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[jacketssupplier]

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[ckret2]

👀 I want to hear more about this Bill AU

You were the very first person to send me an ask about the Bill AU, and it was an open-ended question, so I've been saving your ask special for... a fanfic. IDK how often or how much I'm gonna write actual full fic for this AU but for now, here: the first half of Bill's reunion with the Pines family. (Attempted murder included.)

####

February 25, 2013

The vengeful demon standing in the door of the Mystery Shack possessed only four items in the universe:

Two safety pins.

A time tape tied around his waist like a belt.

And a tunic he'd fashioned himself in the style of an ancient Greek Ionic chiton, folded and pinned so perfectly that the wearer must have seen them thousands of years ago when they were at the height of fashion.

Soos couldn't identify an authentic Ionic chiton. All he could tell was that the lady at the door was wearing a toga made out of a bright purple Pony Heist children's bedsheet.

Soos laughed, flashing the tourist a double thumbs up. "Hey! Awesome toga. That should really be like a thing. Imagine if we all wore togas. We could just wake up, roll our bedsheets around us like a burrito, and go out!"

Distractedly, the tourist answered, "Careful, you can't tell when Big Fashion is listening in." 

"Haha. Who?"

The tourist didn't reply, and she hadn't looked at Soos once; instead, her gaze was darting around the shop searchingly.

"Are you shopping for something specific?" Soos asked with his best customer service voice. "Post cards? Snow globes? Weird taxidermy thingamajigs? Pants?"

"Where are the Pines?" the tourist asked, casting a sharp look at the "employees only" door, then the vending machine.

"Oh, Mr. Pines! The original Mr. Mystery! Heh—he actually retired a few months ago. The Mystery Shack's under new management!" Soos planted his fists on his hips and puffed up his chest. "It's me, I'm the new management."

"But where are they?" the tourist pressed.

"Uhh, he and his bro are somewhere in South America, I think? Some place called... Redacted. But hey, if you really wanna meet him in person, in his last letter he said they might visit for like spring break if the kids can make it up. First week in April!"

"First week in April," the tourist muttered, glancing away from Soos, thoughtfully fiddling with the time tape wrapped around her waist.

"Oh, dude! I've tried to use a tape measure as a belt too! Haha! It worked great, until I bumped the button and it retracted. Yeesh. Hey, do you want a fur belt? We sell fur belts now." Soos turned away, rummaging through the new display next to the t-shirts. "They're all ethically sourced from recycled materials! I bought a bunch of old rugs from the Northwest Mansion to slice up."

Soos grabbed up a fuzzy pink belt. "Check it, I think this is unicorn hide or something. Bet it'd go so good with that Pony Heist toga..."

The tourist had vanished in thin air.

Soos looked around. "Huh." He stuck the belt on a shelf beneath the cash register, in case she decided she wanted it later.

Once all the other visitors had left for the day, and Soos was left alone to clean up, he glanced around the shop nervously. "Is anyone there?" He lifted his broom like a samurai sword. "Hello? Big Fashion?"

Nothing answered. He shrugged and kept sweeping.

###

April 1, 2013

A vengeful demon who possessed nothing but two safety pins, a time tape belt, and a purple Pony Heist bedsheet tunic stood in the center of the Mystery Shack gift shop.

Which was weird, because Soos hadn't heard the door and she totally hadn't been there a moment ago.

"Oh hey! Toga Lady!" Soos turned to Wendy, who was picking up a few bucks as a temp worker handing the spring break tourists. "It's Toga Lady. She came in like a month ago. The toga's cool, right? I think it's cool."

Wendy glanced up, choked back a laugh, and scrambled to grab her phone for a picture.

"So, where are the Pines?" Toga Lady asked, with an edge of impatience.

"Oh, dude, did you come all they way back here to meet them? I'm sorry, the Mr. Pineses didn't make it. They couldn't get a flight out of Atlanta." Soos stopped, frowned, and pulled a water-stained letter from his pocket to double check. "Sorry, Atlantis. Something about a siege of sirens?"

"They would pick now to invade," Toga Lady muttered. "I suppose the children aren't here."

How did she know about the children? Maybe she'd visited last summer and remembered them? Like, early summer, before Pony Heist came out. Soos would have remembered the toga. "Naw, heh. They went to Roswell."

"Oh, cool," Wendy said distractedly, busy texting Toga Lady to everyone she knew. "Checking out the competition."

"Yeah, Dipper's sending me like a billion pictures of the alien museum."

"Well," Toga Lady snapped, "when are they showing up?"

Soos was beginning to get the impression that Toga Lady was less an admiring fan, and more one of those customers. All the same, he said, "June first, for sure. That's when the kids get here for summer break so the Mr. Pineses are coming too. Definitely. Promise."

She rolled her eyes—one of them twitched, like she'd gotten something in it and was struggling to keep it open—but said, "All right, fine! June. What's the difference?" She trudged to the door and leaned next to it by the snow globe shelves, fiddling with her belt, as if she was settling in to wait right there for the next two months.

Soos frowned—she might drive off tourists, blocking the door like that—but said, "Oh! While you're here, I thought you might be interested in this belt." He reached past Wendy to grab it from beneath the cash register. "I didn't get a chance to show you last time before—"

He looked toward the door. She was gone. "Huh. Did you see Toga Lady leave?"

Wendy shrugged. "Wasn't looking."

"Huh." Soos replaced the belt. At least he knew when he'd see her next.

###

June 1, 2013

"What's with the belt?" Stan asked.

"Oh! It's for a regular." Soos pointed with both hands down at the fuzzy pink belt peeking beneath his suit jacket. "I think she's comin' today. She wanted to meet the original Mr. Mystery."

"Hey, an admirer!" Stan mysteriously grew two inches as his posture spontaneously improved. "Is she cute?"

"Uh... if you like bedsheet togas?"

"Ooh, a party girl."

Over by the shop's glass display case, Ford said, "These are new," and lifted a jar with an alien fetus suspended in green goo.

"Oh, yeah!" Soos said. "Dipper sent me like, a billion keychains of these little alien guys from Roswell. So I started filling Abuelita's empty spice jars with aliens and lime jello. Cool, huh? It looks like we stole them from a secret government lab or something."

Stan laughed, slinging an arm around Soos. "Listen to this! Brilliant! I knew I put the right guy in charge."

Soos grinned goofily. "Aw, gee, Mr. Pines..." A flash of purple caught the corner of his eye. Toga Lady was leaning next to the door by the snow globe shelves, fiddling with her belt.

Here was a chance to show off his great business instincts with Stan watching. Time to make a sale. "Oh, hey, Toga Lady! I didn't hear you come in! Still rockin' Pony Heist, huh? Hey, I've been trying to show you this belt I think you'll like..."

But she wasn't listening to him. Her gaze was fixed on the Pines twins' backs. As Soos watched, her expression darkened, and her grin widened.

The vengeful demon reached past the snow globes, snatched up a heavy "mysterious green crystal cluster ($250)" made of glued-together broken glass, and heaved it up over his head. "Hey, Sixer!" Face contorted in a snarl of a smile, he turned the cluster over, sharp broken shards pointing downward. "Welcome home!"

Bill Cipher swung the glass weight down toward Ford's head.

(If you wanna keep reading, all chapters are right here!)

[meraki-yao]

Transcription and Translation of Taylor's Little Red Book Livestream (9th December 2023, to the best of my ability)

Q: Question A: Answer

Side Banters:

H: Host T: Taylor Anything in brackets: me or additional elaboration

Q: Asking him to share his experience of city walking in Shanghai earlier today

A: They went to Yu Garden which Taylor said was incredible, and he tried 糖葫蘆 Tanghulu, a traditional Chinese sweet which is candied Chinese Hawthorn

Q: How was the past few days for him and where did he go

A: He's been in China for four nights now (He came by himself btw) First night he stayed at the J Hotel which is the third tallest building in the world and the tallest hotel in the world. After that, he went to 濮院 (the venue for the GQ event) for two nights and it was incredible

Q: How's his jetlag?

A: It's hitting right now 😂 He's been drinking a lot of tea and getting better

Q: What led him to choose to become an actor instead of a competitive swimmer

A: That was an easy choice, he swan for 10 years and then decided he didn't want to swim in college, and then decided he didn't want to be a doctor (his brother's a doctor) and maybe disappointed his parents (H: No way!) It was a hard decision but he decided to move to LA and pursue acting (H: and you made it!)

Q: How is he enjoying being an actor?

A: It's tough, ups and downs. It's kind of like swimming, it's an individual activity, but you also get to collaborate with the community, which is fun.

Q: What are his favourite three movies and why?

A: The Matrix, Fight Club and Interstellar, he likes movie with a twist

Q: What type of music does he like

A: Deep House, Tropical House, Reggaeton

And then the host taught him a couple of Chinese phrases

Q: What sparked his interest in fashion

A: His dad bought him a subscription to GQ when he was younger which started his interest in fashion, and then he started watching fashion-related movies (like Brad Pitt in Allied) which further cultivated that interest. Maybe in the future, he'll try out characters like that

Q: Did he meet any friends in the GQ event?

A: He met Li Xian who he met in Italy earlier, otherwise met a lot of new people.

Q: Why is he passionate about being eco-friendly when it comes to fashion?

A: It was inspired initially by his mom. They lived in the countryside with horses, cows, and fields away from the city, and he has seven siblings (he's the sixth oldest/ third youngest) so there are a lot of hand-me-downs and not a lot of new things, so the family kept on using the same things. He gained a deeper awareness of the issue in recent years.

Q: Talk a bit about fashion sustainability

A: A lot of fast fashion material and clothes are thrown out really soon and disposed of really quickly (despite still being in good shape) but a lot of clothing material, especially synthetic fabric can't be recycled, so it's just like throwing out plastic. Actually, a lot of clothes can keep being reused and styled. He's had the inner shirt he's currently wearing for four years.

Q: Any future plans?

A: He has a film project early next year and there are other things he's excited about but can't talk about yet

Q: Is he going to Shanghai Disneyland?

A: He wants to but he doesn't have time

H: You don't even need to go to Disney you look like a Disney character already! (Damn right!!!)

Q: What food have you had in China so far?

A: Don't get him started on the subject of food 😂 He's had a Shanghainese Lunch today and a Cantonese (YAY) lunch yesterday, and he's looking for some spicy food for tomorrow. Also, he had a really crazy allergic reaction and his lips got giant (???). He needs to be careful with food.

T: I see talk about RWRB, what do you want to know? I'll give some secret intel

(me: YESSSSSSSSSS FINALLY)

RWRB questions speedrun:

Q: sequel?

A: ... He doesn't know. He says he thinks Casey has to write another book for that.

Q: Deleted scenes?

A: They're deleted for a reason (DUDE)

Q: BTS?

A: He says he has some on his phone and he would show us but he doesn't have his phone right now, he might post it later (PLEASE DO)

H: He's leaving after three days

T: (reading off comments) Come visit Hong Kong next time? Yeah! (me, who lives in Hong Kong: AHHHHHHHHHH)

Q: Do you know any Chinese nicknames of yours?

A: 忒樂. (tei le, or "Tay"-le) meaning too happy (I made a list of the boys' Chinese nicknames here)

Annddd... That's it! The live was pretty short, like 20 minutes? He ended it by picking up the phone and showing the audience the Shanghai city view himself (I was too busy typing to get a screenshot)

All transcription or interpretation mistakes are mine

[goldenpinof]

Ngl I'm kind of scared of the idea of DINOK actually being made into a show. Do you think it would be profitable or even break even? I can't see it attracting a lot of mainstream attention and Dan's/DnP's core audience is not as big as it once was

i'll repeat myself here and say that it all depends on a platform and marketing. marketing can save dinok. but it can also kill it. like, single-handedly. mainstream attention depends on marketing on different platforms (huge budget). audience's attention depends on Dan talking to us on his platforms, consistently (no budget, just time). i'm sure with dinok Dan would be shooting for people outside the phandom, and that makes sense. it just needs to be done correctly, and not at the cost of his main audience.

my selfish ass wants Dan to make something out of it, just to see what he wants to tell us. the AU he created in his head. but, i don't need a show for that, i'd be happy to just read the script. if making a show costs too much money and is too risky, just sell the script. i don't want it to go to waste. it's a huge amount of work, and it would be sad if it never sees the light of day.

wad marketing in relation to dinok under the cut (too much yapping for free)

look at wad as an example. now, it's so clear that their initial strategy was experimental and didn't work, so they changed it halfway through. they also kinda dropped the promo by the European leg and just stopped updating banners in time, and overall started panicking. Dan's attitude and the main message in promo materials were all over the place, with him trying to target the general audience and the locals, meanwhile sometimes talking in riddles, and talking to us (phannies) only in liveshows at the start of each leg. and then the European leg didn't even have that. (i'm simplifying here a lot, i'm just trying to show a general picture). dd, despite having a good concept, failed to gain an audience and make people buy tickets to the show. there was a connection between dd and wad but it wasn't strong enough, and the vibes were a bit different, so it was also confusing people. dd t-shirt had a better promo in that one dd episode than the majority of wad promo clips. you know why? because it was genuine. he was whining about money and it was clear that he hated doing that bit but ffs, it was entertaining. Dan is not bad at promotion, he just needs someone to navigate his negative energy in the right direction. 90% of wad marketing was BORING as fuck. and there was not enough of it in general. wrong platforms, no consistency, boring recycled ideas (remember his clip with the US states? they did the same for ii but in a youtube video. which worked so much better not only because it was "Dan and Phil" but also because it was filmed better, the platform was bigger, and they didn't take it seriously. promoting on your main platform always wins over facebook/instagram/tiktok ads. also, we could engage with a youtube video. that's like a free promo within the phandom. geography can be FUN. wad geography wasn't). promotion doesn't have to be boring. Barbenheimer and Miley and Selena's cross-promotions showed it so clearly. fandoms love this shit, and Dan knows enough youtubers to pull this off. even if not cross-promotion tactics, there are ways to present something in a fun way. make something memeable (he tried in the beginning, but a white board wasn't the most fun tbh), make a promo we could engage with.

thank fuck they bought youtube ads for wad premiere. still fucking up with banners and editing though. and Dan still doesn't talk to his audience to make them buy tickets. like, he is trying, they have bullet points (half of them are coming out from Phil's mouth btw). but Dan making "crying" faces and pleading could be turned into "reasons why i want you to see this show". he wants to cry about how hard it was to make this show happen? about these 2 years of ups and downs? FINE. do it, talk to us, don't brush over the logistics, tell us how proud you are of finally filming the show. tell us why it's so important to you and why you want more people to see it. (Anthony's interview as an example, but make it deeper and without Anthony)

don't make me write a marketing strategy for wad premiere, no one wants that. but omg, it's his child and he doesn't know how to present it to the world. he presented dinok better by making "why i quit youtube". what i'm trying to say is that complaining works. sharing your struggles works. if he is so proud of this show he needs to tell his audience, that didn't see the show, what is it so amazing, brilliant, unique, important and wonderful about it. showing Dan on stage with a microphone isn't enough. it's pretty, but it's boring (i'm still waiting for a full promo clip to drop before Feb 25th). preshow and after-party are good selling points, but it shouldn't be the main thing. Dan is using Phil to sell wad, finally. don't get me wrong, i'm obsessed with it. he should use Phil, and only because of Phil more people are gonna see the show. but now it looks like Dan and Phil brand took the lead and wad is just a passenger. and as someone who witnessed all the stages wad went through to get to February 25th, i want the show itself to shine. it should be the main character, not the after-show or the carpet. how? Dan should talk more about things related to the show. he can go around NDAs, it's his show, his company. just don't drop names and certain numbers.

i need to stop. enough of free promo.

[hel-looks]

Aleksi, 26

“I’m wearing jewelry from the Recycling Center, a Carhartt sweatshirt with a Joy Division Unknown Pleasures patch made of an old t-shirt (sewn by my partner), a fake leather bag made by my ex-partner, a skirt from Uff, Happy Socks worn inside out, and Brooks running shoes. At the moment I just want to feel comfortable in my clothes so I prefer loose fits and soft and stretchy materials. I want my style to match my gender expression which often means mixing masculine and feminine clothes. People around me inspire my style. I often borrow clothes from my friends. I am not on social media so all my inspiration is based on real life encounters.”

10 June 2023, Sideways Festival

[still-with-koo]

Just Neighbours | MYG | KSJ

Series: Chapter Two

summary: You move to a new city hoping to leave behind all the fragmented memories of your past. But the universe has other plans for you. Instead of helping you move on from the one person that haunts you still, the universe brings him straight to you. Is it a cruel joke, or is fate taking its final aim?

pairing: yoongi x reader; seokjin x reader; maybe some jimin x reader

wc: 6,877

genre/warnings/rating: 15+; slow burn; angst; fluff; exes to something… maybe friends, maybe lovers; some idiots to lovers; some enemies to friends to lovers; there’s pining; some (poor) attempts at humour; oc gets embarrassed a lot; more than a few swear words; drinking; over-drinking & passing out; allusions to someone trying to take advantage of oc’s drunken state but don’t worry someone steps in; some self esteem issues come up; references to possible financial issues. the characters in this story are my own and do not reflect on the members of bts or anyone else. this is all made up and just for fun, please don’t take it too seriously!

taglist: @joonwater (hope you don’t mind me tagging you, i know you were waiting for this!)

a/n: we get a little more insight into reader and Yoongi’s past relationship. And Yoongi and reader finally come face to face! Oh, and two surprising people enter the story, one is a blessing and the other, well you’ll just have to see.

ch. 1 | ch. 2 | ch. 3 | ch. 4

Your finger catches on the last box left to fold, pricking it and leaving a trail of red liquid on the cardboard material. You press your finger to your lips as you glance around, a small smile of relief gracing your face as you take in your clean and bright apartment.

It’s the apartment you’ve always wanted, crisp, fresh and perfectly cozy. Your monochromatic couch framed by the sweet little bookcases on either side, plants sprinkled throughout the living room, and a cozy little armchair pressed against your large window.

You can’t help feeling proud that you’ve finally managed to unpack the ever growing number of boxes (it wasn’t actually growing, but it sure felt like it), and even found time to pick up a few cute little pieces to decorate your space.

Your eye catches on the white drapes framing your balcony doors fluttering in the wind, bringing in a cool breeze to wash over your rather sweaty frame. You’ve been working pretty hard lately, today more so than the others, all because you’re determined to finish setting up your apartment before the start of your new job tomorrow.

With a sigh of relief, you mentally pat yourself on the back for a job well done.

You slowly get to your feet and gather the other folded boxes to run down to recycling, wiping your forehead with the back of your arm. You can’t wait to take a shower and pop into some fresh clothes.

You glance down at your baggy jeans and oversized t-shirt. Shit, is that a tear? Oh well, you’re going to change out of these soon enough.

You fumble a bit with the door but finally manage to maneuver out of your apartment and to your delight you pop right into an awaiting elevator, doors already ajar. What great luck!

You press the button for the basement and hear someone clear their throat. In your rush, you didn’t realize anyone else was in here. You throw a quick glance and nod before facing the front again, jamming the door close button.

Wait—

“Y/N…”

You gulp. Rather loudly, actually. There’s no doubt he heard you, but he makes no observation of it. He simply breathes an incredulation, his voice low and gravelly.

“I thought it was you.”

His voice echoes against the interior of the elevator walls. You try hard to swallow the lump in your throat (you’re pretty sure it’s your heart trying to jump ship) before turning to face him, your movement slow enough to process a proper response.

“H-hello, Yoongi,” you manage, your cheeks already flush from your efforts earlier.

“It’s been a long time,” Yoongi whispers, half to you and half to himself.

You clear your throat. “Yeah,” is your reply accompanied by an involuntary cough. “Long time.”

The air is thick with unspoken words, unaddressed feelings, broken hearts and hurtful goodbyes. Normal pleasantries would not suffice. Instead you wade in the tense atmosphere, waiting him out. He may have broken the silence but the ice separates you still.

You clear your throat again, eyes shifting to the numbers at the top of the elevator door. You are both hurtling to the ground quite quickly.

It reminds you of just how quickly life changes, just how quickly time makes strangers of us all. It hasn’t been that long but time has done well to steel your nerves, to bring ice to the same veins that used to boil at the mere thought of him.

Your perception is slightly askew but in your periphery you notice Yoongi’s gaze, which hasn’t left your form. Suddenly you wish you weren’t a complete mess, that you had donned a prettier outfit, so he could see you were doing very well enough without him.

The elevator chimes and the doors part to reveal the front lobby. You step back to let Yoongi leave but he shows no signs of leaving. Instead, after a moment, his arm extends past you and holds the door open.

Startled, you glance up at him with wide eyes.

“Aren’t you getting out?”

The elevator doors fight against his hold, angry and vengeful. But Yoongi looks unfazed, resigned to simply considering your face, a soft inquisitive look in his eyes.

You stare at him wide eyed, waiting for him to speak, to explain what he is doing. The look is his eyes isn’t lost on you, but you realize you don’t really know him, not anymore at least. That look could mean anything. It definitely doesn’t mean what you think it used to.

Yoongi parts his lips, taking slow steps to close the gap between you. You take a step back and connect with the wall behind you. You don’t have anywhere to go. His chin dips down slightly, his eyes round and wide as his lips close and then part again.

“Yoongi—,” you warn, although it comes out more like a gasp.

Noticing the sudden close proximity, he takes a step back.

“Sorry,” he murmurs, heading bowing momentarily, “I was thinking…” His voice falters for a split second when you return his gaze, just enough before he regains composure. “Um, you know, for old times’ sake, maybe you want to join me for lunch… to catch up? I was just on my way to the place around the corner,” he offers, gesturing vaguely across the way, a hopeful tinge in his voice that slowly fades as he catches a small frown finding its way onto your face. The result of a grimace you’re trying so hard to hold back.

The folded boxes in your arms press uncomfortably into your skin and you suddenly become very aware of the air on your skin, feeling cold against the sweat glistening in the sunlight streaming in through the lobby windows. You look down at the boxes in your arms, trying to find the right words.

You’re not sure how to respond. What can you say to him? No, Yoongi, you had your chance. I’m done thinking about how you’ve been doing. Or what you’ve been doing. Or who you’ve been doing.

But you’d be lying if you said his offer didn’t light up parts of you buried deep inside. The part of you that cried into your pillow over this man, heart breaking at how cruel the universe was to let you fall in love with him. The part of you that secretly wished the universe would bring him back to you.

But the rational part of you knows it’s a bad idea. You know he’ll just break your heart all over again.

A damp strand of hair falls over your eyes and you fumble with the boxes to try to move it aside but it’s no use; you can’t reach it. So you blow on it roughly, and sigh when you realize it’s there to stay.

“Uh, I’m pretty busy. And I don’t think it’s a good idea, anyway.”

A twinge of pain flickers across his face before he nods at you, his lips pressing into a line. “I see. That’s alright.”

He turns away and walks out of the elevator.

But then he freezes, hesitating for a second before stepping back into the elevator. You sharply inhale as his hand comes up to your face and your eyes flutter shut in anticipation.

You feel a slight touch on your forehead.

“There. Bye Y/N.”

You then hear his footsteps fade into the lobby.

As you open your eyes, you realize your hair strand is no longer in your eyes but somehow your eyesight feels blurrier than it did before as you watch Yoongi walk out of the lobby and onto the street outside.

Lying in bed, your arm nestled beneath your head, your mind drifts back to your encounter with Yoongi earlier today.

“Maybe you want to join me for lunch?”

You roll over in your bed, remembering the look on his face when you turned him down. But instead of feeling triumphant, another feeling takes its place. You feel… bad for him.

You reach over for your phone and bring up Jimin’s name. It’s only been a day and you miss him already. He’ll know how to make you feel better.

[you] you asleep?

You set your phone down and think it through again. You promised yourself you’d try to forget Yoongi. He broke up with you, after all. So why are you still thinking about him?

[Chim] nah. what’s up?

[you] can’t sleep

[Chim] something bothering you?

[you] i miss you

[Chim] lol

[Chim] how do you miss me already?

Chuckling, you call his number. You’re met with a groan.

“I’m not alone, Y/N.”

“Ok, fuck, sorry Jimin. Why did you answer?”

“Because it’s you, dummy.”

“Ok, I’m hanging up n—”

“Wait,” he sighs, the sound cutting out for a second before he whispers, “why can’t you sleep?”

“It’s a long story, but it’s ok, I’ll manage. We can talk later.”

“Hold on.”

You then hear his hushed tones as he tells someone “shh, baby. I’ll be back in a bit, go back to sleep.” You hear shuffling and a door click before Jimin comes back on.

“Ok, tell me.”

Leaning back against your bedroom wall, you tell Jimin everything that happened between you and Yoongi. He is not as shocked as you expected.

“You turned him down?”

“Yeah, of course. Why? Shouldn’t I have?”

You hear a heavy exhale on the other end, Jimin obviously thinking through what to say to you.

Finally he responds. “Do you still have feelings for him?”

You hesitate, biting your lip.

“I’m not really sure. I mean, maybe. Feelings don’t just evaporate after they break up with you. But I can’t stay hung up on Yoongi forever. I need to move on,” you note thoughtfully, leaning your head against the wall as you hear someone clear their throat on the other side. Rather loudly actually, as if they want you to know they can hear you.

“Yeah, that’s probably for the best—”

“Hey, Jimin, I think we might be keeping my neighbour awake… I’ve been talking pretty loudly. So I’ll hang up now. Good night,” you whisper through the phone.

“The hell you are! I’m not done talking. Just go to the bathroom or something.”

“No it’s ok, you need to get back to your girlfriend anyway. Thanks for listening, Jimin.”

He scoffs. “She’s not my girlfriend, and she’s probably just drooling all over my pillow as we speak.”

“Ugh, gross, Jimin. I’m going, bye.”

“You hang up and I disown you.”

“Good night, Jimin.”

You hang up and sure enough, it rings again, eliciting a giggle from you.

“Jimin, I’m serious. Go to sleep. We’ll talk tomorrow.”

“How can I when I know you’ll stay up all night.”

“I always have trouble falling asleep, remember? It’s no big deal, I’ll fall asleep eventually.”

“That doesn’t sound comforting.”

“I’m alright, Jimin. Really. Talking to you helped calm my mind. I’ll be able to fall asleep, I promise.”

“Your promises mean nothing to me, woman!”

You chuckle, pressing your phone closer to your ear.

“I’m fine, I mean it. At least I won’t be lying in a puddle of drool,” you giggle before adding, “but I’m feeling much better. Thanks to you.”

“Ok fine. As long as you’re ok.”

“Goodnight Jimin. I love you.”

“Wait, hold on, I’m not done yet.”

“Yeah you are, sweet dreams Jiminie.”

You hear him sigh a quiet, “Good night,” before you hang up.

You lay back down in your bed and close your eyes, willing yourself to sleep. After a few moments, you let out a rather loud sigh. You slam your fists and feet onto the bedspread, frustrated that you’ll likely spend another listless night on your own.

You flip over to your side and grab your phone, fingers searching for some music that might help you fall asleep.

As if someone heard your heart’s wish, the sound of piano notes floats into your room, a sweet, soothing melody. You stare at your phone screen, stuck on your music library, with no sound playing. It’s not coming from your phone.

You crane your neck and bring your head closer to the wall, noticing the music getting louder. It’s coming from your neighbour’s apartment. Why are they playing now? Are they repaying your loud obnoxious talking… with soothing music?

You bring your pillow comfortably underneath your head, taking in the beautiful melody, crescendos and diminuendos dancing around your bedroom, swirling all around you.

Suddenly images flash in your head. Pictures of you and Yoongi.

Your head is resting on his chest, your fingers intertwined in his as you both lie on his bed. His other hand is gently playing with your hair, fingers grazing against your scalp as you hum in pleasure.

Through lidded eyes, you look up at him. His hand stops and he smiles at you, his sweet gummy smile bringing a warmth to your chest. But you simply frown.

“I can’t sleep.”

“Still?”

You nod. “My mind’s racing.”

He ruffles your hair and then slowly scoots out from under you, carefully untangling his fingers from yours.

You whine and grab onto his shirt as you sit up. He chuckles at your actions and doesn’t miss the way your lips form a cute pout. He gently unwraps your hand from his shirt and walks over to his keyboard.

“Yoongi…”

Sat at the edge of his seat, his fingers flutter over the black and white keys briefly before they press into them, picking up speed as a soft melody emits from the speakers, one you haven’t heard before. Your mouth falls open as you watch him play, his fingers expertly flitting from one key to the next, his eyes closed as he feels the music flow through his body. He looks magical.

“How did you learn to play like that?”

His fingers still dancing lithely over the keyboard, he glances at you and smiles fondly.

“I’m a genius, remember?”

You roll your eyes at him and he chuckles again, finding your impertinence impossibly cute.

“Lie back, sweetness. And just listen to the notes. Nothing else, ok? Just the notes and the sound of my voice.”

Before you know it, you’re fast asleep.

Morning always comes much too soon.

Beep. Beep.

You haphazardly reach out for your phone, bleary eyes barely able to make out the numbers on the screen: 7:15am. Monday.

It’s finally Monday. It’s the first day of your brand new job at the cute little flower shop just a few minutes walk from here.

Your mother worked at a flower shop and as a little girl you would sit on the counter and watch in awe as she turned already beautiful flowers into striking floral masterpieces. She may have lost her job due to some unfortunate circumstances but you had promised yourself you would one day own your own little flower shop in her honour. These days that dream feels a little far fetched but you’re content to simply work at a flower shop just like her, one that looks very much like the one you grew up in.

Your alarm goes off again and instead of hitting snooze as you usually do, you decide to get a head start today.

Groggily you rub your eyes and blink at the sunlight streaming in through the window. You sigh happily as you realize you can take this morning slowly.

Sleepy steps carry you to your kitchen and soon you are sipping on freshly brewed tea in your favourite mug, savouring the taste as you walk over to your balcony. Leaning onto the balcony railing, you look out over the city that you had always dreamed about. You’re finally here. All of your daydreams are now a reality.

You take slow sips from your mug, smiling gently at the strangers just waking up all over the city, sleepy yawns, messy bedhead like yours, sweet g’mornings hushed between mumbling lovers, little kisses exchanged over breakfast. Life is beautiful if you think about it.

Lost in thought, you start humming a melody, an old favourite you used to sing all the time. A long time ago. You sigh again and walk back into your apartment, still humming the tune, when you realize it’s also the same one from last night.

Your neighbour has the same taste in music, it seems. You make a mental note to introduce yourself to them later, maybe bring them some baked sweets to repay them for the soft music last night.

Your eyes catch on your clock and you realize you need to start getting ready for work.

The walk to the flower shop is shorter than expected. You’re still munching on the almond croissant you picked up on your way as the storefront comes into view. Shining like a beacon, a signal of the start of your new life.

You finish up the last bite and knock on the glass door. A closed sign hangs in the window pane and you see it slide to the right as a pretty face peeks through and waves at you.

“Good morning, Y/N. Come in, come in! You’re early, good sign.”

She leaves a space for you to pass through before shutting the door behind you.

“Good morning, Taeyeon. Just want to make a good first impression.” You note, laughing a little awkwardly as Taeyeon’s hands land on her hips.

“Oh, you already have, Y/N. Our boss was very impressed with you. I gave him a set of resumes and he specifically asked for you.”

“Oh, really?” You try to think back to what would have caught the owner’s eye but nothing comes to mind. You haven’t even met him yet.

“Yes, yes. It’s not like I was leaning towards someone else or anything. It’s just… he insisted on you to take over the day to day as I take on my managerial duties.”

“Ah,” you manage, still trying to figure out why the owner chose you.

A few hours pass as Taeyeon shows you the ins and outs of the flower shop. You had worked at a similar shop before so you pick up on the technical aspects quite quickly.

“Wow, Y/N. You’re a fast learner.”

You blush at her compliment, shoving the cash register closed.

“Once you’ve seen one cash register, you’ve seen them all.”

Taeyeon smiles at you and then glances at her watch.

“Ah, I need to run to the bank to deposit yesterday’s cash. I’ll see you in a bit, ok?”

Before you can answer, Taeyeon grabs her jacket and is hovering at the door.

“Don’t let the place burn down, ok?”

“I-,” you gasp but she’s out the door.

You busy yourself with cleaning up around the shop, removing fallen wrapping paper and sprucing up the hanging plants with a bit of water. You spot a microfibre mop and decide the floors could use a nice scrubbing.

After a few minutes, you’ve brought a sheen to most of the store, moving now to the counter when you hear the sky roar with anger, immediately followed by a pretty, shimmery sound. Beautiful rain gently cascades across the storefront’s windows, such a lovely sight.

You shake away the thought and continue to scrub the small section still left, finishing up just as the front door slams open with a loud thud, the usual pretty chime muffled by the ruckus the customer is making, flapping all around in his wet clothes in an attempt to dry himself.

“This stupid, stupid rain. Aww look at my suit! Ahh my new Italian shoes, fuck! The weather guy knows nothing, absolutely nothing. I don’t know what the fuck they’re paying him for—,” he rambles off rather quickly and angrily before noticing your frame in the distance, one arm hooked over the top of your mop while the other falls to your hip, an irritated look unmistakable despite the distance.

He suddenly feels small. Like a little kid who is about to be yelled at by his teacher.

Ever the striking figure himself, broad shouldered and towering at 6 feet, with a beauty that belongs on the silver screen, and a perpetually cool and charismatic demeanour to match, he can’t recall ever feeling like this in all of his adult life. He is used to charming people at first glance. But you look anything but charmed. If anything, you were the one charming him, your beauty striking even from a distance.

“Uh,” he stutters as his eyes fall to your line of sight, noticing the splotches of water and mud encircling him, a sharp contrast to the sparkling tile only a foot away.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t… It was an emergency, I had to…,” he exclaims, running his hands through his hair as little drops glisten across his face, before he quickly adds, “Don’t worry I’ll clean this up.”

“An emergency?” You inquire as you approach him, intrigued. “What kind of emergency needs a flower shop?”

The closer you get, the more he realizes he is in trouble. You’re not an ordinary kind of beautiful. You’re the dangerous kind. The kind that could break his heart.

“Are you familiar with pregnant women?”

What a strange question, you think.

“Uh, yes, I’d say so.”

“Ok, well, I just missed the baby shower of my very, very pregnant friend and she is getting ready to tear me apart as we speak.”

“And where does the flower shop come in?”

“Well, my lovely, very pregnant friend is an absolute sucker for flowers. Orchids specifically. I was thinking I could appease her by laying them at her feet. Either that, or for my funeral.”

You laugh, a tone he finds bright and twinkling, one that instantly brightens up your face and the whole shop.

“Ok, follow me and I’ll show you a few options.”

You’re standing by the display of orchids when you notice he isn’t behind you. When you glance back, you see him crouched down, mopping up the puddle with some paper towels hanging nearby.

“Oh gosh, you don’t have to! I can manage it!” You rush over to him but he has already cleaned up most of it.

He stands up to face you, dusting off his pants and jacket with a smile.

“Thank you.” You return his smile, and then quickly add, “but you really didn’t have to,” noticing just how expensive his outfit is — it wasn’t made for kneeling in that kind of mess.

He just chuckles at you.

“You say I didn’t have to but that death glare you gave me earlier said otherwise.”

You snort with laughter, your head falling back, your hand reaching out to push him playfully. He staggers back in mock pain, prompting you to laugh even harder. He watches in amazement, relishing how easily and openly you laugh, wishing more people were like that (and sincerely hoping you aren’t doing this for commission. That would certainly hurt his now blossoming pride).

When the laughter dies down, you guide him to the display and show him a few arrangements. He asks you which one you like best and after some careful thought you pick a pretty combination of purple orchids, blue hyacinths, pink carnations and white lilies of the valley.

“This should appease your jilted friend, although I for one would still be mad at you,” you note, your lips pulling into a small smirk.

“Ah, a traitor! Aren’t you supposed to be on my side?”

“Your side? I don’t even know you.”

“But you’ve never met her!” He splutters.

“That already gives her higher points in my book.”

Enjoying his look of utter indignation, you wink at him and turn towards the counter to ring up his bouquet.

He follows you, dumbfounded but also thrilled. You’re witty.

You tell him the price and watch him lean over the counter, his face resting on the back of his hand.

“You wouldn’t happen to have a card to go along with it?”

You nod, and search through the drawers, pulling out a few options for him to review.

He chooses one and grabs a pen to write his message. As you wait, you bring the bouquet to your face, admiring how the colours blend together.

As you continue to consider the flowers, you hear the words “so beautiful” escape his lips.

You glance at him, expecting him to be just as mesmerized by the flowers as you are. But he isn’t looking at the flowers.

He’s looking at you.

He clears his throat, quickly slumping back down to write in his card before adding, “So, did you make this bouquet?”

“Oh, no, I wouldn’t know how. I wish I could, though. My mom used to make them so easily.”

“I’m sure you could, too. Have you tried?”

You shake your head, a small smile on your face. “People have a funny way of making you feel like certain things are more important than they are, regardless of how you feel inside. It took me a while to realize that, for me, this is more important.”

He looks at you contemplatively, scratching his head with the back of the pen.

“Well, I hope you start making some of your own soon. I’m sure you’d be fantastic at it,” he notes as he hands his credit card to you. You notice his name on it before inserting it into the card reader.

“That’s very kind of you, Mr. Kim.”

“Ah, no, Mr. Kim is my father. Please call me Seokjin.”

“Alright, Seokjin. I hope your friend likes the flowers.”

“And if she wants to know who else to thank for this bouquet, what name can I give her?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Ah, I was trying to be cute but obviously failing here. I just… I wanted to know your name,” he asks shyly.

You give him your name as you hand him the bouquet.

“I should have guessed you had a beautiful name. Very fitting,” he notes, sniffing the bouquet.

You blush, turning back to your cash register, finding the buttons unusually interesting at this moment.

“Thank you, Seokjin. I’ll be rooting for you. Hope she accepts your apology because these flowers are not really appropriate for a funeral.”

He grins at you, giving you a deep bow before turning away. You notice the rain hasn’t stopped yet and without thinking you grab your spare umbrella and rush over to him.

“Seokjin, these flowers will get ruined in the rain. Here, take my umbrella.”

He eyes the umbrella, then looks at you curiously. “What about you? I’d hate for you to get drenched because of me.”

“Oh, don’t worry about me. I’ll use the spare umbrella we have in the back.”

You extend the umbrella to him and press it against his chest before you realize you might be crossing a line. Before you can pull your hand away, his hand falls on top of yours and he grasps it and the umbrella between his lithe fingers as he holds your gaze. Smiling, he whispers a quiet, “Thank you,” before letting your hand slip from his and walking out into the street. You watch him through the store window as he opens the umbrella and waves goodbye.

Out of sight, you lean against the store window with your hand pressed against your chest. Why is your heart beating so hard?

Sure, he’s cute. Well, more than cute. And very sweet. But he’s also a customer.

As you walk over to the counter, you can’t help hoping this particular customer returns.

Your smile lingers as you wipe down the counter, so lost in thought that you barely register the door chime.

The clicking of heels catches your attention and you look up to see a woman swiping away moisture from her jacket as she tosses her umbrella into the umbrella stand.

Her hand slides into her bag, picking out a hand mirror to touch up her makeup.

“If there’s one thing I hate, it’s rain,” she mumbles, applying another layer of red lipstick as you walk over to her. She’s a bit taller than you, and almost modelesque in appearance.

“Hello, welcome to Stay Gold Marigolds. Can I help you find anything?” You ask, rubbing your palms against the apron hanging around your waist.

She flips her hair to the side to get a better look at you, the edges of her shiny locks nearly smacking you in the face. And she pauses, a slow grin creeping onto her face as she takes a step back to look you up and down.

“Well, well, well,” she gushes, her lips curling into a smirk, “Y/N. What a nice surprise.”

This time, you take a step back, considering her face with a puzzled expression.

“I’m sorry… have we met before?”

“Are you saying you don’t remember me?” she asks, eyebrow quirked, “Or maybe that you don’t want to remember me?”

Confused, you stare at her a bit longer. She does seem familiar.

“I can’t seem to place you, sorry.”

She waves her hand dismissively, her red-bottomed heels clicking against the tile as she brushes past you, stopping in the centre of the shop. Her head swivels to take in the entirety of the shop (which doesn’t take long, seeing as it’s quite small), before turning back to you with a broad grin.

“Weren’t you going to that university… what’s the name again?” She asks, her hand waving around, before shaking her head. “I didn’t expect you to end up in a place like this. I mean it wasn’t prestigious like the one Yoongi and I went to, but still…”

Words keep tumbling out of her lips but you’re no longer paying attention, your mind zooming in on one phrase in particular.

She went to university with Yoongi.

A harsh cackle draws your focus back to her, sending you hurtling back to a time you wish you could forget, her hand around Yoongi’s arm while she cackled exactly like that, surrounded by Yoongi’s family at the Mins’ mansion.

“Miranda—”

“Bingo, darling,” she laughs, pointing a perfectly manicured finger gun at you.

She looks at you more closely, her eyes raking your figure again.

“You haven’t changed one bit, Y/N.”

“Neither have you,” you note through gritted teeth.

“Oh, but that can’t be true. You didn’t even recognize me. I’ve been working out quite a bit, actually; hitting the gym everyday. It’s all part of the job, you see, as an influencer. You must have seen me. Oh, but don’t worry I’m still working at the Mins’ corporation. They couldn’t get by without me,” she cackles again, adding, “I’m practically Mr. Min’s right hand woman.”

“Good for you.”

You should have expected she’d still be in the picture but it hurts no less. She’s just as awful as you remember. Why his family seems to fawn all over her still boggles your mind.

When you look back at her, she’s watching you closely, her hand cupping her chin as she smiles. “Well, at least you have a job, right? That’s saying something.”

Your finger nails nearly cut into your skin from how hard your squeezing your fists. That was a shot at your family. At your mother. How dare she—

But you need to keep your cool. You take a deep breath to calm yourself, exercising every bit of your willpower not to reciprocate ten times harder.

“I’m seeing a lot of the Mins now that Yoongi and I are getting married. No wedding date yet, but the engagement—”

Blood rushes to your head, throbbing in your ears as you process what she just said.

They’re getting married?

You never expected to get back together with Yoongi but you also don’t want him to end up with her. You feel your stomach lurch, a frown overtaking your fake, customer service smile. At the sight of your frown, her smile broadens.

You turn your attention to her, recognizing how she’s trying to rile you up. You shouldn’t stoop to her level.

So you dig deep, gathering as much calm as you can muster. “Congratulations Miranda. I know you’ll fit right in with his family. Isn’t Yoongi’s uncle on his fifth trophy wife?”

So much for not stooping to her level.

Her wide grin falters a bit but she quickly replaces it with an even bigger one.

You try again. “Well, anyway, is there anything I can help you find?”

She waves you off again, “This shop is cute but I’m looking for something more sophisticated. It was nice seeing you Y/N. I’ll say hello to Yoongi for you.”

With a wink, she’s out the door, taking any happiness you had gleaned from your earlier interaction with Seokjin out with her.

Somehow you made it through the rest of the day, although not without Taeyeon noticing the change in your demeanour.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Taeyeon asks, hand on your shoulder as you avoid meeting her gaze.

“Yes, I’m fine. Just a little stomach ache, must be something I ate,” you lie, although not entirely. You’re stomach has definitely felt better.

On your way out, your hand mindlessly reaches for your phone, and before you know it Jimin is on the other end.

“Done work already? How was your first day?”

As if a dam burst, you let out all of your pent up frustrations, all the while Jimin listens to you intently — until you give him Miranda’s news.

“You’re kidding— He’s marrying that bitch?”

At some point you must have started crying, because you’re now finding it hard to respond, gasping for breath between sniffles. “It’s not… fair… Jimin. I really… I really thought he… loved me… But he’s… fuck… he’s really marrying her,” you sob, no concern at all about the dozens of people staring at you along the crowded sidewalk. With mascara running down your face and your stuttered, tear soaked shouting, you are quite the spectacle for passerbys.

“Listen, Y/N. You’ll be ok. It feels really bad right now but think it through, maybe it’s a blessing? You don’t have to worry about—”

You scrunch your face in response, although he obviously can’t see you.

“Nope. I’m not in the mood to think. I need to get drunk. And I’m pretty sure,” you pause, looking back, “I just passed a bar.”

You hear shuffling on the other end, a panicked voice coming through, “No, no, Y/N, that’s a bad idea. You know how you are when you’re drunk.”

“I’ll be careful. It won’t be like those other times.”

“No, Y/N. Just go home and we’ll talk more, ok? I have video set up on my computer now, it’ll be fun.”

“I don’t think so. You’re going to talk me out of drinking.”

“You can drink at home. Just… have you stopped walking? Just keep going, your apartment’s not too far, right? Just go home. Please?”

“I don’t have alcohol at home. I’ll just have a few drinks then head home. Deal?”

“You promised you wouldn’t go to bars without me, Y/N. Your tolerance is nonexistent. I’m scared what will happen if I’m not there to protect you.”

“I’ll be fine. I just need to get that stupid face out of my head. A few drinks and I’ll be good. I won’t go overboard, I promise.”

Jimin doesn’t give up trying to convince you otherwise but it was no use. Your mind is set on drinking and that’s what you’re going to do. You walk to the bar you passed, the floors creaking as you enter. It’s just opening its doors now and you find a seat by the bartender.

A few drinks turn into quite a few and you’re not really sure anymore where you are. A tall man comes into view. Ah yes, the bartender from earlier.

“Bar…keep, ahem… I need a-another one of those w-whiskey dealies,” you manage to slur out, pointing your finger at no one in particular.

“I think you’ve had enough, miss.”

You nod, your head plopping back onto the bar counter.

Another voice draws you in, an unfamiliar sound.

“Hey baby, wanna come back to my place. I’ll let you drink as much as you want.”

You look up to see a sleazy looking guy staring at you, his hand now on your back.

You shove him off angrily, pointing your finger squarely in his face. “Don’t t-touch me, a-asshole.”

“Come on, baby. Don’t be like that.”

He grabs your arm and pulls you into him, and while you struggle against him, he seems to be stronger.

“Let m-me go!” You shout, struggling against his grip.

Suddenly, his grip loosens as you feel him being pulled away from you, a familiar voice accompanying the action, “Back off, buddy. She asked you not to touch her.”

You plop back onto the counter but feel another set of hands on you. Softer this time.

“Y/N, I’m going to take you back to your apartment, ok? You’ve had enough for tonight.”

You look up to see a fuzzy face and gasp when it comes into focus.

“You l-look sooo m-much like Yoongi,” is all you can manage before you pass out completely.

The sound of your alarm jolts you awake.

Your eyes flutter open as you take in the smell of freshly brewed coffee and the sound of stirring so close it could be coming from inside the room. Odd.

You lift yourself up gingerly to investigate and groan as you feel the intense throbbing brought on by the overindulgence of alcohol. Jimin was right. Drinking was a bad idea.

You glance around and realize you’re in your own bedroom. So you did make it home after all. But how? The last you remember, you passed out at the bar.

Oh wait. You suddenly remember being rescued… by Yoongi. Further bits start coming back to you. The way he carried you back to your apartment. How he fumbled with getting you into your bed. Oh no, you you might have thrown up on him by your bed. You glance at the spot and see it’s clean — did he clean it up for you?

You feel so embarrassed. How are you ever going to live this down?

You grab your phone and notice aspirin and water next to it on your night table. Gulping it down, you head towards the washroom and soon notice you’re not alone.

Yoongi gets up from the couch as he notices you entering the room, and you pause mid step when you see him, taking in his disheveled appearance, messy bed head, his wrinkled white tee and dark wash jeans. Did he sleep on the couch last night?

“Yoongi?”

“Uh, yeah,” he acknowledges, grabbing the second mug on the table and handing it to you, “I just wanted to make sure you were alright. You had a lot to drink.”

You take the mug from him, murmuring a quiet “thanks” before averting your eyes to take a sip.

“Looks like you’re alright, so I’ll get going.”

Without thinking, your hand reaches out for him, “Wait, Yoongi, I… I’m beyond embarrassed about last night. Thank you… for being there.”

He smiles. “Don’t worry about it. And you don’t have anything to be embarrassed about. I guess you got some bad news or something. To be fair, I would probably react the same.”

Your eyes widen, wondering if maybe, in your drunken state, you told him why you were upset. Although pieces have come back to you, there’s still a lot you don’t remember. But if you did tell him, he certainly didn’t act like it.

“Well, if that’s all, I’ll be going.”

At your nod, he’s out the door. You walk over to your couch, contemplating how strange the last few days have been. And as angry you want to be at Yoongi, you can’t help feeling warm remembering the little bits you can of last night. How he chuckled at your nonsense as he carried you through the street. His gummy smile as you fell onto the bed. The way he tucked your blanket around you.

No.

Stop.

This is the same man who made you feel stupid for falling in love with him, because after everything you went through together he still let you go. To go back to Miranda.

And now he’s marrying her.

You glance down to see a string of missed texts and calls from Jimin.

Oh shit, you’re in trouble.

[notwiselybuttoowell]

Called Infinna, the fibre is already being used by global brands including Patagonia, H&M and Inditex, which owns Zara. "It's a premium quality textile fibre, which looks and feels natural - like cotton," says Mr Alava, rubbing his own navy blue tee between his fingers. "And it is solving a major waste problem."

Around the world, an estimated 92 million tonnes of textiles waste is created each year, according to non-profit Global Fashion Agenda, and this figure is set to rise to more than 134 million tonnes by 2030, if clothing production continues along its current track.

To the untrained eye, samples of Infinited Fiber's recycled fibre resemble lambswool; soft, fluffy and cream coloured. Mr Alava explains that the product is produced through a complex, multi-step process which starts with shredding old textiles and removing synthetic materials and dyes, and ends with a new fibre, regenerated from extracted cellulose.

This finished fibre can then simply "hop into the traditional production processes" used by High Street brands, replacing cotton and synthetic fibres, to produce everything from shirts and dresses to denim jeans.

Much of the science involved in making the fibre has been around since the 1980s, says Mr Alava, but rapid technological advancements in the last few years have finally made large-scale production a more realistic possibility.

In parallel, he believes High Street brands have become more focused on "really honestly looking for changing their material usage", while millennial and Gen Z consumers are increasingly concerned about shopping sustainably. "They are different animals, different consumers, to people my age," he laughs.

The company has already attracted so much interest in its technology that it recently announced it was investing €400m (£345m; $400m) to build its first commercial-scale factory at a disused paper mill in Lapland.

The goal is to produce 30,000 tonnes of fibre a year once it's operating at full capacity in 2025. That is equivalent to the fibre needed for approximately 100 million T-shirts.

"I think the impact could be quite big, if you think about the whole textile system, what exists currently and how much textile waste that we have," argues Kirsi Niinimäki, an associate professor in fashion research at Aalto University, a few blocks away from Infinited Fiber's headquarters.

"It's a really good example of actually how we can 'close the loop'… really begin to move to a circular economy."

Infinited Fiber's growth is tied into a wider vision in Finland, which wants to become Europe's leading circular economy, with a focus on reusing and saving resources. In 2016, it became the first government in the world to create a national road map designed to help reach its goal.

Several other Finnish start-ups are looking at ways to produce new textile fibres on a big scale, while also cutting down on harmful emissions and chemicals. These include Spinnova which, from its textiles factory in Jyväskylä, central Finland, transforms cellulose from raw wood pulp into ready-to-spin fibres.

Spinnova's yarn is attracting plenty of global attention and has so far been used by brands including upmarket Finnish clothing label Marimekko, and outdoor wear firms North Face, Bergans and Adidas, which recently used it in a limited edition midlayer hoodie designed for hikers.

Elsewhere in Europe, there are a range of other companies developing technologies to create more circular yarns, including Swedish startup Renewcell, and Bright.fiber Textiles, which plans to open its first factory in the Netherlands in 2023.

But experts say there are a range of challenges facing these new fibre brands as they plot their expansions.

Ms Niinimäki underlines that the clothing manufacturing sector has, until recently, been slower than many other industries when it comes to embracing sustainability, which could set the tone for a slower transformation than companies like Spinnova and Infinited Fiber hope.

"It has been so easy to produce the way that we have been producing, and just to move towards more effective industrial manufacturing on an increasingly bigger scale," she says.

"There hasn't been a big pressure to change the already existing system." However, she is hopeful that, in the European Union at least, new rules aimed at ensuring clothing manufacturers focus on more sustainable and durable products will speed up "a change in mindsets".

Another issue is whether clothing brands will be able to pass on the additional costs of their new high-tech production techniques on to consumers, especially at a time when the cost of living is spiralling globally.

Adidas' latest limited edition hoodie produced with Spinnova fabric costs €160 (£137; $160) to buy online in Finland, at least €40 more than most of its other technical hoodies.

"Fashion is a complicated area, because even if people are saying that they are environmentally aware, they don't always act rationally," says Ms Niinimäki. "There's also this kind of emotional side when you talk about fashion consumption, and of course, the price is also linked to that."

While both Infinited Fiber and Spinnova insist their business plans look holistically at all aspects of production - for example using renewable technologies to power their factories - climate campaigners argue it is still too early to accurately estimate the net effect of these new techniques on carbon emissions.

"Pulp and other alternative fibres can provide diversity for sourcing textile materials and therefore lessen the burden caused by production of more traditional textile raw materials such as cotton," says Mai Suominen, a leading forest expert for WWF. "However it depends on the use of energy, all the processes they use and how they use waste materials."

Most importantly, she argues, simply slotting more sustainable fibres into the multibillion dollar fashion industry won't be enough to combat climate change, if we keep making and buying clothes at the current rate.

There is no sustainable development unless the overall natural resource consumption is radically decreased to a level that fits within planetary boundaries," she argues.

But within the Finnish fibres industry there is a sense of boomtown optimism that the increased use of recycled or reimagined fibres could be an important part of the jigsaw in the battle to limit climate change.

"The fast-fashion companies who have been kind of creating certain parts of the problem are highly interested in new technologies," says Infinited Fibers chief executive Petri Alva. He believes that if investment continues, the recycled fibres could become mainstream within ten to 15 years.

[sustainabilitythoughts]

Wearing synthetic clothing sustainably

I have seen a lot of discussion on the Internet about the environmental impact of natural fibers and synthetic fibers used to make clothing.  Synthetic fabrics are made from oil, just like plastic is. According to the attached article, “Petrochemical-based synthetics make up 65% of all fibers produced annually, with polyester by far the most widely used synthetic fabric. Despite the serious environmental impacts of cotton production, a T-shirt made from cotton produces 2.1 kg CO2-eqemissions while a polyester T-shirt emits an estimated 5.5 kg CO2-eq.”  Synthetic fabrics also contribute to plastic pollution. Washing clothes breaks off microfibers that contribute to microplastic contamination in waterways. Coatings on fibers or clothing contribute to pollution when they wash off and some are made with chemicals that are harmful to us and the planet.    

However, sometimes you need the qualities produced by synthetic fabrics and the treatments/coatings applied to the fabric, such as waterproofing.  Here are some ideas on how to reduce the environmental impact of clothing made with synthetic fibers.

Buy clothing made from recycled materials when possible. Several manufacturers have begun making clothing using some recycled materials, so look for them.

When evaluating clothing ,whether new or made from recycled materials, look for textile certifications such as Bluesign and Oeko-Tex, which indicate that a product was made with only safer materials and treatments.

You can reduce microfiber pollution by using cooler, faster laundry cycles. Hanging clothes to dry reduces microfiber pollution and also saves energy. 

Research microfiber filters that can be installed on your washing machine to capture the microfibers. 

Purchase fewer clothing items of higher quality and maintain them carefully.  Read the laundering instructions on the label inside the item of clothing.  Some clothing requires special detergents or laundry cycles to maintain their waterproof or fire-retardant properties. Clothing that is properly maintained will last much longer, hopefully leading to fewer resources being used to make new clothing. 

[positivexcellence]

towwn:  basic tees will always be in style. unfortunately, they're also a top "fast fashion" offender (i.e. clothing made in mass quantities that negatively impacts our planet.) luckily, designers are working on sustainable solutions, producing tees using eco-friendly friendly fibers, responsible water and waste methods, + fair labor practices. check out our current favorite eco tees below. and, as always, shop second hand when possible. @mate_the_label in addition to making stylish tees from organic cotton, recycled polyester + linen, they use only non-toxic dyes, reducing water pollution + keeping people safe from toxic chemicals. @girlfriend using recycled plastic bottles to create the fabric for their soft, durable, and cozy t-shirts, g.c. reduces waste + minimizes enviro-impact. the brand also prioritizes ethical labor practices + fair wages. @alleyandrae organic cotton + recycled polyester (made from post-consumer plastic bottles) are the source materials for these fun slogan tees. a&r uses eco packaging like biodegradable mailers + recycled paper tags, + donates to green orgs. @alternativeapparel eco-minded materials like organic cotton, recycled polyester, + low-impact dyes make a.a. shirts a sustainable option for men + women. carbon-neutral production, fair labor wages, and eco-packaging seal the deal. @poplinen seeking a sustainable t-shirt that’s cozy + enviro-friendly, but also want to support a small biz owned by a woman of color? look no further. these sweet tees are made of biodegradable + renewable fabrics. eco-packaging is an added bonus. @harvestandmill grown and sewn in the u.s., this cali brand is a favorite of eco-minded men and women because of its basic, yet chic tees which are vegan, non-toxic, + carbon neutral. @marcellanyc boasting a zero-waste production process, these edgy tees are low enviro-impact and high on fashion. we also applaud their carbon-neutral shipping + philanthropic efforts. @jungmaven this early industry leader has been making stylish hemp tees since the ‘90s. hemp requires less water + fewer pesticides than most cotton, plus the brand uses all-natural dyes, offers a recycling program, + supports enviro-minded orgs

[fuzzyfestpuppy]

Unisex Premium GRAPHIC T-SHIRTS - Americana Series v.36

Elevate your casual wardrobe with our Unisex Premium GRAPHIC T-SHIRTS from the Americana Series v.36. Crafted with comfort and style in mind, this sweatshirt is designed to become your go-to everyday essential.

Key Features:

Ribbed crew neck, long sleeve cuffs, and flat hem for a classic silhouette

Soft fleece inside for ultimate comfort

Blend of high-quality materials for durability: 100% cotton face, 65% cotton, 35% polyester

Varied fabric weight options: 8.5 oz/y² (288.2 g/m²) for a cozy feel

Tightly knit 3-end fleece for a premium touch

Side-seamed construction and double-needle stitching for long-lasting wear

Embrace the thoughtful purchasing decision behind this product, as it is made on demand to reduce overproduction. Showcasing traceability from weaving to manufacturing in Pakistan, this sweatshirt is committed to responsible sourcing.

Specifications:

Contains 0% recycled polyester

No dangerous substances for peace of mind

Size Guide:

Size | Body Length (inches) | Chest Width (inches) | Sleeve Length (inches)

S 27 20 23 ½

M 28 21 24

L 29 23 24

XL 30 25 24

2XL 31 26 ½ 24

[jacketssupplier]

Enjoy Special Offers On Organic And Sustainable T-shirts From Recycle Clothing

Being a recognized sustainable t-shirt manufacturer, Recycle Clothing offers sustainable and eco-friendly tees tailored with 100% natural fabrics. Purchase these durable tees in bulk!

[popartsandcrafts]

These wooden Bleeding Heart Earrings are 2.5 inches in length and are .75 inches wide. They feature vintage medical illustrations, red glass beads, and make a great gift for a medical student or as the perfect accessory for a Goth Wedding.

And guess what! These creepy cute earrings are nickel free and eco-friendly! Our production partners make the charms from responsibly sourced European Birch Plywood. By sourcing fast-growing woods from ethical suppliers they are able to provide us with quality merchandise, using environmentally friendly materials, whilst actively supporting responsible woodland management schemes. Even the card backing it's on is green. The card backing is made from 100% recycled T-shirt offcuts – stuff that normally gets thrown away. And our ear wires are made with nickel-free surgical steel for anyone with sensitive ears (like myself).

So whether you need a birthday gift for your horror obsessed friend, have a special goth in your life, or you just love vintage medicine these wooden Bleeding Heart earrings are the perfect fashion accessory!

[sanstropfremir]

✨🎥! Oh yes, please do talk about garments and shoes non stop!

My mother was a fashion professor (as in taught young adults how to make clothes from scratch, starting with the pattern and finishing with the final piece) and used to sew a lot so I do have pieces that she handmaded and also a couple of sewing machines at home. In fact, there a full manual sewing machine at my grandma’s that my mother used when she was studying. She passed quite a long time ago but I do remember that as a child she taught me how to hand sew a button. I literally have a drawer full of them, and a bazillion types of threads. In t-shirts/shirts whenever a hole appeared, she would cover it with something embroidered like any sort of figure that would go well to keep using that

Also, where I live there’s a “school” where they teach amateurs how to sew. They literally have a “Make a [insert piece of clothing] in a day” and they’re quite nice. A lot of people keep going back to them to make more so they have a different one every month or so

But yeah, composition of the garment is one of the things that’s says a lot about them. Again, another thing that my mother instilled in me was to go for natural fibres and treat them right. Learning how to read the label of the caring instructions also helps. I try to avoid anything that requires to be hand washed because I’m allergic to an ingredient that is present in pretty much every detergent, so that becomes a hassle for me, but generally I wash either cold or 30ºC max

Shoes are another thing. Some have the worst quality and break so easily without any option to repair them. Like I remember going to the shoemaker to repair the soles or the heels, but with most of the shoes made now, they’re so shitty that it’s not even worth it. And sadly, I have one of the most common shoe sizes for women, but with slightly slimmer feet so if I’m looking for heels, I need to go for something that has support on the ankle or size down, otherwise the heels would fall of my feet 🥲 And that extents to clothes as well. Sizing is so fucking inconsistence, specially for women. There’s items in one store made by the same manufacturer that differ SO MUCH… I hate it because, again, even though I am considered slim, my hips are wider and my waist a bit tinier so things that should fit on my waist do not go up my ass. And my chest is small as well so fitting all 3 is… a nightmare. I always question that if I can’t find things that fit me properly even though I’m considered to be “in the standard”, what about those bodies that are not? GOD, everyday I lose faith in the fashion industry

PD: LOL at the “adulthood is meeting your friends every few months anyways”, literally all of my friends live in different cities now, so we plan in advance when we get to see each other. Sometimes with 2-months notices, especially if that entails to reunite the whole gang and not just the core (10 vs 3)

hahaha so you really did already know everything i said! but that's ok, hopefully it still was some help somewhere.

trying to buy clothes really has been getting more and more difficult because you're absolutely right; the 'standard' body type that fast fashion is made for doesn't actually exist. pretty fucking depressing that a whole industry exists the make you feel unhappy and unsatisfied with how you look so you keep buying more things, but also there are so many of those industries also and capitalism ruins everything i hate it here. shoes are an intertwined problem too bc shoes that are shoddily made of synthetic materials are so bad in every way. even ones that are well made of synthetic materials are STILL bad imo. shoddy craftsmanship is a human constant but at least with natural materials some of that can either be repaired or recycled into something else, but synthetic materials? good fucking luck. i really do recommend to everyone that if it's possible they should get one good staple leather shoe that they learn how to take care of bc it will fit your foot better than any synthetic material and will last longer. there is a REASON that shoes have been made of leather literally for most of time; it's a vastly superior material in terms of physical properties than anything else for what shoes have to do as a functional objects. but the never ceasing cycle of capitalism has made it impossible to actually find something 'trendy' (or even just nice looking) and good quality AND at a good price. i really do hate it here.

[postnuclearophelia]

STAR BAG FOR SALE!; handmade by me from all recycled materials and dyed with avocado skins. double straps made from t shirt. black dye is a permanent fabric dye but i recommend handwash only. detachable lace bow, oversized bobby pin and black feather attached to strap.

[gummybugg]

Happy WBW! I want to know about the clothes in your world! What is a typical outfit for your OC(s)? Are clothes typically made from a single type of fabric, or is there a variety? If so, does the availability of these fabrics vary by location or social class?

~tabswrites

Happy WBW & thanks for the ask! I'll answer this for my wip Crater City :')

Fashion

What each character wears is really No different from what we wear in Modern-day. But each character Generally has their own style:

Blair's Style consists of plain/graphic t-shirts and tanks, Usually with cargo shorts or worn jeans (he isn't that Picky).

Elijah has a Punk/alternative style and tends to Dress "more intimidating than he actually is": chokers, a few chains, and layered clothing.

Frasier Loves his florals <3 Catch him wearing a floral dress [shirt] or a tie that Compliments his shoes. He also tends to dye + put flowers in his hair on Special occasions. He dresses very Formal.

Darcy’s style is also pretty Formal, too, since he is the mayor and Must keep up his image. Suits with shoulder pads for him! He's just a shoulder pad kinda Fellow.

Melony’s style is avant-garde, I suppose. She typically wears Pinks and Greens outside of work (as those are the colors I Associate most with her). Swirly patterns, fur coats, and Bright colors!

Rose typically wears Form-fitting dresses and…Actually, I’m not sure how to describe What she wears, but here’s an Idea:

Materials

You know that clothing made from plastics or bulletproof Material? That's what I'd imagine clothing has Evolved to at this point in the story. Just recycled materials manufactured into Fashionable wearables. Of course, there's Cotton, wool, etc, but I'd like to imagine that our beloved Neo-civilization is very into Recycling due to the Collapse of mankind, etc etc (you Know how it is). There's not really any Particular fabric associated to the Affluent, as just about anything can be cloned or man-made.

I hope this makes Sense because I do tend to Ramble!

----------

tagging @writeouswriter for crater city content :')

[supportteeshirtsandme]

What is the “Trend” ?

What is the “Trend” ? In the age of technology and social media, the term ��trending” has become a popular term to describe something that is becoming popular or receiving a lot of attention. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube all have a “trending” feature, allowing users to see what is popular and being talked about on their platform. The most popular keywords on these platforms are often displayed on the homepage or search results page.

Why is “trending” important? Understanding what is popular and being talked about can help marketers, businesses, those working in the media industry, and even individual users understand the trends and interests of users, thereby creating relevant content that attracts the attention of customers or followers.

Additionally, “trending” helps users stay up-to-date with the latest news, events, or trends in their community. This can help users make more informed decisions and interact with other users on social media.

In today’s era, trends in fashion choices and shopping habits among young people are rapidly changing. With the development of technology and social media, young people have easy access to the latest products, fashion styles, and unique collections. This article will introduce some popular shopping and fashion trends among young people today.

Sustainable fashion: The trend of sustainable fashion is becoming increasingly popular. Young people are now interested in products made from environmentally-friendly materials, durable designs, and recyclable. In addition, fashion brands are also focusing on producing environmentally-friendly products and ensuring good working conditions for workers.

Vintage fashion: Fashion styles from the 80s and 90s are making a comeback and are loved by young people. Denim material, long skirts, leather jackets, plain t-shirts… are popular vintage fashion styles. What’s special is that young people often seek unique vintage products to express their individual style.

Streetwear fashion: Streetwear fashion is becoming an undeniable trend among young people. Products such as sports shoes, jogger pants, t-shirts with images… are becoming essential items in young people’s wardrobes. Famous streetwear fashion brands like Supreme, Off-White, and Yeezy are very popular.

Online shopping: With the development of technology, online shopping is becoming a popular trend among young people. Instead of going to fashion stores to shop, young people now often choose to shop online. This makes it easier for them to access a wide range of products and compare prices and quality.