soojin 👉👈 hi again... i may have a little (spending, and translating) problem, but here's my favourite jaemark edit to make up for the trouble (who's your bias btw? :0 i'm taking some liberties and making an educated guess through your username and that one discontinued jaehyun smau)
lol no worries!! and my bias is jaemin 😳🤠
NCT127의 두번째 정규앨범!! 많이 사랑해주시고 "2020년" 화이팅 넘치게 보내요!! 아뵤~~~!!
translation: NCT 127's 2nd full album!! please give us a lot of love and spend "2020" with a strong spirit!!* abyo~~~!!**
*it says "화이팅/fighting" here but there isn't really a direct english translation so i went with "strong spirit" instead
**"아뵤" (abyo) is what bruce lee would shout during his fight scenes
SOOJIN OMG!!! so happy to see you back (though completely understandable if not for long 😭) and i'm so glad to hear what you've been up to with your doctorate (omg????) BIG big congrats and i'm wishing you the best of luck with your studies!!! take care of yourself friend i'm cheering you on from my corner of the internet 🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼🫶🏼
JENIIIII THANK YOU SO MUCHHHH omg it's so good to hear from you 😭😭😭💖💖💖💖💖🥹 i'm VERY burnt out ngl but the semester ends in a month so...we'll see 🤠🫡 how are you???????? sorry for disappearing on you 🥲
your writing, you, and your blog are so so lovely omg :( RECENTLY GOT BACK INTO ILICHIL AND YOUR WRITING HAS BEEN A *HUGE* SOURCE OF COMFORT (and brainrot feed hehe), that being said, could you maybe help a girl out and translate what the back of this pc says, miss soojin 👉👈?
STOPPP YOU'RE SO SWEET!!!!!! 😭 thank you so much for reading, really means a lot! 🥹 and i hope you're doing well! sending you love and whatever brings you comfort ❤️
2023년에도 같이 달려보자~ (쟈 is a cuter way of saying "자") basically means "let's work hard together in 2023 too"
달리다 literally means "to run" (like in a race, like you're trying really hard to beat someone) but in this case it's more like "let's work hard"
˗ˏˋ 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 :: hi miss soojin ! could u write smth ab 127 comforting their insecure gf ? thank u so much ! ´ˎ˗
⇢ 𝐉𝐀𝐄𝐇𝐘𝐔𝐍 feels the most secure when you’re by his side, so he’s quick to notice when you start pulling away from him. at first, it was the texts — on the days you didn't see each other, you'd always text him throughout the day, even though you knew you wouldn't get a written response. it's not that he didn't read them; he was too busy with work to respond, so he'd always react with a thumbs up or a simple "haha." but then, your daily text threads stopped. he knew you had your own life, so he assumed you were too busy to send updates, but the nightly phone calls stopped, too. did he do something wrong? did you find someone else? what the fuck was going on?
he waits until the weekend to talk about it, and he listens attentively as you open up about wanting to be “less clingy and annoying.” he takes your hand in his with soft, cool fingers in a reassuring grip. “i didn’t know you felt this way, y/n,” he says softly. he presses a light kiss to your knuckles before delicately pulling you into a warm embrace. “you aren’t clingy or annoying, baby. you’re the cutest person in the world, and in a perfect world, i’d spend the rest of my life right by your side. nothing is as special as the time we spend together, and that includes reading your daily updates and watching all the tiktoks you send me and falling asleep to your soft snores on our nightly facetime calls. i love it all, and i love you, so don’t pull away from me, please?”
⇢ 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐖𝐎𝐎 isn’t one to ruminate on the past, mainly because he tends to overthink and overanalyze every little detail in a sticky situation. that being said, it would be a blatant lie to say that he hasn’t looked into your former relationships and partners. he’s matured enough over the years to keep his jealousy in check, but no matter how much time he spends with you, he just can’t seem to shake off a lingering insecurity that’s convinced him he isn’t fulfilling your needs…
which is why he’s all the more surprised when you bring up the same insecurities to him. he listens without judgement or interruption as you express how you’ve been feeling, his heart aching as you tearfully open up about not being enough for him. he waits for you to finish before enveloping you in a tight hug, and he thanks you for being vulnerable with him, reminding you that your feelings and concerns are valid. he gets carried away with listing all of the qualities he loves about you, and he doesn’t stop until you seal his lips yourself with a kiss. “there’s nothing to compare, my love. no one holds a candle to you. you’re the one for me, i mean it!”
⇢ 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊 knew from the moment you met that there was no hope for him; he was going to fall head over heels in love with you. it’s been five years since then, and his affection for you has only increased tenfold. he truly admires everything about you, from your ability to understand and empathize with others, to your independence and strength, to your resilience and readiness to bounce back from any setback, to your creativity and ridiculous sense of humor. of course, he appreciates your beauty (something that he reminds you of very frequently, especially at night 🤠), but more than anything, he loves you for who you are and genuinely cherishes the depth of your connection.
so, unsurprisingly, he’s concerned by how suddenly adamant you are about not wanting to get dressed in front of him, something you’ve been doing for years now. at first, he doesn’t think much of it; you reserve the right to privacy, and he respects that, but it goes on for over a week. he’s sure something is bothering you, and his suspicions are confirmed by how you immediately burst into tears when he asks you about it. he holds you in a firm embrace as you describe how insecure you feel because of your stretch marks and acne scars. nothing hurts his heart more than to hear you disparage yourself, and he waits until you calm down to share his thoughts.
"it's okay to feel that way, babe. but i'm going to be honest...i think you're beautiful no matter what. who cares about stretch marks or acne scars? those are just nouns. they don't mean anything, and they definitely don't take away from how amazing of a human being you are. you’re beautiful, and i can’t get enough of you.”
⇢ 𝐇𝐀𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍 is the first man you’ve ever met who’s been able to intellectually and humorously keep up with you, and you haven’t given him a chance to escape from your grip ever since (not that he’s ever wanted to, of course). the two of you met in college, and after months of constantly riffing off each other, you made the first move and confessed your feelings in an uncharacteristically sincere way. it’s been a few years since then, and while it’s undeniable that you two have the most fun when you’re together, you start to wonder if he really loves you. it’s not that your relationship was necessarily lacking anything; you two were plenty intimate, both emotionally and physically, but…it still couldn’t hurt to ask, right?
it’s one of those “let’s order pizza and rot on the couch for hours” kinds of nights when you finally find the courage to ask him, “do you love me?” he hears you, but it’s clear he doesn’t take you seriously; he doesn’t even bother looking up from his phone as he answers with a sarcastic “of course not.” he waits for you to respond with some sort of witty comeback, but you don’t. he glances up and nearly drops his phone on his face when he sees you tearing up. he immediately asks if you’re okay, and he solemnly listens as you make light of your insecurities. he pulls you into a rough hug and kisses you, his lips soft and sweet against yours. “shit, baby, i’m sorry. i didn’t know you were feeling this way. of course i love you. y/n, you’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, and i’m sorry that i don’t say it enough. i love you, baby. i love you so much.”
〔 𝟎𝟐:𝟏𝟐𝐚𝐦 〕 “walk out that door, and we’re through, y/n.”
you stop so hard you nearly trip on your own feet.
it’s well known that haechan isn’t the most rational human being, and he often says things he doesn’t mean, but something in his tone makes it clear to you that he’s serious this time.
memories start crashing through your mind like a tidal wave, and you honestly cannot remember the last time you two got through a full night together without fighting. something was always wrong. either you were too sensitive, or he went too far, or you didn’t give him enough freedom, or he didn’t pay you enough attention.
where had things gone wrong?
a shaky sigh escapes your lips, a broken sob caught in the back of your throat. you pivot on your heels, the floor below you creaking as you slowly make your way towards him. you stop just a few inches away from him, not daring to make eye contact with him in fear of the tears pooling in the corner of your eyes spilling down your cheeks.
haechan doesn't skip a single beat when he tangles his fingers in yours and pulls you impossibly close, the heat of his breath tingling your ear. no words are exchanged. it’s just you, him, and the pitter-patter of the rain outside.
you certainly aren't conventional lovers; most, in fact, wouldn't consider your relationship healthy or respectable. you know that you're playing with fire, but you wouldn't trade these moments for the world. they're yours and yours alone, and you find that you can live this way just fine.
˗ˏˋ 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 :: miss soojin!!!!! how do you think the 127 boys would hint that they want to have kids with their wives????? thank uuuuu ´ˎ˗
⇢ 𝐓𝐀𝐄𝐈𝐋 begins thinking about starting a family after noticing how excited you become whenever your neighbors come over with their toddlers. it isn’t a novel idea to him; you have had multiple heartfelt conversations about your dreams for your future together. he drops subtle hints by reminiscing about his childhood experiences and asking for your opinions on raising kids (somehow, it’s always when you show him funny baby tiktoks). you eventually catch his drift, and it isn’t long before your journal is full of potential baby names and your closet of newborn essentials.
⇢ 𝐉𝐎𝐇𝐍𝐍𝐘 tests the waters to gauge your enthusiasm about starting a family before bringing it to you directly. he makes way too many “our baby would be so much cuter than that” comments whenever he sees babies on tv or social media (or even in public, in which case you’d always smack him and tell him to reign himself in). despite his jokes and playful remarks, he’s serious about parenthood and does his best to quell your anxiety about raising a family. also, be prepared for all the milf jokes.
⇢ 𝐓𝐀𝐄𝐘𝐎𝐍𝐆 is apprehensive about starting a family, despite having extensive experience helping his sister with childcare. he’s read way too many birth trauma stories and maternal mortality statistics to be completely comfortable with putting your body through childbirth. he does not want to put you in a dangerous situation and even suggests growing their family through adoption instead. whatever you choose to do, he supports you 110% and does everything he possibly can to prepare for fatherhood.
⇢ 𝐘𝐔𝐓𝐀 is upfront about wanting children. in fact, when you finally have a heart-to-heart talk about starting a family, he presents you with an extensive compilation of all the research he’d conducted about child development. he’s attentive to your feelings and reactions, and he prioritizes giving you the space to express yourself honestly. he listens to your thoughts and concerns with sincere understanding, and he constantly reassures you that he wants to make decisions together as a team.
⇢ 𝐃𝐎𝐘𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐆 intentionally chooses a time when you’re relaxed and free from distractions to talk about starting a family. he wastes no time confessing the depths of his love for you, emphasizing how much he values your companionship and affection. when you’re ready for parenthood, he demonstrates an overwhelming willingness to support and protect you in preparing for your future. he’s incredibly warm, thoughtful, and considerate throughout your entire journey.
⇢ 𝐉𝐀𝐄𝐇𝐘𝐔𝐍 isn’t subtle about it at all; he expresses his desire for a family in a particularly affectionate, romantic way. he openly shares his dreams for parenthood with you, often painting a bright and adventurous picture of your future. he’s also proactive about researching child development and different parenting styles, frequently asking for your opinions, values, and beliefs regarding parenting. more than anything, he does his best to make sure you feel comfortable, valued, and supported at all times.
⇢ 𝐉𝐔𝐍𝐆𝐖𝐎𝐎 is absolutely delighted by the idea of having mini versions of you run around the house, and he isn’t shy about mentioning it to you any time the topic of family planning comes up. in fact, he refers to your future children as “y/n jr. #1” and “y/n jr. #2” (and #3, #4, #5…). while preparing for parenthood, he places your well-being above all else, going beyond typical measures to maintain a safe and supportive home for you.
⇢ 𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐊 is visibly nervous when he first brings it up to you. while he might seem easygoing at times, he overthinks and jumps to conclusions about how you’d feel about things like discipline and finances. you’re quick to pick up on his uneasiness, and you’re able to melt away any anxiety he feels after just one heartfelt conversation. when you decide to move on to the next stage of your life together, he does everything he can to be present for you. he validates your feelings and concerns, takes on a more active role in managing household tasks, and adjusts his routines to fit your needs. he also stops calling you “dude,” but only after your kids start calling you “dude."
⇢ 𝐇𝐀𝐄𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐍 is already familiar with the heavy responsibility of parenthood (thanks to his younger siblings). he suggests starting a family right away, especially after noticing how well you interact with the neighborhood children. putting his famously mischievous personality aside, he always expresses his genuine excitement for your future and his readiness to embrace fatherhood. also, again, a lot of milf jokes. too many, in fact.
# AUTHOR'S NOTE: this prompt was a little difficult (i was wacking my caveman brain for a while), but i gave it my best shot! i hope you enjoyed :) thanks for reading!
〔 𝟎𝟖:𝟎𝟑𝐩𝐦 〕 “it’s okay, y/n, we’ll figure it out together!”
tutor!kun gives you an encouraging pat on the back before he starts re-explaining differential equations for the third time, but the only thing you’re able to focus on is how full your heart is from spending so much time with him.
there’s a part of you that feels guilty for not paying attention, but it’s alright. you’ve understood the material since the day it was taught. you just needed a reason to see your crush.
〔 𝟎𝟏:𝟎𝟐𝐚𝐦 〕 the truth hits you harder than you could’ve ever prepared yourself for, so much so that you’re not quite sure what to do with yourself when your husband reveals his dirty little secret.
now that everything has been exposed, it’s wild to think that you’d missed all of the red flags. it’d been weeks since he had stopped coming home in time for dinner, since he had stopped answering your calls after 6pm, since he had stopped touching you altogether.
it’s like the love had just...
disappeared.
“honey, say something. anything,” doyoung desperately pleads, his hands finding yours. suspense lingers heavily in the living room, almost as if all hell were to break loose if either of you were to let out a single sound.
you silently resign yourself to the chaos that’s bound to ensue, and you finally release the breath you had been holding in for what had felt likes hours. you can feel the weight of it roll from your shoulders when you finally muster up the courage to speak.
“what is there to say?” you ask, your voice just a feather above a whisper.
he lifts his head slowly, his eyes daring to match yours. “curse at me, scream at me, just do something.” there’s something about his gaze that sends your heart into panicked overdrive, and with one smooth motion, you rip your hands from his grip.
“what’s the point, doyoung? nothing will change the fact that you broke this marriage,” you snap, the bite of your voice cutting through the tension like a freshly honed blade. tears blur your vision as you finally allow yourself to give into the heartache. “nothing i say will change anything.”
he visibly winces, and he drops to his knees and bows his head in what seems like remorse. “y/n, i’m sorry. i’m sorry, baby. i love you so much, and i’m so, so sorry,” he repeats in a litany of pitiful contrition.
as much as you want to believe in his performance, doubt starts pooling in the pit of your stomach. “doyoung, stop it.” you swallow a sob that’s creeping its way up the back of your throat, and you cross your arms over your chest, almost as if it would be enough to keep you from completely falling apart. “don’t you fucking dare say that you love me. you wouldn’t have done this if you loved me. you wouldn’t have kept fucking her if you loved me.”
the silence that follows is thick and stagnant. he presses his lips together into a straight line. something moist plops against the back of his hand, then again, and again, and it isn’t until he sniffles that he realizes he’s crying. he clutches the thin fabric of his slacks, and he ducks his head in an even lower bow. “i’m sorry, y/n. i don’t deserve your forgiveness or your love or another second of your time, but i truly am so, so fucking sorry. i’m sorry, y/n,” he whispers in a hushed sob, his voice breaking as his lips form your name.
a deep ache thrums through your chest, and you unthinkingly slide off the couch to the floor in front of him. you wipe his tears with shaky fingers, and he immediately crashes into you, his arms enveloping you in a tight embrace as he chokes out a deep sob.
the sound that escapes past his lips sends a chill down your spine. kim doyoung has always been composed, intentional with every breath he takes. this is the most unbalanced you’ve ever seen him, and it cuts through your heart like a dagger. you don’t think you’ve ever felt a pain as devastating as this before. but if you’re sure about anything, it’s that you’ve never been this broken.
Every relationship comes with a story. This is ours.
𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝟎𝟓 ; in which you & Haechan tell your respective sides of your love story.
# 𝑫𝑼𝑹𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵 :: 17 minutes (~3.3k words)
# 𝑾𝑨𝑹𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺 :: dark thoughts, insecurities
『 The video opens with a shot of Haechan walking into the studio and holding the door open for Y/N. As she walks into the studio, Haechan takes her hand and leads her to the set. The set is white, with two white chairs seated across from each other, a white table, a set of white earbuds, and a set of white noise-cancelling headphones. Haechan takes a seat in the chair to the right, while Y/N sits in the chair across from him. 』
“Can you introduce yourselves?”
Y/N: “Hi, my name is Y/N, I’m 23 years old, and I'm a grad student studying social work.”
Haechan: “I’m Haechan, also 23 years old, and I make music.”
“How long have you been together?”
Y/N: “For almost 8 years now.”
Haechan: “And we’ve been engaged for 1.” (smiles)
“How did the two of you meet?”
Y/N: “We met our first year of high school, right?”
Haechan: (nods) “In the storage room on the 3rd floor.” (smiles) “Y/N was the class president, and I was the crazy delinquent that always caused her trouble.”
Y/N: (chuckles lightly, then shakes her head) “Stop telling everyone you were a delinquent. Someone’s gonna make up a weird rumor or something. The most you did was show up late to class.”
『 Haechan shrugs. 』
“What was your first impression of each other?”
『 The video cuts to Haechan putting in the earbuds, then sliding the noise-cancelling headphones on over his ears. 』
《 HER SIDE 》
Y/N: “My first impression of Donghyuck...was that he broke a lot of rules.” (chuckles) “Back then, our high school had a really strict dress code; we had to wear our uniforms a certain way, and we weren’t allowed to wear makeup or dye our hair or get any piercings or use any accessories...but he never wore his uniform properly. He got his ears pierced, and he was always dyeing his hair different colors. Red, brown, blonde, silver...doing all of that left a bad impression on the teachers, but he didn’t care, and that was something I really didn’t understand. I also didn’t understand why he showed up late to class every day, or why he disappeared during lunch, or why he never stayed after to help with clean up duty. There were a lot of things that I didn’t know about him.” (pauses) “But I can confidently say that I know him the best, now.” (smiles) “The reality is that Donghyuck is the kindest, funniest, most hardworking and considerate person that I know. I wish I knew that about him sooner.”
『 The video cuts to Y/N putting in the earbuds, then sliding the noise-cancelling headphones on over her ears. 』
《 HIS SIDE 》
Haechan: “Y/N was...like an earthquake. Literally.” (smiles, softly) “Other than the fact that she was our class president, I didn’t know anything about her. We never talked in class, which, like, why would she talk to someone like me in the first place, you know? Like, we're a walking juxtaposition. But anyways, the first time I ever met Y/N was in the storage room on the 3rd floor of our main school building. It wasn’t being used anymore, so it ended up becoming my napping place during our lunch break. I didn’t think anyone else knew about it...so I almost screamed when I woke up to Y/N shaking my shoulders.” (chuckles) “I thought I was in serious trouble, but she didn’t seem fazed at all when I woke up. She just...she said that class had started...and then walked out. Nothing else.” (laughs) “She changed my world after that. Completely.”
《 BOTH SIDES 》
Haechan: “What’d you think of me?”
Y/N: “You were an enigma.”
Haechan: (smiles) “How so?”
Y/N: (shrugs) “You just...went out of your way to break the rules, even though you knew it left a bad impression on everyone. I didn’t get why you did those things. Well, I do know, but back then, I didn’t.”
Haechan: “Did it leave a bad impression on you, too?”
Y/N: “No, the opposite, to be honest. I thought you were fascinating.” (smiles) “What did you think about me?”
Haechan: “I thought you were an angel.” (chuckles)
Y/N: “You did? But you keep telling everyone that you thought you were in an earthquake when we first met.”
Haechan: (laughs) “Because it’s true! You don’t know how scared I was when you woke me up!”
Y/N: “Then why’d you think I was an angel?”
Haechan: “Because you’re that beautiful.”
『 The entire studio falls silent. Y/N stares at Haechan, then turns to the PD. 』
Y/N: “Next question, please.”
『 Haechan laughs. 』
“How did you become friends?”
《 HER SIDE 》
Y/N: “On that particular day, when we met for the first time, our teacher had asked me to look for something in one of the unused storage rooms, but the only thing I’d found was Donghyuck taking a nap in the corner. I didn’t think much of it; I just thought that he was tired. I got what I needed and headed back to class, but even after class had started, he still wasn’t back. I thought that he might’ve been asleep, so I went back to wake him up then returned to class.”
Y/N: “I guess he must’ve been really alarmed when I woke him up because he came up to me after class that day, which I thought was weird since he usually didn’t stay around after classes finished. He asked me to keep it a secret ㅡ the fact that he took naps during our lunch break. I didn’t really know why it was a big deal, but I knew it was probably an important secret to keep, so I didn’t tell anyone about it. I just continued waking him up after our lunch break was over.”
Y/N: “One day, when I went back to wake him up, he was already awake. I was going to go back to class, but we ended up talking for a little bit, instead. It wasn’t a real conversation or anything ㅡ it was more like small talk ㅡ but then that became a regular thing. Instead of coming to wake him up, I’d meet him in the storage room, and we’d eat lunch together. Sometimes he’d take a nap afterwards, but I’d just study and then wake him up whenever class was about to start.” (smiles) “It became our little rendezvous.”
《 HIS SIDE 》
Haechan: “I...don’t really know. It just kind of...happened. Ever since she found me in the storage room that day, she’d come by right before our break ended to wake me up. We wouldn’t even really say anything to each other, she’d just come in, shake me awake, tell me that class was starting, then leave. Like, every day.” (laughs) “I guess my body got used to it, because I’d start waking up before she’d even stop by. One time, I was already wide awake by the time she came back, so we just...talked a little bit. I asked her how she was, she said she was good, and that was pretty much it.” (smiles) “It became a regular thing. She started coming earlier and earlier, and eventually we’d just spend the entire lunch break together.”
Haechan: “She was completely different than how I’d imagined her to be. I expected her to be really boring and straight-laced, since she was our class president, but she wasn’t. At all. She asked me so many questions, almost in a childish way. She asked if my piercings hurt and what color I was going to dye my hair next and why I wore such uncomfortable-looking shoes.” (chuckles) “It was...nice. She didn’t treat me like some sort of problem child, and she didn’t judge me, even though I was so different from her. She listened to me and respected my decisions and even brought an extra lunch for me, since I didn’t have one to bring with me. She was the first person in our entire high school to treat me like a regular human being.”
《 BOTH SIDES 》
Haechan: “What made you keep coming back to the storage room after that day?”
Y/N: (shrugs) “You always showed up late to class after our lunch break, and I kind of figured that it was because you were oversleeping, so I felt like I needed to go back and wake you up.”
Haechan: (claps) “Wow, as expected of our class president. What an admirable sense of responsibility.”
Y/N: (smiles) “Of course I took that responsibility seriously. It gave me a reason to see you.”
Haechan: (gasps, exaggeratedly) “You had a crush on me? Oh my god! You had a crush on me!”
Y/N: “We’re literally engaged, Hyuck.”
Haechan: “Still, though! How embarrassiㅡ”
Y/N: “Next question, please.”
『 Laughter can be heard around the studio. 』
“When did you know that you’d fallen for your partner?”
《 HER SIDE 》
Y/N: “I didn’t realize my feelings for him until after he stopped talking to me altogether. He didn’t look at me when I greeted him that morning, and he didn’t show up to the storage room, either. It was like I didn’t exist in his world anymore. He just...stopped acknowledging me.” (pauses) “You know, I’m socially aware enough to know not to talk to someone if they stop talking to me first, but there was just something about the whole situation that felt...off. Maybe it was how heartbroken I felt, or maybe it was how heartbroken he looked whenever he ignored me. Either way...I knew that I couldn’t just leave things as they were. I think that’s when I really realized that I’d fallen for him. I wouldn’t have felt so compelled to run after him if I hadn’t fallen for him, right?”
Y/N: “As the class president, I had the privilege of reading the school announcements in front of the entire class in the mornings. So I ㅡ (chuckles) ㅡ I basically brought the class together just to say, ‘Lee Donghyuck, if you don’t come to ‘The Room’ today, I’m going to be mad at you. Personally mad at you.’ And...he showed up.” (smiles) “Looking back on it now, I shouldn’t have put him on the spot like that, but I...wanted things to be okay again.” (pauses) “So we talked about it, cleared up some misunderstandings, said too many embarrassing things...and we’ve been inseparable since then.”
《 HIS SIDE 》
Haechan: “I think I always knew, as cringy as that sounds.” (smiles) “Back then...I was going through a lot. A lot of things happened with the family business, and it ended up falling through, so I ended up having to step up and help support my family.” (pauses) “It took a lot out of me. I was only 15. I was just entering high school. And I already knew that the teachers didn’t like me and that most of my classmates were afraid of talking to me. I mean, I couldn’t blame them, though. My part-time job started after school, so I had to leave right after classes ended. And I’d always have to take my younger siblings to their school, so I usually ended up being late to class.” (pauses, again) “Well, it doesn’t matter what my excuses were; I was never someone who followed the rules. I always wanted to stand out somehow, and I guess the teenage-Donghyuck thought that going against the grain was the best way to get that attention.”
Haechan: “But Y/N saw past all of that. At first, it was...scary. I knew that I liked her, but I also knew that being with her would be bad for her reputation, so I tried to distance myself from her. I ignored her at school, I stopped going to the storage room, I didn’t answer her texts...but no matter how hard I tried to distance myself from her, she always found a way back into my heart.” (pauses) “She said that she didn’t care about what other people thought and only cared about being with me. She asked me not to push her away anymore...so I stopped. Because I knew that I’d completely fallen for her, and that she was going to find some way to end up right by my side, right where I wanted her to be all along.”
『 Haechan smiles, then holds up his left hand. On the fourth finger sits a platinum band. 』
Haechan: “And now she’s going to be by my side forever. Kind of cool, right?”
『 Y/N glances at his elevated hand, then holds up hers as well. On her fourth finger sits a thin platinum band with a beautiful round diamond in the middle. An “aw!” can be heard off-camera. 』
《 BOTH SIDES 》
Haechan: “Wasn’t it troubling for you?”
Y/N: “Hm? What do you mean?”
Haechan: “I’m sure that the teachers started to, you know, treat you differently after we started going out.”
Y/N: (shrugs) “They said some really annoying things at first, but my grades didn’t change ㅡ actually, mine stayed the same, yours improved ㅡ so they stopped mentioning it to me.”
Haechan: “But you heard what everyone said about us, right?”
Y/N: “No? What’d they say?”
Haechan: “That I was bullying you into dating me.”
Y/N: “...People actually said that? How’d you know?”
Haechan: “How could you not know? They’d whisper to each other whenever we’d walk by.”
Y/N: (shrugs, again) “I was too focused on you to notice.”
『 Haechan pauses, then buries his face into his hands and lets out a short, high-pitched squeal before looking back up. 』
Haechan: “How’re you able to say something like that with such a straight face?”
Y/N: “Huh?”
『 Laughter can be heard from behind the camera. Haechan smiles, then shakes his head. 』
“What’s it been like watching your partner grow up?”
《 HER SIDE 》
Y/N: “Watching him grow ㅡ and also growing with him ㅡ has been so fun. He’s found the means to pursue what he really loves doing, and watching that side of him grow more and more present has been really rewarding and inspiring. He’s still a troublemaker, and sometimes he drives me crazy, but the way he approaches new challenges and navigates his problems and reaches out to other people for help is so...mature. Thinking about it even now makes me feel so proud...but it also makes me realize how far he’s come. And while I’m so, so happy for him...there’ve been a lot of moments where I had to stop myself from thinking really bad thoughts. Things like, ‘I don’t deserve to be by his side’ or ‘Maybe he’d be happier without me’...I thought about those things a lot. And it didn’t help that I was going through a slump, at the time.”
Y/N: “Unlike Donghyuck, I didn’t know what I wanted to do with my life. I did well in school, not because I liked school, but because my parents wanted me to do well. I didn’t have any hobbies, I didn’t have any goals, I didn’t even really have any strong likes or dislikes. I just...this sounds really bad, but I felt like a waste of space. So that, in combination with all of the other insecurities I was feeling, made me feel really scared. I felt like I was being left behind.” (pauses) “But things have gotten better. I’ve switched to a major that I really like, I have a plan for the future, and I’m even engaged now.” (smiles) “I’m confident that things will turn out okay.”
《 HIS SIDE 》
Haechan: “It’s been...crazy, to be completely honest.” (pauses) “I always knew that Y/N would succeed in whatever she wanted to do. Like, there was no space in my mind where I ever doubted that. And I guess it led to...some type of inferiority complex, I guess.” (sighs) “I know that she would never compare me to other people, but I compared myself to others all the time, and I think that insecurity started getting the better of me. I was scared, honestly. I wasn’t in college, I was barely making enough money to pay for my half of our rent, I was literally just making music out of our room all day. I wasn’t like the guys in her department. I couldn’t provide for her or take her anywhere nice. I just...” (sighs, again) “Her loving me meant everything to me. I didn’t need anything else, I just needed her. But the longer we were together, the less confident I felt about whether or not she felt the same way.”
Haechan: “Luckily, things got better after I signed with my agency and started making actual money. I didn’t feel as insecure or jealous about her guy friends, I wasn’t as scared of her leaving me...things became okay again, and I think it’s because I started learning to acknowledge myself first.” (smiles)
《 BOTH SIDES 》
Y/N: “You’ve changed a lot since we were kids.”
Haechan: (smiles) “I hope that’s a good thing.”
Y/N: (nods) “It is. Even just looking at you like this reminds me of how much of a grown-up you’ve become.”
Haechan: “It’s not just me, though. You’ve changed ㅡ well, I think ‘evolved’ is a better word.”
Y/N: “Like a Pokémon?”
Haechan: (laughs) “Yeah, like a Pokémon.” (smiles) “I feel like you’re more confident in your identity now.”
Y/N: (nods) “I think so too. I at least feel like I have some sort of purpose now.”
Haechan: “I haven’t mentioned this to you before, but I think it’s really cool that we’ve gotten to grow together. Because it’s not just you-doing-you and me-doing-me, we’ve grown a lot just by being together.”
Y/N: (smiles) “I think so too. Sometimes it really felt like we only had each other, and I think being able to rely on each other like that really helped us mature into who we are right now.”
Haechan: “It’s not something that’s going to stop, either. You promised you’d stay with me for the rest of my life, remember?”
Y/N: (laughs) “I do remember. Please continue to take care of me.”
Haechan: (laughs) “Likewise.”
“What’s something that you want to say to your partner?”
《 HER SIDE 》
Y/N: “Lee Donghyuck. Haechan. My full sun. I...don’t even know where to start.” (chuckles, softly) “You are the best thing that’s ever happened to me. And I know that sometimes you worry about what other people think of our relationship, but just knowing that you love me already means more than enough to me.” (smiles) “When we first met, I felt like...I felt like nothing. I felt like a waste of space. But meeting you...my everything changed after meeting you. It’s like...my world became so colorful and beautiful after meeting you. And I can’t thank you enough for that.”
『 Y/N opens her mouth to speak again, but tightens her lips together before using her sleeves to wipe away at the tears flowing down her cheeks. Haechan scoots his chair closer to hers, then reaches over to take her hand in his. He offers a soft but comforting smile, which Y/N returns. 』
Y/N: “Thank you for loving me, Lee Donghyuck. Thank you for supporting me through my toughest days and for listening to my silly stories and for teaching me how to love the worst parts of myself. I love you. More than you’ll ever know.”
《 HIS SIDE 》
『 Haechan takes a moment to watch Y/N as she scrolls through her phone to choose a song. Y/N, realizing that Haechan is watching her, looks up. She sets her phone on top of the table and reaches out to hold his hand. Haechan smiles. 』
Haechan: “Y/N, I don’t think meeting you was a simple coincidence. You came into my life when I needed you the most, and you’ve changed my life in ways that I didn’t know were even possible for someone like me. To you, I must’ve been the biggest loser, but you saw past all of the ugly parts of my personality and accepted me for who I am. That meant everything to the me from back then. It still means everything to me, even now. The fact that you’ve continued to love me and somehow accepted my proposal...it means everything. I love you. I will make you happy for the rest of our lives.”
『 The interview ends. Y/N stands up first and helps Haechan out of his chair. Haechan pulls Y/N into a hug and nuzzles his face into the crook of Y/N’s neck. Y/N smiles softly and runs her fingers through his hair as she whispers something into his ear. The two share a sweet kiss before pulling away and bowing to the staff. They step off-camera and exit the studio. The video fades to black. 』
Every relationship comes with a story. This is ours.
𝐄𝐏𝐈𝐒𝐎𝐃𝐄 𝟎𝟒 ; in which you & Taeyong tell your respective sides of your love story.
# 𝑫𝑼𝑹𝑨𝑻𝑰𝑶𝑵 :: ~11 minutes (2.2k words)
# 𝑾𝑨𝑹𝑵𝑰𝑵𝑮𝑺 :: insecurity, infertility
『 The video opens with a shot of Y/N and Taeyong walking into the studio. The set is white, with two white chairs seated across from each other, a white table, a set of white earbuds, and a set of white noise-cancelling headphones. Y/N takes a seat in the chair to the right, while Taeyong sits in the chair across from her. 』
Taeyong: “My name is Taeyong, I’m 26 years old, and I’m a freelance webtoon artist.”
Y/N: “Hi, I’m Y/N, I am also 26 years old, and I’m a pediatric nurse practitioner.”
“How long have you been together?”
Y/N: “We dated for 6 years ㅡ”
Taeyong: “ㅡ and have been married for 2.” (smiles)
“How did you two meet?”
Y/N & Taeyong, simultaneously: "In Dr. Yoo’s biology class.”
Y/N: “At the time, the humanities majors and science majors were under the same college, so we all had to take the same pre-requisites. Taeyong and I happened to sit next to each other in the middle of the second row.”
Taeyong: “We didn’t talk to each other until you yelled at that girl, though.”
Y/N: “I didn’t yell atㅡwell, actually, I guess I yelled at her.” (sighs) “Taeyong is too nice for his own good. Like, he’s the type of classmate who’d give you the answers to a test if you asked politely for them, so of course there were people who took advantage of him. There was this one girl who never showed up to class unless she needed to. On the rare occasion that she actually did show up to class, she would always sit next to Taeyong and ask him for all of the answers. I never really paid too much attention to it, since it seemed like Taeyong didn’t mind, but the closer I watched, the more I realized that he actually did mind.” (pauses) “It bothered me how she’d always act like that, so I just...went off on her.”
Taeyong: “It was the first time anyone had ever stood up for me. I took Y/N out to coffee after that lecture.” (smiles)
“What was your first impression?”
『 The video cuts to Y/N putting in the earbuds, then sliding the noise-cancelling headphones on over her ears. 』
Taeyong: “Can you hear me?”
Y/N: (furrows eyebrows) “What?”
Taeyong: “I love you.”
Y/N: (smiles) “I love you too.”
Taeyong: (laughs) “You can still hear me!”
Y/N: (shakes head) “I’m reading your lips, I swear!”
《 HIS SIDE 》
Taeyong: “Y/N was a lot friendlier than I was expecting her to be.” (chuckles). “To be completely honest, I was always a little intimidated by her, even before she stood up to that particular classmate. Y/N was always really serious in class; she never took her eyes off of the professor, she never talked to anyone unless she had to, and she always kept her notes really organized. She also wasn’t afraid to ask questions or admit when she didn’t understand something, which was something I really admired about her, since I didn’t have that kind of confidence.” (pauses) “I also thought she was really pretty. Sometimes I drew portraits of her when she wasn’t looking, but don’t tell her I told you that.” (smiles)
『 The video cuts to Taeyong putting in the earbuds, then sliding the noise-cancelling headphones on over his ears. 』
《 HER SIDE 》
Y/N: “My first impression of Taeyong?” (pauses) “This is gonna sound pretty bad, but I didn’t think highly of him at all at first. All he did in class was sleep and draw in his notebook. He didn’t take notes, he didn’t pay attention to the lecture...he just walked in, sat down, kept his head down all throughout the class class, got up, and left.” (chuckles) “But what made it even more unbelievable was the fact that he never made less than an A on anything. He always did better than me on our exams and assignments, and I couldn’t understand why. How was it that he, someone never paid attention in class, scored better than me, someone who always paid attention and studied her ass off?” (sighs) “So...yeah, I didn’t think too highly of him, but it was out of my own jealousy.”
《 BOTH SIDES 》
Taeyong: “You didn’t like me much at first, did you?”
Y/N: “...No, I didn’t. Sorry, Yong.”
Taeyong: (laughs) “I already know, Honey. You don’t have anything to be sorry about.”
Y/N: “I love you lots now.”
Taeyong: (smiles) “I already know that, too.”
Y/N: “What’d you think about me? You probably thought I tried too hard, right?”
Taeyong: “Not really. I always admired you a lot for how hard you worked. You were just sort of...intimidating.”
Y/N: (shrugs) “It’s okay. A lot of people seem to think the same way.”
Taeyong: “I don’t think that way now.”
Y/N: (laughs) “Thanks, Honey. I appreciate that.”
“What do you like most about each other?”
《 HIS SIDE 》
Taeyong: “It’s so hard to think of just one thing, and I know that sounds really cliché, but it’s true. Y/N is my superhero. And not just mine, either. All of those kids that she sees every day, I know she’s a superhero to them, too.” (smiles) “I can’t imagine the things she has to go through and hear and see at work, but she always remains so courageous and resilient. Y/N is also very strong in her beliefs, but she isn’t afraid of admitting she’s wrong or that she doesn’t know something. She’s mature too; she’s proactive and always focuses on growing from her experiences. She doesn’t pity herself when things get tough, she always picks herself up and keeps going, and she ㅡ wait, I’m talking too much, aren’t I?” (laughs) “I’m always learning from Y/N. That’s one of the hundreds of reasons why I’m in love with her.”
《 HER SIDE 》
Y/N: “If I had to choose just one thing...I really love how diligent Taeyong is. He truly puts 110% of himself into everything he does, whether it’s in his work or his relationships with people or his cooking, literally everything. He’s just so hard-working, and he always pushes himself to do his absolute best. Of course, there are plenty of times when he gets discouraged, but he never tells himself that something’s impossible or that he can’t do something…he always knows what he needs to do to get something done, and he sticks with it no matter what. I really admire that about him. Seeing him do his best always gives me the strength and inspiration to do my best, too.”
《 BOTH SIDES 》
Y/N: “You’re really cool, you know that?”
Taeyong: (points to himself) “Me?”
Y/N: (nods) “Yes, you, Mr. Lee Taeyong. You changed my world.”
Taeyong: (smiles) “You changed mine, too. I’m grateful every day that you agreed to marry me.”
“When did you realize you’d fallen in love?”
《 HIS SIDE 》
Taeyong: “I don’t remember exactly when it was that I fell in love with her, but I vividly remember realizing it after coming home from class one day. It was during our senior year, and I had skipped my last class to go home early because I was really discouraged about some project that I had. I tried not to show how upset I was, but she could already tell that something was wrong without me even having to tell her.” (smiles) “I talked to her about what was going on, and she said something to me that really...stuck with me. She said, ‘Embrace where you are at this moment, and move on when you’re ready.’” (pauses) “No one had ever said that to me before. That’s the moment when I realized, ‘Wow. I am so head-over-heels in love with this person.’”
《 HER SIDE 》
Y/N: “I realized it pretty quickly, to be honest.” (smiles) “I remember I was really stressed out for this upcoming exam that basically determined whether or not I would be admitted into the nursing program at our school. I was so focused on studying that I kind of neglected my health, but Taeyong was there beside me the entire time and made sure I didn’t skip any meals and that I was allowed myself a break every now and then. He basically made sure that I was actually taking care of myself, and for some reason...it just gave me so much peace. Just being with him brought me so much peace.” (chuckles) “We were only a few months into the relationship at the time, but somehow, I just...knew. I knew that he’s my person, that he’s the person for me.”
《 BOTH SIDES 》
Taeyong: “When did you realize?”
Y/N: “Pretty early. Like, definitely before our 100 day anniversary.”
Taeyong: “That is pretty early.”
Y/N: “What about you?”
Taeyong: “Closer to a year into our relationship. Well, actually, I think I knew earlier, I just didn’t realize it until our senior year of school.”
Y/N: “What made you realize?”
Taeyong: “Just the things you said and the way you acted...you understood me so well, and you motivated me to be my best. That’s how I knew.” (smiles)
“What is the biggest insecurity in your relationship?”
《 HIS SIDE 》
Taeyong: “...My biggest insecurity is…I’m scared that I can’t provide for her.” (pauses) “In our culture, it’s expected that the man provides for his family…but with my job, I don’t exactly make enough money to support the both of us.”
『 Taeyong pauses again, and he takes a moment to wipe away the tears streaming down his cheeks. The camera switches to Y/N, who is also starting to tear up. The PA passes a box of tissues to Taeyong. 』
Taeyong: “Sorry about that.”
PD, from off-camera: “No worries. Do you want to take a break?”
Taeyong: (shakes his head) “No, I’m okay.” (takes a deep breath) “It’s a responsibility that I know Y/N does not and would never hold over my head, but still...there are so many things I want to do for her. I want to give her a big house and take her on a nice vacation and just...provide everything for her so she won’t have to work so hard and so often...” (sighs) “Y/N deserves the entire world, but I feel like I just can’t give it to her.”
《 HER SIDE 》
Y/N: “My biggest insecurity...”
『 Y/N opens her mouth to talk but starts crying before she’s able to speak. 』
Y/N: “Shit, I’m sorry.”
PD, from off-camera: “It’s okay. Take your time. We can move onto a different question, if you’re more comfortable with that.”
Y/N: (shakes her head) “It’s okay, I just need a second.”
『 Y/N takes a moment to dab away her tears. Taeyong scoots his chair closer to hers, and he reaches out to take her cheeks in his hands. 』
Taeyong: “You okay?”
Y/N: (nods) “Yeah, I’m fine.
『 Taeyong frowns, then takes the headphones off and the earbuds out. 』
Taeyong: “Sorry, forgot I had these on. What’d you say?”
『 The studio bursts into laughter. Y/N smiles as she kisses him and whispers something into his ear. The video cuts to a refreshed Y/N. 』
Y/N: “Taeyong and I both love children. We’ve always talked about living in a big house and having lots of kids and dogs…but the reality is that...” (sighs) “The reality is that having a future like that is...unrealistic.” (pauses) “It’s very hard for me to have children. We’ve been trying for two years now, and on the rare chances that we do get pregnant, I always fail to carry the baby to full-term.” (pauses again) “It’s really stressful, you know? Our parents are always asking us when we’re having kids...and I don’t have the courage to tell them that I can’t. I can’t do the one thing our society expects me to do, and I know that I would never hold these expectations over anyone else, but still...I just can’t help but feel insecure.”
《 BOTH SIDES 》
『 Taeyong reaches over to wipe the tears from Y/N’s face. She smiles and takes his hands in hers. 』
Y/N: “Thank you, Honey.”
Taeyong: “You know that you’re more than enough for me, right?”
Y/N: (nods) “I do. You too, you’re more than enough for me, Taeyong.”
Taeyong: (nods, then sighs) “I just…feel so bad, sometimes. Like, I wonder if you’d be happier without me.”
Y/N: “There is not a single universe that exists where I’d be happier without you.”
Taeyong: “I know.” (smiles) “I love you, Y/N. You’re all I need.”
“What is something you’d like to say to your partner?”
《 BOTH SIDES 》
Taeyong: “Y/N, my beautiful wife, thank you for loving me and supporting me all these years, even though I’m lacking in so many ways.” (smiles) “You’ve seen me at my highest and at my lowest, yet you’ve continued to love me just the same. You’re my everything, Y/N. I will work my absolute hardest to continue to make you happy. I love you so much.”
Y/N: “My lovely Yong, thank you for loving me so much every single day. Thank you for accepting me for who I am and for never asking me to change. You’re my best friend, my soulmate, my entire world. Thank you for being you, Lee Taeyong. I am genuinely so, so in love with you, and I have never been happier. I’m excited for our future together.”
Taeyong: “Thank you for everything, Y/N.”
Y/N: (smiles) “You too, my love. Thank you for everything.”
『 The interview ends. Both Y/N and Taeyong stand up and bow to the staff before stepping off-camera and exiting the studio. The camera cuts to the PD, who is wiping away her tears. The video fades to black, with the crew laughing in the background. 』
heyy I just wanted to pop by and say that our story was SOCUTEEE it was a very refreshing way of writing that I don’t really see on here! I thoroughly enjoyed it🤍 thank you for writing, it was very very lovely to read😭😭 I had a smile on my face and I literally didn’t notice until the end 😅😅
ahhh thank you so much for reading!! you're too kind 😭 i genuinely enjoy writing these episodes for the members, so i'm very very happy that you enjoyed it! it's based on a very sweet youtube series called "both sides", i recommend checking it out 🥺
〔 𝟎𝟗:𝟒𝟒𝐚𝐦 〕 the morning sunlight greets you with a warm caress as it peaks through the narrow cracks in your blinds. it’s the heat that initially rouses you to consciousness, but the fact that you aren’t alone in bed is what really startles you awake.
you jolt upright and still the thoughts swirling around in your head into awareness, your eyes involuntarily squinting to adjust to the brightness. “jeno,” you whisper, draping your hand over his shoulder in a gentle shake.
a quiet yawn catches in his throat as he lifts his arms up towards the ceiling in a long, well-needed stretch. he shifts his weight to his side, blinking his vision to focus as he reaches over towards you. “g’morning,” he murmurs, his voice husky and heavy with sleep. he laces his fingers with yours, giving your hand a light squeeze before pulling you to his chest in a soft embrace.
the gesture makes you grin, but as much as you want to laze around in his arms, you know that the consequences of missing a schedule are unforgiving. “don’t you have a shoot this morning? the company’s gonna kill you if you’re late,” you warn, sliding your legs over the edge of the bed.
“it got cancelled last minute,” he tells you, wasting no time in pulling you back to his side. his lips break into a boyish grin as he presses a delicate kiss to the tip of your nose. “we have the entire day to ourselves.”
despite the thrill of it all, it’s only a matter of seconds before you can feel yourself giving into the serenity of slumber. you bury your face into the warmth of his chest and inhale deeply, the familiarity of his scent overwhelming all five of your senses.
“i missed this,” you whisper, tracing the pads of your fingertips down his sternum and over his abdomen.
“me too,” he admits, his words warm against your skin. “i can’t remember the last time we were able to spend time with each other like this.”
you nod, your thoughts too clouded by the haze of sleep to form any degree of coherence. “i could stay like this forever,” you breathe, somewhat unthinkingly as you soak up the satisfaction of knowing you’ll be able to keep him to yourself for the rest of the day.
“me too, but right now, i’m thinking about something a little different.” the timbre of his voice is so low, even you can feel it vibrate through his chest. you look up at him, a heated excitement starting to thrum through your veins.
“like what?” you lilt, the diffidence in your tone poorly masking the desire pooling in the pit of your stomach.
“hmm, i wonder.” he trails the tips of his fingers down, down, down to the elastic band on your waist, and he smiles ㅡ a bright but undeniably carnal countenance. “mind indulging me for a little bit?”
idk if u remember but i'm 🐰 anon from ur old blog :-)
i hope all is well ( ◠‿◠ ) i saw you got a full time job in seoul & i'm so happy for you!!! you are such a hard worker & you deserve this. truly admirable :’) i hope you are taking time to rest + drinking lots of water!!!
take care always <3 - 🐰
i remember you!! a lot has happened since then, so i ended up having to turn that job down. i'm currently working for the CDC and finishing up my degree, but the plan is to apply to schools and earn my drph in reproductive/maternal health. i'm kind of in the existential dread phase of my life :(
anyways, i appreciate this message! i'm sorry for getting back to you so lateㅠㅠ i'd love to hear more about how you've been doing! wishing you the best 🫶🏻
hi soojin! i realise once again that i haven't left an ask for a while, and quite a long while this time! how are you? 9월 23일은 제 생일이었기 때문에 저는 이제 18살이 되었습니다! remember to drink some water today and take care 🤗 — 바다 ~
으구으구 이제 성인이 됐구나~ 너무 늦지만 생일축하해!! 메시지 보내줘서 고마워 🫶🏻 and thank you! 바다님두 건강하게 잘 지내면 좋겠어~
Hey! I just read your latest timestamp of YY and it was really cute :) I also read your 'OUR STORY' entries and I just love the writing for both Mark's and YY's. The dialogue felt natural and it was just. Wholesome. Thank you so much for sharing your writing. And most importantly, I hope you are taking good care of yourself <3
hi! you are so, so sweet, thank you so much 😭 i'm so glad you enjoyed it! i'm slowly starting to get back into continuing that series, so please look forward to the future episodes!
and i am! i've just recently gotten back into a regular schedule, and i hope things stay this way :') i appreciate you checking in and hope you're doing well!
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