems with load variation.

🔹 Advanced Digital Balancing Valve

Features sensors, actuators, and flow meters.

Provides remote control and diagnostics.

Balancing Valve Diagram & Symbol

A balancing valve diagram illustrates its:

Inlet and outlet ports

Adjustable handle or actuator

Flow measurement points

Symbol:

The balancing valve symbol in engineering drawings includes:

A square box with two diagonal lines

Directional arrows to indicate flow

These symbols and diagrams are essential for system planning, installation, and maintenance.

Automatic Balancing Valve – Working Principle

The automatic balancing valve contains a diaphragm and spring that respond to pressure changes. When differential pressure increases, the diaphragm restricts flow. When pressure drops, it opens to allow more flow.

This ensures:

Constant flow rate regardless of upstream or downstream changes

Improved energy efficiency

Reduced maintenance

Related Valve Types

🔹 Balanced Bellows Safety Relief Valve

Uses bellows to isolate the spring chamber from back pressure.

Ideal for boilers, steam, and gas pipelines.

🔹 Balanced Plug Valve

Plug is pressure-balanced to reduce torque.

Used in chemical plants and high-pressure pipelines.

🔹 Balanced Safety Relief Valve

Maintains accurate opening pressure even with variable backpressure.

Common in compressor discharge lines and steam systems.

Advanced Balancing Valve Flow Chart

An advanced balancing valve flow chart includes:

Design flow rate

Presetting steps

Flow measurement using differential pressure

Adjustments for optimum flow

This is used in digital models and ensures accurate commissioning of HVAC systems.

Balancing Valve Price List – Delhi Market

Valve TypeSize (mm)Price Range (INR)Manual Balancing Valve15–50₹850 – ₹2,200Automatic Balancing Valve20–80₹2,500 – ₹6,500Pressure Independent Valve25–100₹4,500 – ₹10,000Digital Balancing Valve25–150₹15,000 – ₹35,000Balanced Bellows Relief Valve25–100₹6,000 – ₹15,000Balanced Plug Valve25–150₹8,000 – ₹18,000

📌 Note: Prices may vary based on brand, material (bronze, brass, SS), and pressure class.

Applications of Balancing Valves

🏢 HVAC systems in buildings

🏭 Industrial fluid and steam systems

🏥 Hospitals and laboratories

🏬 Shopping malls and multiplexes

🏠 High-rise residential projects

Why Choose Udhhyog – Best Balancing Valve Supplier in Delhi

🛠️ Complete Range of Solutions

From basic manual valves to advanced digital systems, we have everything.

🧪 Tested & Certified Products

All valves are pressure-tested and compliant with IS/ISO standards.

📦 Quick Availability & Bulk Supply

We deliver across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir.

💬 Expert Support

We help you with valve selection, system design, and commissioning.

💰 Affordable Pricing

Get the best prices on high-quality balancing valves, direct from manufacturer.

Conclusion

Balancing valves are vital for maintaining energy efficiency and uniform performance in modern fluid systems. From manual to automatic, Udhhyog manufactures and supplies all types of valves to meet your specific requirements.

With a wide stock range, competitive pricing, and expert assistance, Udhhyog is your go-to balancing valve supplier in Delhi.

Contact Udhhyog Today

📞 Call or Visit Udhhyog for customized quotes, technical catalogs, and delivery information.

[ssseamlesspipe]

Balancing Valve Price, Types & Working Principle – Best Supplier in Delhi

 In HVAC systems, hydronic networks, and industrial pipelines, balancing valves are essential for ensuring equal flow distribution and energy efficiency. These valves are designed to maintain hydraulic balance by regulating fluid flow in heating, cooling, and water supply systems.

As a trusted balancing valve manufacturer and supplier in Delhi, Udhhyog offers a complete range of manual, automatic, and advanced balancing valves for industrial, commercial, and residential use.

This guide covers the types of balancing valves, their working principles, flow diagrams, and an updated price list to help you choose the right solution.

What is a Balancing Valve?

A balancing valve is a control valve used to distribute flow evenly across branches of a hydraulic system. By doing so, it maintains consistent temperature, pressure, and energy usage throughout the system.

It is commonly used in:

Chilled water systems

Heating and cooling loops

Hot water recirculation systems

District cooling networks

Balancing Valve Types

🔹 Manual Balancing Valve

Requires manual adjustment using a handwheel.

Ideal for simple or fixed-load systems.

🔹 Automatic Balancing Valve

Self-adjusts based on pressure fluctuations.

Maintains constant flow without manual intervention.

🔹 Pressure Independent Balancing Valve (PIBV)

Combines control and balancing in one unit.

Useful in dynamic systems with load variation.

🔹 Advanced Digital Balancing Valve

Features sensors, actuators, and flow meters.

Provides remote control and diagnostics.

Balancing Valve Diagram & Symbol

A balancing valve diagram illustrates its:

Inlet and outlet ports

Adjustable handle or actuator

Flow measurement points

Symbol:

The balancing valve symbol in engineering drawings includes:

A square box with two diagonal lines

Directional arrows to indicate flow

These symbols and diagrams are essential for system planning, installation, and maintenance.

Automatic Balancing Valve – Working Principle

The automatic balancing valve contains a diaphragm and spring that respond to pressure changes. When differential pressure increases, the diaphragm restricts flow. When pressure drops, it opens to allow more flow.

This ensures:

Constant flow rate regardless of upstream or downstream changes

Improved energy efficiency

Reduced maintenance

Related Valve Types

🔹 Balanced Bellows Safety Relief Valve

Uses bellows to isolate the spring chamber from back pressure.

Ideal for boilers, steam, and gas pipelines.

🔹 Balanced Plug Valve

Plug is pressure-balanced to reduce torque.

Used in chemical plants and high-pressure pipelines.

🔹 Balanced Safety Relief Valve

Maintains accurate opening pressure even with variable backpressure.

Common in compressor discharge lines and steam systems.

Advanced Balancing Valve Flow Chart

An advanced balancing valve flow chart includes:

Design flow rate

Presetting steps

Flow measurement using differential pressure

Adjustments for optimum flow

This is used in digital models and ensures accurate commissioning of HVAC systems.

Balancing Valve Price List – Delhi Market

Valve TypeSize (mm)Price Range (INR)Manual Balancing Valve15–50₹850 – ₹2,200Automatic Balancing Valve20–80₹2,500 – ₹6,500Pressure Independent Valve25–100₹4,500 – ₹10,000Digital Balancing Valve25–150₹15,000 – ₹35,000Balanced Bellows Relief Valve25–100₹6,000 – ₹15,000Balanced Plug Valve25–150₹8,000 – ₹18,000

📌 Note: Prices may vary based on brand, material (bronze, brass, SS), and pressure class.

Applications of Balancing Valves

🏢 HVAC systems in buildings

🏭 Industrial fluid and steam systems

🏥 Hospitals and laboratories

🏬 Shopping malls and multiplexes

🏠 High-rise residential projects

Why Choose Udhhyog – Best Balancing Valve Supplier in Delhi

🛠️ Complete Range of Solutions

From basic manual valves to advanced digital systems, we have everything.

🧪 Tested & Certified Products

All valves are pressure-tested and compliant with IS/ISO standards.

📦 Quick Availability & Bulk Supply

We deliver across Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir.

💬 Expert Support

We help you with valve selection, system design, and commissioning.

💰 Affordable Pricing

Get the best prices on high-quality balancing valves, direct from manufacturer.

Conclusion

Balancing valves are vital for maintaining energy efficiency and uniform performance in modern fluid systems. From manual to automatic, Udhhyog manufactures and supplies all types of valves to meet your specific requirements.

With a wide stock range, competitive pricing, and expert assistance, Udhhyog is your go-to balancing valve supplier in Delhi.

Contact Udhhyog Today

📞 Call or Visit Udhhyog for customized quotes, technical catalogs, and delivery information.

[20dollarlolita]

I took a $13 toy sewing machine to a professional tech to get it a $150 service, and here's what we did:

[Background]

So, in the past, last week, I was at the 99 Cents Only store and saw a sewing machine for $13.99 (because, for those of you not familiar, the 99cents Only Store has many items that are not 99 cents). I had to know what it was like, so I bought it. It didn't work.

It could not made a single complete stitch. I took it apart and showed it to my store's service tech when I saw him. I was expecting some "haha look at how funny this thing that doesn't work is".

But he looked at it and said, "Well, there's no reason why that shouldn't work."

I doubted his assessment, and he challenged me to bring him the machine, to see if he could make it work. So, today, we did that.

This is what we started with.

This machine is the Acada.Me Stitch-Perfect! Sewing Machine. It is made/distributed by Anker Play Products. At the moment, their website has no information on it except for a recall notice about a different product. The Instagram on their box goes to a removed account and the Facebook page on the box has not been updated since 2017 and does not have this item listed on it. This is not unreasonable, considering how The 99 gets its products, but I would have liked to see exactly how bad their stock pictures are.

Ah, well.

So, here's our little machine. Standard lockstitch machine, oscillating drop-in bobbin, straight stitch, no reverse. Runs off 4 AA batteries. 15x1 needle, goes in flat-to-right. Allegedly two speeds.

So, things about this machine that we learned: 1) the bobbin on the front (top thread) has a spring behind it. That spring is necessary, because the tension plates cannot actually get enough tension for a good stitch on their own. Those two work together.

2) the presser foot and the presser foot bar both have a lot of play int them. It's very easy for the needle to hit the foot and stop the machine.

3) Bobbin goes in rotating counterclockwise, but the instructions don't tell you that.

Note: the bobbin casing has a magnet in the bottom of it. The magnet should remain in the bottom of the bobbin casing. However, the magnet does not want to remain in the bottom of the bobbin casing, and wants to stick to the bobbin. Things that we did: glued the bobbin magnet down.

This also means that this machine must use metal bobbins in the bobbin. That's a requirement.

I sort of thought that you couldn't put grease on plastic gears, but it turns out that you can't put petroleum grease on plastic gears. This shit apparently works fine. We put grease on every single plastic gear in this machine and it got a lot quieter really quickly.

The main problem we ran into was that the presser foot would move and put itself under the needle. Then the needle hits it and no one is happy anymore. We took the foot off the machine, and drilled the needle hole larger. That solved a whole lot of problems.

The feed teeth height is determined by this plastic sled, and for some reason there's a very steep step down that makes the teeth really slam into place. My tech used a pocket knife and rounded that down so that it only moderately harshly slams in to place.

Also in this image is the cute little plastic bobbin hook. Note that the bobbin magnet is not in its place right now.

And here's the after!

It works! I'm so excited. I got to learn a lot from this.

A few takeaways:

a) the bobbin magnet is load-bearing b) the top thread has to be on a bobbin. The spool on top is for winding bobbins c) the bobbin winder extends and retracts from the handwheel if you press and turn d) the low speed and the high speed are the same speed e) the thread pops out of the tension discs a lot so check those all the darn time f) my tire pressure was dangerously low and my tech friend filled it so this trip probably saved my life and g) while getting this serviced through my store would have cost $150, he didn't actually charged that, but it's still a fair point.

[full-of-jams]

Tangsuyuk Love

Pairing: Jungkook x Reader

Summary: College student Jungkook passes cute notes with a customer who always orders take-out tangsuyuk at his part-time job. Meanwhile he’s trying not to miserably fail his Math class, while hiding his ever-growing crush on you.

Genre: college au, f2l, fluff, smut, one shot, did I mention FLUFF?

Warnings: mild swearing, sexual content, hold your heart palpitations!

Word Count: 11.5k

A/N: I wanted to write something light and sweet before I continued with Good Riddance. It will be easy, she said. It will be fun, she said. It will be quick, she said. Ha. haha. ha. ha. Ignore my pain. Enjoy!

°°°°°°°

[09/04 18:34 PM] User: LatteIsHorse ---------------- ORDER [DELIVERY] 1 Tangsuyuk (large) 1 Jjamppong 2 Kimchi Mandu ---------------- Note: Without pineapple! Please make the jjamppong extra spicy, my boyfriend just broke up with me T-T

Golden Bang 7 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Seogyo-dong

Server: JK ------------------- TO GO

1 Tangsuyuk (large) -- 20,000 1 Jjamppong -- 5,000 2 Kimchi Mandu -- 6,000 1 Soju -- 0

Total: 31,000 -------------------- Thanks for ordering at Golden Bang! Have a golden day!

Note: Service! Nothing’s better than the fresh taste of soju to lighten a heavy heart :) Cheer up LatteIsHorse-Nim!

Paper Note: JK-nim, thanks for the soju. It sweetened my bitter night. This is Tokki, please give him a loving new home! TT-TT

Jungkook was fucking terrified of you. If it weren’t for the fact that he was close to failing Statistical Analysis, he would’ve considered faking a stomach flu and making a beeline straight out of the library.

“If you have a box containing 3 white, 4 red and 5 black balls what is the probability that you will draw a white ball on your first draw and a black ball on your second draw?” you asked again through gritted teeth.

You looked up at Jungkook and were met by an empty stare. Usually you enjoyed tutoring your fellow classmate. He was a smart and funny guy, maybe a bit awkward at times, but always trying his best. Today every little thing grated on your nerves. It took you every ounce of energy to get out of bed and look like a presentable human being this morning. You really didn’t want to sit here for another hour if the boy was just going to stare at you like a petrified statue. “It’s really not that difficult. You just have to apply conditional probability.”

Jungkook let out a frustrated huff and pulled at his hair, “I really don’t know, this doesn’t make any sense! Why do I even need this stuff for my major? Who cares if I pull out a white ball or a black ball first? It’s not like I’m planning on becoming Houdini!”

Sometimes you pitied him, but who on Earth had an irrational fear of Gauss distributions and probability?! They were beautiful, harmless, abstract concepts of life. Your sympathy was muffled by a thrumming headache. All the late-night crying already had you chugging water and slapping ice cubes on your face at breakfast. Right now you just wanted to go home, change into your pjs, order some tangsuyuk and binge watch Boys Over Flowers. The cringy acting and Go Jun Pyo’s luscious locks were the only things that made your miserable life feel a bit less pathetic at the moment. “Jungkook, we went over this last time. Just apply the damn formula,” you snapped.

“Why are you being so scary today?” he asked wide-eyed and apprehensive.

You took a deep breath, rubbed your temples and tried to calm your inner turmoil. It wasn’t his fault; you were just in a really shitty mood. “I’m sorry. It’s not my day today. Is it okay if we rain check? I promise I’ll make it up to you next week.”

Jungkook wasn’t used to seeing you this distraught. He wracked his brain on how to lift your spirit. “Hey, do you want to hear this math joke my friend Jin told me the other day? What do you call an angle that is adorable?”

The boy scrunched his nose adorably and waited for your response. He was really handsome, you noticed that back when you two first met. Back then you just didn’t have a reason to care. Back then you still had a boyfriend.

“I don’t know, tell me,” you answered.

“Acute angle!” he said with a timid smile.

Despite your foul mood you had to snort at his joke.

Jungkook’s smile grew wider. It wasn’t a full laugh, but at least your frown disappeared. He discovered early on that you had a soft spot for bad math puns.

Although he absolutely detested Statistical Analysis, he has come to enjoy your study sessions over the past couple of weeks. The TA of his class, Namjoon, was a close friend of Jungkook’s and a sunbae of yours. Once he discovered that his favorite dongsaeng was abysmal at reading a z-score table, he immediately referred him to you.

At first Jungkook was very reluctant to accept any help. He was a mechanical engineer for fuck’s sake! He calculated distributed load across uneven surfaces and directional derivatives all the time!

His inner protests died down during your first session when you unwittingly asked him if he was constipated while he tried to calculate the standard deviation. During your second session he noticed you liked to doodle small geometric and fractal comics on his work sheets whenever he was solving a problem.

‘What did the triangle say to the circle?’ ‘You’re pointless!’

By the time your third session rolled around he still hated statistics, but it was too late and he’d developed a hopeless crush on you. Your monologues about dead mathematicians and the beauty of an infinite series were oddly captivating. He didn’t think he’d ever met anyone who was so passionate and animated about anything in all his life.

“Is everything okay?” Jungkook asked carefully. You seemed tired and a bit wary. “I-I mean, you don’t have to tell me if you don’t feel like it. Sorry, it’s none of my business,” he immediately added.

You smiled at his flustered state. Jungkook’s heart stumbled when your smile turned sad and you said, “No not really, but I’m sure I’ll be fine sooner or later.”

[13/04 19:12 PM] User: LatteIsHorse ---------------- ORDER [DELIVERY]

1 Tangsuyuk (large) 1 Jjajangmyeon 1 Jjajangbap ---------------- Note: JK-nim! Omg your tangsuyuk is the best! I could drown in that sauce! How is Tokki doing?

Golden Bang 7 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Seogyo-dong

Server: JK ------------------- TO GO

1 Tangsuyuk (large) -- 20,000 1 Jjajangmyeon -- 4,500 1 Jjajangbap -- 5,500

Total: 30,000 -------------------- Thanks for ordering at Golden Bang! Have a golden day!

Note: LatteIsHorse-nim! Little Tokki is doing well and bravely guarding our store! Don’t drown, but here’s some extra sauce for you to enjoy. I asked for it to be without pineapple. Hwaiting!

“Yah! Why does it smell like rotten take-out in your bedroom?” Jisoo asked.

Scowling has become your new go-to expression. “Too soon. Just let me wallow in my self-pity and sorrow.”

If you didn’t know any better you would’ve thought your friend was playing ‘The Floor Is Lava’ considering how gingerly she walked across your room. Safely on the other side, she ripped open a window to let some much needed fresh air in. 

“I think you’re going to be wallowing in mold and fungus instead,” Jisoo commented with disgust. “Wallow all you want, I’m here to support you, girl. But I can’t allow you to turn your place into a biohazard zone. Isn’t your sister bothered by this?”

“My sister doesn’t care; our rooms are off limits to each other. As long as we both keep the common area clean, she won’t complain,” you said.

Jisoo sat down on your bed and patted the empty spot next to her. She immediately retracted her hand. “Eww, is that tangsuyuk sauce on your sheets?” she asked, completely appalled.

You shrugged and thumped onto your bed.

“So what are your plans for tonight?” she asked, trying to suppress a shudder.

“It’s Monday night. What plans could I possibly have?”

“We’re in college! Weekdays, weekends, they’re all the same!” your friend exclaimed. She looked at your sprawled-out figure. “I told you from the very beginning he wasn’t good for you. I know it doesn’t feel like this right now, but you’re lucky he’s out of your life. I really can’t watch you torture yourself over a jerk like him. Let’s go out to Hongdae!”

“I can’t go out. I already have plans.”

“Didn’t you just say you didn’t have any plans?”

“I lied. I have a date.”

Jisoo paused for a second, unsure how to respond. “Really? With whom?”

“Gong Yoo. We promised to kiss each other on first snowfall,” you responded listlessly.

“Yah!” Jisoo yelled and smacked your butt.

“Oww! What was that for?” you cried in surprise, rubbing the tender spot.

“Re-watching Goblin is not a date! You scared me for a second,” Jisoo said.

“How is it not a date? I meet a hot oppa, multiple hot oppas, we have dinner together, I giggle and blush and at the end of the night I get kissed to sleep.” You sat up and gave your friend a weary look. “I really don’t want to go out right now, but also don’t want to be on my own. Can’t we just stay in and watch a drama?” you asked with the saddest face you could muster.

Jisoo wanted to argue, but she couldn’t resist your pout. “Fine. But first you change your bedsheets, I’m not gonna sit in moldy tangsuyuk sauce all night. And I get to choose the drama.”

“Call!”

[16/04 17:58 PM] User: LatteIsHorse ---------------- ORDER [DELIVERY]

1 Tangsuyuk (small) 1 Kimchi Kimbap 1 Beef Kimbap  ---------------- Note: JK-nim thanks for the extra sauce! It was delicious. Are you a dipper or a pourer?

Golden Bang 7 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Seogyo-dong

Server: JK ------------------- TO GO

1 Tangsuyuk (small) -- 13,000 1 Kimchi Kimbap -- 2,500 1 Beef Kimbap -- 2,500 1 Soup -- 0

Total: 18,000 -------------------- Thanks for ordering at Golden Bang! Have a golden day!

Note: LatteIsHorse-nim! Personally, I’m a dipper, but I don’t discriminate! I added some broth as service for you. It’s chilly tonight. Don’t catch a cold!

Paper Note: JK-nim, let’s be friends? I’m also a dipper! Did you know that butterflies can’t fly when they’re cold? Here is one that I folded, sending back my warmest thoughts to you on this frosty spring night.

The first thing that caught your eye was Jungkook who was patiently waiting at the library entrance. Despite the steaming goods in his hands, his entire body was shivering. The temperature suddenly dropped last night, but he couldn’t be bothered to dig up his padded jacket when he left the house this morning.

Before you could even greet him, he shoved a hot milk tea towards you and mumbled, “Here, it’s cold today so I thought you could use something warm.”

You were surprised by this sweet gesture. “Thanks,” you reached for it and examined the drink in your hand, ”How did you know I like black milk tea?”

He ducked his head and mumbled something into himself.

“Sorry, what did you say?”

Jungkook lifted his head. His cheeks and nose were a lovely wash of pink from the cold. “You mentioned once that you’re an OG milk tea drinker, so I just guessed” he repeated again, louder. “I saw this bungeoppang cart on the way here. We can share them while studying?” he said, holding up a small paper bag.

Your heart warmed and for the first time in weeks your face split into big smile, “Sure, I love bungeoppang! We’re not allowed to eat inside the library. So how about we eat everything first before they get cold and then go in?”

The both of you took a seat on a bench. By now Jungkook definitely regretted being too lazy to find his jacket this morning, but he was determined not to let it show. He passed the bag full of bungeoppangs to you.

You happily reached for one of the fish-shaped pastries and started munching on it. Your face crinkled, steam came out of your mouth. Jungkook’s heart skipped as he watched you in fascination. Your cheeks were flushed. A sudden instinct to stroke your rosy skin overcame him. Instead he reached for a bungeoppang and took a careful bite. “Are you feeling better today?”

“A little bit,” you said between bites, “I’m really sorry about last time. I feel bad now. I ditched you and now you’re treating me to snacks.” You went on and stabbed your straw through your milk tea. “I should be the one treating you instead.”

“I like to treat you,” Jungkook said, mesmerized by the way your lips moved against the straw. He suddenly realized what he was doing and cleared his throat, “A happy teacher is a good teacher! You’re already spending your time tutoring me.”

A laugh slipped out of you, “Jungkook, you’re paying me for your lessons. But it’s okay, this bungeoppang and tea definitely hits the spot, so I’ll accept it with a grateful heart. What are you drinking?”

Jungkook looked down on his drink and gave it a shake, the black pearls swirled around buoyantly. “Banana milk tea, I prefer sweet drinks.”

You leaned back against the bench and looked up at the clear blue sky. “Sweet things are the best combat against the bitter taste of life,” you sighed. You closed your eyes and soaked in the crisp air. Jungkook felt your melancholy, he could warm your body, but he didn’t know how to warm your heart.  

“Sorry that I’m bothering you with my personal stuff. It’s just that I had a really bad breakup recently. I shouldn’t let it affect our lessons,” you said with a wistful smile as you lifted your head again.

The boy next to you remained silent. You turned and saw a contemplative look on his face. “It’s alright, everyone can have a bad day,” he finally said, “You don’t have to pretend to be okay when you’re not. If you’re never angry or sad, you won’t know when you’re happy.”

His words stunned you. Has Jungkook always been this thoughtful? You turned away from his gaze and looked down at the pastry in your hand. “They’re rhombus shaped,” you muttered in an attempt of distraction and showed your bungeoppang to Jungkook. “The fish scales,” you added when he looked confused.

“Ah yeah, the scales. It’s actually erroneous since most of the bungeoppangs depict a ganoid scale structure when in fact carps have cycloid scales to allow for a greater flexibility,” Jungkook explained.

A blank look appeared on your face. Probably the same blank look he had whenever you tried to explain the Bayes’ theorem to him. He let out an awkward laugh, “We studied the mechanics of fish scale structures in Material Science. You can correlate the flexibility of a scaled surface depending on its underlying geometric structure and material. It’s pretty cool stuff.”

“I can’t believe you can geek out about the geometry of fish scales, but don’t know how to define your probability population,” you snorted in disbelief. 

“Hey, when will I ever need to calculate the probability of two people with the same birthday in a room? I just have a hard time learning stuff I never have to apply,” he said defensively.

Then you suddenly had an idea. “Tell you what, how about this? If you pass your statistics final, I’ll treat you to the best Chinese take-out in town! You can order whatever you want!”

Jungkook didn’t want to dampen your excitement by telling you that his part-time job already allowed him to eat as much Chinese take-out as he wanted. “Okay, but don’t complain when you go broke. My record was five jjajangmyeon and two tangsuyuk in one sitting.”

You batted away his challenge. “First you have to pass your finals,” you teased.

“I’ll pass,” Jungkook said.

You smiled at his cute determination. “Then it’s a date.”

Jungkook beamed back at you. “It’s a date.”

[05/05 18:21 PM] User: LatteIsHorse ---------------- ORDER [DELIVERY]

1 Tangsuyuk (large) 2 Pork Mandu 1 Tteokkguk 1 Jjajangmyeon 1 Tteokkbokki ---------------- Note: No pineapple plz. JK-nim! Happy Children’s Day! For this special occasion I’ve decided to order all of my childhood favorites. Life is too short to eat bad food. I hope today you treat yourself to something delicious as well!

“Yah! JK! Your girlfriend placed an order again!” Yugyeom yelled across the store.

A mop of black hair peaked out from the back of the shop. “She’s not my girlfriend, she’s just a regular,” Jungkook yelled back.

“A regular you flirt with,” Yugyeom snickered, “I saw all the notes you left her in the system. ‘Don’t catch a cold!’, ‘Hwaiting!’ Don’t tell me that’s not your lame attempt at flirting.”

Suddenly an angry Yoongi stomped out of the kitchen. “Keep it down boys, we have guests here.”

Jungkook went up to the register and printed out the online order. “Hyung, can you make a large tangsuyuk without pineapple?”

“It’s a national holiday, there’s like two people here tonight,” Yugyeom muttered under his breath.

“What did you say, Yugyeom?”

“Nothing, hyung!”

Yoongi snatched the order out of Jungkook’s hand and gave both boys another irritated glance before he headed back into the kitchen.

“Hey JK,” Yugyeom said in a lower voice as he moved next to his friend, “aren’t you ever curious how LatteIsHorse is like? I mean, she must have some sense of humor judging by her username.”

“Sometimes. Don’t you ever wonder how our regulars are like? But it’s not like I’m ever gonna meet them or know it’s them when they come into the store,” Jungkook said with a shrug.

“You could though. Mingyu’s out on delivery, Eunwoo’s off so we have a free bike. The store is dead tonight. You could go deliver the order and have a look,” Yugyeom spurred him on.

Jungkook considered his friend’s suggestion. Every time he opened his locker a little origami bunny and butterfly stared back at him and brightened his day. It was true, he was curious how LatteIsHorse was like. “Okay I’ll go, but don’t pretend you’re doing me a favor. You just don’t want to do delivery tonight.”

<Ding Dong>

A pretty girl in a Yonsei hoodie and shorts opened the door. She somehow looked familiar, but Jungkook couldn’t place from where. Maybe he met her on campus before.

“Delivery from Golden Bang,” Jungkook said, holding up his metal box.

“Ah great! I’m starving!” the girl said.

Jungkook started unloading the box and handed the dishes to the girl. Once he was done, he lingered awkwardly in the doorway. The girl gave him a curious look, clearly wondering why he wasn’t leaving. Jungkook gathered his courage and said, “I’m JK by the way.”

What followed was a beat of silence. Jungkook could feel his ears burn.

“Err, it’s nice to meet you, I guess? Is there anything else you need?” the girl asked after the painful pause. “Ah got it! Just a sec!” She ran into the apartment and came back with her wallet. “Here’s a tip, we’ll put the dishes back outside for pick up,” she said as she scrunched a bill into Jungkook’s hand, “Thanks for your hard work. Happy holiday!” And then she shut the door right into his face.

What just happened? Jungkook was stupefied. After an eternity he finally moved and mechanically pulled out his phone. He checked the delivery order on his app. LatteIsHorse – this was the address. She didn’t recognize him. Why was he so naive to believe that she would remember him? All he wanted in that moment was for the ground to open and swallow him up.

“Dinner’s here,” your sister said as you came out of the shower. “Did you order banana milk?”

“No? Why?” you joined her at the dinner table and started rummaging through the dishes. “Where’s the receipt?”

“I threw it in the trash,” she said. When she saw you opening up the trash can and fishing for it, she added, “Gross! What are you doing? Why do you need it?”

Golden Bang 7 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Seogyo-dong

Server: JK ------------------- TO GO

1 Tangsuyuk (large) -- 20,000 2 Pork Mandu -- 6,000 1 Tteokkguk -- 4,500 1 Jjajangmyeon -- 4,500 1 Tteokkbokki -- 3,000

Total: 38,000 -------------------- Thanks for ordering at Golden Bang! Have a golden day!

Note: LatteIsHorse-nim! Happy Children’s Day to you too! I added my favorite childhood drink, banana milk! I hope it brings back as many happy childhood memories for you as it does for me.

There, sitting on the table, was a small bottle of banana milk. A smile spread across your face. “I need to file it away for tax purposes.”

Your sister looked at you like you were crazy. “Let’s eat already, I’m starving. Wash your hands.”

[14/05 16:55 PM] User: LatteIsHorse ---------------- ORDER [TAKE AWAY]

1 Tangsuyuk (small) 1 Jjajangbap ---------------- Note: JK-nim, hope you’re doing well. I’m in the area today, so I thought I’d stop by and say hello in person! Is it weird that I feel a bit nervous?

The restaurant door wasn’t going to open itself. The past 15 minutes of you standing in front of it has proven that. You had some errands to run in Hongdae after school and decided on a whim to place a pickup order at your favorite take-out place. 

Why was it so difficult to enter a restaurant? If you steeled your nerves any more, they’d probably break from how brittle they’ve become. You just had to open that damn door.

Sometimes you wondered if you liked that place more because of its great tangsuyuk or because of JK’s little notes which always managed to put a smile on your face.

One thing was for sure, you weren’t stalling because of the tangsuyuk.

“Welcome to Golden Bang!” a bright male voice rang across the restaurant as you passed through the door.

You walked up to the register and sneaked a peek at the boy’s name tag, ‘Yugyeom’. You felt a slight twinge of disappointment.

“I’m here to pick up my order? LatteIsHorse?” you asked tentatively.

A sign of recognition flashed across Yugyeom’s face. “Of course, your order’s ready! I’ll just bag it up for you,” he said cheerfully. He walked away and quickly came back with a white plastic bag full of food. Then he printed out your receipt and handed both to you.

Golden Bang 7 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Seogyo-dong

Server: YG ------------------- TO GO

1 Tangsuyuk (small) -- 13,000 1 Jjajangbap -- 5,500

Total: 18,500 -------------------- Thanks for ordering at Golden Bang! Have a golden day!

You looked around the restaurant, it was empty since dinnertime was still a while away. You wondered if Yugyeom was managing the store alone right now. At least the cook must be in. “Your tangsuyuk is really delicious. It’s probably my favorite.”

Yugyeom gave you a big smile, “Happy to hear that you enjoy our food so much. The tangsuyuk is our chef’s family recipe. It’s one of our most popular menu items!”

You wringed your hands and finally decided to bite the bullet and straight out ask, “Is JK here? He usually takes my orders when I order delivery, so I just wanted to say hi.”

“JK’s shift doesn’t start until 6, so he should be here in about half an hour. If you want, I can relay a message,” he said with a knowing smile, “Or you can also take a seat and wait for him. I’m sure he’d be thrilled to meet you.”

No way you were going to sit here for half an hour and wait up for a stranger. “Ah no, that’s alright. If you could just say hi from me, that’d be great,” you quickly replied with a flush. JK would probably think you’re a creepy stalker.

“Sure, can do! Enjoy your day!” Yugyeom said merrily as you walked out the store.

A feeling of both relief and sadness passed through you. You slowly walked down the busy streets of Hongdae as you reprimanded yourself for being so stupid. What were you going to say to JK anyway if you met him? Thanks for being nice to me? You’re the reason I don’t burst into tears every single night? You’re the reason why I don’t feel completely alone when I’m sobbing into my food over Song Joong Ki’s acting? Thanks for making me gain 3 kilos in the last month?

Whatever you said, it would’ve only made you sound pathetic.

A crippling wave of desperation suddenly washed over you and rooted you in your tracks. A single tear rolled down your face. Then another. You dropped down into a crouch and started to bawl. You couldn’t fathom how you’ve reached this all-time low in your life. Why did you feel so incredibly sad about being stood up by a stranger? Especially when that stranger didn’t even know you were coming?

“Y/N?” an alarmed voice asked. You looked up when you felt a soft shake against your shoulder.

Through your tear-blurred eyes you recognized Jungkook’s face. He crouched down next to you and asked, “Is everything okay? Are you hurt?”

You shook your head and tried to wipe away your tears. It was a useless attempt as they kept on streaming down your face.

Jungkook hesitantly pushed your hair out of your face and asked, “Do you want to go somewhere else so you can tell me what happened?”

You gave him an imperceptible nod.

His hand gently moved down to your arm, afraid that you were going to push him away. With a steady grip he slowly helped you back onto your feet. Then he slid his hand through yours and led you down the hustle and bustle of Hongdae until you ended up in front of a convenience store located in one of the quieter residential side streets. He sat you down in a plastic chair and told you to wait. After a while he came back with a packet of tissues, a bottle of water and two red bean popsicles.

You gratefully took the tissues and loudly blew your nose. A small part of your brain told you to act more ladylike, especially in front of Jungkook, but the bigger part didn’t really care and just wanted to drag you back down into the pits of loneliness. A strangled sound came out of your mouth as you started to hiccup, making you sound like a drowning cat.

You expected Jungkook to laugh at your weird orchestra of emotions. Even you found it absurd and would’ve laughed if you weren’t already crying and hiccupping at the same time. But all he did was quietly open the water bottle and hand it to you.  

As soon as you lifted the bottle to your mouth another hiccup made you almost spill the water on yourself. You held your breath for a few seconds and then took a careful sip. It seemed to work. You took a bigger sip, when another hiccup racked your body and you squeezed water all over your face.

There was a bewildering moment of shock, then you started to laugh deliriously. Forget before, this was your lowest point in life. This was so pathetic that it was hilarious again. Your laughter garbled whenever you hiccupped, only causing you to laugh even harder. You would’ve continued laughing for another long minute if you weren’t choking for air.

A small smile played around Jungkook’s mouth. He took another tissue and started wiping down your face. You hiccupped under his touch. He must think you’re a nutcase.

“I have a question. We have to do some statistical testing in my Quality Management class. What would a hypothesis look like if I wanted to analyze any deviation in a spare parts production line due to temperature conditions?” Jungkook asked.

Did he really forget hypothesis testing already? He finally managed to get it after four sessions! You frowned slightly. “You could set up a null hypothesis stating that a variation in temperature does not significantly impact the parameter of measurement in your production line. Jungkook did you seriously forget this?!” you said indignantly.

Jungkook gave you a playful laugh, “No, I think you drilled it so hard into my brain, I could probably recite all variables of the standard deviation formula if you woke me up in the middle of the night. Your hiccups stopped though.”

They did.

Embarrassment set in as you realized your predicament. Maybe your hormones were going crazy, maybe you were going crazy. You were getting whiplash from the emotional roller coaster you were on. In an attempt to hide your disgrace, you picked up another tissue and wiped away the remaining water, snot and tears.

There was tangible awkwardness in the air.

“I hope you like red bean,” Jungkook said shyly as he unwrapped a popsicle, “Red bean is my favorite. My friends keep on calling me old fashioned, but it just reminds me of the time when my mom used to buy me these after taekwondo class. I think I liked the popsicles more than I liked going to class.” He sighed in reverie and held up the popsicle for you.

You stared at his hand. You remembered how it felt against yours just a few moments ago. Firm, warm and steady. Then you looked up at Jungkook. He hid it well, but you could tell that there was concern behind his encouraging smile.

“This is so embarrassing,” you said as you accepted the popsicle and turned your head away from him, “I don’t know what is wrong with me right now. I’m usually not like this.”

“Did something happen earlier?” Jungkook asked cautiously as he unwrapped his own popsicle and took a bite out of it.

Did something happen earlier? Why did you cry? Where you really crying just because you didn’t meet JK?

“No,” you said and slowly shook your head, “I don’t know. I just suddenly felt overwhelmed.”

Jungkook hesitated before he asked, “Are you sad because of your breakup?”

Were you sad because of your ex-boyfriend?

“I don’t think so. In the beginning when we broke up I was devastated, but I don’t think that’s the case anymore,” you said more to yourself than to Jungkook. “Everyone told me I was lucky to be rid of him. I really didn’t understand why. But I think it’s becoming clearer now. Maybe it’s not sadness. Maybe it’s fear. I think I just feel lost. I don’t know who I am anymore. Maybe it scares me to know that I was able to lose myself and I don’t know if I can find a way back.”

Before you knew it, you spilled your heart, your deepest and darkest fears to Jungkook. You barely knew this boy, yet it still felt oddly comforting. He remained quiet and listened.

“I wanted to meet someone today, but they weren’t there,” you continued, “I think in that moment I just realized how utterly lost I was on my own.”

Jungkook searched for the appropriate words. How do you respond to someone’s most vulnerable thoughts? “I mean you know what they say. It’s not about how much you’ve lost, it’s about how much you have left.”

He peeked at you to check if it worked.

“Jungkook, did you just quote Iron Man at me?” you asked incredulously before a giggle slipped from your lips.

You noticed how his cheeks dimpled when he gave you an embarrassed laugh, “Sorry, I was trying to say something that would cheer you up. I’m probably not doing a very good job.”

In that second you realized how kind-hearted Jungkook actually was. Your heart squeezed. “Don’t say that. Thanks for listening to my problems. And thanks for the red bean popsicle. I also ate this a lot in my childhood. Mainly because my sister hated them. She always used to steal my ice cream out of the freezer so at some point I asked my parents to only buy me red bean popsicles. She never touched those,” you reminisced.

Jungkook laughed at your story, “Your sister sounds like a piece of work.”

“We used to fight a lot, we used to never get along,” you became thoughtful, “At some point that stopped. I think we just grew up and grew to understand and accept our differences. She doesn’t steal my food anymore. I don’t steal her clothes anymore. We may not always agree, but we respect each other’s decisions.”

“You know, for someone who just said she feels lost, you sound pretty self-reflected right now,” Jungkook mused, “Maybe you need to do the same as you did with your sister. Understand yourself and accept the differences of your past and present.”

You paused at this. He was right. You were so desperately trying to fend off these negative emotions that you never took the time to actually think. You were chasing an image that never existed. Not in the past nor in the present.

“You’re surprisingly good at giving advice. Thanks, Jungkook,” you said.

“Surprisingly? What’s that supposed to mean?” he asked, offended. The glint in his eyes gave his teasing away.

Laughter pealed from you. Jungkook was captivated by the sound. He drank in the way your eyes creased with mirth and followed your fingers as they brushed back your hair.

Jungkook’s phone vibrated. “Oh shit!”

“Is everything alright?”

“Yeah, don’t worry. I was actually on my way to work and my boss is asking me where I am,” he said as he stuffed his phone back in his pocket.

Jungkook startled when you suddenly jumped up. “Then you should get to work! You should’ve said something sooner. I’m so sorry for keeping you here!”

“No, it’s really fine. I’ve done enough overtime. He won’t complain if I’m a few minutes late,” he said, “Are you feeling better?”

You ignored his question and pushed against his shoulders to get him out of the chair. “Go to work, Jungkook. I’ll be fine, your red bean popsicle did wonders,” you responded placatively.

When he still didn’t move, you grabbed his arm and pulled him back onto the main street. Jungkook’s skin scorched under your touch. “Go to work, Jungkook,” you said again with more emphasis.

“Are you sure…?” he asked, unwilling to let you out of his sight before he knew you weren’t just going cry again at the next street corner.

“I won’t burst into tears,” you said as if reading his mind. “You were right, I need to reconcile with myself. So I’ll go home, enjoy my dinner and think about who I am and who I want to be. And you,” you said giving him another gentle shove, “need to go to work.”

Jungkook saw the stubborn look on your face. He wondered if you realized you were using your teaching voice right now. You weren’t going to take no for an answer. “Okay fine, text me when you get home?”

You waved away his concerns. “Sure. Go already,” you said with a big reassuring smile. “See you tomorrow at school!” you added before you turned around and walked away.

“You’re late,” Yugyeom said as soon as Jungkook entered the store.

Jungkook gave Yugyeom a sheepish look and only muttered, “Yeah sorry, something came up on my way here.” Then he rushed past him to the back of the restaurant and changed into his uniform.

Once he came back out he noticed Yugyeom throwing him strange looks.

“What?”

“Your girlfriend says hi,” Yugyeom said with a hint of amusement.

“Who?”

Yugyeom gave Jungkook a meaningful look, “LatteIsHorse. She ordered pick up. I think she was hoping to meet you. She’s cute. She looks like she’s probably a college student around here.”

“I know,” was all Jungkook replied.

Yugyeom’s eyes bulged in curiosity, “You know? You know she’s cute or you know she’s a student? You never told me what actually happened that night!”

Jungkook gave him a tired look and said, “She didn’t recognize me. She wore a Yonsei hoodie, so I guess she goes there. Nothing else happened.”

“Hmm, that’s weird. She was asking for you today, so she definitely knows your name,” Yugyeom said.

“Who knows, maybe she was having a lot on her plate that day,” Jungkook said with a shrug. He wondered where you lived and if you already got home safely. “Why are you obsessing over this so much?”

“Man, do you know how painful it is to watch your sorry attempts at flirting? I’m just trying to help you out, mate,” Yugyeom quipped.

“I wasn’t flirting! I was just trying cheer someone up who was obviously feeling down! It’s called being a decent human being,” Jungkook exclaimed.

Yugyeom gave him the side eye, “Yeah, that’s still not gonna get you laid.”

[19/05 18:47 PM] User: LatteIsHorse ---------------- ORDER [DELIVERY]

1 Tangsuyuk (small) 1 Bibimbap ---------------- Note: JK-nim, I visited you at the store last week, but you weren’t there. TT-TT I hope you don’t think I’m weird, I just really like talking to you. You always manage to put a smile on my face when I’m having a hard day. We’re still friends, right?

Golden Bang 7 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Seogyo-dong

Server: JK ------------------- TO GO

1 Tangsuyuk (small) -- 13,000 1 Bibimbap -- 5,000

Total: 18,000 -------------------- Thanks for ordering at Golden Bang! Have a golden day!

Note: LatteIsHorse-nim! I’m sad that I missed your visit to our store. I’ll try harder the next time! I added some extra bulgogi to make up for it. :) Of course we’re still friends. I don’t wish any hard days upon you, but I’m glad to hear that my words have a healing effect. In case you ever need a friend to talk to, feel free to talk to me. 010-1234-5678.

The study sessions with Jungkook continued per usual. He still struggled and had frustrated outbursts from time to time, especially when you forced him to revise probability distributions. When you finally reached regression analysis, things became easier.

Although your sessions remained the same, something in your dynamic changed. The both of you became looser and more playful around each other. He wouldn’t clamp up anymore and you felt more at ease around him. You became friends. He never once mentioned that disasterous afternoon.

At home, on the evening of the incident, you shot Jungkook a text and slumped down on the couch. Your sister was out that night, so it was just you in the apartment. Normally, the eerie quiet would’ve unsettled you and you would’ve distracted yourself from your deafening thoughts. But that night you just let them scream, yell and tear at you.

It was an excruciating process, but in the end your head was clearer, your heart calmer. You still weren’t quite there yet, but at least you made a first step out of the endless pit of desperation.

There were other things you noticed about yourself. Gradually you realized you didn’t mind being on your own anymore. You rediscovered your love for drawing and created you own mandala art. You also learned to code your own website and now had a clickable version of your cv on the go. Although you made time for yourself, you weren’t a hermit. You went out for drinks with Jisoo and soon asked Namjoon to take you along to your university’s Math Club. There you met a lot of familiar faces that you’ve encountered in class but never talked to. With them you spent animated evenings discussing stimulating math problems and exchanging incredibly bad math puns.

You also started noticing things about Jungkook. He wasn’t as timid and shy as you initially thought. Once he got over his awkwardness, he turned out to be quite a cheeky and goofy guy. He teased you or told you silly jokes whenever you were on a break. Despite his obvious aversion for statistics, he still took your lessons very seriously. Diligently listening to your explanations and trying to solve the problems to the best of his abilities. His study-mode showed you other sides of him. The cute pout he had whenever he tried to hide his confusion. Or the two little ridges which formed between his eyes whenever he was concentrated and deep in thought. More often than not you fought the urge to smooth them out with your touch or even better, with a kiss.

“Is something wrong?” Jungkook asked when he caught you staring.

“No,” you quickly said, “I was just thinking that you don’t seem to have much trouble with regression analysis.”

“I don’t know, the relationship between the variables just makes much more sense,” Jungkook said.

You looked at him and considered, “Hmm, maybe you don’t need my tutoring anymore?”

Brief dismay crossed Jungkook’s face. “My finals are in three weeks. I think I’d still prefer if you helped me revise the earlier chapters,” he said, “Unless you need more time to study for your own finals.”

Being in college meant that you were always in dire need of more time. That constant nagging voice in the back of your head telling you to study was an occupational disease. But you didn’t have to kid yourself, those four hours a week spent on Jungkook weren’t going to make or break your grade. Besides, you enjoyed spending time with him. You wondered if he felt the same.

“It’s alright, I’ll help you revise. Just don’t embarrass me on your finals. I don’t want Namjoon to tell me afterwards that you didn’t manage to calculate the mean of the population or worse, read the scoring table upside down,” you teased him light-heartedly.

Jungkook’s ears turned bright red. “That happened once!” he said, “How long are you going to hold that over my head?”

You laughed at his indignation. “Don’t forget, you’ll get endless tangsuyuk if you pass.”

[26/05 20:09 PM] User: LatteIsHorse ---------------- ORDER [DELIVERY]

1 Tangsuyuk (small) 1 Jjamppong ---------------- Note: JK-nim, I’d like to get the advice of a friend. There’s this kind, sweet boy that I really like. I would like to tell him how I feel, but he’s seen me in my lowest and ugliest moments. Maybe he’ll think I’m just baggage? I guess I’m afraid of his rejection.

Golden Bang 7 Wausan-ro 29-gil, Seogyo-dong

Server: JK ------------------- TO GO

1 Tangsuyuk (small) -- 13,000 1 Jjamppong -- 5,000 1 Soju -- 0

Total: 18,000 -------------------- Thanks for ordering at Golden Bang! Have a golden day!

Note: LatteIsHorse-nim! It’s only human to fear rejection. I can completely understand. I also have someone I really like. She’s really pretty, smart and funny. Spending time with her makes me really happy, but I never managed to tell her. Maybe we should both gather our courage and cheer each other on? I’m not saying that drunken confessions are the way to go but consider this soju a symbolism for (liquid) courage.

Paper Note: This is a flexagon. Whenever you need a word of encouragement give it a flip!

Jungkook examined the hexagonal origami in his hands. On the outside it read ‘Flip Me!’

He gave the flexagon a flip. ‘JK you’re the best!’ And another. ‘The world needs more people like you!’ And another. ‘Don’t forget that LatteIsHorse is always rooting for you!’ And another. ‘Aja, aja, hwaiting!’ And another. ‘Thank you for being my friend!’

Jisoo barged into you room and flopped onto your bed. ‘Ahhh! I’m so glad you finally cleaned in here. Seriously, if I find another rancid noodle stuck to my clothes, I’ll call in a hazmat team.”

“I don’t know why you’re complaining so much. It’s not even your room,” you said.

“Hey, where are you ever going to find a friend like me?”

Your friend sacrificed many a night away from college parties to binge watch handsome oppas sweep equally beautiful unnies off their feet with you. And she wasn’t shy telling you that.

“Let’s go out tonight,” Jisoo suggested. She rolled back onto her feet and started walking around, inspecting your cleaning job.

“Our finals start in two weeks; I really don’t want to spend my weekend nursing a hangover.”

“I’m not saying you have to get wasted. Tonight is the Pre-Game Night. We have to go!” Jisoo demanded.

The Final’s Pre-Game Night was a campus-wide tradition. Every semester on the Friday a week before finals huge parties were thrown to signal the beginning of the end. It was like a dare – were you confident enough to get completely drunk and still hope to pass your finals? Naturally everybody on campus joined in and drank.

“Not getting wasted at a Pre-Game party? That’s like saying you’ve decided you don’t need to breathe. I really don’t think…”

“What’s this?” Jisoo suddenly interrupted. “LatteIsHorse-nim! Personally, I’m a dipper, but I don’t discriminate! I added some broth as service for you. It’s chilly tonight. Don’t catch a cold!” she read aloud, “LatteIsHorse-nim! Happy Children’s Day to you too! I added my favorite childhood drink, banana milk! I hope it brings back as many happy childhood memories for you as it does for me.”

You flung yourself across the room and almost tripped over your own feet trying to rip the receipts out of Jisoo’s hands.

“Oh. My. God. Is your take-out guy flirting with you?!” she asked.

“No! He’s just a friend. We send encouraging notes to each other,” you tried to explain.

Jisoo threw her hands in the air. “Okay that’s it! We’re going to the Pre-Game party, whether you want or not. You can’t tell me that the only flirting interaction you have is with a stranger who delivers you tangsuyuk!”

The place Jisoo picked out was ram packed and buzzing with energy. It was an open dorm party; all the common rooms were transformed into dancefloors. Different types of music played from each corner of the building. Crates of alcohol were stacked against the walls.

The both of you grabbed a beer and made your way through the crowd.

“You’re going to have fun tonight, alright?”

“I don’t think this works that way,” you laughed.

“Then put some effort into it. We look way too cute for it to go to waste,” she said as you roamed around the floors and explored the different areas. You looked down on your dress. It was a pretty warm night; you had opted for a flowy summer dress with a blush pink floral pattern. Jisoo was right, it was cute.

You discovered a familiar face at the edge of the crowd. “Sunbae!” you said.

Namjoon turned around gave you a surprised smile. “Y/N! Out of all the places on campus, we meet each other here tonight. What are the chances?”

He was surrounded by a group of friends, you spotted Jungkook right behind him. The boy gave you an excited wave. A slow smile spread across your face. “I don’t know, but why don’t we ask Jungkook to calculate it for you?”

Namjoon let out a hearty laugh while Jungkook groaned in exasperation.

“Do you see what I have to put up with every week, hyung?”

“Didn’t you just say it’s the best thing that happened to you?” Namjoon taunted, “You have some nerve showing up in front of me tonight. You better ace your SA finals. Do you know how many favors I had to pull to get Y/N to tutor you?”

“What do you expect me to do?” Jungkook sputtered, “Go home and lock myself up on Pre-Game Night?”

If it weren’t for Jisoo you would’ve done just that. Speaking of Jisoo, your friend cleared her throat and gave you a painful nudge in the side.

“Ah yes, uhm, Jisoo you already know Namjoon. This is Jungkook. You know, the guy I’m tutoring.”

Jungkook gave her a small wave.

Jisoo didn’t even try to hide her amazement. “This is Jungkook? But you’re like wayyy cute!” She turned to you and added still loud enough for everyone to hear, “Why didn’t you tell me he was cute?!”

The embarrassment was obvious on Jungkook’s face. You could tell that Namjoon was getting a rush out of his dongsaeng’s reaction and before he could provoke him any further you decided to jump in.

“Who wants to go dance?” you asked loudly. You turned around and headed to the dancefloor without waiting for any of them to respond.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were tutoring a hunk?” Jisoo muttered under her breath.

“He’s not a hunk. Don’t call him that.”

“Yeah but he’s hot. You made him sound like he was a nerd.”

“He is a nerd.”

Your friend gave you a glare, “Why are we arguing about this? I know you’re not that oblivious.”

Of course you weren’t oblivious to Jungkook, but you weren’t going to tell Jisoo that.

“Let’s dance.” You grabbed Jisoo’s hand and twirled her around.

Namjoon and his friends joined you on the dancefloor. The mood of the crowd was electric. Music pulsed through your veins. Drinks flowed, shots were downed, people pulled out their best, lamest, craziest dance moves. Everyone celebrated like the world was going to end.

After a while you became hot and needed a new drink. You looked around for Jisoo and saw her grinding up against one of Namjoon’s friends. She’d be busy for a while. You inconspicuously moved away from the group and decided to go get some fresh air.  

“Wait up,” Jungkook said as he appeared next to you, “are you getting something to drink? I’ll join you.”

His dark curls were slightly matted with sweat. His baggy t-shirt clung to his body. You weren’t sure if it was the alcohol or Jisoo’s damn voice whispering into your ear. He was hot.

You circled your arm through his and pulled him through the crowd. His muscles shifted under your touch. You grabbed two drinks from a crate and handed one to Jungkook, your nerves tingled when his hand brushed against yours. The both of you remained in comfortable silence, leisurely walking through the dorm, neither of you in a hurry to get back to your friends. You explored the facility areas, weaving through pounding and quiet parts of the building.

“You look really nice tonight,” he said after a while.

The heels of your shoes echoed against marble floor of the dark hallway. “Thanks, Jisoo raided my closet.”

“She’s really something isn’t she?”

“She’s the best. I’m grateful to have her as my friend.”

Somewhere further down the hallway you made out two figures pressed against the wall, probably trying to find a quiet place of their own.

“You also look nice,” you said to Jungkook.

“I’m wearing the same things I always do,” Jungkook said, his voice turning shy.

You were getting closer to the couple. You could see how the guy was sticking his tongue down the girl’s throat. She seemed to enjoy it from the sounds she was making. Lucky them.

Your next words were definitely fuelled by your tipsy state, “I guess that means you always look nice.” Jungkook missed a step. You had to laugh at his blunder.

The couple in front of you broke apart and looked in your direction. More annoyed about being interrupted rather than embarrassed being caught. You were about to make a funny comment to Jungkook when your heart stopped and you froze.

A string of saliva still clung to the guy’s lips. His eyes widened when he recognized your face in the darkness. “Y/N?”

Your breath hitched and your grip tightened around Jungkook’s arm. He glanced between you and the guy, the situation slowly dawning on him.

“Why did you stop? Who’s that?”, the girl whined.

“No one,” the guy responded as he returned his attention to her and they started making out again.

Jungkook didn’t know if he wanted to puke or punch that guy. A sharp pain in his arm brought him back to his senses. Your nails dug into his skin. He put his hand around yours and loosened your iron grip.

“Let’s go,” he said and quickly pulled you past the couple. You followed him in a daze. He stopped once you were outside of the building, hidden away in a quiet corner.

His hands reached for your face and he lifted your eyes to his. “Breathe.”

You closed your eyes, let out a long breath and let your head fall against the wall behind you. The horrible encounter replayed in your mind. You had to open your eyes again.

There he was right in front of you. Worried Jungkook, kind Jungkook, beautiful Jungkook.

Your hands reached behind his neck and you pulled him a bit closer. You tried to decipher his gaze, it was dark and yearning. Everything was a haze, the alcohol in your blood made you daring.

“Kiss me,” you whispered.

His mouth crashed against yours. Your hands slipped up into his hair and your bodies entwined. You opened your lips and sucked in his hot breath. Your tongues found each other; he groaned at your taste.

He moved one of his hands down your side until he found purchase on your leg and hitched it up against his waist, pressing his body further into you. You let out a moan when his hips ground into yours.

All your senses drowned in Jungkook. You drowned in his scent, you drowned in his touch, you drowned in his heat. You tried to use Jungkook to drown out the grotesque image from before. Suddenly the heat of the moment disappeared, and a cold shower ran down your spine.

You broke away from your breathless kiss and put your hands against Jungkook’s chest to put some distance between you. He gave you a disoriented look.

“I’m sorry. We shouldn’t have kissed.”

Jungkook’s eyes grew wide and alarmed. “Did I do something wrong?”

His lips were swollen, his hair was mussed. You wanted nothing more than to pull him back in, but you couldn’t. Not here. Not like this. He deserved better.

You pushed yourself off the wall and gave him a small shove. He immediately let go of you and stepped back. “I shouldn’t have kissed you like this,” was all you said before you ran back into the building.

The next day you woke up to a splitting headache and a heart full of regret. You really needed to talk to Jungkook and explain to him why you ran away the previous night, but you were too much of a coward to pick up your phone and contact him. You decided it was better to talk to him in person at school.

The following week at school you waited for him in the library. Your heart was in your throat. Your prepared speech played in an endless loop in your head.

‘I’m sorry I ran away. I shouldn’t have kissed you in that state. It wasn’t fair to you. You deserve better than that.’

You looked down on your phone to check the time. A message blinked. You opened and read through it. Your heart sank. He wasn’t coming. He wanted to study the last week before finals on his own. He thanked you for your time.

Slowly you got up and packed your bag. You blew it. You wanted to do him right, but you only caused him pain. Thinking back, you realized he gave and gave and gave and all you did was take. He was right to stay away from you. There was no way he’d be happy with someone like you.

The week passed and finals week commenced. You immersed yourself in your exams and tried to get over your heavy heart. You were pretty sure you aced Geometry II, but the Numerical Analysis exam was nothing but a blur.

Although your heart ached, you didn’t fall back into the same dark pit of the past. You didn’t feel lost, you got on with your life. Nobody noticed the Jungkook-sized hole in your heart except for you. You wanted to talk about your feelings, but you didn’t think Jisoo or your sister would understand. They’d probably just tell you to get out there and find a new guy.

Another week passed. You were walking out of your professor’s office, finalizing the details of your summer internship, when you bumped into Namjoon.

“Y/N! What are you doing here? Aren’t you off for summer break yet?” he asked.

“I was just discussing my internship with Prof. Kim,” you said.

“Ah you’re participating in his research program?” Namjoon said, “I heard it’s really interesting, he’s intense though.”

“I think intense is fine for me, I need something to do with my brain. Otherwise I’ll just go crazy,” you said with a smile.

“Speaking of intense, what did you do to that kid?” Namjoon suddenly asked.

You tensed. Did something happen to Jungkook? “What do you mean?”

“Did you brainwash him or something? He got a 98 on his SA final! When I handed him over to you, he was still asking me why the positive and negative z-scores tables had different values,” Namjoon said in awe.

Relief washed through you and your chest filled with pride. “Watch out sunbae, I might be coming for your TA position,” you said with a wink.

At home you sprawled out on the couch. Your sister’s classes ended earlier than yours so now she was away with her friends travelling the countryside. Your mind wandered as you stared up at the ceiling of your quiet apartment. You really wanted to call Jungkook and congratulate him, but you didn’t think you should. He clearly didn’t want to be in contact with you, you hadn’t heard anything from him since his text canceling your study sessions.

A pang of sadness washed through you. It should have been a happy moment for the both of you, you should be eating tangsuyuk together right now. You really wanted to tell someone about your joy and your grief.

Then you suddenly remembered your friend. Your friend who never judged and always had something wise to say. Maybe he would understand the conflicts of your heart. You got up and dug through the receipts on your desk until you found the one with his phone number on it.

You hoped he wouldn’t think you were crazy, but then again, he was the one who offered himself to talk to you any time. You typed in the number and hit call. Your phone dialed when suddenly the number displayed switched to a name. Jungkook.

You quickly hit the cancel button and stared at your phone. Did you accidentally hit Jungkook’s contact? Was your phone broken? This time you typed in the number more carefully and hit call. Again, the display switched to Jungkook’s name. You hit cancel.

Your heart began to race. You opened up Jungkook’s contact and compared it with the number on the receipt.

Holy shit.

JK was Jungkook. Jungkook was JK.

The stranger who cheered you on and made you smile whenever you felt down was Jungkook. You combed through all your receipts and reread them one by one. What was the probability for this to happen? This was so bizarre, but it made so much sense. Jungkook was the kindest person you knew. Why wouldn’t he be kind to a stranger who needed some uplifting words and comforting tangsuyuk?

[13/06 18:20 PM] User: LatteIsHorse ---------------- ORDER [DELIVERY]

3 Tangsuyuk (large) 6 Jjajangmyeon ---------------- Note: JK-nim, I hope you’re doing well! Can I ask you for a strange favor? Would you mind delivering today’s order to me? I would really like to meet you and thank you in person for always being by my side! <3

<Ding Dong>

The doorbell rang. Your heart pounded painfully in your chest. You slowly walked up to the door and opened it.

“Delivery from Golden…,” Jungkook’s voice faltered.

“Hi JK-nim,” you said quietly. You opened the door wider. “Thanks for coming today.”

“Y/N? What are you doing here?” he asked.

You had to smile at his look of utter confusion. “I live here. Come in, you can put the food on the dining table.” You turned around and walked back into the apartment.

Jungkook hesitated before he followed you inside. He moved up to the table and unloaded his box. He tried to steady himself. “You’re LatteIsHorse-nim?” he asked skeptically, “I’ve been here before. Last time someone else opened the door.”

He has visited you before? “Oh, that was probably my sister. I live here with her. She’s out travelling right now.”

“So you’re on your own right now? Why did you order so much food?” he asked. A giant mountain of neatly stacked dishes graced the table.

You came up and pried the metal box out of his hand. Then you moved in front of him and unclasped his bike helmet. He flinched at your sudden closeness.

“To celebrate. Congratulations on passing your Statistical Analysis exam. Namjoon told me you passed in flying colors,” you said in a gentle voice. “I promised you the best Chinese take-out in town, didn’t I?”

Jungkook still looked shell-shocked and simply stared at you.

“I’m sorry about that night at the Pre-Game party. I’m sorry I ran away. I owe you an explanation.”

Jungkook regained his wits and swallowed. “It’s okay, you don’t have to explain yourself. I get it, we were drunk. It was a mistake.” He looked down and tried to turn back around.

You grabbed onto his hands before he could move away. “Jungkook, look at me.”

He stopped turning, but his eyes remained on the floor.

You took a deep breath and squeezed his hands. “I really like you. I’ve really liked you for a while now.”

His eyes shot up to your face.

“The reason why I ran away that night was because I felt guilty. I probably would’ve ended up kissing you anyway, but in that moment, I kissed you because I wanted to forget. I didn’t want our first kiss to be like that. I wanted it to be the me who liked you and not the me who tried to drown out her shitty ex-boyfriend. I’m sorry if I hurt you.”

There was an unreadable look in his eyes. Your heart fluttered in nervousness. “How long have you known I was JK? How long did you know I had a crush on you?” he asked.

You could feel your blood rushing through your ears, the butterflies in your stomach beat like crazy. “Since today. I was sad because I thought I couldn’t share the promised meal with you. I wanted a friend to talk to, so I thought to call you. You who was always kind to me, even when I wasn’t kind to myself. Isn’t fate strange? We cheered each other on to find each other.” You had to laugh at the irony of it all.

Your hand hesitantly moved up to his face and stroked across his cheek, “I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m sorry I made you sad.”

Jungkook melted against your touch. “If I’m never sad, I won’t know when I’m happy.” Then he closed the gap and pressed his lips against yours.

It was a sweet but sad kiss. Filled with happiness and sorrow. Every touch was filled with an ‘I missed you’ or an ‘I’m sorry’.

Jungkook pressed you against the edge of your dining table, he lifted you up and you wrapped your legs around his waist. You both deepened your kiss. Your hands snaked through his hair and pulled him closer into you. Jungkook braced his hands against the table and instinctively ground his hips against your core. You moaned his name at the sensation. The both of you broke apart to catch your breaths, you pulled at his jacket and removed his layers of clothing.

You stilled at the sight of his bare chest. He was truly beautiful. Your fingers traced along his skin and marvelled at its silkiness. Jungkook shuddered under your touch. His hands moved under your shirt and you both lifted it off your head. Then you gripped his hands and slowly led them around your back, urging him to take off your bra. You wriggled out of your jeans and laid yourself completely bare in front of him. Jungkook stopped and stared at you, equally amazed.

“You’re so beautiful,” he whispered.

Your heart swelled and you pulled him back into a kiss. Both his kisses and his hands left a burning trail down your body. His mouth sucked on the soft skin of your neck while his hands moved across your breast, across your stomach, lower and lower. Wetness gathered between your legs.

“Jungkook,” you sighed. The muscles of his back shifted under your touch.

He released your neck with a loud smack and looked at the artwork he created. He still couldn’t get over how overwhelmingly beautiful you were. Your cheeks flushed, eyes bright and his name at the tip of your tongue. He felt himself strain against his confines.

“Please,” you whimpered. You looked down at his hand and tried to silently command him to touch you.

He kept his eyes trained on your face when his fingers moved lower and slid through your folds. Another moan left your lovely lips. He teased you with his touches, gathering your wetness until he finally pushed down where you wanted him most. Your hands dug into his back, your hips bucked, and you threw your head back in pleasure. He steadied your hips with his other hand and slowly pushed a finger inside of you. Another loud moan echoed through the room.

Jungkook was transfixed by you. He added a second finger and started pushing in and out. Your eyes squeezed shut in pleasure and small breathless pants left your mouth. Jungkook increased the speed of his movement and marvelled at the way you reacted under his touch. Then he moved his mouth to your breast and closed his lips around your nipple. You raked your hands through his hair and arched into him. Your core tightened around his fingers. All your nerves were on fire.

You pulled him away from your breast and guided his mouth back to yours. Your tongue traced his lips and you swallowed his moan. You wanted more, you wanted him closer. His fingers curled and his thumb pressed down on you. Jungkook held you tight as you shuddered and fell apart around him.

He rested his forehead against yours, your breath mingled as you both panted into each other. He slowly removed his hand from you and traced his mouth with his slicked fingers, then he moved them to your lips. Your tongue licked the tips of his fingers. His grip tightened around your waist.

“I want to feel you,” you said.

Jungkook shuddered at your words. “Where is your room?”

“The door behind you.”

Jungkook lifted you off the table, you tightened your legs around him and gave him another kiss. He walked you both to your room and gently laid you down on your bed. He took off his pants, then slowly moved onto the bed and hovered above you.

“Tell me what you want,” he said.

Your fingers caressed his face. “I want you to be happy.”

Another shudder ran through him. “I am happy. What else?”

You traced his eyes, his nose, his lips. “I want to be the one making you happy.”

Jungkook couldn’t contain himself anymore. His heart felt like it was about to explode. He covered your body with his and pressed himself into you. Your eyes rolled back as he entered you slowly. You felt so full you wanted to burst out of your skin. You could feel how the Jungkook-sized whole in your heart filled up again.

He rocked into you and took your breath away. Your nails raked across his back and left red lines against his smooth skin. Jungkook ducked his head into the crook of your neck and moaned against your skin. Every pull dragged pleasure out of you, every push brought you closer together.

You wanted more. Jungkook gave you more.

You wanted him closer. Jungkook pushed deeper into you.

With every moan, Jungkook pushed harder, pushed deeper. He wanted to melt into you. He wanted the lines between you and him to disappear. Your desire was his desire. His pleasure was your pleasure.  

Jungkook could feel you tightening around him. He moved his mouth over yours and gave you an ardent kiss. The light of your desire turned brighter and brighter until it burst apart into a thousand little flames. You cried against his lips and let the heat consume you. Your body pulsed around his and the overwhelming sensation brought him right over the edge with you.

The both of you laid on your bed and clung to each other. Neither of you willing to let the other go. Your pounding chests beat in tandem. Jungkook stroked his hand across your hair and kissed your head.

“I want you to be happy too,” he said.

“I know,” you said as you smiled against his chest, “You make me happy.”

Jungkook pulled you tighter into him and you remained silent for a while. His hand traced lazy patterns against your skin. Your breathing evened out.

“Are you allergic to pineapple?” he suddenly asked.

You looked up at him in surprise. “No. Why?”

“Because you always order tangsuyuk without pineapple.”

“Oh. That’s because my sister hates pineapple.”

Jungkook frowned, you pulled yourself up and kissed the little ridges between his eyes.

“What?” you asked.

“I think the jjajangmyeon is all soggy by now,” he said.

You had to laugh. “Probably, but the tangsuyuk should still taste great.”

Jungkook kissed you with a smile. “You’re right, tangsuyuk always tastes great.”

°°°°°°°

02/05/20

Copyright © 2020 full-of-jams. All Rights Reserved. Do not copy, repost or translate without permission.

[3pirouette]

Fic: Hello, Darling (1/1)

Title: Hello, Darling By: TriplePirouette/3Pirouette Disclaimer: They're not mine. Distribution: AO3  Anyone else please ask first :)

Story Summary:  Instead, he reached for his phone. He hit the only button that seemed to matter at the moment.

Her voice was warm. “Hello, darling.”

“Peg,” he sighed, closing his eyes. “Oh, your voice is just what I needed.”

Angst. Satisfies the Fake Dating a square for the Steggy Bingo Bash. AU, obviously.

A/N: Timeline is as close to sort-of right as I can make it for an AU. 2017 is post Civil War, 2016 is during Civil War, 2014 is during AOU, other time stamps should be self-explanatory. I hope this makes as much sense for everyone else as it does to me- this concept was a little hard to get on paper. I wrote this in about... 2 hours? Couldn’t sleep until I got this out of my brain. Also, I’m sorry. Please get some tissues. More AN at the end.

~*~ 2017

Steve flopped on the bed, wiping his forehead. They’d been training, hard, and he was drained. He and Natasha were spending their days whipping the new iteration of the team into shape and spent their nights sweet talking whatever government officials would listen to them while still trying to stay off the grid.

Their position in multiple areas was shaky, to say the least.

When he couldn’t sleep, which was most of the time, he wrote letters to Bucky, who was still in stasis in Wakanda. The letter writing was a calming ritual, and made him feel closer to his friend when he was doing it, but when he saved the letter instead of sending it, it left him feeling a little more alone than when he started.

He didn’t want to move tonight. He felt empty and exhausted and so very, very much like the small man he used to be on the rickety old bed.

He looked at the second-hand laptop, closed and charging on his desk, and turned away. He couldn’t take that feeling tonight.

Instead, he reached for his phone. He hit the only button that seemed to matter at the moment.

Her voice was warm. “Hello, darling.”

“Peg,” he sighed, closing his eyes. “Oh, your voice is just what I needed.”

Her voice was warm, and there was a smile in it. “Well, I’m just a phone call away, as always.”

“Yeah,” he replied, just a hint of sadness seeping through. He took a deep breath and shifted up on the pillows, closing his eyes and holding the phone tighter to his ear. “We were training again today.”

“How are they pulling together?” She asked, bright and interested. “Has Wanda gained more control?”

“Every day,” he replied quickly, a smile quirking at his face. “She’s more powerful than I think any of us were prepared for, even her. She’s still doubting herself, though.”

Peggy chuckled through the phone. “After what she went through, I’d doubt myself if I were her, too.”

Steve rolled to the side, pulling a pillow tight into his arms. “True.”

“Give her time,” Peggy soothed him. “Think about how long it took you to get the hang of your new body.”

He laughed out loud at that. “What, all thirty seconds or so?”

“I seem to recall you crashing through a store’s front window display fairly immediately.” Her laugh was like bells, light and happy. “Though that was followed by months of tests, followed by months of kick lines.”

Steve groaned at the memories. “The tights… and those boots.”

“I rather liked the tights,” Peggy flirted. “Though, the point of my mentioning, is that it took you rather a few months in the field to figure out you could lift a tank, and that became one of your favorite tricks. Give the poor girl some slack.”

“Actually, fitting my entire body behind my shield was one of my favorites.”

“I still don’t know how you do that.” She sighed. “But it is quite a trick.”

“She is getting the hang of it,” Steve relented. “It’s just been… hard.”

“I can hear the weariness in your voice.” She was soft and gentle. Steve closed his eyes and pretended he was wrapping himself around her. “Have you been taking care of yourself?” She sighed when he didn’t answer. “Steve…”

“I don’t know how…” he drifted off, changing course mid-sentence. “I’m tired, Peg. I’m tired of fighting and running but that’s… that’s all that’s left.” He rolled to his back, throwing his free arm over his head, some of the plaster of the wall of the old boarding house falling on his forehead. He wiped it away with a heavy groan of frustration. “Back then, I had so many plans. After the war…”

“We shan’t be going there, darling.” Her voice left no room for argument.

He was quiet for a moment, the emotion boiling up in him. When he finally spoke, his words were soft. “I miss you. I miss you so, so much.”

The pause was almost too long, and it broke him just a little bit more. “I’m here, Steve. Only a phone call away.”

He sat up, frustrated. “For a little while I had it- I had everything. I had you, I had Buck, I had new friends, and I could… I was…”

“You were almost happy,” she whispered. “We’ve said these words too many times.”

“I don’t…” He took a deep breath and let his head fall to his hand. “I don’t know how to move past it. I can pretend I’m ok, but… but I’m not.” He laughed to himself. “I wouldn’t be calling you if I were ok.”

“I’m here for you, Steve,” she replied sharply. “You call me when you need to call me, when you want to call me. Good or bad. I just wish… I wish there was more good.”

“Me, too.” He cleared his throat, sitting up. “Tell me something good, Peg.”

He thought he could hear a smile in her voice. “Pulling yourself up by your bootstraps, eh, Rogers? Well, then, I can tell you that yesterday I came across a very silly video of a sneezing baby Panda and no matter what your mood, I promise you’ll feel better if you watch it.”

He pulled the phone away from his cheek when it vibrated in his hand, the video popping up on his screen. He laughed, despite himself.

“You always know exactly what I need,” he mumbled out loud.

Her chuckle was soft, just like he remembered. “Lucky, I guess.”

“I love you so, so much, Peg.” He turned serious. “I wish… I wish I could see you.”

“I love you, too, my darling.” She replied softly. “And I’m only ever just a phone call away.”

He could feel the familiar pangs of depression swirling, and knew talking longer would do him no good. Not tonight. “I should… I should go.”

“Good night then, my love.” Peggy’s words were so full of love he could scarcely believe it. “Don’t wait too long to call again.”

He didn’t answer her, just nodded to himself. “Good night, Peg.”

He pulled the phone away from his ear, looked at it, and tossed it across the bed. Like his letters to Bucky, sometimes he felt worse after talking with her. He laid back on the bed, the springs creaking under him.

He wasn’t going to sleep tonight, not with the way his gut was roiling and the loss so close to the surface. Her voice was always a double-edged sword. Some nights, it was enough to bring him back to life, to remind him of whatever little purpose he felt he had left.

Sometimes, it was only filled with loss and the could-have-beens and should-have-beens.

Sometimes, he wished Tony had never given her back to him.

~*~ 1988

“Anthony, get this blasted thing out of my face.”

“Come on, Aunt Peg, no one is better at telling me what to do than you are.”

Peggy looked up from where she sat at the table in what was supposed to be a dining room, but was often used as an extended work space when Peggy and Howard had to pull long nights. “Under no circumstances.”

Tony pulled a chair up next to her and held out the tape recorder towards her. “Under all circumstances.” He started ticking it off on his fingers. “When I almost blew up the garage when I was eight. First time I got caught with a girl in my room. First time I got caught with booze in my room. First time I tried to create a jet pack. Who yelled at me? You did.”

Peggy pursed her lips at him and turned in her chair. “Concerned correction.”

He smiled, shrugging. “See? Concern, correction… all things I’m going to need in the future.”

Peggy swiveled back and picked up a file, eyes firmly set on the writing though she wasn’t reading anything. “Things you need now.” She didn’t look up. “Can’t you go badger Jarvis? Edwin has far more practice at humoring you.”

He laughed and smiled sweetly, moving the tape recorder in front of her. “Indulge your Godson in an experiment?”

“I seem to indulge you Starks far more than I’d like.” She leaned back in the chair and tossed the file back on the table. “Tell me about it.”

“Well, you see, I actually need you to tell me…”

~*~ 2014

Tony hadn’t looked at these cartridges in years. He pulled FRIDAY up and loaded her, knowing the program would make do for now. He could make some upgrades, and mourn Jarvis, later.

He ran his fingers over the last few cartridges as FRIDAY was integrated into his systems and found one that he hadn’t thought about in decades. It had been so long that the ink was almost faded completely away.

He didn’t need the label to remind him what was on there. He remembered each story, each lesson, each crisp English word with a sharpness that he liked to pretend didn’t exist. It was the only AI that was as old as Jarvis.

Tony laughed out loud. There was no way Ultron would have come to be if this was the AI he’d chosen to run his life with instead of Jarvis. She never would have allowed it.

She never would have allowed half of his shenanigans. She had been right all those years ago: Jarvis had always indulged him more. Aunt Peggy had no qualms about telling him, and often stopping him, when he was about to do something stupid, whereas Jarvis would give him an exasperated sir and follow behind, helping to clean up the mess.

He could have used some of her guidance so, so many times since he built that armor. Before, too, to be honest. He should have revisited her AI years ago.

He should visit her in the nursing home.

He knew exactly why he didn’t.  

He flipped the cartridge onto his work desk and slid the rest back into their box to be stored. Save the world first, tongue lashing from his Godmother second.

~*~ 2015

The icon showed up on his phone one day without explanation. Two hours later the text from Tony was nearly as mysterious.

Click the icon and you’ll be routed to an update on an old project, kind of like a phone call. Totally sanctioned, of course. I think she’ll get a kick out of it.

When he told her one day in the nursing home, she laughed.

“That boy had me record hours and hours of tape,” Peggy smiled. “I wondered if he ever got around to making it. I would have rather liked to have another one of myself around while I was still running SHIELD.”

“So, you did know,” Steve asked, “that Tony made an AI of you?”

Peggy looked at him, her eyes sharp and disapproving. “Of course, I knew. And while I didn’t ever say it, I was quite insulted that he eventually chose Jarvis over me.” She sat up in her hospital bed, gray hair falling in waves around her face. “Dial it up, let’s see what he got right, shall we?”

~*~ 2016

He was still in his suit and tie, his cheeks puffy with the tears he only let himself shed in the privacy of his hotel room. The church had been hard, but letting the coffin settle into the cold dirt had been harder.

She was gone.

And he was alone.

He picked up his phone, intent on checking his flight for the morning when an icon he scrolled past daily caught his eye.

He rubbed his thumb over the edge of the screen, temped.

He checked his flight, but it was perfunctory and he couldn’t recall, by the time his thumb hit the other icon, if it was still on time or not.

Slowly he lifted the phone to his ear. He knew from the few times he’d called at the nursing home with her that there wouldn’t be a ring tone, and that he had to be the first one to talk. “Hello?”

“Steve?”

Her voice through the line was young and vibrant, the way her remembered it from all those years back: red rimmed lips and bright eyes in just the vibration of sound.

He lost his breath.

“I’m so glad you called,” her voice was happy, bright.

He’d just left her in the ground, and yet…

Yet…

“Peggy.” He barely got the word out, the emotion choking him.

“Are you alright, Steve?”

“No, I…” he couldn’t speak. He didn’t want to continue, but couldn’t tear himself away.

“I’m right here, Steve.” Her voice was warm and welcoming, like honey and home and everything he was missing. “Tell me when you’re ready.”

He was quiet for a moment. He contemplated hanging up and deleting the icon.

Instead, he spoke, his words broken and full of loss. “I miss you.”

Her voice wrapped around him through the phone, “And I miss you, darling. But I’m right here. I’m just a phone call away, any time you like.”

He nearly laughed the way her words warmed him. She was so real- had always been every time he talked to the AI.

But she wasn’t real- just an amalgamation of information Tony had stored for decades.

He held the phone away for a second, contemplating his choices. He wanted to walk away, but the loss was still so raw. He pulled the phone back to his ear.

Just for today.

He told himself he’d pretend just for today.

Over the phone, he could pretend she wasn’t dead. Could pretend she hadn’t aged and lived on without him.

Just for today, just until he could get past this pain, he could pretend.

“I guess,” he cleared his throat, trying to banish the thickness in it from the tears, “I guess I should call more often, then.”

“Absolutely. I will accept nothing less, Captain.”

He smiled and sat on the bed, tears falling from his eyes as he listened to her voice.

It was just for today.  

~*~ End Notes: Saved this to the end to avoid giving this away. Deeply inspired by Hayley Atwell’s episode of Black Mirror, “Be Right Back.” If you haven’t seen it, you should.