#how to improve listening skills in Korean

[koreanstudyjunkie]

👂Korean Listening Tips: Improve Listening Skills

Tip Number One: listen to material that is on your level / listen to the right material

Listening to korean dramas as a beginner is usually not the best idea to effectively improve your listening skills. Youtube videos are the better option, because Korean used in youtube videos is actually used in real life. On the other hand, dramas are scripted and not as natural.

Korean dramas also have a lot of niche vocabulary. For example, if you watch a drama about hospitals words like “blood pressure” or organ names or anything else like that will appear often. That’s one of the reasons dramas can be hard to understand.

Lingq app is a good place to find stories that you can read and listen to at the same time. Podcasts are also very good for listening practice.

Music doesn’t count in my opinion. If you started studying like a month or a few weeks ago maybe, but at that point I think you are much too new to practice listening in the way I mention in this post. You should keep learning more vocabulary & grammar before attempting active listening. Of course listening to the language is good to help familiarize yourself with the sounds, but don’t expect to understand more than a word or two here or there at your very beginner level.

Tip Number Two: don’t be aftaid of subtitles

I am against using ONLY English subtitles (or subtitles in other languages besides Koresn) whilst practicing listening in Korean. Try using Korean subtitles while you watch youtube videos and while you watch your favorite Korean dramas. For very beginners, using subs in your native language could be a chance to understand more and get familiarized with how fast Korean is and the different sounds. I suggest watching once with Eng subs & again with Korean subs

Tip Number Three: read more

Reading and listening are one in the same - they both have to do with taking in context and interpreting what that context means. In other words, reading will improve your listening skills and vice versa. You should read and listen to improve your overall comprehension of the Korean language.

As with listening materials, try to find things that are on your level to read. Maybe reading Harry Potter books in Korean as a beginner aren’t the best for this unfortunately. Lingq & Naver Blogs are good places to find things to read. You can also go to wattpad and find some rather interesting stories in Korean. You can read webtoons as well.

Tip Number Four: take it slow

Nothing wrong with changing the speed of a video or a drama to understand it better. Koreans do speak rather fast and slowing down your audio can help a bit. I would say listen to it normally once and then again slower and then again normally. Or you could start slow and then go back to normal audio. Listening to things more than once is a good thing too. You’ll catch things that you didn’t the first time around.

Tip Number Five: change your mindset

Don’t aim to understand every single word and grammar you hear. If you can just get the gist of what is said - you’re doing great. Trying to focus on every word as it is said actually is what causes you to not be able to keep up with whatever audio you’re listening to.

A good tip also is to look at the mouth of the person while they are speaking - if their mouth is visible at least. You can also do this in real life conversations or just with online videos. This actually can really help you understand better although It may seem weird.

Another tip for understanding dramas would be alternating subtitles between your native language and Korean. For example, I watched Squid Game with my family in English subs, but went back to study on my own and watched with just Korean subs. So If you watch one episode with Korean/English subs first and then rewatch and switch it can help alot

📢[STORYTIME]

One of my goals was to understand Korean dramas - this was the first few months of starting Korean. I remember telling one of my friends that was studying with me at the time and she said “It’s gonna be a long time before you can do that”. And wow she was right. It’s like 5 years later and It’s still hard for me to understand Korean dramas😂 She stopped studying years ago, but here I am still chugging along.

I was watching this drama called “내일” or “tomorrow” on Netflix with just Korean subtitles. I could get the gist of a lot of things but there were also entire scenes (like 5 or so minutes at a time) 😬where I had no clue what was happening. I’ve been studying this drama as practice and I went through and broke down those scenese I didn’t understand🫢

But to be fair this drama is about grim reapers and death and I don’t know the vocabulary that well in that area😂 so I’ve learned a lot just from Episode 1. I have just moved to the 2nd episode and there are like 16 currently and more being added I think😳 I want to study the whole thing but I don’t know If I’ll stick to it that long lol

#한국어 #korean tips #how to understand Korean #how to improve listening skills in Korean #understand korean dramas #understand k-dramas #study korean #korean langblr #korean language #learn korean

[whatmakesagod]

Some things that have helped me (so far) on my journey to writing a novel

Caveat that I am not agented and am still writing. I'm just sharing what is helping me in case it might help someone else.

Writing a query after 10k. Nothing sucks more than getting 40k in and realizing that you don't actually have stakes. Or character motivations. Or a throughline. Or worse, all three are missing. If you are a pantster/gardener like me, it really pays to write until you've had a bit of time to get to know the world, plot, and characters and figure out what they are and what they are doing and then write a query. If you struggle to write it, you might need to pivot, especially if you realize all you have is events and characters passively doing things.

Be willing to let projects marinate. I'm not gonna talk about how many WIPs I have because that's a really embarrassing number. The amount of ideas marinating in the back of my head is even longer. When a project is just not working and you cannot force it, set it aside and give it more time. Come back to it when you're ready to tackle it; maybe you'll have new ideas and better ways to handle the subject matter or characters.

Writing short stories can be a great way to try things out. Want to improve your descriptions or combat scenes? Or maybe you really just want to get a better grasp on word choice and sentence variety. Maybe that idea can be developed further or maybe it's only meant to be a short story. Either way, the idea has been exorcised and you have a new project to develop your editing skills on on top of having worked on your other skills.

Do a reverse outline as you go. If you are not a plotter/architect, the idea of the outline can either be really scary or it can be counterproductive. If I write an outline before the work, I feel as if I've written it. The journey matters more to me than the destination and I lose all motivation if I have a finished, developed outline. Instead, I write a chapter and then jot down what the audience learns, what the characters learn/are revealed to have known, and the contents of the chapter. I also keep notes in a spreadsheet on characters, motifs, potential changes, themes, and worldbuilding details.

This is to my fellow pantsters: do not let yourself become too inspired by your New Favorite Thing when it comes to the WIP. Do not do it. Do not let the themes of infertility in the Witcher invade your retelliing of Snow White if you never had plans for it to be there without seriously thinking it over. Make a note, let it sit, and decide later when you are no longer as inspired. Sometimes it really can work and is the right choice. Other times...no. Mermaids do not belong in every project no matter much you love The Little Mermaid. Save yourself the grief of taking hard pivots you have to undo at a later date.

Not keeping everything in my head and writing it down. Things still in your brain are beautiful and perfect and are still so very malleable. You cannot possibly keep track of every aspect of your WIPs if it's only in your head and, worse yet, if you're anything like me, you cannot edit what you cannot physical see on the page. When it's on the page, then you can do the real work of figuring out if it actually works.

Regularly consume media from a variety of cultures, genres, and voices. Netflix has an incredible catalogue of works ranging from a Nigerian legal drama to a South African conspiracy teen drama to an Irish comedy about the Troubles and life under normalized violence to a South Korean historical zombie horror series. For books, there is a growing wealth of translated works from many different cultures and a sharp rise in diverse authors. Australia has it's own literary movements as does Japan and Brazil. There are more and more books by and for Queer and neurodivergent people. Even listening to music can help. It's important to see what groups outside of your own are doing in media and art, how they represent themselves and their identity/culture/history, and the kinds of stories they want to see and make. It might inspire you, but it's also a great chance to learn and help uplift other voices.

Reading. This is tied to number 7, but reading really cannot be understated. Read the age category and genre you want to write in. Read short stories professionally published online. If you do better with audiobooks, listen to audiobooks. Thankfully, more and more authors seem to be getting them.

Resources:

#writing #writing resource #writing improvement #writing life #writblr #writers of tumblr #amwriting #my posts

[pollyannaskiosk]

“about me” post

age: 20

major: translation & interpreting

foreign languages: english, korean

current course: 3

current location: Suwon, Korea (as an exchange student for 1 semester)

current classes in Korea:

Debate

-> English language classes, where we discuss issues and improve critical thinking skills. The key thing is to learn how to debate and present our ideas as well as arguments to support opinions.

Topic discussion

-> Another English language class which is similar to the previous one. However, here we just share our own opinions on the given matter without debating.

교양한국어 / Korean language

-> Classes of Korean language in a group of other exchange students. We cover all the aspects of language learning: lexis, grammar, reading, listening, writing. The level is 3급.

SNS

-> Here we are creating our personal brand and presenting it via social media platforms. Discussing methods for visualising our ideas, and actually do it.

#korea #exchange student #student life #studying #language #studyspo #light academia #university life #university #university student #university studyblr #university studyspo #university struggles #linguistics #fall #autumn #dark academia #light acadamia aesthetic #aesthetic #study motivation #study notes #study aesthetic #studyabroad #studyblr #study blog #studyinspo

[onlyoneofyouu]

I want to listen to music but i want to read books but i also want to read webtoons and mangas and watch animes and youtube videos and movies and tv series and dramas and i want to journal and make art and improve my drawing skills and writeee and i want to edit photos and videos and learn korean and japanese and french and be better at spanish and english and translate stuff and learn more psycology things but also to learn to cook especially those cute yummy dishes you see on pinterest and learn to take care of plants and learn how to use tarots and do lots of arts&crafts and diys like miniature houses and origami and clay and also curate specific accounts/blogs for most if not all these interests- but there's too little time and too many things i wanna do i can't do them all.

#if anyone has a solution to cure me from the multipotentialite disease i'd appreciate it 😄👍 #anyway #i know i have many years ahead of me so i'll hopefully have time (and money) to learn and do more/lots of these things but you get me.

[zorlok-if]

I got an ask recently inquiring about any suggestions I have on learning to write/improving your writing. Since then I've been trying to come up with a helpful, coherent, and relatively concise answer, but that's taking a long time.

So, for now I'd say my biggest piece of advice is the cliché: if you want to become a better writer, read (or watch/listen to/etc.) everything you can. Everything. Engage with media from as many different creators as possible and from as many different backgrounds/experiences/cultures as possible. Seek out things you don't know a lot about. Venture into new territory and always try to expand your horizons. This includes engaging with media you would never drift towards naturally, even towards things you don't expect to enjoy (which isn't to say read things that will disturb you or be dangerous for your mental health, more that you should try reading things you know you won't love or that fall way outside your genre comfort zone). You can learn a lot about writing from things you don't like or aren't blown away by. I imagine it like XP farming in a video game. Even if some of what you're doing/reading isn't particularly exciting or interesting, it'll level up your writing skill all the same. You may come away with a better understanding of what you don't like and don't want to do. You may come away with some new idea you wouldn't have thought to include in your normal body of work. You may discover a love for something you never expected. Who knows?

This advice applies to more than books—watch shows or movies, play games, listen to podcasts or free YouTube lectures/video essays, whatever you want. Just try to reflect critically on what you encounter (for example, "how can I incorporate (or avoid) ___ in my own writing?").

If you want any recommendations, I'm more than happy to give some. If you want me to clarify any of these points, just let me know. And since it may interest someone/provide a point of reference as to what stuff I'm reading, here's an incomplete, visual (and hopefully somewhat helpful or interesting) snapshot into some of the media I'm engaged with. I present to you...

All the Items I Currently Have Checked Out from the Library:

(A Cautionary Tale)

Currently Reading:

Hainish Novels & Stories, Volume One by Ursula K. Le Guin, Frank Herbert's Dune the Graphic Novel, Book One by Brian Herbert and Kevin J. Anderson (illustrated by Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín), Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir, American Gods (graphic novel) by Neil Gaiman, P. Craig Russell, and Scott Hampton, The October Country by Ray Bradbury, The Books of Earthsea, The Complete Illustrated Edition by Ursula K. Le Guin (illustrated by Charles Vess)

Just Read In or Found Through My Current Courses:

Nat Turner (graphic novel) by Kyle Baker, Beloved by Toni Morrison, Dogeaters by Jessica Hagedorn (play adaptation of the novel), Bad Indians by Deborah A. Miranda

Fun Stuff/Miscellaneous:

How to Slay a Dragon by Cait Stevenson, The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (2019), Neuroqueer Heresies by Nick Walker, Unmasking Autism by Devon Price, PhD, 100 Prompts for Science Fiction Writers by Leslie and Jarod Anderson

Writing Books:

How to Write a Mystery edited by Lee Child with Laurie R. King, On Writing Romance by Leigh Michaels, How to Write a Damn Good Thriller by James N. Frey, Writing Fantasy & Science-Fiction by Orson Scott Card, Phillip Athans, and Jay Lake, The Art of Time in Fiction by Joan Silber, Writing Without Rules by Jeff Somers, Fabulous Monsters by Alberto Manguel, The Art of Description in Fiction by Mark Doty, The Essential Guide to Freelance Writing by Zachary Petit, Beginnings, Middles, & Ends by Nancy Kress, Mastering Suspense, Structure, & Plot by Jane K. Cleland, 45 Master Characters by Victoria Lynn Schmidt

Cooking/Food Books:

Pure Vegan by Joseph Schuldiner, The Soup Book (new edition), Neuroenology by Gordon M. Shepherd, The Italian Vegetable Cookbook by Michele Scicolone, Wine Simple by Aldo Sohm with Christine Muhlke, Cook Korean! by Robin Ha (graphic novel)

Coding Books:

Sams Teach Yourself JavaScript in 24 Hours (7th Edition) by Phil Ballard, CSS: The Definitive Guide (4th Edition) by Eric A. Meyer & Estelle Weyl, CSS: The Missing Manual (4th Edition) by David Sawyer McFarland, Learning JavaScript (3rd Edition) by Ethan Brown

#36 books and 1 video game #(this is what working at a library does to you I guess) #on writing #resources #recs #queued #albie's corner

[autumniswonderingaboutspring]

Okayy soo Hey guys!! My first post on tumblr here~~ I'm gonna give an introduction about my self and tell about who I am so here we go!~

🌻• I'm a teenage girl from India, who loves reading, writing, listening and telling things, whether booms or music.

🌻•I'm a proud Hindu girl who deeply loves God and is proud of her culture🧡

🌻•I can speak, write and understand Hindi, English and Gujarati well. I can just read and write Korean alphabet yet, Im learning the words and grammar.

🌻• I also have a Youtube channel! I'll drop the link in my description its called 'Purple💜💜'. Im not active on it now but I'll comeback soon, I usually upload kpop and hp edits on this.

🌻• Bestie: @pluxyrainbow

🌻• I've also been a fan of animation since childhood so I am a HUGE fan of My Little Pony and Miraculous Ladybug, and I'm getting into anime and have watched alot of Disney and Pixar's stuff.

I am halfway through Death Note and Gakeun Babysitters yet, and I have just started One Piece.

🌻• My hobbies are dancing, singing(although im not good at it yet-), drawing, reading and listening music, I enjoy playing games and sports too. I'm a just started begginer at keyboard too.

🌻• I want to become a music idol and performer when I grow so Im trying to improve my skills day by day.

🌻•Im getting into working out recently(without equipments).

🌻•MBTI: ISFJ

🌻• To describe myself as a person, I am a kind and one of a kind(pun intended lol) person, I am very loyal and have strong morals and opinion. I never judge or bitch about anyone unless they actually are a bad person.

Even though I would hate a person due to how they treated me or how they treat others, I would never go to a extreme of wishing smth really bad to a person, bc at the end of the day we're all God's kids c'mon

Lets say I'm a picky extrovert or a loud introvert because it takes me time to open up to people(due to trust issues and safety measures yk), but when I open up, I JUST DONT STOP TALKING😭😭.

🌻•I love Harry Potter and am a very big Potterhead⚡️💙.

🌻•I love listening various types of musics.

🌻•I stan some Kpop groups as well:

BTS

Twice

Enhypen

Dreamcatcher

Onewe

And almost listen to every other kpop group.

🌻•I'll upload my Harry Potter and other Kpop group's profile soon to let yall know more about it in those ascepts.

Soo that's it for today bye guys see ya!🩷

#new on tumblr #about myself #me time #bts #harry potter #anime #one piece

[cleoras121]

Discovering the Key to Bright Skin: The Influence of Skincare Formulations

Preface:

Skincare aficionado Melissa explores a game-changing secret in her engrossing YouTube video that could transform skincare regimens for women between the ages of 40 and 65. With a sense of anticipation, Melissa shares a skincare trick that could revolutionize our routine and provide us with amazing, youthful-looking skin.

The beauty expert reveals her carefully planned morning skincare routine in this insightful YouTube video, which is designed for mature skin over 40. At fifty-five years old, she has a plethora of knowledge in treating a range of skin issues, such as sensitivity, dryness, and aging symptoms. She wants to tackle dark spots, sagging skin, wrinkles, redness, uneven texture, and enlarged pores with her program, embracing the idea of "youthful aging" done with dignity and resolve.

The Disclosure:

Melissa starts off by bringing attention to the startling statistic that 90% of women between the ages of 40 and 65 are ignorant of a game-changing skincare tip. She extends an eager invitation to viewers to find this undiscovered beauty that might completely transform their approach to skincare.

Comprehending the Fundamentals of Skincare:

In order to pique the interest of her audience, Melissa briefly discusses the specifics of her attire and accessories before getting into the main subject. She gives viewers a peek into her unique style with her jewelry and wardrobe choices while also making sure they can easily access product information.

Skincare's Fundamentals:

Taking the stage set, Melissa explores skincare essences, the core of the issue. Using skincare techniques from Korea and Japan as inspiration, she reveals the transformational potential of essences in obtaining youthful, plump skin. Melissa emphasizes the power of essences to hydrate and revitalize the skin from the inside out by defining them as thin, water-based formulations packed with components that plump up the skin.

Illustrating Usability:

Melissa provides a visual demonstration to demonstrate the effectiveness of skincare essences. The presentation highlights how essences prime the skin, paving the way for deeper penetration of future skincare products. She illustrates well-known essence formulas with potent components like urea, copper peptides, and fermentation extracts through a number of instances, each of which has special advantages for the health and vibrancy of skin.

*Useful Implementation and Suggestions:

Giving her listeners more authority Melissa provides advice on introducing essences into regular skincare procedures along with useful insights. From application methods to product suggestions covering various price ranges and compositions, she makes sure that viewers are equipped with the information and skills needed to confidently start their skincare journey.

Welcome to a New Chapter in Skincare:

As the film comes to an end, Melissa muses on the possibility for transformation offered by skincare essences, drawing inspiration from Japanese and Korean beauty customs. She relishes the chance to improve skincare practices and reveal the keys to glowing, youthful skin, and she urges people to embrace this skincare discovery.

My Own Skincare Experience:

The host, looking back on her personal skincare experience, recognizes the difficulties in preserving healthy skin in the face of aging, fluctuating hormone levels, and environmental variables. In order to create a customized skincare regimen, she stresses the significance of knowing one's skin type and specific concerns.

The Morning Routine for Cleaning:

Starting with a revitalizing Beauty by Josan cleanser, the presenter emphasizes how important it is to cleanse in the morning in order to get rid of any leftover oils and pollutants that have accumulated over night. She guarantees the best possible absorption of the next skincare products by getting rid of occlusive ones, laying the groundwork for a rejuvenating skincare regimen.

Making the Most of Essential Ingredients:

The presenter presents powerful formulations that are enhanced with salicylic acid, retinol, hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin C. She emphasizes how these ingredients work in concert to counteract different indications of aging. She debunks misconceptions about the effectiveness of vitamin C and promotes well-balanced formulas that produce noticeable effects without endangering sensitive skin.

Specialized Medical Care Regarding Rejuvenation:

In order to promote collagen formation, increase elasticity, and fight sagging skin, the host uses targeted serums, highlighting the importance of peptides and copper peptides in skin rejuvenation. She uses retinoic acid-infused eye creams and specialty moisturizing essences with extreme accuracy to target certain issues around the sensitive eye area.

Result:

The host thanks her audience for their support and participation as she wraps up her in-depth skincare lesson. Urging viewers to place a high priority on self-care and She encourages people to embrace the path of "youthful aging" with passion and commitment by providing skincare knowledge. She says goodbye, inspiring and empowering her audience to start their own skincare journeys, all the while pledging to continue sharing insightful knowledge and building a community of skincare enthusiasts.

To sum up, Melissa's film is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in skincare who wants to take their regimen to the next level. Through her exploration of the enigma surrounding skincare essences and their significant influence on skin health, Melissa encourages her audience to welcome a new chapter in skincare history, one in which women of all ages can attain glowing, youthful skin.

[spidertalia]

Meet my boy New Jersey !!

His human name is Daniel Burr, but he exclusively goes by Danny and will knock your lights out if you call him Daniel. He's physically 23 and is the 14th oldest state.

Danny has quite the personality. He's proud, hot tempered, confrontational, dramatic, sarcastic, loud, lively, sassy, blunt, good-humored, passionate, impatient, a jokester, hardworking, diligent, sociable, intelligent, quick-witted, sharp, snarky, fiercely loyal, honest, slightly cynical, pragmatic, analytical, industrious, outspoken and opinionated. He actually makes friends surprisingly easily and loves chatting up strangers, but he also loves starting fights and arguments with some of the other states. He lives for drama. He's very proud and has a very short temper as well. He will not hesitate to speak his mind on anything or call people out when they're being idiotic or irresponsible without regard for their feelings.

Some fun facts about him:

He's 5'5 or 165 cm in height. He's the third shortest male state, being taller than Rhode Island and Delaware.

He has roughly 3A hair

He speaks 18 languages fluently outside of his Indigenous languages, and is learning a further ten languages.

He can fluently speak English, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Mandarin, Cantonese, Hindi, Tagalog, Gujarati, Korean, Arabic, Polish, Greek, Haitian, Hebrew, Yiddish, Russian and French. He is currently learning and speaks some Yoruba, Ukrainian, Japanese, German, Lithuanian, Vietnamese, Indonesian, Turkish, Tamil and Telugu.

He's Hispanic. Specifically, mixed white and Indigenous.

He is pretty much constantly fighting with New York, Delaware and Pennsylvania. He also on occasion fights with Massachusetts and Connecticut.

He starts drama and fights on purpose, for the sheer fun of it.

He's surprisingly very competitive and loves to prove himself by being good at things. However, his confidence isn't unfounded; he's a genuinely hard worker who throws himself wholeheartedly into learning new skills and things. He may like to brag, but he absolutely earns the right to.

He is the second best cook of all the states, behind Louisiana. He knows 2-8 recipes from over 80 countries, and he has well over 500 recipes under his belt. Similar to how New York loves learning languages, New Jersey loves learning recipes.

He's actually an insanely skilled driver with impeccably fast reflexes, and is quite possibly one of the very best drivers. He just has a personal vendetta against every single traffic law and driver out there. He can make death-defying turns in the blink of an eye, and will absolutely cut people off on the road for simply looking at him wrong. He has negative patience on the road and gets road rage very easily.

He's a very skilled and very hard worker. He's great at getting things done and getting them done on time.

Despite his argumentative and hot tempered nature, he actually makes friends very easily. He genuinely enjoys chatting up random strangers on the street and having hour long conversations over any topic they can think of. He's a great listener and an engaging conversationalist.

He likes spending time outdoors and in nature.

He jaywalks on occasion for fun.

He cares more about his appearance than he lets on

He's naturally very stylish. He especially loves jean jackets and jackets with pins on them.

He will complain if he has to drive more than half an hour to get anywhere.

He's very skilled at machinery, engineering and mechanics. He can fix up cars, repair wiring, repair machinery and make home improvements.

He talks fast and works faster

Despite his pride in his appearance, he's generally unafraid to get his hands dirty or jump headfirst into nature.

He's actually good friends with Romano, despite what one might think. The two bond over hating people and loving pasta and pizza.

He has a New Jersey accent

He's also, strangely enough, friends with Florida. Any of his insults just roll off of Florida's shoulders, and the two eventually became friends thanks to their shared loud, lively personalities. Danny still likes to play bicker with him, though.

His hobbies are cooking, listening to music, tinkering and complaining

He will complain about pretty much anything and everything.

He played a big part in the Industrial Revolution, like Pennsylvania, and remains his skill with machinery and mechanics to this day. He's not nearly as into it anymore as Pennsylvania is, but he does find joy in fixing up old cars.

He collects old cars.

He is very sarcastic, snarky and quick-witted. He has a nickname for pretty much everyone.

He converted to Judaism sometime during-after the Revolution and has stuck to it since. He's very proud of it.

He's the 11th oldest of the 13 colonies, and was physically 14 during the American Revolution.

He stole one house from England during the Revolution.

He will fight England nearly on sight. It's best to not have the two in the same room.

His likes include: Music, bagels, pizza, Italian food, pasta, diners, Dunkin, hoagies, subs, pork rolls, dancing, drive-in theater, tomatoes, saltwater taffy, Wawa, wine, blueberries, cranberries, corn, cooking, latino food, latino music, Springsteen, Bon Jovi, machinery, engineering, Whitney Houston, Frank Sinatra, 70's music, partying, complaining, classic movies and old cars.

His dislikes include: New York, Delaware, Pennsylvania, England, slow people, slow drivers and traffic laws.

I will be including more/posting more about him later on !! This is just what I have so far :))

I lowkey took loose inspo for him from one of my favorite fictional characters (who's from New Jersey), Danny Williams from 2010's Hawaii Five 0. If you want some idea of NJ's energy, watch clips of Danny Williams sdfghj. (Them sharing a first name is a total coincidence)

#my art #spider's statetalia #statetalia #hetalia #hetalia oc #statetalia new jersey #aph new jersey #hws new jersey #hetalia art #hetalia state ocs #danny burr

[hwxnghyynjin]

Happier Than Ever

Pairing: yang jeongin x reader, hyunjin x reader Genre: angst, fluff, suggestive, slowburn Warnings: swearing, 2 makeout scenes, hyunjin has anger issues, Jeongin is an ass, alcohol consumption, Jeongin got beat up, implied sex Words: 7,788 Taglist: @alphadisaster @lee--felix @heeseongism

Ever since you were a child, you thought the term ‘best friends forever’ applied to everyone, including yourself. When you became friends with Jeongin, you thought you would be best friends forever. Unfortunately that wasn’t the case, which you found out during high school.

It was during your exam season, where everyone was stressed and on edge. You were in your room, revising for your upcoming exams, music playing quietly in the background. There was a sudden knock on your door, making you stop what you were doing. You got off the bed and went to open the door, and Jeongin was behind the door.

“Innie!”, you excitedly said, going to hug him. Unfortunately he rejected your hug, making you frown. You gave him a confused look before letting him inside your room, sitting back on your bed. “What’s wrong?”, your voice laced with confusion and worry, wondering what has upset the boy in front of you.

Jeongin scoffed, and that made you even more confused. “Are you really going to act like you don’t know what you did?”, his question threw you off, because you don’t know what he was talking about.

“Jeongin, I have no idea what you are talking about, please elaborate”, you were starting to get frustrated with him, since he didn’t even give you any context. “Remember the time I told you I was planning to sign up for a music programme? Yeah well, I signed up for it a few days ago. I was really looking forward to improving my singing skills and hopefully do something with music in the future. But unfortunately I can’t do that now, because you sabotaged it by scribbling my name out”, you were speechless by hearing his words, because you knew about him signing up for a music programme, but you didn’t scribble his name out.

You argued back and forth, you saying that you didn’t scribble his name out but Jeongin was adamant it was you because you apparently ‘wrote and signed that he shouldn't sing’. You tried telling him someone must have framed you for that, but he wouldn’t listen to you. It soon turned into a screaming match, the both of you screaming hurtful words to each other, to the point where your parents had to come upstairs and split the both of you apart. It ended with both of you in tears, and Jeongin saying he hates you, and left.

That was 5 years ago, and now you can’t stand him. You were friends since childhood, now you’re enemies. A part of you misses him but you wouldn’t admit that, especially after how he treated you that day. 

Luckily you have friends which you met on your first day at university, immediately becoming friends as soon as you met them. One was your roommate Lia, who you found out was doing the same major as you, which was psychology. You’ve always had an interest in psychology, ever since you took it as a subject in high school. 

For the first few months of university, you only had Lia as your friend, since you didn’t know anyone else and you were too awkward to talk to anyone. Well, that all changed when you met Felix. When you first met him, you thought he was Korean, until one day, the three of you were hanging out when you didn’t have any lessons, and Felix’s phone rang. When he answered it, he spoke in English, and his Australian accent appeared. You almost fell off the bench you were sitting on, making Lia laugh as she grabbed your arm.

The only times Felix speaks in English is when he talks to his family, or when he is with his best friend Bang Chan. You met Chan probably halfway through your first year of university, after your lesson had finished. You saw Felix talking to someone, so you decided to jog over to them and see who he was talking to.

You found out that Chan was 3 years older than you and he works at the local coffee shop near the campus. Ever since that day, the more you got to know him, the more you found out just how sweet and caring he is, and why Felix looks up to him. Well, and he’s also chaotic like Felix. 

Whenever you and Lia go to the local coffee shop Chan works at, you always see Felix there. When he wasn’t working, the both of them would be either doing fortnite dances (Felix and his love for fortnite always confused you) or talking about the latest video game. You’ve never met anyone who loves video games as much as Felix.

The three of you were currently in the cafeteria, eating your lunch. You were eating on a sandwich happily, the taste of cheese hitting your taste buds. Suddenly, the sound of loud laughter entered the room, making the three of you look in the direction of where it came from. When you saw the person who made the noise, your heart dropped and jaw clenched. Yang Jeongin. You turned back around and chomped on the rest of your sandwich before you packed up your stuff.

“Hey, where are you going?”Lia asked, confused as to why you were leaving so suddenly. You didn’t answer her, just gave an apologetic smile and turned around, heading towards the exit. You made it halfway towards the exit before you accidentally bumped into someone. Well, that someone being Jeongin.

“Watch where you’re going”, Jeongin said, before his eyes locked with yours. Everyone around you could feel the tension between the two of you. Your eyes narrowed as you bumped his arm with your shoulder, barging passed him and left the cafeteria.

As you were walking down the hallway, you heard the cafeteria door slam open, a pair of footsteps following you. “Hey! What the fuck was that for?”

“Fuck you Jeongin”, you said, not turning around and kept walking forward. 

--------------------------------

You were in your dorm room that evening, lying on your bed looking up at the ceiling. Lia was sitting on her own bed, texting someone on her phone. “Hey, can I ask you something?”, Lia suddenly asked, looking over at you. You sat up on your bed, crossing your legs. “Sure. What’s up?”, you replied, waiting for her question.

“What happened back in the cafeteria? You left so suddenly after seeing that guy walk into the cafeteria”, she asked and you sighed. She didn’t know what happened between you and Jeongin. You haven’t told anyone about it. Should you tell her? She asked about it so you might as well.

You explained to her about everything. How you knew him, how you used to be best friends since you were children up until high school, and how you had a massive argument. 

“Wait, let me get this straight. He accused you of sabotaging his chance of going into a music programme, scribbling his name out on the form and he wouldn’t listen to you? You mentioned that he said there was something written on it, supposedly by you. How was he so sure it was your handwriting?”, she did have a point there. Jeongin might have been too pissed to realise it wasn’t your handwriting. Unless someone forged it to look like you had written it.

“Anyway, it’s getting late. We should get some sleep. We have a long day tomorrow, with the Christmas party coming up. Can’t believe it’s almost Christmas and then it’ll be the end of another year before we know it”, Lia said as she got under her covers, getting comfy. You agreed, getting into bed yourself. After turning the lights off, you tried to drift off to sleep, hoping to have nice dreams.

--------------------------------

You were in the main hall where the Christmas party is going to take place, helping with putting up Christmas lights and banners, as well as helping anybody else that is struggling. You were in charge of making sure everything was in place and checking things off the list. Unfortunately, you weren’t the only one in charge. Jeongin was the other person in charge too, which you found out about 10 minutes ago.

It’s like the world was against you.

Luckily he was on the other side of the room, completely away from you. You had Lia and Felix to keep you company thankfully, so you wouldn’t go insane. “Oh, y/n, I want you to meet someone”, Lia said excitedly as you checked something off the list on your clipboard, looking up at her. You raised your eyebrow as she skipped away.

You walked forward, still looking at your clipboard. You weren’t looking where you were going and accidentally tripped over a wire. You waited for the impact of hitting the floor, but it didn’t come. Instead, you felt a pair of arms around you, helping you up. 

You looked at who your saviour was and you’re sure you stopped breathing for a moment. It was like time had stopped, and everyone in the room had disappeared except for you two. The way the light hit his face, making him look more ethereal, like an angel. The sound of angels could be heard singing in the background, a feeling of warmth coming over you. 

That was until you snapped back to reality and blinked a few times, looking at the guy in front of you. You cleared your throat, taking a step back. “Uhm, thank you for uhhh not letting me fall. I’m y/n, ok bye”, you dropped your clipboard and ran out of the room, hiding as soon as you turned the corner. Who was that beautiful specimen? 

After you had calmed down and came back to your senses, you walked back into the hall, everybody’s eyes on you. You walked back over to where your friends were, and awkwardly smiled. “Anyway, now that you’re back, y/n this is Hyunjin”, Lia introduced you to him, the guy who you were admiring not even a few minutes ago.

“Hi”, you said, tucking a piece of hair behind your ears while shyly smiling at Hyunjin. He also shyly smiled at you too, and oh my god, his smile was pure serotonin for you. You were sure an angel was born when he smiled. You wanted to see that smile every single day of your life.

“Before y/n ends up combusting, let's carry on with getting everything set up, shall we?”Felix said, you glaring at him, making Hyunjin laugh. Oh that laugh was such a beautiful sound.

What you didn’t know was that Jeongin was looking at you being all shy around Hyunjin, and he didn’t like that. He felt…. Annoyed? Why, he wasn’t sure why because he didn’t like you. He hated your guts. Didn’t he?

He walked over to you and grabbed your arm, pulling you to the side, ignoring your protests. “What are you doing? You’re supposed to be making sure everything for this party is getting done, not fucking flirting with someone”, Jeongin sounded annoyed, which pissed you off. He wasn’t your boyfriend, why does he care if you were flirting or not? Besides, he hates you.

“Why do you care about what I do? We don’t even like each other, so stop getting on my fucking nerves, get out of my ass and leave me alone”, you snapped, pushing him backwards slightly and walked back over towards Hyunjin. You didn’t realise how loud you snapped, so when everyone around the room looked at you, you just rolled your eyes. 

“Well, that was… oddly hot”, Hyunjin said out loud, which you assume he didn’t mean to because his eyes widened as he covered his mouth with his palm. You just continued to admire him and his cuteness. You’ve never met someone so cute. Ok that’s a lie when a whole Felix exists, but you saw Felix as a best friend while Hyunjin… you may have fallen for him.

-------------------------------

It’s the day of the Christmas party, and you were getting ready in your dorm room. You were unsure of what to wear, so you asked Lia to help you. You had two outfits laid out on your bed: a red suit with a white shirt, and the second outfit is a bit more casual, which was a red button up shirt, with a pair of black jeans. You weren’t a big fan of dresses, you preferred shirts and dress pants over them. 

You tried both outfits on, showing Lia both of them. She seemed to like them both, but in the end, you opted with the black jeans and red button up shirt. You paired the outfit with some jewellery, curled your hair, applied a bit of makeup, and slipped on a pair of chunky black heels. 

The both of you left your dorm room once you were ready, heading down to the Christmas party. The hall was filling up with people already, music playing loudly through the speakers. You saw Felix and Hyunjin in a corner, dragging Lia with you towards them. You admired how handsome Hyunjin looked in that very moment: grey ripped jeans with a striped shirt tucked in, doc martens and his black hair slicked back. You smiled at him and he smiled back, giving you a cup of what you assumed was alcohol. You accepted the drink off him and took a sip, a fruity taste hitting your taste buds.

Jeongin was on the other side of the room, a drink in his hand. He was surrounded by his friends, who were laughing and dancing along to the music. But all he could focus on was you. Was his feelings for you making an appearance again? No they can’t be, he buried them the day of the argument you two had. He hates you. And he will make sure you know it.

He downed the drink he had in his hand, threw the cup away and walked away from his group of friends. He saw a girl walking towards him, a girl the same major as him, called Karina. He stopped her by grabbing her shoulders, making her look up at him. He gave her a look that meant ‘please don’t hate me for this’, and kissed her. Luckily for him, she kissed back.

You glanced to the side of you, and that’s when you saw Jeongin making out with someone. You frowned, a pang of hurt in your heart. You don’t know why you were feeling like that, you don’t even like him. So you immediately thought of something.

You turned to Hyunjin, and patted his arm. “I’m so sorry this is so abrupt but, can I kiss you?”, you asked, making him choke on his drink. He composed himself and cleared his throat. You were expecting him to be shy about your sudden question but instead, he gently grabbed the side of your face and pressed his lips against yours. His lips were so soft and pillowy, moving gently and slowly against your own.

He pulled you closer to him, wrapping an arm around your waist, your arms wrapping around his neck, the kiss getting deeper but still sweet. It was supposed to be a simple short kiss, but you ended up making out for a few minutes. Hyunjin was the first person to part from the kiss, pulling away with a string of saliva.

You just looked at each other for a moment, not saying a word, before pulling him in for another kiss, this one less sweeter than the previous one. You tugged on the hair at the nape of his neck, your other hand gripping the material of his shirt. His hands were wrapped around your waist, holding the middle of your back.

Your attention was only on Hyunjin at that very moment, forgetting about everyone else around you, only thinking about how soft his lips were. You needed a break for air so you pulled away, panting heavily as you caught your breath. You could still taste him on your lips, which was a combination of fruity alcohol and his chapstick.

“That was…”

“Amazing?”

You both chuckled as you agreed with him. You’ve never experienced a kiss like that before, and you felt like you were on cloud 9. You looked over at Jeongin, but he was nowhere to be seen, which made you frown. You were hoping he would have seen you making out with Hyunjin, but guess that didn’t work out. Well, that didn’t really matter right now.

“Are you two finished making out now?”Lia asked as you both looked at her. If you were being honest, you completely forgot her and Felix were there, making you laugh. “Sorry, I guess we both got carried away”, you said, looking up at Hyunjin with a smile, him smiling down at you in return.

For the rest of the night, the four of you danced along to the music, Hyunjin’s hand not leaving your waist. You looked like a couple with how close you two looked. You weren’t opposed to that idea, but you wanted to be sure Hyunjin was comfortable with that. But with the way he was being really close and touchy with you, you were sure he felt the same way. 

--------------------------------

It’s the day after Christmas, and you’re sitting in the coffee shop where Chan works, Hyunjin sitting opposite you. By the way he was acting all shy and fidgety, you knew he wanted to ask you something, but you didn’t want to push him and end up scaring him off. So you continued to sip on your hot chocolate, waiting for him to say something, but if he didn’t, you’d speak up.

It had been a few minutes and Hyunjin still hadn’t said anything, so you took matters into your own hands. “I think I have a feeling what you are going to say, and I really hope I’m not thinking something completely different to what you’re thinking because that would be embarrassing, but the answer to your question is yes”, you said, smiling gently at him. 

Hyunjin smiled widely, his eyes turning into crescents and his teeth showing. He looked so cute in that moment that you wanted to reach over the table and squeeze his cheeks. So that’s what you did. You squished his cheeks between your palms, a laugh leaving your mouth at how fucking cute he is.

You got up to leave the coffee shop, bidding Chan goodbye, and held hands. Hyunjin’s hand engulfed yours, your hand looking tiny in his big hand. You were about to leave when the door suddenly opened, the bell chiming to announce their presence. You frowned when you saw it was Jeongin and Karina, noticeable hickeys on both of their necks. You gave them a look of disgust, rolling your eyes. Jeongin noticed you and Hyunjin, and stopped laughing. He saw you were holding hands and scoffed.

“Are you together now then? I’m sorry that you have to date such a bitch”, Jeongin said to Hyunjin, making you scoff. Hyunjin just stood there, processing what Jeongin just called you. He didn’t even think twice as he hit him, making you gasp. 

“Listen here. I don’t know what you have against y/n, but don’t you fucking dare insult her. She’s the sweetest person ever, so you better watch your mouth”, Hyunjin’s voice dropped an octave lower, making you shudder as you’ve never seen him like that before. He grabbed your hand again and left the coffee shop, pulling you along with him. 

“I’m so sorry about that, Jinnie. I didn’t even expect him to be there”, you said, trying to calm Hyunjin down by rubbing your thumb against his hand. He took a deep breath and brought you in for a hug unexpectedly, making you gasp. The hug was warm, you melting into it. You buried your face into his chest, wrapping your arms around him.

The hug only lasted for a few seconds, Hyunjin pulling away as he kissed the top of your head. “I’m sorry that I reacted like that. I just didn’t like how he spoke about you, it angered me”, he explained with a sigh, feeling frustrated with himself for the way he reacted. 

Ever since he was younger, Hyunjin has always struggled with his anger. Some days it was easy to deal with while other days, he lashed out for the simplest of things. He’s been to numerous therapists regarding his anger issues, and nearly every single one couldn’t cope because he would lash out and nearly hurt them.

Until his parents found one therapist who managed to calm Hyunjin down, helping him. He only lashed out once, throwing a chair across the room. The therapist didn’t do anything, just letting him release his emotions until he calmed down on his own. After that, Hyunjin seemed a lot calmer and more in control of his anger, more happier in himself.

Since his last meeting with his therapist, he hasn’t had an outburst in a while, his last one being 5 years ago. Yeah, he might have the odd moment when he’s annoyed, but not to the extent of hitting something or someone. Until today. And he hated himself for it.

You held his hand, reassuring him that it’s fine and he shouldn’t feel bad about it, nor should he hate himself. 

If only you knew just how bad his anger issues could get. And he’s terrified about hurting the one person he loves most: you.

--------------------------------

It’s New Year's Eve and as soon as you arrived at the party (which was held by one of the people on campus, you think his name is Han Jisung), you immediately went over to the alcohol. You let go of Hyunjin’s hand, the warmth of yours leaving his palm. He watched as you made your way through the crowd and towards the kitchen, wandering after you to make sure you didn't end up drinking yourself to death.

The past few days have been stressful after the encounter you had with Jeongin. What Jeongin doesn’t know though is that you have proof that you didn’t sabotage his chances of getting into a music programme. After Jeongin left your house that day, you shut yourself away in your room, crying your heart out. After you calmed down, you spoke to numerous people in your school, asking them if they knew who it was that framed you.

Unfortunately everyone you spoke to had no idea, and you were about to give up when suddenly, you got a message from an unknown person. You were hesitant to open it, but your curiosity got the better of you and opened it. What greeted you shook you to your core.

There were pictures of the person who framed you, taken at the moment of Jeongin’s chances of joining a music programme being sabotaged. You could see the person’s side profile, and it was slightly blurry, but you knew exactly who it was.

Every time you tried to confront Jeongin about it, he shrugged you off or just completely ignored you, shoving your shoulder as he pushed past you. You just ended up giving up trying to confront him, realising that you’ll never get Jeongin to hear you out.

5 years later, you find out that you still have the pictures saved on your phone which you’re glad about. This was the night that you were finally going to confront Jeongin about it. You didn’t care if it ruined his relationship because as it turned out, the person he’s in a relationship with is the same person who sabotaged his chance of getting into the music programme.

You filled up a red cup with vodka, downing it in one. The taste of vodka used to make you gag, the burning sensation making you feel sick. Now, you like the taste, the burning sensation not bothering you as you drank more of it. 

The more you drank, the more you felt your worries disappear from your mind, leaving you feeling buzzed and happy. “Hey, slow down otherwise you’re going to make yourself sick”, Felix said as soon as he saw you, Hyunjin standing beside him, a worried look on his face. 

“No offence Felix but I don’t care”, you didn’t mean to sound harsh but you were pissed off at yourself, at Jeongin, at the world. Did the world hate you or something? You wanted to scream but you couldn’t so you drank instead.

Luckily Hyunjin managed to pull you away from the alcohol, deciding you had drunk enough, seeing you stumble over. You protested at first but realised it was no use, giving up and allowing Hyunjin to pull you out of the kitchen.

As soon as you left the kitchen, you saw Jeongin in a corner with Karina, and you don’t know what came over you. You ripped yourself from Hyunjin’s grasp and made your way over to them. Both of them saw you making your way towards them, a confused look on their faces.

You grabbed Jeongin by his shirt, startling him. You hit his chest multiple times before slapping him across the face. Everyone’s attention was on you, the music still playing in the background. 

Jeongin took his hand off his cheek, a red mark visible on the skin. “What the fuck was that for?!” he sounded pissed, and you just scoffed. You don’t know where this sudden confidence came from, maybe it was the alcohol getting to you, you’re not too sure, but it felt good.

“You’re pathetic, you know that? The whole reason why we hate each other is pathetic. Have you tried growing up for once? It might help you come to your fucking senses”, your words were slurred but you didn’t let that stop you. 

“What are you talking about?” his voice was full of confusion which pissed you off even more. “That day we had that argument about your stupid chance of getting into a music programme being sabotaged. It’s such a stupid thing to have an argument about, isn’t it? We were teenagers and stressed about exams, so tensions were high. Do you still think it was me who did it?” At this point, you had tears in your eyes.

Jeongin looked deep in thought, like he was processing what you just said. He just ended up scoffing and crossed his arms. “I bet you don’t even have any proof”, he said, chuckling to himself, his friends around him laughing with him. The only person who wasn’t laughing was Karina. You just stared at her, making her feel uncomfortable under your gaze. 

Without saying a word, you reached into your pocket and pulled out your phone. Jeongin stopped laughing as he saw you scrolling through your phone. You showed him your phone, and Jeongin’s eyes widened when he looked at what was on the screen. He recognised that the person in the picture wasn’t you, and that you were indeed framed by someone. You were telling the truth about not ruining his chance of getting into the music programme.

He felt numerous emotions at once. Anger, guilt, confusion, sadness. He slowly turned his head to look at Karina, his blood boiling. She had a smirk on her face as she realised she had been found out. She can now finally drop her ‘nice girl act’.

Everything suddenly started kicking off between Jeongin and Karina, their shouts being heard over the loud music. You stumbled through the crowd, heading towards the door to leave. You didn’t have the energy to face anyone right now, you wanted to go back to your dorm and sleep. 

Hyunjin gently held your waist to make sure you didn’t fall, you leaned into him. He told the others that he was taking you back to your dorm since he didn’t want you to go back by yourself, especially in the state that you were currently in.

The sound of your heels clicked against the pavement, quiet sobs leaving you. “I’m sorry I ruined your night, Jinnie”, you sniffled, feeling guilty about how you reacted. He reassured you that it’s fine, and that he’s glad you managed to confront Jeongin, even if it did take years. 

You got to your dorm room safely, Hyunjin using the key that Lia gave him (Lia knew how forgetful you were so she brought her key just in case you forgot yours), and he managed to unlock the door with one hand, his other hand holding you. 

He made sure you wiped your makeup off and got changed into your pyjamas before tucking you into bed, putting a glass of water and some painkillers on your bedside table for you. He pressed a kiss on your forehead before leaving, closing the door quietly behind him.

-------------------------------- 

You were woken up by a loud knocking on your door. You didn’t know what time it was, but you were sure it was early in the morning since it was still dark outside. You sat up and rubbed your eyes, a slight pain in your head. You turned your lamp on, seeing a glass of water with some painkillers next to it. You also noticed that Lia wasn’t back, so you assumed she was still at the party. The knocking continued so you decided to get up with a groan. “Ok ok, I’m coming, calm down”, your voice croaky.

You opened the door, and you were not expecting Jeongin to be on the other side of it. You gasped as you saw the state he was in: a bloody nose, bruises on his face, a busted lip. Yeah, you may hate each other, but you weren’t going to leave him like that. 

“What the fuck happened?!” you asked as you brought him into your dorm, putting your arm around him to help him. You sat him on your bed and went to grab your first aid box. Jeongin watched your every movement, twiddling with his fingers. He glanced at your face, the light from the lamp gently hitting your face, how your eyes sparkled, the pink flush on your cheeks, how your tongue pokes out when you’re concentrating on something. 

“So, are you going to tell me what happened?” you asked as you wiped the blood off his face, making him wince. He seemed hesitant about answering your question, but he didn’t want to annoy you even more.

“As soon as you left the party, me and Karina had an argument, and I broke up with her. I was even thinking about leaving the party but before I could, Hyunjin came back and he looked pissed. He came up to me and grabbed me and hit me numerous times”, just hearing him say that made you stop what you were doing. Hyunjin did this to him?

You continued cleaning his wounds without saying anything, your mind going back to what he said. Was he telling you the truth? Did Hyunjin really do this to him? I mean, he seemed to be telling the truth.

You finished cleaning his wounds, putting the wipes in the bin and put the first aid box back in its place. “Ok, you can leave now”, as much as you felt bad for him, you didn’t want to be around him at the moment. You didn’t want to be around anyone to be honest, you just wanted to be left alone.

Jeongin got up off your bed and went to leave, but ended up stumbling and falling. Without thinking, you caught him before he fell to the floor. You didn’t realise how close you were to him until you looked up, his face really close to yours. You immediately let go of him, taking a step back. You cleared your throat and stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to do.

“I’ll, uhm, get going now” and at that, he left, closing the door behind him. Have your feelings towards Jeongin changed? And how are you going to act around Hyunjin after knowing what he did?

--------------------------------

The moment you saw Hyunjin, you didn’t know what to do. Do you avoid him? Or do you pretend like everything is ok? You decided on the second option, faking a smile and walking up to him.

“Hey, darling”, a few days ago, his words would have made you blush but now? They didn’t have an effect on you. He kissed your cheek and held your hand, squeezing it. “Since we didn’t get our New Year's kiss, can I give it to you now?” he asked, standing in front of you. He didn’t give you a chance to say anything as he pressed his lips against yours. The sparks that you once felt had gone, the butterflies in your stomach had disappeared, and you didn’t feel anything in the kiss. It felt empty. 

Hyunjin pulled away after a few seconds, looking down at you with a face of concern. “Are you ok?” he asked, holding your cheek in his palm. That’s a stupid question, of course I’m not ok, you dimwit you thought to yourself. Instead of replying, you sighed and started walking away from him. 

“Hey, where are you going?” he asked while following you, trying to hold your hand again but you pulled your hand away from him. He narrowed his eyes at you, a look of annoyance on his face. If you were being honest, that look scared you.

“Can I ask you something? And you must answer it honestly”, you asked him, standing in front of him now. He nodded his head while waiting for your question. You took a deep breath before speaking again. 

“Did you attack Jeongin last night?” you asked, hoping that he didn’t and that Jeongin was lying to you, but you wanted to be sure. Hyunjin scoffed at your question and laughed. “Did Jeongin tell you that? What a snitch”, his voice sounded different, it wasn’t his usual kind one, it was now full of venom and annoyance.

“Answer the question”, you sounded annoyed now, just wanting to know the truth. “So what if I did? He insulted you and I didn’t like that”, he tried to reason with you, but that didn’t excuse the fact he beat him up.

“Hyunjin, you can’t just beat up people who say something that you don’t agree with! Sometimes you just have to ignore it and move on”, you raised your voice a bit, and Hyunjin didn’t like that. He felt his anger starting to take over, but he didn’t do anything to stop it. 

“I’m sorry but I can’t do this anymore. I want to break up with you”, you said and turned around, walking away. You didn’t get far though as Hyunjin grabbed your arm, turning you around. “You’re breaking up with me? Because I beat up the person who made your life hell?”

“I’m breaking up with you because you’ve changed. I thought you were sweet and kind to everyone, but turns out you’re just an angry person and I think you need to focus on yourself right now, so breaking up is the best thing. Also I think my feelings for you have changed”, you confessed, and you felt a weight lift off your shoulders. 

You saw Hyunjin raise his hand, and that terrified you. You closed your eyes, a single tear falling down your cheek. You waited for the moment where his hand came into contact with your cheek, but it didn’t come. You opened your eyes and instead, you saw Hyunjin on the ground, Jeongin on top of him.

He started hitting him over and over, and you froze on the spot. Suddenly, you felt a pair of arms around you, and you saw it was Felix. You buried your face into his chest and started crying, his hand rubbing up and down your back. The sound of punching and shouting caught everyone’s attention around you, a crowd of people coming to see the commotion. 

You wanted it all to stop, your grip on Felix tightening as your tears continued streaming down your face. You wanted to scream, tell them to stop fighting but you couldn’t speak. All of a sudden, there was a loud booming voice coming from behind you, gaining the attention of everyone, including yourself. 

You turned around and saw your lecturer, splitting Hyunjin and Jeongin up. You never felt so relieved to see him in your life, loosening your grip on Felix. Once he made sure they weren’t going to start fighting again, he walked away, not even asking you if you’re ok. Not like you cared anyway.

--------------------------------

You were on your way to your lecture when Jeongin suddenly stopped you. He was out of breath as if he just ran a marathon, hands on his knees to catch his breath. 

“You good?” you asked as Jeongin stood up straight, his hands on his hips. “I should be asking you that”, he said, taking a step closer to you. You didn’t know how to answer that question because even you didn’t know if you were okay or not.

“Why did you stop Hyunjin?” you changed the subject immediately, going straight to the point. Jeongin stood there, processing what you just said. “He was literally about to hit you, why wouldn’t I stop him?” he answered as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Besides, we may hate each other but I think a part of me still cares about you”.

That sudden confession made you feel all warm inside but you didn’t want Jeongin to know that so you brushed it off.

“I appreciate it but, please don’t waste your time on me, it’s not worth it”, you said before walking away, leaving him standing there. You were conflicted with your feelings towards him right now, and it was frustrating you.

You were now sitting in class, Lia next to you, who was paying attention to the lecture, unlike you. You were thinking about Jeongin’s words, how a part of him still cares about you. You didn’t know what to do. Do you still hate him? You’re not sure at this point.

You suddenly felt a small jab in your side, startling you. You looked to your left and saw Lia looking at you, a concerned look on her face, as if to say ‘are you ok?’ You just gave her a small smile, not wanting to worry her.

“Hey, Jisung is having a small gathering at his place this weekend. It’s only a few people, you wanna join us?” she asked you, and you accepted her offer. It might take your mind off things.

--------------------------------

You were standing in front of Jisung’s place (Lia texted you the address) and knocked on the door. You found out that Lia and Jisung were dating after hearing Lia talking on the phone with him, the words ‘I love you’ leaving her mouth before ending the phone call. After she put her phone down, you tackled her to the ground in a hug, squealing like a little girl.

The door opened, revealing Jisung. His fluffy brown hair hiding under a baseball cap, his black hoodie paired with grey sweatpants, a pair of white socks on his feet.

“Ah, you must be y/n, I’ve heard a lot about you from Lia. Come in”, he sounded so polite and that put a smile on your face. You followed him inside, and saw Lia sitting on a couch. You walked further into his apartment, noticing how tidy and cosy it was. 

What you weren’t expecting, however, was seeing Jeongin there. You stood there, glancing at each other. You usually see him wearing hoodies and sweatpants, or ripped jeans and leather jackets, so it was strange seeing him wearing shorts and a tank top.

You didn’t realise you were staring at his biceps until you heard a cough coming from Jisung. “Uhm, what are you doing here?” was the first thing you said when you saw him, and you realise just how stupid you sound.

“I live you, stupid”, he replied before shoving doritos in his mouth, sitting on an empty seat. Great, now you had to be in his presence for the rest of the day.

--------------------------------

You don’t know how long you’ve been there, but everything suddenly becomes a blur after you’ve had a couple of drinks. You never felt so happy in your life until that very moment, laughing with Lia. You don’t even know what you were laughing about. Did Jisung say something funny? Did Lia tell you something embarrassing? Did Jeongin make you laugh? Or was it the alcohol making you laugh at literally nothing?

Jeongin watched as you let yourself go. You looked so free in that moment, he felt himself smiling slightly. The way your eyes scrunched into crescents as you laughed, the way you threw your head back into the back of the couch. He can’t remember the last time he laughed like that. Like, a genuine laugh. 

He got up off the couch, catching everyone’s attention.

“y/n, can I talk to you? Please?” the way he sounded so desperate tugged at your heartstrings. You got up off the couch and followed him, walking into his bedroom. He closed the door behind him, turning around to see you sitting on his bed.

“What did you want to talk about?” you asked him, looking at him with gentle eyes. Your hands toyed with a plushie on his bed, feeling the softness of it on your palm. You picked it up and squeezed it, the fox plushie being squeezed between your arms.

Jeongin got distracted by how cute you were at that moment. The way you played with the fox plushie was like watching a child play with a stuffed animal. He forgot what he was going to say, focusing on you, but he soon snapped back to reality.

“I wanted to say sorry”, he confessed, his confession stopping you from what you were doing, your attention going back to him. “I’m sorry for how I’ve treated you. For not listening to you, for treating you like shit. I’m sorry for being such a shitty person”, his confession made you well up, the words you’ve wanted to hear him say for such a long time.

“I guess I did need to grow up and come to my senses. It helped me realise how stupid I was being”, you were standing in front of him now, and you saw he had tears in his eyes. You’ve never seen him so vulnerable before, not even when you were best friends as teenagers.

“It made me realise how much I missed being your best friend and how much I missed being around you. I know you probably won’t forgive me but I just wanted you to know that I’m so fucking sorry for being such an asshole these past 5 years”, you were both crying at this point, your sobs filling the room.

You don’t know what came over you, maybe it was the alcohol or the emotions you were feeling at that very moment but, you lunged yourself at Jeongin and kissed him. Jeongin’s eyes widened, startled by the fact you kissed him. Before he had the chance to kiss you back, you pulled away, thinking he didn’t feel the same way.

“I’m sorry, I don’t know what came over me”, you said, feeling embarrassed about kissing him. That embarrassment soon disappeared though when he kissed you, holding your face gently. Your lips moved against each other, your hands going around his neck as his hands moved to hold your waist, pulling you into him.

The kiss got more heated as the seconds went, Jeongin moving forward, pushing you back onto his bed, your back hitting the duvet beneath you. ‘I love you’ and ‘I’m sorry’ left his mouth numerous times, kissing along your neck and collarbone, squeezing your hips. Your eyes rolled back as he sucked on your sweet spot, fighting the urge to make a noise. The last thing you remember is Jeongin whispering in your ear how much he wants to make you feel good.

--------------------------------

You woke up in an unfamiliar room, your head pounding. You sat up, or at least tried to, seeing an arm across your stomach. You also noticed that you’re wearing a white t-shirt (which was definitely not yours), your legs aching. Images of last night flashed in your mind: your sweaty bodies against each other, lingering touches, noises coming from the both of you which were not so innocent.

The body next to you moved around, sitting up beside you. His hair is a mess, hickeys visible on his neck and chest. He looked so cute yet so hot.

“Good morning”, his deep voice resonated in your ear. God, you could listen to that for the rest of your life, it sounded so beautiful. He got up out of bed, the only thing he’s wearing was a black pair of boxers. Even though it was still slightly dark, you noticed something on his back.

“Holy shit, did I do that?!” you yelled, noticing scratches up and down his back. You didn’t know you were capable of doing that, so you were surprised. Not that you minded, he looked hot with scratches on his back. Not that you would tell him that.

“Do what?” he asked confused, wondering what you were on about. You got up out of bed, pushing him in front of his mirror, showing his back in front of it. He also noticed the scratches on his back, his eyes widening. 

“Well then. If I knew you could do that, I wouldn’t have waited so lon- OW OW OW OK I SURRENDER”, he yelled as you started whacking him with a pillow. You only did that because you were embarrassed.

“So, what does this mean then? Like, does this change things between us?” you asked, hoping things wouldn’t be awkward between the two of you. “Do you feel the same way as I do?” Jeongin asked, referring to your feelings for him. You nodded, finally coming to terms with your feelings towards him. You were most definitely in love with him.

“Well then, would you like to be my girlfriend?” he asked, a cute smile on his face, his pearly whites showing. You smiled back, nodding as you kissed his cheek. You felt so happy. You could finally forget about everything that happened and focus on your relationship with each other.

--------------------------------

“You guys were doing it so roughly and so loudly, I thought someone was being murdered”

#stray kids imagines #stray kids scenarios #stray kids angst #stray kids fluff #stray kids x reader #stray kids #jeongin imagines #jeongin scenarios #jeongin angst #jeongin fluff #jeongin x reader #jeongin

[bieups]

Langblr Reactivation Challenge: Week 2 Day 6 - Study Tips

This is such a great prompt because the langblr community is full of vocab. lists and motivational “keep studying” posts, but we don’t always explain how to study.

So here are some ways to practice each of the four skills: reading, writing, listening, speaking. These exercises aren’t exclusive to studying Korean and I tried to give methods that can work for beginners & beyond~ [Warning: this post is very long]

:readmore:

Reading

Step 1: Get comfortable reading Hangul

A really common way to increase your Hangul reading speed is to do karaoke aka sing along with song lyrics. This helps because you’re forced to keep up with the speed of the song, which pushes you to read a little faster than you would by yourself. Start with something slow and clear! Note that this isn’t about understanding the lyrics, you’re just practicing sounding out Hangul. This youtube channel puts the lyrics on screen and has a lot of slower songs that are perfect for reading practice :)

Next Step: Reading for Comprehension

Now let’s talk about reading with the goal of understanding. First, find something to read. Ideally, you want a text that has some unknown words/grammar, but not something that’s so difficult you’re having to look up other every word. (This is Krashen’s input hypothesis theory, if you want to get nerdy about it)

Once you’re reading, don’t stop and immediately look up every single unknown word. Try to use context clues to guess what the word might mean. What part of speech is it? Does it appear again on the page? Does it seem similar to a word that you do know (like maybe it has the same prefix or syllable or something like that). How much of the rest of the sentence/context can you figure out without knowing that word?

Then go look up the unknown word(s) and see how they fit into the sentence(s). Compare your initial guesses to the actual meanings.

Another great resource for reading comprehension (that I think is often overlooked) is the TOPIK. There are so many free practice tests online/in apps, and being able to check your understanding by answering the questions is super helpful. I definitely recommend adding some TOPIK questions to your study routine, if you haven’t already~

Writing

Step 1: Handwriting

I’m assuming you take notes while studying new grammar patterns or vocabulary, so I want to recommend handwriting those notes! The act of writing new words helps your brain to remember them. For Hangul, make sure to learn the proper stroke order and keep your handwriting more legible by centering the syllables in between the lines on the page (don’t sit them on top of the lines like we do in English).

Next Step: Putting Your Thoughts Into Writing

A common tip for writing is to keep a diary, and this is a great way to practice & improve! My two tips for this are: 1. you need someone to, at least occasionally, check your writing for errors and 2. don’t write in your native language and then translate, try to use your target language from the beginning.

If you never check your writing for errors, you might end up using a grammar pattern or word incorrectly simply because you misunderstood it. If you don’t have a tutor/teacher, there are places online you can post your writing and ask others to check it.

Writing in your target language can be frustrating when your skills are so basic compared to your native language, where you sound smart and natural. But if you want to get comfortable writing (& speaking!) in your target language, you need to get your brain comfortable with making sentences in your target language. So start with what you know! What can you write with the language you already have? Treat this writing exercise as a time to practice using the language you’ve already studied, not as a time to learn a bunch of new words & grammar.

Once you’ve got some sentence building skills, writing can help show you what you’re lacking. When you encounter something you want to write about but can’t think of a way to do it with the language you have, figure out the missing piece. Do you need the word for something or more grammar? Find out how to express what you’re thinking! When you find the word/grammar you need, make sure you check the definition (not just the translation) and example sentences to make sure it’s really the language you need. Then practice using it in your diary!

Listening

Step 1: Hearing the Words/Sounds

This exercise is called diction and I haaaated doing it in language school but it is super effective for practicing listening, spelling, and improving your short term memory…all important things for language learners.

Get an audio clip, preferably something that has a transcript or subtitles you can check later, and then listen to it while writing down exactly what the speaker says. Start with a single sentence and repeat it as many times as you need. If you don’t recognize a word, that’s okay! Just try to write down what you hear as best you can. Then check what you wrote against the transcript and notice any mistakes you made. Keep in mind that there are words that sound the same but have different spellings, and words where the spelling doesn’t match the sound (although Korean is usually easier than other languages when it comes to spelling).

Next Step: Listening for Comprehension

Not to repeat myself, but the TOPIK has a listening section and the audio clips are pretty short while still covering a wide range of skill levels. So using TOPIK practices questions can be a simple way to practice listening comprehension!

And, just like with reading, you can also listen to a video/audio clip and then think about what any unknown words/phrases might mean before looking them up in a dictionary. Try to listen first without subtitles, since looking at the words can cause your brain to turn it into a reading exercise instead of focusing on the listening. Also, I recommend choosing something conversational (vlogs, reality shows, scripted tv shows) or something formal like a news report, not song lyrics. The goal is to practice understanding natural spoken language, which song lyrics often are not…

Remember, this is active studying, not just zoning out to entertainment! Spend the extra time rewinding and listening again to parts you didn’t understand, looking up & taking notes on new words, and doing dictation exercises.

Speaking

Speaking can be the hardest skill to practice because you need a listener in order to get the full experience. So I highly recommend joining a class or getting a tutor or finding someone (even another learner!) to practice speaking with. I know a lot of people want to wait till they’re “better” at the language, but if you wait until you’re good at speaking, you’re just going to be silently waiting forever~ Start speaking from day 1 and you’ll be able to improve all your skills together!

Anyway… What are some ways to practice speaking when you aren’t meeting with your speaking practice partner(s)?

Step 1: Pronunciation & Intonation

Find a video/audio clip (combine this with your listening practice!) and repeat after the speaker. Try to copy their pronunciation and intonation, i.e. how they say the sentence. This is called “shadowing.” Korean has some sounds that are super different from English, so you need to get your mouth & tongue & throat comfortable with making those new sounds. The way people actually speak can be different from the “proper” way learning materials teach you, like how people often The only thing to be careful about with shadowing is you need to be aware of how the speaker is speaking. Like if they have an uncommon accent or are using a threatening tone or being overly cute, you wouldn’t want to unintentionally repeat that style of speaking. TV shows are easy to shadow, but keep in mind those are actors delivering lines and they might not always sound the most natural.

Next Step: Putting Your Thoughts Into Words

Basically, write your diary out loud instead of on paper. Pretend you are telling a friend about your day or whatever and try to only use your target language. The goal is to be able to speak in complete sentences that flow smoothly. Using natural filler words (like uhh, you know, etc. in English) is good, but try not to trail off without finishing your thought or take long awkward pauses. There’s no one around to judge you, so you can repeat yourself and switch up your word choice 100 times if you want! Also try to incorporate new grammar and phrases you’ve learned recently so you can get comfortable saying them.

You can push yourself by doing little challenges like talking for a full 1 minute (about anything), talking for 1 minute about a specific topic, using 3 different grammar patterns to introduce yourself, giving an elevator speech (i.e. very short) about yourself or your job or your favorite movie, etc.

#langblr #studyblr #language learning #korean #한국어 #langblr reactivation challenge #study tips #한국어 공부 #foreign language #learning korean

[commajade]

I’m curious what draws you/keeps you following shinee?

i just love them! i have for a long time. i've been listening to their extremely diverse and high quality discography since 2010. their music is the main thing, their songs and performances are genuinely very very very good. they are very talented and their tracks are truly some of the best of kpop, just very good across several genres and styles. there's a shinee track for every person, every emotion, every situation. it's comfort music and daily music for me and their discog is so big it never gets boring. including their japanese discog they have at least 150 songs and with their solo careers its probably like 300, i have yet to listen to every shinee song after 3 years of stanning and i will maybe never run out.

i'm a p recent fan of the rest of their content (variety content, their musicals and acting jobs, livestreams, etc). i started officially stanning (or deokjil in korean) in 2020 when i was miserable because of lockdown and it improved my life and my korean skills a lot. they have over a decade of work that i could find and enjoy and that's just nice to have. i like them because they're funny and good at their jobs and i admire them as artists and public figures. i admire how they relate to their work and their audience, and how they handled their very visible grieving after jonghyun's passing and continue his legacy in their work. watching them grow and mature as people and artists and never lose their original charm, sweetness, and drive is really inspiring to me as someone who wants to be an artist as well. i'm interested in their art, i'm rooting for their careers, and being their fan makes me happy.

#asks #shinee

[koreanstudyjunkie]

Things That Hinder Your Korean Progress | How to learn more efficiently.

Disclaimer: These are just some tips to hopefully help you stay on track or get back on track if you’ve been out of it recently. I think It can help you if you're lost.

1. Relying On Romanization or Hesitating To Learn Hangul

Romanization is not inherently bad or evil though a lot of people in the Korean learning community may act as if it is. English is written in "roman" letters and when a Korean word is written out in these "English" letters, It is referred to as "Romanization". When you first start learning to read, you want to stop relying on romanization as early on as possible.

2. Ignoring Particles

there's no need to learn every single particle at once, but once you start learning grammar and making your own sentences, definitely don't negelct the particles. [Click here to see a list of all the major Korean particles & their usages]

3. Neglecting To Practice Speaking (or any one skill in general whether it be reading, writing, listening, or speaking)

This also depends on your goal. If you just want to be able to have a conversation, then of course you want to practice speaking & listening most of all. But It's also good to know that writing and reading can improve both speaking & listening skills and vice versa. So why not try and do them all here and there.

4. Not Learning About Korean Culture

Culture directly affects your Korean. The best way to learn about the culture is to watch & engage with Korea media (shows, social media, videos, etc.)

5.) Not Learning Enough Grammar/Vocabulary (Learning too much grammar/vocabulary)

It happens to the best of us. Sometimes you may get into a phase where you only study grammar or only study vocab. But try to balance both.

> Quizlet: Vocabulary Masterlist

6. Skipping Review

I'm so guilty of this, but reviewing is essential. What's the point of learning something if you forget about it every time and have to re-learn it over and over again.

> The Best Technique For Studying/Reviewing Grammar: how to remember grammar you learn

7. Overdoing it and then getting burned out

I do this as well. we all get excited and study a lot but then we might get burned out and not study for a long time. Study to your heart's content, but be sure to plan for after that excitement dies down and you're less motivated.

> How to make a Korean study routine

8. Not taking breaks when needed (believing that you’ll forget everything of you don’t study for a day or a few days)

Trust me when I say, a day off or even a week off will not kill all of your progress. You may forget a few things, but you'll relearn quicker than when you first learned it and you'll be much happier for it at the end of the day.

Even when studying, taking a break after some time (20-30-40 minutes or whatever) or hours of studying is just a good practice to have. Not just studying, but with any tasks that you spend lots of time doing.

9. Comparing yourself to others

So what If someone has studied for less time than you but "knows" more. We're all learning at our own pace. You're situation is not the same as everyone else.

10. Thinking it’s a one and done situation.

It's not just 2 years or 3 years of studying and your done forever. Learning a language is a life-long thing. The more you learn, the less you know and this is not meant to discourage you.

I believe it actually will improve your mindset towards studying Korean to know that you have the rest of your life to improve not just a year or a few months.

Korean is EASY to learn BUT HARD to master. Most of you may have hit a plateau, just know it's okay and happens to everyone. Keep studying. You progress fast in the beginning and then it slows down to a more realistic pace. The only way to break past is to keep going!

#한국어 #korean langblr #korean language #studyblr #korean study tips #study tips #learn korean #how to learn Korean #how to study Korean

[softquietsteadylove]

Thenamesh Zombie apocalypse AU! Bonus point if it involves a train! P.S. you are awesome and all your fics are sublime!

His first thought had been: where the fuck did she find hair dye?

Then he realised that of course she hadn't, no one had, no one had the time or the water to spare for something like that. And she didn't have dark roots growing out. Her hair was just...like that.

It was beautiful.

Gil blushed, forcing himself to face straight ahead again as they continued their trek across the country.

In what direction?--who knew. To what end?--who cared? Why?--because they had to do something during the literal end of the world.

He'd happened upon her entirely by mistake. She was holed up in the remains of a hunting supply store. It was a great base of operations, of course. But all good things had an end, and she was nearing the end of her resources when he'd stumbled into her trap--literally.

But she had let him down from her giant rabbit snare and they'd left together, silently grateful for a human presence beside them again.

Thena didn't talk much. Gil always thought he talked a little too much. It made for...an adjustment. But if she ever got tired of his blathering, she never really let on to it. She just let him talk and talk and talk, rarely responding to anything. It was rare she made any indication that she was listening.

But he had made her laugh once, and he was borderline obsessed with making it happen again.

Thena was the best with weapons. Give her something sharp and she could down a whole herd single handed. She had grace, speed, the instinct to kill. Gil didn't know what she did before but he would have believed she was an olympian fencer or something.

He was a line cook at a Korean restaurant.

But he was strong, good with his hands. And he could make food that was more than decrepit old beans from a can. And in this world, that was a pretty marketable skill. Thena always thanked him for making their food. He thought it went without saying that he was happy to.

"I was a terrible cook. I'm sure that hasn't improved."

He laughed, losing a precious mouthful of food as he did, too.

But Thena laughed at the sight of it, managing to hold her food in with a hand held in front of her mouth.

That was laugh number two! And another of only a few indications that she at least didn't hate his company. Sometimes he would catch himself thinking she even liked it. But he didn't want to get too ahead of himself in that regard. He couldn't assume anything with her, and he really couldn't afford to lose the only ally he'd managed to find in all this.

He was a big guy, it was no secret. And he'd had offers to join people before. They both had, and sometimes while they were together. Sometimes the offer was just for him, which he would eagerly decline. He always declined, of course, but those offers really bugged the shit out of him...

Thena didn't trust people. She didn't like people. And people knew it. She told him that if he wanted to go then he could. But she would never get much further than turning around partially before looking at him to see what he would do.

And he didn't think he was imagining it when he would see her wanting him to stay in those green eyes of hers.

Gil sighed as he sat down in the train seat, old and musty as it was. It was soft, and it was enclosed: double win. "How fucking long is this highway?"

Thena smiled, "it's a cross-country highway, Gil. It goes across the country."

Gil snorted, waving his hand in the air. "Length's gotta be exaggerated. Guys always exaggerate how long it is."

Thena let out a loud laugh before slapping her hand over her mouth. She looked around, alarmed at the possibility that she might have given away their haven.

Gil was too busy staring at her like she was an angel come to earth. He sat up in his seat, reaching out to her. "Hey, it's okay. We cleared the place, right? Made a shit ton of noise on our way in--no way anything else is here."

Thena unwound slowly. But she did ultimately unwind--just enough. She looked at his outreached hand but he slipped it back to rub the back of his neck. She nodded at him. "You're right."

"Why don't you try and get some rest?" he suggested gently. Thena had a protectiveness to her that he adored. But she still needed sleep.

"Hm," she sighed, settling into the seat across from him, setting down her supplies but keeping the knife strapped to her thigh on. It never left her side. "You should too."

He was way ahead of her, his eyes already heavy as he drifted off. She looked so beautiful, even in this hellhole. Not that he could tell her that.

He woke in the middle of the night. He didn't jolt awake, his eyes opened. He felt something next to him, and his senses were on high alert instantly. But then he felt the softness of it--the warmth. Then he felt the breath against his skin. And then he dared to just peek at it as best he could without moving.

Thena settled herself next to him tentatively--almost shyly. She was obviously trying not to wake him. But her fatigue was just as real as his, and she nestled herself against his arm and the side of him, curled up in a ball--a bony little ball.

Gil waited a long time before shifting, wrapping his arm around her waist and letting her head roll onto his chest in her sleep. He would be tired tomorrow, and she might even be mad at him for it. But he was going to let himself enjoy it, just for the time being.

It wasn't like he was going to be getting any sleep, anyway; his heart was beating too damn fast.

#Thenamesh AU #okay #so #I have a slight weakness #for the zombie aus #don't get me wrong #they're more bleak than I usually go for #but I can't help it #I remember TWD when it was good #and I held onto that show for a LONG time #but I like the idea of the #you me and the end of the world #of it all #just us and nothing for miles and miles #but what if we fell in love? #Thenamesh Zombie AU

[tokidokitokyo]

2022年6月30日

June is over and that means Japanese goals update! I focus a lot on short term goals in these updates, so at the end of June I thought I'd like to reflect on some more long term goals, aka where do I see myself going with this whole Japanese thing (at least for the rest of the year).

I integrate Japanese into my daily life to try to improve my skills daily, but I also have to keep in mind long term goals. Looking at both short term and long term study goals can help me to see where I am trying to go. If I didn't set goals and work on continuous improvement, I could still "get by" in Japanese, but I find that unless I actively seek out learning new things, I will just continue to use Japanese in only the contexts where I am comfortable. When I actively set long term goals, my Japanese improves in more tangible ways. I learn new vocabulary and grammar at a higher rate, I seek out articles or books that challenge me, and I turn off the subtitles on anime and realize I understand more than I thought.

I think about what the next level I want to reach with Japanese is, and then make a long-term goal (e.g. learn more kanji), and then break it down into smaller goals that I can make into daily habits (e.g. review known kanji daily, learn new kanji weekly). This way I feel less overwhelmed in terms of my long term goals. When Japanese becomes a daily habit it is less of a burden, and I also don't feel bad when I take some time off to refresh. So, without further ado, my long term goals for the rest of this year.

6月の終わりは日本語の勉強のアップデートでしょうね。このアップデートで普段は短期目標について書くけど、今回は長期目標について書こうと思います。こんな必死に日本語を勉強するのはいったいどういう目標でしょうか？

毎日、毎日、日本語の勉強を続く自分は長期目標も考えないといけません。短期目標だけではなくて長期目標も考えるとどうやって日本語をうまくなったり、どういう結果になったり、そういう考え方も大事だと思います。目標がなくても日本語がなんとなく進むだと思うけど、ほぼこのまま永遠に続くと思います。このままは別に悪くないけど、自分はもっとうまくなりたいと思います。長期目標があると、単語や文法の能力があがって、難しい記事や本を読む量が増えて、字幕を消してアニメを観て、思ったより理解ができるって気づきます。

結局に長期目標をさまざまな短期目標に分けて、毎日日本語を勉強する方法が私なりにうまく続く方法だと思います。時間がない時でも続けて、休んでもまた明日続くってわかっていて安心ができます。そして、これからは長期目標を紹介しようと思います。

My Long Term Goals for the Rest of 2022

Daily

Consistent daily kanji flashcard review for known kanji

Active listening practice (dramas, anime, news)

Read picture books to my son, focusing on pronunciation and reading speed

Weekly

Kanji writing practice weekly for new kanji

Learn or review at least one grammar point a week

Reading practice weekly (articles, books, manga)

Write a couple sentences each week and have them corrected

Monthly

Read 2-3 Japanese manga or books, plus articles

Teach my son a new Japanese kids' song

Yearly

Finish reviewing/learning joyo kanji up to grade 6

Finish Sou Matome N3 Grammar workbook

Begin teaching my son hiragana

These are my goals for the second half of the year. Not many right? Even then I know that some of them I will probably not fully achieve, but having this list as a guideline to where I want to go is helpful. I won't punish myself for not meeting these goals or for falling off track when I am busy or not in the mood to study, but having these goals written out will help motivate me or push me in a direction when I am not sure what to study next.

As always, I'll do a quick rundown of my studies this month as well.

How I Studied This Month

Reviewed 5 kanji almost every day 〇

Learned several new kanji over the course of the month ✕

Actively listened to a drama or anime once a day 〇

Reviewed a grammar each week 〇

Read manga, articles, books once a week 〇

Wrote a couple of sentences in Japanese this month (no corrections) △

〇 = completed, △ = partially completed, ✕ = did not complete

Primary Study Tools/Methods

Kanji flashcards on Quizlet (my decks)

Drama (梨泰院クラス), Anime (コタローくんは一人暮らし)

Manga (極主夫道), NHK News

This discord server

YouTube (日本語の森)

What Were My Strengths?

Kanji review - If nothing else, I always have flashcards to practice with

Listening - I picked an anime that is easy to follow, and then listened to a Korean drama in Japanese which made it a little more difficult, but I still could follow the pace very well

Reading - Reading an article in the morning helps me start my day, and reading manga before bed is a nice way to unwind

What Were My Weaknesses?

Writing - I can't write quickly, which is frustrating when I'm trying to take notes. I also sometimes form very strange-sounding sentences when I am trying to write. I definitely need to get native speaker corrections.

Things to Try Next Month

Spend time working on handwriting

Written kanji review

Get my sentences corrected on Hi Native or somewhere else

Use my Sou Matome N3 Grammar workbook on a regular basis

#日本語 #japanese #japanese langblr #japanese language #langblr #studyblr #日本語の日記 #japanese diary #japanese goals #japanese goals june 2022 #japanese goals 2022 #tokidokitokyo #japanese studyspo #tdtphoto #my photo #asakusa

[lgcmanager]

CRYSTALLIS MISSION 007

SCHEDULE TYPE: TRIMESTER ( PART 1 OUT OF 1 ) SCHEDULE RESTRICTIONS: cannot be paired with another trimester schedule, unless stated otherwise. for reference as to whether your muse is eligible for this event, please click over HERE.

on JULY 5, SEO YEWON gathers all of the CRYSTALLIS members in a practice room. with DANBI’s departure, it’s left the manager in a state of distress as the company and YEWON find a way to handle their future projects and activities.

NEW MEMBERS, NEW ARRANGEMENT

once all of the CRYSTALLIS members were present, they heard a knock on the door. initially seeing NAHEE and EUNJO entering the practice room together, they’re met with the first surprise as they’re accompanied by two other girls, KIM YUJIN and LIU YUXI. YEWON begins the meeting as she allows them to stand next to her, “while i’m still sad over DANBI’s departure and the effect it has on the group, the higher-ups have suggested that these two, who were once a part of another project called TEAM UNKNOWN, will be joining us. please make sure to welcome and assist them with everything that i’m about to disclose.”

with CRYSTALLIS now being an 8 member group, this meant that the room arrangements will be changed, but they will still be staying in the same dorms. the arrangement is as follows:

ROOM A: GONG HYEJOO, LIU YUXI, MIN SOYOUN, MOON SOMIN

ROOM B: AHN JAEHWA, KIM YUJIN, SEO YURA, YAMASHITA ICHIKA

this information will be added in the lgc master sheet at a later time.

FANSITE ( OPEN EVENT 6 ) & LGC BIRTHDAY ( OPEN EVENT 7 )

for YUJIN and YUXI, they will be eligible to participate in OPEN EVENT 6 and OPEN EVENT 7 starting AUGUST. more information about this can be found over HERE and HERE.

SPECIALIZED TRAINING

“while i’m glad that many of you have been working on several skills, some to help with your solo gigs, the coaches have been a bit concerned about some of you and your performance abilities. at first, i didn’t want to bring it up because i thought it was best to capitalize on all of the solo activities we’ve been given but…” YEWON pauses, recalling the previous meeting she had with the higher-ups and how she felt afterwards. “as many of you were busy with your activities, FABULA has been improving greatly with their performances and NOVA will be setting those expectations high too once they debut. because of this, it puts pressure on us and we don’t want to be considered the group that hasn’t improved much since then. thus i have asked the coaches to give all of you specialized training to work on specific skills. some of you might not be familiar with YUJIN and YUXI’s talents during future dreams but to be frank, these two have the potential to take some of the group positions that you currently have. if you want to keep those roles, we expect you to work even harder during this time.”

YEWON then proceeds to explain that some of the girls ( JAEHWA, SOYOUN, and YURA ) are at a good place skill set wise so they will not be required to partake in all of the workshops and practices that CRYSTALLIS will be undergoing during this term. HOWEVER, they will still attend them occasionally to help with the group’s performances overall. YEWON will reveal as well the skills that the remaining girls will be required to focus on during this term ( and all of the points that they will get during the specialized training will be distributed to the skills mentioned ):

GONG HYEJOO: singing, korean

KIM YUJIN: dancing, rapping, performance

LIU YUXI: singing, korean

MOON SOMIN: singing, performance

YAMASHITA ICHIKA: singing, rapping

“and speaking of group positions,” YEWON pauses as she turns her head towards ICHIKA. “we’ve listened to the higher-ups, managers, and DANBI’s suggestions but given the circumstances, the majority has agreed that you will now be the leader of CRYSTALLIS. congratulations on your newly appointed title.”  all of the managers clapped to congratulate the good news, but it didn’t last long because YEWON had more information to go through.

CRYSTALLIS COMEBACK

“here are the details regarding the korean comeback, which is slated for AUGUST 20. promotions for this will be two weeks long because amidst preparing for this, you will be practicing for your upcoming concert AND lgc family’s 2k23 concert too.” YEWON glosses through the comeback at first as she allows EUNJO and NAHEE to distribute the files to the rest of the girls.

here is the album list for this comeback:

DANCE ON ( TITLE TRACK )

MY GOSH

WHISTLE LIKE THAT

WOULD YOU RUN ( CRYSTALLIS VER. )

LIFE’S TOO SHORT ( ENGLISH VER. ) - CRYSTALLIS CITRINE ( YOUNGWON, SELENE, SEO YURA )

lyrics distributions for this can be found over HERE.

there are two specific points in the album list that catch their attention and YEWON brings it up first before any of them could ask. “the lgc creatives team unanimously agreed that for our first sub-unit song it will be GONG HYEJOO, MOON SOMIN, and SEO YURA. these three will form CRYSTALLIS CITRINE to reflect the concept and song.”

for the album, CRYSTALLIS CITRINE will be releasing the ENGLISH version but for their future activities ( ex. concert ), they will be performing both the ENGLISH and KOREAN versions depending on locations.

“secondly,” YEWON lets out a sigh knowing what she’s about to say is related to something she had pointed out earlier. “you may notice that there’s a song called ‘would you run ( crystallis ver. )’. i spoke to the head manager of the lgc creatives team, REO KANGDAE, and supposedly the producer behind the song had two versions of the song — crystallis version and fabula version. the team debated quite a bit over which group would have this song but after talking to some of the higher-ups they chose to release the two versions for each of the groups’ comebacks. the company is planning on framing this as part of the lgc webtoon lore in that CRYSTALLIS and FABULA were a part of lgc girls. but personally, i’m starting to wonder if they want to see which of the two groups is popular with the general public…”

even though CRYSTALLIS’ comeback will be happening before the term, the group positions will not be finalized until after Q3.

CRYSTALLIS CONCERT TOUR

“as requested by many fans, CRYSTALLIS will be having their first asia concert tour. in preparation for this, all of you will be practicing all of the CRYSTALLIS songs that have been released so far. in the case of YUJIN and YUXI, because they have been recently added to the group, we expect all of the members to help them learn those songs in the next couple of weeks on top of the august comeback. this does leave all of you with very little free time outside of it, so do take this time to help each other when you can.”

the concert tour will last between Q3 and Q4, so information for their Q4 will be happening during the tour. here are all of the places that they will be going to along with the corresponding dates:

SEPTEMBER 9 - MACAU

SEPTEMBER 18 - GIFU

SEPTEMBER 20 - HIROSHIMA

SEPTEMBER 26 - NAGOYA

OCTOBER 7 & 8 - SAITAMA

OCTOBER 14 & 15 - MANILA

NOVEMBER 2 - SINGAPORE

NOVEMBER 4 - JAKARTA

NOVEMBER 11 & 12 - BANGKOK

and here is a recap of all of the songs that CRYSTALLIS will be performing in the concert, in no particular order:

BAMBOLEO

BUTTERFLY

COOL ( YOUR RAINBOW )

DANCE ON

DREAMS

FAIRYTALE

FIESTA

HOLA

LIFE’S TOO SHORT ( ENGLISH VER. ) - CRYSTALLIS CITRINE / ONLY IN MACAU, MANILA, SINGAPORE, JAKARTA, BANGKOK

L.O.V.E.

MELTY - JASMINE SOLO / ONLY IN GIFU, HIROSHIMA, NAGOYA, AND SAITAMA

MY GOSH

WOULD YOU RUN ( CRYSTALLIS VER. )

SIESTA

STAR

TARGET / ONLY IN GIFU, HIROSHIMA, NAGOYA, AND SAITAMA

WONDERBOY, THE AERIALIST

the girls will also be filming various videos for the fans. one of the segments they’ll be doing is called ‘LOVE LETTER’ ( as a reference to their second mini-album with the same name ). during this segment, the girls will be asked to write two letters; one to a member assigned to them and the other is for their fans, alize. the videos will film snippets of them writing, decorating, and reading the letter. when they’re done, they will be putting their letter in a mailbox similar to their fan color. for the letters written to each other, they will have a separate segment where the receiver must guess who the sender is.

the list is as follows ( the first name is the sender while the second name is the receiver ):

SEO YURA → AHN JAEHWA

AHN JAEHWA → GONG HYEJOO

GONG HYEJOO → YAMASHITA ICHIKA

YAMASHITA ICHIKA → LIU YUXI

LIU YUXI → MIN SOYOUN

MIN SOYOUN → MOON SOMIN

MOON SOMIN → KIM YUJIN

KIM YUJIN → SEO YURA

as for the letters to the fans, those will be publicly shown on both CRYSTALLIS’ instagram account and videos during the concert.

BIRTHDAY SURPRISE ( JAEHWA )

since crystallis comeback will be the same day as JAEHWA’s birthday, right before the comeback showcase, NAHEE and EUNJO will help the rest of the CRYSTALLIS members set up the birthday cake surprise. YEWON will call for JAEHWA separately to talk about her individual schedule for ‘18 AGAIN’ and stall for some time. when she’s done, she’ll escort JAEHWA back to the dressing rooms where she’ll be met with the birthday surprise!

in addition to that, YEWON will invite JAEHWA to have a youtube livestream later that day to interact with the fans. this portion will be done in the dorms at night and will last around 30 minutes due to the schedules the group will be having the following day.

WRITING REQUIREMENTS

SPECIALIZED TRAINING: write a 4 replies ( minimum 8 lines ) thread with anyone who is NOT an idol ( so actors, models, trainees only ) AND who you haven’t threaded with for +10 POINTS TO THE SKILL(S) MENTIONED ABOVE ! for JAEHWA, SOYOUN, and YURA, the points can be distributed to any skill that they wish, but they can only do it ONE time. as for everyone else, this can be done up to TWO times.

COMEBACK & CONCERT PREPARATIONS: write a 300+ word solo or a 4 replies ( minimum 8 lines ) thread with another CRYSTALLIS member about anything related to their schedules ( ex. adjusting to new dorm arrangements, practicing/recording the songs/concert, filming the music video, preparing for jaehwa’s birthday surprise, etc. ) for +5 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE ANYWHERE and +6 NOTORIETY !

LOVE LETTER: write a 250+ word solo about your muse writing a letter to the assigned member OR to the fans for +5 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE ANYWHERE and +3 NOTORIETY !

BIRTHDAY LIVESTREAM: write a 250+ word solo about the livestream for +5 POINTS TO DISTRIBUTE ANYWHERE and +3 NOTORIETY ! ** only for JAEHWA **

make sure to use the hashtag lgc:crystallismission for the task. you have until SEPTEMBER 16, 2023 at 11:59PM EDT to complete the requirements and validate your points. please submit the following form ONCE on the points blog.

MUSE NAME ∙ CRYSTALLIS MISSION 007 - SPECIALIZED TRAINING: +10 ( skill points distribution ) [ LINK ] ** for jaehwa, soyoun, and yura, this can be done up to one time while everyone else can do it two times ** - COMEBACK & CONCERT PREPARATION: +5 ( skill points distribution ), +6 notoriety [ LINK ] - LOVE LETTER: +5 ( skill points distribution ), +3 notoriety [ LINK ] - BIRTHDAY LIVESTREAM: +5 ( skill points distribution ), +3 notoriety [ LINK ] ** only for jaehwa **

#lgc:q32023 #lgc:event #lgc:crystallismission

[nordic-language-love]

Hello! Can I ask you about your Japanese learning journey? :) When did you start and how are you learning it?

You can indeed! It's kinda funny actually because I never really meant to learn Japanese. It was a "maybe I'd consider learning it in the future but tbh I'd probably choose Korean if I decide to learn an Asian language and I think it'd be too difficult for me anyway" language, a language on my someday list but never seriously.

Then my friend @lagom-languages started learning it in September 2020, and before long she was writing hiragana and talking about what a great language it was. So I wondered how difficult it was to learn hiragana. I was just curious! So I downloaded Lingodeer and started learning hiragana. And I really enjoyed it and found that, actually, it wasn't so difficult. So I learned katakana and some kanji too. Lingodeer also has like 1 free lesson as well, so I did that, and was surprised at how quickly I learned it.

"It won't last," I told myself and all my followers. "I'll get bored and I'll stop doing it at some point. And that's okay! I don't really want to learn Japanese right now."

I decided to try Japanese Duolingo. I raced through the hiragana/katakana/greetings skills, but then found it difficult to memorise vocabulary. I realised I'd have to start writing things down; I'd have to actually make a conscious effort to learn these words and this new grammar if I wanted to progress. And I did want to progress. So, I picked up a notebook I'd recently bought that was just begging to be used for Japanese, and finally - a month after downloading Lingodeer - I admitted to myself that I'd accidentally started learning Japanese.

I used a variety of resources. Duolingo was one. I also listened to the podcast Nihongo con Teppei and used an app called Kanji! for practising writing kanji. I'd also look up the kanji I'd learnt on Duolingo on jisho.org to check how to write them, and then I'd practise. Practising kanji became a bit of an obsession (and is definitely not the most effective way to learn Japanese lmao). My Norwegian teacher at the time was also learning Japanese, and he recommended the textbook Japanese From Zero. So, I got myself a copy, and started using that as well (I have *opinions* about their way of teaching hiragana and it's very slow-paced, but it was useful). I finished that in... uhh... May last year?

And then I wasn't sure where to go. I thought about taking italki lessons, but I felt like I was *too* beginner. And I didn't really want to get JFZ book 2 because it just wasn't a great book for me personally. Also, I was less inspired to learn Japanese because of a complicated situation I'm not going to go into. So, I decided to put Japanese on pause to focus on Norwegian.

Well. I focused on Norwegian. And then I decided it was time to take the Bergenstest. I was super motivated and eager to improve my vocabulary and clean up my grammar and boost my writing skills. For about 2-3 months. As the exam drew closer, I did what I always do when I have an impending exam: I got distracted by other, shiny, less-urgent things.

I'd planned to study another language after the Bergenstest. It was gonna be Spanish, actually. But my birthday present from my mum including the Genki textbook and a beautiful cherry blossom notebook. That birthday present boosted my motivation to learn Japanese again. And so, on the days I should've been reviewing vocabulary and doing yet another practise paper, I found myself dabbling in Japanese on Duolingo and scouring italki for the perfect teacher. A week or so before I was due to take the test, I booked my first italki lessons with two different teachers.

Now I take two lessons a week, one with each of those teachers. I occasionally study with Genki, although the amount of romaji really annoys me lol. I listen to the radio and podcasts as much as possible and watch Japanese Ammo with Misa videos on youtube. I also have Anki decks for vocabulary. 

So yeah, I probably could've just said that I started studying in September 20202, stopped in May 2021, then started again properly last month. But I decided to write an essay instead. Hope you enjoyed it!

#ask #langblr #japanese langblr #learning japanese