#totally bawled my eyes out for 5 mins

[laughing-with-god]

QQ has me shaking in my boots ✊🏻👏🏻 but I’ve had a lingering question for the last few days; if the rest of the BTS members were in QQ, what districts would they be from? Love your work 🥺❤️

oh my god, okay here me out; an alternative Quarter Quell Fic were all past victors must play again and all the bts members are victors who come to play the quell but they somehow all become yandere over Y/n.....Lemme know if that’s something ya’ll would like to read.  Anyway, here ya go;

(Btw I’m gonna base these profiles on the crackhead idea I stated up above, except I’m not going to do Jungkook and Tae bc they’re already in my Quarter Quell Fic and their games are being played right now so I don’t feel right doing profiles for them...it’ll deadass confuse me.)

BTS as Victors (Hunger Games AU)

Kim Seokjin- District One (Luxury)  

Jin originates from district one, most would say that he figuratively hit the birth lottery by being from this district.  

The first district is essentially the crown jewel of the capitol, it’s by far the most favored.  The main job of district one is to provide the capitol with all luxury items, so most people make their money by creating jewelry and makeup.  (Both of which are in extremely high demand in the capitol, so 1 is by far the most economically flourishing district.)

Jin never had to suffer food outages or abuse by peacekeepers because of 1′s good status with the capitol.  To further his prosperity, Jin’s father was actually the mayor of district one.  

Which makes Jins’ reaping all the more scandalous.  

There was a rumor that Jin’s father expressed sympathy towards the damaged and less favored districts (11 and 12).So when Jin’s name was reaped, people suspected that the system was rigged and Jin’s name was going to get called out either way.  Because after all, how would the capitol keep a loud-mouth mayor in check?  By putting his son in the games, of course.  

No one volunteered in fear of interfering with the capitol’s plans and getting in trouble. 

However Seokjin fancied himself an actor and practically skipped to the stage with a big grin on his face, announcing his name proudly and even stating that it would be an honor to compete on behalf of his district. 

His strategy was to get on the good side of both the audience and the gamemakers.  Unlike other tributes who sometimes couldn’t help the look of terror they had, Jin made sure to constantly look happy and would even compliment the gamemakers in his interview by saying things like, “This game is going to be the best one in years, I could already tell.”  “I caught a glimpse at the makers during my assessment and let me tell you...they’re not playing around this year.”

Because of this Jin wasn’t the target of any foul play or natural disasters bc the makers held no ill will towards him, if anything a lot of them actually wanted him to win. 

He earned himself many fans and thus sponsors, mainly due to his good looks and partly due to his surprisingly goofy nature.  

Jin was always sure to keep his attitude light. He constantly made jokes and did impressions in the arena, showcasting his humor bc the last thing he needed was to be painted as the bad guy.  His number one rule was to always keep his fans satisfied.  That kept him alive.  

He stuck to the career alliance; teaming up with his district counterpart, two and the girl from four.  He stuck with them because he knew he would need the numbers and the supplies.  But a bit more than halfway through the games, when the careers took down all the main threats, Jin zipped up all the tents that his sleeping allies were in, took a good amount of supplies and set the camp on fire; effectively killing the career pact.  

For two days after that he wandered alone but was having trouble with basic survival skills.  Unlike more than half the tributes, Jin grew up in a city with no true sense of nature.  He was struggling.

 That’s when he came across a boy from 11 and a girl from 7.  They both were rather weak and Jin offered them protection in exchange that they let him stay in their hideout with them.  But when 11 and 7 were under attack, Jin fled and let them be killed.  

Jin eventually had to go against the last tribute standing; a girl from 6.  She was also frail and only lasted that long because of her hiding skills.  Jin overpowered her and threw her off a mountain.  Thus, he became victor.  

He still is to this day one of the most popular victors and a really good mentor (although he mainly just advocates for having allies, using them, then killing them before they can kill you.)  

because of his good looks, he is often sold off to elite women and men for a night with a handsome victor.  Jin has no choice, it’s the only way he was able to make the president forgive his father.  (Think of Finnick Odair).  

Choice of weapon; spear, betrayal (all his allies will eventually end up killed by him)

Arena

Min Yoongi- District Six (Transportation)

District Six is responsible for all methods of transportation the capitol has.  The hovercrafts, the high-speed trains and advanced cargo ships are all products of 6.

Citizens from six are heavily oppressed by the peacekeepers.  Although not as poor as 11 or 12, they are one of the more rebellious districts.  It’s also the largest district and the most unstable, lots of the population suffer from a morphling addiction which is party responsible for the citizen’s disobedience.  

Yoongi came from a lower middle class background, raised by a single working mom who fell victim to the morphling epidemic.  Needless to say she was very absent from his life.  

Life at six is so bleak, when Yoongi’s name was reaped his first thought was ‘well, at least I won’t die in this shit hole.’  

He was very numb due to shock so he appeared very aloof when he went up to the stage; a total contrast to his counterpart who was bawling her eyes out.  

He managed to keep this stoic act up for the entirety of his time in the capitol, his thought process was that he never wanted to give the capitol the satisfaction of seeing him break.  

He mainly enjoyed all the food and luxuries the capitol had to offer, thinking that he had no chance of winning and might as well enjoy his last days.  

It wasn’t until his interview where even the host forgot his name that he realized that he might have a secret weapon under his belt; no one knew who he was, he was forgettable, someone who other tributes overlooked and even underestimated.  

He went to his mentor with this revelation and was told to go the ‘Joanna Mason route’.  

Ie; play weak and stupid until there’s only a few tributes left, then release your inner crazy and kill them all before they ever even saw you coming.

Yoongi figured it was better than nothing and decided this as his strategy.  

Yoongi had no help of sponsors or allies, all he had was himself.  But that’s the way he wanted it.  

He hid for more than half the game, his small stature making it easy for him to hide into small nooks and crannies.  He survived mainly on small plants, insects and any rainfall he was able to get.  

It wasn’t until he witnessed someone die near one of his hideouts that he allowed his murderous side to snap.  

It was a fight between a girl from 5 and a boy from 9.  The girl had knives while the boy had an ax, the girl managed to get him in the throat and he fell over dead.  After the girl searched his pockets for supplies, she turned around to stalk off, unaware Yoongi was only yards away.  

Yoongi silently got out of his hideout, took the ax and ran up behind her before chopping her head off.  

There was only four tributes left and Yoongi hunted them all down, tired with how long this game was taking and desperate to get home.  

he managed to kill them all, the tributes being caught off guard bc of his excellent hiding skills  

He became one of the youngest victors of all time, he was only 14.  

As a mentor, he’s actually pretty absent.  

Yoongi doesn’t like to get too close to the tributes because it becomes too emotionally crushing to eventually witness them die.  

His general advice for them is to lay low and never draw any attention towards you, the factor of surprise is the ultimate weapon for those with patience.  

Yoongi has never been the same since the games, he isn’t proud of it but he’s also become dependent on morphling; it’s the only thing that keeps his nightmares and depression away.  (Like Haymitch, except Haymitch was dependent on alcohol and Yoongi is dependent on drugs)

He despises the capitol even more now, hating the fact that they made him a murderer and he was forced to play into the very game he promised to never have a part of.

He lives with that guilt everyday and doesn’t think he’s any better than the ruthless career kids he sees every year

He’s quite belligerent too.  He is almost never given mentor interviews or screentime because he’s blown up one too many times that the hosts know to avoid him.  (Think Joanna Mason and the one catching fire scene where she flips shit on national tv).

Weapons; hiding, ax

Arena

Kim Namjoon- District Three (Technology) 

District three has some of the smartest tributes, and Namjoon was no different.

District Three is responsible for all the high-end technology the capitol has; the people may not be as strong as two or as flashy as one, but their intellect alone runs the capitol.  

Kids from three are good at creating functional tools, codes, wires, ect.  But sadly, these traits don’t translate well into the games given the clear advantage towards physical superiority over intellectual superiority.  

Namjoon was determined to show the capitol how far a smart kid can go.  

Like most tributes, Namjoon went into a little bit of a shock when his name was reaped.  

He walked up, void of any emotion and avoided any eye contact with the district representative or the female counterpart.  

When he was escorted into the room to say his goodbyes to his family is when he finally broke.  

But his mother made him promise to do anything to get back home, she didn’t care how dirty he had to get she just wanted her boy to live

This encouragement/promise was enough to motivate him to become the last one standing, he didn’t care how gory he would have to get.

He utilized his mentor heavily, talking their ear off and asking countless questions.  Soaking up any information/advice he could get, knowing it could very well be the difference between life and death.  

His mentor advised him to choose the Beetee Latier strategy, telling Namjoon that if he just got his hands on some tools and put his mind to it he could be the most dangerous tribute in that arena. 

During his training days Namjoon spent all his time in the rope stations, net stations and hook stations, knowing that his future plans would require him to be good with these skills.

During his interview, he hinted to the audience that he was very smart.  He was careful to not make it obvious enough to make him a target of the careers but enough to raise the interests of the sponsors.  

His personal score was also good, making the act of getting sponsors a little bit easier.  

When the game began, he ran off from the blood bath but not too far.  He stayed close enough to watch who left and with what supplies.  With this knowledge, he began to track the people who had the tools he would need to play out his plan.  

He would track these people very slyly, waiting until their guard was down to swipe their supplies.  

With these supplies he would build traps and set them up for tributes to unknowingly walk into.  His favorites were bear traps, snatching nets and digging up 8 ft deep holes then covering them up with debri for tributes to stumble into.

He managed to kill a decent amount of tributes before killing off what was left of the career pact.  

However, Namjoon wasn’t able to avoid hand-to-hand combat forever.  

When it came to the end, it was between a male tribute from 5, a girl from 2 and Namjoon himself.  Both tributes had weapons while Namjoon didn’t.  

He fought with them and got stabbed and sliced a good amount, but even with his fatal blood loss and fading consciousness, his brilliant mind came up with a plan.  

He staggered over to one of his traps, making the tributes think he was just trying to run away when the truth was he was trying to lure them to their deaths.  

They took the bait, got strung up into a net before being electrocuted to death.  

The last words Namjoon heard before he blacked out was the head gamemaker announcing him victor.  

Namjoon is now one of the greatest mentors of all time.  Whenever it’s his turn to overlook the tributes of his home district the chances of 3 winning goes up 50%

He is very good at strategy and has even helped the gamemakers create certain arenas for future games.  

namjoon teaches his students the importance of staying calm and sticking to a plan. “When kids are scared, starving and fighting for their lives they’re very easy to pick off.  Utilize that.”  

Weapons; stalking, traps

Arena

Jung Hoseok- District Eight (Textiles)

Hoseok was a victim of the reaping gamble.  (The process in which kids will enter their names in the reaping bowl more times than required in exchange for food)

Hoseok is the oldest of four children, his mother died with the birth of the youngest child and his dad died years later due to poor health via the unlawful work conditions in the factories. (District Eight is responsible for all the clothes the capitol has, this means the vast majority of citizens work in factories. Eight is also very oppressed so peacekeepers beat citizens and hand out punishments often.)  

Hoseok dropped out of school in order to help provide for his brothers and sister.  He is the only one working and he refuses to let the second to oldest child drop out of school to help him.  He just wants his siblings to get their education so hopefully they can end up with manager positions at the factories and wouldn’t have to suffer the awful conditions/abuse average factory workers go through.  

Hoseok is used to putting his name in more times than needed.  Of course it means his panic is through the roof when reaping comes but when the names are called and he’s not one of them, he walks away with a relieved heart and bags full of food for his siblings.  

Hoseok depends on that food, because it saves him up to three weeks of salary and he can use that money to get his siblings some new clothes that they had to wait all year for.  Along with some small gifts in order to make up for the birthday’s Hoseok wasn’t able to afford.  

Since this was his last year of being eligible for the reaping, Hoseok made sure to add his name more than usual, hoping to get more food so he could spread out the money for even longer. 

So in a way, when his name was called, he wasn’t completely surprised.  

But he was heartbroken, realizing that in his effort to provide for his siblings he may have robbed them of yet another caretaker. 

When it was time to say goodbye, he tried his hardest to be strong and promised them he’d come back.  

On the train ride over to the capitol he was completely inconsolable, unable to sleep at the prospect of his siblings having to watch him die on national tv.  

He went through the motions of the first days at the capitol, but it wasn’t until the training days begun that he was approached.  

it was a girl from 10 and she was only 13 years old.  She asked him if he had an ally and if he would be interested in working with her.  Hoseok was about to say no when he fell silent, the girl reminded him so much of his younger sister that he couldn’t help but want to protect her.  

They made an alliance.  

And it was working rather well.  Turned out the girl from 10 was very handy and knew how to keep her and Hoseok alive.  The arena was a freezing arctic and she skinned polar bears in order to keep her and Hoseok warm, later cooking the meat for them to eat.  

Most tributes that year died via freezing to death, very little fighting was done.   

Not the career pact though.

They found Hoseok and the girl from 10, holding him down and forcing him to watch as they tortured her. 

Eventually she died but he would never forget her screams for help.  

This was enough to make Hoseok snap.

So he did.

Hoseok became a monster, broke free and killed the pact.  There was only three (two boys, one girl), he stabbed one in the throat, strangled the other and tracked the fleeing girl down before holding her head under the freezing water till she drowned.  

Hoseok won.  

In a way he’s glad because now him and his family live on victor’s row and no longer have to worry about their next meal. 

 But his sanity will never be the same....

He is the kindest mentor, mainly because he knows that the majority of them won’t be coming back so he’s sure to be very nice and always offers to look out for their family when they eventually die.  

Arena

Park Jimin- District Four (Fishing)

Jimin volunteered for the games, an act that was surprising to everyone and anyone in four.  

It’s not that Jimin wasn’t strong, it was just that he didn’t seem like the type to hurt people and he was mainly just known as a really sweet local fisher boy.  

People wondered how such an angel could even think of volunteering, much less actually win the games...

(Rumors even spread that he must’ve been suicidal or in serious debt, why else would he volunteer?)

But he strutted up confidently and announced his name, holding a certain benevolence that made him seem self-assured in his own ability.  

Jimin was already acting like he won the games before he even got to the capitol.  

He never really showed any anxiety or distress, he talked to the escort and mentors very casually....as if they were all old friends.   

He also was extremely close to his designers/stylists, he allowed himself to get spoiled by the pampering and new clothes/makeup.  (This also could’ve been part of his strategy.  Most tributes could care less about their team but by Jimin becoming close to them, they most likely were more motivated to get him the best clothes, jewelry, makeup and overall helped him get more fans.)  

Needless to say he became popular very quickly, he was by far the most attractive tribute and his laid back/flirty personality was infectious. For the first time ever a tribute’s concept was sex appeal, something that was unheard of for tributes to do because of their young age.  

During his interview when asked about his strategy, Jimin just shrugged cutely and said “I’m a very lucky person, I doubt this will be all that hard.”

he buttered up the careers very nicely, they all basically just saw him as eye candy with lots of sponsors, not an actual threat.  

Little did anyone know, Jimin was actually playing a very intelligent game that requires lots of manipulation.  

His main objective was to stick with the careers until more than half the tributes were gone, then he would turn the careers against each other.  

It would start off really slow and deliberate; going to one career and saying “This isn’t any of my business, but I heard (blank) talking in their sleep about offing you.”  Or going to another and saying, “Don’t you think it’s weird how (blank) is acting?  Maybe they’re thinking about killing us and winning this thing for themselves.”

He creates chaos and distrust and watches as they slowly turn against each other.  

Eventually the careers would begin to kill each other, the alliance crumbling all thanks to Jimin.  

Jimin would wait until only him and another career remained.  At this point the career would realize that it was Jimin who destroyed the alliance...but it would be too late.  

It was a girl career and although she was strong, she was no match for Jimin who dragged her to the swamp and held her head under water until the cannon sounded.  

He would then kill the remaining two tributes, a piece of cake since he only kept the careers around to off the bigger threats, only weak kids remained.  

Wins the game and becomes one of the most popular victors of all time.  (Although it’s still a mystery as to why he volunteered, a lingering question Jimin has always refused to answer.)  

Because of him a new strategy in the games was born; The Jimin game (ie; get in an alliance, use the alliance for supplies/food/protection, then when all the big tributes are gone plant a seed of deception into the allies so they all turn against each other)  

Also because of him tributes began selling a more sexier side of themselves.  (Esp tributes from four bc Jimin mentors them into it so that they can get more sponsors)  

Jimin also frequents the capitol often, being an A-list celebrity and receiving special treatment whenever he comes around.  Unlike Yoongi, Jimin fully embraced his role and is always ready to give out interviews or guest on shows.  

he also sells himself to elite capitol women, not because he was forced to but because he enjoys the sex and gifts that come with it (sugar baby)

Although there is one catch to sleeping with the infamous Park Jimin.....you have to tell him a secret worth his while.  

What he’s planning to do with these secrets....no one knows.  

Arena

#bts

[happy-meo]

Masquerade IV: The Dark Side (Jin x Reader x Tae) Part 1

While love may bring out the best in us, it could also bring out the worst.

And so the last saga begins...

** If you haven't read them already, please read the following BEFORE starting this story: Silver Spoon, Masquerade I, Masquerade II, Masquerade III, Masquerade 3.1 & 3.2 drabbles **

Summary: You were never lucky in love. Through disastrous dates, consistent unrequited crushes, and broken relationships, you've constantly been searching for someone to give you genuine love and romance. And through it all, one person had remained your constant shoulder to lean on. Although you had never seen his face, he had given you a sense of confidence and a place of comfort in Club Masquerade. The more times you've failed in love though, the more you realized that may be no one would ever choose you. However, one fateful encounter, thanks to your dog, made you want to hope one more time. Did fate bring you to the one who would finally end your streak of being broken-hearted? Or had the right guy been with you all along?

Jin x Reader x Tae (ft. previous Masquerade characters, Silver Spoon characters, & Got7 Jackson) Fluff, Smut, Angst, Romance Host Au, Cook!Jin, Vet!Tae, Bartender!Tae

Parts: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 (Finale)

A/N: And the new series is back! Thank you everyone for waiting so patiently! Sorry for the time lapse without updates. As I said, I experienced a little bit of a writer’s block, and I really wanted to this final installment justice. I had planned this series all together in the beginning, and I hadn’t expected so many people to love and anticipate the Masquerade series, so THANK YOU SO MUCH for allowing me to write all four parts and related Silver Spoon <33 ENJOY!

          Most people were brought up with the belief that being humble was respectful and how they should always act when receiving compliments. So much so that most people feel bashful when accepting praises; so much so that they begin to doubt compliments and any positive outlook on themselves, to the point where they begin to downplay their own strengths and focus on their weaknesses.

           But that wasn't the case with Jin.

           It was a meeting of Heaven and Hell when you first met. He was a ball of positivity and warmth, while you were cold and desolate. In your fit of desperation, you had run into Club Masquerade for relief, for any inkling of being loved, for comfort.

           And in his own odd way, Jin gave that to you.

           "Wow, you're a hot mess." He had chuckled as he grabbed your hand to lead you away from judgmental eyes.

           Your make-up was trailing down your cheeks, your hair was unkempt, and your eyes blood-shot from crying. It was another cliché story of being cheated on and dumped. Another episode of not feeling good enough.

           "I want a different person." You thought he was making fun of you.

           But he smiled as he led you into a room and stated, "Why? Because I called you hott?"

           "You said I'm a hot mess." You repeated.

           "Why do people automatically think that's a bad thing?" He laughed as he threw his jacket around your shoulders. "I think you're quite beautiful right now."

           You blushed and averted your eyes. "Stop lying."

           "Not anyone can rock smudged make up and crying their eyes out, while still managing to look good." He handed you tissues and a mirror. "Unless you're me of course."

           You looked at him incredulously. "You wear make-up?"

           "No. My face was sculpted by the gods." He stated seriously with a shrug. "I meant I make every emotion look fantastic."

           You couldn't help but laugh at his ridiculousness.

           "Ah, there's a smile." he grinned as he knelt in front of you. "Everyone should technically have a mask coming in here, but we'll keep this a secret between us."

           And your gray world gained a little more color when Jin came into your life.

           You had worked in the Seoul branch of the Min Company for years, seemingly as a shadow. You had been one of the only ones who saw Mr. Jung for who he really was in the beginning, while others gossiped about his crabby personality. You knew there was more to him than that. But your crush was quickly hurtled towards the amicable and openly flirtatious Mr. Park. Although he claimed to have a girlfriend, you couldn't stop your feelings. Even if you felt ridiculous, you wanted to be close to him, wanted to get to know him.

           Then he brought his girlfriend to the company party and to say you were crushed would be an understatement. You left the party early and ran to Club Masquerade once again.

           But you continued to persist, hoping that he would notice you if you made yourself ever so present in his life. And that's when you decided to frequent the cafe where he always got his coffee from, something you had noticed from close observation.

           "Mr. Park?"

           Jimin turned, surprised.

           "Oh my gosh. Hi!" You spotted his girlfriend at the counter. "Mr. Park's girlfriend! I can't remember your name."

           "I never gave it." She mused. "How can I help you?"

           Jimin burst out in laughter at her snark reply, but he played it off as a cough. You knew better, but you tried to save your face.

           "He always came in with this brand of coffee so I wanted to try it for myself." You explained unnecessarily. "I didn't think he'd be coming here to see his girlfriend every morning! How sweet!"

           "Yes, very." She curtly agreed. "What will you be having today?"

           "Oh right. Whatever Mr. Park gets here." You blushed.

           "Coming right up." She smiled warmly.

           Your eyes followed Mr. Park who floated to where she was and they began bickering about something. Your lips turned downwards at the sight, wishing it was you he was close to instead. Then you straightened up when his gaze landed on you.  

           "See you at the office." He pointed at you and you couldn't help but beam, excited that he didn't forget about you.

           His girlfriend then handed you your order and whispered, "You should give up. You're not his type."

           You looked at her alarmed. How had she been able to tell from the few minutes you had been standing there?

           "Well if you hurry you could probably walk with him to the office." She batted her eyes innocently. "Tell him his girlfriend sent you."

           You blushed and sprinted out of the cafe, immensely embarrassed. Were the two of them just toying around with you?

           So in an effort to get over your crush on unavailable Mr. Park and not make a further fool of yourself, you attempted to date around again, which hardly ever ended well. You fell too hard, too quickly, and always landed flat on your face because of it.

           Receptionist pressed her earpiece as you once again rushed into the Club, distraught.

           "Jin, your next client is already waiting for you in the room. Looks like another one of her dates went badly so come with the full break up kit."

           "On it." Jin hurried out from the back worriedly.

           And you constantly wondered when Jin would get irritated and tired of you coming in like this.

           But he never did.

           In fact, you weren't sure how it happened, but Jin became one of your closest friends.

           "Yo." Jackson came out of the shower with a towel wrapped around his waist.

           Jin raised an eyebrow as he was putting on his nightly face cream. "Jackson, what did I say about running around naked in the apartment?"

           "I'm not naked!" He pointed to the towel. "My goods are covered."

           Jin shook his head. "What'd you need?"

           "I was just wondering about that customer you have that's always bawling her eyes out." Jackson plopped down on Jin's bed. "Why do you keep her?"

           "What do you mean?" Jin questioned.

           "I mean, you were a Consoler type until J-Hope graduated. That's the type of Host she wanted. But now you're our best Gentleman persona. Shouldn't you let a full time Consoler handle her?" Jackson asked.

           "Mmm..." Jin hummed. "She was my first ever customer, and we've developed a bond of trust. She's been rejected by so many people --"

           "Clearly." Jackson snorted.

           Jin glared at him and Jackson looked away guiltily.

           "I just don't want to be one of those people." Jin stated. "She's really cool when you get to know her."

           "Bro, you've got balls." Jackson chuckled. "First, you're the only mask that uses his real name, and now you're the only mask that's taking on two roles. Respect."

           Jin smiled. "Well, I didn't want to develop some 'fake' persona. I always want to be myself in everything I do."

           Jackson nodded, "Props man, props."

           Jin spun around, "How does it feel being the top Aggressor now that Nochu graduated?"

           Jackson stretched. "It's a workout since his customers transferred over to me, but it's been good. The ladies love The Wang."

           Jin burst into laughter. "I still can't believe you chose that name."

           "What?" Jackson bellowed. "It's catchy. And joke all you want, but it makes perfect sense in the situation. Besides, you love puns so out of all people, I expect you to appreciate my genius."

           "I do. I do." Jin waved his hand. "Now get your naked butt out of my room."

           "Again, I'm not naked." he pointed. "There's a towel over The Wang's wang."

           Jin cracked up, and Jackson, quite satisfied at making his roommate laugh, waltzed out of his room.

           "Oh. Can you bring home left over bread and pastries from your store?!" Jackson bellowed.

           "We never have leftovers though." Jin smirked proudly.

           "You know what I mean. Steal some!"

           "I can't steal from my own store. Pay me!" Jin answered.

           "Fine! Just bring some! I've been craving them."

           Jin grinned. "I told you you'd get hooked."

           "I'd totally date you if you swung that way." Jackson replied.

           Jin rolled his eyes. "Sure, sure."

           "Hey, remember I made you into the city man you are now?! You need to appreciate me more!"

           Kim Seokjin, the eldest son of a farm family, had arrived in Seoul after much contemplation and much inspiration from his beloved sister, Farm Girl. He had watched all his younger family members steadily achieve goal after goal of their own accord. He had been envious of their ambition, their intellect, and their passion, but had simply felt content in helping out on the farm for the longest time. It had been a set path for him after all -- to take over the family business. He didn't think of anything else.

           But he soon began feeling left behind, stagnant, and aimless. Until Yoongi gave him a cookbook. A gnawing feeling of wanting more had always been present inside him, but as he held the book and as he began trying new recipes, learning more about the world of cooking, he realized what it was he wanted to do.  

           And so, he began confiding in Yoongi about his ideas and thoughts, to which the younger was supportive, encouraging, and helpful in providing valuable insight into what he needed to do to bring his aspirations to fruition. Later on, he gave Yoongi a letter with his well thought out proposal to open his own shop in the big city. He, too, wanted to chase his passions and try to achieve his dreams of making his small shop well-known, attending a prestigious culinary school, and maybe even becoming head chef of a restaurant.

           But he had refused any monetary help from his future brother-in-law. He wanted to find success with his own hands and his own efforts. Instead, he asked Yoongi to reach out to any and all of his business partners, and send his proposal to them to get someone to sponsor, invest, and support his idea. Lo and behold, through the sea of rejections, one person signed the proposal and gave him a chance to open up a small bakery. And so, he immediately left for Seoul to find himself and his dreams.  

           Luckily, when Jin had reached out to Namjoon for possible places to stay in Seoul, Namjoon mentioned one of his closest friends was looking for a roommate. And not seeing any reason to refuse splitting the rent and having an immediate friend in a new place, Jin accepted.

           "Wow, you're handsome. And tall!" Jackson gushed as Jin first stepped foot into the apartment. "But dude, your clothes...I know holes and stitches are in style, but we need to get you a make-over."

           "What? Why would I need a make-over? My face is already handsome." Jin argued.

           Jackson cracked up for a good five minutes. "I like you, Kim Seokjin. Namjoon said you were interesting and charming. He was definitely right."

           He shook Jin's hand. "I'm Jackson Wang. And as your welcome present, let me please help you change your wardrobe so you could do your handsome face justice. Okay?"

           Jin's lips curled up, "Well, I can't refuse if you're offering so adamantly."

           Jackson laughed, "Just between me and you, it's Namjoon's card."

           The two cackled all the way to the shopping district. And it truly was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

           "Jin. Jin. Chef. CHEF!"

           Jin was brought out from his reminiscing by his assistant, who was looking at him scoldingly with her arms crossed. "Can you please save your inner monologues for another time? It's almost opening time, and we have to finish two more batches of fresh bread!"

           "Oh right, right." Jin chuckled. "Thanks, Crumbs."

           She frowned at his usual nickname for her.

           "What?" he grinned. "Did you like Ppang-Ppang better?"

           She rolled her eyes and sighed. "There's an insanely long line outside already."

           "What would I do without you?" Jin tilted her chef hat playfully as she huffed.

           She chucked flour at him. "This is YOUR shop. Can you take it seriously?"

           Jin laughed, "Everything will work out, Crumbs. I say it every day, and I've never been wrong."

           She exhaled and went back to rolling dough. "Whatever you say, Boss."

           Jin patted his hands on his apron and got to work as well.

           Crumbs or Ppang-Ppang, to which Jin thought he was cleverly punny for making those nicknames for her, had been with him since the beginning. When he was just setting up the bakery, he was looking for assistants who could help him bake various pastries and bread. Since he was an unknown brand name, not many applicants came in. Those that did try however couldn't handle the speed, efficiency, and delicacy he expected in the kitchen. Then Crumbs waltzed in and was the perfect assistant. She was quick in the kitchen; she had her own flair, the passion to experiment with new flavors and ingredients, and on top of that, she was clean, organized, and determined to make each batch as delicious as the last. She was a blessing for which he was grateful for everyday. He knew that without her, his shop would be difficult to manage alone.

           "You want to work the cash register today?" he teased.

           She scrunched her face, and he chuckled.

           "You just want me to say your face attracts more customers so you should take the register." she retorted.

           "And yet, you still said it." He sung as he skipped outside to open up.

           "Make sure you don't have flour on you!" she called out.

           "Flour won't stop my beauty!" he bellowed.

           "Oh boy." She simply sighed as she waited for the last batch to finish in the oven, listening to the excited bustling of the shop. "We need to hire another cashier if this keeps up."

           "Oh, isn't he so handsome?" The customers gushed as they eyed Jin at the register while they chose their delicacies.

           "I wonder if these people come here for the pastries or for the eye candy."

           Jin beamed at the familiar voice. "Hoseok!"

           "I come here diligently every morning, just for you my dear friend." Hoseok smiled as he placed his choices on the counter. "I got a bit more today 'cause Jimin keeps eating it when I turn around or leave our room for a second."

           "Still the same, that Red Mask." Jin snorted.

           "Oh? You're here too?" Jungkook appeared and hugged Hoseok from behind.

           "Don't you have patrols to run in the morning?" Jin scowled at Jungkook's presence as he rung up the two's orders.

           "My girlfriend asked me to buy her some so I'm stopping by the office to give it to her. She said it reminds her of home for some reason." Jungkook shrugged. "This is addicting, Jin."

           "In that case, grab some extra for her." Jin smiled warmly. Jungkook looked at him skeptically at his softened tone. He coughed, "I mean anyone who could put up with your arrogant self needs some extra bread in her life."

           Hoseok snorted. "On the contrary Jin, Jungkook becomes putty when it comes to women in the 'real' world."

           "I'll have to see this for myself." Jin chuckled. "I can't imagine it."

           "Next time you two go to the gym, put him right next to a female and you'll see him panic." Hoseok pointed.

           "I've gotten better!" Jungkook argued.

           "Oh right. Where's your mystery assistant? She's the one that makes the special bread of the day you said, right?" Hoseok questioned.

           "Yeah. She's shy so she's always in the back thinking of new specials." Jin chuckled. "She never wants to be up here."

           "Well, send her mine and Silver's compliments. Yesterday's special was amazing." Hoseok gave a thumbs up.

           "I'll let her know." Jin grinned proudly.

           "Well, good luck. I'll catch you at the gym later." Jungkook waved.

           Hoseok and Jungkook chummily exited the bake shop, their handsomeness capturing many of the customer's attention.

           "They're taken ladies and gents." Jin commented with a chuckle. "Sorry."

           There was a collective disappointed "Awww" within the store.

           Jin yawned as he was about to close up for the day, but his eyes bulged out as he spotted you running into the store, disheveled, and wet from the pouring rain.

           "I'M SORRY! I KNOW YOU'RE CLOSING!" You heaved. "I ran here after work because I woke up late and didn't have time to wait on the line this morning, or else I would've been late and--"

           Jin simply smiled and flipped the sign to "Closed". "I'll get you your usual."

           You blinked, surprised. "You know my usual?"

           Jin blushed as he hurried to grab what he knows you usually get. "Um, I know all my regulars' usual orders."

           "I'm sorry. I'm soaking and you're going to have more work to clean up..." You mumbled shyly, standing awkwardly at the entrance.

           "No, come in. You'll help the floor get wet so you're saving us an extra step." Jin grinned and beckoned you over to the register.

           You would be lying if you didn't find him attractive, but other than the usual small talk, you hadn't gotten to know the cute baker. Maybe it was a good thing you had woken up late today. He was kind, friendly, and funny. And just for a bit, his attention was solely on you. But you wished you weren't soaked like a wet dog during this opportune moment.

           Timidly, you shuffled to the counter to pay for your order.

           "Just heat it up before you eat it. And if you want --" he pointed to the umbrella by the door. "--take my umbrella. I wouldn't want you getting sick."

           "Oh no." You gushed. "I couldn't. What about you?"

           "I'll be fine. I don't live too far. I'm sure you have a long commute." he stated.

           "How'd you know?" You blinked.

           "Oh. Um..." Jin averted his eyes, mentally kicking himself. "I mean some people who live close by could wake up late and still have time to wait in line, so I just assumed you lived far since you couldn't stop by before work."

           Your lips curled up. "You're good."

           "I threw in an extra pie in there." Jin winked as he handed her the bag. "For your commute."

           You grinned. "Thank you."

           "Take the umbrella. Soggy pastries won't taste good." he urged.

           You chuckled. "I mean if you put it that way. How can I say no?"

           Jin smiled.

           "I'll return it in the morning. I promise." You bowed as you scurried giddily out of the store.

           Jin sighed and slumped over his counter.

           "You're such a creep." Crumbs stepped out of the kitchen.

           "Why were you listening?"

           "Not like I have anything else to listen to in the kitchen. Rising dough isn't exactly noisy." she snorted. "Then I heard your ridiculous statement of knowing everyone's usuals."

           Jin huffed.

           "So I'm guessing that's the chick you're banging even though she has no idea what you look like?" Crumbs started cleaning up.

           Jin coughed at the sudden attack, "How do you remember everything I say?!"

           "Maybe you should be careful who you're around when you get drunk after work." Crumbs chuckled. "Luckily it was only us 'cause all your friends are coupled up, except for you."

           "You're not either." he pouted.

           "By choice." She tossed her hair over her shoulder. "I'm perfectly content being single."

           Jin scoffed.

           "But someone looks like he's developed a crush on his client." She playfully gasped. "How tragic."

           "Shut up." Jin shook his head. "It's not a crush. I just have a soft spot for her. She's been through a lot."

           "Whatever you say, Boss." Crumbs smirked.

           "It's NOT." Jin argued.

           "Why're you such a baby?" she retorted. "And what're you going to do without an umbrella, Mr. Smooth?"

           Jin pulled out his cell phone. "I'm going to call Jackson."

           "Ugh." Crumbs groaned. "Please wait until I get out of here."

           "Don't take it personally." Jin laughed. "He professed his love for me after seeing me naked one time. I'm sure your cooking skills amazed him into proposing."

           "Every single time?" She shook her head. "And you gave him my number! I don't appreciate that!"

           "I swear I didn't! He took it from my phone!" Jin responded.

           She huffed.

           "You want a ride home? Jackson said he'll drive us." Jin grinned.

           Crumbs contemplated.

           "You know you're going to give in. You don't pass up a free ride home ever." Jin pointed out.

           She sighed, "You're right. Fine. But I'm sitting in the back."

           Jin giggled, "I promise, he's harmless."

           You sat in the subway, grinning widely at your stroke of luck. Although it wasn't much, you confirmed that the attractive baker knew you existed and even trusted you enough to lend you his umbrella. Holding the bag to your chest, you inhaled to try to hold in the butterflies fluttering around your stomach. But instead, it rumbled, signaling that it was hungry after your long day. You received odd looks from the other passengers. Looking down, you reached into the bag to quell your hunger so as not to disturb anyone with your noisy stomach anymore.

           You smiled at the pastry you held, remembering your encounter with Kim Taehyung, the fantastic vet, and the man who had given up this exact pastry because you clumsily dropped yours. You had taken initiative to see him again, only to find that he was one of the head surgeons of the animal hospital now, so it was rare for him to just take check-up appointments. But you had caught glimpse of him in passing, and he was even more shockingly gorgeous than you remembered. His hair was slightly longer than when you first had bumped into him, and since he had just gotten out of the surgery room, it had been swept up to reveal his forehead.

           But sadly, you hadn't been able to see him since. You would often wonder how he was doing and if you would be able to run into him coincidentally again.

           "Um are you just going to smile at that, or are you going to eat it?" One of the passengers spoke up.

           You turned red as people chuckled at the person's comment, and at your odd behavior. Squishing your body as small as possible, you started eating your pastry, extremely embarrassed.

           "Hey!" Jin kissed you as you entered Club Masquerade.

           You smiled as your hands slotted into his. "Hey."

           "As requested, the room is set up as a casual living room." Jin bowed as he gestured for her to enter the room.

           "You never disappoint me, Jin." You grinned.

           "Only the best for you, of course." he chuckled. "So I see you had a good day since you aren't whining as soon as you come in."

           You pushed him playfully. "I don't always come in here whining."

           Jin gave you a knowing look, and you conceded. "Fine. I often do."

           "I'll take it." He settled beside you. "Since you're in a good mood, what would you like to do?"

           You hugged him and lay your head on his broad chest. "Just...maybe stay like this."

           Jin's lips curled up as he rubbed your back. It always amazed you how he had come to know and understand you so well.

           "Jin?"

           "Hm?"

           "Do you think some people are meant to be alone?"

           He hummed, "I think some people choose to be alone, because it's not something they prioritize or want in life. I don't think anyone is meant to be alone. People are social creatures after all."

           "I hope you're right." You nuzzled closer to him. "Why aren't you taken yet? I feel like girls would fall at your feet."

           Jin chuckled. "I guess the right one hasn't come along for me either. Plus I haven't really been looking."

           "Oh? Why not?" You glanced up curiously.

           "Mmm I don't know. I guess I've always had the mentality of 'if it happens, it happens'?" he shrugged.

           You sighed. "Lucky. I have the mentality that if I don't do something, it's never going to happen."

           Jin nodded, "I guess there are some things that won't happen unless you make it happen and grab hold of it."

           "But sadly, sometimes people take advantage of your obvious interest." You frowned.

           "Hey, you're a courageous woman. Take pride in that." Jin complimented.

           "I don't know about that..." you mumbled.

           Jin clicked his tongue. "What did I say about taking compliments?"

           You smiled, "Thank you."

           Jin nodded in approval. "Better. Not many people can take the leap like you do. So even if you failed a few times, at least you tried and took the risk. You'd be surprised how many people are stuck in 'what ifs'."

           You lifted your head up to stare at him. "I never thought of it like that."

           "Aren't I great?" he teased.

           You smacked his chest. "You, sir, need to wait for compliments instead of giving them to yourself."

           "It's my charm." Jin grinned.

           "That's true." You straddled him and wrapped your arms around his neck. "Are you stuck in a 'what if' now?"

           "Mmm..." Jin leaned forward. "I'm wondering 'what if I wanted to kiss you right now? Would you kiss me back?'"

           "That's not even a what if." You chuckled as you captured his lips with yours. "It's a certainty."

           Jin grinned as he unbuttoned your shirt slowly. "And what if I wanted to make you feel even better than you do right now?"

           "I would welcome that openly." You whispered as you helped him undress you.

           Jin peppered kisses throughout your entire body, not sparing any part of your skin from his large, plump lips. Jin was the one person who had always been there for you, even when you had bared your soul, when you were at your most vulnerable. His touch was always careful and tender, and for the moment, you deluded yourself into believing he loved you. You knew he cared for you deeply, that you two had developed a bond, but another part of you wondered how much of it was his job and how much of it was real.

           But you let yourself fall into the delusion, because it was so much better than the reality that awaited you outside of Club Masquerade.

           So you reveled in the way his hands roamed your body, the way with each thrust, both of you would moan with pleasure, perfectly in sync, perfectly connected. You pulled him deeper into you, wanting him to fill you up, and he obliged, pushing in as much as your walls allowed him to and with a little more force; his lips never leaving yours unless it was to gasp, groan, or moan. When you came, your entire body was filled with immense jitters-- butterflies-- your heart soared, and your mind was blank from all thoughts except for how fantastic you were feeling. It was absolute bliss.

           And it was always bittersweet parting from him, from your little haven away from the cruel world. But it also made you wonder how long you would be content with this transient type of relationship. As constant as Jin was, you knew he wasn't yours.

           "Bundle up. It's chilly now." Jin tightened your scarf around your neck.

           "Thanks." You smiled as you pushed out your lips. Jin chuckled and knowingly gave you a chaste kiss to bid you goodbye.

           "Get home safely." he waved.

           You stole another kiss from him before scurrying out the door.

           You shivered as you felt the brisk night air. Dogs were heard barking in the distance and your mind was whisked back once again to thoughts of Taehyung. Even though you only spoke to him briefly, something in your heart stirred in that moment in time. You snorted. There you go again, falling for someone you hardly knew. Would he even remember you? Would he even want to see you again? You exhaled as you pulled your jacket closed.

           A gust of wind knocked your hair into your face and you flailed around trying to regain your vision. Once you were free from your entangled hair, you realized you were standing in front of a building by Club Masquerade you had always passed but never took a good look at. You moved closer curiously at the bright neon sign, and the seemingly packed venue, wondering what it was exactly.

           Suddenly, you stopped in your tracks and whipped your head towards the window as you spotted a familiar figure pass by. Rubbing your eyes, you prayed you weren't hallucinating. You gasped as Jungkook came into view as well, both of them carrying trays of drinks and laughing at something. Pressing your face closer to the window, it became more evident that the person who had caught your eye was, in fact, Kim Taehyung.

           You had found him.

.

.

.

PART 2 

#yayyy #it's back #jin x reader x tae #jin x reader #tae x reader #v x reader #kim seokjin #seokjin #kim taehyung #taehyung #bts v #v #bts fics #bts fanfics #bangtan fics #bangtan fanfics #bangtan fanfiction #bts #bangtan #bangtan boys #bangtan sonyeondan #beyond the scene #park jimin #jimin #min yoongi #yoongi #jung hoseok #hoseok #j-hope #jungkook

[roccoroks]

VOLUME 5 DAG POST SO ANOTHER ROD RUN HAS COME AND GONE AND IT HAS LEFT ME IN THE WAKE OF DISGRUNTELED GUEST OVER PARKING , ROOMS WITH BROKEN REFRIDGERATORS AND SEVERAL LOST ITEMS IN NEED OF BEING RETURNED TO THEIR RIGHTFUL OWNERS. SEVERAL THINGS HAPPENED THIS TIME AND I WILL TRY AND KEEP THINGS AS STRAIGHT AS MACH STYLES SEXUAL ORIENTAION SO BARE WITH ME! It was your typical rod run this spring in that there were classic cars as far as the eye could see, toilets were overflowing with the stench of nearly dead guests last dinners from the golden coral and I for the first time in 3 years had the day off to enjoy ………at work……even in my down time I have to come here….sux. The time is 4:30 pm, it officially hawt as bawls outside and im watching the desk while my new manager “monty” dips out for a bite to eat. The door opens and im faced with a loud, demanding, hateful women from PA….so a normal woman from PA….who is mad about parking. Me: *gee, I really hope the next 30 mins goes smoo….. WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT SMELL! IT REEKS OF BITCH!* CLAB: *Crazy Loud Ass Bitch* umm….theres a man outside that’s saying that if I don’t move my car then he will have it towed or he will park his truck in front of it until Monday and called me a bitch……(ME: honestly I stopped paying attention to her at this point)……or im going to call the cops. Me: *fuck you karam, just because I like to rub vasoline all over my butt cheeks and press it against businesses plate glass windows in downtown under the cover of darkness, I have to deal with this?* CLAB: so…..what are you going to do about it? Im paying 175.00 a night and I feel I should beable to park where ever I want! Me: *you are the same bitch from last year aren’t you…* mam im really sorry about this but during the rod run we have over 5000 people and cars come into town and parking can get a bit limited. CLAB: WELL DON’T YOU THINK THAT’S NOT MY PROBLEM? Me: *oooooooh so we are going to go down this long road of stupidity?* like I said, mam, parking can get a bit hectic during these shows and we expect everyone to govern them selfs. CLAB: look you NEED to go out there and talk to this man or im going to report you to your manager. Me: *ah hellnah! Bitch you did not just…….. >.> i cant believe you just...how dare.....i may pee on you* Me: ok, lets go *get this over with* *we both walk out to the parking lot where im am greeted buy a mid 40’s male who knows me from years of rod runs and he seems to have been drinking and is in no mood for this ladies bullshit, I know because he says so in this dialog ^.^ * CLAB: this is the guy that spoke to me like I was trash Me: *because you do infact smell of a garbage bag filled with diapers that someone threw up on and set on fire....because thats what bitch smells like* DD: *drunk dude* look I never said any of that shit to you, your just making it up Me: but we haven’t even discussed what you said yet….never mind, look, why is it a problem for her to be parked here CLAB: *interrupts* oh there’s no problem, he just wants this parking spot to himself DD: look, my tools are in my truck and I need to work on my car and I don’t want to have to walk across the parking lot to get my tools every 5 mins Me: *and a long stager it must be 25 feet away! Beside, had you bought a ford instead of that rolling shit box you call a nova that’s more rust that nova, this wouldn’t be a problem* CLAB: that’s not my problem , I need a parking spot and this one was open Me: *5 points to bitchindore!* DD: MY GD CHAIRS WHERE IN THIS SPOT SAVING THEM FOR ME AND YOU JUST…..JUST…..MOVED THEM! LIKE THEY WERE NUTHIN! Me : *shee-took-yur-churrrs! * CLAB: well they were in the way! DD: iv had just about enough of your shit! ME: HO HO HO HO HO HANG ON A MIN! *yelling louder that both of them to convey my point* NOW LOOK, last year I put up two signs and handed out two flyers to ALL of my guests, including you, that 1. Trailers are no longer to be parked on site and 2. That chairs could no longer be used to save parking spots, meaning first come, first park no exceptions! DD:…….. I forgot about that, you did do that CLAB: *shoots a look of “take that bitch” Me: *looks at clab* I also told you on Tuesday when you checked in that this would happen with parking and that you would need to get a spot early to AVIOD THIS! CLAB: I don’t think that’s my problem do you? Me: *omfg if you say that one more motherfucking time* YES, yes it is your problem when I looked right at you and warned you this would happen and you ignored it! Is like I said “hey this coffee is hot, don’t pour it all over your face ok” and you did it anyway and couldn’t figure out why it hurt. CLAB: I just don’t see how this is my problem Me: * o.e there is a special place in hell for people like you! Its called florida* I honestly don’t know what to say. DD: I don’t know why this is such a problem, I mean there is a perfectly good spot open right over there by the pool doors, its closer too. Me: * O.e…..did I just hear a loud pop sound in my head? Why is everything starting to get shaky and I smell burning hair….am I having a aneurism?* did….you just? Surely you did say there is a parking spot right over there….right? DD: yeah, so I don’t see what all the fuss is about! *crosses arms and looks proud of him self CLAB: I don’t want that parking spot I want this one! Me: …….. *looks at both of them in disgust* so what’s wrong then? *both look at me like im a idiot* Me: *clearly im dealing with creatures with undeveloped brains not unlike that of a 5 year old or a form of mild cheese. I may have to get the speak and spell out for them* look, I should be in my office answering the phone and booking reservations for tomorrow night, instead im out here dealing with 2 12 year olds who are fighting over who gets to ride the tricycle next. There is a perfectly good spot right over there that either one of you could park in, its close to the hotel, and its close to your car so THERE IS NO PROBLEM. You two just wanted to be validated in what you both thought was right in your list of personal self-ethics and came and got me, someone half both of your ages to settle your squabble instead of acting like adults! CLAB: who’s your manager, ill have you fired for this! DD: …..mam, this young man is the owner. CLAB: *looks at me* WHY DON’T YOU TELL HIM TO APPOLGISE (or how ever its spelled) TO ME THEN! Me: *really….you are no longer mild cheese, im down grading you to Mexican! (yup, going to hell for that one)* because you started this! You both can’t act like adults and neither one of you deserves it! Look if I have to come back out here and deal with this again, you will both be looking for a lot more than a parking spot for the night! *walks off like a boss!* Meanwhile back in the halls of ‘’fort phone ringing the fuck off the wall’’, I have 12 people trying to call me at the same time Me: good afternoon RSML, how may I help you Dag: umm….yeah….um…hi…um like how much like…you know ….your Me: *come on you can do it* Dag: um….like your 2 room bed suites are? Me: *in what way was that even a fucking sentence….* when are you coming in? Dag: um….. like……you know….that time….next month? Me: hummmmmm that time next month….. Dag: oh! Um….yeah you know….like Saturday? Me: ok getting closer, we narrowed it day to 5 days instead of 31 Dag: oh, um….you like….. Me: *oh for fuck sake* *begins trying to pull my hair out and presses the phone harder to my ear out of frustration* Dag: like…that one Saturday that everyone's coming in? Me: 199.95 +tax Dag: wow that much? Me: *oh now you speak coherently* yes sir Dag: for which Saturday? Me: um like…you know...um...all of them Dag: *hangs up phone* Me: and a fine fuck you to you too sir *hangs up phone and turns around to see a family of 5 behind me* Me: how may I help you? FO5: we will just check somewhere else *walks out the door* Me: normally this would be bad but we are full soo……fuck em…. Monty: *from the back office* you should be nicer, they might have come back Me: really ass, you were back there the whole time and you couldn’t come to help me? Monty: I have a ham sandwich, this take precedent over pot heads asking about rates Me: you know I can fire you right Monty: you wont though Me: ……mother of fuck…..bitch called my bluff Few mins go by and im about to head out for the night when a man that I can only describe as so old that he may have known jesus on a personal level. Me: good after noon, how may I help you? *20 mins later he makes it to the desk* Old Dude: (we will call him OG cuz he gansta!) do you have anyrooms? Me: yes sir ! I have 2 br suites available *maybe this is a cool old dude and my night is turning around for the good* OG: oh good, what that Me: *ah you’re a crazy old man* well that’s our trademark room with 2 queen size beds! OGh I need 2 rooms with 2 beds in each room Me: well I have 2 2bed room suites side by side if that will work for ya? OG: no no no, I only need 4 beds not 8 Me….um…k….well if you get two of our 2 bed room suites then it would accommodate you that would give you 1 queen per bedroom OG: no no no then I would only have 2 beds, I need 4 *he is getting a bit angry…..or tired….or both, idk, hes old and hard to read* Me: I know sir but 1 of our 2br suites will have 2 queen beds OGh ok so that’s 1 room with 4 beds total right? Me: *O.e…wooooooooooooooow….* no sir that’s 2 beds total per room OG I know giving me 4 beds total right? Me: yes….wait no…what? OG: do you even have rooms with 4 beds/ Me: no sir OG: do you have 2 rooms? Me: yes OG: how many beds do they have Me: 2 per rooms OG: so you do have 4 beds per room? Me: whos on first? OG: what? Me: no whats on second, do you want a key so you can look at one of the rooms? OG: yes….wait, what? Me:...here…..*grabs pen and paper* OG: oh….nevermind, that’s not what im looking for ME: FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU /RANT . . . . . . . . OR IS IT……

[jsc23]

1x05- Twilight’s Last Gleaming

I’m just going to warn everybody at large that we are about to enter the stretch of episodes that are my absolute favorite in this entire show. Starting with this one and ending with I am Become Death, I could watch these next 6 of episodes over and over again and never get tired. So with that warning and the OBLIGATORY SPOILERS FOR SEASONS 1-4 WARNING, I give you Twilight’s Last Gleaming.

-When Finn is saying 100% the actual truth but you’re still supposed to think he’s a good guy so you think he’s joking. -Abby is basically about to be floated and all she is worried about is the kids, so yea maybe I don’t hate her for what she did to Jake. -Jaha is still terrible though. -What is it with this show and numbers in the 300s dying? -The fact that Raven had to even question herself once ALIE was gone is insane to me. She is literally a genius. She didn’t need ALIE. -Finn talking about the “next time someone pulls a Murphy” and oh wait, that ends up being him…#foreshadowing -Finn is such an absolute creep. Like I want to like him because I know he’s not the worst human ever (that is totes Jaha) but he is just not a good guy. -I think its interesting how Clarke is the only one that wants to bring up all the people they’ve lost and yet this season(4) she barely even acknowledged Jasper’s death. -The greatest dad in the history of the world- Tor Lemkin. Like he is a SUPERHERO. I can’t talk about how awesome he is enough. -Oh look, Jackson being Jackson. Also a gem on this earth, or on this Ark I guess. -That moment when Clarke knows exactly what Bellamy is doing even though they aren’t fully married status yet. -Octavia is so frustrating sometimes. Literally all Bell wanted was to protect her. (insert mental “Every stupid thing you did was to protect your sister. She didn’t always see that, but I did” moment and now I’m crying). -Oh look, chess for a change. Were there no other games on the Ark? -But can we just watch these scene of Kane and Jaha planning the culling and then watch the scene of them in “The Chosen” and just stand in awe of the character development. They are literally planning the exact same thing and the differences in these scenes are astounding. -Jaha trying to sacrifice himself like 6 times in season 1 but then changes his tune by season 2 and onward. (Like why didn’t he let that little boy’s dad live?!). -Ok but I’ve actually spotted something. This season (season 4) when all of the sudden he talked about being an engineer I feel like everybody was like “no but what?! Also who is Riley?” but I digress. He just mentioned how he would be inspecting repairs in section 17 so maybe he WAS an engineer. Yes, I’m reaching… -Kane has a strength “Not weakened by Sentiment” but like no. That is Alternative Facts. -DON’T DO IT BELL! -This is actually proof of Gryffindor Bellamy, he does things without thinking. A Slytherin would have waited to see who was in the ship found out who they were and when they had a moment they would have stolen the radio. A Gryffindor does whatever first comes to their mind. Like throwing the only communication they have with the Ark into the water. -Also, I know this is hella premature but I’m calling it now. The only character I 100% believe will survive the entire show is Raven Reyes. She just will. (and probs Monty). -Oh hey Finn remember your actual girlfriend. Its been like 5 min but the she still exists. -Clarke is like “wait what?” -Like what kind of explanation is “We’ve known each other our whole lives” that makes zero of the sense. “Oh hey sorry I slept with you even though I’m already seeing somebody. If it helps we’ve know each other our whole lives so that actually makes me even more of a terrible person.” -Ok, the chess board, I’m in all the tears. #RIPWells -This Abby/Jaha scene though- She doesn’t want him to die and leave everybody in the hands of Kane. Cut to- Season 4, she’s about to do exactly that. -ACCURATE ASSESSMENT OF JAHA- He has always been cowardly. -That moment of realization when Bellamy realizes Jaha isn’t dead. Also the fact that Clarke realizes thats how she might be able to get through to him. -uggggg Shumway. I shall call him Brutus. -Never the less, she persisted. -While we are on the Hogwarts house subject- Is there anybody on earth that thinks Raven is NOT a Ravenclaw? -I literally cry every time Tor comes on the screen. He was just…amazing… -The original LIST! -“One decision does not define a man” -This scene, ALL. THE. TEARS. The barrette, THE BARRETTE. -Oh yay, Kane is starting to be good! -Tor Lemkin with some TRUTH YA’LL. -Everything about these scenes were perfection: The song, the directing, the Cinematography literally everything. -EPIC LINE ALERT: “Can you wish on this kind of shooting star?” “ I wouldn’t even know what to wish for.” -I can’t stress enough the connection these 2 have, and they don’t even like each other yet! But They never have to explain themselves to each other, they just get it. -LINCOLN!!! #thegreatest #thebest #betterthanalltherest #ihavetoomanyfavorites -I just got the most chills. “We put our faith in a forgiving god” ok season 4 throwing all the way back to season 1. Like I KNOW they did it a lot and I recognized most moments but I didn’t realize this was such a specific call back. -While I’m on the subject of Day Trip 2.0 and parallels. In this episode Jaha presses the button alone to kill everybody in section 17: “leadership is a lonely pursuit”. However when Bellamy and Clarke pull the lever to kill everybody in Mount Weather they do it “together” (#OTP #Together #okfineillstop): “She’s lucky to have you. You keep her centered”.

Alright people that Episode though! It starts off slow but then its a wild roller coaster ride to the end. Predictably there were a ton of parallels for this episode and “The Chosen” because they are basically doing the exact same thing. Are they doomed to continue to repeat themselves every few years?! Not likely seeing as how the entire Earth just rebooted. This was the first episode that I remember watching and bawling my eyes out. The first of many I will admit. Next episode is when I shall start my list of “1 million reasons Bellamy Blake is the actual best” so fair warning. TOTALS: number of barrettes I have scene at target and started bawling over: 23. Not an insane number, just 23. number of times Octavia has fallen down a hill and/or mountain and survived: every.single.time. #cantbenormal

all in all i give it a 4.5 radios out of 5 radios.

until next time, may we meet again, -JRWT

#the 100 #the 100 season one #bellarke #bellamy blake #clarke griffin #raven reyes #twilight's last gleaming #marcus kane #abby griffin #finn collins #thelonious jaha #janna rewatching #everybody loves chess

[curiouskarenscapers2017]

Vol.10 May 2005

 The earth shook and my clothes swayed on the hangers. I’m sure it was just to say goodbye to April and the calm two months with no earth movement we enjoyed .…just reminding us that it’s still here under us, moving, breathing and changing. It started at 10:50 pm and it lasted about 5 min. I didn’t realize it was an earthquake until I saw my clothes swaying from side to side. The building takes a while to calm down though, so a lot of the additional swaying is the building coming to a stand still. It’s like taking a rubber column and moving the bottom and seeing the top go moggy for a while, like jelly until it is back where it started…pretty much like that.

And so a new month dawned with at least two things to look forward to….payday and the weekend away to Green Island “Liudau”. Can’t wait, need a break desperately and fresh air!!!! You can not believe how dirty air affects you! We are still very lucky in SA that our air is good….I have this vision of people wearing masks one day soon..oh wait they already do here!!!, everyone on a scooter has a mask. I bought one for my bike but couldn’t wear it, it was suffocating me. Even the smallest kids have. All kinds and designs…quite cute..sad but cute!! We need to appreciate it and try to hang on to it for as long as possible!! You only miss it when it’s gone! Trust me it’s gone here!

We had a photo session at the school for the kindergarten’s graduation etc. So they are making photo albums to give to the kids when they leave for BIG school…cool idea. I managed to steal the CD and copy the photo’s. The first photo is of the foreign teachers at the school. From left to right. Melissa( Canada), David(Canada),Teri(S.A), Abby(Canada), Karen(S.A), Ryno(S.A) and Kim(Canada). Photo 2 is our Zoolander poses in case you think we were serious!!!  The boys on the other hand obviously weren’t into taking photo’s as we were!! Photo 3 was my mom’s mother’s day gift. I need before and after photo’s, do you see the grey hair???? Photo 5 are all the teachers with the graduating class in Kindergarten called K3. With the owner Judy in the centre back next to Melissa. Great fun..as usual!!!

  So on Friday night I got a meal to remember! I was hungry and the Chinese teachers got me something for dinner..so nice of them. I opened the little square box, which all take always come in…someone makes them in their garage…..anyway, I opened it to see a pork knuckle. Skin and toes…lovely sight, I first thought it was a pork knuckle but kind of put it to one side thinking of eisbein or any other pork dishes we usually eat. The meat was sooo tender and fatty and homely that I licked it’s fingers off and enjoyed the meal. It was more difficult as I got fuller. But the paw or claw or foot was amazingly put together. Amazing what you learn about the anatomy of a pig if you eat all parts of it!!! It had fingers and nails like our feet…weird, with all the little bones you have in each finger as well, the end bone is slightly different and formed like a little hoof on it’s own…wow!!!!!! Anyway, so that was that, don’t know if I would like to do it again soon, but it was delicious, we are just way too spoilt for choice meat! To add to my day of experimenting with food, at lunch at the kindergarten I had some of the food they serve the kids. We had miniature squid as our meat source. About the size of a hair clip or a medium sized eraser. Tentacles, eyes and body……..I had to try two, each kid was given two, I saw a few on the side of the bowls after lunch….obviously not everybody’s cup of tea! Tasted like nothing much, chewy calamari, I think the eyes and the tentacles got me a bit….it looks very alive!!!! Don’t like to eat things that look like the original animal …you know? Anyway, been there and done that…bring on Fear Factor!!!! Obviously fear is not a factor for me!!!!!!

Samsung came to fetch my little camera all the way to Taipei for a service…yes people, I do take on average about 100 photo’s a day!!!!! Not really but I make up for it when we travel. I will have a full length 3hour movie when I get home, it might actually be more of a Lord of the Rings 1, 2 and 3…the more I think about it. How’s that for service. If anything goes wrong they fetch it where ever you are in the country…which is only the whole 360km of it from point to point…but that’s not the point. They come fetch it and fix it and return it within 7 to 14 working days which is within 7 to 14 days…teeeheee..these poor people!!!!

Anyway, it was 14 days on Wednesday and I got Monica, a friend of mine to phone to check where it is. So when she phoned they knew it was me “the English teacher from Changhua”. I’m famous…the whole Samsung Help Desk of Taiwan, knew me as the English teacher!!! They would try to get everything done a.s.a.p. I wanted it for my trip to Green Island next weekend, they assured me of priority treatment!! I suppose I was the only English name on their database…my name…Karen…no other details!!!!! Cell phone and address to pick it up and that’s it!!! They better hurry because my shooting/clicking finger needs exercise!

Mother’s day is coming and I’m getting all depressed about it! My mother is 14 hours flying in that direction to the west!!!! All the kids are writing our mother’s day wishes in their school mother’s day cards…too cute!!!

I’m going to explore Chiayi county with Melissa as she finalises her contract and paperwork with the new school. She resigned a week ago to the schools horror but they replaced her and me probably with two new people that arrived yesterday. We’ll still have to chat to them at some stage and warn them what they’re getting into. Just so that they don’t walk into this school blindly.

Kingdom of Heaven started this weekend as well so Saturday is movie day. Melissa wants me to go see the Boogeyman and House of Wax with her…I respectfully and politely tried to decline!! She’s a horror movie fanatic…also lives on a graveyard in Ontario…hmmmmmm…the friends I make!!! Anyway, Star Wars III is more my style and I promised to go with but watching another movie!! We’ll see if it works! Can’t wait!! Need to get some DVD’s before coming home…all the legal type, but much cheaper than home!!

I organised my mother’s day gift and package for sending and then you get stuck in what to send with, this is your chance of communication with the outside world, what can you send??? So many things!!! Food stuffs? No it’s mother’s day and besides it must be small enough to go express airmail to get to her by Tuesday or so. Anyway, so the gift with two cool photo’s and butterfly stickers she would love was carefully packaged as well as a school mother’s day card and a proper one….after bawling my eyes out writing the real one I ended it off with a silly one…all about balance!! I need my mom!!!!!!!!!

Anyway only two more months, missing her birthday as well! And don’t get me started on father’s day soon!!!!! At …how old am I now?……thirty something, your priorities change in life and family becomes the centre of your existence! Life is precious and way to short!

And so the rainy season also started with showers nearly everyday or every other day. My camera arrived on Tuesday to my relief and immediately I started clicking away…to check and see whether it works of course. My Q class at school graduated on Tuesday night and we had a bit of a ceremony for them. Pizza, biscuits, sweets and Milk tea. It’s amazing how you get attached to the kids and they to you. We exchanged email addresses to send photo’s. We’ll another two hours a week gone…my hours are dropping quickly as the stages graduate and move to other classes. In total I have lost 20 hours a month with this class ending this week.

Anyway, enough of that, let’s explore Taiwan rather and see what we can discover in the last few weeks. Well the heavens opened and we got washed away for a few days!! The poor dead river running next to our complex, suddenly got a life of it’s own and flowed merrily through the canal washing away all the sewerage that gets pumped into it daily from the factories along the canal. Soap, oil etc, etc. Can’t believe I hear the frogs chorusing at night. I think they are more in the actual rice paddies than in the river. Even small yellow and white butterflies flutter over the rice fields between the buildings and factories. To beautiful!

Well the weekend has dawned and I was getting very excited about our Green Island trip starting tomorrow night at 11pm on a bus in Taichung. Packed my three pieces of clothing, which included my cozzy (2 pieces) and my towel. No, a few things more, but light, minimum and mix ’n match style. I’m ready, camera charged!

After school on Friday night at about 9:00 Melissa and I walked to the station to meet up with Kim, Abby and Teri. We got our tickets and saw Kim already waiting…..big surprise as she is usually late…just shows you how desperate we were to go on holiday, even if this is actually only a weekend. Anyway, Abby and Teri pitched and we went for our train. We were on two different trains as we bought our tickets at the express machine but luckily there were two trains bound for Taichung within 15 min of each other. We arrived at Taichung and found the rest of the group in a pub nearby. We toasted our new adventure and met Eddie at the train station at 10:55pm.

He was on a scooter and we only had quick introductions. little did we then suspect what would happen over the weekend… So we got into a taxi and followed him on his scooter to the bus stop where we get our bus to Taitung. We chatted a bit and got some background on the his business etc. The bus was about 20min late but at 11:30pm we were in our seats and ready to roll. We explored the bus a bit and found a lounge on the bottom deck, which was basically just two rows of seats facing each other so that you could chat without disturbing the rest of the passengers sleeping up stairs. It was situated just behind the driver, between an extremely small bathroom and a semi bedroom section right behind the driver. We later discovered Kim had annexed the “bedroom” and made the crew stay up the whole night because she was in their bed!!! Just joking but she did sleep in their bed…..a bit of a Goldilocks ring to it, doesn’t it? I slept soon after we got on the bus and Melissa joined me upstairs soon after while the rest had a few drinks in the lounge and stayed there overnight. Anyway, after a fitful sleep I slowly awoke to see the sun rise over the flat mirror of the sea. Too beautiful. It reminded me sooo much of Toti sunrises maybe also because it was on the East coast of the country, that I have grown up with. The fishing boats were bobbing and swaying like floats on fishing rods in the calm grey early water. We arrived soon after in Taitung at about 6:15am. We got out, and caught the next means of transport to the harbour. The taxi’s dropped us off and we awaited our third means of transport in one day, a ferry, that was to depart at 7am for Green Island. We met up with Alicia and her two Chinese friends, I-han and Cleo.

It arrived on time and we boarded. A space age looking vehicle with all the space inside looking like an airplane and a small outside area on the top floor. Reminded me of a typical American style mode of transport, all engine and no packing space!

I took a space in a corner section of the railing and felt like Kate Winslet in Titanic, also wanted to burst into song…..but I didn’t. The small deck soon became crowded as the ferry rocked slowly toward Green Island that was visible from Taiwan soil. It was only 33km off the coast but took us about an hour to cross. Wonderful to have the wind in your hair, blue skies and fresh air. Aaah yes, fresh air! Blue seas!

Next minute a dog poked his head through the railing and looked out too sea with his nose to the wind and his eyes closed, so I wasn’t the only one. I patted him and looked around behind me on deck, it was a golden retriever convention! About 13 of them lay on the deck, it looked like a carpet! They were stunning.

We arrived at about 8:00.

The skies were clear as we thought we would have bad weather due to the storms and rain on the main island for the last few days. We were helped by Henry, a partner with Eddie to pack our bags in the combi while we were taken to get scooters. They were all 125cc and we chose number 18 to be our steed for our time here. We rode off like a biker gang to drop of our baggage at the hotel. It wasn’t even 5 min from the habour when we stopped at the Sunny Waters Hotel.

It was bit early and we left our bags to go and have some breakfast at the Green Summer Coffee – Tea. Our breakfast had real bacon!!!!Amazing how you miss the little things in life. Squires breakfasts at Harties or Cappuccino’s breakfasts at Menlyn. Anyway, it was fresh juice and a good breakfast.

We finished at about 9:30 and Eddie came in to tell us that we can go snorkelling at 10 if we want before it gets too hot. He said it was going to get about 40 degrees today. Lovely! So we all agreed and went off to the place where we get the wetsuits, snorkels and goggles and booties. I was wondering why on earth in warm water and a hot day do we have to wear wetsuits. I think we lost about 5kg’s just getting to the snorkelling site! It was damn hot!!!! On scooters we all left the shop and travelled to the snorkelling site, me with my helmet and my goggles and snorkel in the wind!!! I was told by Teri that it was quite a site!! I aim to please!

We arrived and took to the waters.

This island was known as Burning Island or Fire island by the locals who lived on this volcanic island. So many of the beaches have coral and volcanic rock you need to cross to get to the deeper water. So we walked ankle deep into the warm water for a few meters before being able to swim. It was beautiful, sea life worthy of the Maldives and many other diving sites in the world. The parrot fish, angel fish and many more darted in and out of the coral and crevices. They fed the fish with some bait and hundreds came to snap it up. Henry, our diving guide as well, caught a puffer fish and showed it to us, this little thing that was now a ball of spikes the size of a large apple, hissing as air escaped and he tried to make himself bigger, was not too impressed with this capture and unwilling demonstration of what a puffer fish looks like puffed up!!! When he was freed he deflated and disappeared among the crowds underwater. We saw a yellow and black, sea snake or eel type. Stunning! The people were not equipped with fins, to protect the reefs and plant life. The few times I tried to dive down, the buoyant wetsuit and lungs full of air popped me back up, feet first like a blow up doll. I gave up the battle after a few attempts. We were being stung like hell by small strands of jellyfish type things, that were mostly invisible to the naked eye but looking carefully, you could see them. They drifted about a ruler’s length thick on top of the water. Small specks of glowing neon red plankton was visible every now and then and darted away as you tried to touch it. Too cool, no pain no gain! It was great. After we returned to the shop and thanked them we went exploring, agreeing to meet each other at the beach called Dabaisha, “white sands” beach.

So off we went. I wanted to see as much as possible before the weather changes or we don’t get the opportunity later, you know how it goes on holidays, do it while you can and the opportunity presents itself. So off we went stopping at all kind of spots to get some stunning photo’s of the rock formations and clear water. There is a Sleeping Beauty rock with a small Pekinese dog rock near her head. We didn’t know this was the sleeping beauty rock until we looked at our photo’s later! Too beautiful.(last photo). This is the old harbour at high tide…remember this one.

The wind came up on the one side of the island and we found the beach. Kim and them were there already and we waited for Abby and Teri. They eventually came and we had a beach day for the rest of the afternoon.

We had our usual Zoolander shot that we used for our T-shirt of Green Island.

The Chinese people are a fascinating race, or rather the Taiwanese. For a nation that lives on an island: no one swims (or very few), they don’t go to the beach other than to take photo’s of themselves on it but clothed from head to toe because they don’t want to be tanned as this is a sign of being inferior or of a lower class and they work themselves to death. Why live on an island??? Go live in the UK. Oh wait, that’s also an island. Amazing the contrast to any other nation living anywhere near the sea or on an island. They always have a laid back attitude, lazy days, brown bodies and carefree life styles. Weird!

We were asked to pose with strangers we have never seen or don’t know from a bar of soap, we were taken photo’s of unawares by passers by and young boys with cellphone camera’s….we were over night celebrities! They could probably not believe that we would be lying in the sun tanning on the beach…what a ridiculous notion!!! Who does that? On our way off the beach we met up with a family from New Zealand. They were parents coming to visit their son who teaches in Taipei. The dad and I were talking rugby when he heard I was from South Africa. The mother was quite cool as well and the son told us of his 6months in Taiwan.

It was about 5pm when we got back to the hotel and went for dinner at the Fisherman’s. Eddie got us at about 6:00pm and we walked down the street to where the Fisherman was looking out over the ocean. Too beautiful to watch the sunset from there! We were organised at a table upstairs on the deck. We met Jackie another contact who apparently, we didn’t know this at the time, owned the ferry service and half the island. The godfather! Good to know him! We also got to know Ted, another Canadian, who joined us from then on. Everybody was in a festive mood and we took the restaurant by the horns.

We had delicious seafood dishes presented to us and the wine flowed. We thought that this was where the evening would end as everybody was drained by the sun and being awake for so long and not really sleeping on the bus. But then the second wind came for all and the party started!

And on it went! At about 11:00pm we ended up going to where Eddie and his crew hanged out, behind their shop. Stunning Japenese garden style layout of white pebbles and two sets of dark green granite tables and granite rocks for chairs. We all gathered and sat back and relaxed over a few whiskies. Then the thought came of all going for a dip in the old harbour which is used as a swimming pool. Off we went all on our bikes again heading north, past the lighthouse and there we were. The bikes were parked and we all skinny dipped, probably about 10 to 12 grown up people, screaming and splashing around like kids every time something brushed past our legs! (It was seaweed) Isn’t it cool to be alive!!!(This is where the harbour photo comes in)

That lasted about an hour and by this time it was nearly 2:00 in the morning. Then Eddie suggested we gate crash the hot springs! Okay!!! We were on the bikes and off again. The group had diminished somewhat to about 5 of us going to scale the fence of the famous, volcanic hot springs! We got there and parked our bikes in a dark undetectable section in the road…..all very 007, climbed over the fence and walked down to the three pools as if we were royalty! Eddie assured us that he ALWAYS does this, the people knew him by now! The hot springs are natural and heated by the active volcanic currents. One pool is hot, the second cooler and the third even cooler. Eddie educated us on the use of the pebbles at the bottom of the pool to rub on your skin or feet by pulling Melissa off her feet to perform the demonstration. It was fantastic. Therapeutic and calming. Everybody was in a pool somewhere and new customers kept coming and going at 2 in the morning!!!! At about 3am I couldn’t keep my eyes open and went home leaving the rest to percolate! I think at about 5am all the birds were in the nest. What a day!

The next morning at about 10:00 am we got up and went for breakfast. Various levels of hangovers were appreciated and shared and treated. After breakfast we were told Eddie managed to organise us the 5pm ferry instead of the 12 o’clock one! I think we impressed Jackie!! It’s who you know!  We were extremely grateful. We went exploring a bit on the way to the beach again at about 11:00 and swam and tanned until about 14:30.

Then things got a bit rushed as we were told that we had to get the 4pm ferry due to fully booked ferries. We went to the T-shirt shop, downloaded our Zoolander picture for the woman at the shop to put on out T-shirts and went for lunch. We came back and it was nearly 4pm. We raced to the harbour, parked our bikes on the side of the road and ran to the ferry as it hooted!! The whole ferry was waiting just for us!!! We let rip down the harbour side, bags, bobbing and foreigners flying. We made it! And the people on deck cheered!!! We apologised to all in general and explained we didn’t want to leave Green Island, they understood! We waved goodbye to the best holiday in ages and this photo shows a boy who depicted what we were feeling at that stage.

  But we reminisced as we sailed of into the sunset. Off to Taitung and a 6 hour wait for the bus back to Taichung.

Lucky for us the sea was calm but some still felt a bit under the weather with the motion of the ocean. We arrived at 5pm and went walking around. Dropping our bags off at the bus station saying goodbye to Eddie and going for a snack at Young’s a restaurant in Taitung. We had something to eat and drink and wandered the streets aimlessly after Alicia, I-han and Cleo got their train to Tainan. Email addresses were exchanged and photo’s promised. Good friends departed and the wait continued. We probably walked past the same people in the streets 4 or 5 times in our wanderings, and images of them asking us if we were lost flashed by. Oh look dad, those foreigners again…. Oh look dad, those foreigners again!!!!! At about 10pm after sitting outside KFC for nearly an hour I went back to the bus station to read my book while the other three went shopping for pillows at the Working House, a bit like Boardman’s in SA. The bus finally arrived after we surfed the channels on a TV in the waiting room and competed with a guy that probably works there or knows the guy who does. This bus had individual seats in a row, so you had a huge lazy boy all to yourself with no one next to you. We all passed out pretty quickly and I was only awaken by the wild bus driver’s maneuvering skills through the mountains and narrow mountain roads at an amazing speed for such a big bus, that moved me from side to side in my chair! I woke up again at about 5:00 as we entered Taichung. We said goodbye to Teri and Abby and caught a taxi to Changhua, I was back in bed by 6:00 and woke up at 12:00. The day was bright with an unusually bright blue sky. We then heard that they have had downpour after downpour the whole weekend…..isn’t it amazing how the good weather just sticks to me on my trips to places! That’s why the air was so clear. Amazing the difference the blue air makes to the look of the city. Anyway, back to work but in a much better mood than usual. Everybody commented on our stunning red tans and broad smiles. Let’s see how long we can run on this regenerated energy.

Monday 16 May, I now officially have 2 months to go before my contract ends!

The time flew by and suddenly it was the next weekend. We wore our T-shirts to school to the great delight of the kids. “Teacher I see you!” was most of the comments jabbing you in the back as they scrutinize the photo. Melissa had packed her bags and we had our last breakfast together at our breakfast shop, where the owner was fascinated by my silver bracelets I always wear. I promised her I’ll have a look around to see if she can get it here in Changhua. Very few people here wear bracelets or much jewelry, not even many rings. So of course, me with all my silver, always attracted attention with the kids. “I want this!”

So the depressing action of saying goodbye and seeing Melissa off to Chiayi began on Saturday afternoon at about 1:00 She packed, and boy did she have luggage. Two big bags and two smaller bags with one on the side. I suppose I haven’t even started to see what mine will accumulate to. Anyway, we got a taxi and Eddie, our initial taxi guy rocked up to take us to the train station. We got our tickets, got on the train and off we went. One hour later we arrived in Chiayi and was helped by the passengers to off load the luggage, amazing how helpful people are here!! Anyway, Harris, her new boss, was waiting for us to take us to her flat. We got dropped off and met with Gloria, a Philippines lady that has been at the school for about 4 years and about 60 years old. Too cool. We got Melissa settled in and went for lunch. As we left the building gate the 3R3H was winking at us from across the road….how lucky s that and how weird. Our favourite place just outside her door as well. We had the usual chicken salad and a stunning Melon ice smoothie, must get the recipe! We met up with her third roommate Michelle who was busy on her laptop in the restaurant. A proper coo girl, but in a very good way. Aerobics, dancing and shopping!!!! We unpacked all her things out of my suitcase and it was nearly 6 o’clock already when we started walking to the train station to see me off. Me with my big green empty suitcase and Melissa. Said our goodbyes and she’ll visit within the next three weeks for the dragon boat festival on the 11 June in Lukang, a must see! So there I was on my own, back to Changhua, got off and walked home with my empty suitcase.

Life carries on regardless. It’s a blessing in disguise, don’t you think? No matter what happens to you, it moves on and goes by whether you grab and hang on to it with all your might, it slowly slips from your grasp and suddenly it’s the next day!!!

We have had hot and humid days, nothing like Durban in Feb but close in heat. Your laundry dries in half an hour! No tumble dryer needed! (Unlike Durbs!) The school’s reading competition is on Saturday when we dedicate our well earned free time of 5+ hours to listening to kids read on a Saturday from 12:30 to about 5:40pm.  Lovely, that’s why we’re here!!!!

Anyway, we’re planning some relaxing after it. Apparently a new started and will be starting on Monday next week. She has been kept under lock and barrel from us, probably trying to get her to stay at least a week before deciding to go! Shame!! Anyway, no matter, they need people as David is leaving in 5 weeks, me in 7 and the rest each month after! Trying to get things organised for Draco with the vet that Teri and Abby use for their dogs. I’ll have to sort him out by next weekend because he can’t fly if the vaccinations are done within a month of travelling, must be more than a month.

Things are happening fast and furious in my last few weeks. Feels like I’m running out of time to do the things I’ve wanted to. In two weeks or so is the Dragon boat festival….can’t wait!

I pulled all my strength from my various reserves and went to go and see Star Wars III, for the first time without my brother………big move for me!!!! This is a tradition that has lasted all of his 26years. We do big movies together….no questions asked!!! Definitely loses some of it’s appeal without him. I nearly poked a Chinese couple in the ribs sitting next to me to show him my excitement when going to see a long awaited movie!!! You can’t discus things and say “cool hey?” you know?, those important little interactions when watching a cool movie. Anyway, the movie soon gripped me and I lost track of all the 10 people in the cinema. I waited a while before going to see it because of the usual rush and I went to see it at 1:00pm on a Sunday! Much better! Next movie “Batman begins” starting 19 June!!! Can’t wait!!!

Got as sick as a dog on Saturday, had a nagging dry cough that’s lasted for about a week or so and suddenly at the internet café on Saturday evening, I nearly lost them all their clientele with my coughing…..just joking, it’s so noisy in there with each computer playing full blast through their speakers and each guy playing a different game! But my eyes were streaming and I had to leopard crawl to the fridge for a water!!! It calmed down a bit after that. I don’t know who’s battery ran out first, mine or the laptop’s. Went home and Sunday morning I had a cold! Amazing how it works here. It hits over the head in a matter of approximately 2 to 3 hours flat. This place and the air is no good! There is a vicious child sickness sweeping Taiwan and three kids have died already. It looks like a rash on the inside of the lip and on the hands and legs. Looks like irritated mozzie bites. Immediately the alcohol sprays come out, although it was said this doesn’t help. Some kids will show different parts of the disease although not all is fatal, a certain combination or level is though. So any sign and they’re whisked off to the doctor. A few of the kindergarten kids have displayed some symptoms and were treated as best they can. The problem with this one is that the adults become the carriers because our immune system is strong enough to fight it…….hope this is not a repeat of my chicken pox episode at 30 years old!!!!!!!! A childhood with a record breaking 0 typical childhood sicknesses and I get it from a baby at over 30 years old!!!! Go figure!!!! Anyway, I’ll watch the cold as this would probably affect my immune system a bit….gimme meds!!!!!!

  Taiwan Times vol 10 Vol.10 May 2005  The earth shook and my clothes swayed on the hangers. I’m sure it was just to say goodbye to April and the calm two months with no earth movement we enjoyed .…just reminding us that it’s still here under us, moving, breathing and changing.

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5/7/17, 3:33am - update pt3, just random odds and ends

it was so great to see my fam the other weekend.

Me taven and trusten all have the same hair and we’re like all about the same thickness now it’s weird lol. All jamming out to the new Kendrick, I felt Really in sync with the first time like ever. It was nice. Like even though we’re not the closest we still relate really well? maybe? I guess I don’t get to have too many real conversations.

Shit wait well our hair is a Little different, did I ever wrote that I followed through with getting it dyed? It’s like ‘barely blonde’ kinda gold, it’s super fucking sweet. might go a little lighter sometime this month, but yeah when I visited dar it lightened up so I Must’ve mentioned it. Trusten told me he loved it though so I feel super fucking accomplished. And Roxy did too, actually, and said that I was wearing my hair fine, so that’s fucking spectacular. I’ve literally gotten nothing but compliments lately hahah.

I was heckling trusten about him having a harem of girls smooching on him and he says “yeah sucks that they don’t know that I’m gay” and I responded “I mean I’m biflexible, it’s 2017 yknow” and he says “I mean it’s 2017. Of course.” Trusten’s too good at joking like how I do, I can’t get a real good read on what his actual thoughts are a lot of the time. And Taven, though he’s come miles, still doesn’t conversate the best. I have to drive the conversation and he’s all on board, but seems like he doesn’t know where to take it himself kinda. Though, to be fair, I was avoiding a lot of the little drama kid peeps because I don’t know what the fuck to say to them either. Maybe they feel the same? The only moments I kinda bonded with the new drama kids were where we memed a ‘longest yea boi’ and they were happy I joined in, and when I was congratulating people after the play and talking about random shit. Hunter said I made the one girl’s day just saying that she did great. I guess I just say to people what I’d want people to say to me? One of the seniors was bawling his eyes out for a long time after the play was over, I like hugged him for a bit and told him “don’t worry, you never really leave.” I’m not sure if that was even true. I feel like a totally different person from who I was in high school. I’ve practically gone around the moon and come back. But I think maybe that’s what I’d have wanted to hear? Idk maybe I just gave him shitty advice and people should just move on lol. Who knowsssssssssss I’m sure it didn’t hurt him hahaha.

Been jamming out to a bunch of new music. New sylvan esso finally dropped and it’s hot as expected. New Gorrillaz I’m not super into but the song trusten put on in the car for me I bump a lot lately. 

Found out my “a wise poet once said, other days other ways” might have been a rip off from School of Rock because there’s a line in the play that’s similar. I was hoping trusten was paying a personal homage to me, but ofc that wasn’t it lmao. He fucking kicked that play’s ass though. Everyone struggled on the guitar solos at the climax hahaha, but I wouldn’t have done any better for sure I fucking sucked at guitar when I was his age. His acting was so good, Hunter called him a better jack black than jack black. I think it’s the only play I’ve watched twice in a weekend hahah. 

Holy shit Brianna randomly messaged me, we’re gonna go on a date tomorrow. Everything in my life is going so fucking great, man. It’s like almost ominous lol when I first got to gboro I was like “is this even bad? My life seems like it’s going so well right now wtf.” I mean I have to get recertified and this whole work move is an upheaval for sure, but I guess from playing magic back as a kid I should know that an Upheaval isn’t always a bad thing for me.

sweeeet wish me luck on this date tomorrow I have to successfully wake up before 11 lol and also not blow things with her and also get the basket of clothes out of my back seat so she doesn’t make fun of me again lmfao. 

I guess I should get to work.

OH wait I forgot. So the beginning of this not-posting period I finally wrapped up BOTW. Got almost all the gear maxxed out, got all the shrines, smoked nearly a gram to myself and just played out the final boss and the cut scenes in the end game canon armor I felt sooooo fucking good about it. Everything was like perfect. Let Helena borrow the game after so it needed to be hahah.

Also I wanted to write about my first day in gboro because I thought it was lulzy.

Friday I was supposed to go to a work function/party at Frankie’s fun park at 4pm, so after the regular thursday post tournament safety shenanigans I got to bed at like 4, fell asleep by like 6, felt normal. Maybe it was 8 and I’m lying to myself to cover my ass but who knows. Ended up sleeping all the fucking way through friday until 9pm, woke up to a dead phone in a fucking panic that I was late for the first time in an eternity. Did my classic routine of running screaming through the house terrified that my life was over. Fonzi calmed me the fuck down and told me to just text my boss. I immediately went to default “sorry, i’m sick” text mode and he was just like get the fuck in here so I don’t have to stay. Wasn’t even really mad. Turned out just fine lol.  So I texted Ash that I was actually coming into town, reminded her to be up at 6:30 to let me in and she said she would. I texted her on the way home and she didn’t respond so I already figured she was gonna have a hard time getting up at best. So I get there, she doesn’t respond, I just start chilling on the porch, smoke some cigarettes, call every 15 mins or so. I got out of work late so I got there at 7 and she’s still not up at 10 so I run off to do get a prescription filled and am just mellow as fuck about it. She finally woke up when I came back about 11:30 and bless her fucking heart she had my bed set up and eye covers and sour patch kids and a bowl packed all set out just for me with a little handwritten cutesy note. She gave me a key and told me she loved me and that she was hungover and going back to sleep and we went to bed and I couldn’t imagine a better fucking start to this chapter in my life. 

Every day since has at the worst been alright (there was the day after doing coke where I was suuuuper hungover), but I’ve been getting drunk and chilling with people and meeting new people and having fun and I fucking love all of it. My life is awesome. Super glad I got to switch my days this week so I’d have thursday off so I could bro one last time with the Raleigh gang, too. It’s been real.

Alright I’m out of time, it’s 4:04, I’ve gotta actually do my work now. No promises when I update next, who knows. When my life is going well I don’t feel the urge to ponder things as hard so I don’t sit on the porch wanting to type shit out forever so idk forreal. But I anticipate some more wacky girl hijynx to happen and for me to get back into playing magic the gathering with Ash and Aaron, and everyone’s starting to take bets on when we have a threesome. So far the closest was when Ash was sick dying in bed and I rubbed her back and he made tea for us [read: not a sexy moment at all. But was really cute when Ash started telling me feelings about Aaron] so I doubt that 100% lmao. 

Anyway, I don’t really know what’s gonna happen for once, so I guess we’ll just see lol