Hello everyone! If you are interested in Lookism and you are currently trying to find some fanfiction to read, then, I would like to suggest my work titled “Tag, You’re It” and it is published on Wattpad. My Wattpad username is @_ceciliahiddlestan. Feel free to follow my accounts on Tumblr and Wattpad so you could stay updated!
The book currently on-going and has the prologue published. The love interests list is wide! It is a female reader x various characters type of fanfiction where both the Lookism men and women are included!
Here’s the link to the story: https://www.wattpad.com/story/316635899-tag-you%27re-it-lookism
Down below is the description of the book. I hope to see you there!
Lookism Various Characters x Female Reader
Dissociative Amnesia. A type of amnesia where you'll experience difficulty remembering important information. Caused by a traumatic or stressful event.
(Y/N)(L/N) came back to Seoul from America, transferring to J High School. After an accident, she wasn't able to recall events and people from her past and continued her medications and life abroad. Now that she's back, what are the secrets of the past that continue to haunt her? Will her memories come back? Or will be permanently lost? This is a game of tag and you're it.
Started: July 17, 2022
Published: October 18, 2022
Completed: N/A
Thank you for taking the time to read it! Stay safe, y'all!
A new isekai story from me? I know, bonkers! Actually inspired by the blurb I read on an actual isekai manga/manhwa/etc. BUT I liked the idea enough that I didn't read the story so I could write my own yandere version of it, hope you guys enjoy it ♥
Characters: Yandere!Emperor x Isekai!Fem!Reader
Warnings: Yandere, Forced Marriage Trope, Isekai Trope, Depiction of War, Violence, Attempted Murder (not from or on the reader)
»»———————— ♡ ————————««
Sighing, you put down the packaging of the game you just loaded up, having hoped it would give you any clue about what it was all about.
A dark, black box with only the game's title imprinted on it—Fated Encounters—was as helpful as a blindfold in the streets. Thus, you threw it over your shoulder, hearing it plop onto your bed as you stared back at the character creation screen you had worked on for a while.
You had to admit, your character was really damn cute, from the pretty eyes to the custom outfit you put together. But at the same time, not knowing what the game was all about, it was hard to decide what was needed now: stats.
"Weird game," you mumbled, feeling slightly irritated at the lack of direction you had received. The friend who told you about it had simply called it "the best game I have ever played" before leaving you behind at the game store after having pushed the box into your hand. They felt very off lately, but you didn't know why. So you thought maybe if you played their favorite game, you could get them out of their shell and to spend time with you again.
Naturally, you could play it safe and just put an equal amount of points in all the stats, but where was the fun in that? You didn't know what occupation your main character had and had no idea what alignment you wanted them to have throughout the run, so you were like a stranded whale when choosing the right stats—utterly helpless.
And out of frustration about it, you decided to say fuck it.
Pressing the button of your controller, you held it until all of the points you were given went into charisma. Who needed strength, magic, defense, and health when you could simply talk your way out of every dangerous situation? Make everyone believe you were innocent and sweet while dodging the possible bullets. With your lack of knowledge about the game, it was the best choice, and if you liked the game, you could still revisit it with better stats next time!
Clicking 'start' almost excited you as you waited for the screen to change from black to an intro cutscene, but instead, another confirmation popped up, asking you, "Are you sure you want to proceed with these choices? Note: All choices have consequences."
"Ominous," you chuckled before hitting the confirmation again. The game made a small sound of acceptance before it finally turned black and stayed this way. Seconds passed, and you started to press all buttons, up, down, left, and right, until finally, you gave up, accepting that all your hard work creating this character had just been in vain, as your system must have frozen.
Frustrated, you forced a manual shut-down of your game system, discarding the controller somewhere on the table before getting up and letting yourself fall head-first into the mattress. What a stupid idea this was, you thought to yourself as you felt the hard box of the game poke your stomach. Anger unleashed upon the poor box as you yanked it out and discarded it on the floor, instant regret overcoming you as you hoped it wasn't broken so you could return the game.
You would definitely not go through all this work again to play it.
No way!
»»———————— ♡ ————————««
You awoke to the sounds of screaming.
Bellowing voices were all around you, yelling at one another, grunting, despairing. The ground beneath you shook with ferocity as the bangs of explosions hit you from both sides, barely shielded by the ringing in your ears. Alerted, you pushed your hands into the surface beneath you and felt your fingers dig into what felt like loose earth or sand while you tried to focus. What had happened? You only just fell asleep after being so frustrated with the game you couldn't play. Why had the atmosphere changed so drastically?
Gripping your head, a surge of pain went through you, a nasty gash on your forehead wetting your palm. The red was striking even through your blurred vision as you gazed at your hand, and reality was still hard to grasp as your senses suddenly cleared, letting in the unmistakable sounds of war all around you.
Hastily, you looked around, trying to focus on one thing and all at the same time. This place didn't look like your home at all! There was neither a bed nor your gaming setup around that clearly marked it as your room. Instead, you saw dirt everywhere, flames rising from bushes and trees, and the worst part—bodies.
Countless humanoid bodies lay in the dirt, the ground stained with what could only be blood. Most were face down, arrows sticking from their backs, spears slammed through the armor some of them wore. Some of their heads were rolled to the side, staring at you lifelessly, and for some reason, you were overcome by guilt, as if it had been your fault they died. You grabbed yourself by the arms as you were overcome by the horror, finally realizing you were on some battlefield, wounded and terrified, with no idea how you got there.
Had your country been attacked while you slept? How could you have not noticed it? Where was your family, why did these bodies look so medieval? What the hell was going on?!
Next to you, another person stirred, clad in black armor and clearly in pain. You crawled over to the knight, helm covering his face while he clutched his side.
"Hey! Hey, stay calm!" you called out to him, and he jerked at your voice, probably just as scared as you were. "It's going to be alright," you assured him, looking his body over for wounds until you noticed the gaping opening his hand tried to press down on.
"It's okay," you kept assuring him, hoping he wouldn't notice the wavering in your voice. You had no idea if it would be okay or not. Honestly, it looked pretty bad for him. All you knew was that one should press down on wounds to stop the bleeding, and although you felt bad, you put more pressure on top of the knight's hand, hoping that would help.
"Why..." he grunted, and you gulped.
"We have to stop the bleeding so we can get you to someone who can help! A-A doctor... healer, something like that! I don't know, I'm sorry! This is all so strange, I have no idea what's going on! I'm doing my best! I just don't know what to do! I'm so so sorry!"
Your whole body was wracked with shivers as you tried to assist and help this person somehow when the sound of his voice suddenly cut through your panic in a way you didn't expect.
He chuckled.
"No, why would you help me?"
"You're hurt..." you whispered in response, saying it before thinking clearly.
"It's war. Would you not want your enemy to be hurt?" he asked, his voice lightening with curiosity. Even if the concept of war was so unfamiliar, only known through stories and history to someone like you, you understood that he meant that hurt and death were inevitable when two sides clashed. Still, it meant very little to you, who couldn't bear these thoughts even though you had to have them.
"War is awful! No one deserves to be in pain or die!" you sobbed, tears having collected in your eyes. This wasn't the right moment for your pity party; after all, this man was probably as good as dead. Yet here you were, making it about yourself and your stupid, conflicted feelings. But this guy was perhaps the same as you, lying in the dirt, scared and frightened. You didn't want the closest thing to an ally you had, to die miserably.
"I don't want this! I don't want you to die! I don't care if you're my enemy! You deserve to live and be happy! Enjoy your life, eat good food, and be in love with someone who loves you just the same! It's not fair! No one should have to die in vain!" you yelled, and it took him a moment before he laughed softly, rolling his head over the ground.
"Your Highness, get away!" someone yelled, the voice clear and strangely familiar as the black knight next to you suddenly rose from his early grave. Even though you both sat on the ground, he towered over you, the shining black of his armor looming like death incarnate. His hand reached up towards your face but instead caught your wrist from where it had touched him. You jolted in surprise, his grip crushing as it wrapped around you. Gasping out in pain, an arrow suddenly came swooshing through the air, cutting close enough to the knight's grip on you that you could feel the wind on your exposed skin around your hand, tearing you out of your fear and pain.
For a moment, his grip softened, and this time, your body responded perfectly, yanking yourself out of his hold and toppling back. It was neither elegant nor careful. It hurt as your elbows crashed onto the ground, your lower back taking most of the blow, but at least you were a few inches away from that strange knight.
Strong arms hooked underneath your body, the presence of many people surrounding you as you were lifted from the ground swiftly. You heard all sorts of armor clanking and clicking as people moved around, but even more so, you were forced to listen to the blood-curdling screams of soldiers being struck down right in front of you.
Was it the black knight or the ones now crowding around you? All of the people here wore silver plates, but you could only see hints of black through the gaps in their formation.
"Your Highness, you need to leave right now! It's too dangerous to remain here!" the soldier that held you from behind yelled over the screams, and without asking for permission, your hand was once again gripped by a bigger one, dragging you after him as he ran.
More knights closed in as you two stumbled in the opposite direction, shouting and attacking enemies behind you while you stumbled over your feet, trying to keep up. Hand lodged tightly in the iron grip of the knight, he didn't look back as he made his way through the soldiers, almost as if his mission wasn't fighting but rather fleeing.
Not so much you. Somehow, you couldn't shake off the need to look back, to assure yourself, to see something you weren't yet in the place to judge.
There he stood amongst the silver knights, flames reflecting in the brilliance of his black armor. You had been sure he had been severely wounded. Yet, he swung around his battle axe effortlessly, striking down the soldiers one after the other as if they were no match for him.
"Hurry, your Highness!" the soldier yelled, tugging you forward repeatedly as the black knight's head appeared to look up. He met your gaze in a bizarre look as it was covered in his helmet, yet you could feel his eyes drilling into you, fixating on yours while he was being attacked.
It was you who had to break the strange eye contact as you were suddenly gripped by your hips and unceremoniously lifted into the air, falling into a saddle on top of a nervously stomping horse. Reigns shoved into your hands, you yelled out in surprise as the animal took off, no regard to its rider's condition, and you could only cling to the reigns and saddle as it gallopped of to who-knows-where.
»»———————— ♡ ————————««
"He keeps advancing towards us, showing no signs of stopping."
"He won't stop no matter how much gold and resources we promised him! Open your eyes, Minister! It's not like he spared any of the cities he rode through during his conquest! They don't call him the "cruel tyrant" for nothing!"
Many men shouted angrily around the large table, making their panic and frustration known as they discussed how to stop the tyrannical approach of the new emperor who reigned over even his own vassal state. From small ministers to military captains, no one knew what to do, and the pressure threatened to overcome all of them. The crown on your head still felt as heavy as the first time they forced you to wear it—unfamiliar, not right. They called you their Queen, yet you didn't feel royal at all.
Because you weren't, you were an imposter.
For all you knew, you had taken over some noble's body while they were attacked by the emperor's forces. That noble turned out to be of quite a high standing, putting you into this awful position of ruling a queendom. No matter how much you asked for information from the people around you, they'd give you weird looks, expecting you to know the answers to your own questions. Still, you couldn't exactly tell them you weren't that person either, not knowing what they'd do with you if that were to happen.
And it was all that stupid game's fault.
You had no idea how this could have possibly happened. "Isekai" was only ever a concept you had seen in stories and games. But when you sat in front of a mirror for the first time, you immediately remembered the face that looked back at you—the character you had created. The disconnect to your body was severe and real; no matter how much you rubbed your face and grimaced at your reflection (the maid giving you apprehensive glances), you had to eventually accept that this body was who you were. Things still didn't make sense, but you tried your best in the new role, although it never felt right.
"If only someone had killed the emperor when they had the chance," one of the ministers noted with a dramatic sigh. All eyes fell on you for just a short moment, making you cower. You couldn't have known! That's what you kept telling yourself. He technically told you he was your enemy, but how would you have known that without playing the game? But you doubted you could have really killed the black knight—the emperor—even if someone had told you that he was your mortal enemy. Even if your body was that of the monarch under attack by the emperor, you didn't have a sword and much less the will to kill someone.
However, your hesitation made you look incapable in everyone else's eyes.
Now, you didn't just have to deal with the upcoming attack—your head still throbbing from the gash whenever you thought about the war—you were also scrutinized by everyone for failing to protect them from the emperor's advances. It was a lot to handle for someone so wholly underprepared as you were. This wasn't your life, but for them, it was all they had ever known.
The door being suddenly thrown open saved you from yet again explaining why you didn't kill the emperor when you had the chance. Why you let him live despite "knowing" who he was. All eyes fell on the butler standing in the doorway, panting heavily, holding up a letter and fanning it in the air with urgency.
"Your Highness!" he yelled through despite the lack of hair. "A letter arrived! A letter from... from... the emperor!"
Gasps went through the rows of people as the one closest to the door jumped up, ripping the letter from the butler and opening it. Some ministers gave each other worried looks, and some stretched their heads towards the one reading the letter as if to see better.
Suddenly, the minister rejoiced, laughing out loudly, and you were uncertain if that was a good or bad sign. He did sound indignant, but at the same time, he seemed to have just solved all the worries in the world.
"An alliance! The emperor wants a marriage alliance with us!"
People sprung from their seats as they cheered, although some of the older ones sent worried glances towards you. "The war is over!" someone yelled, and more of them fell into a chant as they danced around the table. But could it really be that easy?
"Uhm, I'm sorry?" you called out, gathering the attention of those still seated. "The emperor wants to marry who?"
Now, all the eyes were back on you as the cheers died down. The letter was passed towards you, the oldest, wisest minister at your right looking it over, adjusting his monocle to read it properly. Sputtering a little, he lowered the paper again, leaning forward and reaching for your hand, cupping it gently, encouragingly. Yet, you didn't feel comforted at all.
"That would be you, your Highness."
»»———————— ♡ ————————««
Still as the dead, you stood in the forest clearing, waiting. Everyone around you was tense as they waited for the emperor's delegation. But you were long past nervosity. Between the letter and the arranged date to hand you over to the emperor's delegation were months of tears and training.
You tried to revolt and make the people understand that you couldn't possibly marry him! But it all fell on deaf ears when you screamed and raged. Rumors had reached you of how he had killed potential spouses for less. How this was all a facade and how the emperor would still ruthlessly conquer the land that had made you its ruler and then kill you to mock them on top of it. And you had shed many, many tears pleading for your life. Almost everyone had cried with you, chastizing you while their own hearts broke, taking pity on you, and comforting you.
But to these people, you were the only hope they had.
Perhaps you would have conducted yourself more gracefully if you had been their real queen. Accepting your fate and enduring the strict training needed to ensure you were perfect for the emperor. When you asked them to stop pleadingly, they would. But after a brief rest, you were forced to train again, your muscle memory of very little help when all the etiquette wasn't good enough for the empire's standards. It was while you were training that you finally understood something.
Every choice had consequences.
The game had warned you before starting and freezing on you. If you acted up, threw tantrums, raged, and went against what the people wanted, you got nowhere. But instead, if you sympathized with them, asked nicely, and conducted yourself well, you got everything you wanted. Giving them what they desired always ended in you getting your will. All points in charm, right?
So, if you wanted to survive, then you had to find out what the emperor desired. Quickly.
All of your senses were in survival mode, making you seem graceful and dignified while you waited, going through countless scenarios in your head. If he wanted money, you'd tell him how to construct something lucrative from your world. If he wished to reign the world, you'd offer him to conduct peace treaties in his name, having to charm more people so they'd agree. You had devised a solution to almost every problem when birds flew out of the trees, alerted by the incoming caravan.
On your way to the empire, you'd listen intently to the delegate to be prepared. Everything would be fine. You could do it. All points in charm would help you! You had trained yourself for this and made sure you were more aware of people. Everything would be fine!
But you didn't expect to see the black armor that haunted your dreams to lead the delegation, the emperor himself arriving before you the moment his horse stepped out into the clearing.
You drew in your breath sharply before bowing deeply as his horse came to a halt in front of you while your heart raced. The clattering of armor took you back to the war, your body wincing with trauma. You weren't prepared for this, his heavy footsteps shaking your resolve as they approached. Some maids gasped in horror, the soldiers on your side readying their weapons to defend you.
How could they? Everyone knew what he was capable of!
But they loved you too much to not defend you with their life if they had to. So you remained low—for their sake, too. Until a hand reached beneath your chin, cold metal clinging to your skin as your head was lifted, forcing you to face your worst fear.
With you standing straight again, he still towered above you, much like when you met him on the battlefield. His touch lingered as he reached around his head with his free hand, pulling off his helmet. His looks hadn't been much of a surprise as the emperor had sent you his painting along with countless presents once the deal was made. But still. He was devilishly handsome for such a cruel man, with hair as black as his armor and eyes as red as only the fiend could have.
"There you are," he murmured, only meant for your ears. "I've been waiting for this."
"So have I," you replied quickly, not wanting to disgruntle him at the first meeting despite your voice wavering with fear. It wasn't the ideal situation—perhaps there never would be one—but your plan was still solid: find out what he desired and force him to keep you alive to get it.
His gaze shifted from one of your eyes to the other, searching for a lie. But it wasn't. Ever since you realized you couldn't change the fate that was to befall you, only sweeten it, you had waited for the day you'd meet him.
Pleased with his findings, or the lack thereof, his lips cracked into a wide grin, befitting of the cruel tyrant as it paired well with the glint in his eyes to reveal only madness. So far, it had gone well, but you couldn't count on his mood appearing to be favorable. He was as unpredictable as his strategies on the battlefield; that much you had learned already about him. To further fall into his good graces was all you could do.
"I was surprised about your proposal," you spoke calmly, putting some of those charms to work. Reaching up, you pulled the emperor's hand from your chin, instead cupping his palm over your cheek and holding it there. The emperor watched every one of your moves with curious interest, probably expecting you to try and kill him at any given time as well. Almost, you two were alike like this.
"I didn't expect you to want--"
"You."
You forced a grin, chuckling curtly, and his expression sank slightly. "Yes, me. Why me? Why not someone from the empire or the other states? What could you want with little ol' me?"
Lips curled back even more, showing off teeth that seemed almost predatorily sharp before the emperor suddenly burst into laughter, doubling over while still holding your face in his palm. The soldiers around you two were completely taken aback at the emperor's sudden outburst, inching closer while some backed away in fear. He regained his composure quickly, though, bringing his other hand up to cup your face fully now between them as he chuckled, inspecting your face thoroughly.
"You have such a refreshing way of speaking, my dear. Unlike any other noble I've ever met. And I could just eat you up for it." His thumb loosened from the side of his hand, rubbing over your cheeks gently. The metal left a cold smear on your skin, but you forced yourself not to react to it, holding his gaze firmly while you feared that looking away could be your death sentence.
"But that was not the reason," he clarified, and you gave him a small nod, indicating that it was fine with you. "It was what you said on the battlefield. That you didn't want me to die. Me. Do you know how many of our peers disagree on that? Do you know how many I have beheaded for less than wishing for my death?"
"I do not."
He stared at you with this maddening smile on his lips before the emperor's expression suddenly softened, his thumb returning to caress your cheek. "Good," he sighed, sounding almost relieved. "I don't want to scare you. Very well then."
Letting his hands fall from your face, you still didn't feel like grasping the situation completely, but you didn't hold on to him, watching instead as he hiked up his pants, adjusting the armor over his legs before taking a knee in front of you. Everyone—including his side of soldiers—gasped, but the emperor paid them no mind. The boon of the strongest must have been that no matter what he did, he couldn't care less about the opinions of others, and he made it very clear, asking silently for your hand by presenting his own.
There was no reason to refuse him, so you placed yours into his palm, letting it linger as he reached upwards, pushing back the sleeve on your arm. His grip tightened as the bruises you had suffered from your training were exposed, face falling as he looked at the damaged goods that you felt like. Panic rose as you feared his anger, and you quickly reached over to push down the fabric again when his eyes fell from the wounds to yours, overpowering you and pushing the sleeve out of the way.
"I promise to take you as my spouse," he announced solemnly, leaning down to kiss the back of your head.
"To love and honor you, as will you, me," his lips wandered upwards as he muttered the words, kissing the small specks of bruises littering your arm.
"Not to hurt or trouble you," he looked up, lips curling into a cheeky grin as he lightly bit your arm, making you gasp before adding much more quietly, "Unless you like it."
"And protect you until my dying breath."
Finalizing his oath, the emperor quickly got up again, smiling at you like a child on Christmas. You had no idea what kind of awkwardness lay in your own expression, but when he offered his arm, proceeding with the handover, you barely hesitated to link yours with his. As if this new life wasn't surreal enough, you didn't understand his character at all. Was he a terrible tyrant or a kind husband in the making? Mad or simply living up to what people expected of him? Searching for comfort in you or planning something devious and evil?
But before you could ponder these thoughts, you heard a sudden commotion behind your back, making you look back only to see one of your soldiers break out of the protective formation and charge toward your new husband with a dagger raised.
"Die, you monster!" he yelled, aiming for the emperor's back. However, your husband twisted around without letting your arm fall, catching the dagger in his free hand. "Careful," he grumbled. "You could hurt my wife with that."
With a strong yank that you only saw, not felt, the emperor discarded the dagger, his soldiers crowding in and grabbing your knight, kicking his knee until he was doubled over. With an appalled gasp, you detached from your husband's arm, but he caught your hand, pressing his palm to yours and linking your fingers forcefully, every one of his movements deliberate, yet no less oppressing, as if to make a point.
"Tell me what to do with the traitor, my Love," your husband asked, eerily asking for your opinion. You gulped, the life of the knight weighing heavy on your mind like the crown. Looking at the emperor, he was waiting patiently for your decision, but you knew he had no intentions of letting this knight live, and you gulped. You had to survive. You had to put yourself first, even if it hurt.
"I don't want any more bloodshed. It makes me feel terrible," you whispered, looking away in defeat. "But I understand if its what you have to do."
All you had was your charm. You could have pleaded for the knight's life, but if it wasn't what the emperor wanted, you wouldn't convince him and risk your own. The words left you with a heavy heart, but it was the best you could do for yourself. You had to save yourself if you wanted to make any change—and that was hard enough.
"Very well, then," the emperor announced suddenly, turning away from the knight that attacked him, instead wrapping your arm around his again. Confused, you looked back as your husband moved onwards towards the carriage, glimpsing the same confusion in the eyes of the other soldiers.
"You're not going to kill him?" you asked as the emperor signaled for a servant to open the door to the carriage, making sure you had a steady hold on him as he led you into the inside.
"No. You said it makes you unwell. I don't want that."
"But... why?" you asked, feeling a little stupid as you took a seat in the luxurious carriage, much better than the one your state had provided for you to travel to this spot. "Isn't that what you want?"
"Again, you ask about what I want. Is that all you care about?"
You gulped, feeling busted as you watched him climb inside right behind you, his armor making it hard to move, but he managed just fine. Still, his question felt genuine and less like he expected something, so you decided to play dumb.
"Is it not the most important thing for your wife to know?" you mumbled, the subservience in your own question almost making you gag. It was hard to throw away your values, even if, in the age of this game's setting, you had to play along unless you had the strength to rise above.
The moment he sat down, the carriage began to move, your body losing its strength at the unexpected movement. However, sturdy arms caught you, helping you to sit upright again and find the emperor's gaze on you, his expression briefly worried before it grew serious. It felt like you messed up big time, and that so shortly after meeting him, too.
But then the seriousness cracked away again as he smiled, shaking his head softly. "Ridiculous," he mumbled, his eyes flitting up to meet yours again after taking a deep breath. "I just can't be mad at you, no matter how stupid your questions are. Aren't you glad you are such a charmer?"
Yes. Very glad. Very, very glad. At least at that moment.
"Then I will say it once more," he announced. "Make sure to not forget it, as I won't repeat myself a third time."
With comical playfulness, he poked your forehead, making you scrunch up your face, and he laughed at your expression in return.
"When we were on the battlefield, and you told me you didn't want me to die, I realized I couldn't. You may have been simply pitying me or trying to be nice in my last moments, but my body was overcome with vigor as if you had commanded it not to die. That's how sincere your words felt."
He leaned back, but his eyes never left you, even as he took a break from talking to seize you up. You had an inkling that without knowing about your skills yet, all points in charms must have worked back then, too.
"Almost like you put a curse on me..." he added, eyes narrowing as he thought. Gripping your thighs, you realized that, technically, this wasn't good news. Technically, you had caused this mess. All choices had consequences, and you made one without realizing it by telling him not to die.
"You are the only one who wishes for me to live, so I knew you were the only one who could stand by me. And now look what you make of me, no more wars, no bloodshed, just as you demand. Do you know what that means now?"
"That you... want to settle down?" you mumbled, half joking, half unable to think of a better response.
"No." Again, he tapped you on the forehead, and you got a feeling it was his way of reprimanding you.
"I will do as I said, protect you, love you, honor you. As long as you are with me, I will be good. I can't promise to be peaceful all the time, but at least in front of you, I'll keep my vows, and I assume you, too, bear responsibility for taking everything I want from me and replacing it with what you want. Our encounter must have been fate, as nothing could shake me until you came along. So tell me, and I hope you took note, what do I want?"
Silence fell over you two as you tried to work through all the information you had acquired. He'd stop waging war? Would stop the bloodshed? Just because you wanted him to live and he wants to honor his vows in return? This could never undo the harm you knew he had already caused to so many, but it had the potential to better the future.
"You want..." you mumbled, thinking about what it could be. It felt as if it was on the tip of your tongue, but no matter what scenario you recalled playing through in your head, you couldn't find one that fit. No money, no territory, just something he claimed he already told you.
Your eyes widened as you realized it, and the cruel emperor's grin widened madly in response.
"Correct," he murmured, leaning forward until his lips were brushing against yours, his palm returning to cradle your cheek.
Your marriage was fixed shortly after Shintaro’s demise, once Gun took full control of the clan. It wasn’t his idea—his brothers pushed for it. From a political and power standpoint, it made sense; marrying you would bring more clans to their side.
You first met in a traditional setting, at a serene lakeside restaurant. Cherry blossoms were in full bloom 🌸, romance lingered in the air. But when he looked at you—sharp, intense—you froze. You had heard of UI before, but this was the first time seeing it up close. Nervous, your hands trembled, and you accidentally spilled water on your dress.
He sighed and handed you tissues, but you could feel the detachment, the cold distance in him. You had heard he was the hope of the Yamakazi clan, now working with some Gen 0 guy, focused solely on fights and ambitions. A melancholic dread settled in—you wondered what your life would be like from now on.
He was a gentleman, yes—but everything he did felt like a duty. Quick lunches, faster dinners, lavish gifts dropped here and there. That was the courtship period. One day, you scolded him for smoking. He simply flicked your forehead. Later, when you tried to hide his cigarette packs, he knew instantly it was you. He confronted you, saying, “I’ll do whatever I want. You can’t control me.”You shot back without hesitation: “I just don’t want to marry a cancer patient💀.”
The audacity—the sass—left him momentarily stunned. “Don’t you know your place, woman?” he thought. But you stood your ground under his piercing gaze. He eventually just ruffled your hair and muttered that he’d still do what he wants. No one can change that.
Something shifted in the air that day
Soon after, you got married. He knew this was a marriage of convenience—that you were there to bear his child and continue the clan’s legacy. But on your wedding night, you didn’t let him fully dominate. You took charge. There was a push and pull, a tension. You even asked him to stay, to hold you for a bit. This... this was foreign to him. He felt stiff, like a log. He’d never done that before.
Yet he complied.
After that, he started trying—just a little. You began testing the waters too. You pursued your education and hobbies, though the clan had issues with it. Gun stepped in, saying it was okay. You felt immensely grateful. In return, you cooked traditional Japanese meals for him. He’d quietly finish the food and thank you—but deep down, you wanted more.
What stung the most was how he’d leave after dinner—to meet other women.
One day, you asked if he would go see the fireworks with you. He agreed—because you rarely asked for anything. When he came to pick you up... damn. The yukata you wore? You slayed. 😫😫💖💖
He tried to say something—but didn’t know what. Instead, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind your ear.
You strolled around the festival together, eating delicious food 😋. You asked him to win you a teddy bear. He flicked your forehead again—“So childish”—but there was a certain hope in your eyes he couldn’t ignore. So he won it, of course. You hugged him 🤗. Everyone around you went “Aww, so cute!” 😍
He just patted your back awkwardly. This wasn’t boring… but what was it? He tried to rationalize: Maybe this is just how marriage works.
That night, you walked home hand in hand, hearts warm and content. He was about to leave again, but when your small hand tugged his and you softly said, “I really liked spending time with you,” he hesitated. Just for tonight, he stayed. For tonight, he was yours.
The slow burn began🔥
Gradually, he started spending more time with you. He got curious about your interests. One day, he even took you to a temple in Kyoto. It wasn’t romantic, per se, but he wanted to be with you—and share those quiet moments.
A realization began creeping into him. Was it even worth visiting those girls, when you were always at home, waiting for him? Why not spend his rare time off… with you? He never said it aloud, but you knew. And it made you happy.
One day, he suggested going to an onsen together. You hesitated—bathing together felt… intimate. But you agreed. In the warm steam, you gently washed each other. You traced the scars on his body and asked where they were from. He grunted, brushed it off—"It happens in fights." But the way you touched each scar and whispered that they were reminders of survival stirred something deep inside him. He couldn't grasp it yet. He thought you were just being dramatic.
Still, life fell into a quiet rhythm.
Your love wasn't full of grand gestures or sweet words. Instead, he lightened your burdens quietly, did chores without complaint, scolded you like a mother hen when you got hurt or fell sick. He never raised his voice. He never laid a hand on you. He argued with logic, gave you space when needed.
The transition to lovers was messy. It took time.But it was worth the wait.His love—when it finally bloomed—was like a warm cup of coffee on a stressful day. Comforting. Steady. Real.
Y’ALL DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW HEARTBROKEN I AM TO HATE ON DIEGO KANG (DG)
I SAW A TIKTOK SPOILER OF WHAT HAPPENED AFTER BUSAN (BAEK SANG AND JINRANG’S FATE AFTER GITAE) AND I’M STARTING TO NOT LIKE THE DEVELOPMENTS OF THIS STORY I’VE FOLLOWED EVER SINCE I WAS IN HIGH SCHOOL 😭
I FR FEEL SO BAD FOR JINRANG WHO JUST GOT OUT OF PRISON—WHO JUST GOT REUNITED WITH HIS FRIENDS
I HATE GITAE AND DG SO MUCH RN (AND WORSE, DG WAS ONE OF MY FAVORITES WHEN HE WAS IN HIS IDOL ERA—mainly because his appearance was inspired by G-Dragon)
WHO LET GAPRYONG’S BASTARD BRING A DANG AXE IN A FIST FIGHT!!!!!!!
Sorry y’all I’m just really sad after seeing Jinrang’s panel crying his heart out MY BABY 😭😭😭
To think I’ve been scared of Gun’s panels before—bro was an angel together with Goo compared to these two 👹
I have a really, really, really bad feeling 😭😭. If you remember clearly, Daniel’s second body is legally registered as James Lee. So during the freaking press conference, what if James says something like, “I know Gap’s murderer”?
At first, of course, he’ll mention Justin and Chuck… but then he might say the main guy was James Lee, the one who unalived Gap. And then—who will be blamed?
THIS! I’VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT THIS SINCE I SAW A SPOILER OF HIS PRESS CONFERENCE!!! LIKE GIRL—IF WORSE COMES TO WORSE AND THE INVOLVEMENT OF JAMES LEE IN GAPRYONG’S MURDER GETS DISCOVERED, THE FIRST ONE TO BE BLAMED IS THE ONE THAT HOLDS THE NAME OF JAMES LEE ON PAPER!!!
But the first generation kings might do something about this though, BUT I’M STILL SCARED FOR DANIEL LMAO
Girly!! Omg I always wanted to ask smth. Seems like you're the perfect person 😼
You see, I don't read the early chapters and might be skipping some arc too. Basically I started really paying attention is somewhere in the middle of Vivi club arc. I'm unfortunately too lazy to read from the start.
So I've been meaning to ask what's the blue line on Zack's chest and where did he got it from?
HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION! ( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ ),٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡
LOOKISM SPOILERS AHEAD!
Zack got the blue line (a tattoo) when he was fighting that dude from Ansan Public— Channing Lee (Ansan’s No. 2— back when Hudson Ahn was first introduced as an antagonist). It was from a One Night episode. The one where Jiho Park escapes from Juvie and it was revealed that James Lee was actually DG the idol!
I’m inserting some panels down here:
This was the perpetrator: (From Ep. 357: James Lee (3))
His sample masterpiece: (Still Ep. 357)
CONTEXT: He attacked Burn Knuckles in J High trying to make Vasco “come and find him” who wasn’t present at the time.
The actual panel where Zack got the tattoo: (From Ep. 461: One Night (2))
I hope this answers your question!
Feel free to ask me if you have more and I’ll try my best to answer them to the best of my knowledge! [Aside from Busan Arc since I’m only on Ep. 535 hahahahaha (I’m marinating)] ৻( •̀ ᗜ •́ ৻)
Girly!! Omg I always wanted to ask smth. Seems like you're the perfect person 😼
You see, I don't read the early chapters and might be skipping some arc too. Basically I started really paying attention is somewhere in the middle of Vivi club arc. I'm unfortunately too lazy to read from the start.
So I've been meaning to ask what's the blue line on Zack's chest and where did he got it from?
HAPPY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION! ( ˶ˆᗜˆ˵ ),٩(ˊᗜˋ*)و ♡
LOOKISM SPOILERS AHEAD!
Zack got the blue line (a tattoo) when he was fighting that dude from Ansan Public— Channing Lee (Ansan’s No. 2— back when Hudson Ahn was first introduced as an antagonist). It was from a One Night episode. The one where Jiho Park escapes from Juvie and it was revealed that James Lee was actually DG the idol!
I’m inserting some panels down here:
This was the perpetrator: (From Ep. 357: James Lee (3))
His sample masterpiece: (Still Ep. 357)
CONTEXT: He attacked Burn Knuckles in J High trying to make Vasco “come and find him” who wasn’t present at the time.
The actual panel where Zack got the tattoo: (From Ep. 461: One Night (2))
I hope this answers your question!
Feel free to ask me if you have more and I’ll try my best to answer them to the best of my knowledge! [Aside from Busan Arc since I’m only on Ep. 535 hahahahaha (I’m marinating)] ৻( •̀ ᗜ •́ ৻)
Hello, my fellow Lookism readers! I made a Lookism timeline based on my understanding of the plot, as I struggle to go through it in my head over and over again because it gets confusing as the story goes on.
I write a fanfiction based on Lookism, and I wanted to get the timeline as accurate as possible, so if you're going to add/ correct me in some details, I'll happily accept it!
I am posting it to get help because my brain cells couldn't handle fixing the timeline based on the backstories of the characters anymore. (I haven't re-read Lookism in so long, and the backstories are jumbled. That's why it was harder to do this because fixing the timeline is messing with my head.)
Here's what I made:
(I hope you can see it clearly hahahaha)
Please tell me if there's any correction or if I forgot to add something. Thank you! o((>ω< ))o
Note:
Main Cast: Daniel, Allied, and his friends from J High are 17 years old as first-year high school students. Gun and Goo are a year older together with Samuel and Jake (16 when the 4MC is formed). James Lee is older than Gun and Goo (21-22). The first generation kings are a bit older than James (23 or above).
EDIT (250421): COLORED TEXTS ARE THE ONES CHANGED/ADDED
Hi guys! I'm here to correct a mistake I made! So I went back to Ep. 497: Cheonliang (16) and realized Jichang's fall and James attacking the Kings happened at the same time.
Here's the correct events: (From: Third Box, 1st Row above)
In Ep. 496: Cheonliang (15), Gun's statement implies that James Lee has already killed Gapryong by this time (by his appearance in Cheonliang, Gapryong is already dead).
James Lee entered his training arc. (This is from the fifth box on the first row, but is moved to the fourth.)
James Lee sends Gitae Kim to overthrow Jichang Kwak as the King of Seoul while simultaneously attacking the King of Ansan, Taesoo Ma. (Attacks on KOS and KOA happened at the same time— proven in Ep. 497 where Gitae calls James to say he was finished.)
Gitae Kim goes back to Mexico, with James being the one to get him his plane tickets.
Jichang Kwak gets banished to Chungcheong Province after being dethroned from his position.
James then proceeds to go after the other 1st Generation Kings, entering a new era.
THAT'S IT FOR NOW! Sorry I noticed it too late (I just read the chapter again). I apologize for the confusion this might've caused. 😭
WAIT I wanna know when did Gun go to busan- (Reading ur timeline)
I am not up to date with lookism > <
- 🥔 Sentient Potato
LOOKISM SPOILERS AHEAD!
Gun escaped from Japan with his mother's help; he looks pretty young when it happened, I'd say around 13 to 14. After getting smuggled, he was able to meet Gapryong Kim in Busan, who was about to see his disciple. Gapryong gave him some advice, something around the words "he'll be safe," and that was in prison, where he spent his time training before he met Charles Choi, who was a cleaner at the prison at that time.
Now, I'm not kinda sure about their age, but here's what I know:
The main story started when Daniel was 17
Gun said he was preparing for the GED when he encountered Daniel at the School Festival. (GED takers are usually 18 years old in SK)
Gun was called "Senior" by Woojin and his gang, back in the episode where Namsoo (the guy Zack ordered to buy him shoes online) was scammed. A senior's age was around 18 years.
The back story of Big Deal was three years ago, when the main characters of J High were in their 2nd Year of high school. Meaning when they were first years, it was from two years ago.
So 18 minus 2 is 16. Gun was 16 when they started going after the gangs in Gangseo, along with Goo, Samuel, and Jake.
Since Gun Park was 16 when he was forming the 4MC, and before that, he trained with Tom Lee together with Goo Kim, he was most likely in prison when he was 14-15.
Additional:
Sinu Han was 19 in the Big Deal Arc
James Lee was 18 when he went after Shinmyeong Cheon (The Shaman from Cheonliang)
The First Generation Kings were 19-20 at the time of Cheonliang Arc; they were 1 to 2 years older than James. Taesoo Ma's age was confirmed to be 23 years old when he first appeared.
Gitae Kim was 7 years older than Jake. He was 22 when he dethroned Jichang Kwak as the King of Seoul. Meaning, Jake was only 15 by this time, and he hadn't met Jason and Brad yet.
I based these on the backstories, GED age, Reddit posts, and Lookism's Wiki.
I hope this helps! Was I able to clarify your question, though? Sorry, I kinda rambled (I lowkey had to clarify things for myself too because I am writing a fanfic book based on the whole series) 😭😭😭
Hello, my fellow Lookism readers! I made a Lookism timeline based on my understanding of the plot, as I struggle to go through it in my head over and over again because it gets confusing as the story goes on.
I write a fanfiction based on Lookism, and I wanted to get the timeline as accurate as possible, so if you're going to add/ correct me in some details, I'll happily accept it!
I am posting it to get help because my brain cells couldn't handle fixing the timeline based on the backstories of the characters anymore. (I haven't re-read Lookism in so long, and the backstories are jumbled. That's why it was harder to do this because fixing the timeline is messing with my head.)
Here's what I made:
(I hope you can see it clearly hahahaha)
Please tell me if there's any correction or if I forgot to add something. Thank you! o((>ω< ))o
Note:
Main Cast: Daniel, Allied, and his friends from J High are 17 years old as first-year high school students. Gun and Goo are a year older together with Samuel and Jake (16 when the 4MC is formed). James Lee is older than Gun and Goo (21-22). The first generation kings are a bit older than James (23 or above).
Hello, my fellow Lookism readers! I made a Lookism timeline based on my understanding of the plot, as I struggle to go through it in my head over and over again because it gets confusing as the story goes on.
I write a fanfiction based on Lookism, and I wanted to get the timeline as accurate as possible, so if you're going to add/ correct me in some details, I'll happily accept it!
I am posting it to get help because my brain cells couldn't handle fixing the timeline based on the backstories of the characters anymore. (I haven't re-read Lookism in so long, and the backstories are jumbled. That's why it was harder to do this because fixing the timeline is messing with my head.)
Here's what I made:
(I hope you can see it clearly hahahaha)
Please tell me if there's any correction or if I forgot to add something. Thank you! o((>ω< ))o
Note:
Main Cast: Daniel, Allied, and his friends from J High are 17 years old as first-year high school students. Gun and Goo are a year older together with Samuel and Jake (16 when the 4MC is formed). James Lee is older than Gun and Goo (21-22). The first generation kings are a bit older than James (23 or above).
EDIT (250421): COLORED TEXTS ARE THE ONES CHANGED/ADDED
Hi guys! I'm here to correct a mistake I made! So I went back to Ep. 497: Cheonliang (16) and realized Jichang's fall and James attacking the Kings happened at the same time.
Also, Vin Jin might be (14-15— I'm just clarifying this because I just decisively said 15 on the first box. I just don't think he could be 15 by that time because shortly after, Jichang fought the 22-year-old Gitae Kim, who was 7 years older than Jake Kim, and that makes Jake 15 y/o when Jichang and Gitae fought. Take note that Jake Kim is a year older than Daniel and the others.)
Here's the correct events: (From: Third Box, 1st Row above)
In Ep. 496: Cheonliang (15), Gun's statement implies that James Lee has already killed Gapryong by this time (by his appearance in Cheonliang, Gapryong is already dead).
James Lee entered his training arc. (This is from the fifth box on the first row, but is moved to the fourth.)
James Lee sends Gitae Kim to overthrow Jichang Kwak as the King of Seoul while simultaneously attacking the King of Ansan, Taesoo Ma. (Attacks on KOS and KOA happened at the same time— proven in Ep. 497 where Gitae calls James to say he was finished.)
Gitae Kim goes back to Mexico, with James being the one to get him his plane tickets.
Jichang Kwak gets banished to Chungcheong Province after being dethroned from his position.
James then proceeds to go after the other 1st Generation Kings, entering a new era.
THAT'S IT FOR NOW! Sorry I noticed it too late (I just read the chapter again). I apologize for the confusion this might've caused. 😭
