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lostnct23 · 3 years

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Noona?

Pairing: ? x Reader Word count: 2974

Summary: You are the new SM staff whom other members can’t seem to shy away from your charm. But there’s one person who’s more than eager to get you all for himself.

Warning: Slow burn. Possesiveness. Suggestive Disclaimer: This is a pure fiction. There’s is no way that the portrayal of the artist’s character mirrors the artist’s actual true self A/N: Please do not repost this other on social media platform without the consent of the author. Feedbacks are always appreciated and if you have any request or scenarios in mind, I’d be more than willing to entertain your ideas.

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Recently, there has been this SM staff who suddenly became famous among to other staffs. It’s no secret that she’s been the content of the mundane talk of other people within the vicinity. Well for one, it’s because she was extremely talented, new, graduate from abroad and the most infamous one was because, for once, Jisung the ever-shy boy around girls is very comfortable around you. He’s not even very subtle at hiding his adoration towards you.

Ever since you started working in the company it was no surprise that you were extremely approachable despite the fact that you were extremely shy at first. People really adore you for your sincere nature and your genuine heart. That’s why it’s not even a mystery why the NCT maknae was so drawn towards you, however, with that being said, so does the other NCT members.

At first, it was Johnny who was very blatant at showing that he found you adorable, and considering that both of you are very familiar with what is it like to live abroad you quickly click and become comfortable with each other. Then there’s Jaehyun who has his ways of charming people towards him, and then Mark Lee who was unquestionably very friendly and comfortable to be around. Despite the fact that many people swarm their way towards you, you are good at keeping your safe distance, never going beyond what is considered unprofessional which is why you perplexed one person in particular.

He noticed how despite being friendly and tending to other people, you have your subtle way of putting lines between you and them. It’s like you can read other people’s intentions without making them uncomfortable of knowing what was their agenda, that’s why he kept a safe distance from you. Not because he doesn’t want to be close to you, but because he wanted to be able to pass through the walls that you built around you.

With that being said, he just quietly observe from afar, silently studying what he should do, what were these people doing wrong, why despite their attempt you still have that tall wall around you, how should he do things right to win your favor without a single restraint as you have with others.

“Noona!” the maknae exclaimed after seeing you emerged from the curtain behind, today you were assigned as their photographer, it was one of SM’s marketing strategies for their upcoming comeback and you couldn’t be more excited to work with all of the members. They were always with their units, but today, SM decided to have all of them merge.

“Jisung-ah!” you replied and gave the youngest a warm hug, which doesn’t go unnoticed by the brooding man at the back, silently throwing daggers towards your direction, his make-up artist is not so fond as well at his sudden long face expression. “ Have you been well? “ you asked adoringly.

“Yah, what this eyebags, you stay up all night didn’t you?” you playfully scolded him. Jisung suddenly grew embarrassed and even a little guilty at disappointing you.

“ 밥 먹었어요?” (Bap meogeoseoyo) you asked the boy. He just shakes his head as a no and you scoffed at his answer. “그래, 알았어, Let’s eat after this, Noona’s treat” (Grae, arasseo) you said then patted the young boy’s back which earns a delighted smile at his end. On the other hand, someone was not very happy at the scene that unfolded before his eyes. How come, that the ever wallflower Jisung managed to win you over, the only women he laid eyes who doesn’t flatter at other people’s advances towards her. Even the oh-so-great flirt Yuta didn’t manage to have you swoon over your feet.

He was snapped back to life when other Dream members started to tease Jisung because of his encounter with you. Jaemin was the loudest to utter ‘Our Jisung-a is no longer a baby boy huh” Jisung only rolled his eyes and utter how they don’t make sense and how other members were saying the most rubbish, and weirdest non-sense ever. Starting from that day he started to make his own move at making his effort of getting close to you. Doesn’t matter if he can’t break your walls because he’s more than willing to climb it just to get to you.

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Weeks have past and he can already see the progress within your relationship, you were warmer to him than before, you would even greet him first when you do happen to crossway in the hallway. He was also almost confident that you favor him an extra bit more than the others. You were usually shy with other members, would wait for them to acknowledge you first but with him, you would say hi first once in a while. He even became more confident when you asked him first to help you get to know the city when he’s free until it became your thing to invite one another to visit a shop that has only been open recently.

The keyword was almost.

Once their photoshoot from last month was initially released you were relentless at showering Jisung with a compliment. Telling him how proud you were with him, how handsome he looks at some shots. The breaking point was when you told him that you will treat him, AGAIN, with a meal.

“Let’s celebrate this, there’s this restaurant that just open, we should try it” you beamed happily to the boy, even snaking your hand around his right arm. He couldn’t bear the sight, he knows it’s wrong for him to feel hostile towards the youngest member but at this point, he is beyond his rationality. “I want to come to!” he said way too loudly and too aggressive than his normal tone.

All eyes were now focused towards him, shocked at his sudden outburst. But the thing that’s been running in his mind was the fact that he can’t let you be alone with another man that’s not him. He was only starting to build his way at winning you, he can’t let other men have an advance in his game.

Meal with a new restaurant was our thing.

Midnight stroll in the city was our thing.

Going out to visit a new store was our thing.

He’s missing something. Do you like younger boys? Was the problem was his age? Was that it? Was that the reason why you always pin over Jisung despite other members pine over you? He thought you were getting along. He almost even thought that his feelings towards you were starting to cease from being one-sided.

“Oh sure, no problem with that Taeyong Hyung, you can always tag along whenever,” the young boy said, completely oblivious to the way Taeyong’s eyes were raking your form as if he would take you right there and there. You on the other hand found his outburst peculiar and very out of character.

*****************************************

Starting from that day, Taeyong was more obvious at dropping hints towards his affection. He’s no longer subtle at giving you compliments. The members were not oblivious to this, the moment that Taeyong made his affection towards you obvious, was the moment the other member took it as a cue to back off. They never really saw their leader took an interest in anyone, he’s always too busy to take care of everyone that he always neglect to fend for his own self, so when started to become all puppy eyes whenever you are around, follow you everywhere you go, do everything just to get your attention from bringing your files for you up to the littlest things and reason just to be with you, they knew you were now a serious deal.

Taeyong may have made things obvious, but whatever it is that’s going on between the two of you, it was never confirmed nor denied verbally.

Taeyong always made sure to be pinned in the hip with you whenever he had the chance. May it be the time where you visit their practice room to disseminate some information, may it be the time that they’re free and just casually chilling at the cafeteria, Taeyong would even bring you a drink every chance he got, staying at your station just to casually hang around in a place where you were doing your own things, so basically you were dating without actually being said to be dating.

People around the company started to suspect that there’s something going on between the two of you. Interns who have shown their interest towards you were always warned that you were already Taeyong’s and it would be in their best interest to find someone else than bother you because Taeyong might be the sweetest guy, but boy was he possessive as hell.

There was even one time where an innocent intern was too close to you for Taeyong’s liking and behold, it was the first that everyone witnessed his possessiveness. He wouldn’t keep his hand off of your waist. He would constantly be glued at your side, towering whoever comes in your way, intimidating every single employee who would just approach you. He might not verbally tell them to get lost, but his intimidating aura alone is enough to send them off.

And that was the time that everyone knew better than jeopardize you and Taeyong. It might never be officially stated that the two of you were an item but he’s an idol, and they would never vocally nor announce publicly that they were dating, even if it’s only inside the company. Nevertheless, the way he was behaving around you was enough to show that you were indeed his, and his alone.

*****************************************

Everything was well, the day was bright, everyone was just having fun, well that’s until someone was having TOO much fun without HIM being by your side. Taeyong doesn’t appreciate the fact that Jisung’s hand was around your shoulder and that you were laughing way too loudly for his liking at to what the maknae was saying. And the fact that you were bare except for your beachwear right now doesn’t make anything better. Seeing other people, especially men, holding your skin like that irks him in so many ways.

“Jisung-a, we’re having too much fun here are we” the innocent boy can only smile towards his Hyung completely oblivious to the sarcasm that coated his statement.

“Oh Hyung, annyeong!” he greeted. “Neh, I was just telling Noona about that time where we skipped and spent all day in the city” he laughed. “Pretty much risky, isn’t it Noona” the boy beamed looking down on you. You on the other hand catch a glimpse of how Taeyong was basically shaking and gawking his eyes on the hand that is around your shoulder.

“Jisung-a,” you said sweetly, which made Taeyong even more annoyed than he already is. He narrowed his eyes and gritted his teeth and it shows with the way how his jaw clenched. “Neh?” Jisung responded, almost too endearing if you asked others' perspectives. But Taeyong’s foul mood is too palpable that you can’t help but acknowledge it. “Maybe you should find Chenle first and...” you haven’t able to finish whatever you were saying because Taeyong basically tears you off from Jisung’s arm and drag away from the shore towards one of resort’s room.

When you’re completely away from the eyes of anyone you were surprised when Taeyong pin you harshly towards the wall, eyes were almost popping from its socket, his boba eyes which everyone adored were replaced with something predatory.

“Were you really oblivious towards what I feel even after making it too fcking obvious or do you really just want to play all too naive and innocent? What are playing Y/N?” he said while carefully caressing your cheeks, despite the fact that he does it so gently it feels like it’s burning because the way of how he’s body is basically restricting him from losing control all at once. You can feel his breath fanning the side of your cheeks.

You gulp loudly not expecting that this is the way Taeyong would finally burst. “Or are you just nasty and enjoyed being called Noona?” he said lips almost touching yours but not enough to actually have contact. His hand slowly traveled towards your delicate neck. “I can also call you Noona you know” he said, almost like a growl. “If that’s what you want if that’s what I’ve been missing all this time, so tell me Y/N, why do you always have the knack of pissing me off through Jisung”.

You on the other hand were too lost with how close your body is with his and the fact that he’s basically manhandling you right now. You wanted to chuckle at how unreasonable he is but at the same time also too aroused to actually compose a coherent answer.

“Answer me or I will force it out of you, you minx” he tightened his grip on your neck. Part of you want to test his patience and the other just wanted to submit, you decided to choose the first one.

“Maybe you haven’t marked what yours properly” you answered hoarsely and Taeyong’s eyes darkened because of your answer. He quickly smashed his lips to yours and one thing lead to another. The last thing you know he’s already giving your neck a hickey, a big and very prominent one you can tell with the way of how hard he was sucking and biting your neck.

Before things can go too far a figure appeared in your peripheral vision which caused you to push Taeyong off of you. Taeyong on the other hand looked too perplexed but when he saw the person cause of your awestruck state, he grew smug.

“Eww, Noona! I know you and Taeyong were now basically a thing but” Jisung exclaimed pointing at your neck looking dumbfounded, “good luck at telling Appa where does that thing came from because I’m basically not telling that my sister is doing the dirty with my leader Hyung” he said leaving the two of you. But even at the end of the hall, you can both heard him murmuring to himself how he can’t believe that his Noona is not as innocent as he thought you were.

Meanwhile, Taeyong looks so perplexed, he just looked at you with a puzzled expression silently begging for an answer.

“Jisung is my dongsaeng you know, I can’t believe you just got jealous of my baby brother, and the maknae of your group” you scoffed. Lightly fixing your dress. “And definitely don’t expect that of all people he would be the one to walk in on us” Taeyong on the other hand look so lost, you can see in his feature some trace of regret, humiliation, guilt but you can only smile at his dumbfound state.

“To answer your question earlier, it’s not like you don’t make things obvious, it’s just that you don’t make it vocal so it’s not like I can really say anything other than what you show” you shrugged trying to bring him out from his dazed.

“Hello? earth to Taeyong?” he remained silent. You decide to say something to finally snapped him out of it. “Since you have already stolen a kiss from me, which is, by the way, my first kiss, and you as well basically already mark me, are finally going to ACTUALLY ask me to be your girlfriend?” still none “or should I finally take that carnival date with Yuta?” that might have done the trick because Taeyong held you by your waist with the blink of an eye. Looking at you hungrily before giving you another kiss, this time it’s sweeter and more sensual than the first time.

“You are only mine, jagiya” he said, and you wonder how can he look so feral just a moment ago, and now he looked so ethereal and cute with his toothy smile.

Fin.

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a-man-for-hire-and-his-archives · 3 years

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Behind the scenes of South African-produced series, Black Sails

The first season of the Emmy Award-winning adventure series, Black Sails, will be screened in South Africa from August. Set in the 18th century during the golden age of piracy, it was filmed at Cape Town Film studios and produced by Michael Bay.

Media Update’s Cassy van Eeden caught up with two members of the cast: Sean Michael (SM) and Louise Barnes (LB). What was it like being a part of Black Sails, season 1? SM: It’s not very often that South African actors get the opportunity to play leading and support lead roles in major international productions being shot here on our shores. So, landing a series regular role in Black Sails was a wonderful career highlight for me. Over the course of two years. I had the privilege of working with some of the best actors, writers and producers that Hollywood has to offer. I cannot be more appreciative, proud and honoured to represent South African in its amazing entertainment arena. LB: Incredible. Very often on South African productions there are budget constraints which can be very frustrating for everyone involved. This is not the case on Black Sails. Everything from the scripts, to wardrobe and make-up were top class. Everyone working on the production brought their A-game and it was a very creative, happy environment. What was it like working with Michael Bay? LB: He thinks ‘big’, and it shows in the scale of the production - it's epic on every level. SM: Mr Bay brings years of expertise, energy and passion to his projects. So just being able to say that I worked on a production produced by him, was clearly a feather in my cap. When we were in pre-production on season 1, Michael called us to say how excited he was to be working with each of us and wished us well for the start of filming. That personal touch that he brings to his work was so appreciated and made us even more determined to make him proud. How did you prepare for your role in Black Sails? SM: As my character is not based on historical fact, I did a tremendous amount of research into the 1700s era and this very specific period of pirate history. After watching films and reading books that referenced similar characters, I slowly built a backstory to Richard Guthrie and with the help of immensely talents costumers, hair and make-up stylists and dialect coaches, I finally stepped into this devious man’s shoes – or in fact his elaborate stockings, heels and wigs. LB: I researched the period, specifically what life was like for women at that time. I read Treasure Island for which Black Sails is a kind of prequel. I waxed and buffed. What does the filming of a series like Black Sails in South Africa mean for the country? Over the past few years of filming at Cape Town Film Studios, it has truly shone a spotlight on our industry over here and shown audiences – and filmmakers around the world – what amazing talent, locations and expertise our local industry has to offer. Black Sails has helped put Cape Town and South Africa on the map in an already highly competitive industry, demonstrating that we have the infrastructure to facilitate and co-produce multi-million dollar productions – and award-winning ones at that, which are celebrated the world over. What was your favourite moment of season 1? LB: From an acting point of view there was one scene that stands out for me (episode 4 - we're fighting about our future on the island) as it was the first time in my career that I was able to find that balance of being technically "on" (hitting my mark, finding my light) and fully immersed in the emotional life of the scene. It was a real turning point for my skill as a screen-actor. Black Sails airs on the History Channel, channel 186 on DStv, from August 2015.

Source: Media Update South Africa

#black sails #louise barnes #sean michael #interview

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neocrush · 4 years

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to the fools who dream.

pairing: idol!renjun x fem!trainee!reader

prompt: when two fools with the same dream collide and tragically fall for each other. except, one has already achieved said dream. the other is willing to sacrifice everything in able to reach that same dream. through experiencing love and heartbreak for the first time, they learn to separate dream and reality.

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TEASER UNDER THE CUT.

“Five, six, seven, eight!” The dance teacher counted to the beats of Boss Bitch by Doja Cat. You kept a strong gaze, looking at your dancing figure on the mirror. You and your fellow trainees squatted on the ground as you stayed in that position, waiting for your respective solo parts. As your solo part came, you stood up and gracefully went to the center. After sixteen counts, everyone else stood up as you led them into the chorus. As the song ends, you stayed still in your ending pose. You and Saerin’s heavy breathing being the only audible thing to your ears.

Your ending pose included you perching one arm up her right shoulder as both your bodies faced each other, meanwhile your actual faces faced the floor. “Good job, girls! That’s a wrap for dance practice today!” The man who previously had a stern face, smiled proudly at your hard work. “Your managers told me that none of you have any extra classes or training after this one. Therefore, you are allowed to go back to your dorms. Rest up, tomorrow is the monthly evaluation.”

All twelve of you bowed as your dance teacher left the practice room. “Finally..” Haryeong sighed, collapsing to the floor as she sprawled her body in a funny manner.

“I’m so nervous. I-I don’t think I’m ready for tomorrow’s evaluations.” Hannah stuttered. She was fairly new to the company, so her being extremely nervous for her first evaluations wasn’t that surprising to any of you. What surprised you, was that she started crying. Jaera, the eldest female trainee engulfed her in a motherly-like hug. She wiped the tears that fell onto the gray-haired girl’s cheeks away.

“Hannah, look at me,” She softly spoke. The younger girl looked up, indicating that she was listening to her elder. “You’re going to do amazing. I know that for a fact. I’m not just saying this because we’re friends or because I’m trying to cheer you up. You are truly talented and hardworking. You entered this company without knowing how to count beats and stay on key. That was nearly a month ago. Now you’re up for the Main Dancer position and our vocal coach praises you on the daily. Heck, you even started rapping! Do you see what I’m trying to say? Your hardwork won’t go to waste. None of ours will.” The speaking girl looked around at her fellow trainees. Some of you starting to tear up a bit.

She continued, “I say this with all my heart. We all deserve to debut. When the time comes, our company will realize that our talent and hardwork can’t go to waste. If they fail to do so, then they’re missing out on so much potential.” The sobbing girls wiped their tears as they laughed at Jaera’s last line. Sumin pulled everyone into a hug as you cherished this moment, knowing it won’t forever be like this.

The hug fell apart as Wonchae’s phone buzzed, receiving a call from one of your managers. Soon enough you all bid your goodbyes, as you were travelling in different cars to your dorms. Everyone walked to building’s main lobby and black vans arrived. It was 3:58 AM and you were in need of rest. As you put your white mask on, you heard a voice call out your name. You turned around and immediately removed your mask, bowing at the person who was nearing you. “Yoongi-sunbae, hello.” You properly greeted your senior.

“Ah, good thing you’re here. The CEO wants to see you.” You widened your eyes at what the taller man had just told you. “Don’t worry, it’s probably nothing bad.” He chuckled at your tense figure. “I should probably tell-” “No, no, it’s okay. They already know.” He reassured as he cut you off mid-sentence. “I can walk you there. My practice room is on the same floor.” You firmly nodded at his suggestion. “Let me just get some iced coffee, which is what I initially was going to do.” You both chuckle as you trailed behind him to the vending machine and to the 12th floor via elevator.

You walked through the spacey hallway that led to the CEO’s office. Yoongi took a turn as he opened a door that revealed six boys chaotically doing shenanigans in a big practice room. You just chuckled at the sight of the six hyperactive men you had to deal with since you were a mere child. “Y/n! Hi!” A deep but cheerful voice that belonged to none other than Taehyung joyfully called out your name as he energetically waved at you from a distance. “Hi Taetae-sunbae!” You smiled ear-to-ear and waved.

“See you soon? Good luck for the evaluations tomorrow by the way.” Yoongi calmly voiced out.

“Oh, Thank you, sunbae. See you soon!” You bid your goodbyes as you properly bowed - he was your senior afterall. You continued your mini journey to the CEO’s office as you walked straight towards the end of the hall.

You were now face-to-face with the door that led to the CEO’s office. The words ‘BANG SI HYUK’ on top of ‘CEO of BigHit Entertainment’ with big, golden letters and a bold font were plastered on the big white door. It was quite intimidating - you must say.

You entered the room full of hesitation and got lost in your see of thoughts, until a man voiced out. “Ah, y/n. I have been waiting for you.” Your boss, Bang Sihyuk, smiled softly. You bowed, “Hello, sir. I apologize for being late.” “It’s alright. Take a seat.” He pulled out a chair that was in front of his large desk, gesturing for you to sit on it. “Thank you, sir.” You took a seat, smiling at his extremely kind gesture. He took a seat on his large leather chair, facing you from the other side of his desk.

“It’s very late right now, so I’m not going to keep you here for a long time. I’ll just get to the point, okay?” The middle-aged started as you firmly nodded.

“You have been training with us since you were 12 years old. When you auditioned, I saw the talent and potential in you. I knew you were going to become a star one day. An extremely successful one. You are very talented and hardworking. You already know that, of course. Everybody in BigHit does. Even our cleaning staff.” You both chuckled at his comedic remark.

He continued with a more serious tone, “I’ve watched you grow into an amazing artist. There was never a day where you would let me down. After every performance, you always remind me why I accepted you into the company in the first place. You never fail to improve. To be better. To be stronger. You are extremely independent for someone your age and you should be proud of that. But most importantly, you are passionate and humble. Wherever you go in life, remember to keep those core traits as they will always bring good things to you. I, as your boss, am extremely proud of you and the person you’ve become.”

You smile at the amount of compliments that you were being showered with by one of the most important people in your life and career.

“I made a deal with SM Entertainment.”

Your smile altered to a confused-type-of-look as the words that had just rolled out of the man’s tongue irked you in a way. It wasn’t that you hated SM Entertainment, they were just - a joke - to your company. Your fellow trainees who were in the same class as some of the SM trainees would always talk about how celebrity-like they acted. The girls would joke about how self-centered they were here and there. Of course, you just stood there and listened. You went to an international school and trained almost your whole life, resulting in you almost never interacting with trainees from other companies. Hence, not knowing how they behaved in real life. The only exception was when you appeared in Stray Kids’ music video for God’s Menu. Then again, they weren’t trainees.

“They have decided to transfer a male trainee from their company. He wasn’t exactly fit for their company, but I saw lots of potential in him. They didn’t want to properly let him go. They weren’t going to risk losing another trainee. Therefore, they proposed a deal.”

I think know where this is going.

“Our team had a meeting with their team. We showed them all of the latest monthly evaluations. They decided that they were going to select one of our trainees to be transferred to train at their company and vice versa.”

Oh no, it’s actually happening.

“With lots thinking and negotiation. They chose you. You’ll be picked up by your new manager here at around 8 AM. Y/n, I truly believe that you are going to be an amazing artist. No matter which company you are under. I have faith in you, y/n.”

You were tearing up, “So is this goodbye? An end to years of training here? My home?”

Bang Sihyuk replied, “This isn’t me completely letting you go. It isn’t an end to anything. It’s the start of something wonderful. You are extremely talented, passionate, kind, hardworking, and humble. Whichever company you are in won’t matter. You are an amazing individual and you know it.” The chubbier man had engulfed you in a warm hug. “BigHit will always welcome you with open arms. Whenever you’re feeling empty, you know we’re here for you. You know the boys will do everything to protect their sister, right?”

You nodded into the hug as you pulled away and smiled, “I’ll do my best. I always will. It’s what you taught me.”

“Show ‘em SM kids how they raised you in Bighit!” you laughed at the man, who in a few hours, won’t be your boss anymore.

You spent the few remaining hours of being under the company you grew up in with the members of BTS and TXT. Together, you ate ungodly amounts of Spicy Ramyeon while reminiscing the boys’ trainee days with you.

Oh, how you were going to miss your brothers.

a/n: no nct yet sorry! but we need this for character building :)) did your faves make an appearance/get mentioned?

taglist

none atm so send an ask to be added !

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maldaptivedaydreamer · 7 years

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What Now?

DEANxFem!ReaderXZico

Genre: Angst

Word Count:3416

Description: You and dean have been together for several years. He met you through a friend of his sometime after his career took off. You knew what his career would entail but you did’t know how cold he would become after it. What happens when you guys get in a fight and you both say things you probably shouldn’t? What will you do and where will you go? Read to find out.

Inspired by: What Now By: Rihanna

“I live my life like this Tell me how could I miss Giving you everything you deserve You know I be doin' the most While you be back at home I promise baby it could be worse I'm out here gettin' my money Everyday sunny Steez on flame I know, I know Telling my chauffeur "Hurry up and wait" Too too, he be like Too too, time to hit that road Zoom, you on your solo While I'm takin' photos to post Whoo, I know you feel crazy now”

The same lyrics I once sung along with, flowing from his mouth so easily, were now nothing more than an annoyance. He was on stage and I was at home watching from a video stream as usual. They were true though, every ounce of the words he sang, they were true. They stuck in my head and down my spine like darts.

Yea I feel crazy. I feel insane sitting here doing laundry knowing very well when you come home you are just gonna throw your dirty clothes on the floor. I feel crazy when I make you your favorite food and you throw it away or give it to your buddies. When you look at other girls when you are out with me. Blowing me off even in your free time to “work”. For the fact that I still love you.

Girl, I forgot about missin' you Said, I forgot about missin' you I've been too busy out gettin' my yaper I ain't got time to be thinkin' bout you I've been on your mind, true Twenty racks on my wrist Still I ain't got time for you Home girls lookin' at me like "What's up, what's up? What's good, what's good Where you at right now? How long will you be on my side of town?"

I turned off the video unable to deal with it anymore. He wasn’t as bad before. We had hiccups in the beginning like any couple, but sometime after 2 years, he started to just let me go. No more dates, no more cuddling in bed. When I dressed up for him, all I earned was a sidelong glance and an eye roll. When we went out together he wouldn’t show even the smallest amount of skin-ship. Always opting to pay attention to anyone or anything else. He didn’t even care if another man or woman hit on me. It was absurd at this point. I was long past feeling pity for myself. I was fed up and I wasn’t going to hide it tonight.

*Ding* Dean’s Manager: Y/N Dean will be late getting home tonight. Traffic is tight and ‘The Guys’, as he calls it, showed up. Talked on for ages. Looks like they are going to meet up somewhere. You know the deal. Sorry yet again. -x

He hasn’t been home in 6 days and he decides to go out more?! No that’s it! I am so done! You wanna make me feel crazy I’ll show you crazy! You aren’t even on tour!!

Not even bothering to change, I stormed out of the house in my white tank, leggings, and high tops. It was chilly so I at least grabbed a Letterman jacket. I started up my motorcycle and threw on my helmet, taking off into the night, zooming through the city streets. I had a strong idea of where he would be and headed straight for the club downtown. I cut off a few cars and was nearly hit once or twice but I didn’t care; I was on a mission. By the time I reached the club my rage was full blown. I’ve had to come here several times before because of him. Be it for him not coming home on time or some skeezy girl sending me a pic of her and him on his phone. So when the bouncer saw me coming up he only shook his head and opened the door for me. People all throughout Dean’s social life knew about what he was doing to me. It was well known, just not to the media. He was just a kind and seriously talented young artist to them. But we all knew better.

I pushed past the crowds of people and past the bar. Turning down the dark red and purple hallway that led to the private rooms. I was just about to open the door to room 21 (his preferred room) when a familiar face opened it before I could. In front of me stood Zico. At first he was a bit surprised but soon an all-knowing look replaced that.

“I guess I should send him out right?” he asked scratching his neck.

“Either you do or I’ll get him myself; you take your pick.”

“Alright one sec”, and with that he turned around shutting the door. I heard the laughter die down and a few shrill voices make snide remarks. I didn’t care though. I leaned my back against the opposite wall waiting for him. It didn’t take much longer either thankfully. The door opened to reveal him laughing at something someone had said before he quickly shut it and looked up at me with a blank face. He said nothing, only a quirked an eyebrow and crossed his arms, leaning against the door to mirror my pose. I scoffed.

“So you’re not gonna say anything to your loving girlfriend whom you haven’t seen, texted, or even called in nearly a week?”

“I was busy”

“Right. Like always. You know I almost feel like I’m dating your manager with how much I talk to him compared to you.” At that he shifted uncomfortably but I persisted.

“Ya know normally I would just act as I always have and ignored this. But for a year, A YEAR, I have been dealing with this. You EMAILED ME TO PICK UP YOUR DRY CLEANING ON OUR ANNIVERSARY FOR CRYING OUT LOUD AND YOU CAN’T EVEN TEXT ME YOURSELF WHEN YOU ARE GONNA BE HOME LATE?! AM I SOME HOUSE MAID TO YOU?”

My throat was already beginning to get raw but I was only beginning. But he smirked at me. HE FUCKING SMIRKED! Even worse was, despite the smell of alcohol, his gaze was steady and even. He stood up from the door and leaned over me parting his lips into a vicious smile.

“Ha! A maid would be above you. At least they get paid. I know you expect me to feel bad here but honestly you did this to yourself. I mean what did you expect? I’m out here living the dream! Making something of myself! I don’t have time to worry about you all the damn time. You told me to focus on my dream and you understood. You said you could handle this but obviously you can’t handle anything! Hell you wouldn’t be anything without me would you? All you do is follow me around all the time. You’re not special. You’re just another girl in the crowd. Do you even try?”

“Do I even try? DO I EVEN TRY? ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME? All I fucking do is try for you, you ungrateful shit stick! I cook, I clean, I dress up, and a bite my tongue. I run back and forth thinking about you all the goddamn time and you want to ask me if I even try? NO fuck you! Now you listen to me here Kwon Hyuk. I was going to hear you out tonight. Let you rattle off another half assed excuse and take it for what it was because I LOVED you.”, He flinched, “But I am not going to accept this level of disrespect and abuse. You want to live your dream in peace? Here! Fucking have your peace then! Don’t come back to the fucking apartment! I live off you? I feed off you? I bought the fucking place. I pampered you in every which way I could manage so I am SO FUCKING SORRY IT WASN’T ENOUGH!”

“FINE! GO THEN! I DON’T NEED YOU AND I NEVER HAVE! THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER GIRLS WAITING IN LINE TO BE WITH ME AND THEY ARE SO MUCH MORE THAN YOU COULD EVER BE!”

At this point we were in each others faces, dangerously close, feeling each other’s hot breath and cold stares. I could see his fists clenched at his sides as he slowly began popping his knuckles in frustration. He had kept his volume even and relatively low (until the last bit) but I made sure everyone in the room behind him heard me.

Let them think I’m crazy. Let them cover his tracks for him. Let them get tossed to the side like everyone else he uses like this I don’t fucking care anymore.

“Ya know Y/N You’ve really changed”, he said through gritted teeth with narrowed eyes. “You haven’t seen anything yet.”

~1 year later~

“Hello Y/L/N Y/F/N? I am calling to inform you that your audition was a success. We at SM Entertainment are happy to welcome you aboard and would like to get started working with you immediately. Can you come in today? We would like to get you adjusted and have a briefing. Training will begin tomorrow at 6am so dress accordingly. Thank you again for auditioning. We look forward to hearing back from you.” *Beeeep*

I had already called back hours ago but was listening to the voice mail again in shock. Pacing around the living room waiting for my friend to come over to celebrate. I had been running errands all day so I didn’t get the call until 20 min after the voicemail had been left. I was so scared they would be mad but they were actually very understanding to my surprise. My grocery bags laid stacked by the door still as I hadn’t even begun to even think of putting them away after I initially played my answering machine. So to say I was startled when a pair of hands gently grabbed me by my shoulders would be a vast understatement.

“OOWAAHHH~!! Oh omo It’s only you thank goodness.”

“Only me? Pshh yea only your bestest friend in the world Zico. Ya know little lady you have quite the privilege to say things like that. Most Idols can’t even call me their best friend.”, he said smirking then bending down to pick up my grocery bags. “Why are you pacing so much anyways? Aren’t you excited? You can finally be almost as dope as me.”

I shoved him lightly, chuckling a bit and shaking my head. Ever since that night when me and Dean fought, Zico has been by my side like glue. He had felt bad, as if it was his fault purely for even introducing me and him to each other. We had been friends for only a month at that time and met up at a club to hang out. But now, after everything had passed, he turned out to be my closest and most trustworthy friend. Though sometimes when we were alone he would say things that upon first glance would seem harmless. But they would never fail to bring an uneasiness to my stomach and make my heart race. I guess somewhere along the way I began to all for him.

“Now you know darn well I am far more dope than you Zi. I mean you can’t compare to my good looks”, I said with a hair flip and a wink. He just laughed with a bright eye closed smile while putting my groceries away; stealing a few grapes too.

“Yea you certainly got me beat there. You’re too beautiful for me to compete with.”

We both nervously laughed with a blush evident on our faces. We did things like this a lot now but neither of us said anything about it. We spent the whole night laughing and talking before settling to watch a movie. I fell asleep about halfway through though and woke up curled into his side with his arm protectively around me. Normally I would’ve been stricken with embarrassment, as red as a tomato, but I was too tired and comfortable to fully process the situation. When I next woke I was wrapped in a blanket with a note next to me

. “Sorry Y/N for skipping out like this. I had to get to the studio to work on some new stuff. You looked to cute asleep in my arms so I couldn’t possibly wake you. I left a coffee for you on the counter though. Don’t be late to your first day! Knock’em dead! Fighting! -Zi” I smiled with a long forgotten feeling bubbling in my chest. Zico was always doing little things to make me smile and surprise me. I grabbed the coffee, sipping it while it still was warm, and got ready to head out for the day. After a few months I had already begun working on a demo album. Zi and I finally talked about our friendship and each other and begun dating. Tonight we were going out to celebrate. Nothing too serious though, just a walk through the city at night with delicious street food and lots of jokes. The stars were bright over head and I was the happiest I had been in a while. That is until I bumped into the last person I’d ever want to see.

“Oh I am so so sorry sir! Are you-” “Y/N?”

“Uh-..”, I slowly lifted my bowed head and peered into the unmistakable dark eyes that once looked at me with tenderness and love; now holding nothing more than emptiness. Zi pulled me into his side protectively while watching his “friend” closely. It was common news that me and Zi were close but no one knew yet that we were dating. But Dean was far too smart for that and new immediately upon looking at us.

“Ah so you are Idol hopping now eh? Heh can’t go very long without clinging to someone can you now Y/N”, he laughed but it was drained. He looked behind him as a small girl came running up to him. She smiled innocently at us, and I felt bad for her, knowing she knew nothing of how he was with women.

“I’m sorry. You’re Dean right? Wow! Never thought I’d meet you! Well good bye!”, I said quickly. He didn’t deserve my time, and I wasn’t going to sour Zi’s or that girl’s night because Kwon was immature. I turned and left him, along with any pain or regret, behind me. I worked my ass off for years, exercising, taking singing and dance lessons. We released my first solo EP and I even did a few songs with Idols like Baekhyun, J-min, and of course my best friend Zico. Before I knew it I was nominated for Rookie Of The Year and was going up to perform my most popular cover so far. Zi would of course be in the crowd cheering me on along with the rest of the competing idols in the industry. I had made many friends along my way, including members of TWICE and Sistar. My closest female friend so far now though was Jessica. We’ve known eachother for 2 ½ years now and she has really encouraged and inspired me up until this very moment.

The lights dim, the crowd hushes, and I make my way to center stage in secret. Im dressed in a midnight blue high-low dress with my hair curled loosely. All I see when the lights go up is silver twinkling around me. I take a deep breath, letting my body role with the music around me, and I let myself become lost in the emotion.

I been ignoring this big lump in my throat I shouldn't be crying, tears were for the weak The days I'm stronger, know what, so I say That's something missing Whatever it is, it feels like it's laughing at me through the gla** of a two-sided mirror Whatever it is, it's just sitting there laughing at me And I just wanna scream

“Dean! I missed you so much! I made your favorite dinner! “Mhm thats nice” “Dean do you wanna go out tonight? We haven’t been out in months and i wa-” “Not now Y/N! Can’t you see I am busy?”

What now? I just can't figure it out What now? I guess I'll just wait it out What now? Ohhhh what now? I found the one he changed my life But was it me that changed And he just happened to come at the right time I'm supposed to be in love But I'm not mugging

“Hey Y/N you haven’t talked to anyone in a few weeks, are you ok?” “Yea Zi I’ll be fine I just need some time” “Does time include me coming over with your favorite movie and treat?”

Whatever it is, it feels like it's laughing at me through the gla** of a two-sided mirror Whatever it is, it's just sitting there laughing at me And I just wanna scream

I locked eyes with Dean in this moment. But I continued on strong, never hesitating. I let my eyes and voice carry my story along each note. I poured out all that I had held in for so long.

There's no one to call cause I'm just playing games with them all The more I swear I'm happy, the more that I'm feeling alone 'Cause I spent every hour just going through the motions I cant even get the emotions to come out Dry as a bone, but I just wanna shout What now? I just can't figure it out What now? I guess I'll just wait it out What now? Somebody tell me What now? I don't know where to go I don't know what to feel I don't know how to cry I don't know ow ow why I don't know where to go I don't know what to feel I don't know how to cry I don't know ow ow why I don't know where to go I don't know what to feel I don't know how to cry I don't know ow ow why So what now?

I finished up my performance and switched to one of my more upbeat originals. It was actually a song about love and friendship and I danced along the stage with all the energy I could manage. I even ripped of the train of the dress that trailed behind me in a dramatic flourish. In this moment I was like a phoenix. In this moment I was strong and reborn. I had come so far and I wasn’t about to stop. I passed Dean after my performance. He was on his way up to announce the next set of awards but he stopped in front of me and opened his mouth to say something to me first.

“You really were something out there Y/N.”, he said with a wry smile but then turned to glare, “does everything you do have to be about me?”

If I wasn’t feeling so bold my mouth would’ve dropped. Instead I straightened my back, folded my arms, and looked him dead in the eye.

“You know Dean I get the feeling you are threatened by me. You said before I would never be anything without you and yet here I am proving you wrong. Nothing is about you anymore and you can’t stand it can you? Now you see how much better off I am without you. How talented and truly amazing I am. And how cowardly you really are.”

“You make it out like I was really that bad to you. This is what it’s like when you are famous. You’ll see Y/N”

“No I won’t. Because I am not you. And I will never do what you did to me to Zi. He loves me and I love him and we go miles for each other. And you run from girl to girl, never satisfied, and always lonely. You said you forgot about missing me? Said you didn’t have time to think about me. Even though you knew all I thought about was you? Well Kwon I have one final question for you.”, I shifted on my leg and cocked a hip, narrowing my eyes at him. “What now?”

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dorcasrempel · 6 years

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MIT celebrates 50th anniversary of historic moon landing

On Sept. 12, 1962, in a speech given in Houston to pump up support for NASA’s Apollo program, President John F. Kennedy shook a stadium crowd with the now-famous quote: “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

As he delivered these lines, engineers in MIT’s Instrumentation Laboratory were already taking up the president’s challenge. One year earlier, NASA had awarded MIT the first major contract of the Apollo program, charging the Instrumentation Lab with developing the spacecraft’s guidance, navigation, and control systems that would shepherd astronauts Michael Collins, Buzz Aldrin, and Neil Armstrong to the moon and back.

On July 20, 1969, the hard work of thousands paid off, as Apollo 11 touched down on the lunar surface, safely delivering Armstrong and Aldrin ScD ’63 as the first people to land on the moon.

On Wednesday, MIT’s Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AeroAstro) celebrated the 50th anniversary of this historic event with the daylong symposium “Apollo 50+50,” featuring former astronauts, engineers, and NASA adminstrators who examined the legacy of the Apollo program, and MIT faculty, students, industry leaders, and alumni who envisioned what human space exploration might look like in the next 50 years.

In welcoming a large audience to Kresge Auditorium, some of whom sported NASA regalia for the occasion, Daniel Hastings, head of AeroAstro, said of today’s prospects for space exploration: “It’s the most exciting time since Armstrong and Aldrin landed on the moon.”

The event kicked off three days of programming for MIT Space Week, which also included the Media Lab’s “Beyond the Cradle: Envisioning a New Space Age” on March 14, and the student-led “New Space Age Conference” on March 15.

“We could press on”

As a “baby boomer living through Apollo,” retired astronaut Charles Bolden, NASA’s 12th administrator, said the Apollo program illustrated “how masterful we were at overcoming adversity.” In a keynote address that opened the day’s events, Bolden reminded the audience that, at the time the ambitious program got underway in the 1960s, the country was in the violent thick of the civil rights movement.

“We were killing each other in the streets,” Bolden said. “And yet we had an agency like NASA, and a small group of people, who were able to bear through everything and land on the moon. … We could recognize there were greater things we could do as a people, and we could press on.”

For MIT’s part, the push began with a telegram on Aug. 9, 1961, to Charles Stark Draper, director of the Instrumentation Laboratory, notifying him that NASA had selected the MIT lab “to develop the guidance navigation system of the Project Apollo spacecraft.” Draper, who was known widely as “Doc,” famously assured NASA of MIT’s work by volunteering himself as a crew member on the mission, writing to the agency that “if I am willing to hang my life on our equipment, the whole project will surely have the strongest possible motivation.”

This of course proved unnecessary, and Draper went on to lead the development of the guidance system with “unbounded optimism,” as his former student and colleague Lawrence Young, the MIT Apollo Program Professor, recalled in his remarks.

“We owe the lighting of our fuse to Doc Draper,” Young said.

At the time that MIT took on the Apollo project, the Instrumentation Laboratory, later renamed Draper Laboratory, took up a significant footprint, with 2,000 people and 15 buildings on campus, dedicated largely to the lunar effort.

“The Instrumentation Lab dwarfed the [AeroAstro] department,” said Hastings, joking, “it was more like the department was a small pimple on the Instrumentation Lab.”

Apollo remembered

In a highlight of the day’s events, NASA astronauts Walter Cunningham (Apollo 7) and Charles Duke SM ’64 (Apollo 16), and MIT Instrumentation Laboratory engineers Donald Eyles and William Widnall ’59, SM ’62 — all from the Apollo era — took the stage to reminisce about some of the technical challenges and emotional moments that defined the program.

One of the recurring themes of their conversation was the observation that things simply got done faster back then. For instance, Duke remarked that it took just 8.5 years from when Kennedy first called for the mission, to when Armstrong’s boots hit the lunar surface.

“I would argue the proposal for such a mission would take longer [today],” Duke said to an appreciative rumble from the audience.

The Apollo Guidance Computer, developed at MIT, weighed 70 pounds, consumed 55 watts of power — half the wattage of a regular lightbulb — and took up less than 1 cubic foot inside the spacecraft. The system was one of the first digital flight computers, and one of the first computers to use integrated circuits.

Eyles and Widnall recalled in detail the technical efforts that went into developing the computer’s hardware and software. “If you’re picturing [the computer code] on a monitor, you’d be wrong,” Eyles told the audience. “We were writing the program on IBM punch cards. That clunking mechanical sound of the key-punch machine was the soundtrack to creating the software.”

Written out, that code famously amounted to a stack of paper as tall as lead software engineer Margaret Hamilton — who was not able to participate in Wednesday’s panel but attended the symposium dinner that evening.

In the end, the Apollo Guidance Computer succeeded in steering 15 space flights, including nine to the moon, and six lunar landings. That’s not to say that the system didn’t experience some drama along the way, and Duke, who was the capsule communicator, or CAPCOM, for Apollo 11, remembers having to radio up to the spacecraft during the now-famous rocky landing.

“When I heard the first alarm go off during the braking phase, I thought we were dead in the water,” Duke said of the first in a series of alerts that the Apollo astronauts reported, indicating that the computer was overloaded, during the most computationally taxing phase of the mission. The spacecraft was several miles off course and needed to fly over a “boulder field,” to land within 60 seconds or risk running out of fuel.

Flight controllers in Houston’s Mission Control Center determined that if nothing else went wrong, the astronats, despite the alarms, could proceed with landing.

“Tension was high,” Duke said of the moment. “You didn’t want to touch down on a boulder and blow a nozzle, and spoil your whole day.”

When the crew finally touched down on the Sea of Tranquility, with Armstrong’s cool report that “the Eagle has landed,” Duke, too wound-up to properly verbalize the callback “Tranquility,” recalls “I was so excited … it came out as ‘Twang,’ or something like that.’ The tension — it was like popping a balloon.”

Since the Apollo era, NASA has launched astronauts on numerous missions, many of whom are MIT graduates. On Wednesday, 13 of those graduates came onstage to be recognized along with the Apollo crew.

In introducing them to the audience, Jeffrey Hoffman, a former astronaut and now AeroAstro professor of the practice, noted MIT’s significant representation in the astronaut community. For instance, in the five missions to repair the Hubble Space Telescope, which comprised 24 spacewalks, 13 of those were performed by MIT graduates.

“That’s pretty cool,” Hoffman said.

On the horizon

The Apollo moon rocks that were were brought back to Earth have “evolved our understanding of how the moon formed,” said Maria Zuber, MIT’s vice president for research and the E.A. Griswold Professor of Geophysics in the Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences. These rocks “vanquished” the idea that the moon originally formed as a cold assemblage of rocks and “foo foo dust,” she said.

Instead, after carefully analyzing samples from Apollo 11 and other missions, scientists at MIT and elsewhere have found that the moon was a dynamic body, with a surface that at one time was entirely molten, and a metallic core, or “dynamo,” powering an early, lunar magnetic field. Even more provocative was the finding that the moon was not in fact “bone-dry,” but actually harbored water — an idea that Zuber said was virtually unpublishable until an MIT graduate reported evidence of water in Apollo samples, after which the floodgates opened in support of the idea.

To consider the next 50 years of space exploration, the MIT symposium featured a panel of faculty members — Paulo Lozano, Danielle Wood, Richard Binzel, and Sara Seager — who highlighted, respectively, the development of tiny thrusters to power miniature spacecraft; an effort to enable wider access to microgravity missions; an MIT student-designed mission (REXIS) that is currently analyzing the near-Earth asteroid Bennu; and TESS and ASTERIA, satellite missions that are currently in orbit, looking for planets and possibly, life, outside our solar system.

Industry leaders also weighed in on the growing commercialization of space exploration, in a panel featuring MIT alums who currently head major aerospace companies.

Keoki Jackson, chief technology officer of Lockheed Martin, noted the pervasiveness of space-based technologies, such as GPS-dependent apps for everything from weather and news, to Uber.

“[Commercial enterprises] have made space a taken-for-granted part of life,” said Jackson, noting later in the panel that in 2015, 1 billion GPS devices had been sold around the world. “This shows you what can happen exponentially when you come up with something truly enabling.”

“The challenge we face is talent, and in particular, diversity,” said John Langford, CEO and founder of Aurora Flight Sciences, who noted the panel’s all-male participants as an example. “It’s an industry-wide challenge. We’re working to reform ourselves, as we move from the brigade-type technologies that we grew up with, to incorporating technologies such as computer technology and artificial intelligence.”

Future missions

In a glimpse of what the future of space exploration might hold, MIT students presented lightning talks on a range of projects, including a custom-designed drill to excavate ice on Mars, a system that makes oxygen on Mars to fuel return missions to Earth, and a plan to send CubeSats around the world to monitor water vapor as a measure of climate change.

Audience members voted online for the best pitch, which ultimately went to Raichelle Aniceto and her presentation of a CubeSat-enabled laser communications system designed to transmit large amounts of data from the moon to Earth in just five minutes.

In the last keynote address of the symposium, Thomas Zubuchen, associate administrator for NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, told the audience that there is still a lot of research to be done on the moon, which he said is changing, as evidenced by new craters that have formed in the last 50 years.

“The moon of the Apollo era is not the same moon of today,” said Zurbuchen, who noted that just this week, NASA announced it will open previously unlocked samples of soil collected by the Apollo missions.

In closing the symposium, Dava Newman, the Apollo Program Professor of Astronautics and former NASA deputy administrator, envisioned a future dedicated to sending humans back to the moon, and ultimately to Mars.

“I’m a rocket scientist. I got here because of Apollo, and Eleanor Roosevelt said it best: Believe in the beauty of your dreams,” Newman said. “The challenge is, within 50 years, to be boots on Mars. I think we have the brains and the doers and inspiration to really make that happen.”

MIT celebrates 50th anniversary of historic moon landing syndicated from https://osmowaterfilters.blogspot.com/

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dpinoycosmonaut · 6 years

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A MOST NOSTALGIC GATHERING

by Bert A. Ramirez / October 27, 2018

Some young people (the millennials in particular) may not be able to identify with the story I’m about to relate, but there’s unmistakably a link between this and the basketball they now know. This is because today’s game, not the least of which is the passion for it, emanated from the personalities we just linked with.

The history is unmistakable. Edgardo Roque, simply Ed to us and now 81 years old, Edgardo Ocampo, represented by his widow Lulu, and Renato “Sonny” Reyes Jr., represented by his widow Vida, are three of the perennial bulwarks of the Philippine national team that created the legend of the country as Asia’s No. 1 power before Mainland China decided to join the mainstream. Lest one forgets, no country outside America and Europe has to this day also duplicated the feat accomplished by the 1954 national squad that placed third in the Rio de Janeiro World Basketball Championship, whose leader, Carlos Loyzaga, started this affinity of mine for basketball and sports in general to make me carve a career as a journalist.

It was thus a full circle of sorts when we finally met up with our original idols, the Yco Painters, last October 27, for a gathering among former players of the legendary squad of the now-defunct Elizalde Group of Companies and its admirers, supporters and plain basketball buffs. The venue was the Yaku Restaurant at the SM Podium reportedly owned by the family of another Yco legend, Freddie Webb, who unfortunately couldn’t join the group because of an out-of-town commitment.

But Roque, Vida and Lulu were there, and so were Orlando Castelo, Arturo Valenzona and Ramon Belmonte Jr., three more of those ‘60s generation Painters, as well as latter-day Yco players Alexander Marquez and Ramoncito Bugia, who spanned the post-PBA generation and the next batch that ended with Alvin Patrimonio, Glenn Capacio and the late Jack Tanuan donning the red-and-white of the Yco squad coached by another Yco original, the now-departed Edgardo Gomez, to two final amateur titles before they formed the nucleus of the Purefoods Hotdogs that took the PBA by storm in 1988.

Get the drift? In all our affinities in the game and in sports, there’s always a link. The Yco Painters provided the country the talent to occupy a lofty place in the sport in Asian and international competitions, and we therefore rooted for the redshirts with a passion unequaled until we discovered the Boston Celtics. Our loyalty also stuck with the Purefoods ballclub that took over the Elizalde Group’s Tanduay franchise in the PBA, and the nucleus of that Hotdogs squad was provided by no less than the last generation of Yco players. If there’s any more perfect symmetry than this, I don’t know what it is.

We actually missed several guys we expected to come to this first meet-up among former Yco players and supporters alike (a monthly gathering among former Painters was actually initiated by the late former Yco star Elias Tolentino Jr. back in 2015, but Elias got afflicted with the Big C that eventually took his life prematurely a year ago). We missed as we said Freddie, as well as Bo Dones (who with Vida took the cudgels in organizing this activity), former Painter Felix Flores, basketball junkie Ariel Morales and Ignacio Dee, another history buff like me who used to discuss a supposed player rebellion that took place against then-Painters coach Caloy Loyzaga back in the ‘60s (we’ll later have more on this).

But we still had quite a representative and exciting group with Tessa Jazmines, the most passionate Yco and Celtics faithful this side of me, finding the time to come despite the traffic and her multifarious concerns both on the business and academic side (she used to manage her alma mater’s UP Maroons but is no less involved now), Lulu and Ed Ocampo’s daughter Katrina tagging along, Turo’s second-youngest kid also around and Ed’s driver also providing company.

The anecdotes and stories about the past naturally abounded, which is what such gatherings are supposed to produce, on top of the usual updates about one’s current state. Ed, for example, told us that he is still very much active at his age, working as a broker and apparently earning more than he ever did as a player, which did not pay one well considering players’ amateur status then and the fact that they were employed by the companies they played for, and were thus paid salaries for their office work, not for employing their tremendous athletic skills.

Ed confirmed the veracity of the player rebellion that the Painters then staged against Caloy, a story corroborated by Orly, who at 6-feet-3 was one of the Painters’ bonafide centers (he backed up Elias after Caloy retired early in 1964). That story about Caloy made me realize that my original idol also had feet of clay, although at this stage, I’m no longer the starry-eyed kid that I was before, and so can live with that reality. The unhappiness about Caloy as a coach mostly stemmed from his lack of compassion with his players, having been the greatest player of all and probably forgetting that he had to cut them some slack as they could not be as good as he was.

“He no longer had to teach us much as we already knew at our level what we were supposed to do,” Ed related. “All a coach needed to do at that level was to lead. Leadership from him was all that we were looking for.”

Orly also recalled an occasion when he was able to score with a right-handed layup against Mariwasa import Billy Robinson, despite the fact that Robinson was defending him on his right side. He was admonished by Caloy that he should have used his left hand, which had Orly flabbergasted as the ultimate goal - score - was achieved anyway.

“Mestizo kasi,” was all Ed could come up with as an explanation for Caloy’s condescending attitude towards his players in an allusion to Spanish mestizos’ perceived superiority complex vis-à-vis anyone.

Vida, in our own tete-a-tete, also confirmed to me a story I earlier heard about Sonny Reyes’ close call even before he passed away of a heart attack, his first and last, at the young age of 52 back on June 10, 1997. Vida told me their young daughter was then carried away by a strong current in a beach during an excursion in Iba, Zambales, where beaches have a unique sudden decline just a short stretch from the shore. Sonny, along with a colleague, tried to retrieve her, but after seeing that colleague engulfed by the tide himself, Sonny then tried to save his girl by himself, whereupon he was swallowed by the strong current and was brought underneath the waters. Helpless, Sonny’s entire life at that point flashed before him, a sign that he was about to meet his end. Fortunately for Sonny, a strong current that brought him and his daughter back to the shore saved them in the end, although that colleague of his was not as fortunate.

Vida recalled that Sonny suffered his fatal heart attack after a hectic day at the Elizalde offices, where he worked even after his playing career. At that time, he could hardly even take off his socks after coming from work, and Vida just came upon Sonny convulsing in the middle of the night, and even after doing everything necessary to save him, he was dead on arrival at the hospital.

Sonny was probably the best swingman in the game during his time, possessing not only excellent ballhandling skills but a deadly outside shot that would have come in handy had the three-pointer just existed then. He was a member of practically all national teams that were formed from 1963 to 1970, including the 6-feet-and-under World Championship in 1967 in Spain.

Lulu, Ed Ocampo’s widow, was unexpectedly lively. The wiry lady of the greatest defensive guard in local basketball history (remember, Ed used to limit the great Korean shotmaker Shin Dong-pa to 10 points below his average; Shin did get 12 points in the Koreans’ 83-80 loss to the Philippines in the ABC title game right in their homecourt in 1967) is now engaged in a bag-making business that benefits the underprivileged. He put me on the spot when she asked how I rated Ed compared to another two-sport great and former Yco teammate himself, Eduardo Pacheco, in the sports where they exceled in - football and basketball.

I told the group that Eddie Pacheco gets my nod in football as nobody then simply played the all-around game that Eddie did, but I did make Lulu smile when I said her husband definitely had the edge in basketball over his former teammate and alter ego.

“Akala ko sasabihin mo pang mas magaling sa basketball si Pacheco eh. Talagang magagalit na ako sa iyo pag ‘yun ang ginawa mo,” Lulu said in jest. As a compliment, I gave Lulu, whose grandson Jarvey by daughter Pinky and son-in-law and former basketeer Jayvee Gayoso is now the top football star at the Ateneo, a couple of copies of the pioneering football book I put together for the University of Asia and the Pacific two years ago.

Valenzona, who made it to the 1964 Yokohama Olympic eliminations where the country failed to make it to the Tokyo Olympics by a whisker, confirmed to me the story on his left foot’s amputation due to gangrene brought about by a diabetic condition he was initially not aware of. In his soft-spoken manner, Turo said he had scratched a wound he had in the foot, but it later turned into black that became gangrene even as he found out he already had diabetes. Fortunately, doctors at FEU where he starred in college worked on him and he now has a prosthetic foot to replace his original one.

Turo proudly says his children now based in the States are taking care of his medical requirements, a tribute itself to the great upbringing he gave them.

One largely unknown anecdote came up during the get-together, and this was about the fact that the Ysmael Steel Admirals, the Painters’ arch-rivals then (in fact, this was the version of the Crispa-Toyota feud before the PBA came), had locked up Reyes and Belmonte even before their collegiate career at UST could end, paying them a monthly salary (a rarity in those days as we said) even before they could wear the Admirals’ blackshirt. This was due to the fact that Fely Fajardo, the Ysmael Steel coach then, was also the duo’s coach in college. Belmonte, however, suffered a knee injury to derail that scheme, and the then-Painters mentor, the late Valentino “Tito” Eduque, came calling himself, convincing Belmonte to shift allegiance to Yco and getting Don Manolo Elizalde, the Yco owner and the conglomerate’s patriarch, to shoulder the surgical procedure that Belmonte needed at that point. Reyes, meanwhile, was also convinced to come to Yco when the salary he was getting from Ysmael Steel was matched by the Painters.

Many more stories that could form part of future columns were told, and they showed how human these boyhood heroes of mine actually were. As I look forward to the next get-together (could it be during Freddie Webb’s birthday on November 24?), I anticipate even more gratifying moments with these Painters and their admirers, and an even more nostalgic sharing of some of the great moments in local basketball and sports.

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whatthekpopofficial · 6 years

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Red, White & Blue: 17 Korean Idols Who Were Born In The USA

July 4th marks Independence Day in the USA! To celebrate, we're focusing on Korean idols who were born and raised in the land of red, white, and blue, then later made it big in the Korean music industry. While most of the idols on this list come from Korean heritage, the ethnicity of others include Taiwanese, Thai, Mexican, African-American, and more! There are many Kpop idols who were raised in the USA and consider themselves Americans. However, to keep the list shorter, we decided to only include people who were actually born in the States. Check out our list below, then let us know which American Kpop idol is your favorite!

Jay Park - Edmonds, Washington

Jay Park, born in metropolitan Seattle, became famous as a member of the idol group 2PM before ultimately leaving to become a soloist. His career soared when he started the entertainment company AOMG. It then reached new heights when he was signed to the famous American label Roc Nation, the company founded by Jay-Z. Although he started as a Kpop idol, most fans now consider him a true hip-hop artist/non-idol. However, his fans who loved him since his idol days have continued with Jay throughout his growth and changes.

Eric Nam - Atlanta, Georgia

Eric Nam was born in Atlanta, where his family stills resides. In fact, he just recently performed at his hometown as part of his U.S. tour. He later attended university at Boston College and was about to begin a career as a business analyst in NYC. However, he decided to pursue his real dream of becoming a singer after MBC saw one of his cover videos on YouTube and invited him to Korea to compete in a music show. Just a few months later, he was one of the finalists and ended up being signed by a music company to begin his official solo career.

Ailee - Denver, Colorado

Born in Denver, Ailee was actually raised in New Jersey. She originally made her debut as a singer in the USA, where she was signed to a small label in NYC. After uploading videos to YouTube, she made the decision to go to Korea for an audition. When she sang, the label fell in love with her voice and decided to sign her on the spot. She then made her Korean debut in 2012 and went on to become one of the most famous voices in Korea, earning respect from both fans and music critics for her powerful and emotional vocals.

Jessica and Krystal Jung - San Francisco, California

Jessica and Krystal Jung were on vacation and enjoying some time in a shopping mall when an agent from SM Entertainment spotted them. Although the label wanted to begin training Krystal at the time, the girls' parents felt she was too young and decided that only Jessica would be allowed to begin her music career. Jessica went on to debut as a member of SNSD, and Krystal was also allowed to finally pursue her dreams several years later at the age of 12. She then debuted as a member of f(x), joining her sister at SM.

SEVENTEEN's Vernon - NYC, New York

Born in NYC to a Korean father and an American mother, Vernon moved to Korea as a child. He stated that he was a very ordinary kid with normal hobbies and friends. However, during his second year of middle school, he was scouted by an agent as he went home from school on the subway. Vernon went on to debut as part of SEVENTEEN in 2015. The group quickly rose to the top ranks of Kpop, due in part to their unique concept of being "self-producing" idols.

NCT's Johnny - Chicago, Illinois

Johnny Seo auditioned for SM Entertainment at the age of 12 years old during the 2007 SM Global Audition in Chicago. Through the audition, he was ultimately accepted and became his training period. Through his time with SM Rookies (a training group which eventually spawned Red Velvet and NCT), he gained a fanbase even before his official debut. Ten years after passing his initial audition, he finally made his debut as a member of NCT 127.

Amber Liu - Los Angeles, California

At only 25 years of age, Amber Liu has already been active for nine years in the Kpop industry. Back in 2008, she was only one of two people who passed a local audition to get into SM Entertainment. After training for one year, the Taiwanese-American made her debut as a member of f(x) in 2009. In 2015, she also went on to debut as a soloist and quickly became one of the most-loved figures in the Kpop industry. Since then, she has also made her acting debut and also runs a successful YouTube channel where she connects with her fans in English.

KARD's BM - Los Angeles, California

BM, real name Matthew Kim, trained for four years in Korea before making his official debut as a member of KARD. Before his debut, he worked as a dancer and appeared in projects like the music video for "Choco Chip Cookies" by Goo Hara. In December of 2016, KARD dropped their first song "Oh NaNa" as a pre-release project. They then went on to make their official debut in July 2017 with "Hola Hola." BM quickly became well-liked among Kpop fans for his down-to-earth sense of humor and amazing dance skills.

GOT7's Mark Tuan - Los Angeles, California

Mark Tuan was born in California before moving to Paraguay and Brazil. He and his family eventually moved back to the USA where he grew up and attended school. In fact, during lunch at school, Mark got on a table and started dancing and acting silly with his friends. A JYP Entertainment staff member happened to be there at that moment and decided to recruit him immediately. Mark said that he only decided to audition because his school encouraged him to do so, and it wasn't until he first stood onstage that he fully realized that he had truly found the place he belonged.

SEVENTEEN's Joshua - Los Angeles, California

Joshua has always been a very musical person and first started performing as a member of the praise team at his church in California. He later attended a festival in the USA and was playing the guitar when Pledis Entertainment took notice of the young musician. After watching him and considering things for approximately a month, they decided to reach out to see if he would want to become a Kpop idol. Joshua has stated before that music is his life, so as such, he agreed to sign with them and made the move to Korea.

BTOB's Peniel Shin - Chicago, Illinois

Peniel may be a member of one of Cube Entertainment's most popular groups, but in fact, he first auditioned to become part of JYP Entertainment. After auditioning in his hometown of Chicago, he was signed by JYP and went to Korea to train. He stayed with the company for two years and even made an appearance in San E's music video "Tasty San." He eventually left JYP and was signed to Cube, where he was added to BTOB as the seventh and final member of the group before making their debut in 2012.

Alexandra Reid - Lawrence, Kansas

Alex, as she was known during her time as a member of BP RaNia, actually made her debut in the USA before she decided to venture into the Kpop world. Born in Kansas and raised in Texas, Alex was cast in a program for the Discovery Kids' network. Her MySpace profile was later noticed by a casting agent, who convinced her to move to NYC. She was then signed to Def Jam Recordings and Sony Music, where she was managed by the famous Scooter Braun. She made her official debut in 2011 and released music steadily for several years before officially joining BP RaNia. Although she left the group in 2017, she then went on to make a comeback as a soloist in March of 2018 with "East West."

Kevin Woo - Danville, California

Kevin's mother, a former fashion model from Korea, enjoyed watching Korean music shows at home. During this time, Kevin begin to notice groups like TVXQ and Super Junior and grew interested in Kpop. He later begged his mother to take him to a JYP and Rain concert being held in California and became even more interested in Kpop as a result. During a visit to Korea, he asked his parents to allow him to audition for some companies and was subsequently cast at the age of 15. He made his debut only a few months later as a member of XING. He later re-debuted under a new label as a member of U-KISS and achieved great success in both Korea and Japan. Kevin now works as a soloist, entertainer, and musical actor.

NU'EST's Aron- Los Angeles, California

While attending a festival in Los Angeles, Aron was approached by a casting agent. After deciding to audition, Aron went on to place first at the 2010 Pledis USA Auditions. As a result, he was signed to the company and began his time of training at the age of 17. He had been accepted into the journalism program at NYU but decided to give it up to pursue music. He then began to make appearances— including being a backup dancer and appearing in music videos— as one of the "Pledis Boys." He then made his official debut as a member of NU'EST in 2012.

2PM's Nichkhun- Rancho Cucamonga, California

Nichkhun's parents are from Thailand and his grandmother is Chinese, but this talented guy was born in California. However, he later moved to both Thailand and New Zealand before ultimately returning to California for school. In fact, it was at the local Los Angeles Korean Music Festival (the same festival that NU'EST's Aron was attending and subsequently cast at) that a casting agent from JYP Entertainment approached him and asked him to audition. He was working as a highschool coach at the time, but decided to take a chance on music and move to Korea to begin training.

Samuel Kim- Los Angeles, California

Born to a Mexican father and Korean mother, Samuel's name is actually Samuel Arredondo. However, when he decided to become a singer in Korea, he took on his mother's maiden name for his stage name. He was first signed to Pledis Entertainment and began training at age eleven to become a member of the group SEVENTEEN. However, he left the company and signed to Brave Entertainment after Pledis reportedly decided he was still too young to debut. He then became a member of the short-lived duo 1PUNCH. However, it wasn't until his appearance on season two of "Produce 101" that he finally began to receive the attention he deserved. After gaining a huge fan base due to the show, he made his debut as a soloist. A few months later, he made his official Japanese debut as well

There are numerous other Americans who have gone on to become great Kpop stars in Korea! Some of them were born in the USA (like U-KISS's Eli Kim) while others were simply raised there (like 24K's Cory). No matter where they were born or where they may travel, we know they will always be representing America in the best way possible— as talented, funny, kind, amazing artists and human beings! Which American Kpop idol is your favorite? Who else should we have included on the list? Let us know in the comment section below! lee1086 is the director of What The Kpop and a hardcore Kpop fan. When she hears "American Idol," she doesn't think of the TV show. Instead, she thinks of all the amazing Kpop idols who hail from the USA! She admits to a certain fondness for these fellow Americans, especially Amber Liu, Eric Nam, Kevin Woo, and Mark Tuan. Although she should be eating hot dogs and watching fireworks this 4th of July, she is writing Kpop articles instead. Media: As Credited Read the full article

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