#maybe if i ever don't leave off on a cliffhanger I'll do another

[x-authorship-x]

Hey torship.. do u think ppl binge reading on long ongoing fanfictions are bad? I was just finished bingeing a work and another reader commented before me like " oh wow icb i've just finished this (200k+series) in 2 days, what am i gonna binge read now?" And i was like, whoa so honest bro, would that hurt the feeling of the author or not? If it was said like that..

Hey✨

Hmmm, I've not really thought much on it, not enough to have a solid answer off the cuff. I'll try and muddle through it but, short answer? Don't we all 'binge' read?

Long answer is a bit more scrambled but stick with me.

I mean, you gotta join an ongoing fic at some point. If you mean specifically the type of binging where readers wait until updates pile up so they can read big chunks of the story in one go (I have readers who do this, you poor things will be on tenterhooks for decades at this point lol) or, maybe, they wait until the story is completed to start... That's a little different but it's not bad or wrong. I think it's more that, when you read that way, you're distancing yourself from the author's ongoing creativity.

Now, quick disclaimer, a fic is a fic and you can read it however you like, I binge stuff all the time. But fanfic is different from published OG work because the reader DOES have that opportunity to, kinda, participate in the creative process, to be there every step - or update - of the way.

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to this question, it's about how you approach your reading as much as how you view your writing. To me, as an author with a majority of ongoing works AND breaks in my updating, comments like that are a bit... Sweet and sour. This person binged my fic, maybe even the whole series or all of my works, and now they're left adrift with all these cliffhangers and emotions and the track is hanging, suspended and unfinished, and it's hard to scale off the ride by yourself. I always feel feral when I come up for air after a binge like that, like one of those pics of deer in dark grasses and the eyes are all lit up by the torch. You devoured my work like an animal, all fingers and teeth? I'm delighted!

But the listlessness of an unfinished work binge can also, intentionally or not, sting. Like, yeah, I know that was a lot to leave you hanging with, ain't it rough? (But please don't beg me for more because then the pressure makes it worse) and oh you read all 50K in one day, so you must've been so gripped? (You only commented on the last chapter, you ate that five course meal with a ladle and you mashed all the dishes together and did you even notice the care and garnish?)

My slowly revealed banquet becomes a buffet, whether you're picking at it or gorging. It's a different experience altogether. That's not your fault and it's not mine. It just is.

Most people don't pace themselves when they start a new show, you watch everything you can get your grubby paws on before jumping over to AO3, so why does binge reading become a thing in fandom? Because, for most people, it's the slower process that really makes the experience so positive. I've never published a work that was rubber-stamped finished before the readers ever saw it, so I'll be honest that I'm talking out of my ass as per usual, but I don't think I'd want to just.... Post all the chapters together. I want the reactions, I want the anticipation, I want the readers to travel with me.

To come back to your actual example tho, Neptune, "what am I gonna binge read now?" Is a comment that I would largely overlook by itself. I mean, if that's it, nothing about enjoying the work or thanking the author or anything to soften it, then it's a bit of a micro. Up there with letting the door swing behind you instead of holding it for the person after. (No harm really meant, just in your own world)

If it's part of a comment that expresses that the reader might've shoved down those five courses without savouring the flavours but they just REALLY loved that food, then it's more than fine, it's a big compliment! You were so busy eating that you barely paused for breath! And binging isn't a prerequisite to not commenting or savouring! It's like a mukbang, they love the flavours but fucking hell can they pack down that food in one sitting.

If it's rude, entitled, then I wouldn't give it the time of day. Putting something out there does not mean you're entitled to getting something back, even a smile or thanks. That doesn't, however, mean that it's not poor manners. And, if someone comes into my house and wolfs down my five course banquet before huffing with impatience or immediately leaving for their next meal, that's only a reflection of them and not me. I put the meal out, I can't tell people how to eat it.

This metaphor is running away from me lmao

TLDR: everyone binges, it's not a bad thing. But your manners matter and we should all be mindful that you're enjoying something for free; if the author wanted that conversation between chapters, if the author thinks binging is a compliment, if the author doesn't care at ALL. It's not a crime to be "late" to an ongoing fic, it's not a crime to read how you want.

Personally? I binge a lot, I try to comment as much as I can, and I try to remember that fandom is about community. I hadn't thought too much on the topic before this, tbh, and I don't even know if this makes any sense but I tried to sound it out for you guys anyway.

#reminder that I will delete hate #torship #torship talks #ask #neptune-and-pluto #fanfic #fandom

[silvertsundere]

Silver Talks AniManga (18/06/23)

wao 2 new series this time, tho one of them came out ages ago but just didn't get scanlations past chap 1 til now but anyway also just noticed as I was about to press post but I forgot to put a * on sakamoto and don't feel like remaking the pic again so yeah

green - new series/new to me

Anime

Megumin Ep11

the finale episode's title is gonna be the show's title so that's neat, always cool when they do that anyway, same thing I said about last episode basically, ever since they got to axel there's just been a billion konosuba easter eggs in the background to the point where it doesn't feel like easter eggs in a spinoff and more of a like "hey you like konosuba right right look at this! kazuma and aqua in the background saying the same lines from the show! wow! so cool right?" and I don't like that. like if they just did that once, or even once per ep it'd be fine but it happens every 5 minutes, not just with those 2 but other people like darkness and wiz

Imas CG: U149 Ep10

I was completely right with my prediction last week, expect the ep wasn't about making the song, since it was already done at the start, but instead them fighting upper management to be able to do a live, which they were iffy about cause budget and stuff, so they had to come up with a solution for that. it had a TON of cameos from CG idols whic was very nice. and you might think "oh that's good but you were bitching about the konosuba ones?" but it's completely different. in this the cameos showed during the insert song as panning still shots with the girls talking to them, not just showing a scene that already happened from another pov but whatever anyway good ep ofc, there was even an extra scene after the ED giving a taster of the drama for arisu's episode next week so that will be very good too

Mashle Ep10

after the episode last week I was trying to figure out with mega where the anime was gonna end and went around and looked at the manga and came to this conclusion and I was completely right, and from the episode title it seems like I'll be right about that too. mega thought the end of the anime was gonna be one of the manga spreads with all the divine visionaries but that doesn't happen til waaaay after this so no way, however right after the I0 goon leaves, everyone finds out mash has no magic which would be an appropriate cliffhanger, with s2 getting announced along with the finale of both the anime and manga but we'll know for sure in 2 weeks

anyway, very unimpressive episode, but that's come to be expected

Pokemon Horizons Ep11

what the hell!! nemona got like 4 sentences at the start of the ep and this disappeared.. what's the point!! but anyway nice ep, they teased molly's backstory only to just have it on the same episode anyway which was kinda weird but go off. I expected them to get done with this forest stuff in the ep but it being multiple ones isn't bad either, also from the pv maybe we'll see riko's mom next ep? so that's exciting

Jigokuraku Ep11

nice episode, nothing fancy in terms of animation or anything but still good. was mostly just the choubei and gabimaru fights where they learn tao. now that we're 2 eps from the end I don't think it'll actually end where I predicted previously. from the cliffhanger at the end the next episode should be all of the sagiri and co fight vs the tensen. looked at the manga again to get an idea of where it might end at this rate and after that it's the gabimaru vs choubei fight followed by the second expedition making landfall but that's quite a lot of chaps so I'm not sure.. it would be a good stopping point with shugen arriving being a big turning point but ANYWAY I'll have a better idea after next episode for sure when I see what they cover

Manga

Martial Master Asumi Ch1

the newest series on jump, debuting this week by Kawada the mangaka behind Hinomaru Sumo which was quite successful some years ago. this time around it's a series about MMA, which the english title can be abbreviated into which is a very cool touch from the localization team. anyway, really good first chap, no complaints from me, you can tell that it was made by a jump veteran. the first chap was the introduction of our main character asumi and what is MMA and all that for people who don't know anything about it with a little bit of a taste of action at the end. the grandpa in this has dementia and in just this one chap they did a waaaaay better job of showing what dementia really looks like compared to whatever the hell ichinose was doing. I'll be looking forward to this, I really liked the chap, the art's really good and don't even get me started on how good the main girl is glasses? spats? can kick ass? sheesh, let's just hope this and do retry don't cannibalize each other and instead nue, ichinose or fabricant end instead

VERSUS Ch1 - 6

this is ONE's take on the good ol 1v1 battle manga..or is it? after a plot twist it's revealed that it's actually an isekai! or is it? it's actually more like a reverse isekai^13. it's ONE so you know you can expect some very cool genre deconstruction and this does not dissappoint (yet). I read chap 1 back in january or december when it came out, but there haven't been any english TLs til now, it's monthly too so that's painful. anyway, yeah it's good so far, our protagonists are on the brink of extinction so they try to summon people from another world to help them, while the same people (from 12 different worlds) were doing the same thing at the same time, leading all 13 worlds to get fused into a single one bringing along the enemies of all 13 humanities into the same planet and causing massive chaos. humanity is too weak to fight their respective (or any) enemies so their current plan is to make them fight and kill each other off, we'll see how that goes tho. I really like OPM and mob so I trust ONE fully, looking forward to this continuing. hopefully doesn't get picked up by kmanga (terrible service) or tls will become a lot harder to find oh also the art's really good too forgot to mention

Dandadan Ch110

what the hell that's just [The Hand] anyway mostly action chap, finally seeing momo's side of the fight, tho things didn't go as well as you'd think when we left off. I'm assuming okarun is gonna show up next chap, it'd be perfect timing

Kindergarten WARS Ch16 - 18

you know, up until now I was like "you know it's p funny sometimes and the art's really good I can see why it's so popular" but this mini arc, especially chap 17 and 18 were extremely good. like just wow, I really didn't expect something like this. not gonna hold my breath for a lot more content like this in the like 15 chaps left to catch up but I can hope

Nue's Exorcist Ch6

author introducing yet another girl, this one's here to kill/steal nue's power, that's still not gonna help the series tho chief. I don't like being so negative but I really think this one's going in the U19 club

Kill Blue Ch9

turns out the fight was p goofy, with the baddie trying to put a pacifier on ogami's mouth as the duel but it was a nice chap. at the end of it he came to this realization, which I was hoping would happen so that's good

Do Retry Ch7

good chap, the art felt better than usual too, there were some really nice panels, sadly the series is doing p bad in terms of the rankings being 4th from the bottom this week, and this week MMA started, which is another combat sports manga by a veteran mangaka (hinomaru sumo), which is probably not gonna help it one bit

Witch Watch Ch113

well I was right to think that the confession wouldn't go as planned cause it'd be too easy but I didn't expect that what the hell, even the title had double meaning wild

Blue Box Ch105

another good chap, with some more natsu shamelessness at the end they were debating about wether or not to tell their parents about it and decided not to which I think is good since they're living together and all that. doesn't seem like it'll end any time soon so looking forward to more cute stuff from these two

Tenmaku Cinema Ch10

good chap, curious to see what the director guy is gonna say about the script since he found out about it at the end. sadly tenmaku has not been doing well at all, it was rate last this week and 3rd and 4th from the bottom in the 2 previous issues, which is bad enough that tosh had to do some fanservice on the cover today to try and grab people's attention. I guess the jp crowd just isn't interested in film making, I mean I can kinda see it cause it IS a manga and all but should still give it a chance smh, meanwhile other stuff that's much worse gets to go on for ages

Cipher Academy Ch28

another good chap, got the backstory for toshusai's goon they teased last time and set up the next match. I'm more curious what went on in that pre-match match but we'll get there eventually

Undead Unluck Ch163

seems like we're getting our tournament after all but with the twist that it'll be shen fighting everyone one by one as a way for him to get stronger and stronger, even more excited about this now. I thought we'd see some different matchups but this makes a lot more sense since the union people wouldn't have any reason to fight seriously against each other when the plan is just to recruit shen and beat feng

Mashle Ch160

that's it finn that's the whole series. anyway the final battle is finally over, the anime only has 2 more eps left so I'm expecting 2 more chaps too, it's been a good ride

The Elusive Samurai Ch114

the intermission is over and we finally saw our protagonists again with different appearances too, it's been quite a while. the cliffhanger showed tokiyuki leaving to go join one of the courts, in historical fact he sided with the south to go against takauji so if this does the same we'll have a better idea of what might happen after too (not good things for tokiyuki monka)

Akane-banashi Ch66

very good chap, like always. when the chap started with the master telling her to stop voice acting the different characters and focus on the rakugou stuff I figured this is where it was going but it's still very cool to see. I'm guessing the next chap is gonna be the end of her performance but I could see it taking 2 more. my predictions for the scores from last week still stands tho, but seeing how much she's improved just makes me more excited to see akane perform again

Ayakashi Triangle Ch133

some good lewd panels in this chap but they all pale in comparison to how funny the end was, god shirogane is right suzu is indeed shameless

JOJOLands Ch5

what the hell? jojo on a sunday? I honestly thought it'd be coming out at some point during next week but hey I ain't complaining tho it feels weird for it to be at the bottom here like this instead of in the middle like usual but anyway. good chap, it was cool seeing rohan dominating 3 stand users but it only made sense for the plot if he lost, tho it was nice to see more of how [November Rain] works. quite a bit of lore stuff in this chap too, very curious to learn more about all this stuff, really feels like early p7 and p8 where there's a ton of terms flying around and you don't know what the hell they're talking about lol

#silver talks animanga

[ben-talks-art]

Thoughts on Inside Job part 2

Just finished watching part 2 of Inside Job. Not really sure what I was expecting after leaving part 1 on a cliffhanger like that to be honest so I was approaching this with a lot of curiosity.

How would they approach the relationship with Reagan and her dad? Would he be some sort of final boss that they would be planning on taking down while pretending to work with him? Would there be some betrayal where some characters join with him and would there be a mystery of Reagan trying to find out who she can trust? Would they explore even more the idea of Reagan having a talent for being a supervillain while having her battle with her sense of morality?

There are so many ways you could tackle this status quo!!

(spoilers for part 2)

And the route they chose to tackle is... Somewhat questionable in my opinion...

Basically, they give Reagan a love interest, make her act like an insecure teenage girl around him, have a couple of filler episodes, and then finally have an actual confrontation with her dad in the second to last episode and finish the season with Brett playing basketball with a dog...

Definitely wasn't expecting that I'll admit.

Overall... I did not like this batch of episodes honestly. I felt Reagan's boyfriend was incredibly generic and her relationship with him was rather dull. The dude basically has two character traits, he likes Reagan and hates his job. I found him reeeally boring.

Reagan's dad, who I thought was going to be a big thing for the story, is mostly in the background just complaining about how he can't get Reagan's mom back... And then they kinda try to make us feel sorry for him? After all he did? That just feels wrong.

Reagan herself kinda feels like a secondary character this time. The whole part one was basically her show, it was about her character development, her struggles, her journey, her goals... But now her only character was "I want my boyfriend to like me!!"

I don't know what happened, it just felt like the writing took a few steps backwards. The storylines they do just felt so... tropey. So many episodes, so many of the lessons, so many of the jokes... They all felt like old tropes we seen before. The fungus episode was probably the worst one, that just felt like a waste of time completely.

I kinda wanted more stuff with Reagan's mom or more Reagan and Gigi moments. These were my favorite parts for some reason.

Reagan and Gigi actually have a nice but very underused friendship, and Reagan's mom is honestly a much more interesting character than I remembered. Her episode with Keanu Reeves was probably the best one we had and her almost having a thing with the Mickey Mouse robot actually made me curious if they were going to go somewhere with that.

At the end of the day though, I'm still kinda disappointed. Doesn't really feel like we accomplished that much on went anywhere that interesting. The final episode leaves off with a rather depressing place for Reagan to be regarding her happiness, but it feels like it kinda comes out of nowhere to me.

I would definitely love to see more exploration of the idea of her having to choose between being happy or doing her duty for the greater good, I feel like that's a great conflict to talk about! But I need a little more than "Oh no, I can't be together with this one guy that was barely introduced and has barely any character" to give more depth to this topic.

So yeah, didn't do much for me, maybe it did more for others, and hopefully my feelings will change if they ever make another season.

#inside job #inside job part 2

[hard-core-super-star]

I came to the conclusion that we're both cool and mysterious, that's it. that's very specific and right on target because I feel like one little joke would lead to another path with maybe other jokes, which would lead to comments and then a whole conversation revolving around it lmao

okay, on the third star this won't happen again 😔

I'm pretty good (I'm literally not) at getting references, so yeah, it would be funny joke! but since I told my joke first I won

I'm shocked that outside of my bubble hawkeye really didn't do that well either, but sshhh, we can pretend. WHY it's embarrassing to admit this?? this is so cool lmao, I loved the lego batman games and I still do tbh. see?? lego games leaded you to DC, they changed your entire life!!! I'll consider it a crime for you to say you find this embarrassing. I love being dramatic for no reason. do you have other games you like?

I didn't know there were other (canon) queer representations in the arrowverse shows- give me a reason to start watching Batwoman, I just want to start some series but nothing seems very interesting 😶

well, at least avalance got their happy ending... RIGHT?

I stopped at the season (I don't know which one it is) they go to paradise aka a place where there are many Ava clones. legend of tomorrow and batwoman being canceled and flash not? maybe... maybe it has a name? 👀 even though I love flash, I can't, every season being practically the same thing gets tiringhdhjwwk

THEY'RE NOT GIRLFRIENDS?????? The queer baiting needs to stop or I will take matters into my own hands, literally, it's so???? and did this work to boost the show further? It's okay, you deserve to sleep in peace, but iiif one daaaaayy--

–🌟

i think that's a very good conclusion to come to and i’m glad we can leave it at that. our conversations make up the messiest timeline ever and i somehow feel like that's really fitting.

i’ll believe it when i see it 👀

we’re just going to have to wait until i get the chance to make another reference again and see if you get it.

yeah, we can pretend it did well enough to get another season, they just haven't announced it ‘cause of the strike, you know? i don't know, i’ve just never told that story before and it felt kinda lame. it just goes back to young me having a lot of hyperfixations and having enough time to fall down rabbit holes. the Nightwing phase was strong for that very reason lmao. i don't know how well-known this franchise is but i adored Mafia 2 when i was younger which probably says something weird about me lmao. Mafia 3 is pretty amazing too. i also weirdly love the FIFA games even though i have a very basic understanding of soccer. i can't tell you how many times i’ve replayed GTA V for the cars alone. there's probably more but i can't remember 😶

OH MY GOD, don't get me started on batwoman because i love that show to death. the first season is good but not as good as two and three. it sucks that season three is their last season because it's so good. AND GAY! the whole show is queer af and it doesn't shy away from it at all! [hence why it was canceled so soon] and listen, i know she's supposed to be an irredeemable villain or whatever but alice kane is so ajdjjdjdkskaks 🫨 i could write essays on her character, her development, and how well rachel skarsten acts out all the nuances that come with a character like alice.

they did and that's all that matters to me. i just pretend like the cliffhanger doesn't exist and they went right back to causing chaos.

honestly i think that season [season 3] is one of the best ones and it’s definitely not just because of ava and sara but 👀 season 4 is good too except for the light queerbating that happens but since it's Legends of Tomorrow, i just assume it was canon but not shown on-screen, you know? there's honestly something to love about every season, even when it goes very off the rails. i defended the flash until i possibly couldn't anymore. i only kept watching it because of caitlin [AND THEY ALWAYS DID HER SO DIRTY, WTF!!! my girl deserved so much better]

shocking right? they played into it so much but it just never became canon. i think they just managed to string the fans along because no one could look away from that trainwreck. plus, the actresses are amazing, it's not their fault the producers kept queerbating the fans. i’ll think about it…maybe.

#rubix replies #🌟

[twogyuu]

Hey hey hey! It's been awhile since I've sent you anything, huh? 🤭 I thought I'd just let you know that I'll be deleting my account sometime soon here, so I won't be able to rant to you about how angry some of these characters make me (I'm definitely talking about Cheol) 😭

Anywho, I'm going to leave you with one last rant because boy oh boy do I some things to say about chapter 17 (or 16? Sorry I don't remember haha) of Terrifyingly Innocent. First of all, FINALLY they admitted their feelings toward each other omg!! Now they just need to toughen up and tell Jihoon... Like how bad could it be?? In the worst case scenario, he chases Seungcheol around with a guitar lmao it's not like he's going to cut both of them off or anything... right? 👀 Also, the cliffhanger at the endddd oh my. I feel as though things are yet again going to get a bit complicated. Or maybe not I dont know, I'm almost always not expecting what happens in this story 🤷‍♀️ Anyway, that's all have a lovely day (:

Aaaww my dear friend 🥺

I'll miss you 😭😭😭 but you do what's best for you.Thank you taking the time for sending me this last message 💙

Because you won't be around the finale, I'll give you a spoiler . . .? EVERYONE ELSE LOOK AWAY!!!

Because I promised everyone a happy ending lol, Jihoon will have to settle. Chasing Cheol with a guitar is on the lighter end of the spectrum 😂 The alternative ending I wrote was much heavier (though it did make way for another series spin-off where they return as grown-grown-adults, but we won't dive into that lol).

May the characters of Terrifyingly Innocent live happily ever after - soon.

I hope you're having a lovely day/night as well!! Take care and it was a joy to have you as a reader! Your messages always made my day 😭You'll be missed. 💙

#jungsubinzz #terrifyingly innocent:replies #the sweetest seriously #spoilers #for you only #💙💙💙

[clenastia]

Chapters: 57/70 Fandom: Naruto, Fairy Tail Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Natsu Dragneel, Uzumaki Naruto, Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Sasuke, Haruno Mebuki, Haruno Kizashi, Haruno Sakura, Yamanaka Inoichi Additional Tags: Crack Treated Seriously, Humor, Action/Adventure, Bodyswap, Sharing a Body, More Serious Than You Think, Probably Less Crack Than You Think, Worldbuilding, Konoha Is TOTALLY A Yami Guild, Hatake Kakashi is a Troll, Natsu Doesn't Deserve This, Unless Property Damage Invokes Karma, ...He Probably Deserves It, Kizashi is Best Dad Series: Part 1 of Flowers Bloom in Red and Gold Summary:

Natsu wakes up in Sakura's body. It only gets worse from there.

#i do not understand AO3 to tumblr posting #hopefully this made it link to the latest chapter? #ugh #anyway here it is #Girl's Mind #chapter 50 #plus my 7 interludes lol #I haven't written an interlude in a while... #maybe if i ever don't leave off on a cliffhanger I'll do another #Kakashi deserves a POV

[maplecornia]

chapter 38

𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱: 3.97K

𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔯𝔢: romance | slice of life | fluff | angst | bts x female!reader | ot7

𝔰𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔶: You watched them from the sidelines ever since you were a young teenage girl. Now you’re grown up, they’ve returned after 2 long years and everything has changed. What happens when you pull back the mask and find the darkness within? What happens when you see that they’re broken?

𝔞/𝔫: sorry for the late update! I was busy today, so I wasn't able to update as early as I'd like. PLUS i still have to write Jimin's birthday chapter so I'll release that tomorrow. Two updates in a week FEELS.

(pps all dialogue in bold from this moment forward means that the character is speaking in English)

𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰: cliffhangers | angst | fluff | slight mentions of self hatred | depression | mental health illness | self harm | occurs in the year 2024 | set in a timeline where BTS went to the military together | slight language | mentions of rape | childhood trauma | multiple forms of abuse | mentions of blood and injuries | toxic relationships

tags: @kookaine | @fangirl125reader | @kookiebbyxx | @taradevonne | @rae-bear | @mangminnie | @pixiekooo (not taggable) | @cana

Haven't I said this before?

That pain doesn't leave?

It constantly reminds you of its existence, and even if you manage to overcome it, it's still there. Hiding and waiting for the moment where you'll break down. Waiting for the chance to destroy you all over again.

Perhaps, in this moment, you should have remembered.

"What are you doing here?"

Your voice is small, feeble, and shaking. Every move he makes you are sure to remember, your guard up and prepared for anything he may do to you. You don't know for sure why he's here, but the way the two of you left things off last time, you aren't sure if you want to find out.

When he takes a step closer to you, your hands tighten on the door, and you visibly flinch, taking a step backward.

"Yen? Who is it?"

You never thought you'd be so grateful to see Taehyung's face. Turning to him as though he were your savior, he immediately sees the panic in your eyes and narrows his towards the newcomer. He may not know exactly what's going on, but he can tell that this person is someone who you don't feel comfortable around. He would even say you're frightened.

And maybe you were, but now, with him by your side, some of your strength and resolve return as you are reminded that you are no longer alone. You have someone who will stay loyally by your side.

As you raise your eyes to Alex, however, you can spy that familiar glint of anger and malice in his otherwise blue eyes. He's always been the jealous type, a major issue in your relationship, so you aren't surprised, but you can't help but feel a sense of hypocrisy.

He's the one who cheated on you, and yet he thinks he has a right to be jealous?

Has he forgotten it's over?

"Yeah Yen," he murmurs, his jaw set tightly and his eyes narrowed in displeasure. You had forgotten he was raised in Korea, you were hoping he wouldn't be able to understand Taehyung. "Who am I?"

You nearly scoff at the question, your fear quickly rooting itself in your throat and turning to hatred and respite. With Tae at your side, you stand straight, your hand now tightening on the knob as a way to release your frustration instead of your dread.

"No one important." You snarl, almost wishing you could slam the door shut right in his face. His eyes, eyes you once found beautiful and alluring, widen with your words, a flicker of hurt clearly found beneath his anger.

"Are you serious?" He takes another step forward, but this time, you refuse to flinch and allow him to take dominance over the situation. "After everything, am I really nothing to you?"

"After everything?!" You shout incredulously, your eyes widening with the same emotion. He swallows hard at the clear yet subtle reminder of what he's done, and at the sight of his discomfort you want to smile in the sick satisfaction it gives you. You curl your upper lip as you press your finger into his chest, forcing him back the same steps he just ventured back into your life.

"After everything, you're lucky I even acknowledge your existence." You hiss with as much venom as is possible.

"Yen, please." He begs you, but you refuse to accept it.

If there's any sight of regret or apologies in his irises, you don't want to see it. You don't want to acknowledge it. He's done what he's done, there's no fixing that now. As you pull away, you make sure he knows it, your eyes stone cold against his plea.

"I want nothing more to do with you." You murmur, making sure your voice is steady as can be. No signs of weakness, or hurt, no signs of regret. Especially not now. "I would like it if you could leave."

You start to close the door, but you were a fool for thinking that he would give up that easily.

He pushes against the door, leaving you to stumble back, your hand nearly being yanked from its firm hold on the knob. You wince at the sharp pain that awakens in your wrist, and if he notices, he doesn't seem to care. He lunges forward, grabbing your arm and squeezing it tight, causing you to let out a sharp hiss of pain.

"Let go!" You cry, trying to pull away, but he's stronger than you remember and you're caught off guard. Your heart beats loud in your throat as past trauma begins to scratch its way free from the inner corners of your mind. Panic rising in the back of your throat, you look up at him only to see desperation clouding any form of reason.

"Yen, just let me explain." His grip on you only grows stronger every time you pull back, and it doesn't seem to bother him that he's hurting you. You can feel the tears brimming at the corner of your eyes, as his fingertips dig deep into your flesh helplessness seeping into the corners of your mind.

"Alex, you're hurting me!" You plead, hoping that he'll listen to you. You were afraid of this, he doesn't listen to others when he's upset, he just pushes and pushes until he gets what he wants. "Please just let go!"

"No, not until you listen to me." And whenever things don't go his way, he gives you an ultimatum, gaslighting and manipulating you to make you feel inferior as though your situation was your fault and not his. You wince as you struggle against him, thinking that you were a fool to ever trust a man like this with your heart.

"Tell me, Alex, what more is there to say?"

At your words, you can feel his grip loosen, and you see this as your chance to break free. Gathering up your strength, you pull your arm out of his hold, but it's only a moment of freedom before he realizes what's happened and grabs it once more. This time, however, he is not satisfied having you in his clutches, he wants you to be outside in his space. On his terms.

As he tries to drag you outside, you can feel the panic grow at an intolerable rate. You try to pull back, to stay in your apartment, but he doesn't give in, only increasing his hold on you. You can feel the cage he once held you in growing tighter and tighter, and the thought of being stuck in that impossible situation makes the hopelessness in your heart grow overwhelming.

But when you feel the arms around you, everything else fades away.

Taehyung doesn't know who this person is, nor does he care. The only thing he knows is that he hurt you. He made that helpless and frightened look appear on your face. As soon as he realized that you were unable to defend yourself against him, Taehyung knew he couldn't ignore the situation anymore.

How dare someone make you look that way? How dare they think that it's okay to ignore your feelings and hurt you, no matter what they may feel? Taehyung can feel the dark swirling pit inside of him grow and fester as he takes Alex's hand in his own and squeezes it until he lets out a soft cry of pain and finally releases you.

As Alex raises his eyes to Tae's in a furious rage, he's met with a cold unforgivable stare.

It's clear that if Alex touches you one more time, Taehyung will not hesitate to teach him what personal boundaries and consent really mean. His hands tighten protectively around your shoulders as he holds you to him, shielding you from the unfamiliar oppressor. He doesn't release Alex from his fierce glare, the tension growing tight around the three of you.

"What the hell is your problem?" Alex growls, not ready to back down and at the statement, you can see the fury burn cold in Taehyung's dark eyes.

"She told you to let go. It seems that you had trouble understanding a simple request." He answers his voice level but laced with icy venom.

"Who are you?!" Alex exclaims, his eyes sparkling with malice.

Taehyung smirks, before pulling you closer to him and raising an eyebrow. "Who do you think I am?"

Growling, Alex tightens his fist, those blue eyes now darkened into a deep turquoise with his fury. You know that look, it's a look you've tried to avoid. Normally it was never directed towards you, but when it was, it never ended well.

You wince at the memory.

Any minute now his emotions will turn into a blind rage and he'll end up hurting someone or saying something he will most likely regret. You try to step in front of Taehyung to stop him before anyone gets hurt, but Tae doesn't let you pass.

You look up at him, a bit shocked, but are at a stalemate when you see the look in his eyes. They are aflame with fury and hatred, and if it weren't for your presence beside him, he might have introduced Alex to his fist before your ex even had a chance. The look sends shivers down your spine, and you realize you've never witnessed Taehyung angry. Yes, maybe you've seen pictures and maybe he's been irritated while on TV, but those are fluffy kittens compared to the look you see on Tae's face now.

"Get out of my way." Alex snarls and Taehyung scoffs, regarding Alex with the most spine-chilling glare you've ever seen him wear.

"Make me."

With that, Alex's restraints are shattered, and he lunges forward, his fist connecting with Taehyung's chin in a loud crack of bone against bone. You let out a soft cry as Tae stumbles back into your arms, rubbing his jaw in annoyance. You can tell that all of Alex's anger was packed into that punch given the already reddening bruise on Tae's chin. Anger swirling like a storm in your gut, you turn towards Alex, glaring at him with as much venom and hatred that you can muster.

This has gotten completely out of hand.

Pushing past Taehyung, you walk up to Alex and promptly shove him in his shoulder, making sure that he is completely out of your apartment, behind the line that you have clearly drawn between the two of you.

"Yen..." Tae murmurs behind you, but you shake your head slightly, letting him know that it isn't his fault. Perhaps he already knew that, but there's no harm in reassuring him that it's not him you're mad at.

That honor is reserved for someone else entirely.

"Leave him alone," you hiss sharply, your eyes narrowing in your fury. You can see the guilt manifesting in his eyes, but at this moment you could care less if he regrets it. "This doesn't concern him."

"Yen, I--" he begins, reaching forward to try and plead with you again, but you yank your hand out of his reach, the violent fury in your eyes freezing him in his place.

"I don't care what you have to say, leave now before you make me hate you more than I already do." You murmur deadly, refusing to let him intrude on your life for much longer. He opens his mouth to reply but is interrupted by a familiar voice that sounds behind him. One that makes you almost let out a sigh in relief.

"I'd do what the lady says." Though you had no idea Sunoh could speak English, it's certainly a helpful skill in this situation.

His face, normally so carefree and complete with a fleeting smile playing on his lips, is now neutral and cold. As he leans against the doorframe across from your apartment, his dark eyes sparkle with malice and hostility. They could strike daggers into anyone's heart and make them wish they were dead instead.

And here you thought Taehyung was scary when he was angry.

"I'm sure you could have had a great macho fight against my good friend here," At the gesture towards Taehyung, Tae lets out a scoff which doesn't go unnoticed by Sunoh but is disregarded for the time being. "But two against one is never as fun as it looks on TV. Of course, you could take your chances...but I wouldn't recommend it."

At the ultimatum, Alex takes one look at Sunoh's strong build and Taehyung's ready fists and decides against the fight. He sighs in frustration before turning back to you and regarding you with a fierce, frustrated glare.

Look at him. The little prince isn't used to not getting what he wants.

"This isn't over." He warns you before promptly flipping the protective pair off and heading down the hallway where he came from.

"Yes, it is." You respond, and at the way he pauses down on his way, you can tell that he heard you loud and clear.

Once he's gone, you can feel an enormous weight lift off of your shoulders and the rest of the world fades away.

In the background, you are aware of Taehyung thanking Sunoh and Sunoh complaining about how "some people can't take hints" but their voices are muffled and hard to hear.

Your ears fill with static and past regrets which refuse to leave your mind. You can feel your body swaying as memories and trauma once more pound to be freed, your ears swelled with the sound of screams and tears, almost as real as the tears now released onto your own cheeks.

When the world turns black, the static growing too much to bear, you are faintly aware of Taehyung's panicked voice calling your name as you fall into strong and warm arms. Arms that provide you a haven you were never allowed to experience before now.

.

.

.

"Thanks for helping, Sunoh."

Though the two of them had a rocky start, Taehyung can't help but be in awe of the young man. He held his ground surprisingly well, and though it pains Tae to admit it, without him they probably wouldn't have gotten out of that situation as smoothly as they had.

Sunoh nods as he fiddles with a mug amongst other things Taehyung is currently putting away. You create quite the mess wherever you live, and nowadays you just don't have the motivation to clean up.

"Of course." Glancing over at the dim hallway where you lie quietly in your bedroom, Sunoh can't help but feel a stab of pity towards you as he hands the mug over to Tae's outstretched hand. "She'll be okay, right?"

At the question, Taehyung pauses.

He's never seen you like that, so broken and afraid. It's like he's venturing into a caged-off area of your mind, and he's not sure if your relationship is ready for that darkness. He wants to be let in, to know about all of you, not just the good but also the bad...

But do you feel the same? Or is he intruding on something that you'd rather keep hidden? Taehyung knows how intrusion can violate someone's emotional state, damaging it perhaps more than it was before, he doesn't want to do that to you. The last thing he wants is to hurt you.

But if he doesn't open the door, will you do it for him?

Or do you intend to hide inside forever?

Taking a deep breath, Tae places the mug back in the cabinet before turning to Sunoh.

"Hopefully."

Sunoh knows the answer is as believable as pigs flying, and he sighs. This isn't a problem they can fix, it's something that Yen has to do on her own. At the thought, Sunoh can't help but feel agitated. It's frustrating not being able to help those you care about.

But maybe...

Looking up at Taehyung, he sighs.

"Look, I don't know what happened any more than you do, but I think you should know that she seems to trust you." Maybe the best thing for her is to know she's not alone. And if the best bet for that is Taehyung, then Sunoh wants to do what he can to push him her way. "Don't let her down okay?"

With that, he gives Taehyung a small wave, before leaving the apartment with a soft goodbye. The words resonate with Taehyung, and he stands there for a moment, a bit stunned. A small smile grows on his face, and he shakes his head incredulously at the already absent Sunoh.

"You know, I wasn't planning to, but thank you."

Taking a deep breath, he turns to the hallway.

Yes, maybe he can't do much for her, maybe she has to be the one to open the door...But it couldn't hurt to knock.

Could it?

And so he does, and she lets him in.

As he walks to her side, she doesn't reach his eyes, she doesn't know if she'll be able to regain her composure once she does. But the fact that he's there beside her is enough for her to start to feel okay. She knows it's selfish to rely on someone else, she understands that she won't be able to do it forever. That one day she will have to gain enough strength to stand on her own.

But isn't it okay for tonight?

She needs him.

You need him.

He doesn't say anything as he closes the door behind him, just walks to your side. You want to reach out to him, show him that you're glad he's here, that you're glad he stayed, but you're numb. You feel so tired. Everything is so tiring, and painful, you don't understand why you continue to try. It's a melancholy feeling, one that pushes the tears out of your tear ducts, the one that makes your heart ache with a cut that is now too deep to be healed without a scar.

But he doesn't need words, he doesn't need affirmation, he can feel it as well as he can feel his own heart beating firmly in his chest.

He reaches forward and lifts your chin to meet your eyes. It's a gentle touch, one that you give into, allow to take over your body. At the sight of his tender eyes, the tears run hot again, and it takes all you have not to sob. Sometimes, the sight of someone else seeing you weak, makes you want to cry even more.

For they see you at your worst when you wish they could only ever see you at your best.

Heart aching, he does the only thing he knows how. He places his hands on your cheeks, wiping away those tears, his thumbs warm and comforting on your skin. He doesn't realize that it makes your heart melt and heal, or that it urges the tears of pain to transform into a deep relief as you're reminded that there is someone who cares.

That you are not alone this time.

You place your hands on his wrists, clinging to him as though he were your life support, and refusing to let go of him. When it's clear that he cannot wipe every tear, he leans forward, pressing his lips against your forehead in an intimate gesture, you had only ever seen done in the movies.

"You already did that." You murmur through the husk of mucus the tears have brought forward, and he pulls away from you, his thumb subconsciously rubbing against the skin between your earlobe and the edge of your jawline.

"What?"

You smile softly, as best as you're able before gesturing to the hands secure on your wet cheeks. It takes him a moment before he remembers the moment on the couch after Hansung's death. A moment that seems so long ago and yet is still present in your mind.

As a response, he returns your small smile and removes his hand, only to intertwine his fingers with yours as he kneels before you, his body encasing you in that protective cocoon.

He's always protecting you, isn't he?

First from the fall on the bus, then from your injured ankle, then from the rain at the park, then from your insane loneliness, and now...

He's starting to protect you from the monsters that plague you inside.

"I'm sorry." You whisper, half to yourself, but he hears you, and the comforting brush of his thumb against your cheek pauses as his sparkling eyes search yours.

"What for?" You take a deep breath at the question, praying to God that you don't lose your composure now. But when it's been so long that you've felt this safe and protected, when you've been missing that feeling of comfort and affection; it's hard for you not to tear up a little.

When you try to answer him, it becomes near impossible to speak, and the tears start again, this time, more violent than before.

How do you tell someone that you're apologizing because you feel like you're a burden? How do you confess that you're selfish for relying on him when you know it's not your place? How can you express all the emotions in your heart, when you don't even know what they are themselves?

And the most important issue of all...

How can you let him in to see the darkest parts of you, when you've lost the key?

How can you trust someone, when you've become too afraid to do so?

Taehyung lifts himself off from the floor and sits beside you on your bed, wrapping you up in his arms, and holding you as though he were afraid he would lose you if he didn't. You cling to the sign of empathy and lean into him, accepting his offer of protection and allowing the chrysalis to once more encompass the two of you inside.

"You don't always have to be strong, you know?" He murmurs, his voice deep and strong beneath your ear, and you look up at him, eyes wide and swirling with so many tears that it looks as though a million stars have embedded themselves within your irises. "Sometimes it's okay to let go."

Carefully, he lifts a tear from your cheek with his forefinger before blowing it away almost as though it were the star he was making a wish to the twilight sky.

"Whenever you need to let go, I'll be here." He says as he turns back to you, his eyes filled with everything you want and everything you need. He is your comfort, a place for you to confide in, a place where you can be safe again.

"I'll make sure you come back. I'll make sure you aren't lost." He whispers, as he brushes your hair away from your face, his arms strong and secure around your body as he draws you closer to him.

"I told you already didn't I?"

Is it okay to let go?

Is it okay to trust that he'll always be there?

Is it alright to believe that he's not a dream after all?

Closing his eyes, he presses his forehead against yours, his hand secure on the nape of your neck as he ensures you won't fall too deep in your despair. After a moment, you give in. For in him, you find strength, and in him, you long to accept every dream he shows you and make it into a reality that the two of you can share. And as you do, one truth becomes painfully clear.

A truth you had rather never realized.

A truth you pray he will never understand.

"I'm not going to leave your side."

I'm truly sorry Taehyung.

I'm afraid I've fallen in love with you.

note: ANYWAYS Yen has finally figured out her feelings for Taehyung! Are we excited?! Do you think Taehyung has anything to realize himself? Also, how do you think Yen's past trauma will unfold? So many things LMAO, hope you're ready for next weeks update!

chapter 39 here

check the Infinite Stars masterlist for more chapters

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[blitheringmcgonagall]

For your end of year fic asks! I love you!! ❤️

3. Favourite line/scene that you wrote

12. Favourite character to write about

14. A fic you didn't expect to write

19. Any new fics to start? 👀👀

21. Most memorable comment

23. Fics you wanted to write but didn't

@mollymarymarie you are always so bloody wonderfully kind, thank you love!!

3. Favourite line/scene: I did this already, but I'll pick another one, this time from Boys Don't Cry which is the prequel to my canon fic We Can Be Heroes.

There was a pause. Sirius licked his lips.

“You need to get it into your pitiful little skull that I’m a bad person, Prongs. Once you accept that, then this whole thing makes sense. Oh I know you’re going to say your usual pathetic, feel-good line about how we’ve all got both light and dark inside us,” he said with a distasteful air, making air quotes, and looking somewhere in the mid distance.  "That what matters is the part we choose to act on. That's who we really are,  bla bla bla. Face it, this is who I am."

12. Favourite character to write about: I already answered this too, but basically I couldn't pick? I think it depends what fic it is, for A Little Risk I'd say Lily and Remus, but for Boys Don't Cry I think it's Sirius.

14. A fic I didn't expect to write: I had no plans to start another fic, but then @joyseuphoria gave me an amazing prompt and an idea around baking, and next thing I knew, The Great Quidditch Bake Off was apparently a thing, with Jily in their enemies-to-lovers phase, Minnie on the war-path, Umbridge as a bigoted pureblood recipe-loving judge and Gilderoy Lockhart as her side-kick with the best-selling memoire entitled “From Guilty Pleasure Oreo Cheesecake to Black Forest Lust Bars- A Catalogue of How to Win: My Love Life in Desserts,” - which was not a sentence I EVER thought I'd write, and Minnie has still not forgiven me for making her say it out loud!

19. Any new fics to start? As I explained, my main aim is to finish A Little Risk and while I would like to do a muggle AU based in the North of Ireland with Catholic!Lily & Remus and Protestant!James and Sirius, I doubt I'll get the time to do it soon. So, more to the point, DO YOU HAVE ANY NEW FICS TO START??? Because you know I'll devour any if/when you do!

21. Most memorable comment? That is so hard to pick!!! So many beautiful people leave such gorgeous comments and thank you for that!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

There were a number of comments all by the same lovely person on Boys Don't Cry and We Can Be Heroes which made my day. They were from someone who had a pretty traumatic childhood and really identified and liked my portrayal of Sirius and Regulus and their relationship in these fics, and I’m super grateful and honoured that they shared that with me.

Also our mutual friend Moony posted this in response to a cliffhanger/ reveal on A Little Risk and I laughed so much 🤣

23. Fics you wanted to write but didn’t:

I would love to do another Jily & Wolfstar doctors AU but I have zero time so I didn’t even start it! I would also have loved to do some one shots set in the We Can Be Heroes universe which I mentioned at the end of that fic but again.. no time! Maybe next year after I finish ALR??

Thank you so much darling, you are a star and I love you too 🥺❤️🥰

#loveliest tumblr friends #so kind!!! #thank you so much you dote! #💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕💕 #end of year asks

[lizacstuff]

Liza that 3rd fragman 👀 "if I was born a 100 times I'd fall in love with you everytime" Eda saying this is their last obstacle and nothing can separate them, serkan's "I'll be right back, close your eyes I'm here" If this isn't all a red flag for shits about to hit the fan then I don't know what is LOL (but also how cute to Edser look and them telling each other they love each other very much 😭😭😭)

That fragman is both the SWEETEST and the MOST OMINOUS thing I’ve ever seen. ALL AT ONCE.  

Friends... we’re gonna go through some things.  That being said, everything is going to be great. These writers have been solid so far, and I have faith they have come up with something really interesting to increase the longevity of this show. And I don’t know about you, but I’m prepared to go through some things if it means keeping Eda and Serkan for longer.  (I heart them)

This show is about Eda and Serkan and their love story, at it’s core it’s a comedy, it will all lead to happy things, but... yeah, buckle up! 

I have a lot of asks both about the fragman and last ep, so I’m going to answer a bunch under the cut. 

Anonymous said: The fandom theories about episode 28 have gotten so wild that I literally think the most shocking thing would be if they actually got married and were not separated (emotionally or physically). What if the earlier painful episodes were to make us believe that things couldn't possibly go right in 28 and it's a reverse psychology trick?

You could be right!  I like your thinking. I checked on twitter and I had to back away slowly. The juvenile temper tantrums were too much for me today.  

Look, I think it’s clear something big is coming. It has to, there has to be something that shakes up the show. Some of the theories are more upsetting and catastrophic than others, but the writers won’t do anything that dings either character or their love for one another.  Whatever happens will showcase the connection between these two and the chemistry between the actors, that’s the point of everything, and anything that does those things is gonna be a-okay with me. 

@jan31​ Hi Liza. Do you think we are going to see the wedding in 28 or they will leave it on a cliffhanger for next week. Lots of theories going round mainly cos of Neslihan saying new dimensions coming in episode 29, which could just mean married life etc. I have seen suggestions of memory loss, it's all a dream since episode one. I would personally love Eda to wake up like in episode one but for it to be a total turn around and she is the boss and Serkan the employee. Eda being robot yildiz appeals to me!!! I know it will never happen but leave me here with my dreams!!

I started the day at 90% sure they’ll be married in 28/29, but now I’m down to like 30% that they’ll get married in these episodes. I really, really want them to get married before whatever happens happens, because every scenario I can think of for this reset or starting again, seems like it would be better if they were married.  

However, the shooting spoilers from today, make me question that. Namely the videos where Hande appears to still be wearing the ring on her right hand. We shall see, that could be for many reasons. 

Honestly, though, I wouldn’t hate a memory loss storyline. Seeing one of them (and Serkan’s line in the trailer makes it seem like it might be him) lose their memory and have to fall in love all over again? There are worse fates for a shipper than getting to experience that all again but in a different way.  

Anonymous said: Your response to the fandom drama anon was so good, it's exactly how I feel. While I don't know what the old posts that were like are (that's shady as fuck) I did see all the other drama go down and wow. The actresses def need to stay in their lane and some of the fans, hoooo boy, it's obvious they're young based off their reactions alone. Had to unfollow some people once I realized what they were like. Also some of the IRL shipping reminded me of col*fer stuff, reading into everything and blowing it out of proportion (which then gets picked up by paps....). But you're right in that at least the show related drama is tame compared to OUAT. But still, people being too careless even while they know the paps see everything and harass Kerem and hande (omg did you see the video of hande the other day stopped in the van and she looked so overwhelmed 😔)

You’re referencing this post here about yesterday’s drama. 

Today Neslihan made it worse by addressing everything and claiming she didn’t like all those Hande-bashing posts because... wait for it... she was HACKED. Oy. Hackers got in and went back two years to like gross posts about Hande? Sure, Jan. While I don’t believe that for a second, I guess that at least gives her cover with Hande so they can all pretend it’s true and move on so it’s not awkward on set.  But, yikes, she needs to consult a publicist, she took a narrative that was circulating in certain circles in fandom and made sure all her followers were aware. Not very savvy. 

As for the paps coming after Hande, yes I did see her in the car, she did look overwhelmed. Back off vultures!!! That’s why I think Kerem sometimes throws himself to the wolves so that doesn’t happen. She always handles them like a pro, but you can tell she’d rather be anywhere else on earth than talking to them. 

The pap stuff is worse than I’ve seen before, they’re like vultures circling for any conjecture (sometimes made up out of thin air) they can turn into a question and blame fans. OUAT actors dealt with nothing like this. Also I can’t believe they never ask about the show. Like after last week? They could legit ask about the sex scene which probably would have given them some angle on the actors that they wanted, (especially since it was too hot for Turkish TV) but they let that pass them by, and instead asked the same questions about being together that they never answer. Dumbasses. They are not only awful people, they are awful at their jobs. 

In Van, the paps pay off crew members for info, they always know more than fans. Also I don’t remember stars of my shows getting this level of tabloid attention before. Except for on Riverdale, Lili and Cole generated that level of interest, and while I didn’t pay terribly close attention to them, I feel like they rarely talked to the paps, were just photographed. Also I don’t suspected the CW of calling the paps on them, but I suspect either the network or production company of sometimes calling them on Hande and Kerem. 

Anonymous said: Do you think it’s weird that they didn’t touch the kidnapping at all in either trailer? They might not have filmed it in time for the 1st one but certainly the 2nd. And I’m definitely not complaining about the ones we got because its like a fairytale but the kidnapping was the cliffhanger...? 🧐 I think they should’ve just left the princes storyline at “he went back to his country” but then they didn’t so......

If they’d left his story at just going back to his country, then the Prince really wouldn’t have served his purpose. He was brought on to cause some sort of trouble, so they probably need him to cause the trouble before he goes, lets hope it ends with this kidnapping!

And to answer your question, yes, I do think it’s weird that neither trailer touched on it. On any other show I’d think it was a huge red flag, but on this show maybe not as much because  a) there’s obviously a lot of romance in this episode, it’s not crazy that they are focusing on that to draw people in with the promos  b) this show likes to do cliffhangers that end up being no big deal, that happens a lot.  

Who knows it could turn out to be a big deal that shapes the rest of the episode in some unexpected way (Eda’s captured the whole episode and she’s dreaming about wedding prep, or... who knows) but I think it’s more likely that they resolve in the first 5-10 minutes and then move on.  Since we know from the summary (not that I trust those) that Serkan goes on the bachelor weekend, it feels like the Prince is taken care of prior to that. I don’t think he’d leave her alone for a second if there was a chance the Prince was still a threat. Perhaps Babaanne is pissed he tried to kidnap Eda and tells them she’ll handle it herself???

Anonymous said: Semiha not being in the promo is highkey suspicious. The actress is promoting the episode lol. She's about to Evil Queen this wedding ceremony but you know what, I'm fine with whatever she has planned if they end up married at the end of the day. What's funny is that since a lot of fans these days will assume that there will be shocking negative plot twists, not actually having one here would be a plot twist so I hope the writers keep them together for whatever's next haha

You’re not wrong, at this point, having this wedding take place would be a shocking twist for all of us!  As for Semiha... hmmm... it will be interesting to see what her reaction is to Eda being kidnapped by her pick of suitor. Serkan Bolat might be the son of the man indirectly responsible for her parents death, but he would never hurt her. Take note, Grandbag!  

Anonymous said: Do you mind sharing your speculative scenarios?

After the trailer today, I don’t know if I can even remember some of them. 

Memory loss

Grandma forces Serkan to choose between Eda and his company/wealth,  he chooses Eda and they start over from scratch with nothing

Time jump

AU starting over, showing a different path they might have taken together

Dream

These actors playing different characters in a new story

I don’t think the last three are likely, but they did spring to mind after some of Neslihan’s teases. 

Anonymous said: So this show doesn't get like fantastic ratings (it actually seems to be on the lower end compared to all other dizis airing) but the social media engagement is off the charts. Why is that?!? Is the show just extraordinarily popular internationally? or that this is a "shipping" show? I'm floored by the numbers - its like no other show/fandom is even trying

The ratings were terrific during the summer. But to your point, it has a huge fandom both in Turkey and internationally, but it’s worth noting that most of those charts you see where it beats every other show in every imaginable social metric is just for Turkey.  

It’s one of those lightning in a bottle situations where you get the right property and the right actors together at the right time and magic happens.  And, for sure, the number one reason is the shipping. Shipping drives fandom engagement, and a fantastic ship with a juicy, fun, tropey love story is what this show offers. It also offers up two extremely attractive, talented, likeable leads with off-the-charts chemistry (plus the added speculation about an off-camera relationship that has intrigued more than a few fans, tabloids and gossip sites and fueled interest) who have done a good job of building the fanbase through their social media engagement. Plus the timing is part of it as well. I don’t know about you, but this show hit the spot during this pandemic and the horror of 2020. We all needed this escape. 

Anonymous said:Do you think something happened in the writers room after the backlash of 25 and fan disappointment after Ayse's announcement? I feel like a switch flipped and now we're in fanficland with how much good content we've gotten in these last two episodes. Like I thought maybe they should wrap up the series soon before the characters got completely off the tracks but they may be finding their groove now and I'm interested to see what their next twist is after they can write out Balca/Seymen.

I don’t know about a switch flip, this show has been fanfic land since the first episode!  The tropes! That is how I described it to multiple people when I first started watching: an AU fanfic come to life.

As for the writing changes, no, I don’t think backlash after 25 affected 26 or 27, because 26 was already 90% shot, and 27 already written. However, I assume they themselves could tell that 25 got just too dark and had strayed pretty far from the DNA of the series. While I didn’t think it was bad, it was not fun to watch and this show ought to be fun to watch. 

Let’s hope, however, that the backlash affects future episodes in that they know what works... and what doesn’t.  The last two episodes definitely felt reminiscent of the first batch of episodes. Light, funny, romantic. If they can keep that tone... I’ll be thrilled.

Anonymous said: i didn't realize how much i missed "together" edser until watching 27.. it's been so long since they were "officially" together and we also had such few episodes of it.. ppl have been comparing it to 12 and while in some ways i agree, edser are always so different here than they were there. 12 was them navigating their new relationship.. they were more shy and finding their footing.. here they are very much established, as they should be after knowing their love for so long in comparison to 12!

Yes, it was lovely. You know I’ve preached a lot about how even though Eda and Serkan were broken up, they’ve still been together all this time. And it’s true, but there is something about them truly being together that is magical. We never got enough of that the first time around (a writing mistake in my opinion) and they’re so good together it’s lovely to watch. 

Anonymous said: Serkan not asking for help from Balca when asking his team for help with the marriage gifts preparations and refusing her offer of help when she asked made me so happy. Good job Serkan! He's learning! She's not trustworthy!

Yes, that was a good moment. And he was eyeing her very warily when she offered. The thing I don’t understand is how has no one caught on that she’s working with Babaanne? That entire office is filled with nosy people, has no one remarked on the number of times Balca has gone up to the office or they’ve disappeared for lunch at the same time? Come on Leyla! Come on Melo! Notice these things!  

Anonymous said: Fingers crossed that we finally make progress towards getting rid of Seiman & Balca now that all the girls were drugged and Eda was put in the car in the last episode. Unless Seiman has a change of heart and takes Eda back inside before anyone wakes & the guys get there then the show has to address it. Although I do not think Balca is going to back down unless Serkan straight up tells her he has zero interest in her and never will. Totally fine if that happens in the next episode.

Will Balca backdown even if she’s humiliated like that? She’s so delusional I’m not sure. What I am sure is that she’s dangerous. This came in before we saw the other two fragmans that have no mention of the kidnapping. Hard to picture how that is so easily resolved. Unless she frees herself (which seems unlikely in her groggy state) or maybe Melo’s future boyfriend is able to stop it before they get far?  Or I don’t know. I just know that I want to see Serkan lose his mind and all the other characters see Serkan lose his mind and then I want it to be over. LOL.

Anonymous said: As much as I am loving everything Edser, I cannot wait for Seiman, Balca and Grandma to be gone. And I am even more annoyed to think that the show might try to redeem all 3 characters. All 3 of them are truly awful people and no need to waste air time trying to make the audience think any different. Just my opinion...🤷🏻‍♀️. Show please finally expose those 3 for the psychos they are and get rid of them.

Bye bitches!  I don’t think there’s any redemption for Balca and Seiman. They both have poisoned/dosed people, hard to come back from that.  And there is no need to redeem them because neither is compelling enough to be a long-term character. But maybe Granny, we probably will see a redemption arc for her. 

Anonymous said: i know you were worried a few weeks ago that with ayse leaving as writer, we probably wouldn't have the same sort of comedy as previous episodes... but istg the whole kiz isteme scene, especially with chef alex, had me almost crying with laughter. especially when serkan off the cuff just goes "well if that's an option..." to everyone misunderstanding alex "wanting" ayfer for 2 nights and then eda ready to beat him with the flowers he bought her... comedic gold lmao.

SO GOOD! I was thrilled to see that sort of comedy, the sort of comedy we’d come to expect, from these writers. I think it bodes very well indeed!  

That scene was amazing. I know Neslihan said that much of it was improvised. Probably that line from Serkan (since Serkan is SO out-of-his-mind in love I’m not sure he could even joke about having Eda only two nights a week! LOL) was improv from Kerem, and Aydan asking about the other nights, and Seyfi bringing up the weekend. And Eda’s very Hande-esque “Ser-KAN.” 

I just love rewatching that scene and checking out everyone who is breaking character and just losing it. Cagri most of all. He’s blurred aback there but you can see Ferit spends the whole time laughing or trying to stifle a laugh. Reminds me of Cagri in the scene in 18 when they’re watching the security footage he was losing it in that scene as well. 

Anonymous said: i'm scared - I think they are really about to give us all of these happy EdSer scenes only to have something happen RIGHT before the wedding ceremony due to Babaanne. Based on the last episode, I don't think there's any chance of a breakup (knock on wood) but what if Serkan gets arrested, goes to jail for 2 years, and we get a time jump?

This was sent before the last two teasers, so yes I think something is gonna happen. We shall see!  I don’t really think Serkan going to jail for 2 years is in the cards, at least I hope not!  Besides if Babaanne did that she would have no hopes of ever reconciling with Eda, so that seems unlikely she’d follow through and leave him there for so long a time. 

Anonymous said: With the last week's sex scene, they did a lot of fade outs but the scene was basically still there so it wasn't much wasted effort for the actors. But for what they're teasing in episode 28 - idk how they can get away with showing them in the shower at all if Serkan lifting Eda with her clothes on had required blurring? Is Eda dropping her robe even pushing it? It's intriguing indeed.

Great questions. We’re 36 hours from finding out (well I'm longer than that because I wait for the English subs, hee hee) All I know is I want to see these scenes.. one way or another! 

#sen cal kapimi #edser #Sen Çal Kapımı #sck spoilers #sck specualtion #sckask #sck episode discussion #asklizac #Anonymous

[punkscowardschampions]

Jimmy & Janis

Jimmy: How's it going, mate? Jimmy: Lost the will yet or nah Janis: Honestly Janis: Ain't even got that much shit but everyone's being dead dramatic about it Janis: Obviously I don't want my finger paintings, Ma, fucking hell Janis: how 'bout you? Jimmy: Cute 💕 Jimmy: Reckon I've got less but spending half my time separating my shit from Cass and Bob's Jimmy: How the fuck have they taken over my room? Jimmy: Theirs are bigger like Janis: Such a soft touch, lad Janis: Lucky we're sharing or best believe I'd be bagsying the shit out of the bigger room too 😉 Jimmy: 🎻 Jimmy: You can lay claim to all the drawers, mate Jimmy: Leave me somewhere to hang my hat though Janis: You forgotten which twin you moving in with? Janis: I'll tell Grace to grab her coat, like Janis: Get in, babe Jimmy: Funny Jimmy: I've seen how many pairs of kicks you have, I've made that mental note Jimmy: I've got nowt that needs to be worried about, proper floordrobe in my box room Janis: Awwh, when bae notices things Janis: such a #keeper Janis: Better be sorting that, I'll ask for hangers for a housewarming gift...now that's peak #adulting Jimmy: #goals every day of my life 💕 Jimmy: 😎 Jimmy: Can't we ask for another dog, that'd be peak adulting for you Jimmy: Uping your training game Janis: Trying to break Twix's poor little doggy heart 💔 Janis: You monster, you Jimmy: She's capable of breaking her own Jimmy: Either pining for us or Cass wherever she decides she's gonna sleep Jimmy: 🎻 Janis: Drama 👑 Janis: Takes after you, I reckon Jimmy: I blame her training. Or should I say lack of Janis: 😨 Janis: Friggin' cheek Janis: and you want a puppy? When we've already fucked up our first child? Janis: shocking Jimmy: Only thinking of you, needing that 2nd chance Jimmy: Prove you've still got it, training wise Janis: If I can get you to do your own laundry, we'll call it a victory for me, yeah? 😜 Jimmy: That victory's already mine, proper domesticated me Jimmy: There's something to be said for raising yourself Janis: You'll have to teach me then Janis: Spoilt brat, like Jimmy: Alright 👑 Jimmy: See where Twix gets it from now Janis: Soz we know our worth, babe 💅 Jimmy: I'm not Jimmy: Not looking to be the dickhead that chains you to the sink or owt Janis: Kinky Janis: and good luck, Twix ain't got the dexterity, broken plates all over the shop Janis: and I'd be aiming for your head, like 🏆 Jimmy: Tell it to Mr Lucas before he loses interest now you're 👵 Jimmy: 💪 Bring it on Janis: Being dying to chain me up since day 1 Janis: what do you think the detentions were all about, pervert Jimmy: I wasn't reckoning on him trying to get to me via you for the perfect latte recipe Jimmy: But who can say Jimmy: Got the breath of a bean addict like Janis: 😂 not your usual stalker but think about it Janis: pretty good candidate for the flat whites Jimmy: They do need to make up numbers Jimmy: And he don't seem like a trifler with the application Jimmy: Very committed to hanging around young girls Janis: Yeah, you're devvo your fanbase is dwindling Janis: Certainly one way to get back on everyone's minds and lips, babe Jimmy: Having a cry wank while I pack up me socks Jimmy: Rumbled me Janis: Nasty Janis: leave that one behind, like Janis: nice reminder of you for your Da Jimmy: If you find an odd it isn't your crap laundry skills, mate Janis: Good to know Janis: Can't knock out another one before you go? Janis: Lightweight Jimmy: For you I will Jimmy: You're welcome Janis: 😍 Janis: The romance Jimmy: #goals is my thing so Jimmy: 💐 Janis: Be putting that on the 'gram later then Janis: green with envy or 🤢 Jimmy: Everyone knows your snap is where the good shit goes 😏 Jimmy: Get a story going in every room once we're in, naturally Janis: Shut up 😳 Janis: s'one way to christen it, like Janis: the fans will approve Jimmy: I wouldn't disapprove meself Jimmy: But I'll be #buzzing not to trip over your brother constantly to be honest Jimmy: And not to have Bobby in and out of my bed Jimmy: Privacy like, how and what even is that? 😂 Janis: You clearly loved it Janis: Or he did Janis: either way, get a room 😉 Janis: Its gonna be pure luxury Jimmy: I see you, trying to dump me so you don't have to share the bed Jimmy: Gonna have to get more creative than fobbing me off on your brother, sorry Janis: Nah, you're a pretty good bed mate, to be fair Janis: Snuggly 😘 Jimmy: Only pretty good? Jimmy: Challenge accepted there then Janis: I mean, not saying I've had better Janis: but my last mans was a real 🐻 you know? Jimmy: No need to spur me on to 🏆mate Jimmy: Not with my winning streak Jimmy: 😎💪 Janis: 😏 We'll see Janis: Not leaving your competition at home, Gracie's heart would break, like Jimmy: Thought she'd be used to what a heartbreaker I am by now Janis: Who but me could ever keep up with your games, yeah? 🤷 Jimmy: Running rings round me, you Janis: Huh, a compliment? Janis: Not going to help you with your heavy shit up the stairs like just 'cos you're a 🍭talker Jimmy: I'm not asking. Got your nan coming round in a bit like 😏 Janis: 😂 feeling better with her on side now? Janis: brave, like, having her as your landlady Jimmy: I got no pianos or anvils I'm packing Jimmy: Should be alright Janis: just the 🎻right? Jimmy: Naturally Jimmy: Can't go far without that Janis: Not gotta sing for your supper, like Janis: not promising better than the chipper though Jimmy: Mate in this house that's fancy shit Jimmy: Can take me outta here but Janis: are Cass and Bob gonna come help? Janis: use the term loosely for Bobs but I'm sure I can convince my Da that Cass needs sustenance for all her 💪 Jimmy: They wanna Jimmy: I said they'd be more of a hindrance, especially if they drag Twix along but what can I say, most poorly trained of the lot, they are Janis: I'll whip 'em into shape Janis: Managed you, like Janis: If they got bored they can always go down and play pool and get crisps Jimmy: I give Cass half an hour before she's taking you up on that Jimmy: Over everything she is Jimmy: Fuck knows where she gets that from 😂 Janis: 😏 Right mystery that Janis: Ah to be 15 and have it all figured out, like Jimmy: I don't reckon she does, lad I see her hanging about with Jimmy: Right dickhead he looks Jimmy: Just mates, been there, said that, kid Janis: 👴 Janis: Maybe she's avoided your flair for the dramatic Janis: We can only hope or you're gonna have to be all up on her feed 👀 Jimmy: 🖕 Jimmy: Have a word, will ya Jimmy: Might go in more than one ear you saying it Janis: This what we become already? Janis: Not even in the front door like Janis: Don't let on, the field day the fans would have Jimmy: Dream team, we are Jimmy: On me own I'm just that dickhead Jimmy: Not news to Cass or the fans Janis: You're my dickhead 💞 Jimmy: You're cute 💕 Janis: What can I say? Janis: Prospect of finally getting outta this place and having our own space got me feeling a type of way Jimmy: Cheers to that 🍻 Jimmy: The barn and my car both have their own charms like but Janis: Good times Jimmy: You might be needing them back desperate when it hits what living with me is gonna be like Jimmy: Sure you got me that well trained? Janis: Definitely don't get rid, like Janis: Never know when you'll need to drive off dramatically into the night Jimmy: Or sleep in the backseat when you get mardy enough to kick me out Janis: You know Janis: Living above a pub, may as well act like we're in Eastenders Jimmy: Plot twist, it was Twix framing me all along Jimmy: That bitch Janis: Duff duff duff duff duff Janis: What a cliffhanger Jimmy: Predictable, but we know she is Janis: 😎 Shade Janis: Can't help how irresistible I am Janis: slept with half the square by the end of the month Jimmy: Who am I squaring up to this week 🥊 tune in to find out, lads Janis: Poor babe Janis: When you find out you shoulda been with lovely Lil Mo all along Jimmy: 😂 Jimmy: You come home and I've moved Tam in Jimmy: Thank god for them high ceilings Jimmy: Love story years in the making Janis: 😣 and I'm still gonna hit it 'cos double standards and nah, bitch Janis: take my man, not my flat, how dare you Jimmy: And your 🐶 too Jimmy: Out of order Janis: She's gonna turn up squashed in a car compactor next ep Jimmy: Funny Jimmy: 4 x 4 and she still struggling for that head room Janis: You know that's your type Janis: Typical sketchy photographer, you Jimmy: Shut up Jimmy: Not my fault your sibling rivalry with Gracie included being taller Janis: Likely story Janis: Going some to up your portfolio game tho, lad Jimmy: Go tall or go home Janis: Know I never mastered the artsy fringe but Janis: tah for sticking around still, like Jimmy: You're welcome Janis: Generous to a fault Janis: When you take charity fake dating too far, ladies and gents Jimmy: Fake yeah, Charity nah, babe Janis: Love you Jimmy: If you don't reckon you're beautiful by now I'm gonna have to take more pictures Jimmy: Good thing we've got a blank canvas for a bit Janis: Always wanted to live in a shrine to myself, obvs Janis: I'll have to amateur hour it so peeps know you live here too, like Jimmy: Done Jimmy: Can you? Got that pro status, mate Janis: 👌 I picked up a few tips Janis: you're not totally useless, like Jimmy: Thanks Jimmy: Love you too, like Janis: 💞 Jimmy: Reckon I'm done here Jimmy: Do you want me to come and get you or are we gonna need two trips for the boxes? Janis: Mental you ever unpacked that much tbh Janis: I reckon we can squeeze, no doubt my parents wanna follow like the creepers they are if there's too much anyway Jimmy: Fair Jimmy: and I'm gonna have to go back for Cass and Bob at some point anyway Jimmy: Don't need to be back and forth enough to make my dad think I'll miss the place Janis: Don't reckon even he can pull off that level of purposefully oblivious, like Janis: and don't reckon he wants me to come 'round to say farewell either, not that I EVER set a foot inside, like, nah 😉 Jimmy: Good times Janis: Don't be getting emotional on me now Janis: Look how far we made it, like Janis: 🎻 Jimmy: 😂 Jimmy: I'll be #buzzing if I make it up the stairs with this shit Jimmy: 🚭 lads, who knew it was so bad for you Janis: the ban and the warning labels just flew right over you, like Janis: know you're not that tall but 😏 Jimmy: 😎 Jimmy: Least your warnings worked 😏 Jimmy: Healthy as a 🐎 now like Jimmy: Never seen a horse do stairs is all Janis: is it them you can take up but they won't come down? Janis: or cows, maybe Janis: look, all I'm saying is, don't invite Mia 'round or we'll never be rid Jimmy: Fucked if I know Jimmy: You're the country girl Jimmy: We only have glue up north Jimmy: And burgers Jimmy: No cows Janis: 🙄 Janis: Am not, dickhead Jimmy: Tell it to the veg patch, mate Jimmy: You can move out but there's no leaving all that lot behind Janis: Don't say that Janis: that's the whole fucking point! 😂 Jimmy: You collect all the keys they've got and then we won't give any more out Jimmy: Done Janis: 😍 Janis: now you're talking my language Jimmy: Gotta get you back on side before I'm trapped in a car with you Jimmy: Surrounded by heavy objects Janis: Sensible boy Jimmy: Well trained Jimmy: I'm coming over now Jimmy: 💪 too if you need a hand Janis: Just the one? Janis: Shame 😈 Jimmy: Now you're talking my language Janis: Quicker we unpack the faster they'll all leave Jimmy: Why do you think I'm not bringing much 😏 Janis: Always thinking, my boy Jimmy: Not just a pretty face Janis: Nah Janis: have missed it tho Janis: and not just 'cos I've been staring at boxes for the past few hours Jimmy: Awh 💕 Jimmy: You'll be sick of it soon enough like Janis: Threat or a promise? Jimmy: We'll see Janis: Tease Jimmy: First time you've ever complained though Jimmy: Bit late Janis: Fickle like that Janis: but you knew that too so Jimmy: Nobody can say I didn't know what I was getting into Jimmy: Couldn't even play fake nice, you Janis: You loved it Jimmy: Yep Janis: Thank fuck Janis: Plan B where I had to join the flat whites woulda been rough stuff, like Jimmy: You'd have loved it Janis: Clearly, all I ever want from life is spending more time with my sister Jimmy: 😂 Jimmy: Gonna move her in instead of me then? Jimmy: I'll turn this car around Janis: Hell no Janis: not been able to share a room for years Janis: nevermind a bed, as much as the pervs would love that Jimmy: Think of the 'gram Jimmy: Have I taught you nowt Janis: Don't even fucking suggest it Janis: the idea of that makes likes would defs go to her head Jimmy: I'm here now so feel free to shut me up Janis: 💪 Janis: Coming

[maplecornia]

Chapter 4

𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡 𝔠𝔬𝔲𝔫𝔱: 3.06K

𝔤𝔢𝔫𝔯𝔢: romance | slice of life | fluff | angst | bts x female!reader | ot7

𝔰𝔲𝔪𝔪𝔞𝔯𝔶: You watched them from the sidelines ever since you were a young teenage girl. Now you’re grown up, they’ve returned after 2 long years and everything has changed. What happens when you pull back the mask and find the darkness within? What happens when you see that they’re broken?

𝔞/𝔫: this one is literally just revolving around one of the BTS members. i don't really have much else to say other than HYUNJIN'S BACK and I'm crying.

𝔴𝔞𝔯𝔫𝔦𝔫𝔤𝔰: cliffhangers | angst | fluff | slight mentions of self hatred | depression | mental health illness | self harm | occurs in the year 2024 | set in a timeline where BTS went to the military together | slight language

tags: @kookaine | @fangirl125reader | @kookiebbyxx | @taradevonne

Kim Namjoon never imagined he would lose his assistant.

JaeJin was a great worker and a great friend. He loved music and expressed it through his very soul, his every move whenever he danced or helped Namjoon produce a song. Namjoon smiles as his hand hovers over the soundboard.

In the back of his mind, he remembers the days spent here ever since Jaejin was promoted to his assistant. He remembers the first time he met his dear friend, how nervous Jaejin looked, unspoken excitement reverberating off of him in waves.

As Namjoon pushes up the volume on the soundboard, he thinks back to the moments spent as Jae learned how to be his assistant, as Namjoon taught him as much as he could. How what started as respect turned into a mutual friendship, and later, a brotherhood.

Though Namjoon is sad to see JaeJin go, he is happy to see his dream accomplished. He will miss Jae's smile, his laugh, and his good heart, but he knows that just because Jaejin is taking a different path doesn't mean they will cease to be friends.

As soon as Joon finishes a part of his song, he sighs, pulling away from the board and whipping out his phone.

He doesn’t know why he started thinking about him all of a sudden, he was one of the first people to know that Jae was leaving. Besides, he would see him soon, it’s not like Jaejin leaving for a couple of months means that he won’t ever see him again.

Standing, RM walks out of the room, leaving Suga to continue by himself.

He's lucky that Yoongi has his headphones on. If he caught Namjoon slacking he wouldn't get off easy. Carefully, RM exits the room, shutting the door softly behind him as he leans against the wall next to the door to the studio. Turning his phone on, he checks the time, his heart thumping slightly.

8:30 am.

Perhaps the reason his mind is so full of nostalgic memories is that he’s been waiting since last night to meet his new manager.

Jaejin said that his replacement should show up around this time, but he hasn't given much information other than that. Namjoon pockets his phone and heads down the hallway towards the front lobby.

Staff members pass by him, some working for TxT, others for the new girl group they put together about 3 years ago, and even more for the new boy group that BigHit began putting together in 2020.

Namjoon finds their presence surreal.

The members of BTS's staff have been around ever since their debut, and even more, have joined the crew over the years. These staff members will no doubt do the same for their groups, maybe stick around till the very end.

If anyone asked Namjoon's opinion, he would say it was the staff that had to do the real work. And all from behind the scenes. They are the ones who help them put on a great show. They are the ones who tutor them, provide for them, allow them to create their vision, their masterpiece. They are the stitches behind the fabric.

To Namjoon, BTS is just the face. The whole idea of them, of their message, was created through everyone's effort. Including ARMY, including their staff, including BTS themselves.

Losing one of their members would be like trying to fill a hole that cannot be filled.

Perhaps that's why Namjoon is so worried about Jaejin's replacement.

No one can truly replace him.

Namjoon never wanted a new manager.

There was a reason he chose Jaejin out of all the others, a reason he turned a backup dancer into his manager. He needs someone with the same passion, the same grit, the same determination that he has. Jaejin had that, and more. He was able to keep up with Namjoon’s crazy schedule, his unhealthy habits, his tendency to overwork himself.

Normally it was Suga trying to keep up with him, trying to help him, trying to do the best for him, but when he met Jaejin, he found exactly what he needed in a manager.

Will his replacement be able to do the same?

Entering the lobby, he knocks on the counter, where a receptionist is taking a call. She looks up at his knock and he smiles at her, receiving the usual smile back and a slight blush on her cheeks.

After a moment of their little staring contest, Namjoon grows impatient. He indicates silently that he’s waiting to speak with her and her eyes widen in realization. She nods sheepishly at his signal, holding up one finger to signify to him that she'll talk to him in a second. He complies, settling in as she continues her call, faintly aware of Kim Namjoon behind her.

Namjoon is never sure how to feel about these types of things.

People recognizing him in the street, others noticing him even with a disguise, he doesn't know what to do with the attention.

Why didn't people pay attention to him before? When he didn't have all the makeup, the money, and the influence? Are they looking at him because they appreciate who he is as a person?

Or because he is Kim Namjoon?

RM of BTS.

Putting the thought out of his mind, he turns his back to the receptionist, unlocking his phone, and opening the chat with Jaejin. He doesn't see any sign of his replacement, but then again, how would Namjoon know what she looks like?

Hey

YOUNG APPRENTICE- oh hi, what’s up hyung?

When was your replacement supposed to be here again?

YOUNG APPRENTICE- ummmmm, 8:00 am or so, why?

RM pulls away from his phone, looking around for any sign of a girl who looks lost or out of place in the lobby. Every time Jaejin talked about this so-called friend, he referred to them as a “she” so the only thing Namjoon knows about this new manager is the fact that she’s female.

Sadly, as he desperately scours the lobby, there's no sign of anyone there that fits the description. The one girl who was waiting in the waiting area has just been called aside and led to a meeting room. Namjoon, a little worried, bites his lip before a buzz in his hands causes him to glance at his phone.

YOUNG APPRENTICE- Namjoon?

Yeah?

I’m sorry it’s just….she’s not here yet

YOUNG APPRENTICE- WHAT

Namjoon rolls his eyes playfully at Jae's reaction before walking out of the lobby. If she's not here, there's no need to hang around, and it doesn't seem as though the receptionist is paying much attention anyway.

As he leaves, the receptionist stares after him almost hopelessly, Namjoon oblivious to the longing gaze.

He glances at his phone once more maneuvering his way through the hallways of the building.

YOUNG APPRENTICE- are you sure?

YOUNG APPRENTICE- I'm gonna murder her

Well I can’t know for sure

Could I have a picture or maybe a name?

YOUNG APPRENTICE- I never gave you one?

Not to my knowledge

YOUNG APPRENTICE- oh I am so sorry hyung! Her name is Lin Yen and just give me a minute and I'll find you a picture

"Lin...Yen...." Namjoon murmurs, pondering it in his mind.

"Just who exactly are you?" he whispers, putting the phone down once more as he comes to a stop in a corner of the hallway.

Yen...he repeats in his mind, playing around with it, trying to see how it sounds on his tongue, how it feels circling in his thoughts, how it plays on his voice.

It's a beautiful name, one he hasn't heard often, and for some reason, he feels as though it's foreign. Another vibration from his phone jolts him out of his pondering thoughts, and he looks down at the screen, immediately bursting out laughing.

Jaejin has sent the picture of you, but it's not just any picture.

It's a picture of you eating salad.

But that's not what makes it so funny.

You and Jaejin are at a Korean BBQ in the picture, and you hold the signature salad bowl up to your face, your chopsticks hooked around an enormous bite. You're shoving the bite into your mouth, your cheeks puffed up like chipmunks, your eyes wide and nose pinched.

Your expression, your face, the fact that you're attempting to shove a huge bite into your mouth, everything about the picture is hilarious, and Namjoon can't stop looking at it.

He can't stop looking at you.

Now he is sure that you are a foreigner, with that complexion and your facial features. You aren't necessarily tall, but not super short either. Then again, Namjoon doesn't think that Park Jimin is short, so what does he know?

One thing is for sure, though…

You are beautiful.

And it’s not only the physical things that make you beautiful, though they are a contributing factor.

It’s the personality.

The charisma that exuberates off of you, managing to touch him most charmingly through a mere photo. The way you smile, how it lights up your eyes. The blush of your cheeks, and even the color of your hair. Everything about you has captured his attention, and he can't look away.

His smile doesn't want to fade, so he covers his face with his hand, leaning against the wall. No doubt he looks like an idiot, but he doesn't care.

You have that gift.

The natural gift of familiarity when you are less than strangers.

And it has surprised him. The cool, calm, professional, wise Namjoon wouldn't have thought that such a thing could reach his heart...and yet he can't stop smiling.

"Namjoon."

Startled, the smile fading just as quickly as it began, Namjoon jumps, his phone slipping out of his grip. Frantic, and a bit embarrassed, he fumbles to catch it before it falls, but to no avail.

He watches in hopeless despair as the phone hits the ground with a sickening thud, the screen immediately cracking at the impact of the harsh tiled floor.

Namjoon lets out a groan, while a slender, pale hand reaches out and picks it up. Wincing, he glances to his side.

Where Min Yoongi holds his phone in between his fingers as though it were a dirty piece of trash; looking unamused. Glaring at him with a stare as cold as ice, he drops it into RM’s hands before folding his arms across his chest. Namjoon rolls his eyes at his luck, sighing inwardly.

He doesn't look too happy.

"Hey, Yoongi, I--"

"Yes, please explain, Kim Namjoon." Yoongi drawls, his voice monotone and sending shivers down Namjoon’s spine. Almost shamefully, Namjoon turns off his phone and slides it back into his pocket, avoiding that icy stare.

"You're supposed to be helping, yet you left for what? To laugh at memes? Now is not the time to be fooling around with Jackson for heaven's sakes!” Though Yoongi doesn’t raise his voice, the severity of his tone is enough to make it seem as though he has and Namjoon has to restrain himself from visibly flinching away from him. After a moment of silence, Suga sighs, rubbing his temple with frustration. “Why are you so distracted today?"

Joon has been asking himself the same question.

"For one thing, they weren't memes and I wasn’t talking to Jackson. It was a picture of Jaejin's replacement. I was trying to see if she's arrived yet." He explains, a bit indignantly, before walking away towards the studio once more, hoping to escape the conversation.

He should have remembered that nothing escapes Yoongi.

"And did she?" Suga follows Namjoon, managing to walk fast enough to catch up with him and yet still look nonchalant and unbothered. RM sighs at the question, speeding up his pace, as he notices the studio door in the distance.

Jumping at the opportunity, Namjoon makes a break for the door, Yoongi calling after him in surprise. He reaches it, leaving Suga behind in the dust. Opening the door he sinks into a chair as though it were a refuge from the uncomfortable situation he found himself in. As Yoongi comes to a stop in front of the door, Namjoon acts as though he were there the entire time.

"Do you need something?" he asks innocently, and Yoongi rolls his eyes, walking in and closing the door behind him before settling into a chair of his own.

"Yes. I need you to focus on this project. This is important, and is nowhere near done if it's going to be our next title track." He murmurs, immediately setting to work, his mouse echoing in the silence. Biting his bottom lip in guilt, RM turns back to his phone, frowning a bit at the sight of the cracked screen.

Yoongi is right, Namjoon knows this.

They dedicated this day to work on BTS’s new title song.

Namjoon especially wanted Yoongi to produce it because of his incredible skill and work ethic. He practically begged him to take time off from his other projects to work on this with him, Yoongi is sacrificing a lot of his time just to be here.

Namjoon knows how important time can be.

It doesn’t help matters considering how this song is so essential to their comeback album. Promotion is still far off, but it doesn't change the circumstances. ARMY waited for them for so long to come back to them, it’s only fair that they give them the most groundbreaking album they can.

But RM can't focus.

And it’s for such a stupid reason.

Just because Jaejin is gone doesn't mean the world will fall apart.

He knows this, it's just...

Namjoon smiles a bit bitterly, turning back to the booth as he resumes his work once more.

"She wasn't there." Suga turns to Namjoon at the sound of his voice. Namjoon notices but doesn't pay any mind, continuing to play with the soundboard, creating his type of spell, his sort of magic. "In response to your question."

Yoongi doesn't respond, waiting for Namjoon to finish. That's the way he is, sometimes RM can’t finish a thought in one sentence and it takes him a moment to piece things together, what with everything else running through that expansive mind of his. Suga knows when to wait, when to stay silent, and allow RM a chance to tell him everything he needs to.

He's no stranger to listening to people, especially when it comes to Namjoon.

Sometimes, Joon just needs to let something out without anyone saying anything, and Yoongi won't say anything unless he feels it's necessary. He’ll listen, and be there for anyone to lean on, able to offer them the emotional support they need to carry on.

"I'm sorry, I guess I'm a little nervous to meet her." After a moment, Yoongi responds to him, his soft voice carrying across the room in a comforting murmur.

"What's the big deal? If she's professional, she'll be perfect. I'm sure there's nothing to be worried about." He reassures him. RM nods, trying to concentrate once more, and put the thought of your arrival to the back of his mind.

Maybe Yoongi is right, maybe there is nothing to be worried about.

However, Namjoon can't help but think that your arrival will change their lives.

And who knows if it'll be for the better?

𝔫𝔬𝔱𝔢: how are you guys liking Jaejin now? lol

chapter 5 here

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#{infinite stars} updated! #namjoon #bts ot7 #bts fanfic #ot7 #bts #bangtan #fanfiction #fanfic #wattpad #ao3 #wattpad author #ao3 author #bts x reader #bts x female reader #writers #bts fanfiction series #bts fluff #fluff #bts angst #angst #series #anyways #i'm really tired now so i'm probably not gonna say much more #plus my mom is getting irritated at me for staying up late again #hope you like it ^^