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#pentagon fics
takorossi · 1 year
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rules (& regulations)
headcanons/imagines/scenarios/time stamps/drabbles/one-shots/etc. ✓
reader-insert ✓ my default is gn!reader but if you'd like me to do f!/m!reader please specify
member-member ✓ i might be pickier with m-m requests because if i don't see the ship it's gonna be difficult, but i'll mostly be okay as long as you don't expect a whole fic
sfw fanfic tropes (e.g. fluff, angst, crack, hurt/comfort, AU, major character death) ✓
suggestive ✓ full nsfw ✗ because i've never written that before, but basically think: those blackout scenes in rom movies but in written form — those are okay
hateful/offensive behaviour towards anybody especially with regards to race, ethnicity, religion ✗
stuff like non-con that actively promotes/encourages unethical behaviour ✗
if you want something specific, please be specific. if not, the caveat is your request is going to be up to my interpretation.
other than the hard-"no"s, i would generally be open to trying anything once so just shoot and i'll vet the requests from there. please hit me up if you would like to discuss any of my writing or just to chill. i'll come back to this post from time to time to update the rules as i see fit so yeah, you can check it whenever you want to send in a request.
tako x
28.3.23
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blizzardfluffykpop · 2 years
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PENTAGON Masterlist
Old writing style: 🖤 (It’s because I never edited in the beginning and now my new writing is edited :)
Everything unmarked is fluff
Updated: 1/16/24
*I don’t write for Dawn anymore because he is almost a married man (I am so proud)*
Main Masterlist
Series:
Do or Not [Completed]
Oneshots:
Hui:
New Year
Backseat Bingo [Siblings Shinwon and Changgu]
Lover Boy
Jinho:
Letters
Hongseok:
M&M’s
Shinwon:
The Ko’s Arcade
Wish Granted
Park Date
Found You
Snow Fight
Changgu (Yeo One):
Carnation
Christmas Tree
Dishwasher
Yanan:
Truly Yours
Yuto:
Wonder No Longer
Hyunggu (Kino):
Senior Math [Mentions: Seungkwan and Moonbin as best friends and Myungjun, Jinwoo, and Jinho as close friends]
By My Side (Long Fic)
Wooseok:
Basement [Mentions: Yanan and Ten]
Three Strikes, You’re Out [Featuring: Older Brother! Shinwon and mentions: Kino]
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greenglowinspooks · 1 month
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(DCXDP) The obligations of a rogue versus those of a parent (Pt. 5)
Tw: torture scene (GiW agent receiving), general angst, canon-typical violence (DC), nobody is having a good time
Will be crossposted to AO3 eventually
(Masterlist/subscription post)
It was pretty easy for Danny to forget that Dr. Crane was a rogue at times.
Most of the time he wasn’t comically evil, like what he’d expect of a Gotham rogue. He was helping Danny, even if only because he didn’t want to be taken in by the GiW as well. He was even downright nice most of the time, or at least neutral.
Sure, he had a strange obsession with fear and psychology, but that wasn’t really out of the ordinary for Danny. It didn’t feel like living with a rogue, just like…staying with a distant relative, or something.
He seemed like just an ordinary person.
Today, though, Danny was brought back to reality.
The GiW agent they’d tracked down together writhed on the ground, screaming in pain and terror. Scarecrow was sat a few feet away, setting up a syringe of the antidote he’d made.
After a few more moments, he injected the man with the antidote, watching him like a hawk the entire time.
Suddenly, the man surged forward, lunging at Scarecrow with a feral scream.
Unluckily for him, though, he was still weak from the fear toxin in his system, and from the beatings he’d received prior. Scarecrow easily wrestled him to the ground, settling himself on the broad part of the agent’s back with a vice grip on one of his arms.
“Let’s try again,” he said sharply, all of the warmth Danny had grown used to gone from his voice. “Where is the GiW base of operations?”
The agent took several shuddering breaths before spitting at Scarecrow, defiance and hatred written all over his face.
For just a moment, the room was utterly silent.
“Fine, have it your way.”
Scarecrow began to twist the man’s arm further. It wasn’t long before the agent began to squirm, then writhe, beneath him. Danny’s stomach churned.
“You know,” Scarecrow began, almost conversationally, “there are plenty of jobs that one can get without the use of their legs, especially with the level of education you have. Anything that doesn’t involve hard labor, really.”
The man’s face was beginning to turn red in his struggle not to scream. He took in gasping breaths, the way that his mouth moved almost reminding Danny of a goldfish.
(He felt awful for the comparison, but it was true.)
“However,” Scarecrow continued, “I find you’d be rather hard-pressed to find a job without the use of your arms. Especially in a place like Gotham, where you can always be replaced by someone eager to do your job for even less money. Of course, you could most likely coast off of savings and severance pay for a while, but…”
He leaned closer to the man’s head, his voice lowering.
“Would you be able to live like that? To live with yourself, if you no longer have a purpose?”
He allowed the agent a few seconds of rest before increasing the pressure on his arm. The agent gasped, letting out a strangled hiss. His arm bones were making fascinating noises in response to the strain. Danny felt sick.
“You seem like a rather driven young man. I’m sure your family would hate to see you unmotivated, directionless. Would they resent you, do you think?”
“Fuck you, you—”
The man was cut off by his own scream as Scarecrow finally allowed his arm to break, audibly splintering into thousands of useless shards of bone.
He had the exact pressure memorized. Clearly, he had done this before.
This was wrong. This was wrong.
Shouldn’t Danny step in, do something?
“That won’t heal cleanly. Even with the best medical care in the world, you’ll end up with permanent damage.”
The man below him wheezed and sobbed, choking on air as Scarecrow let go of his arm carelessly, letting it flop back onto the ground.
“Just the sort of thing something like you deserves,” Scarecrow hissed, his voice cold.
“You tortured a child, and you enjoyed it. You laughed with your friends about it. In your notes, one of your friends complained about the screaming,” Scarecrow brought his leg around, grinding his boot into the man’s broken arm. He howled in agony, writhing uncontrollably.
“Was it inconvenient to him, do you think? Too loud? If you were joking about it, clearly you thought so, too. I could fix that as well.”
He drew out another needle, this one once again filled with fear toxin.
“Scarecrow, wait,” Danny choked out.
Scarecrow turned to look at him.
Even his posture was different than usual. He looked… stiff, more like an animal than a man. When he tilted his head at Danny in a silent question, it looked like something in his neck had snapped, his head lolling to the side.
Danny wondered if he was consciously moving like that, or if it was habit at this point.
“You—we don’t have to do this. We can get information some other way, right? You don’t have to…”
Danny looked down at the GiW agent below Scarecrow. He didn’t even have it in him to glare up at Danny like he had before. Instead he laid limply on the ground, tremors rolling through his body uncontrollably.
“We’ve exhausted every other option and you know it,” Scarecrow said, his voice low, “this is the only way we can move forward.”
“Still, I—I don’t,” Danny swallowed, his throat tight, “this isn’t—this isn’t right. Isn’t there some other way to do this? Like—a truth serum, or something?”
“Truth serums are notoriously unreliable. They’re almost as bad as lie detectors. We’re much more likely to get a reliable result from this.”
Danny just stared at the GiW agent and his splintered, ruined arm. He began to weakly wriggle in Scarecrow’s grasp, which was graciously ignored.
He vaguely remembered himself doing the same thing when he was on the operating table; even if he knew there was no chance of escape, he still thrashed and screamed, desperate to get away. The jagged I-shaped incision on his torso felt uncomfortably warm.
What was there left to say?
“The Bat does the same thing at times, you know,” Scarecrow said, “him and the rest of his brood. By using my toxin, I’m actually lessening the amount of permanent damage that I’m doing. Physically.”
“Still, that doesn’t make it right,” Danny said desperately. “Even if—even if everyone in the world did this, it wouldn’t make it right.”
Scarecrow hummed.
They were both silent for a moment.
His next words were gentle, absurdly so when compared to the scene in front of him.
“I would love an alternative. But…”
He shrugged, hand coming to rest on the break in the GiW agent’s arm. Even without applying any pressure, the man stopped squirming immediately.
“There aren’t any other options,” Danny repeated, his voice flat and his body numb.
“Yes,” Scarecrow said. “I’m sorry.”
There was a pause. No one moved a muscle. Eventually Scarecrow spoke again, his voice strangely empty.
“You can stand outside and keep watch, if you’d like. At such a short distance their radars won’t pick us up.”
Danny said nothing, leaving the room silently.
He sat outside for quite a while.
He was grateful that Scarecrow had, with his help, dragged the agent to one of his previous hideouts. It was soundproofed, after all.
He was glad that he didn’t have to hear the rest of what Scarecrow did to the man.
After what felt like an eternity, Dr. Crane left the building, joining him outside. He guided Danny back to his beat up old truck and they drove home in silence.
“Did you at least…do you know where they are, now?” Danny asked as they entered the apartment, his voice small.
“They didn’t share the details of all of their locations with any one person. I know where one of their locations are, but not their main base of operations.”
Danny felt disgusted. With himself, with Dr. Crane, with the GiW.
He was disgusted by the agent, too. Did he just hate the restless dead so much that he would prefer to be tortured than to give them the upper hand? Did he really think he was in the right?
Was there a chance that he was?
Danny felt very, very small, and very stupid. Stupid and weak and cowardly.
“Danny,” Dr. Crane spoke, his voice soft.
“I’m truly sorry that this is happening to you. I really, truly wish that you didn’t have to endure my company. I…”
He fell quiet. Danny wondered if he was just saying this to pacify him, or if he truly meant it. He wondered if it really mattered in the end.
After a few moments of silence, Dr. Crane sighed, looking truly pained.
“I don’t know. I’m sorry.”
Danny was quiet.
“I’m going to bed early,” he finally said, turning away and leaving without a second glance.
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allys-fairlylocal · 4 days
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TYLER ACKNOWLEDGED THE FOREST FIC EVERYONE SCATTER
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suffarustuffaru · 2 months
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i need to share my very horrible idea to combine the reinhard/julius/otto/subaru boy drama into one julius-centric fic
ok so a little while ago ive made all kinds of ottojuli and reinjuli posts and while i havent finished all my major julisuba posts Yet i am quite fond of julisuba also and i think itd be incredibly funny if you just dumped all of these ships into one story. just go ALL IN on that boy drama!!!! go big or go home amirite!!!! the worlds WORST love trapezoid youve ever seen!!!!
this post is just me rambling fic ideas bc i sadly dont have time for Every Fic Idea and also i just. i just think itd be funny putting multiple ships with the same person in them into one fic. on a serious level its like mimicking real life relationships where sometimes people come and go and you have different dynamics with each person!! on another level i just think this is also very funny so!! here we go. under the cut:
anyway so my idea for this is that you know, julius of course meets reinhard when hes ten and reinhard is eight and then it alters julius's brain chemistry. at first he's in complete awe of reinhard. and then over time the shame starts setting in. that julius isnt as strong as reinhard. and the jealousy sets in a bit too, so julius's got this chip in his shoulder trying to carry his family's legacy and trying to carry the weight of knighthood to be as perfect as possible. to be as close to reinhard as he can. they meet again in their teens and julius shows reinhard the ropes of like basic knight stuff bc reinhard just joined the knights. and of course reinjuli become friends but julius has spent his whole life quietly watching reinhard from afar and now julius still has that distance with reinhard even as theyre supposedly friends now. reinhard is a God, you know? his powers and his leash from the kingdom and his family keep him distant and the two of them are ignoring that. classic homoerotic "do i want him or want to be him" friendship where both of you are too scared to get any closer for various reasons with a Twist (reinhard's very real monster complex that keeps getting validated bc Everyone Around Him thinks hes a monster).
anyway but then julius remembers that you know, shit between reinhard and him wont work out for many reasons, like reinhards family deciding to torment julius at various points in his life (heinkel, whos julius's boss, and reid, who went from julius's childhood idol to. you know.), and also reinhard needs to have kids because hes the sword saint, and also homophobia exists in rezero. and also even if those werent all obstacles julius still has his Complexes connected to reinhard and they got that distance between them so. no go. (repression gets in the way of relationships :((( )
also quick side note is that ex 4 happens and julius reinhard ferris go to vollachia and julius interrupts a meeting with vincent vollachia himself to go "I UNDERSTOOD THAT LITERARY REFERENCE YOU JUST MADE. THATS A REALLY GOOD REFERENCE I LIKED IT A LOT" bc hes a massive nerd and ig this is slightly-more-of-a-disaster-gay julius au so julius is like ............................. vincent was kinda cool for that.
AND THEN SUBARU CRASHES INTO JULIUS'S LIFE and julius is like seeing this guy who's also got a chip in his shoulder and then he insults the knights and says the knights are all depending on their dads (nepotism) and julius is like .......the chip in my shoulder was bad enough and also youre kinda like me fr. and you are clearly a fucking misguided kid so now i have to save your ass. i cant NOT save your ass. and reinhards like "julius and subaru nooo you dont have to do this :((((" and julius cant admit atm that hes also doing this to save subarus life so julius is just like "he disrespected the knights >:(((("
but yes we all know what happened there. julius saves subarus life. julius has to slice subarus throat in that one failed loop. they become friends across several timelines. they also homoerotically share souls, you know, typical bromance things, rivals to lovers except subarus the one going YOURE MY RIVAL and julius is like he is SUCH an upstart. hes really grown on me like a fungus but thats the appeal. and julius i think sees subaru as like a kindred spirit (or at least thats how i interpret julisuba) except subaru is like way more freer than julius is. same desire to prove yourself but subarus not restraining himself constantly like julius. its sometimes to the point of recklessness and general stupidity and what have you, but his boldness and bravery and determination and heart really is admirable.........................
yeah so anyway julius falls for ANOTHER guy again, you know how it is sometimes. the heart wants what it wants and julius is cursed to always have the worst meetings with his closest friends. and of course julius gets heartbroken bc wtf i have to kill my new friend :((( noo!!!! but in the finished loop its like. oh subaru...... hes really improved himself. hes grown so much already. hes kind of. inspirational really. idk how he does it. except subarus you know got that Mystery to him the same way reinhard does (theyre traumatized and Cant Take About It Normally so they just randomly lore drop what they can) and also subarus SUPER into emilia. and julius is like .................... well. subarus taken. haha. and reinhards. taken. fuck me. fuck. and like somethings going on with subaru and rem and emilia right. fuck. and subarus got his whole toxic masculinity / gender crisis..... and he doesnt know hes Bisexual yet...... man. what a loss for julius amirite haha.
and also subarus busy after arc 3........... and julius has no idea whats happening there but that seems Real serious :(( and julius's got other things to attend to so he hopes subaru reaches out to him eventually..... or that they cross paths again since subarus in the emilia camp and julius is in ana camp (and of course reinhard is in felt camp and like that was a whole debacle bc wtf. reinhard, u do know thatd be a big deal to our mutual friend felix?). so. julius pines from afar ONCE AGAIN HAHA.
(also of course subarus still attracted to reinhard here. its um. well julisuba can bond now over pining over reinhard but thats for later also!!)
anyway of course during arc 3 julius briefly runs into some gray haired merchant twink thats being dragged around by subaru bc ana camp rescued this guy from a cave somewhere??? and this new guy and subaru made a deal or whatever so he was just helping out in the background of the fight against sloth??
and whaddya know................ julius goes to drink at a bar bc you know he probably tastes wine for fun in his free time (hes definitely Fond of wine anyway iirc) and now hes Sad over the Ones That Got Away so. bar it is. and gray haired merchant twink is there!! no way. they start talking a bit casually while drinking you know and julius's taste is Unfortunately either the graceful ones (anastasia, because julius has great taste in women) or the cringe fail ones (all the twinks - except for felix - that julius keeps having the wildest first meetings with, because julius has slightly shit taste in men) so julius is like huh this otto guys kinda funny lol. endearing in a weird way!! and -
oops they both end up being a little. they make a little bit of a move on each other. bc they were drinking and got a Bit tipsy. ottos Also not over the one that got away (subaru) (again) and hey. the finest knight truly is. Fine. objectively fine. totally. so you know. things get a little out of hand, maybe they do a bit of cringe fail flirting hidden underneath five million layers of repression and the Horrors of Being Known but ultimately they both embarrass themselves somehow (read: how far they went with each other while under the influence is up to you) and agree to Never Speak of This Again bc oopsies they were both technically each other's first time being Straightforwardly Not Straight with another man. oops. anyway julius has to go back to his camp and otto fucking bolts but he bolts right into subaru and gets his ass dragged into sanctuary drama.
julius is totally not a little bit envious about that.................... about otto getting to accompany subaru to sanctuary... but dont worry julius!! youll get to make up for it later!! bc eventually arc 5 stuff happens. and julius is Glad to see reinhard and subaru again. even with all the Baggage. and subaru is of course Weird about julius but eventually subaru reassures julius after they both confide in each other about the astrea drama (theyre honorary astreas via being dragged into the astrea family mess). and subarus reassuring to julius in a whole new way okay. subaru, whos unrestrained and incapable of being on the down low about anything, and julius, whos always holding himself back with a gazillion layers of repression, starts learning to let go a bit...
but also juliotto meet again. its terribly awkward and they both agreed to never speak of their awkward encounters again. subaru is going ??? and reinhard is clueless. otto then also goes to save reinhard and felt from heinkel trying to take felt hostage, which was also terribly awkward but reinhard and felt are grateful about it (but lbr if reinhard and otto knew each other deeper reinhard would maybe be a little. Apprehensive. around otto while otto would be sympathetic with reinhard bc hes like male emilia). but then while otto manages not to get erased by gluttony....... julius gets erased. of course. which you know results in being forgotten by reinhard in julius's THIRD first meeting ever with reinhard. and subarus the only one who remembers him of course.
then arc 6 happens :,))))) and julius of course has to confront his ideas of knighthood, his identity, his self esteem, and who he is outside of His Name. and also julius gets his ass beat by reid. his childhood idol. who reinhard KNEW was a shitty person but never ever told julius (whether this is because reinhard wanted to spare julius's hero worship or because reinhard never got the chance to tell julius is hard to say lajdsf). but julius does get to triumphantly win in the end!! grow as a person!!! learn to undo a bit of that repression and not hold himself to impossible standards all the time!! hes growing still!!! hes finally solidified his friendships with people like subaru and emilia!! hes remaking his relationship with anastasia!! hes asserted himself, hes planning on going to meet reinhard again one day and duel him!! things are looking up even if its still bittersweet that he doesnt have his name back yet!! does this mean?? perhaps?? a HAPPY ENDING?? julius can have the two men (reinhard and subaru) he admires the most in his life?????? as friends???? or as boyfriends?????? slowburn mutual pining????????????????????????????????????????
and then comes. arc 8 otto. that piece of shit.
julius is very much someone who has to grapple with the weight of the expectations that people throw at him. and also reinhard is someone who May envy julius a bit, but there's also you know, joshua and subaru with the Explicit Envy and (past) resentment because theyre placing heavy expectations on julius!! theyre pointing blame at julius!! julius is trying to find himself outside of stuff like that, especially after arc 6, but he's still got stuff to work on you know? he still has duties to fulfill!! loyalty that he has to act on bc hes gotta help subaru and co in arc 8!! and then in comes otto.
otto is also someone with expectation placed on him, but its Different. ottos mostly a nobody and when hes Not a nobody, his reputation tends to be Derogatory. hes a menace. hes a bad luck charm. hes grappling with the fact that he has to keep being left behind - post-arc 5 bc he was injured, but also repeatedly during arcs 7 and 8 because hes too physically weak to be on the same playing field as emilia or garfiel or subaru on the battlefield. he feels Useless after placing his identity on the expectation that hes Dependable and Useful.
julius is a bit more on even ground with otto now that julius is. also mostly a nobody bc his name is still gone. and also julius had to deal with having that part of his identity crushed. julius tried to be useful over and over in arc 6 only to get his ass repeatedly curb stomped by reid in the beginning. he was a nobody. he wasnt dependable anymore. and also otto is that one guy he had a Passing Fling with over having The Ones Who Got Away and julius was still vaguely hopeful about maybe being pals at least but ottos brushed him off a bit since arc 5. theyre like each others secrets you know? and now otto doesnt know that shit - julius is the only one who Knows - and otto also hates julius's fucking guts now. over SUBARU. and julius has been through this whole rodeo clown circus with arc 3 subaru so this is an absolutely terrible ride through memory lane.
and this is julius's THIRD twink that hates him for terribly unfair reasons. julius is very tired and a bit heartbroken in this au trying to pretend it doesnt bother him. on one level it doesnt. bc ottos pathetic and clearly Overcompensating for Something. on another level it kinda does bc julius had a Thing going with otto. and otto is the complete opposite of julius. like hes different from the other guys julius has liked.
julisuba is about complimentary opposites - they appear Extremely Different at first glance but theyre very similar. theyre people who try to look and act bigger than they are, people who keep reaching to be The Best, to be Perfect, because theyre overcompensating. theyre worried their entire identity is only built off of trying to be bigger than the shadow that other people in their lives (like their families) cast. but they cant reach perfection. and julius is like subaru but if subaru tried to really make himself "refined" - if he tried to stop putting his heart on his sleeve all the time. reinsuba are very similar too. theyre very refined knights who try to keep themselves in check at all times while the weight of the world is on their shoulders. they cant have a hair out of place. except julius is like the "smaller" version of reinhard. julius is less powerful. its like comparing a human and a "god" - reinhard, whos untouchable. but its a double edged sword, because julius gets to be a normal person, because half the expectation placed on him is also purely from himself, while reinhard isnt. reinhard isnt Free. hes on a leash by the kingdom and his family. julius even gets his kind of "celebrity" status stolen from him via the loss of his name. hes truly kind of Normal now - julius is like if reinhard didnt have his crazy abilities and had a little more of a chance to be free.
otto? yeah otto is. very very far from all of that. hes so obviously imperfect that most of his reputation, when its brought up, is just him being known as a mess who's caused various forms of chaos everywhere he goes. either that or hes just. There. Invisible. very very average. and otto is someone who wants a nice comfortable life, someone who wants to fit in - julius and subaru arent Exactly like that, and while reinhard also wants to be normal, ottos the one who has more of an opportunity. but he doesnt. because otto Dooms Himself by being recklessly cutthroat. otto is like if subaru was just. More of an asshole, so ottojuli would just be a rather Extreme Challenge for julius to have to deal with HAH. and normally otto is someone who repays how people treat him - a very "you treat me like this, i'll treat you the same way in turn" kind of deal, except ottos developed a vendetta against julius and its basically like if subaru never let go of his arc 3 julius vendetta.
yes so anyway. etc etc stuff probably happens but i ran out of ideas lajdlfjasdf i just think combining ALL the boy drama and recontextualizing + adding to canon would be. batshit crazy. and terribly entertaining. im so sorry julius but i want to see you crack a bit under the pressure. reinjuli as a ship is like tragic gay yearning that never goes anywhere past being friends with quiet homoerotic tension, then julisuba is. you know. extreme rivals to lovers, starts out Rough but then ends up being super super sweet and theyre Trying their best underneath the self esteem issues. and then ottojuli is. toxic yaoi at its finest (pun intended). you get Every flavor of mlm possible!!
ok so you may be asking "ok what would you even name this fic then" and to that i say that this would be called To All the Boys I've Loved Before.
anyway i really wanna write this idea someday ill inform you guys (if youre reading this and are Interested) if it ever happens :< so. in conclusion this is just julius the entire time throughout all of these events:
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bp-zb1fics · 1 year
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i know a lot of people don’t ask for him but i really want to see something for hui. i know everybody says he’s “old” and stuff but he’s just soo fine. I’m requesting a long spicy and suggestive one shot of him with fem!reader. I’m fine with smut aswell. You don’t have to do it if you aren’t comfortable. thank you for your time!
Me and you under
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pairing: hui x reader
pronouns: none used but reader is slightly fem-coded (calling hui oppa)
genre: heavily suggestive/smut, fluff sprinklings
MINORS DO NOT INTERACT PLEASE!!!
tw/tags: teasing, light d/s dynamics, oppa kink, kisses, making out, oral (reader receiving), fingering, non-explicit description of sex, lots of noises
wc: 1383
summary: everyone knows hoetaek is sweet on you but only you know how sweet he can be when the doors are closed.
a/n this took a little longer to write than expected because my condition hasn't been good but tysm anon for requesting! As a casual fan of pentagon, I can definitely agree that hui is a fine, fine man. Happy reading!
To most people, Hoetaek was a perfect sweetheart. 
Your doting boyfriend sported pea coats that always almost ended up draped over your shoulders with coos of “Aish, my jagi needs to bring a warmer jacket next time.” (Spoiler: you never do). And his wire-rimmed glasses that would constantly slip off his nose, leaving you to fuss and push them back up for him. 
He didn’t even need to be prompted to do aegyo to cheer you up or get you to smile. Seriously, this grown man. But you loved him for it. You couldn’t ask for a better boyfriend. 
Because Hoetaek was the perfect sweetheart and completely soft for you but in the privacy of your bedroom, in moments when he felt a little restless, when you got a little needy, he became someone else entirely.
“Ah, ah, ah don’t be shy with me now.” He murmured.
His voice, which you absolutely adored, would drop just a little lower and take on a sing-songy quality that had you hooked on every word.
The first few buttons of his shirt have come loose, courtesy of yours truly, and you’re treated to the way the veins on his neck become prominent, how his adam’s apple bobs, his collarbones sharp and chest heaving slightly. You feel a little crazy, wanting to reach up and touch. But you can’t.
“You’ll behave for me right?” His breath ghosts against your ear, dragging his lips against these sensitive shell ever so lightly.
You inhale sharply and nod. He chuckles, keeping you pinned against the mattress. Hoetaek wasn’t particularly physically imposing but there was a certain glint in his eyes that made you feel small in all the right ways. 
“Words, jagi.” You both know he isn’t asking. It’s a demand, quiet and firm and boiling hot in your stomach.
Hoetaek can play the game for hours. And it doesn’t help at all that the way he looks at you leaves you breathless, words almost like air when you manage to produce some.
“Yes,” you exhale shakily as the look in his eyes grows darker. 
Then he smiles, not the cotton-candy sweet kind that you get from him on a regular day, no. It’s almost too sweet, saccharine and sharp around the edges. 
He leans forward, soft and deadly like a viper about to strike and coos condescendingly.
“Let’s try that again, shall we jagi? Will. You. Behave. For. Me?”
Each word he drags out, voice hitting you like a mallet wrapped in plush cloth, tender and dull but impactful. You can’t control how your breath hitches.
“Yes, yes.” Every limb goes pliant as he looms over you.
Hoetaek firmly grasps your chin so that you’re forced to look at his face as he presses further.
“Yes, what jagi?”
He watches as you weigh it out in your mind, letting the game drag out longer and giving into him. Well, he’s feeling a little impatient today.
Without warning, he drags a knee up, stopping short between the apex of your thighs. You get a little frantic but don’t buck down to meet it. Good. He’s not really in the mood to punish you today.
Rather he continues to hold your chin, letting his thumb drag over your lips.
“Say it,” he says almost like he’s taunting you. “You’re not getting anything till you say it. Address me properly, jagi.”
You look at him through your eyelashes, eyes just a little wet as you let your lips form the words.
“Yes oppa”
Hoetaek brings his knee all the way up, relishing in the way you gasp as he grinds it in. His hand abandons your chin to bury fingers into your hair while the other grips at your side, stroking teasingly over your hip bone. 
“That’s right, jagi. Very good.”
He presses his body closer and you can feel him, hot and heavy and firm against you. His lips latch onto your neck, tongue trailing heat up and down your skin. You whimper.
You feel him smile against your skin. Kisses are pressed against spots that have you shivering. Hands encircle your wrists and press them firmly to the sheets. Finally, he claims your lips, your mind going completely blank. He tastes like a sweet addiction, melting into your bones and pulling them apart.
When he pulls away, you can’t help but whine, his eyes dance playfully but the glint remains. You know what you need to do.
“Oppa please.”
He soothes your pleas with soft lips, the corners quirking upwards as he pulls his knee away and you whine again. Hands squeeze your wrists once more as if warning them to stay in place before they move downwards to spread your thighs.
Your clothes fall to the floor, leaving you bare save for one of his oversized sweaters. He presses a kiss on your hip before mouth going lower and lower until his breath is warm against the place where you want his mouth the most, quiet, needy noises escaping you.
He can’t help but run a few fingers between your thighs. You’re wet and messy and wanting for him. A few strokes has you keening, trying your best not to jerk forward. You can only watch as he pops those fingers into his mouth, staring at you hungrily as he hums around them.
You can only spread your legs further as if to entice him to take his fill. He doesn’t react, warm, wet fingers coming to tease where you’re most sensitive. 
“Now tell oppa where you want him, hmm?”
He stifles a laugh when you look at him incredulously before your cheeks tint even more and you quietly say it.
“Hmmm, I didn’t quite hear that, jagi.”
You say it again, louder and just a little more frantic in your desperation.
“Want oppa’s mouth on my…”
That’ll have to do for now, Hoetaek decides, unable to summon enough patience to wait for you to ask for it exactly how he wants it. You’re too tempting, all pliant and nearly bare beneath him.
The strangled sound you make still manages to echo through the whole room as he puts his mouth on you.
His tongue is criminal, lapping over places that blur your vision and leaving you wanting more. Your hips can’t stay still anymore, twitching nearly uncontrollably in a valiant effort to not suffocate him. Sometimes he stills, just humming and sending vibrations up your spine that drive you mad. His fingers sink into you, one, two, three, your eyes wet with tears as ecstasy begins to take hold.
Before you know it, you’re hovering in a haze of pleasure, creeping your way towards sweet, sweet release. The sounds that he rips out of you grow frantic, nearly begging. He knows your body well, much to your satisfaction and despair. There are some days where Hoetaek nearly tortures you, bringing you to the tipping point and drawing you back before you can fall over. 
Luckily today is not one of those days. He finishes you off and you yell, his mouth flooded by your sweetness, smearing it over his lips and chin as he works you through. Your legs are shaky with exertion but you still call out for him to take his own pleasure.
Hoetaek won’t lie and say that he didn’t tremble a little as he sinks into you, watching in awe as you throw your head back and call out for him. He’s the desperate one now, torn between dragging it out while you’re sensitive or chasing his end after having his pants grow tortuously tight while he pleasured you. The latter prevails after you look at him with wet eyes, legs wrapping around his waist and pulling him into you. 
His own groans are almost musical, pitch rising as he spills himself. Hoetaek is always so gentle with you in the aftermath. Hands guiding you into the shower to rinse off, a soft towel to wipe you clean.
Moments like this are your favourite, resting your head against his chest as he hums something softly while carding fingers through your hair. Skin against skin, you’ve never felt closer. Before you know it, you’re drifting off, his voice a soft echo at the back of your mind, letting you know how much he loves you.
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restlessmaknae · 8 months
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restlessmaknae's request event [guide]
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Celebrating 6 years on Tumblr and a number of followers I thought I would never reach, I would like to repay you for your love and support in the form of a request event. Writing is a hobby of mine that allows me to escape, to push my boundaries, and to leave an impact on readers. Even if you crack a smile, laugh at the words or feel understood by them, I'm truly honoured that you've joined me on this journey. 💞
Now, onto the good stuff.
As voted by you, readers, in a previous poll of mine, you can request stories based on genres, settings, but you can also throw a prompt into the mix.
HOW DOES THAT WORK?
You send me an ask with a genre and/or setting and a certain idol in mind, but you can add a prompt from these lists as well (they might help with certain settings):
Prompt list #1: Enemies to lovers but one is injured
Prompt list #2: Prompts for ex-lovers
Prompt list #3: Sacred romantic moments
Prompt list #4: Hurt comfort starters
Prompt list #5: "I HATE YOU, BUT I JUST DID SOMETHING TO HELP YOU AND NOW I NEED TO EXPLAIN MYSELF" prompts
Here are some examples:
best friends to lovers with Jake (Enhypen)
prince!Intak (P1Harmony) in a fantasy kingdom
zombie apocalypse au with Serim (Cravity) + enemies to lovers
[prompt] with Hyunsuk (CIX)
[prompt] with Hyunsuk (CIX) + exes to lovers
[prompt] with Hyunsuk (CIX) + exes to lovers + murder mystery
RULES
Smaus, bulleted stories and reaction stories can't be requested
I don't write smut, and if I feel uncomfortable by your request, I have the right to reject it and not write it
Only member x reader/OC, no member x member stories can be requested (you can specify if you want a gender-neutral reader insert story, otherwise I write female!reader stories)
I decide on how long the story will be, but I plan on writing stories less than 5k for this event (so expect drabbles and one-shots)
There's no deadline by which I plan on posting your story, it depends on how much time I have beside my full-time job and how much inspiration I have for your requested story - so please, bear with me, I'll get around to it as soon as I can 🥰
One user can request up to 2 stories - for tagging reasons, I kindly ask you to let me know about the blog you want me to tag in case you would write the ask on anon (for instance, if your main blog isn't kpop-related, you can write on anon and tell me your kpop sideblog's URL/username)
I close the requests after receiving 12 requests or by 30th September - whichever comes first
I will combine all the requests into a masterlist as soon as they start coming in, so you know that I've received your message
BANDS/ARTISTS YOU CAN MAKE REQUESTS FOR:
A.C.E
ATEEZ
CIX
CRAVITY
ENHYPEN
EPEX
GOLDEN CHILD
NCT (Mark, Johnny, Jaehyun, Doyoung, all of WayV)
ONEUS
P1HARMONY
PENTAGON
SF9
THE BOYZ
TXT
VERIVERY
VICTON
WEI
Soloists: Kang Daniel, Woodz, Demian, Ong Seungwoo, Park Jihoon
If you have more questions, don't hesitate to ask me!
Otherwise, enjoy the event and request to your heart's content! 🥰
Tagging everyone on my taglist in case you would be interested in requesting (some I couldn't tag, unfortunately): @dat-town, @stories-inbetween-the-stars, @koishua, @tranquilpetrichor, @americanokisses, @effulgentfireflies, @kuleo26, @wccycc, @littlestartonightsposts, @squiishymeow, @sunooslover, @heyditseeey, @syrxiee2, @tsunchani, @hyunjinswife, @sweetjaemss, @laaylaaz, @fvrteez, @chaeryeongs-wife, @hyu-won, @bamboongi, @kyusqult, @chang-ryul, @winterbeartaehyungbestboy, @i2kittenz, @miafox117, @hannieyooon, @soobin-chois, @ishuayou
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the-everqueen · 2 months
Note
may i enquire about lucienne’s day off for wip wednesday, please?
so this fic is in answer to your V day prompt, actually! i'm very excited about it and last month it was my "comfort" wip, i.e. the one i defaulted to when words felt hard. eventually Luce is gonna take Coco on walkies. mirrors work both ways. :)
...
“Where would we go?” Her voice comes out weak.
“Wherever you like,” he says. “Although…”
“Yes?”
“There is a retrospective of Nakahira Takuma’s work at the MOMAT.”
Damn him. He knows her interest in photography. He also must know she just finished organizing their collection of Takuma’s amnesia dreams, which had of course disappeared during Morpheus’ absence and only recently reappeared in another, unrelated section (Toru Takemitsu’s orchestral compositions from the 1980s). Photographs are different, in dreams. Both more and less definite, relevant details brought to the fore whether or not they’re the subject, all the weight of nostalgia with none of the camera’s stark eye. Lucienne has spent hours comparing Takuma’s dreams to the Library’s copies of his post-recovery work, trying to identify the commonalities between them. If asked, she would say that her duties encompass reference and research, in addition to curation.
She has not seen a photograph in the Waking since—well, since humans invented the technology. Morpheus took her to an exhibition.
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irregularbillcipher · 7 months
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for anyone curious-- kryptos, esp. post dimension burning, defines his gender as Square and Shape but not really Male or Guy, like that part's whatever to him, that's not the important part of his identity to him. getting to freely call himself a Square and Shape with no pushback is exciting to him because, as his status as a square-born-to-a-square, he was consistently ignored, told he should have been something else-- namely a pentagon, very rarely an equilateral because as tragic as a descent in caste would have been, it would have been more Normal Than This-- and forced into weird arbitrary roles and rotating schools and castes in early childhood before it was finally decided that fine, he was a square, they guessed... but also barely and because he was Barely A Square by the stupid laws of configuration and because the circumstances of his birth were so Strange and his Abnormality was so Apparent, he had to go to school with equilaterals so that only the lower middle class kids were put at risk by his Weirdness, and not the other Much More Valuable Real Squares. so getting to the point where he was one of the only members of his species left and he gets to just go "yeah, i am a square, i'm the only square left, and i get to decide whatever the hell that means now" was meaningful to him, and the guy part is like. whatever. but he is a square
#his assigned role was always v. arbitrary and shaky. his dad even asks if it's possible that he's a line when he hears he's not a pentagon#because a line is a parallelogram and he was being described as a parallelogram and the barrier between a line and irregular square#would very likely be arbitrary tbh! and it was determined he Was a shape because of his regularity in terms of angles and sides#but of course the fact that by laws of configuration he Should Have Been a pentagon or whatever also was a point of contention#and even him being equilateral would have been Tragic But Sensible by stupid second dimension standards#there was probalby some Unaccounted For irregularity in the family line (definitely the mother's side because if you notice in my fic)#(they almost ALWAYS blame the side of the mother. even oliver cipher did. because well! the seocnd dimension is a misogynistic hellhole!)#but a square having a square son? especially a square with the social clout of his father? that's just unheard of!#so there was a lot of squabble of Where He Should Go and what his caste role should be anyway#so him being a square was always something that felt very arbitrary and like an identity that could be taken from him at any moment#and he doesn't give a shit about his Caste Role anymore but he personally just likes being able to go 'actually i am a square'#'i am a square and i always was a square and i'm the one who gets to decide whatever that label means now'#he feels similarly about being gay. like 'no i actually understand this about myself now and i LIKE this about myself now'#'so i get to say this word as much as i want to now :)'
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jae-bummer · 9 months
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My Idol 3: Part Seven
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My Idol From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
My Idol is a South Korean competitive reality dating game show. It currently airs on Saturday nights on Jae-bummer’s blog. First broadcast in 2016, the show offers the opportunity for a lucky fan to go on seven blind dates with seven idols. The idol plans the date with the show throwing in a specific mission to complete during the day. At the end of the initial dates, the show opens up an audience vote to decide what four idols will move on to the second date.
My Idol 3: The Series
.
Looking up moodily at your night shift body guard, you waited in silence for him to open your room.
"No hello?" Insu teased, tilting his head. "How was your day? I've missed you terribly?"
"Hello, Insu," you grumbled, crossing your arms. "How was your day? I have missed you terribly."
"Well," he clucked. "It doesn't sound genuine when I have to prompt you."
"Can I please just go inside?" you whined, rubbing your forehead to ease the oncoming headache.
"Sure," he nodded. Letting the tension ease from your shoulders, you took a deep breath in an attempt to calm your nerves. "But it'll cost you."
"I have a sneaking suspicion that you're not talking about money," you groaned.
"Not at all," he smiled easily. "Money's worthless. You're time, however, is valuable."
"What do you want?"
"Grab your ice bucket," he said gently. "Let's go for a walk."
"I don't want to go for a walk," you pouted. "I've walked enough today. And ridden a bike. And fallen off that bike. And then thought my date died."
Insu nodded politely. "I think you need to decompress."
"I'm perfectly capable of decompressing in the comfort of my bed," you muttered.
"Where you can thought spiral through every hypothetical way you could have reacted on your date?" he smirked. "Perfect idea. Have a great night!"
"You're a little too perceptive for your own good," you grumbled. "Has anyone ever told you that before?"
"I read people for a living, Y/N," sighed. "You're just one of the lucky ones I like."
"I don't see why," you lamented, not proud of yourself, but searching for solace nonetheless. "I'm a walking disaster."
"Hardly," he said, tapping your room key against the door. Shouldering it open, he waited for you to pass him and go in. "Now come on. I'll even give you five minutes for a bathroom break before I expect to see you back out here."
Sliding into your room, you glanced at him over your shoulder. "How charitable."
After spending at least ten minutes sat on the sink, totally not thought spiraling, Insu's fourth round of knocking finally pushed you to hop off the counter. Snagging the ice bucket from beside you, you shuffled back toward the door and yanked it open. Chewing on your lip, you narrowed your eyes at the dastardly man.
"That was much longer than five minutes."
"Should've come in after me," you sighed, breezing past him. "What if I had passed out on the toilet? Some body guard you are."
"I'm here to protect you from other people," he chuckled. "Not from yourself."
"Comforting," you deadpanned. "I'll remember that the next time I feel faint."
The two of you walked down the hallway in companionable silence for a moment, giving you time to let your eyes wander from door to door. You were curious who was hidden where and if they were all comfortable with the current arrangements. Now you had three men, three celebrities, locked up for what could be weeks. They'd be missing crucial schedules, studio time, and dance practices...all because of you.
"You have no control over what fans do," Insu said quietly, seeming to have read your mind.
"Get out of my head," you huffed, glaring over your shoulder at him.
"I don't have to be in your head to know you're going through it," he hummed. "I can tell by your body language."
"Please, enlighten me," you sighed, coming to a halt and spinning toward him. "What is my body saying?"
You tried to ignore the up and down assessment he gave you.
"Your shoulders are tense," he noted. "You're either chewing on your lip or the inside of your cheek at any give time. Your arms are wrapped so tightly around the ice bucket, you-"
"Okay, okay," you accepted. "Apparently my body is talkative. I get it."
Turning back around, you started your trek again.
"I'm here to listen," Insu prompted from behind you. "If you want to talk about it."
"There's nothing to talk about," you alleged. "Plus I'm sure Hyuk gave you the full report."
"I did have to set three of his fingers," Insu confessed. "But he didn't get into specifics."
Whirling around again, your eyes were wide. "He didn't go to the hospital?"
"Not if he can avoid it," he smirked. "It's kind of the nature of the business."
"Great," you gasped, throwing your hands in the air, ice bucket included. "So I've been the cause for two people's physical injuries, my apartment being torn apart, AND everyone being held up in hotel rooms like some kind of fancy prison."
"Hey," Insu said quietly, taking slow steps to close the distance between the two of you. You hadn't noticed it previously, but you were breathing heavily and tears may or may not have started to escape your eyes.
Placing his hands lightly on your shoulders, he slid his fingers carefully down to your elbows and then back up again. "You're not responsible for any of that."
"I am," you whined. You were on the brink of becoming a blubbering mess. "I'm the unlikable one. Fans don't like me. That's why all of this is happening. I'm supposed to be better. I'm supposed to be more deserving."
"Come here," Insu said gruffly, pulling you against him. Wrapping his arms around your shoulders, he placed a hand gently on the back of your head. "With the fan-bases these guys have, no one will ever be good enough. It's not personal."
"They made it personal," you squeaked into his suit. While you weren't proud of your breakdown, you were enjoying the unexpected safety Insu provided. "They took away everything."
"They didn't," he insisted. "They can't take away how you react to the situation, and you've been doing well. Better than anyone can expect, really."
Pulling away from him, you caught Insu's eyes. "Why are you being so sweet?"
"I can't comfort a friend in need?" he smiled, patting your head absently before stepping back.
"We're friends?" you chirped, quietly pleased by this development.
"I guess we are," Insu hummed, seeming surprised by his own words.
You smiled softly at him, allowing this new, bubbly feeling to float through you. If not watched carefully, you knew it could be dangerous, and you already had enough boy-related problems on your hands.
"Y/N?" a familiar voice questioned from behind you.
Turning around, you couldn't help but feel the moment between you and Insu had been snuffed out. You were only mildly horrified with yourself as you felt a slight disappointment at another person joining the conversation until you realized who it was.
"Jungkook!" you grinned. It took everything in you not to greet him with a big hug.
He seemed to have no qualms though.
"Y/N!" he breathed, an easy smile filling his face. Crossing the hallway, he pulled you in for a hug. Wrapping his arms around your waist, he tucked you into his frame, enveloping you in warmth.
"It's so good to see you," he whispered into your hair.
"It's good to see you too," you sighed, leaning back to get a better look at him, but remaining in his arms. He looked as handsome as ever.
Clearing his throat behind you, Insu made his presence abundantly clear.
Stepping away from Jungkook, you felt heat creep up your neck. You glanced behind Jungkook, his won bodyguard giving an awkward wave.
"Sorry," Jungkook winced, nodding briefly to Insu. Focusing on you again, he grinned. "How are you?"
"I've been better," you admitted. "I'm hoping they filled you in when they moved you here?"
"A little bit," he grimaced. "Y/N, I am so sorry. I can't believe anyone would do that, let alone someone who would call themselves a fan of any of us."
"They killed my fish," you blurted, not realizing how much that thought burdened you.
"What?" he gasped, his eyes growing wide. He pulled you in for another hug. "You've been through so much."
"Y/N," Insu grunted behind you. "It's best we get going."
"Right," you nodded, stepping away from Jungkook. If the producers saw the two of you fraternizing in the hallway, it likely wouldn't go over well.
"I'm glad I saw you," Jungkook nodded, eyes bright. "Even if it was only for a minute."
You smirked before glancing to your feet. "I didn't get to ask, but you're doing okay?"
"I'm doing great," he chimed. "I've gotten more sleep than I have in years. And three meals a day! Can you even imagine?"
You let out an unexpected laugh. "That's a relief to hear. I'm glad you're resting well."
"So are the other guys," he nodded, somehow knowing that would comfort you. "Just to clarify. We're all taking this in stride."
"You've talked to them?" you asked, tilting your head.
"Hongseok and I get meals together downstairs sometimes," he said, an idea lighting up his expression. "You should meet with us!"
"Y/N," Insu cautioned. His quiet reminder that you've dallied too long.
"We should," you agreed before squeezing his bicep lightly. "I'll see you soon, okay?"
"Okay," Jungkook hummed, giving the cutest nose scrunch.
Taking a deep breath, you continued down the hallway past him, willing yourself not to look back. You hadn't realized how reassuring his presence would be. He was the only one who hadn't really been privy to the nightmare this experience had become, so it was such a relief to touch base. Plus he confirmed that he and Hongseok were doing just fine. You hoped he would begin including San in their shared meals as well.
Walking into the ice room in a bit of a daze, it took you a moment to realize how quiet Insu was being.
Turning to look at him as you filled your bucket, you were surprised when he didn't make eye contact. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," he said shortly.
"Apparently not," you chuckled nervously, feeling his mood change rolling off him in waves.
"We wasted too much time," he muttered. "We could've both gotten in trouble."
"It was just a quick conversation," you reasoned. "It wasn't really a big deal."
"Every minute you are outside of the safety of your room is a big deal," he said, glaring.
"Whoa," you winced, tucking your now full ice bucket back under your arm. "Down, tiger."
"I'm not going to endanger you just so some celebrity can get in his five minutes," he grumbled, looking anywhere but at you. "I'm sure that little stunt added quite the points in his favor."
"Insu," you whispered, recoiling from him as if you had been slapped. "Jungkook isn't like that."
"Right," he scoffed, turning around and leading you back into the hall.
Normally you walked in front of your body guard, but this time, he was stomping in front of you.
What was his issue?
Was he...jealous?
"Someone got really grumpy, rather quickly," you muttered, arriving at your door. Stepping in your way, Insu glared down at you.
"Just watch yourself, okay?" he said sternly. "These guys sell a fantasy every day. They're good at it."
"Heaven forbid someone genuinely likes me," you huffed.
"I didn't say they couldn't," he shot back. "All I'm saying is-"
"Yeah, yeah," you groaned. "Poor little Y/N, manipulated by the heart throb. I get it."
"Y/N," he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "That's not what I'm saying at all."
"Then come out with it!" you gasped. This day had been far too long and complicated for your liking. You were ready to hide under your blankets and never come out.
"I care about your well being!" he burst, his hands curling into fists as he let them drop to his sides. "I don't want to see you hurt!"
You chewed on his comment for a moment, watching as he continued to stare at you, frustration painted across his handsome face. "Why, Insu?"
"I told you earlier, I like you, Y/N," he struggled. "You don't want to see people you favor falling into situations where they're not watching out for themselves."
"You said you couldn't protect me from myself," you said quietly. "Remember?"
Insu let out a small grunt. "Stubborn."
"Exhausted," you corrected. "Thoroughly done. Burned out. Let me into my room."
Smacking your room's key card against the keypad, Insu backed into door. Keeping it open wide as you walked past, you could feel his eyes boring into you from behind.
"Goodnight," you huffed.
Without saying a word, he stepped into the hallway, closing the door softly behind him.
..
Your next date wasn't until the following evening, giving you plenty of time to stew in your disaster of a date, the situation with Insu, and the small rendezvous with Jungkook. Saying you were confused and irritable was an understatement.
You were already in the thick of things with three different idols and had four more to go. You couldn't go throwing Insu into the situation when your heart and mind were completely disoriented. You had never navigated anything quite this intense in your life.
Jungkook had pure intentions, of that you were sure. That's why Insu's outburst had shaken you so much. He didn't know anything about these guys, and it was clear in the way he was acting. That being said, you couldn't help that it had sewed the smallest seed of doubt in your mind. He was right, idols were well-versed in giving the illusion of attainability. Surely they weren't putting on an act just to win the competition...were they? The cameras weren't even around when you had bumped into Jungkook. He had no reason to be so caring if that were the case.
"Damnit, Insu," you hissed, knowing this would dwell in the back of your head. How dare he open that door when you were already feeling like you were going crazy.
Lost in thought, you yanked open the door of your hotel room right after you heard a knock. Hyuk had dropped you off for makeup and hair not long ago with the promise of your date starting soon. It was going to be a formal evening, so you were dressed exceptionally well (at least to your own standards). Shimmying out your shoulders, you tried to focus on the task at hand. You would have fun tonight, even if it killed you.
Glancing up from your uncomfortable shoes, you were taking aback at seeing Insu again so quickly.
"What are you doing here?" you croaked, unintentionally sounding annoyed by his mere presence.
Insu's eyebrows shot up. "This is an evening date. Am I not your night shift bodyguard?"
Right. Somehow it had completely evaded you that he would be the one escorting you this evening.
"Perfect," you muttered, shaking your head. This was just great.
Barging your way around him, you started down the hall, trying to calm your anxiety. It was hard enough jumping into another blind date, let alone with your moody body guard in tow.
Stepping into the elevator, you scooted as far away from him as you could. Maybe it was a bit immature, but you were emotionally frazzled before you had even blown up at each other last night. It was to be expected that you were still a little bit raw.
Punching at the button for the lobby, Insu became a statue beside you. Remaining quiet, it wasn't until the end of the elevator ride that he finally spoke up. "You look beautiful."
"Thanks," you managed, not allowing for his kind words to melt the ice that had frozen around you.
"Y/N," he sighed, turning slightly toward you. "Surely you can understand where I was coming from-"
"Doubling down is not the optimal move here," you grumbled, holding up a hand in the air between you. "I'm trying to get into a good mental space to handle this date. I really don't want to talk about last night."
"Can we talk later?" he asked, tilting his head.
"No."
"Y/N-"
"I'll think about it," you groaned. "Okay? Just give me some space for tonight."
Giving a curt nod, Insu stepped back into his position beside you.
It wasn't long before the elevator doors slid open, exposing you to the commotion that was the hotel lobby. Taking a deep breath, you stepped from the small space. Furrowing your brows, you were surprised to see a handsome man, dressed in a full suit in front of you. The cameras were on and waiting for your arrival.
"Wow," his surprisingly gravely voice purred. Reaching out to take your hand, he smiled. "You must be Y/N."
"I am," you said cautiously.
"I'm Got7's Jackson," he smiled. "And you are absolutely gorgeous."
You tried to ignore the sharp intake of breath from behind you.
Tonight was going to be interesting.
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blizzardfluffykpop · 6 months
Text
By My Side
Summary: Your journey to the top and the man who supported you the whole way. 
Long Fic (Oneshot)
Fluff, Angst? (Mainly Racing Anxiety), Slight Suggestive Parts, Strangers to Lovers au, Opposites attract au?, Idol au
Word Count: 19,000
Idol!Hyunggu (Kino) X Racecar Driver!Reader
[Features: The rest of OT9]
[Long A/n: There is the barest of information about entries vs starting in Formula 1. The only information I was able to gain about it was researching women who’ve raced in the sport. Only two of the five ever got to race (vv sad news), so for entries vs starting it will be speculation but based off of the real races! Also Pentagon’s scheduling is going to be a little off, but it’s so it works for the story tbh.]
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You’ve known since you were five that you wanted to be a Formula One racer. And when you were eight, your parents started taking you karting with them. It didn’t take long before you started taking karting lessons. You even taught classes to younger kids before gaining entry into Formula Three. As you practiced day in and day out, you knew there were no guarantees of getting into Formula One. But you never gave up, and maybe with some help from Kang Hyunggu, you finally obtained your FIA super license. 
You were twenty-three when you first met Kang Hyunggu by chance. And for some reason, the two of you hit it off instantly. It didn’t make sense because you were from two very different worlds. With him being an idol singer and you being a racecar driver, you were polar opposites. But you both shared the same love for coffee and flowers and had the same music taste. It started from there, with small meets at a coffee shop. At first, both of your managers managed your meetups. Something else you both had in common. But after a year of meeting each other and getting to know one another. Your managers had let up after they ensured you both knew the consequences if the public were to find out. But at the time, what would it matter to the world? You were just friends getting to know each other with what little time you had. 
You guys were lying on your bed in your apartment when he asked, “Do you think we’ll ever get our first win?” And you smiled, “Of course. Maybe it’s from a Universe's perspective at this point, but I feel that come this time next year, you’ll have gained one.” He smiled and thanked you, and you asked, “Do you think I’ll ever make it out of Formula Three?” He nodded, “With your talent, there’s no doubt.” You pouted, "How would you know?" And he continued, “What do you say if I come to one of your races, manager approved, of course, and I see for myself?” You smiled, “It’d be nice to have someone other than my crew cheering me on.”
After you both received approval, he was able to watch you race. It was slightly nerve-wracking having the guy you had a crush on watch one of your races, but you took it in stride. He walked you to your racecar, encouraging you the whole way. When you arrived at the garage, he said, “If you win, I have something important to tell you.” You raise your eyebrow at him, “And if I don’t?” He shrugs, “I guess you’ll never know.” 
For your past two seasons, your top place was fifth, and even that was an incredible feat for you. But with a good qualifying round, you gained pole position, earning you an advantage. You gulped as you watched the lights go and gunned it. Maybe it was because you wanted to know what he was going to tell you. Or perhaps it was sheer dumb luck. But somehow, you had not only won that race. You had also won it by a large margin, something you had been trying to do since you started racing.
You raced your victory lap and came back to the starting position. You gasped as you realized you only had one more criterion left to meet to gain a super license. You hopped out of your car to see your team readily congratulating you. And you cheered with them as they lifted you into the air. When you came down and hopped over the fence, you saw Hyunggu holding a flower bouquet. You blushed as he handed it to you, “What did you want to tell me?” You asked as you thanked him for the flowers and brought him into a hug. He smiled, “That you look cute in your outfit.” You shook your head as you blushed. Before you could ask him if that’s really what he wanted to tell you. They rushed you into an interview room, “Are you going to do your last requirement to gain your super license, Mx. (L/n)?” You nodded, “Yes, I’m going to go onwards and complete the safety regulations test at the end of this season.” They nod, satisfied with your answer. Before they could ask you more questions, your manager came in and took you out to treat everyone to a nice dinner. 
As you sat around the table, everyone chatting, the engineer turned to you. He smiled and announced to the table, “You’ve grown so much as a racer over the past two years I’ve gotten to know you. Are you ready for the big leagues, kid?” You looked at your plate, “I believe so.” The table laughed, “You’ll do fine!” And they were right. After years of studying up on the quiz, you passed it with flying colors. And Hyunggu was right there to congratulate you, holding another bouquet. 
You accepted the flowers as he pulled you into a hug. You held him tightly against you, your emotions getting to you as you shook with tears. And he went, “You did it. I knew you could.” You thanked him, and he said, “Let’s celebrate.” You nodded, and he took you both out to a little diner. After you order your meals, he tells you, “I think it’s time I tell you the important thing I wanted to tell you.” You pout, “So you didn’t think I was cute in my outfit.” He shook his head with a laugh, “I thought you were the cutest. But that wasn’t all I wanted to tell you.” You nodded for him to go on, “I like you a lot. And not just in a friendly type of way.” You pinched yourself as you said, “This has to be a dream.” And he shook his head, “No.” And you smiled as you grabbed his hand and interlocked your fingers, “I like you a lot, too. Do you want to consider this our first date?” He smiled, “I’d like that.” 
You finished up the racing season and relaxed a bit. But you didn’t know how much you were really up against. After all, no one ever mentions the people who don’t qualify for Formula One. It’s only about those who do. And when you put your name down and saw the list of other candidates. Who were just as hungry as you to be on the track.... It dawned on you that this may be harder than you believed. You told Hyunggu of your worries, and he held you close as he eased your mind. He assured you that you were just as capable as the other racers behind the wheel, if not more. It soothed your nerves and made you practice more for it. Whenever he wasn’t at practice, he was watching you in the stands, getting your time lower and lower. You just had to be a quarter of a second faster than your competitors. And you were doing everything to make that happen. 
You finished after eight hours of practice to see Hyunggu racing down the stands to greet you. His binoculars were hanging around his neck, and you giggled, “How long have you been watching?” He smiles, “A few hours.” You smiled as you pecked his cheek, “Thanks.” He shrugs, “You’re doing fantastic out there. You got this.” You shrugged, “I’m not so sure, but I’ll continue at it until I am.” He nods before asking, “Do you wanna watch me practice?” You agree, and he leads you by the hand to his car, “It’s weird to be in a slow-moving vehicle after eight hours.” He looks over at you with wide eyes, “You’ve been out here since six a.m.?” You nod, “I couldn’t stand to be away. You’re the same way when you practice.” He laughs, “Yeah, I guess we have that in common too.” You shake your head at him as he shifts out of park and drives to the company. 
He has you grab lunch in the cafeteria before leading you to the practice room. “(Y/n)! It’s so good to see you again!” Hongseok greets you cheerily, leading the rest of them into an uproar. You laugh as you greet them and walk over to the bench seat. “I’m just here to watch and eat my lunch~” Shinwon laughs, “You sure it’s not just to watch Kino?” You laugh, “You caught me.” Hyunggu winks at you through the mirror, and they start practicing some of their older songs. As you finish up your meal and throw away the trash, their choreographer comes in. “Hey guys! I’ve finalized some new moves for your new title and wanted to go over them with you guys.” You hold back your gasp as you realize you’re an outsider and fan getting to watch part of the demo for the first time. 
Hyunggu comes over to grab a drink of water before they start, and you ask, “Should I cover my eyes? I don’t want to offend or worry the choreographer.” He shakes his head, “Baby, I watch you practice new tricks on the track all the time. It’s okay.” You nod, and he kisses the top of your head before walking back. The choreographer reviews what they’ve learned and the new moves he is implementing. And you watch in awe as they move around the room. When they’ve finished the initial learning, they take a quick break. Then, the choreographer calls, “Let’s put this to music, guys!” 
He clicks a button on a remote, and they all start dancing as he oversees. As the music filters through the room, you can’t believe your ears. It sounds so delightful, and the dance seemed to encapsulate the melancholy feeling of letting someone go. As they started correcting things, you couldn’t help but wonder what inspired them to write it. When they finally finish up, you give a round of applause. The choreographer thanked you as he walked out of the room. 
Hyunggu slides down the wall beside your seat and asks, “So, what do you think?” “Well, the song is heartbreakingly beautiful, and the dance so far? It’s amazing! I can’t wait to see the finalized version.” The others laugh, and Hui lays on the floor and cheers, “You and me both!” You smile as you ask, “Who wrote it?” And he answers again, “Wooseok, Nathan, and me.” You nod and wish to ask him why, but feeling how heart-wrenching it was. You decide it was better to guess. You look at the clock to see it’s six and yawn, “Do you guys want to get dinner?” That seemed to bring their spirits up as they cheered and got ready. 
“Are you sure you’re not tired from your long day?” Hyunggu says, looking at the time. And you shake your head, “I gained my energy back while watching you dance.” You tell him, finishing off your sentence with a yawn. And he shakes his head, “Says the one who’s yawning. You can nap in my car.” You laugh and place your head on his shoulder, catching a few milliseconds of sleep as the rest rush around. You both walk out to his car, gaining a few passengers as you do. Knowing that if you weren’t fast from past experiences, you’d end up in the back, so you shout, “Shotgun!” And the other three groan, and you smirk, “I knew it.” And the tall ones groan as they file into his car. Yuto mumbles, “It’s always more cramped in the back!” And Wooseok grumbles in the middle, “My long legs have no room to go!” This causes Shinwon to whine, “Quit bumping into me!”  You laugh and tease, “I have so much legroom up here~” And the three roll their eyes as he takes off to the restaurant. 
You relax and enjoy your meal as they talk about their upcoming comeback that’ll happen in a few months. When the scheduler is about to drop, and how they’re excited to release another album. “It feels a little bittersweet to release one without Jinho.” You nod, and they talk about their worries and wonder if they’ll be able to gain a win off of this one or not. You cheer them up by telling them they’ve got their fans behind them every step of the way. And how Universes will do everything they can to make a win for them. They agree with you, and you finish up the meal happily. 
—---
When Hyunggu told you he was an idol, it took you a long time to check out his stuff. Mostly because you were busy but partly because you knew you’d fall even deeper for him. It was about three months into your friendship when you listened to ‘Shine’ for the first time. And before you could even blink, you fell into the world of being a Universe. It felt so exciting. While you had been fans of groups and bands before. This time felt different. As you got to know them and their 'idol-like selves,' it was hard to spot the differences. Yes, there were times when they had worn fake smiles and done scripted things. But you found they were just as genuine on-screen as they were off. Knowing that your crush had a wonderful friend group and a sweeter fanbase endeared you even more. 
It didn’t take long for you to start collecting their things. Hyunggu shook his head as he visited your room after you started collecting to see their albums on your shelves. “I could have gotten these to you for free. You know?” But you shook your head at him, wanting to give him at least a cent for his hard work. When you finally started dating, you had just finished collecting their albums. You happily showed him, and he just smiled and kissed the top of your head, “You’re cute, you know that?” But this time, when this comeback goes up for sale. It’ll be the first Pentagon album you’ll get to pre-order, and you’re so excited. As he drives you home, you tell him how excited you are, and he smiles and tells you he’s excited too. He doesn’t elaborate further, considering you’ve already heard his hopes for it at dinner. 
You still had a few weeks until you had to compete to start. And with every practice run on the track, your confidence grew. You spent less time with Hyunggu and more time there. It was funny how your heart wished to be with him instead. Before meeting him, all your heart ever wanted was to race. To feel the engine roar and tires burn down the track. But when you’d spot Hyunggu in the stands, you almost wished to stop the car and run to him. So instead, you raced faster to see him quicker. It surprised you how quickly he grew in your heart, but it was delightful, nonetheless. 
On the big day, you wake up with a start. Rushing around and gathering up all the things that you had prepared the night before for today. You heard a knock on your door as you were throwing on your shoes. And there he was, standing waiting with a bag of donuts and a coffee for each of you. You wrapped your arms around him, thanking him, and took your coffee from him and sipped on it. He led you to your car, and you drove up to the track. “You nervous?” “A little.” He nodded and placed his hand over yours. “I know, whatever the outcome is, you’ll do your best. And that’s all that matters.” You nodded and pulled in to see the lot filling up fast. “Are these all the racers for today?” He hums and goes, “Maybe some of them are crews?” You let that ease your mind as you parked as close as possible. You pull out your donuts and eat them before exiting the car. You lock it up, and he places his hand in yours. You squeeze it tight and walk up, drinking your coffee. “You know, I knew there would be at least twenty racers… But I wasn’t expecting a whole army of them.” He nods and squeezes your hand, “It’ll be okay.” It takes a little while to meet up with your crew. He lets go of your hand so you can get coached and change into your suit. You look at him for as long as possible before entering race mode. 
This is going to be the hardest race of your life, while yes, there have been races that were hard to go through. But this one, you had to prove not only that you're an excellent racer. But that you are better than the other eighty-some racers out here today. And that thought alone made you nervous. You listened to each of your crew member's advice and how to navigate the turns and when best to get around others. You’d get two laps to train on this new track before they started qualifying. The track owner came up and started greeting everyone before the races began. He was polite and wished everyone well, as far as you could hear. You head to your car to see Hyunggu talking to a few of your members. He saw them all look over at you before he turned around with a big grin. “You ready?” You nodded, “As I’ll ever be.” He smiled, pulling you into his arms, “Go get ‘em, baby.” He ruffled your hair before you put your helmet on and waited for their final instructions. 
You lifted your helmet one last time and said, “I’ll do my best!” The crew nodded and wished you luck, and Hyunggu smiled, “You always do. You got this! I’ll be watching from the inside!” When it was your turn to practice, you pulled out of the pit before driving onto the track. You snaked across the pavement, getting your tires used to the new pavement. The first turn came fast, and you memorized how the straightaways met the curves as you sped around. Mentally marking all the spots your crew said were good to cut around others. And you made plans as you made it back from your first lap. You did your last lap and felt your confidence go up. Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as you feared. But as you remembered, some racers here had been waiting for their big chance too. And some had done this track a hundred times compared to you. It made your nerves spike back up, but you shook them off as you pitted. 
You popped your helmet off, and your race engineer came over, “What do you think?” You gulped, “It’s way more than I’m used to.” He nodded, “You are racing the Grand Prix now.” You nodded as he asked, “Did you see the spots we mentioned?” “Yeah, I made the plans on how to maneuver too.” He smiled, “Good. Now, I’ll let you talk to your lover boy over there. He was sweetly cheering you on in front of the screens. He’s a good guy.” You smile, “He’s the sweetest. Thanks.” He exits, and Hyunggu swoops in, “So, whaddaya think?” You nodded and told him all about it. He listened and asked some quick questions, and you answered with ease. He tells you, “I was watching you from the screen. You always look like you're in your element out there.” You smiled, and he kissed your forehead. He backed up as they announced the final racer had finished their practice run. “I’ll be watching.” “Like a guardian angel or private eye?” He laughed, “The former.” And you smiled at him as you nodded. 
They had you set up by your best time. So you would be racing with the 40s-60s. You placed forty-three, making you third in your set. Somehow, you would have to make it into this year's top twenty-two. When the first twenty finish their races, some of their times seem unreal. You gulp as you remind yourself that you only have to beat out fifty-eight racers to secure spot twenty-two. You pull your vehicles out to race next, and you hear the race official cheer, “Alright, I want a nice clean race. Remember your FIA rules. This is a no-contact sport. You will be disqualified if you do something intentionally. Do your best out there, and racers, start your engines!!” Your heart comes to life as you hear everyone’s engine roar as you press your engine on. Each racer starts at their own time. You stay for a moment, wanting the track to clear out a bit so you can get your head in the game. You only need to set your personal best. And once you lay your foot on that pedal, you better hit the metal. 
And so you do. You slam it down, easily make it around the curves, and even pass two people as you drive. Your engineer calls out for you to avoid hitting the guy coming up fast behind you. And you agree, but still try to go quicker. But they're slick as they slip past you and race ahead of others. You make it past two more racers on your first lap, coming out at '2:32.80.' You swear you were getting better times on your home track. You were getting to the 1:00s with no problem. You gasp into the mic, and your engineer goes, “Don’t lose your head. Just do this lap faster.” You do as you're told, getting out of your head, you speed around even faster, trying to set a personal best. And when you make it around, your time reads '1:59.343'. Every millisecond counts, and you look at your name to see it at the very bottom of the top twenty-two. You could live with that. All you needed was to stay in that spot, and you’d be okay. 
You come back and pit after pitting twice, once for refueling and once for tires. You pull off your helmet and cross all your appendages. Hoping and praying that somehow that time would be able to make it in. You jump out of your car before joining everyone in the garage and watch on, keeping your fingers crossed. The last twenty were up, each racing at their own pace. All it would take was one good time to beat you out. You knew it, and it terrified you, and as you sat there shaking, you felt someone place their hand on your knee. And you looked up from your internal plunder to see Hyunggu. “At least you can say you made it to the billboard, even if you don’t stay there.” You nod, and it calms you down for a moment. 
You watch as the racers return from their first lap and see their times start showing up on the board. Three racers placed in the top ten, officially sealing the deal for them. That meant you were out of the race. You hold back your tears as the rest of the racers finish up their laps. You don’t even notice you're crying until you are being pulled into multiple arms. One hands you a handkerchief, and you hold it to your face as you cry into it. It breaks your heart worse as you feel the others around you shake with their own tears. 
After fifteen minutes, you guys learn who’s in pole position. And the owner comes around to congratulate the winners. You successfully wipe your eyes and head out to congratulate them as well. Hyunggu stays behind you the whole time. His tears still streaking as you finish talking to others who have lost this year's race. One goes, “Better luck next time, huh?” The group of you laugh, “Yeah! We’ll get ‘em next time! And if we don’t. Well, we’ll just keep trying!” You laugh and wipe your eyes with your wet handkerchief. 
You head back to the garage and see everyone cleaning up. “Are you guys mad at me?” They shake their heads, and your manager answers for them, “No, honey, we’re proud of you for making it this far. Hell, you even made it on the chart for a moment.” Your engineer goes, “We’ll just have to keep training.” You nod, and they pat your shoulder as they exit, “We’ll see you again in a few months to start training.” You agree, and you walk back to your everyday car. Hyunggu has you sit in the passenger seat. And you finally crumble. It wasn’t your proudest moment. But you became inconsolable with tears and muttering. You could only put on that brave facade for so long. 
He turns on the radio and puts on your favorite sad songs. He tells you softly, “Come here,” after moving his seat backward to accommodate you. He pulls you over the console as you shake with tears. He holds you against him, and he can’t help but cry himself. It hurts him to see you so upset. He pulls out some napkins and wipes your cheeks, telling you kind and soft words. He rocks you in his arms as you mumble incoherent words. And he hums to them all. 
It takes a while for your cries to become sniffles. And for your tears to completely dry out, even though you wish to cry more. Hyunggu keeps you close through it all as you whisper little fears. He runs his hands through your hair, matching your worries with assurances. Reminding you about how loved you were, not only by him but by so many others. He lifts your chin and goes, “You know, I’ve never seen someone look so beautiful when they cry.” You sniffle, “Really?” He nods, “You’re beautiful all the time. It’s unsurprising to me that now would be any different.” You laugh, and he places a kiss on your nose. And then he kisses your cheek, your forehead, your chin, your neck, and everywhere he can reach before finally kissing your lips, making you giggle. He brings you out of your pool of sadness before setting you back onto your seat and buckling you in. “What do you say to wine and movies?” You smile softly, “I’d like that.”
He drives you back to your apartment and pulls out the wine he stored in your larder. He lets it aerate as you talk about all that could have gone better. And he nods but counters it before you can get too far deep into the rabbit hole. You do your best to hear him out, and he scoops two bowl fulls of ice cream before leading you to the couch. He brings the wine over and pours it into two glasses. He has you swirl it as he hands it to you. 
He puts on your favorite movie, and as your favorite scene comes on. Your tears have replenished, and you sob, which causes him to wrap you up in his arms as he quickly puts everything in your guy's hands down. “It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay.” He keeps repeating to you as you watch on, and you cry, “How can they get a happy ending?” He puts his head into your collarbone, “Well, maybe this isn’t your ending?” That shocks you enough to cause a hiccup of tears, “Wh-What?” He smiles, “You’re in the middle of the movie. You have to have your Disney heartbreak before you get your Disney ending.” You blink at him, your tears slowing to stop, and he grins, “I know it doesn’t seem like it. But this isn’t the end. This is just the beginning.” He wipes your tears as he sheds a few himself. And you quickly wipe them from his eyes. He puts his forehead against yours, “I promise. You’re okay. You’ll reach the finish line and make a faster time. I’m sure of it.” You hum, and he pulls away, “Do you still wanna continue watching this movie?” You nod, and he rewinds the movie a bit.
He tucks you into bed before climbing in, “I thought you had to be at the dorms?” He shakes his head, “You’re more important. I already texted Hui that you need me more.” You blink at him, “But you can’t miss practice!” He shakes his head, “No need to worry! I’ll be doing a late practice and taking you with me.” “Oh.” He laughs, kisses your forehead, and turns off the light, “Have sweet dreams.” You whisper, “You too.” 
Your dreams remind you of your loss, and you wake up crying. You scooted over and pushed yourself into Hyunggu's arms. He opens an eye and wraps himself around you, “You okay?” You shake your head ‘no,’ and he puts his hand on your head, “Do you want to tell me about it?” You whisper, “It was about losing the race…” “Oh…” You nod, pushing your head deeper into his chest as he holds you closer. “It’s just a reflection of reality. You’ll get them next time, I promise.” You nod, and it doesn’t take long for you to drift back to sleep cuddled into him. You dream of laying next to Hyunggu in a field of daisies, with nothing to worry or wonder about, just the two of you laughing and talking about everything. 
You wake up later in the day to find him waiting for you to wake up, “Do you want to get lunch with me?” You gasp, “Is it that late?” “It’s one in the afternoon.” “Oh, that’s fine. Let’s go.” You both get dressed and during lunch, you two cheesily drink a milkshake together, “Isn’t it like... fifty percent backwash by now?” He laughs, “I guess, but I don’t mind yours.” You laugh, reach over the milkshake, and kiss him. “Ah yeah, it’s better that way.” He giggles, “I agree.” He kisses you again, and your food comes a moment later. After lunch, he takes you to practice with him. 
You cheer him and the rest of them on, and they head to the studio later, wanting to finalize a few more things on the album itself. Hyunggu sits on your lap as they all try to fit in the tiny little studio. You laugh as the boys cry about how he was never this affectionate with him, and you stick your tongue out at them. As Hyunggu turns into Kino in the recording area, Yanan and Hongseok surround you. Hongseok speaks up first, “Hey, we heard about yesterday. Are you okay?” You look down at your hands, “I suppose so? I’m definitely not as okay as I wish to be right now.” Yanan asks, “But you did your best, right?” You nod, the two smile, and he continues, “That just means your best will get better.” You smile, and Hongseok says, “You’ll get ‘em next time. And then, when you win, we’ll do our best to attend your races.” You laugh, “Okay.” Changgu comes over, “For free, right?” You laugh even harder, “Yeah, of course, you guys are practically my boyfriend’s family.” The whole group cheered, except Hyunggu, who couldn’t hear anything behind the glass. 
You listen to his stunning voice, and he finishes quickly, joining you again, “How did I sound?” You smile, “Beautiful as always.” He grins and kisses your nose, which causes Shinwon to whine, “Cooties.” You smirk and kiss Hyunggu, “What do you call that for cooties?” Shinwon cries, ‘gross’ louder, and both of you giggle at him. And as you wait, the one and only Jinho comes in, and you jokingly salute him. And he stands at attention to do so, and you both laugh, “Good to see the soldier. Is this your goodbye track?” He nods, “Yeah, the kids complained that they’ll miss me worse if I don’t.” You smile, “As a Universe, I would too.” He laughs, “Yeah,” he turns to Hui and says, “I only have a few lines to fix, then I have to go back to base.” Hui nods, and Yuto exits the studio and joins the rest of you on the cramped couch. 
The seven of you happily listen to Jinho’s voice. Hui smiles, “I never tire of hearing his voice.” And the rest of you hum in agreement, and you cry a little as the song continues to play. Hyunggu immediately wipes your eyes, “Oh, you haven’t heard it that much…” You shake your head, “I knew it would be a goodbye song, but…” They all coo at you, and as Jinho opens the door, “Oh, I didn’t mean to make you cry!” You shake your head, “I just um… Wow, I know we get to see you a bit. But Unis, in comparison, I just, wow.” He pats your head, “You’ll be okay, kid.” You nod, and he lets the boys hug him as he leaves for base camp. “How do you guys do this with no tears?” Hui shakes his head, “I know you saw Spring Snow + Shine, so…” You sigh, “Yeah… I guess it’s a little easier now?” They nod, and Yuto says, “But we can’t help but miss him even when he’s here.” They all agree, and Jinho returns, “I forgot my hat!” And the eight of you cry, “Jinho!” And he looks at all of you, “What?” He sighs as he realizes he’ll have to do a round of hugs again. You give him one before you all give him a group hug. He mutters, “I’m going to be so late,” as he hugs back just as tightly, “Only fourteen months before we’re all back together.” You all nod and let him go this time, and he rushes to his bus.
After a few more tweaks to the songs, you head out to your cars, and when you part from Hyunggu, he asks, “You’ll be okay, right?” You nod, “If I’m not, I’ll head to the dorms.” He nods, “Okay. I’ll miss you.” You give him a soft smile as you open your car door, “I’ll miss you too. I’ll see you in two days?” He agrees and hops into the van while you head home. 
From that day forward, you take your time off seriously, working out, researching, and watching all the races to see what they did differently than you had. But that didn’t mean you weren’t spending time with the boys. Rather, that was how you spent the majority of your time. If it wasn’t night or early morning, you were following their schedules with them. It was exciting to see the finishing touches make the dance and song come to life. It went from disarray to a perfect ensemble. And you couldn’t help but clap after each practice. And before you knew it, Daisy was coming out. And you couldn’t be more excited. 
You cheered as you looked at his painting for the first time and asked him how he did it, and he happily told you his whole process. Explaining what brush stroke created, you couldn’t help but admire him as he did. “You know, you’re more beautiful than your painting.” He pouts, “What are you saying?” And you kiss his temple, “I’m saying that you made the most beautiful painting of a daisy that I’ve ever seen. But you, handsome, are more beautiful when you explain something you’ve created or are passionate about.” He blushes, “Well, I guess when you put it that way…” You shake your head, cup his face in your hands, and bring him in for a kiss. He kisses back just as feverishly. You pull away and squish his cheeks, “Yeah, you’re the finest artwork out there.” He pouts, and you giggle, “It’s even cuter when your cheeks are squished.” He gently pulls your hand away and captures you into another kiss. He pulls back to whisper, “I can’t get enough of you.” You blush, “Did anyone ever tell you that you look hot with silver hair?” He hums, “Just you so far.” You smirk as you kiss him again and pull him into your arms. 
He pulls back, “Let me put this away before we continue.” You sigh, “You’re a great killer of the mood.” He laughs, “Maybe, but I’ll bring it back up.” You raise your eyebrow, “You sure?” He smirks as he finishes putting his painting back into its spot, “Oh, I’m positive, baby.” He whisks you into his arms and kisses you deeply again. “That work?” You smirk, “I don’t know yet. I’m not entirely convinced~” He grins, “Well, I guess I’ll just have to spend all night convincing you~”
—---
While you had already heard the song a handful of times and saw how they prepared for and filmed the music video, to see the final cut and how it was compiled and edited would be different and magical. You stayed up the whole night, anticipating its release. Hyunggu stayed over at your place because it was closer to their first showcase. You had left the bed to watch it cause you didn’t want him to hear your reactions and wake up. As it drew to the last seconds and you refreshed the page, you grinned, it popped up, and clicked it. 
You smiled, seeing Kino first, and as the song faded in. You gasped. The music video made the song feel fuller, as though it were finally complete. It felt more like a tragic movie than a simple music video, and you were captivated entirely. Watching him fall back into the water as if he were drowning without his person broke your heart. And then the ending paragraph came, and you quickly scanned through it. But the line that stuck out most to you was, “Sorrow lasts a second, but what we share in our universe is eternal.” It resonated with you. It felt like your relationship with Hyunggu, how sorrow lasts a moment. While you may have lost that race a while ago, he stayed by your side. He shares all his highs and lows with you as you do with him. Because what the two of you share is forever.
You couldn’t help but hum the melody as you retired to bed. When you return, you see Hyunggu waiting for you to return. He patted your side of the bed as he told you, “I felt you leave and waited for you to come back.” You shook your head at him, “Come here, you amazing musical man.” He grinned as he scooted into your arms, “Did you like the music video?” You wrap your arms around him, “I think like is an understatement!” He laughs, “I’m glad. What was your favorite part?” You smile, “Other than your parts? Probably the ending. Especially the ending words, ‘Sorrow lasts a second, but what we share in our universe is eternal.’ Those stuck with me.” He nods, and you tell him, “Let’s get some rest. You have a big day tomorrow.” He agrees, and you shut off the lamp and settle in for the night. 
Hyunggu leaves for his rehearsals at the first stage, and you see your albums delivered. You happily opened the box and unboxed them, and to your luck, you pulled a ‘Kino’ bookmark and message card in one album. And a ‘Kino’ CD cover & photocard in the unseen version. Did you still find the Hongseok photocard and the Shinwon sticker cute? Yes, but would you be telling Hyunggu that? Not if you wanted to deal with a pouty baby. You sleeve the two cards, put the one in your binder, and replace your Universe: The Black Hall card with your newest We:th Kino card in the back of your phone. You smile and place the ‘old’ one into your Kino binder. You keep your unseen album out and head over to the showcase building. 
As you walk to the building, you spot a person selling bouquets. You grin as you pick out a beautiful one, “These have kind meanings?” The florist nods, “Yes! The pink gardenias and zinnias mixed with the red roses mean an everlasting romantic love.” You thank them as you pay for them and continue on your way. You show your badge to the security presiding outside, and the one leads you in and into the dressing room. You thank him and greet the rest of the staff on the inside. “It’s already started.” The hairstylist tells you, and you pout, “I didn’t mean to be late…” She pats your head, “It’s okay. I heard they were shipping out albums today, and seeing as you have yours, I see why you were late!” You laugh, “Yeah, I had to open them before coming!” She nods, “Did you pull a lot of Kino?” You smile, “Quite a bit! I’m just missing a sticker of his! I’ll probably have to collect a few of his preorder cards if they’re cute!” She shakes her head, “You have the real deal, though…” The makeup artist shakes his head, “If my husband were in an idol group, I’d be collecting everything of his and more!” You laugh, “He gets it perfectly!” Your conversation dies down as they start performing again. And you’re entranced as you squeeze the flowers close to you. 
When they finish the showcase and say their goodbyes, they come back to the dressing room. You greet them, and they smile, giving you small greetings, and when Hyunggu enters, you get up and present him flowers. “For you, my love.” He grins, “Thank you.” You smile and tell him, “You did well today. I’m so proud of you!” He grins and brings you in for a hug. From behind, you hear a cry of, “Where’s our hugs?!” You both laugh and part and hug them and congratulate each other for their performance. You sit back in your seat and wait for them all to collect themselves before asking, “Is there any way I can have you guys sign this lovely album?” They nod, taking turns signing it, and you thank each of them as they do. 
You come back to Hyunggu with your pen, “Mr. Kino, may I have the honors?” He laughs and teases, “But you’ve already had so many others sign your album~ Shouldn’t you only want mine?” You blink at him, “I’d only want yours on a marriage certificate.” And the other boys snicker at him, and you watch his cheeks turn red as he asks, “You want to marry me someday?” You laugh as if the answer is obvious. As he finishes signing, you tell him, “Of course I do.” He blushes, “Me too.” It was your turn to blush, and you kissed the top of his head. As you sit beside him and place the album onto your lap, Wooseok sits beside you, “Where are you going to put our signatures?” You smile, “I have this standee waiting at home on my shelf for it~” He smiles, “Oh, that’s sweet.” You nod and continue talking to Wooseok. And feel Hyunggu’s hand rub against your own, and you link your hand to his. 
When a break in the conversation happens, you sneak a smile at him. Yuto joins the conversation, and they talk about their upcoming promotions, and you listen intently and ask, “Are you guys up for an award?” They agree, “Every time we have a comeback, yeah.” You smile, “The Show, right?” They nod, and Changgu comes over, “We don’t expect anything, but we hope we gave Unis a good song.” You smile, “I think you guys did more than that.” He hums, “I guess only a universe would know~” You laugh and nod. At home, you put your album up on the shelf with pride, head to your phone, log into Star Pass, and vote continuously with the points you’ve garnered.
Time flies, and the day of ‘The Show’s’ showcase came faster than you expected. Maybe it was because of your constant voting and cheering that made time pass quicker. Or it was because you followed the same schedule as them. When they left to go somewhere, so did you, and with what little free time you had, you were voting. While, you would have voted for the beautiful song regardless if you weren’t dating a member. It felt more special because you thought you helped give him the gift he always wanted to achieve. Like how you could have gotten their albums for free, yet you still pre ordered them. You’d do anything to support him. It’s what made your guy’s relationship so special. Your endless support of each other’s dreams was unmatched. And you wouldn’t trade that devotion for the world. 
Jinho came to the pre recording of ‘The Show,’ hearing that they were up for an award. It was fun to watch them all chat and get ready to perform. The nine of them combine after some bickering. They put their hands together and cheer, “Just do it. YO!” And you grin and wish them well. While they head up to the stage, you wait in the back with Jinho. The two of you start hoping and praying that somehow they would win. “Do you think it’s possible?” He nods, “I believe in them. I know we’ve been through a lot. And we've come close before. But I’m sure this time will be different. I feel it in my bones.” You smile, “Yeah, I know I haven’t been here long with you guys or as a Universe. But I did my very best to vote and hopefully ensure one. But I think you’re right.” He smiles and nods, the two of you intently watching the eight of them perform their hearts out on stage. 
They return from the stage, and you two congratulate them on their performance. And Hyunggu rushes over, “Sweaty hug?!” You groan out, ‘No’ as he hugs you tightly. You sigh and hold him anyway, “You did well, baby.” He thanks you, and you ask, “Can I please get some Febreeze or something?” He whines but hands you some, and the staff moves around to fan and get them dry before they’re due on stage again. You hand the spray over to Jinho as he complains, “At least you only got one…” You laugh at him, “Eh, they’re happy, and that’s what matters.” He shakes his head and mumbles, “Kids…” 
They’re called up to the stage about thirty minutes later when they’re all fresh and dry to accept the award. As the last performing member exits and the door closes, you tell them, “I got flowers in my car. I’m going to run to grab them while they make announcements.” They nod, and you speed out and show your tag to each security officer. And rush to your car, pulling out a big bouquet, hoping this one would be a celebration bouquet rather than one to cheer them up. You finally make it back in time to see the announcers getting ready for them to tally up the points. 
You cross your fingers and all the appendages you can twist up in hope. You gasp as the views and preorder score pop up. Weki Meki’s and Weekly’s numbers don’t even come close to adding up to 5000. The pre-voting numbers make you slightly nervous. Weki Meki comes ahead of them by 890. But they’d have to pull off an impressive feat to beat Pentagon in the real-time voting category. You gasp as the last number and the totals come up: they won. Your eyes turn bleary as you cry, “They did it!” The two of you hug as you cheer them on from the inside. You smile as you watch them high-five and hug and listen to their speeches as tears run down your cheeks. You pat Jinho’s back, “I can’t believe they did it…” He nods, “Hyunggu told me to watch while I was away because they’d win, and they did.” You look to see his proud smile before returning your eyes to the TV screen. 
The two of you giggle as they lift Hui into the air, and their little ‘thank you’s cause you to cry more, and you give up and grab the tissue box. You wipe your eyes as you watch them. They did it, they really did it. You watch Shinwon hand Hyunggu the award and whisper, “Oh no, he’s crying…” Jinho takes his turn and pats you on the back as you cry harder. You were so thankful Shinwon and Hui were up there to hold and take care of him. You laugh through your tears as Changgu laughs at him but still helps him walk it out. They gather him and help him to the back. And you do your best to wipe your tears away and dispose of your used tissues. Jinho whispers, “I’m so proud of them.” You grin back at him as you both stand there waiting for them, “Me too.” 
When the door opens, you congratulate them all, and Hyunggu immediately wraps himself in your arms. He finally bursts into tears, and it breaks your heart into pieces. You whisper the phrases “You’ve made it,...” and “I’m so proud of you...” over and over into his ears. The boys come over to check on him every so often. And when Jinho comes over, you release him, and Jinho tells him, “You promised me, and look at you, you did it!” Which makes him start to hiccup as he finally regains his senses. 
You go over and grab the ‘large bouquet,’ which were small bouquets individually wrapped inside a large parcel as you had asked for. You hand them out, congratulating each of them on their success. In the end, you face them all except for the two in the corner and tell them, “You boys did so well. I’m so proud of you. And I know for a fact Universes have been trying to give you a win, and I’m so glad they accomplished that feat for you guys.” They thank you, and you shake your head as you tell them, “No, thank you for giving us such an amazing album.” They laugh, and you head over and hand Hyunggu and Jinho their flowers last. As you move your hand away from Hyunggu’s he grabs your pinky in his and holds it the whole time as you tell them you're proud of them. 
You leave to the couch so they can take photos, and once they change, they shout a vlive immediately, thanking all of Unis, and you couldn’t be happier as you watched both on screen and in person. The staff and you take the nine of them out on the company card and treat them to whatever they want. Hui clinks his glass and gives a huge cheer to his members, and you all clink your glasses and drink. You bring Hyunggu into you as he becomes soft and mushy about it again. And you can’t help but grin and kiss his forehead, “You’ve done wonderful, lovely. Eat the rest of your meal, okay?” He nods and does as you ask. You all have dessert and do one last hip-hip-hooray for the nine of them. 
Your training started after their promotions ended. You were on that track: rain, snow, or shine. Well, you were inside karting when it snowed or rained. But regardless, you trained as often as you could. It would get pretty tiring if you weren’t in love with the sport. That every day you woke up excited to race. But today would be different. You were acting like you were heading out to race as Hyunggu showed up. “Hey, baby, are you going out today?” You tell him you are as you tie your last shoe, “Wait for me!” You grin as you watch your boyfriend scuttle around and gather his things to head out with you. You were planning a little karting date for the past week, making sure no other drivers would be there and it would be clear outside on your date. 
You hold out your car keys to him, “Wanna drive?” He raises an eyebrow at you as you do and grins, “I wanna be the passenger this time.” He laughs and takes the car keys, “It’s not often you get to chauffeur a world-class driver.” You giggle and kiss his nose before heading to the car and opening the door, “My prince?” He grins and pops open your door as you get to the passenger's side, “Your ride awaits, your highness.” You laugh and get in, and he reaches over and clicks your seatbelt on around you. You grin as you thank him, and he pulls on his belt and takes you to the practice track. 
You both get out, and you hold back your grin as you ask, “Do you want to try karting with me?” He furrowed his eyebrows, “I can?” You laugh, “Yeah, the smaller building houses karting while the larger is for Formula cars.” He asks, “Really? You’d want to do that with me?” You laugh, “Why wouldn’t I?” He shrugs, “I thought it was only big leagues allowed here.” You shake your head, “Well, when others are here, yeah.” He raises his eyebrow, “Are we gonna get caught?” You shake your head, “They already know.” He gasps, “You planned this?” You nod, “Yeah… For about a month now.” He smiles, and you continue, “Also, it’s not illegal. Just would be a little dangerous since you’re new, and the people here would run circles around you.” He pouts at that, and you shake your head, “I just mean they’re trained professionals.” He agrees, and you capture his hand in yours, “And lastly, I think it’d be fun to show you the ropes and everything I do. Like how you’ve shown me.” He smiles, bringing your hands up, and places a kiss on top of yours, “I’d love that.”
You get him outfitted into a helmet and mic, “This part kind of reminds me of my career.” You nod, “Well, if we wish to talk on the track, it’s a lot easier this way. And I’m not allowing you to race without safety.” He raises an eyebrow, “Have you raced without safety?” You shrug, “By myself, yes, once or twice when I’ve forgotten. With others, no, I don’t want a head injury.” His eyes go wide at that, “You mean?” You nod, “Yeah, it’s possible karting, but we won’t be doing anything risky, so no need for concerns.” He lets out a sigh of relief, “Good.” You ruffle his hair before he puts on his helmet. You ask, “Alright, lift your visor for me.” You grin, “I just wanted to see your pretty eyes.” He smiles and lifts yours, “Yours are pretty, too.” You blush and shake your head, “Okay, I’ll explain the rules and how to drive it. But follow me the first time around the track, and I promise you’ll get the hang of it from there.” 
You explain it all to him before shutting your visors and showing him around the track, and he eventually gets the hang of the gas and brake. “You got it?” He holds his hand out and shakes it as if to say, ‘So-so’. You nod, “Wanna drive beside me?” He nods, “I’d like that.” You take him around the track with you. You whisper, “It’s kind of fun to be beside you like this.” And you hear him hum before he says, “I see why you love it. When I’m beside you, it’s a lot more fun.” You smile, “Karting with you is fun.” You go through the track together, and he has a better time handling it. You ask him if he wishes to race against you this time, and he agrees. 
You two race around for a few rounds, with you coming in first with ease. This track has become etched in the back of your mind with how many times you’ve raced it. You speed around and giggle as you hear his laughter as he’s managed to get in front of you. You smile to yourself. Doing this for fun always reminds you of your zest for it. You cackled as you bumped into him again, “Hey! No excessive bumping! This isn’t bumper cars!!” You make an ‘L’ with your fingers at him and jeer, “Loooooseerrr!” And zoom past him and cross the finish line again. You wait for him to return and see the pouty baby, and you giggle and pull him into a small hug, “Aw, come here, you’re my favorite loser.” He whines at that as you pull away, “You have years on me in this!” You giggle and make a cute gesture, “I know, just like how you have years on me as a singer.” Seeing his window of opportunity, he hits the gas, “Catch me if you can~” You shake your head and let him have his five-second head start. You decide on taking it slow behind him, maybe a turn away from where he is. And he gets this determined look on his face as you grow nearer. 
You grin, realizing he’s feeling the need for speed, and start to tail him, making him go around faster. He starts snaking so you can’t go around him, and you laugh. “You know that’s an illegal move~” “You didn’t say so until after we started, so it’s not a rule~” You shrug, “Fair enough.” You rev your kart behind him every time he slows down, which has him snake around faster. You slow down around a turn to see how quickly he’d make it to the finish line. And you grin as you see him speed to the checkered line. You speed up behind him, “You beat me!” You cheer, and he chuckles, “I did!” You ask, “You know what winners get?” “A kiss?” You nod, pull up next to him, and lift your helmet off to see he’s patiently waiting. You shake your head at him before pulling him in for a kiss. “One more round?” He nods, and you smile, “Let’s race together?” He nods, and you pull on your helmet again, and you make little vrooming noises in the mic, which causes him to laugh as the two of you take off again.
After finishing your last race together, you put your carts, helmets, and padding in their rightful spots. You head over to the lights and turn them off one by one. You whine, “I hate this part.” He laughs, “I can see why. It gives backroom vibes.” You groan, “Yeah, exactly.” You both rush to the big door, “Alright, time to lock up.” You turn off the last light and get out into the night air. You lock the door, and he wraps his arm around you, “This was a pleasant surprise.” 
You smile and wrap your arm around his waist, “I was hoping you’d like it.” He nods, “It’s just as fun as watching you race.” “You think so?” “Seeing you have fun and live your dream is thrilling to me. But karting with you today gave me a taste of the dream you follow. And it’s wonderful.” You smile, and the two of you walk back to your car. And you drive you both back home, “Do your legs feel like jelly?” He laughs, “Very much so. Is this normal?” You grin, “Yeah, but you get used to it, especially because it doesn’t compare to the speeds of the cars I usually drive.” He nods, “Makes sense.” 
—--
You continue your practice racing, but every once in a while, when all the drivers have left. And Hyunggu was the only one in the stands. After practicing, you’d head and do a few rounds of karting together. The joy of seeing him get his first ‘real’ win felt unbelievable, and you couldn’t believe he had beaten you. You could have chalked it up as being distracted because of his charms. But really, he had just learned your tricks from watching you every day. “I’m proud of you, baby!” He boasted about it on his social media, and you took photos of him being so triumphant. You couldn’t help but feel proud as you had taught him everything. 
He asked while you were going home that day, “You know how you let me kart with you? Maybe someday I can get your vocals on an album?” You blushed, “You’d like my vocals on an album? But you’ve heard my voice…” He shakes his head, “I love your voice. I like hearing it when you sing softly along to our songs or the radio. It’s pleasant. Of course, you never have to if you don’t want to. But if you’d like and the opportunity comes, I’d love to have your voice on one of my tracks.” You nod and tell him, “Maybe someday… I’m glad we can share our careers with each other.” He smiles and places his hand over yours, “Me too.”
—---
It felt unbelievable to believe you were back here on this track again. Hyunggu holds your hand the whole way up to the garage. You had practiced the entire night, only going home when Hyunggu phoned you through the mic to go home. You were so nervous that you barely slept. You didn’t want a repeat of last year and worried throughout the night, even with him beside you. He pats the top of your hand, “You got this baby. I know you do, you’ve trained harder, and you know this track this time.” You gulp, “Are you sure?” He stops you halfway to your team and puts his hands on your shoulders, “I’ve never been more sure of something or someone than I am of you right now.” You lock eyes with him, “You mean it?” He nods, “With every fiber of my being.” You wrap your arms around him, “Thank you. I’m gonna win today.” He chuckles, “I know you will, baby.” 
He was right. You knew the track, and you were more prepared. You spent your first practice run jogging your memory of each curve. And you felt more confident with each one you took. When your second practice run began, you did as if you were qualifying. As you return to the finish line, you see your clock, the time reads back ‘1:47.03’, and you hear your race engineer go, “You can shave that down. I know you can.” And you agree as you pull back into the pit. “You ready to show them who you are out there?” You nod at your race engineer, and he smiles, “I believe in you.” You smile, and Hyunggu comes over with a big grin, “You did so well, baby!!” You tease, “Maybe it’s because I had to finally challenge myself in karting~.” He laughs, “I don’t think so. But I love the thought, baby. Now, go out there and knock ‘em dead. Or drive faster than them, whatever works.” You laugh at that and blow him a kiss before he heads off. 
Unlike the last race, you were in spot twenty-five to start, an incredible placement as opposed to last time. When they call for the twenties to thirties to race, you strap in and wait for the signal. You exit the pit and stop at the line momentarily before barreling down the track. You took the turns more sharply but just as safely as your coach called out the shots. You listened to them as if they were second nature, “Coming up on your left!” You nod and see the car catching up to you, and you shake your head, “Do I have leverage up on the right?” “Yeah! Gun it!” You gas and spin the wheel quickly to make a faster turn, leaving the competitor in the dust. You let out a huff and make it back to the line. The numbers read back to you, “1:38.34”. You scoff, catch your breath, and see your competitor come up beside you and quickly start their second race. You hold back for another moment, wanting a clear track for at least two curves. 
“Ready, (Y/n)?” “As I’ll ever be.” And with that, you punch it, going faster than you last had, wanting desperately to make it and stay on the board. Unlike last year, there would only be twenty spots, and you were determined to be one of the twenty. You gulp as you reach the finish line and speed up even faster. “Come on, come on, come on!” You cry as you cross the finish line, and the numbers flash, “1:30.985.” You gasp. You shaved seventeen whole seconds off of your original time, and you can’t help but cheer as you pit. “I think I may have it this time!” The crew all cheers as you get out and wait. Hyunggu wraps you up in a hug and excitedly says, “Let’s watch!” You nod and watch the screens as everyone whizzes by. You hear, “Was it easier this time?” One of the members who changes tires asks. And you nod, “Yeah, knowing the track helped.” They pat your back, “I believe we’ll make it this time.” You smile and start silently praying that you will. 
You get booted from the top ten and let it roll off your shoulders. One day, you’d make it into the top ten with ease. When the last racer finishes their laps, you gasp, “I’m still in…” It stuns you as you look at the screen in shock and hear everyone erupt into cheers, “You’re in spot sixteen!” They pick you up and lift you into the air, “We’re going to the Grand Prix!!” You can’t believe your ears, your biggest dream since you were little, and you were about to live it. You didn’t even realize you were crying until you were put back onto the cement again. You hear cheers of ‘We’re so proud of you!’ ‘We made it!’ and ‘That’s our racer!’ but all you see is Hyunggu. He picks you up and spins, “You’re going to be a Grand Prix racer! I’m so proud of you! I knew you could do it!” You wipe the tears from your eyes as you thank him. 
You head and thank the other racers who didn’t make it to the Grand Prix for racing with you today. And some of them congratulate you because they met you last year. You head out to the racer’s circle, “You twenty are going to be racing the next twelve races together.” You gulp, and the track owner asks, “Is anyone new to the Grand Prix?” Although he wasn't trying to single anyone out. Alas, he does. And you wave your hand, “Our only newcomer this year! Well, you already know what it takes to get here. But please get to know your fellow racers and good luck!” You smile and get accustomed to the other nineteen. And they welcome you in, and the one goes, “I can’t guarantee we’ll be friendly out there to you. We’re all trying to win, after all. But we do fight fair.” “Welcome to the big leagues, kid!” You laugh, “Thanks, but isn’t that what they say in baseball?” He nods, “Yeah, but we say it here too.” You smile, get to know the racers, pose for the camera, and introduce your car. 
And go about the mini-press meetings. One of the racers, Carlos, says, “This will get easier by the second race.” You sigh, “I hope so, 'cause I have a lot of nerves right now.” He pats your back, “I promise, their questions will pertain more to your car and racing capabilities the longer the races go on.” You nod, “That’ll be easier.” He nods, heads to his car, and chats more to the presses. You find your way back, “I don’t know how you deal with that constantly.” Hyunggu looks over to the crowd of mics and cameras, “We’re trained on how to talk to them early on. So, it’s not as hard.” You laugh, “I wish. I just did my best out there.” He smiles, “That’s all anyone can ask.” He kisses your forehead, “So, do you want to go out and celebrate?” You grin, “I’d love to.” 
The crew was already out celebrating, seeing as they had more to prepare for the upcoming twelve races than you did. “When will you be back?” You look at the chart they sent you, “After March fifteenth... And to officially stay at home? Not until November.” He nods, “We’ll be away from each other for a long time…” You sigh, “But I’ll always be a phone call away, I promise.” He nods, “I’m going to miss your first race, aren’t I?…” You nod solemnly, “I know it’s okay… I think I’ll miss your performances, new album…” He sighs, “Yeah, that’s going to be hard.” You grasp his hands in yours, “It’s going to be okay. You can watch me on your TV race, and I can watch you on mine in the hotel perform your heart out.” He gives you a small smile, “I’ll try to make it to one of your races.” You squeeze his hands, “I’ll try to make it to one of your performances.” 
As you pack your last things to head out onto the plane, Hyunggu comes over, “I’m going to miss you.” You sigh, “I’m going to miss you too.” He nods and helps you sort the last few of your things. You zip up your suitcase as you sit in front of him. He grabs your hands, “What’s wrong?” You sigh, “We won’t be able to be there for each other this time around.” He nods, “I’ve been thinking about that too…” You nod, “I know we have our staff and friends, but I don’t know… It’s just not going to be the same.” He nods, “You’re a constant presence in my life. It’ll be weird to be apart.” You interlock your hands, “I know we’ll be fine on our own. And that being apart is good for a healthy relationship to flourish. But I really wish to be by your side.” He squeezes your hands in his, “I wish we could stay like this for longer.” You sigh and look at his candy-floss pink hair, “I can’t believe you’re pink, and I’ll get to miss a majority of it…” He laughs, “I’ll be missing you in that uniform.” “Kang…” He smirks, “How long before you need to be at the airport?” You look at the clock before smirking, “A few hours.” And he captures your lips in his, “Let’s make the most of it, shall we?” 
—---
You arrived in Melbourne and settled in for the next two days, seeing sights and getting used to the climate. As you were on your way to Australia, Pentagon dropped their new album, and you listened to it. You loved the whole album and told Hyunggu happily about each track when you landed. When the race drew closer, they allowed all the racers to start practicing on the track. The songs were so catchy that even with the roar of your engine, you could hear them as you whipped around curves and learned the road. It was good enough fuel to keep you racing. 
Off the track, you spend the majority of your time watching their music videos, behind-the-scenes, and stages. Hyunggu texts you when he finishes his last interview of the day, and you call him up, “I miss you so much.” And he sighs out the same, “I feel like a piece of me is missing without you here.” You agree, and he asks you about your day, and you tell him about how the track feels and how fast your times were. He was proud of you for having good times, and you asked him to tell you about his day. And his day started at three in the morning and didn’t finish until six in the afternoon. “Shouldn’t you be sleeping?” He hums, “No, I’d rather talk to you.” You sigh, “I’d rather talk to you too… But baby, your sleep means more to me than that. So, go to bed, it’s okay. I’ll be here for you to talk to tomorrow.” You can almost hear the pout in his voice as he says, “Okay…” You smile, and you tell each other your goodbyes. 
You slept restlessly, tossing and turning, knowing that tomorrow was the big day. And not having Hyunggu to calm you down drove you insane. Even the teddy bear he gave you wasn’t enough. You were so thankful for the morning to come as you got ready. Hyunggu called you up, “Today’s the big day!” You gulped, “Yeah…” He reapproaches that subject, “You nervous for today?” You softly agree, and he says, “I know you have numerous reasons to be nervous, but I’ll cheer you on no matter what happens. I know you’re an amazing racer. You just need to show them.” You smile, “You think so?” He chuckles, “Think? I know you are, dear. Do you want me to talk to you all the way there?” “Yeah, if you could… It would take my mind off of it. Tell me about everything.” He fills you in on everything from the stage lights to the eating habits of Hui’s dog, Happy. It keeps you calm as you're driven to the event. 
“And then, because Wooseok was messing with Changgu, Yanan moved his chair slightly to the left!” “What?” “Yeah! And when he went to sit on the chair and slipped right out of it 'cause it wasn’t where it was!” You laugh, “You boys certainly get up to madness.” He laughs, “Oh, I have more stories if you have time!” You smile, “I have time for one more.” You leave the car and head to the garage where the rest of your crew is, politely greeting them while listening to Hyunggu tell you about everything happening in Dorm A. He finishes as you sit down, “I’m at the garage… I’ve loved listening to you…” “But you have to go?” You hum, and he says, “I love you, baby. Go get ‘em!” You smile, “I love you too, and I’ll do my best.” “That’s all I ask.” You say your last goodbyes and hang up. 
You get suited up and get good coaching from your crew members. “You’ll do just fine. Just listen to the car and your engineer, okay?” You agree, and they pat you on the back before helping you into the car. They have you do two practice rounds before they start qualifying. You make it through the first round and make spot eighteen. It made your nerves itch. It was close to the end. But your team still cheered you as you returned, “It’ll be okay. It’s your first race in the Grand Prix. Hell, it’s our first race, too. So just do your best.” You agree, wait for them to call the racers, and do your best to calm your nerves. You calm down after qualifying and get into spot eighteen. When the race portion starts, the first thirty minutes fly by. You did everything to stay in your original position, but once you lost that position, you quickly lost the nineteenth.
They ate you alive out there… They were kind people off the track, but they weren’t kidding when they said they weren’t going easy on you just because you were new. You did everything right. Your car was in mint condition, and you sped around the curves, even with those two practice rounds. But it wasn’t enough. You came up short. For the longest time, you couldn't even see number nineteen, let alone its bumper. But at the end of the last five laps, you could see their bumper. You couldn't get around them even if you wanted to, and your engineer calmed you down from above, “You’re doing as good as you can. This is all new to you. It’s okay to come in last. Someone always has to. This time it’s you. Maybe next time it won’t be.” You agreed, and in the end, you ended up beside the car in front of you. At least you accomplished that small feat. You could only hope to grow better. 
------
You call Shinwon up, knowing he’d be able to keep the secret of you being able to make it to one of their performances. “We’ll be performing on M Countdown on the first. You’d have to be in the back by 3 a.m. That’s when we’re going to be arriving.” You agree wholeheartedly, and he goes, “We watched you race, by the way.” “We?” He chuckles, “All of us did. We were cheering you on the whole time.” You don’t let any tears spill as you thank him, “You did well for your first race in the Grand Prix.” You sigh, “Last place?” He says, “Yeah, it means you got nowhere to go but up from here.” Your tears leave your eyes as you whisper, “I guess you’re right…” 
“You want me to transfer you to Hyunggu?” You mumble a ‘yes’, and he shuffles on the other end as you do your best not to cry, “Console your lover, man.” You let out a light laugh as Hyunggu’s voice rings through, “You okay?” You shake your head and remember he can’t see it as you whisper, ‘No’. “Oh, baby, why are you crying?” You whisper, “Shinwon has some kind words…” He laughs, “Yeah, he can probably make a building cry with his kindness.” You sigh out a laugh and say, “Yeah…” “What did he say?” “That I got nowhere to go but up.” He smiles, “Well, he’s right. We watched you race, and you were driving well, but the other racers had you because you were new to their racing styles. All you have to do is adjust, and I promise you, you’ll have it.” 
He was right, and at your next race in Sakhir, Bahrain, you proved you were a racer worthy of being up in the ranks of Formula One. You made it to seventeenth place. It took everything out of you. But you were so proud of yourself, and as you sat in a diner with the rest of the crew, Hyunggu congratulated you. And you heard the rest of the group in the background cheering for you, and it warmed your heart. Your handling was well. And you were getting used to the races, the racers, and everything. It’s exactly how you hoped. Maybe you weren’t winning, but you were driving in the Grand Prix, and that’s what you wanted. 
The next morning, as you were finishing packing to head home for at least a few days, your manager reminded you, “Remember, by the tenth, you have to be ready to fly out to Shanghai.” You nod and thank them, “I’ll see you then.” They laugh, “You’ll see me on the eleventh. I’ll be in Shenzhen until then.” You smile, “That sounds wonderful, enjoy your time!” “You too!” You head to the airport, excited to go home. You sleep the whole way there on the plane and take a cab home, not wanting Hyunggu to know you were back yet. You pick up your packages from the mailbox and cheer, “My albums!” And quickly rush up the stairs before unpacking some souvenirs and other little items you got along the way. 
You spend the next day resting and getting used to your apartment again. But when it strikes 2 a.m., you text Shinwon asking if he can ask their manager to sneak you in. And he texts back, “He said yeah.” And a half hour later, you were in the car, “So how’s your racing life?” You smile, “It’s getting better.” “I watched your recent race on and off again. You did well.” “Thank you.” “Where’s your closest race?” “Suzuka, Japan, on the seventeenth of September.” “Oh, that’s a long time from now.” You nod solemnly, “But my next race is Shanghai!” “Oh, where Yanan is from!” You smile, “Yeah!” He pulls into the parking space, “You got your badges, right?” You nod, “They’ll let you in with no problem. I already informed them.” “Thank you for everything.” He smiles, and you get out and wave goodbye. 
You walk in, scan your security tag, and talk to a few people as they lead you to Pentagon’s dressing room. You thank them and see a few of the stylists, “I didn’t expect to see you so soon!” You laugh, “Surprise!” She laughs, “Here to surprise Kino and them?” You nod, “Well, all except Shinwon, he helped me organize this.” She smiles, “It’ll be a lovely surprise then.” You smile and order breakfast for everyone while you wait. It arrived fast, considering it was from the inner cafe, which was currently bustling with orders. 
You wait for the door to open and wave to the incoming boys. When Hyungggu comes in, you open your arms wide for him, “(Y/n)?! What are you doing here?” Hyunggu rushes into your open arms. You giggle as you wrap your arms around him. “I wanted to surprise you.” He nuzzles his face into your collarbone, “Best surprise ever.” You smile as you reach up and run your hands through his pink hair. “I’m glad you like it.” You eventually pull away and thank Shinwon, who shrugs and says, “It’s the least I could do.” You smile and greet the rest of them. Ensuring they all have something on their stomach before getting their makeup applied. 
“You know the best thing about having at least seven other members…” “Hmm?” He smiles, “I get more time to spend with you while I wait for an empty spot.” You laugh, “It is nice.” He leans his cheek against your arm, and you pull out your phone to watch videos together while you wait. He kisses you as he’s called to put his makeup on, and you put your phone down to watch them pretty him up. You make faces at him as they put lipstick on him, and he scrunches his nose up, trying his best not to laugh. And you grin as you make one last face, and he lets out a slight giggle as they move the brush away from him.
Yanan comes over with a smile, “I heard your next race is supposed to be in Shanghai…” You smile, “Yeah, I’m very excited about it. Do you have any suggestions of where I should visit there?” He lights up as he tells you about his hometown. You hang onto his every word and make mental notes on places to visit. As they’re called up to the stage, you tell him, “Feel free to text me more if we don’t get time to talk after this!” And he grins, “I will!” While they’re still in your head, you write some of the things he talked about. While you wished you could spend it with them, you knew the reality. And while you and Hyunggu had made it public to the media that you were together not too long ago. It still wouldn’t make the timing any better. 
You cheered them on as you watched them perform, your heart enamored by the song, seeing it more in person than before. As you wait for them to return, you ask if they have anything after this. The staff shakes their heads, “Probably resting. They have to do this tomorrow, too.” You nod, and in come the boys. You grin as you tell them they all did a fantastic job as they wait around for the call-back to do the actual recording. 
You hand Hyunggu tissues as he talks to you about your career. You shrug and tell him since you’re still starting out in the big leagues, it’s a lot to wrap your head around. And he pats your knee, “But you’ve gotten better. You just placed 17th not too long ago. That’s better than before!” You smile, “Yeah, I hope by the last race of the season, I'll be able to pull off a win.” He nods, “I know you’ll work hard until you do.” You smile, and he kisses your cheek and giggles. “You got a glossy mark on you now.” You flip your phone camera to see that he’s right. “You have to reapply your lipstick and gloss now…” He laughs, “Already had to.” You shake your head and wear it happily as he bounds into the chair. 
When he finishes the live recording and changes into his regular clothes, you ask if he can go home with you. And the others agree you have the managers escort you back, dropping you two off first before they head to drop the rest of them off. Changgu asks as you get out, “When will we see you next?” You sadly smile, “As soon as I can make time, but the next few races are a little close for a break…” He nods, “We’ll take care of Hyunggu until you return.” You put your pinky out to him and ask, “Promise?” He smiles and wraps his pinky around yours as he promises to take care of Hyunggu. “You’ll take care of yourself out on that track too.” You nod as you promise to do that, too. And with that, the door closes, and the two of you head up to your apartment. 
You ask on your way up, “Do you want to open albums with me?” He asks, “Which artist’s album did you buy?” “Yours.” He blushes, “Why?” You roll your eyes and sarcastically say, “Well, I want to be able to giggle over Yuto’s handsome pictures to someone…” Which immediately causes him to pout, and you push his arm, “I can’t wait to see how handsome you look, and I can’t wait to kiss you every time I find you handsome.” He grins and squeezes your hand as you open your apartment door, “I like that idea.” And you do just that, hiding the inclusions from yourself as you look through the photobook. You kiss his cheek every time you find him good-looking, “I never understood the appeal of someone blowing bubblegum bubbles until today!” He hides his face in your shoulder, “Baby…” You shrug, “It’s the truth! Remind me to get some bubblegum for you.” He groans, and you smirk, “Huh? Are we getting shy now?” He whines even more, and you pull him to face you, “You’re so beautiful, my love.”
When you pull away, he goes, “Thanks for the reminder…” You smile, and he wraps his arm around your waist as you pull out the photocards. Not one Kino. Which causes you to pout, “I thought you were supposed to make all my album pulls…” And he goes, “Maybe you pulled me as the poster?” And you nod as you pull away the cover to reveal Hui. “My favorite version, and I can’t pull my man… What luck…” He runs his fingers through your hair, “But you have the real deal.” You glance at him and mumble, “I guess,” which causes him to pout right back at you. You put the album aside before opening the sporty version and have better luck. 
And you do! You pull his poster, and that’s it… You pout over at him again, and he kisses your pout away. Although you happily keep the ones you’ve pulled, at least until you can trade for Kino’s. With the mild version, you open it up full of hope. You groan, “You look good in suspenders…” He laughs, “I guess?” You nod, “You do.” He smiles, and you look to see your CD case, says Wooseok. And that your cover is Yeo One, but then you squeal as you check the photocards to see you pulled not one but two Kino’s! “I was hoping I’d pull one of your cards!” He grins, and you kiss him, “Now I got something new to put in my phone case!” He smiles as you switch out your we:th card for your favorite mild card. You give him one last kiss, “Thanks for packing this one at least!” He shrugs, “I didn’t, but I was hopeful you’d pull a card of me.” You smile, and he asks for you to take a photo with him as you start putting your albums back together. 
“Why?” He smiles, “I want a new lock screen.” You laugh and pose with him cutely, and he kisses your cheek as you smile, and he goes, “Perfect.” He quickly sets it as his new photo, and you get up and put your albums and photocards away. “What do you say to some takeout?” You grin, “Good enough for me!”
—---
After a few days of relaxing, you were on the next flight out, but Hyunggu saw you off before you went. The media after you both like flies, but you didn’t bat an eye as you gave him a tight hug before checking into your flight. You saw as many sites as Yanan had listed and told him what you thought of each place. And he grinned as you sent him pictures, “It’s practically like being home.” You smiled and sent him some more before you were behind the wheel. You called Hyunggu on the way and talked to him about China and how lovely it was before strapping in and getting ready for the race. “You’ll only get better with time, I promise, my love.” You thank him for his advice as you hang up and hand your phone over. It was different not to have him walk you up and console you in person. But you supposed it would have to do. You put on your helmet and flicked it on before beginning the race and placing 18th, one placement lower than last. You sighed heavily as you got back to the pits, ashamed. They cheered you up, “You’re going to have good days and bad. Let’s pray that the next ones will be better.” And so you do. Even if it seemed silly, it still gave you some hope. 
It took several races to break the mold of being in the teens. At your race in Spielberg, Austria, you cried as you crossed the finish line. Your whole crew started cheering for you over the mic, happily congratulating you as you did. You made 10th place for the first time, and you all celebrated with a good drink. And from there, you only did better, gaining 8th at the next. And while a minor accident had led to you being in 4th at the next race, you still couldn’t believe your eyes. You did worse in Italy with 6th place, but considering it was in the tens, you couldn’t be more proud. You called Hyunggu after every race, and he celebrated every single one of your victories, and you encouraged him to continue working hard. While you couldn’t be together physically, knowing you always had each other’s support made the difference.
The next race is like a whirlwind, in the closest race you’ve raced the whole season. You placed third in Singapore. You get cheers from all of your crew. You get to be in the winner’s circle for the first time. And you laugh as you watch your fellow racer get sprayed with champagne, and you hope one day you'll experience that as you head off the pitch. You’re on the line with all of Pentagon as they cheer you on. Yuto goes, “Jinho and Hui wish for you to know they’re very proud of you too!” You grin and thank them as Hyunggu takes over and tells you how much he loves you. And how he thinks you're the 'coolest racer in the world.' And how he can’t wait to see how you’ll place in the next race if this is anything to go by. You grin as you thank him and head home, smiling the whole way to bed. 
—---
It’s seven a.m. in Suzuka, and the birds are chirping. It looks as beautiful as it sounds out there. You wonder if today will be your lucky day as you wipe your eyes. Maybe a peaceful morning would be the perfect way to spend it. After all, you have three hours before you need to be at the track. That’s until you get the call from your race engineer, “Hey, can you be out here early?” You sigh, the idea of a relaxing morning ripped away from you immediately, “Can I get a shower in before then?” He agrees, “Yeah, of course, but before nine.” You agree, groaning as you get off the call and fight your way out of the comfy bed. After a vicious battle with the blankets, you get prepared for the day. 
You walk into the pit and see your race engineer who stops you, “I’m glad you could make it this early.” You nod, “What’s it all about?” He looks down at his shoes before looking at you, “Maybe you should head into the garage…” His face doesn’t give any clues, so you assume the worst. Your car’s engine has exploded, and they don’t have a spare, which sounds outlandish to your rational mind, but it’s the only idea popping up. So, when you walk through the side entrance to see it’s pitch black, you don't know what to think. You squint as you search for the light switch, “Why the hell did he turn it off…” You flick it on and see your boyfriend and friends all happily sitting there and waiting for you. You break out into sobs, and they immediately wrap you up into a group hug.
Hyunggu asks softly, “Oh, why are you crying?” Just for him to hiccup and cry, too, which causes the softer-hearted members to cry as they hold you closer. Well, the best that they can since it is seven people surrounding one. When they break away, your tears slowly stop. And they ruffle your hair. “I’m so happy to see you all…” They all say their various agreements, and Hyunggu kisses your forehead and wipes your cheeks of any remnants of tears. “How the hell did you guys get a day off…” Hongseok answers for them all, “We’re quite persuasive, and also, Hyunggu wouldn’t stop crying to them about you.” He pouts, “I was not crying.” The others laugh, “Yeah, sure... that’s not what you were doing.” You look into his eyes and ask, “You did this for me?” He nods, “Of course I would.” You push your head into his chest as you shake with more tears. 
When you finally collect yourself, they ask you to teach them about the car. And so you do. You have them get in and try sitting in it. They do their best to get a feel for it, and you laugh as they tell you it’s uncomfortable to sit in, and you shrug, “It’s made for me. It’s not supposed to be comfortable for anyone else.” They nod, and you show them some background things and how it’s supposed to work. Your manager comes in, “Oh when he said there were a lot of people back here, I didn’t think he meant your friends.” You all laugh, and they say, “We got thirty minutes until qualifying.” You pout, “Really?” They nod, “Sorry.” You sigh, “Well, where are you guys sitting?” They tell you about the VIP rooms they secured, and you go, “You could have just asked me?” Hyunggu shakes his head, “Wouldn’t have been quite a surprise then?” You laugh, “I guess not.” The others wish you well, and before Hyunggu leaves, he kisses you before saying, “Do your best out there?” “Always. I love you.” He grins, “I love you more.” He races off to follow the others, and you get suited up for the race with ten minutes to spare. 
As qualifying finishes, you place eleventh, which is a neutral position. Not giving you any indications of how it’ll end, but you don’t mind. You have your tires changed out for mediums as you return, “Yeah, I think for this track, it’d be better to get soft last.” You converse with them and see a colorful crew sitting in the back. You remember who’s there, and without a second thought, you fly out of the car, so excited to see them all again. “It’s wild to see you guys. I just can’t believe my eyes.” They laugh and sweep you up into another hug as you all converse. 
You spend your time with them until you both have to leave. You get into race mode while they get into cheerleader mode. You nearly cry as they give you a “Just do it. Yo!” send-off. You settle back into your car, and if you were Lighting Mcqueen, you’d be giving yourself the ‘I am speed’ chant as you place your helmet on again. Rather, you’re humming the lyrics to ‘Just Do It Yo’ as you strap yourself into the seat. You get taps onto your helmet as well wishes.
Everyone brings themselves onto the track in their positions, and you sigh as you wait for them to signal you to start your engine again. You hear your engineer’s gentle encouragement as you look around at the other cars. You look up as best you can to see the stand your favorite people are in, and while you can’t see them, you can only imagine them fogging up the windows and watching. Maybe even eating the food from the stands below. You start your engine on cue and hear over your mic, “On your mark, get set, go!” 
You waste no time snaking side to side, getting your tires into the feel of the road. It isn’t until you hit that first curve that everyone starts zooming, and you’re right alongside them. In no time, you make tenth, and you can’t help but pat yourself on the back. Each lap draws you closer to the next car you speed around and eventually end up in ninth. You don’t hold back, not that you did before, but now, you have a reason to win. Maybe it was an inner show-off thing. But with your friends and boyfriend watching. You couldn’t help wanting to win even more. “And when you make this turn, you’ll be able to secure spot seven.” You agree as you gas it even further and speed around the curve. If this were an average car, you’d flip over as both accelerations changed, but you don’t let it phase you as you spin around the curve and into seventh place.
You let out a sigh of relief. Still, another thirty laps to go, and you were making good timing. You can’t see the cars in front of you just yet, so you do your best to start catching up to them. You close the gap with twenty-three more laps to go. Behind sixth, with seventh place far behind you now. You listen to your engineer make moves for you and execute them without problems as you slip in between the sixth and the red-and-white striped line. It was a little daring, but if your engineer cleared it. It was fine. After that, you take your pit stop before returning to the track. Thankfully, in front of seventh.
You watch as the fifth is doing everything to keep in that spot as they cut the corners tighter and do their best to stay right in front of you. You glare, not seeing an opening. That opening doesn’t come for another four laps. And when your engineer sees it, he has you seize it. You have no thoughts except winning on your brain as you start gaining on fourth. It takes a whole lap to catch up with them, but when you do, you waste no time as you cross the line again and take the lead in front of them. The first three were close to encountering the twentieth car as you came up behind them. 
You gulp, wanting this to go easier, and eventually, the car in the twentieth position manages to escape their grip. Making one last obstacle you’d have to encounter to become first place. It takes forever to sneak in between the third and second, and even then, she’s right on your tail. You finally lose her on lap forty, but you still have to beat second to be head-to-head with first. This would be your first-place win if only you can manage it. 
Your engineer encourages you with every step before he goes, “Hey, (Y/n), you’re going to want to hear this, don’t worry if needed, I’ll transfer the lines back, but listen to this-” And you hear the line transfer over and hear Hyunggu cheering, “Look at them go! That’s my lover, that’s my everything!!” If your heart was a little bit more fragile, you’d cry. You make moves to pass the car in front of you as he cheers, “Yeah, cut around in front of them! You got this! I believe in you!” You grin and whisper, “I’ll see you at the finish line.” He gasps, “You could hear me?” You laugh and tell him you can, and he says, “I’ll see you when you win, baby.” And with that, it transfers to your race engineer, “One more car, and you’re in the lead!” You smirk, “I know. We’re going to win today.” You hear him chuckle, “Yes we are, now gas it, and give ‘em hell, kid.” And you follow along like it’s second nature, gaining on the Ferrari-Mercedes. 
They take a tight right turn, cutting you off from speeding below him. You scoff as you follow behind them, looking for an opening, willing to take any risk if it means the big reward. And with it drawing down to the last three laps, you had to make your move, and now… You gulp as you hear, “Now!” Without a second thought, you nail it, pushing your car harder than before as you speed around them. It was terrifying. More so than the last because now you’re in the lead. If this were Mario Kart, there would be shells and hellfire raining on you right now. You sigh as your race engineer cheers you on, “Okay, just keep this up for…” As you pass the finish line again, he goes, “Two laps!” You hold back your smile, knowing if you start feeling giddy now, you'll blow the whole race. 
You don’t hesitate gaping yourself from the rest of the racers. You end up behind the twentieth car again. Who’s told over their mic to let you pass, and you do, you feel a little bad about it. But if it meant another car between you and second, then you’d take it. You pass the line again, “Last lap!” you both cheer in unison as you race around the track, eventually seeing nineteenth as you take the final curve to the finish line. And you almost can’t believe your eyes as you see the checkered flag signaling your win. You fly through not believing your eyes. The rest of the cars finish the laps they’re on before you start your lap of victory. You engineer joining the boys in their air-conditioned room. You start hearing all their cheers. You grin as you finish your lap and park your car on the finish line, excitement riddling your bones. Today marks your first big win in Formula One. You get out of your racecar as a crowd of people starts gathering around you. You stand up on top of it, raise your arms above your head, and let out a victory cheer.
You pull off your helmet and place it on the roof, catching a puff of pink in the crowd. You grin as you see Hyunggu pushing through the crowd to get you. He makes the final push as you smile. He puts his arms out to catch you, and you hop right into them. When you’re at ear level, he whispers, “That’s my baby. I’m so proud of you!” You kiss his cheek, “You gave me that extra push to want to win.” He blushes, and the crowd starts absorbing the two of you, bombarding you with questions about the race. You thank them and answer as many as possible before your crew and staff pull you and Hyunggu away. 
They take you alone to the winner’s circle, and you find Hyunggu off to the side. Your crew spills champagne over you, and you laugh as you close your eyes. And do your interviews after wiping your face with a towel. “What’s it like to win?” “Better than I imagined.” “What was the journey like getting to this point?” “Long but worth it.” They keep bombarding you, and you wait for one of them to catch their breath before you sneak out of the light. Wanting nothing more than to be out of your sticky champagne-ridden clothes. 
When you escape the camera’s eye for the second time, you see Hyunggu being interviewed. And you listen in, “Oh, Mr. Kino! We heard you were dating the winner of today’s race, (Y/n).” He goes, “Yes?” And they ask, “What’s it like to date a racecar driver?” You can’t wipe the grin off your face as he goes, “The best feeling in the world.” You come over slowly, “I’d love to talk more about my feelings for (Y/n). But it’s their day, so please shine the light on them.” You grin, and they ask you a few questions before you’re on your way again. “Want a sticky hug?” He shakes his head, “I like these clothes.” You fakely pout, “Aw, okay,” before laughing and grabbing his hand, “I’m so excited to change.” He laughs and agrees.
And you make your way back to the pit and see your crew. They hand you fresh new clothes after you wash your hands off. You head to the bathroom and quickly shower, ridding yourself of all the sparkling wine residue. Once you're all cleaned up, you come out to big cheers, pizza, and a cake. You nearly cry as you watch them light it up all for you, “For (Y/n)’s a jolly good racer, for (Y/n)’s a jolly good racer, for (Y/n)’s a jolly good fellow, which nobody can deny!” You laugh as you blow out the candles and thank them all. Your engineer says, “Sorry, it’s not up to par. We ordered it at the last minute when we realized you may win today.” You shake your head, tears brimming in your eyes, “It’s perfect.” He pats your head, “Good job out there, kid. Now, let’s celebrate and eat good!” You cheer as they have you sit in the middle of the two long tables they put out. 
All of you chat happily, celebrating your win. You cheer with your pop cans, “I owe it to all of you guys. If it wasn’t for you guys, I don’t know if I’d even be out on that track tonight!” They laugh, some disagree, and you take the time to thank every person seated with you. When you sit back down, Hyunggu wraps his arm around your waist as he eats his pizza happily. You finish your pizza before eventually cutting everyone a piece of cake, “A big slice for my engineer, who called all the shots.” “A big slice, for my loving boyfriend.” Your manager jokes, “It’s a big slice for everyone, isn’t it?” You smirk, “Yes, but I get the biggest!” They all laugh, and you finish cutting the cake and sit back down. And when the party ties down, you clean up after everyone, your crew leaving to enjoy the rest of the night. 
With the help of your friends, you’re able to clean up. Lastly, you put your car into neutral and push it back into the garage before parking and leaving. As everyone heads to their cars, you ask, “What hotel are you guys staying at?” “The APA” You grin, “Me too!” Hyunggu hops into your car immediately, “I can’t even begin to explain the joy I felt seeing you this morning.” He smiles, “I’m so glad I could surprise you.” “Best surprise ever.” He squeezes your hand, and you drive back to your hotel. You meet back up with the guys and talk for a while in the lobby before you let out a yawn, which causes a chain reaction. As you guys start heading for your rooms, Yuto asks, “We’re going to make the trip over to Nagano, my hometown, tomorrow if you want to come with us?” You smile, “I’d love to.” Hyunggu makes no effort to follow the boys, “You’re all mine tonight?” He smirks, and as the elevator door closes, he goes, “Yeah, and I have just the idea on how to celebrate your win~”
—---
Your next races weren’t as successful as the Suzuka race, but you didn’t mind too much. After all, considering all the celebrating. The little trip you got to spend with the seven of them in Nagano while it wasn’t long. It made you feel refreshed, and nothing could change that. Your giddy feeling didn’t fade no matter your placement, even when you placed 11th in Brazil. You were proud you had made it either way. Maybe you weren’t winning a cup for your performance, but it was a wonderful feeling to say you won a race in the Grand Prix. Your last place in Abu Dhabi was 2nd, and you finished on a good note, too. And you couldn’t help but feel more accomplished as you returned home. 
You get off the plane, excited to be back home. You make your way to the exit when you see someone holding a sign with your name. “Welcome home, (Y/n)!” You get up closer and see it’s their manager. He smiles as you reach him, “The boys sent me to get you.” You grin, “Thanks,” He grabs your luggage and says, “Allow me to take that. The car is waiting for us.” You smile and thank him again as you make your way there. He opens the door for you, you get inside, and he quickly shuts it. You decide where to sit and look back to the backseat to see a grinning Hyunggu. You gasp, and he cheers, “Welcome home!” You waste no time getting into the furthest seat back and flinging your arms around him as the trunk pops and his manager puts away your luggage. Hyunggu giggles as the tailgate shuts, and you smile, “I’m so happy to be home.” He squints at you, “But you’re not at your apartment?” You smile and kiss his nose, “I’m in your arms. That’s home enough for me.” He laughs, “You cheese ball.” 
His manager pops into the driver's seat, shuts the door, and you separate enough to put your seatbelt on. Still holding his hand, he goes, “Do you want to celebrate with the guys today or tomorrow?” You think, “Tomorrow, I’m kind of tired.” He nods, “I figured you would be. Tomorrow it is then.” His manager starts driving you back to your apartment, “So, tell me all about your past racing experiences.” You smile and lean your head on his shoulder as you try to recount everything back to him. He listens well, making sure you know with little hums of agreement when necessary. You continue until you’re almost back, “And that’s pretty much everything you’ve missed. What about the guys?” He laughs as he tells you about their laser tag adventures and how you should come along next time. As you hop out of the car, he gets your luggage, and you both thank his manager, who tells you guys to be safe. You both laugh as you remind him you will. 
You walk up to your apartment hand in hand. And Hyunggu finishes his stories before you reach the door. He asks, “You wanted ramen when you came home, right?” You go, “Yeah,” He nods, “Great, 'cause I ordered some.” You smile as you unlock the door and head inside. You put away your stuff, clean your luggage case, and throw your clothes into the dryer. Hyunggu pulls out the takeout and heats it as you clean up. Lastly, you pull out your trophy and smile at it. You didn’t come home a world champion trophy holder, but you came home with a Grand Prix race trophy, and you couldn’t be more proud to display it. You place fake daisies inside and shine the outside up before putting it into a glass cabinet. 
Hyunggu comes up behind you and wraps his arms around your waist, “I’m so proud of you, baby.” You smile and lean into his hug, “Thank you.” You turn your head to kiss him, and he grins as he kisses you back, “We’ve made it.” He smiles, “I think so.” You hold one of his hands in yours and squeeze it, and he does it back, “Yes?” You smile, “I’m so glad I have you.” He kisses your nape and says, “I’m grateful I have you too.” You smile, and the two of you stand in front of your display case. Inside, sitting side by side is his replica of their ‘Show!’ award and your Suzuka triumph. Through the trials and tribulations, you both came out victorious together. And the rewards were just a mere show of that. The love you held for each other through it all was the true testament of it all.
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windhamsrotunda · 1 year
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Quiéreme (Love Me)
Pairing: Penta El Zero (aka Pentagón Jr) (AEW) x Female! Reader
Synopsis: (Inspired by the song ‘’A Gangster’s Wife’’ by Ms. Krazie feat. Chino Grande)
Rating: Mature (18+ Only)
Warnings: angst, smut,  use of pet names (angel, princesa ‘’princess’’ in Spanish, treasure, mi amor) (my love).
Word Count: 1.1k+ 
Requested by: @pentagonjr123​ 
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***GIF IS NOT MINE, CREDITS GO TO THE ORIGINAL OWNER***
***FLASHBACK, 2 DAYS AGO***
‘’Please leave your message after the tone,’’
BEEP.
‘’Hey Penta it’s me again,’’ You held the phone close up to your ear to leave a voicemail message for your husband, who you haven’t seen in two days. You sighed into the phone,
‘’I’ve been trying to call you already. I want to say five or six times that you are not picking up your phone and I am worried sick. It’s already three in the morning babe, where are you?’’
You hung up and didn’t finish what you were going to tell your husband the night that you’ve called, he has not been answering your texts or your calls ever since he disappeared without a trace. Your stomach began to turn inside out, and as you peeked at the window's exterior to you and your husband’s residence, a 5’11 shadow darted against the darkness before your own eyes. The street lights flickered on outside, you had to go and investigate what was going on.
‘’What the hell?’’ You mentally thought in the back of your clustered mind, eyes scanning in worry while you were in the opened doorway to your home. Your heart began to do rapid flip-flops inside of your chest, Penta should be home by any minute.
Your hand was placed upon your chest, clutching the soft material of your shirt while your thoughts became bankrupt. Extreme worry washed over you as footsteps thudded hard over to the door, and a quick banging on the door occurred. A hand shakily twisted the solid doorknob open, not peeking in the hole to your residence was probably going to be a big mistake.
‘’Penta?’’ You heard yourself say aloud, a masked man sprinted inside your home.
‘’Princesa, I am so sorry I didn’t pick up your calls, I can explain–’’
‘’Explain to me that you were elsewhere than you normally are. You had me worried sick!’’ You gave a daunting glare at your husband. 
Penta lent out his hand to you pleading for forgiveness.
‘’I can make it up to you, please let me explain where and what I was doing,’’ His tone of voice was forbidding, on the verge of tears as you finally managed to give in since he was your husband.
‘’Spill,’’ You exhaled a sigh, grabbed a chair from the dining room, and sat upon it.
His voice shattered, and tension built up like building blocks one by one. 
‘’Angel, I want to make this up to you but not just by saying words, but by my actions as well. I love you as much as my heart takes, you probably already know this since I sound like a broken record. Amame como si tu vida dependiera de ello.’’ (love me like your life was depending on it)
‘’Si, mi Amor.’’ You replied a smile appearing on your face.
You and Penta held each other close as if this were your last moments together. He wanted nothing but to show you how beautiful you were inside and out. Your e/c orbs wandered into his, a tear had shown behind his black and white mask.
‘’Quiereme.’’ 
‘’With my heart’s content.’’
Right before you could say something else, Penta’s large fingers found their way underneath your jawline and kissed you with passion and desire burning in his soul. The kiss cut out your airway, you proceeded to kiss him back, pursing your lips together. Fireworks had erupted within you, he lifted you up and carried you bridal style up to the bedroom. You couldn’t coherent sentences, you didn’t worry about the thought of talking with him, actions meant louder than words anyways. Penta laid you down on the bed with care, and the palm of his hand never left the back of your head. Rushing to get you undressed, the both of you shared saccharine kisses. He took a few steps back away from the bed, undressing in return to reveal what was underneath.
You were starstruck by how he was drop-dead handsome inside and out, you were lucky enough to have a husband like him. Penta eyed you up and down like a hawk, he muttered the word:
‘’Gorgeous.’’
You swooned,  your hands resting on the surface of the queen-sized bed as he crawled into bed with you. He didn’t intend to talk as much, because his actions were louder in the name of love. He climbed on top of you with all of his body weight against yours, commending the sight of you. Penta positioned himself in front of your spread-out legs, sliding inside of you with such ease. Gasping at the sudden feeling of him rocking his hips back and forth, you felt every inch of his well-being. Finally adjusting to his size, your moans escalated through you as he began to pick the pace up. As the bedframes quivered, his heavy panting synched in with your moans. 
‘’All mine, treasure,’’ He said through his breathing, his teeth grazing down on your soft skin making you hiss through gritted teeth.
Sounds of flesh slapping through the hallowed walls of the bedroom harmonized within the bedframes of the queen-sized bed shaking violently, Penta picked the back of your head up gently, holding you in his care. His veiny cock pounded your g spot over and over again, looking you directly in the eyes.
‘’Daddy loves how you moan for him, Princesa. You’re fuckin’ mine.’’ 
Your eyes started to roll around, your orgasm flowed like a river. You saw stars aligned in the ceiling, and your head arched as far as it could. He continued to praise you like his prize possession, cherishing how nobody but him could make you feel this good inside. The nerves in your legs jolted like lightning, you were so close to squirting everywhere.
‘’Pe-Penta,’’ You panted with a fistful of silhouette bedsheets, your knuckles slowly turning a ghostly white, so white you could see your knuckle bones.
Every so often, you heard him say: ‘’That’s my Princesa’’ and ‘’So hot when you take me like this, treasure.’’ in a repeated trance. Penta had you so damn worked up, that you couldn’t coherent any words. 
‘’Cum!’’ He announced, letting you unwind. When you felt your legs collapse, your whole body collapsed as well in spite.
He rolled his body weight over onto the bed and laid beside you. Your chest bellowed up and down consuming in airy breaths, still seeing the stars from being fucked so hard from your well-proportioned husband.
‘’Mi amor, I love you.’’ He whispered, placing a sweetened kiss on your delicate collarbones.
Your neck slightly turned over to look at him.
‘’Thank you for everything, Penta.’’
Authors Note: Likes and Reblogs are appreciated! <3
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heather-garland · 2 years
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i think they should get married
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oceanlix · 2 years
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Day 4: Kino + Face sitting
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Pairing: Kino x female reader
Genre: Smut
Word count: 726
Warnings: Drinking alcohol, fingering (female receiving), oral (female receiving), face sitting, slight hair pulling
Kinktober 2022 Masterlist
You’re two glasses of wine into the makeshift picnic with your boyfriend when Hyunggu’s hands start to wander, lingering at the hem of your skirt for a few seconds too long to just be innocent. You smirk to yourself, shifting into his lap and kissing him feverishly.
“Baby,” he groans, but his hands cup your ass and he makes no move to push you off of him.
“You seem pretty preoccupied,” you tease, setting your glass down onto the table. You watch his lust blown eyes as you start unbuttoning your blouse, slowly sliding your bra straps down your arms as well.
“You’re so pretty.” He sighs, rubbing his thumbs over your nipples as you expose your chest. You moan, leaning into his soft touch. “All nice and eager for me.”
You can feel his length hardening underneath you, so you twist your hips experimentally and are rewarded with a low groan. His lips are on your neck instantly, hands gripping your hips as he rocks up into you slowly.
Hyunggu pushes your panties to the side and rubs your folds slowly, gathering your juices on his fingers. You can’t help but moan loudly, dropping your head against his neck. Suddenly you’re glad for the rain, because you certainly wouldn’t be able to do this outside.
You whimper softly when he slips two fingers into your pussy, the slow pace driving you insane. Hyunggu hates to rush when you’re together; he loves seeing you get more and more desperate for him while he takes care of you. He strokes your walls gently, enjoying the way you grind your hips down onto his hand.
It isn’t long before he pulls his fingers out and leaves you empty again, but you don’t complain because he pulls your panties down your legs and throws them to the ground. The way Hyunggu grips your thighs and shifts to laying down on the couch tells you exactly what his next move is.
“Baby, are you sure?” you whisper, like you aren’t about to start foaming at the mouth. Your boyfriend grins, then hauls you up until your pussy is right in front of his face. He kisses your soaked core quickly, fingers digging into your ass until you let out a squeal. You can tell he loves the sound since he’s smiling wickedly beneath you.
Your hands tangle in his hair the second he starts nibbling on your clit, your thighs shaking with the effort to not close around his head. Hyunggu laps at you without a care in the world, pressing his tongue deeply inside you. You roll your hips against his face, biting down on your lip. You’re on the verge of screaming out for him, but you don’t want the neighbors to hear if they’re home right now.
“Come on, you can be louder than that,” Hyunggu urges, holding you up above his face while playfully nipping at your inner thigh. You shriek when he goes back to suckling harshly on your clit, now determined to get you off.
You feel the pressure building in your core, your walls fluttering as Hyunggu continues to fuck you with his tongue. He grips your ass so hard you think there’s probably going to be handprints there tomorrow, but you don’t care. If that’s the price you have to pay for a mindblowing orgasm from your man, so be it.
“Close,” you whisper, tugging on his hair to get your boyfriend’s attention. Hyunggu licks you deeply and holds you down against his face, letting you grind on him until you’re cumming. His face gets absolutely covered in your essence as he tries to swallow what he can, and you think it’s one of the hottest sights you’ve ever seen.
When you’re done coming down, you roll off to the side and look at Hyunggu. His hair is a mess, your juices spread all over his lips, nose and chin. His eyes are blown out with lust and a quick glance down tells you he’s rock hard, his jeans very obviously tented. You reach over and toy with the button, popping it open with ease.
“Want me to help you out there, handsome?” you tease, already reaching into his boxers to pull out his cock. Hyunggu smirks, catching your wrist in his hand with ease.
“I wasn’t done with you yet, baby.”
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tm-trx · 8 months
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currents.35/2023
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selections from my week in media [27 august - 2 september 2023]
[anticipating]
Key's upcoming album release
[listening]
Veni Vidi Vici / Vanner
Pado / Pentagon
[loving]
Lom, the abandoned groom, in episode 7 of Wedding Plan. He was so happy to be left at the altar. It was very cute.
[reading]
The Metropolis Women's Auxiliary League by rageprufrock - New Smallville fic from one of my favorite authors! \o/
[watching]
Hidden Agenda - The guys were both, by turns, plot stupid this week, but all was forgiven as soon as Joke lifted-and-turned Zo like it was nothing at the end.
Jun & Jun - Choi Jun finally uses his words and gives Lee Jun some reassurance (but still can't tell him everything right now for some reason?) about where they stand. It was very sweet. We have barely gotten anything concrete about Simeon and Hyeong, but after episode 6 I'm wondering if Simeon's feelings for Lee Jun are a kind of transference? Or he's going after him because he knows that Hyeong is in love with Jun? He does seem genuinely upset about being rejected, so I don't think it's all a ploy to get Hyeong jealous. A second season around them could be very interesting. I need to know what is going on with them!
Kiseki: Dear to Me - Loved seeing the Be Loved in House pair show up this week. We're still in the past/flashback story and I'm wondering how much longer we'll be there. It feels like we've barely gotten close to the events that result in Zhongyi going to jail.
Only Friends - Great episode. Have some thoughts.
Taikan Yoho (My Personal Weatherman) - He bought three new sheet sets plus summer sheets. Let's go! I love this show so much.
Wedding Plan - A lighter end to the series than I expected, but I enjoyed it.
previous Currents posts
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kindled-soul · 3 months
Text
NOSTALGIA
As you mature and gain new experiences, improving yourself as you go, your work gets better and better. You learn from the past and use this knowledge to make a better present that paves the way for a better future.
What value, then, do old works have when asked to choose between it and its more current counterparts? 
In an impossible place, at an impossible time, a creator and their creation meet…
Why do people create things?
What drives them?
What benefit is there in creating and sharing?
Is it for themselves? For other people?
To please a superior? To reach a deadline?
How does one transcribe their most intimate feelings into their creations?
What makes them so comfortable to share their vulnerability?
Or does it mean nothing at all? Is it all just flowery words?
There might exist a reality where concepts and ideas are given physical life. They breathe, just like any other human. They have personalities, if you wish to acknowledge the embodiment of a concept as such. They walk, talk, and feel. They laugh, cry, play, fight, rage, despair, yet also forgive, love, and care. They live. They know who their creators are, of course. After all, they are alive because of these humans. However, none of them feel the need to ever meet their creators. No, that’s ridiculous. What purpose is there to meet their creators? They are content to simply live with each other, never once meeting the humans they owe their existence to. It’s not like those humans know about them, anyway.
This is how the oldest of a group of 13 sisters has lived. Formally named as Pentagon, simply called Penny by the others, she is the first of the albums from a Korean boy group called PENTAGON, her namesakes. She has guided the first 3 that came after her, teaching them what she knows and paving the way for them to find their own path. Nowadays, having such a large gap between her and the younger ones, she is content to be on the sidelines and watch the new albums be guided by those that came before.
Penny has never wished for more, never needed for less.
She is satisfied.
If you had the chance to meet your creator, what would you say?
What would you ask?
Would it be hard to believe these questions never crossed her mind before? Not once has she thought about confronting those responsible for her existence. What is there to gain? She exists, she lives, and, for better or worse, there is nothing more to be done about it.
And yet…
Penny walks in an expanse of white. If she were to stand still for a few minutes, it would be easy for her to lose track of what is right-side up. She can’t quite remember how she got here. One minute she was walking around in the mall downtown, the next she blinked and is now walking in this void. Although, she doesn’t feel dead, so it can’t be the afterlife. Did she enter a forbidden place in the mall?  ‘I’ll never hear the end of it from Sunny if this is somehow one of those dreaded Backrooms…’
She doesn’t walk alone, though. Somehow, beside her walks along a man (a real human?) twice her height. He’s dressed very casually, a t-shirt, jeans, and rubber shoes. It’s as if he’s merely taking a stroll in a park. He looks ahead, face neutral, and hums quietly to himself. His hands stay in his pant pockets, only leaving when the man decides to adjust his shirt every now and then.
Their footsteps echo softly around them, filling in the deafening silence of the white space. Neither of them have spoken to each other, only giving each other a glance at the start before quickly looking away and walking forward.
Although Penny only got a quick glimpse of what the man looks like, she knows for sure that the man beside her is one of her creators. Lee Hoetaek, simply known as Hui, the leader of PENTAGON, one of Penny’s writers, walks beside her in the vastness of nothing. This man is one of the people responsible for the birth of all of PENTAGON’s albums except for those made during his enlistment period (although strangely, Fiona doesn’t apply to this). 
Penny still remembers how the boys were like when she first came to be. Ambitious, hopeful, eager to prove themselves.; they were young and filled with dreams. The man beside her now seems so different from the boy of the past. ‘He’s grown so much. 7 years is really such a long time,’ Penny wonders how much the others have also grown.
After a while, Penny pulls on her hoodie’s sleeves. How long have they been walking? Is time even a thing here? Her chest feels a little too tight, hands a little too restless. Will they keep walking aimlessly forever? Is there an end to this white space? She looks around her. There’s no telling how far they’ve walked now, if they have ever left their place of origin at all. Should she say something? What does she even ask?
This could all be just a very vivid dream. Perhaps she already made it home for the night. Everything feels so…real, though, for it to simply be a dream. Then again, if all this is just a dream, what does she have to lose in talking to Hui?
Penny opens her mouth, feeling her voice disappear. She stops and clears her throat, consciously avoiding Hui now stopping and staring down at her.
“How’s…,” her voice cracks and Penny wishes the void spontaneously summons a black hole. Still, she pushes through, “how’s everything? …with everyone?”
She hears rather than sees Hui shifting on his feet. He hums a bit before replying, “..what?”
Penny’s face cringes at their current interaction. Talking with others should come naturally to her. She stands up straighter and faces Hui, actually looking at his face for the first time. He looks even more tired now, but his eyes seem to have not lost their bright, ambitious glow, still so alive after some time. It feels weird, to see a grown man in the place of the hopeful young boy she grew accustomed to. Something squeezes in Penny’s chest. “How’s PENTAGON? How’s…everyone been? It’s been, well, it’s been seven years for me now.”
Penny isn’t too sure how everything works here. Does Hui understand what she is? If this is her own dream, perhaps he does. On the off chance this isn’t, well this would be very hard to explain. He doesn’t seem to be confused about what's going on, though. Maybe he is at least aware that this isn’t the same world he knows of.
Hui stares at her, what he’s looking for she can’t tell. He lets out an embarrassed chuckle and rubs his neck, eyes looking off to the side. He sucks in a breath through his teeth, “It’s been…a lot of things. Wow, seven years? It’s…a long story.”
He didn’t question her about anything she said. Humming, Penny turns back forward and takes a few steps forward. She looks back up at him, “We have time,” head nodding to the path forward.
He looks at her, to the space in front of them, and releases a breath. Shrugging, he starts up his pace again, “I guess we do.” Penny follows along beside him, both of them looking forward as they walk.
And so, Hui talks. Penny makes no move to interrupt him, despite already knowing the group updates from talking to the younger albums. She lets him tell the story from his perspective, as the person who had to live through all the times, even adding about things that happened outside of official PENTAGON business.
Hui talks about many things.
Their debut showcase; Their first concert; Their subsequent comebacks; The group's status as self-producing idols; The rise and success of Shine; Hyojong and Hyuna's situation; Their first comeback without Hyojong; The mess that came after that; PRISM World Tour; Jinho's enlistment stage; The two comebacks without Jinho; Their first win, four years after debut; His own enlistment time; In:vite U, the one comeback without him; Hongseok's enlistment situation; Each member's participation in survival shows; Everyone's individual projects, like Kino's Pose; Dorm life; Status on the younger members; His burden and anxieties as the leader; Universe; Their latest Japanese comeback
The contract renewal period. The younger members’ departure from CUBE.
Penny tenses the most at the last topics. Logically, she knew the boys had a time limit hanging above their heads, but it felt like it was so far into the future all those years ago. A selfish part of her thought that they would always make music together until they physically couldn’t anymore. They were so hopeful and bright-eyed way back when they first debuted. Penny didn’t want any of that to change.
Is she being unreasonable for being the tiniest bit bitter at the younger line for leaving? Maybe. After all, they said they left CUBE, not PENTAGON (though the line they walk is very fragile and dangerous). It hurts to not know how Yanan’s doing, though. Penny can only hope everyone around him treats him well.
She never thought that anyone would actually leave unless forced to by the management, much less the boys who promised each other forever.
But she can’t control their fates. She can only hear about it happening.
“I think…that should be up to speed, except of course all the other individual schedules the members have,” Hui finishes.
They walk in silence once again. Penny allows herself this time to process all Hui told her. Seven years sounds long in theory, but feels so fast. And yet, hearing all of this from Hui, a lot of things really has happened to them. Penny bites her lip and looks down at Hui’s shoes, “...but were you all happy?”
Hui hums, thinking about it for a few seconds. “I know they were. It was hard for everyone, but they all seem happy now.”
“How’ve you been, then?”
“Well, I’ve been ok. I’ll admit there've been some good and bad times, but I wouldn’t trade them for anything in the world. God knows how much I missed them when I was in Boys Planet.”
Penny lifts her gaze to look at Hui’s eyes. He must have sensed her stare as after only a few seconds, he looked down to meet her own gaze. “But are you happy, after everything?” Penny asks.
Hui looks back forward, seemingly lost in thought. After a while, he nods his head, looking back down at Penny, “yes, I am. I don’t think I’ll ever find better brothers to love this deeply.”
Penny nods her head and looks back forward, continuing their walk in silence.
If you had the chance to meet your creator, what would you say?
What would you ask?
Penny never had those thoughts cross her mind before. It was simply impossible and worthless.
But she’s here now, walking with Hui. Even if this is a dream, wouldn’t this be the closest interaction she has with him?
She thinks about what she would ask Hui, something substantial. She almost gives up until a question forces itself in her mind, getting caught in her throat. Her stomach briefly falls. Would this really be worth asking? She desperately tries to find something else to say, but her one question keeps hammering in her heart.
Defeated, Penny quietly sighs and opens her mouth, “...Hui?”
The man lets out a curious hum.
“You…you’re finally allowed to release your own songs, right? Release your own albums and all. So what do you think about the ones you didn’t produce?”
Hui tilts his head to the side, eyebrows furrowed. “Didn’t produce…for PENTAGON, you mean?”
“Yeah, of course, for PENTAGON,” Penny clears her throat. Her nerves start rising up. It feels suffocating. “Like me. Five Senses. Ceremony. You know, the first ones, when that company didn’t allow much freedom for you guys yet. What do you…think about us?”
Hui’s mouth forms an O and he hums again, “I don’t hate you, if that’s your concern. I think you guys are fine.”
‘“Don’t hate” doesn’t necessarily mean “like” either,’ the pit in Penny’s stomach only grew deeper. ‘Isn’t this enough? Wasn’t this what she wanted?’ The dread inside her clings to her heart, behind her eyes, inside her lungs. Penny steps in front of Hui, causing both of them to stop walking. She looks up at him, fists holding the sides of her hoodie, “so then it’s fine if people listen to us?”
Hui looks more lost, not understanding the reasoning for Penny’s questions, “why wouldn’t it be?”
Penny takes a deep breath. “Unis don’t include us in streaming parties, and I get it. It’s more helpful to you if they stream songs produced by you guys. I promise I’m not mad about that. I get it…” Penny’s eyes fall to the side, hands rubbing together.
Hui slightly leans down, trying to catch her eyes, “...but?”
“But I…I wanted to know…what you think. You know, you’ve produced so many things. You probably don’t have the time and care to think about the ones you don’t produce and that’s perfectly fine. It’s fine. I’m fine with it. You’re only human. There’s only so much you can focus on at a time. I just wish- just wanted to know what…we are to you. You know, we’re part of your discography forever but we’re not fully produced by you guys. What are we…what am I to you?”
Do you hate me because you weren’t allowed to produce your own debut album? Do I bring back bad memories of what you had to go through just to debut? How do you see me? Or is this why you never think about me? There’s so much Penny wants to ask, but she holds herself back.
Am I asking for too much? Am I being too selfish? Have I made you sad? I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to. If you allowed her, she would go on forever on everything she wants to say to PENTAGON.
What am I to you? What am I supposed to be? What did you want me to be? Why am I so unsure if I matter to you? Where are these questions coming from? She never had these thoughts cross her mind. After all, she is satisfied being in the background. She is content to watch everyone grow and mature.
She is happy.
She is…happy?
Would someone who is happy have so many ways to question their worth?
Penny has no doubt in her heart that she loves all the boys very dearly. She and the group technically were born together. She is very excited and delighted to see how each and every one of them has grown. But standing in front of Hui, Penny wonders if they ever saw her with even at least the tiniest bit of love they can spare.
“I just,” Penny continues, eyes dropping down to her shoes. “I wanted to know…if you love us…,” Can she be selfish, just this once? “...if you love me, just like you do for all the others.” Her voice drops down to almost a whisper, losing all the previous strength and courage Penny managed to muster.
Penny stands there waiting for Hui’s response, the silence around them rings so loud in her ears, like a thousand glasses crashing against each other. She can only focus on her shoes, refusing to move a single muscle. Why isn’t he replying? Why can’t he just say a yes or no? Why am I even here? Why is this happening? This is all so stupid. Why? Why me? Why? Why? Why?Why?Why?Why?
Just as Penny starts to spiral, Hui slowly kneels down in front of her. She startles, looking at him as he reaches to be on the same eye-level as her. His smile is small, gentle, eyes so warm Penny didn’t realize how cold she felt until she physically melted just by looking at him. He holds out his hands to her, and Penny slowly puts hers on them, her own head tilting at Hui. He holds onto her tightly and smiles wider.
How can one person be so filled with love it shows itself even through the simplest action of smiling? Just by looking into their eyes?
How can someone be so willing to surrender their heart for all to see? To open their heart for anything? To still have space to love even more?
Penny doesn’t know the answer to these questions. She doesn’t think she’ll be able to experience doing something like that herself. But she stares at Hui smiling at her, and she thinks that maybe someone like that can actually exist somewhere.
Hui stares at her a little bit longer, a nostalgic feeling finding its way into his gaze, and he opens his mouth, “Just because I didn’t make you doesn’t mean I don’t love you just the same.”
Penny’s breath gets caught in her throat. She prepared herself for rejection, for indifference, for maybe a very guilty expression. She was prepared to get her heart quietly broken. She never expected Hui to look at her with so much love, like a parent would to their child.
He pushes on, “It might seem so different now, with us being all self-produced now, but that will never mean I won’t be grateful for what you are in our lives. I look at you and I see how far we’ve grown, how far we’ve reached. But more than that, you also carry so much memories. You are our debut. There’s so much worth and weight in what you are.”
“But I’m stuck like this,” Penny whispers back. “I’ll never truly be one of yours.”
“And maybe you don’t have to be. Maybe the time just wasn’t right. We were too new to have a purely self-produced album. We were too young ourselves. But that doesn’t mean the memories and joy we felt during your time weren’t real, weren’t ours to cherish.”
Hui lifts his right hand and places them on Penny’s cheek. He uses his thumb to wipe away any tears he can catch, his smile somehow melting even more. When did she start crying? When did breathing become difficult? Penny bites on her lip, silencing any sounds trying to escape.
“Besides,” Hui softens his voice. “I’m sure there are plenty of Unis out there who are Universes today because of you. You gave us a chance to be the idols we are today. So please, don’t think that I don’t love you. And even if I didn’t, I’m sure there is someone somewhere out there who will fill in that love for me, even if you can’t meet them.”
Penny tries to get her breathing under control. There’s too much emotion to feel, emotions so different from what she expected to receive. After a few minutes, she sucks in a breath through her teeth and whispers back, “You guys have grown so much.”
Hui carefully pulls her into a hug, and whispers in her ear, “I’ll forever be grateful you paved the way for this to happen.”
A sincere person until the very end, her beloved leader. She throws her arms around him and hugs him back. If she’s hugging him tighter than he does to her, he doesn’t comment on it and hugs her back just as tightly.
Eventually, Penny pulls back and looks at him, staring at her with so much love and gratitude. It feels so warm. Penny finds the strength to smile back, “It’s been an honor to be a part of your journey.”
Hui stands back up and Penny goes to continue walking forward. She notices the missing footsteps beside her and looks back to see Hui going in the opposite direction. Oh, is their time up? Penny cups her hands around her mouth and calls out, “HUI!”
The man turns back at her, tilting his head with a smile. Penny waves at him with both arms, like one would do when watching a cruise ship drive away. “Good luck,” she shouts to him with a smile, “with everything.”
Hui smiles back, wider than the others she’s seen today, and raises one hand to wave back. After that, he turns back and continues walking.
Penny watches his back for a few more moments. Eventually, she turns back around and continues her own way forward.
Just like all those years ago, Penny can only watch and let him go his own separate way.
This time, though, it didn’t feel heavy to let go.
Soon, Penny hears voices coming from ahead.
“Sunny, get back here! I know you did it!”
“You can’t prove anything, dear sister!”
“Lor, stop watching and help me with this.”
“I don’t know, man. You seem to be doing just fine on your own.”
“Why was I assigned babysitting duty…”
Penny can’t help the grin that crosses her face hearing the voices of her other sisters. She runs the rest of the way, leaving behind nothing more than what would be thought of as a dream.
Will newer works always be more relevant than works of the past?
Can the same artist value their current work more than the previous?
Or maybe one can learn to love their past creations for what they were for the time.
Maybe there’s no need to compare the worth of one project to another.
Maybe one can simply give their love to anything and everything they have made.
Wouldn’t that make life even just a little bit brighter?
~~ End thoughts ~~
So this specific idea was inspired by multiple songs:
You Are - PENTAGON
The Greatest Wall - HUI & KINO
What Was I Made For? - Billie Eilish
With Universe - PENTAGON
for you - HUI
Me, while writing this: *shaking* “Would Hui even say that??”
Like of course I don’t know him personally so everything this Hui has "said" is all a guessing game
Doesn't stop the anxiety ૮₍˶Ó﹏Ò ⑅₎ა
I’ll be honest, I had no intention of actually fully writing out this idea because it sounds too…crazy and stupid. Like, why would anyone write about this?
But then October 9 came, then “With Universe” was released. I think I just needed to cope really badly back then.
It’s stupid. I've only known these guys for like 9 months and yet I’m so attached to them. So many things happened just as I was getting to know them and it's all been very confusing emotionally.
So this was basically my coping mechanism of a fic.
Anyway, hope you enjoyed reading this. Or cringed. Either works honestly.
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