⊹ PHANTOM PAINS ⊹ PILOT EPISODE
(black!fem!) mea harper!reader x ceo boss!dhan tae-oh
ᴍɪɴᴏʀꜱ ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴀᴄᴛ
I do not consent to my work being reposted, — stolen or translated anywhere else.
⊹ CW: long post, emotional cheating, unrequited love, depression, fluff, drama, etc.
⊹ SYNOPSIS: Celebrating his niece's birthday at a restaurant, Dhan recognizes you from across the room as his past lover from five hundred years ago and is determined to stop at nothing to be with you again.
⊹ A/N: this is my first serious fanfic, feedback on this pilot (comments, messages & reblogs only!) will help me consider continuing it with motivation. Canon divergent / somewhat canon compliant to the MEA CULPA (2024) film by Tyler Perry with some crossover aspects thrown in. I hope you enjoy!
⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹
"Does Your Majesty wish to meet again in our next lives?" You asked, wrapping your arms around him.
"Of course, were you considering abandoning me?" Dhan replied, chuckling.
"Okay then, when the time comes, I'll be your master once more." You promised. "Your love. Your pain. Even your very last breath, please give them all to me."
"They are all yours, y/n."
⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹
There was a time when those words meant everything to him.
A time when finding you meant everything to him.
But after his fifth life, Dhan had given up on his search and the phantom pains have haunted him ever since.
It was a pain that wasn't his, a pain that never faltered in reminding him of his failure despite the many times you two were reincarnated throughout the last five hundred years.
Your souls were connected after all and even though this pain has brought him a great deal of misery, part of him hoped you weren't feeling anything.
Presumably, because he was always reincarnated as a man, he assumed you would be reincarnated as a woman but other than that, he never really had any concrete way of finding you. It was safe to assume that since his ethnicity changed, yours did too.
Not that he particularly cared what race you were now, all that mattered was that he was reunited with you. But that promise has become nothing but a fleeting dream. A delusion Dhan couldn't completely let go of because this pain meant that you were alive, somewhere out there. Hopefully looking for him too.
In every lifetime after the first one, he always accumulated a great deal of wealth somewhere in his mid to late twenties under the name of Dan.
In this era, he was Dhan Tae-Oh, the boss of a CEO corporation in Korea and came from a long line of gangsters that reinforced the values of family and business to a rather high degree.
⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹
Tonight, he was celebrating his niece's 9th birthday and his sister-in-law's most recent promotion in the fashion industry.
His younger brother, Charles Kang, arranged everything at the finest Italian restaurant in all of Chicago, Illinois, called up Dhan three days before and here they all were.
"You know, we got lucky tonight." Charles set aside his fork and knife for a sip of wine.
"I initially planned to invite more people for Abby's dinner party but a larger group had already reserved a bigger table and I snagged us the only one they had left."
Now that Dhan gave it a second thought, Piccolo Sogno was unusually packed tonight and much busier than he had initially anticipated.
Even looking over his shoulder he could still see the glimpse of the same crowd he passed through, still waiting in line outside.
His assistant, Seon-woo, mentioned something about a on the rise celebrity artist being one of its more known customers over the last couple of years. No one Dhan had really heard of or cared to for that matter.
"Their celebrating their mum's birthday, I heard." Susan remarked, her posh accent gleaming through. She looked past her husband and over her shoulder, seeing the large the table behind them.
There were about five people and that one particular redheaded woman must've been the birthday mom. "Surely Abby won't mind sharing her special day when two cakes come out." Susan teased.
"You got me a cake?!" Abby gasped, beaming with a smile. "Is it a big one?"
"You can only have two slices, young lady." Susan tenderly pinched her daughter's cheek. "The last thing we need is you bouncin' off the walls at 2 o'clock in the mornin' on a school night."
Abby pouted and brought those puppy eyes straight to her uncle.
Dhan stifled a laugh, hiding that cheeky smile behind a half closed fist. "I'm sorry Abby, not even that can convince me to break your parents rules but I'll make it up to you when dessert arrives, I promise."
⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹
Dessert was served in the form of a double stacked white and pink frosted cake decorated with strawberries and red icing for the words "Happy 9th birthday, Abigail!"
Candles were blown and nine year old Abigail Kang became tonight's birthday girl that the staff (and some nearby tables) sang to. Pictures were taken and there were smiles all around.
The gift that Dhan purchased was a reasonably expensive one but not something he would ever think to showboat about. He simply had some connections here and there and thought to put them to good use for the short time he was going to be in Chicago.
"All fourteen of Taylor Swift's albums!?" Abby squealed, wrapping her arms around her Uncle Dhan and squeezing him tight. "I love it! I love it! I love it!"
Dhan laughed nervously, patting her head and squeezing her shoulder tenderly. "Your arms squishing my insides make that explicitly clear."
Everything was going great. Dhan was feeling great.
That is, until things weren't great anymore.
⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹
Dhan suddenly gripped the edge of the table to stop himself from keeling over on the floor of the restaurant.
His chest became uncomfortably tight and his head began throbbed with a splitting sensation.
The phantom pain had returned.
For the sake not wanting to make a scene or ruin what was already a perfect night, Dhan got his breathing under control, keeping some stoicism to his face to not alarm anyone.
The tightness in his chest seemed to lessen but the throbbing in his head wasn't going anywhere.
"Pumpkin, why don't me and you freshen up in the girls' room and leave the boys here, yeah?" As if on cue, Susan took her daughter by the hand and headed straight for the bathroom.
"Dhan." Charles sighed, addressing him in a somber tone of their birth language. Entirely oblivious to what his brother suffering with. "I know we haven't always seen eye to eye but I'm really glad you could make it tonight."
He listened to his brother -- or at least tried to.
The words were being drowned out by a sudden ringing in his ears, leaving him momentarily stunned that it almost felt like the world around him was going to spin.
But he wasn't feeling nauseous from the alcohol or a sudden fever. It felt more like ... resentment.
It put a bitter taste in his mouth and made him clench his fist at the end of the table until his knuckles went white.
His brother hadn't done anything wrong and yet Dhan was being swallowed whole by the sensation, not knowing where to place it.
It's just ... if his brother wasn't the problem, then who?
"Oh look! Her Majesty, The Queen has finally arrived." A woman's voice cackled in the air.
She was an older looking caucasian woman with red curly hair and wine red lipstick, belonging to the group that booked a table for a total of nine and judging by what the already opened and nearly empty wine bottle, she must've had a bit too much to drink.
That's when he saw you approach the table.
It was you. It was really you.
His soulmate.
⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹
"Don't worry son, your second wife will be on time." Azalia, your mother-in-law cackled, caressing the cheek of Kal, your husband.
His awkward shuffle of a smile made it crystal clear that whatever came out of her mouth tonight, he wasn't going to come to your defense anytime soon.
What can you expect from a man that holds his disrespectful mother over your marriage of three years?
What's worse is that Azalia had the nerve to invite the one woman she favored more.
Your husband's childhood friend, Jenna.
The same childhood friend that had become the topic of your marriage counseling session that your husband Kal had ditched midway through for this dinner party.
A session that you had to finish by yourself, making you the one who arrived late.
Jenna was a tall, light skinned woman with dark curly hair and a bright red dress with a V neck to show off a window of cleavage and a shortened skirt to show off her toned and slender legs.
And to add salt to fucking wound -- Azalia made sure Jenna sat next to your husband while you sat at the end of the table with your only friend and sister-in-law, Charlise.
"I'm sure you won't mind, y/n. You and Charlise probably wanna talk anyway."'
You looked at Kal, searching his gaze for something, any sign of him speaking up to his mother but to your utter disappointment he just let it happen.
You can only push down the intense feeling of resentment and agitation with a passive aggressive smile, taking your seat at the far end with Charlise.
This was going to be a long dinner to get through.
⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹
Apart from a brief exchange of words from your brother-in-law, Ray Hawthorne, and the couple sitting across from you, Charlise was the only saving grace at this table and frankly the only reason you kept it together as long as you did.
As much as you wanted to tear off that terrible red wig and burn it, you tuned out your mother-in-law whenever she made any more chide remarks about you.
Not much of a point in ignoring your husband, he was too focused on Jenna and giving Azalia one of the most expensive birthday gifts you had ever seen.
A silver and gold watch that you knew your unemployed husband didn't have the money for.
"Happy birthday mom, from me and y/n."
You scoffed in utter disbelief and stood up from your seat, grabbing your purse. "If you'll excuse me, I think I need some fresh air."
"Oh, well you take your time. We're doing fine here." Azalia insisted, smiling from ear to ear.
Kal was on the verge of getting out of his seat, expressing concern. "I can come with you babe--"
"No." You snapped coldly, barely sparing him a glance as you waved him off dismissively. "I'll be fine on my own, thank you."
Kal frowned, lowering himself back down with a defeated expression. "A-Alright, just don't stay out there too long."
You sighed into the night air, hands pressed against the metal railing while the people behind you carried on with their evening under the lit up patio roof. Glasses clanking, people laughing, wine pouring and plates clinking.
All of it was just background noise to drown out one particular thought that you couldn't run away from.
Maybe it's time to put this relationship on permanent leave.
It's not a pleasant thought. It never was. You and Kal had known each other for eight years and had been married for the last three of them. You've had your ups and downs like any other couple and got through it but this? This was too much. His mother was too much.
But that's probably what SHE wants. The sooner you're gone. The happier she'll be.
You only stuck it out this long because you genuinely loved Kal and Charlise was the anchor keeping you grounded.
As one of Chicago's most successful defense attorney's alongside your brother-in-law, you had everything and yet nothing at all with how your marriage was starting to fall apart, on top of shouldering the numerous bills since Kal lost his job as an anesthesiologist.
God, where did it all go wrong?
"Having a rough night?"
You were snapped out of your thoughts by the deep and smooth voice of a man walking up beside you. The cool night's breeze washing over you both.
He was a tall and handsome man of Korean decent. The darkness of his long hair making the crimson color of his eyes seem as though he were some beast straight out of a fairytale.
Alluring eyes that stared into you with a hint of sincerity and invitation.
You can barely hold in a chuckle, crossing one arm over the other to let your wedding ring glint in the moonlight. "That would be the understatement of tonight."
He sees this and can't hide the smirk on his face. "I don't blame you. In-laws can be infuriating like that sometimes. Especially mother-in-law's."
The restaurant wasn't exactly that big in terms of table arrangements so it makes sense one's antics would be overheard when they're standing around the biggest table in the room.
You chuckle again. The tightness in your chest starting to lighten but your smart enough to keep up you guard to shut down any potential flirting, even the harmless kind. "Can you expect anyone to act cordial on their birthday? I've been here all night without a single drink of my own and tolerating her has been exhausting."
You certainly weren't the type to open up like this to a stranger of all people but it felt good. Yes, you had your friend, Charlise, but there was something different about this man. Something oddly familiar.
"Because she's acting like a cunt towards you and only you and you feel that if you didn't step out when you did you would've tore her a new one right infront of her favorite son and the entire restaurant?" He guessed your exact feelings with a cheeky smile.
You exhale a baffled laugh.
It's like he knew exactly what you were feeling.
"Oh, so you're a mind reader now?"
He raises his right hand, jokingly. "Guilty as charged, your honor."
The both of you laugh.
"Dhan."
"Y/n."
Dhan smiled, staring longingly into your eyes. "A pleasure to meet you, y/n."
⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹ ⊹
Eventually, you were back inside the restaurant. Sitting comfortably beside Charlise and ignoring another passive aggressive comment from Azalia.
You had been gone for a solid eight, maybe ten minutes tops.
The dinner eventually ended and everyone was putting aside their plates and gathering up their coats and belongings while Ray generously secured the bill.
That's when the waiter approached with an expensive looking bottle of wine.
Ray dismissively waved his hand. "No need to send over anymore wine, sir. You can take that back, the dinner party is over."
The waiter shook his head. "I'm sorry sir this isn't for the table. I'm looking for a y/n, is there a y/n here?"
You raise your hand slightly to get the waiter's attention. "I'm y/n."
The waiter smiled at you, presenting the bottle. "Piccolo Sogno would like to formally gift you our most exclusive wine to enjoy right at home. On behalf of a generous courtesy from Mr. Tae-Oh, ma'am who wishes you a fine night. Thank you for you dining with us."
A bit stunned, you still accepted the bottle. That name alone already clued you in to who this was from.
Unaware of your husband's jealous gaze, you can't hide the smile on your lips as you read the note on the bottle.
A drink to wash away all your frustrations - Dhan.
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Raising Kids & Writing Books: Five Tips for Parents Daring to Try NaNoWriMo
Sometimes, it feels like we never have time to write, especially if you’re a new parent! NaNo Guest Ruth Harper-Rhode gives some tips on fitting writing into a busy lifestyle.
Writing a book while also being a parent of young children may seem like an impossible feat, and there’s no doubt that both parenting and writing are challenging endeavors. Both can be vastly rewarding, too. I believe it’s healthy for parents to channel their creative muses, and NaNoWriMo is a great way to do that!
I won my first NaNoWriMo in 2019, while working full time and raising my daughter, who was 3 years old at the time. I’ve participated in NaNoWriMo ever since. This year, I’ve got an added challenge: I welcomed baby #2 in August. I debated participating at all this year before I realized something: it’s not about how “good” your book is at the end of the month, but about how much you enjoy the journey that is NaNoWriMo. It’s possible for parents to not only participate, but to have fun! Plus, your determination to write a book in a month can serve as a great example for your kiddos.
Here are a few tips I’d offer other parents – or any busy person, really — who decide to join in on NaNoWriMo this year.
1. Find pockets of time that work for you. For me, getting up 30 to 60 minutes earlier each morning — before anyone else in the house woke up — worked best. I’d also sometimes take 10 or 15 minutes of my lunch break and scoot off to a quiet place to crank out a few paragraphs. Of course, weekends or days off from work lend themselves to longer writing blocks that help you get ahead of thegame during weekdays.
2. Use tech to your advantage: Writing on a laptop or in a notebook works.However, you can also write on your phone while you are waiting in line or on your commute (if you aren’t driving). Then, you can what you wrote to your main document later.
3. Lean on your support systems — and tell them what you’re doing! I made sure to tell my husband I was doing NaNoWriMo and when I would be writing, so he would know why I had to skip Netflix that night or why I decided to go to the library for an hour (or three) on a Saturday afternoon. If people who care about you know you have a goal you’re working toward, they’re bound to want to lend a hand, especially if they know it’s only for a month.
4. Plan what you’ll write. There’s nothing worse than sitting down to a blank page in a tired state of mind with only 15 minutes to spare and no idea of where to even begin. That’s a recipe for giving up! Use October to plan as much as you can. I had my general plot ironed out and wrote scene ideas on index cards. Each writing session, I knew exactly what scene I’d be tackling. I’ve found that the first minute or two of writing is the hardest — but once you get going, it can sometimes be hard to stop! Setting a timer for yourself and putting on some quiet, relaxing music can help with focus.
5. Be easy on yourself. Writing a book as a parent can feel particularly intimidating. Just remember, this is your first draft! It’s not supposed to be perfect. If you only make it to 5,000 or 10,000 or 20,000 words — that’s still more than you started with. You can always keep writing once November is over. In fact, the month may serve as a jump start to a long, happy writing life — one that may continue even as your kids get older.
Ruth Harper-Rhode has participated in NaNoWriMo since 2019, writing stories as an emotional outlet. She works full-time in healthcare communications and is a mom of two humans, two cats and one dog. When she’s not exploring the area around her home in Upstate New York, she enjoys curling up with a book or making something delicious in the kitchen. She tweets @Ruthings and posts on Instagram at @What_Ruth_Ate.
Photo by Jazmin Quaynor on Unsplash
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Hailey Bieber para Harper's Bazaar.
Hailey Bieber diz que o Rhode Glazing Milk é apenas o começo de uma "linha do tempo divertida" de produtos que estão por vir.
Já se passou quase um ano desde que Hailey Bieber lançou Rhode Skin para ajudar os fãs a entrar em sua pele vitrificada característica. O primeiro trio de produtos - o Peptide Lip Treatment, o Peptide Glazing Fluid e o Barrier Restore Cream - foram sucessos instantâneos (e favoritos entre os editores da Bazaar). Depois de algumas edições limitadas e muitos reabastecimentos, Rhode finalmente lança seu próximo produto: o Glazing Milk, uma essência cremosa repleta de ceramidas, magnésio e zinco para hidratar, proteger e acalmar a pele.
"Muitos de nossos fãs adivinharam qual seria o próximo produto Rhode", disse Bieber ao Bazaar ."Então, eu postei uma foto minha com um 'Got Milk?' na camisa e eles pensaram ainda mais que era algo leitoso. Alguns até pensaram que era um protetor solar. Eu gostaria que não levasse um ano para lançar nosso próximo produto, mas é mais importante para mim acertar, em vez de correr. O objetivo para mim é fazer produtos que funcionem para o maior número possível de pessoas e temos uma linha do tempo divertida do que está por vir."
Nossa equipe teve a chance de testar o Glazing Milk antes de seu lançamento em 15 de junho - e estamos totalmente convencidos do toner cremoso, que deixa o brilho mais bonito. À frente, Bieber revela seus segredos para uma pele leitosa e hidratada.
Eu vi que você usou o Glazing Milk enquanto estava no sol, então recentemente me inspirei para fazer o mesmo em uma viagem à praia, e ficou incrível na minha pele.
Isso me deixa muito feliz. Tenho muito a dizer sobre o Glazing Milk, mas uma das melhores formas de usá-lo é por baixo do protetor solar. Quando estou no sol - ou mesmo nadando no mar ou na piscina - minha pele fica muito seca e é difícil encontrar o produto certo que refresque sua pele antes de reaplicar o protetor solar. Estou tão feliz que está funcionando para você dessa maneira.
Este é um lançamento especial, pois é o primeiro novo produto após o lançamento de Rhode no ano passado. O que inspirou o Glazing Milk e por que este produto é a próxima adição de Rhode à coleção?
Eu queria criar um produto semelhante a um toner, mas parecia mais um tratamento. Acho que é aí que vivem as essências. Eu sabia que queria que tivesse uma história de ingrediente realmente poderosa e queria apresentar novos ingredientes que não havíamos usado em nenhum outro produto Rhode antes, que é onde entram as ceramidas e o beta-glucano. Uma bela combinação de zinco, cobre e magnésio que manterá a barreira intacta, acalmará a pele e ajudará com a vermelhidão. Quando eu estava testando o Glazing Milk, tive uma erupção [espinha] maluca no braço e usei no adesivo, e realmente acalmou. Tenho pele sensível, então adoro que seja leve e algo que você possa usar sob o FPS, o que também foi muito importante. Comecei a usá-lo no sol para ver como funcionava com meu FPS, e percebi que quando entrava no final do dia, minha pele parecia muito mais hidratada e calma. Eu até coloquei um pouco no corpo e nas mãos, e pude ver o quanto é um produto multiuso.
Você é a rainha de usar seus produtos de várias maneiras, como misturar seu Glazing Fluid com blush. Quais são as várias maneiras de usar o Glazing Milk?
Tenho misturado uma gota de iluminador líquido com o Glazing Milk e colocado nas pernas, clavículas, ombros - principalmente quando vou usar algo fofo que vai mostrar aquela área da pele. Eu amo essa mistura porque você sabe que está obtendo esse lindo brilho do leite e brilho do marcador, mas também que está tratando a pele com bons ingredientes. O leite tem um brilho próprio, no entanto.
Rhode tem fãs tão leais, e tenho certeza de que eles estão pedindo e esperando pelo próximo produto Rhode há algum tempo. O que mais te excita sobre os fãs que estão recebendo o Glazing Milk em suas mãos?
Eu venho provocando isso em meus vídeos "Get Ready With Me" por um tempo e no meu YouTube meses atrás. Mencionei um novo produto Rhode, mas tentei não revelar muito, mas muitas pessoas imaginaram que seria uma situação de essência ou toner. Eu sinto que isso vai se tornar o produto Rhode favorito de muitas pessoas. Estou competindo comigo mesma, porque toda vez que lançamos um produto, quero me superar e ultrapassar os limites. Estou ansiosa para ver a reação das pessoas e tenho um bom pressentimento sobre este, especialmente apenas o feedback que recebi de pessoas que o testaram. Já faz algum tempo que um grupo está testando, e a maioria das pessoas disse que é seu novo produto Rhode favorito.
Você sempre foi fã de essências e tônicos?
Sempre usei um tônico hidratante na minha rotina e já disse que é uma etapa importante da minha rotina. Acho que esses tipos de essências leitosas saíram da cena K-beauty, como tantos outros ótimos produtos que uso. O Glazing Milk foi definitivamente inspirado por esse mundo.
Você disse que adora usar o Glazing Milk antes do protetor solar. Existe um protetor solar Rhode no futuro?
Claro que sim. É uma conversa que temos tido, mas os protetores solares são difíceis de desenvolver e demoram muito. Além disso, existem tantos regulamentos com protetor solar. Mas está em desenvolvimento. Serei extremamente exigente quanto ao nosso protetor solar - embora seja com todos os nossos produtos, e é por isso que levamos um ano para lançar nosso próximo produto. Não vou parar até que esteja perfeito. Pretendo fazer um protetor solar para o rosto e um protetor solar para o corpo – eventualmente virá.
O estresse pode causar estragos na pele. O estresse afeta sua pele de alguma forma, e como você lida com sua pele quando ela está agindo?
À medida que envelheci, tentei aceitar isso porque acontece com todo mundo e é normal. Nós, mulheres, lidamos com muitas coisas que estão fora de nosso controle, como hormônios, então apenas tento ouvir minha pele. Se estiver irritada ou estourando demais, tento reduzir e manter minha rotina simples. Muitas vezes, tento me livrar de uma espinha rapidamente e acabo fazendo mais mal do que bem. Agora, deixo uma espinha seguir seu curso e sou gentil com ela. Eu gosto de tratamentos pontuais em espinhas mais grossas.
Ao aperfeiçoar o Glazing Milk, você compartilhou alguma amostra com pessoas do seu círculo para o "teste de Rhode"?
Eu sempre dou amostras para amigos para experimentar e dar feedback. Eu diria que meu marido é provavelmente o primeiro a quem estou dizendo: "Ei, deixe-me saber o que você pensa". Ele adora o Glazing Milk. É provavelmente o favorito dele de tudo o que fizemos até agora. É sempre divertido ver a reação das pessoas, e levo muito a sério o feedback dos meus amigos. Cada vez que temos um novo sabor Peptide Lip Treatment, a primeira coisa que faço é dá-lo às minhas meninas para ver se cheira bem.
Falamos com você pela última vez para o lançamento do sabor 'Bolo de Aniversário'. Devemos esperar sabores de edição limitada mais divertidos no futuro?
Definitivamente. As pessoas realmente querem ver o sabor do Bolo de Aniversário novamente, e ele estará de volta. Temos um sabor muito divertido chegando neste verão que é um projeto colaborativo. Já faz muito tempo que esta colaboração está chegando, então estou emocionada por termos conseguido dar vida a isso.
Um ano depois de Rhode, qual foi a maior coisa que você aprendeu sobre o lançamento de uma marca de cuidados com a pele?
Oh, meu Deus, garota - tanto. Eu levo tudo muito a sério porque é meu bebê. Sempre que há feedback que queremos implementar, quero que aconteça da noite para o dia, mas isso não é possível. À medida que a marca cresce e evolui, as pessoas começam a ver o feedback incorporado. Esta é uma marca comunitária e quero que seja assim.
Você provocou isso no TikTok, mas o que você pode nos dizer sobre um possível produto híbrido Rhode para cuidados com a pele / maquiagem?
Nós vamos entrar em algumas coisas coloridas em breve. Pensamos nos fundamentos da pele e, para mim, isso também se aplica à cor e aos cuidados com o sol. Vamos abordar todas essas categorias ao longo do tempo. Nosso primeiro mergulho no mar da maquiagem será no outono e estou muito animada.
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