zie

🪐 | they/them | fem term preferred ✩°｡⋆⸜ 🚫 — men & minor dni

[yveslogy]

ㅤㅤChasing Shadows

pairing: Lead guitarist! Se-mi x Fem paparazzi! reader

CW/TW: This is a story about obsession, parasocial relationships, stalking and invasion of privacy. It explores the thin line between admiration and unhealthy obsession and the emotional cost of constant monitoring of celebrities. The narrative also grapples with burnout, the suffocation of fame and personal space.

Note: readers who are sensitive to themes of unreciprocated obsession, emotional distress, or unhealthy fan behavior may wish to proceed with caution.

word count: 1k+

You had been following Se-mi for years, well before she became the legend that she is today. She was another girl with a guitar playing at dive bars where the lights on the stage barely flickered and the speakers crackled from being overdriven. But she was electric, even then. Every note that came out of her mouth gave you the shivers, every lyric branded itself into your brain like a tattoo.

And you weren’t the only one who noticed.

She had this feral energy, this reckless precision, this kind of talent that comes not so much from practice as a deeper place—a primordial place. Her wolf-cut hair was always messy and perfect, like she’d just walked out of a storm. And those piercings—one on the left side of her nose, two rings on her bottom lip—framed all of her smirks in such a way that made your breath catch.

You told yourself you were only a fan.

Initially, that’s all you were.

But fans don’t line up outside backstage doors for hours, hoping to get a glimpse. Fans don’t remember every little detail—how she stashes her pick into the strings when she’s not using it, how she rolls her eyes when interviewers ask her about “the future of rock,” how she smirks when she plays a riff that’s a little too good. Her fans don’t chase her around from gig to gig, city to city, looking for clues about who she really is.

No. You weren’t just a fan.

You were her shadow. Her ghost. Her paparazzi.

In fact she only really saw you in Tokyo. The band had just come off stage and the crowd was still calling her name. You’d been photographing her all night—her fingers flitting across the fretboard, beads of sweat shimmering on her skin in the harsh stage lights, that one moment just before she became the music.

She walked out the back exit by herself, her hoodie pulled over her head, a cigarette hanging from her mouth. You had been waiting, camera at the ready, hidden enough to be unseeable.

But Se-mi was sharper than most of them.

“Do you ever get tired of hiding?” she said, her voice low and raspy, like she hadn’t spoken in hours.

You froze.

She blew it out and the smoke folded into the night air, turned to face you. You thought she would be angry, that she would say you were to leave her the hell alone. Instead, she tilted her head, tickled.

“You’re good,” she said. “Better than most.”

The camera strap cut into your neck. “I-I’m just a fan.”

She laughed, soft but sharp. “Fans don’t come with me to three different countries.”

Your face too hot to touch, you struggled to find something—anything—to respond with that would make you sound less like a stalker. But she wasn’t wrong.

Then she did something you didn’t see coming.

She stepped closer.

Close enough to see the little scar just above her eyebrow, the faint freckle on her cheekbone. Close enough to smell the sweat, leather and something sweet on her skin.

“Since you’re already here,” she said, “wanna walk with me?”

Everything was different after that night.

You wandered the neon-lit streets of Tokyo by the hour, discussing everything and nothing. She told you how she first picked up a guitar, how when she was learning to play her fingers bled from practice until she could do it without thinking. You explained that you had a camera, and that you used to take pictures of birds, until the day you learned that musicians were more interesting.

“You’re not like the others,” she told you one time.

You laughed. “That’s what the others exactly say.”

She smirked. “No. I mean it.”

And maybe she did. Or perhaps she simply liked the notion of someone revolving around her, someone who viewed her as the world did—larger than life, untouchable.

But she wasn’t untouchable.

She was real. Filthy and irresponsible and human in ways you hadn’t anticipated.

And you were in too deep.

The downside of getting near a star is that after a while, you fry.

At first, Se-mi didn’t seem to care that you were always there. She even began modeling for your camera, giving you half-lidded smirks and middle fingers whenever you pointed the lens her way. She’d shoot you a smirk from the stage, well aware you were out there watching.

But then, things shifted.

You started to see it in her eyes, in the way she flinched when the flash popped. How she’d look back over her shoulder when she thought nobody was watching.

She was beginning to choke.

And that was—and you were among the reason why.

One night, following a show in L.A., she broke.

You were outside the venue, camera in hand, heart pounding as always. But when she caught sight of you, her face fell.

“Do you ever stop?” she asked, voice cutting like a knife.

You hesitated. “I just—”

“You just what?” she interrupted, moving forward, frustration radiating off her in waves. “Follow me everywhere? Take photographs of me while I’m trying to breathe?”

You swallowed hard. “I thought you liked it.”

She laughed, though there was nothing funny about it. “Just because you like something doesn’t mean you need to be around it 24/7.”

There was silence between you.

You wanted to tell her you weren’t like the others. That you weren’t a random paparazzi jamming a camera in her face for cash.

But that wasn’t true, was it?

You were still chasing her.

Still thinking of her like a song that will vanish if you don’t put it back on play.

Se-mi sighed, pushing a hand through her also-mess hair. “I liked you before you tried to get me into pictures.”

And then, just like that, she left.

You could’ve followed.

You could’ve snapped another shot, a final shot of her silhouette vanishing into the night.

But for the first time, you put down your camera.

And let her go.

Se-mi is still alive out there, still burning the world down with her music. You catch sight of her now and then—on magazine covers, on stage, on TV.

You still take photos, but not of her. Not anymore.

Some things aren’t meant to be recorded.

The wild are meant to stay wild.

author’s note: this is my first time writing in other language, my apologies if there are any grammatical errors. english is not my first language.

[l0ve4riki]

[l4venderia]

i need that cookie so f-ing bad

[idleyuri-deactivated20251121]

i’m gonna need you guys to stop shipping player 380 (se-mi) with men😪 like that is a scissor warrior right there if i’ve ever seen one

[ilovekosamupop-deactivated20250]

women don’t want men or money the want squid game women 💋

[evilbirdy]

🄼🅈 🄾🄽🄻🅈 🄻🄾🅅🄴

𝓃𝑜𝓌 𝓅𝓁𝒶𝓎𝒾𝓃𝑔~ 𝑜𝓃𝓁𝓎 𝒷𝓎 𝐿𝑒𝑒𝐻𝒾

𝒮𝑒-𝑀𝒾 𝓍 𝒻𝑒𝓂!𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹𝑒𝓇

𝔾𝕦𝕪𝕤 𝕀 𝕔𝕒𝕟’𝕥 𝕨𝕣𝕚𝕥𝕖 𝕤𝕙𝕠𝕣𝕥 𝕗𝕚𝕔𝕤 𝕗𝕠𝕣 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕝𝕚𝕗𝕖 𝕠𝕗 𝕞𝕖, 𝕝𝕚𝕜𝕖 𝕚𝕗 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕒 𝕘𝕒𝕞𝕖 𝕚𝕟 𝕤𝕢𝕦𝕚𝕕 𝕘𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕤, 𝕀 𝕨𝕠𝕦𝕝𝕕 𝕕𝕚𝕖 𝕤𝕠 𝕗𝕒𝕤𝕥. 𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝕖𝕟𝕕𝕚𝕟𝕘 𝕞𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕓𝕖 𝕒 𝕓𝕚𝕥 𝕣𝕦𝕤𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕓𝕦𝕥 𝕀 𝕕𝕠 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕖 𝕪’𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕖𝕟𝕛𝕠𝕪 𝕚𝕥. <𝟛

When your girlfriend told you about these games where you could earn money, you excepted easy children games, not deathly ones.

“I’m sorry I brought us into this,” she muttered, you turned to her lightly nudging her arm.

“Look it’s not big deal, okay. We just have to survive enough to pay off everything then we leave,” she nods at you then goes to her bunk as you went to yours.

You both had agreed to keep your relationship private from the other players, thinking that some people might get messy and use you guys against each other.

“Senorita can I talk to you?” you turned to see a tall dude with purple hair and another dude with shoulder length hair trailing behind him. You recognized him, he is that ‘underground rapper’ your younger brother gushes over.

You tilted your head, signaling him to continue.

“How would you like to join me and my buddy, Nam-su here,” you pretended not to notice his friend grumble behind him.

“Hmm should I?” You smiled, crossing your arms.

“I’ll keep you safe and help you win, then once I get my share, I’ll help you travel the world and you can be my girl,” you chuckled at his attempt to get with you.

“Not really interested,” His reaction almost made you laugh out loud. You can tell that people normally don’t tell him no.

“But I am in need of a team, this isn’t me accepting your whole ‘be my girl’ thing but I rather have alliances,” he then smiles and drags you over with him to his little area.

Se-Mi couldn’t help but stare from afar. She wanted to go up and tell him to back off but she kept her cool.

You entered the room for the second game, you followed Thanos aimlessly knowing people are practically lining to team up with him.

“Senorita, excuse me,” you look up, finding out that the lucky person he chose was your girlfriend, herself. She glanced over at you for a quick second, you notice her tapping her arm, it was a small signal you guys do to check up on each other when others are around.

You zone out a bit as the two talked. You fiddled with your tracksuit and hands.

“This is Nam-su and this is (your name),” you quickly looked up right, we are pretending to not know each other.

Se-Mi introduces her little friend; Min-su. Hmm he is a little cutie, he reminds you of her younger cousin maybe that’s why she picked him.

When you sat on the ground waiting for the game to start, you had assumed that she would want us to sit far apart but she sat right to you. The game had started and you felt nervous for the players, looked at the clock as the time goes down. You looked down at your shoes, tracing lines on it, you stayed in the small happy place, it was disturbed by a round of gunshots. You felt Se-Mi pull you against her.

You grabbed her hand, hiding it under both your legs so no one gets suspicious. You watched as she fought with Nam-gyu a bit, you squeezed her hand telling her to quit it. She gave you a small smile and squeezed back. You all passed the second game, you sat next to her as we wait for the remaining players to either die or pass the game.

“Hey Min-su, why don’t you go count all the players,” Nam-gyu tells Min-su.

“Why,” Minsu plays with his hands and his suit. You bit your tongue not liking how Nam-gyu is talking to him.

Min-su was gonna get up and do what he says before Se-Mi stops him and pulls him back down.

“Why does he need to count? Are you stupid?” you laugh into your hand as she says that.

“Fucking bitch,” he says

“Hey don’t talk about her like that, just because you never got attention from your own mother doesn’t mean you get to disrespect women,” you heard Se-Mi hype you up holding up a fist bump for you and you returned it.

“enough,” Thanos says. He goes around saying we need to treat each other like friends and asked us our birth years. I couldn’t help but stifle my laugh and side eye Se-Mi when she lies about her year.

As time passed, you did hang out with Se-Mi more than others, Thanos shrugged it off as ‘girl power’ and leaved it be.

The third game had started, you stayed next to Se- Mi the entire time.

“Four” the voice rang out.

You felt nervous, before you even realized it, Se-Mi was pulled from your grasp. She was fighting against Thanos and Nam-guy’s grip. You breathed out heavy.

You are so fucked

You were going to accept your fate when you were dragged into a room. You looked up at your saviors. It was players 456, 001, and 390. You have seen them around.

“Thank you so much,” they nodded at you, then turned to each other hoping their other teammates found a room.

You walked out, almost slipped on some blood. You see Se-Mi in the distance. As much as you wanted to run up to her and hug her tight, decided not to, given the circumstances, you felt your heart break noticing her sad glances towards you.

You were invited by 456 to join their team. You accepted and played a couple of rounds. You hear the voice yell out “2’ and told everyone that you were gonna find someone. They nodded and told you to stay safe as you ran off.

You were looking for Se-Mi and you felt your heart pounding, you were then pulled into a room, you felt relief at the familiar hand tugging you.

You sighed happily when Se-Mi locked the door, you wrapped your arms around her as she wrapped hers around your waist.

“I’m sorry,” you hear her whisper to you, you hug her tighter.

“I tried to fight them off b-but I couldn’t…I thought I lost you..I was so scared,” you pulled back from her, wiping her tears.

“It’s okay baby, I’m safe and you’re safe, that’s all I care about. What happened? Where’s Min-su?” her face falters, her fingers tugging on my suit.

“In the round for the team of three, I told him that we were gonna go look for you but.. he chose to go with Thanos,” You sigh, playing with her hair.

The buzzer is heard before the doors unlocked, we walk out. The once clean floor decorated with blood. You turned to Se-Mi following her gaze to see a guilty Min-su.

She grabs your hand and pulls you to the doors. Thankfully that was the final round and you can return to the common room.

You brought her over to the 456’s team, he looks up and smiles.

“282, you survived,” you nod, then tilted your head down.

“I hope it’s not too late to join your team, I’m ready to go home,” he motions you two over to sit with them. You introduced them to Se-Mi.

You saw her staring off again, noticing Thanos and Nam-gyu glaring at you both. You squeezed her hand and pulled it on your lap, fidgeting with her rings.

You felt your heart drop as you hear players being elimated, but a game never happened, a bunch of players walked out bloodied.

Are you serious? Killing each other counts as a game.

456 told you about the plan and you ran to tell Se-Mi.

“But Nam-gyu might attacked,” you interrupted her by grabbing her face.

“Se-Mi I swear to everything, if you die, I will bring you back to kill you myself,” she smile and kissed your forehead.

“Okay, I’ll stick with you,I promise.”

When the lights went out and the chaos ensured, Se-Mi grabbed your hand the entire time. You guys were under the bed with player 222 and 388. You watched as Nam-gyu went on his killing spree, you pulled Se-mi closer to you. When the lights turned back on and some of them players took the guards’ guns, you and Se-Mi chose to stay in the common room with the others.

You sat at the top of the bunk, looking at the aftermath of everything. You see Min-su looking at you both from the other side, you send him a smile and wave.

“Hey, where do you wanna go after this?” You look up at Se-mi, she was staring at the ceiling, playing with her lip piercing.

“Home,” you scoffed, laying your head on her shoulder.

“Yeah but like other than home, like let’s get away, enjoy life when we have it,” your eyebrows raise, you never except a line like that from your girlfriend.

“Welll…I always wanted to go to the US,” you always wanted to travel the world but you two had only a penny to your name.

“Then that’s where we will go,” she takes your hand and kisses it.

“I love you, (your name).”

“I love you, Se-Mi.”

[moxxiix]

créditos:@mentllyillcutie

[ladynephthyss]

words to use when writing

Appetite:

craving, demand, gluttony, greed, hunger, inclination, insatiable, longing, lust, passion, ravenousness, relish, taste, thirst, urge, voracity, weakness, willingness, yearning, ardor, dedication, desire, devotion, enthusiasm, excitement, fervor, horny, intensity, keenness, wholeheartedness, zeal

Arouse:

agitate, awaken, electrify, enliven, excite, entice, foment, goad, incite, inflame, instigate, kindle, provoke, rally, rouse, spark, stimulate, stir, thrill, waken, warm, whet, attract, charm, coax, fire up, fuel, heat up, lure, produce, stir up, tantalize, tease, tempt, thrum, torment, wind up, work up

Assault:

attack, advancing, aggressive, assailing, charging, incursion, inundated, invasion, offensive, onset, onslaught, overwhelmed, ruinous, tempestuous, strike, violation, ambush, assail, barrage, bombard, bombardment, crackdown, wound

Beautiful: 

admirable, alluring, angelic, appealing, bewitching, charming, dazzling, delicate, delightful, divine, elegant, enticing, exquisite, fascinating, gorgeous, graceful, grand, magnificent, marvelous, pleasing, radiant, ravishing, resplendent, splendid, stunning, sublime, attractive, beguiling, captivating, enchanting, engaging, enthralling, eye-catching, fetching, fine, fine-looking, good-looking, handsome, inviting, lovely, mesmeric, mesmerizing, pretty, rakish, refined, striking, tantalizing, tempting

Brutal:

atrocious, barbarous, bloodthirsty, callous, cruel, feral, ferocious, hard, harsh, heartless, inhuman, merciless, murderous, pitiless, remorseless, rough, rude, ruthless, savage, severe, terrible, unmerciful, vicious, bestial, brute, brutish, cold-blooded, fierce, gory, nasty, rancorous, sadistic, uncompromising, unfeeling, unforgiving, unpitying, violent, wild

Burly:

able-bodied, athletic, beefy, big, brawny, broad-shouldered, bulky, dense, enormous, great, hard, hardy, hearty, heavily built, heavy, hefty, huge, husky, immense, large, massive, muscular, mighty, outsized, oversized, powerful, powerfully built, prodigious, robust, solid, stalwart, stocky, stout, strapping, strong, strongly built, sturdy, thick, thickset, tough, well-built, well-developed

Carnal:

animalistic, bodily, impure, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, libidinous, licentious, lustful, physical, prurient, salacious, sensuous, voluptuous, vulgar, wanton, , coarse, crude, dirty, raunchy, rough, unclean

Dangerous:

alarming, critical, fatal, formidable, impending, malignant, menacing, mortal, nasty, perilous, precarious, pressing, serious, terrible, threatening, treacherous, urgent, vulnerable, wicked, acute, damaging, deadly, death-defying, deathly, destructive, detrimental, explosive, grave, harmful, hazardous, injurious, lethal, life-threatening, noxious, poisonous, risky, severe, terrifying, toxic, unsafe, unstable, venomous

Dark:

atrocious, corrupt, forbidding, foul, infernal, midnight, morbid, ominous, sinful, sinister, somber, threatening, twilight, vile, wicked, abject, alarming, appalling, baleful, bizarre, bleak, bloodcurdling, boding evil, chilling, cold, condemned, creepy, damned, daunting, demented, desolate, dire, dismal, disturbing, doomed, dour, dread, dreary, dusk, eerie, fear, fearsome, frightening, ghastly, ghostly, ghoulish, gloom, gloomy, grave, grim, grisly, gruesome, hair-raising, haunted, hideous, hopeless, horrendous, horrible, horrid, horrific, horrifying, horror, ill-fated, ill-omened, ill-starred, inauspicious, inhospitable, looming, lost, macabre, malice, malignant, menacing, murky, mysterious, night, panic, pessimistic, petrifying, scary, shadows, shadowy, shade, shady, shocking, soul-destroying, sour, spine-chilling, spine-tingling, strange, terrifying, uncanny, unearthly, unlucky, unnatural, unnerving, weird, wretched

Delicious:

enticing, exquisite, luscious, lush, rich, savory, sweet, tasty, tempting, appetizing, delectable, flavorsome, full of flavor, juicy, lip-smacking, mouth-watering, piquant, relish, ripe, salty, spicy, scrummy, scrumptious, succulent, tangy, tart, tasty, yummy, zesty

Ecstasy:

delectation, delirium, elation, euphoria, fervor, frenzy, joy, rapture, transport, bliss, excitement, happiness, heaven, high, paradise, rhapsody, thrill, blissful, delighted, elated, extremely happy, in raptures (of delight), in seventh heaven, jubilant, on cloud nine, overexcited, overjoyed, rapturous, thrilled

Ecstatic:

delirious, enraptured, euphoric, fervent, frenzied, joyous, transported, wild

Erotic:

amatory, amorous, aphrodisiac, carnal, earthy, erogenous, fervid, filthy, hot, impassioned, lascivious, lecherous, lewd, raw, romantic, rousing, salacious, seductive, sensual, sexual, spicy, steamy, stimulating, suggestive, titillating, voluptuous, tantalizing

Gasp:

catch of breath, choke, gulp, heave, inhale, pant, puff, snort, wheeze, huff, rasp, sharp intake of air, short of breath, struggle for breath, swallow, winded 

Heated:

ardent, avid, excited, fervent, fervid, fierce, fiery, frenzied, furious, impassioned, intense, passionate, raging, scalding, scorched, stormy, tempestuous, vehement, violent, ablaze, aflame, all-consuming, blazing, blistering, burning, crazed, explosive, febrile, feverish, fired up, flaming, flushed, frantic, hot, hot-blooded, impatient, incensed, maddening, obsessed, possessed, randy, searing, sizzling, smoldering, sweltering, torrid, turbulent, volatile, worked up, zealous

Hunger:

appetite, ache, craving, gluttony, greed, longing, lust, mania, mouth-watering, ravenous, voracious, want, yearning, thirst

Hungry:

avid, carnivorous, covetous, craving, eager, greedy, hungered, rapacious, ravenous, starved, unsatisfied, voracious, avaricious, desirous, famished, grasping, insatiable, keen, longing, predatory, ravening, starving, thirsty, wanting

Intense:

forceful, severe, passionate, acute, agonizing, ardent, anxious, biting, bitter, burning, close, consuming, cutting, deep, eager, earnest, excessive, exquisite, extreme, fervent, fervid, fierce, forcible, great, harsh, impassioned, keen, marked, piercing, powerful, profound, severe, sharp, strong, vehement, violent, vivid, vigorous

Liquid:

damp, cream, creamy, dripping, ichorous, juicy, moist, luscious, melted, moist, pulpy, sappy, soaking, solvent, sopping, succulent, viscous, wet / aqueous, broth, elixir, extract, flux, juice, liquor, nectar, sap, sauce, secretion, solution, vitae, awash, moisture, boggy, dewy, drenched, drip, drop, droplet, drowning, flood, flooded, flowing, fountain, jewel, leaky, milky, overflowing, saturated, slick, slippery, soaked, sodden, soggy, stream, swamp, tear, teardrop, torrent, waterlogged, watery, weeping

Lithe:

agile, lean, pliant, slight, spare, sinewy, slender, supple, deft, fit, flexible, lanky, leggy, limber, lissom, lissome, nimble, sinuous, skinny, sleek, slender, slim, svelte, trim, thin, willowy, wiry

Moan:

beef, cry, gripe, grouse, grumble, lament, lamentation, plaint, sob, wail, whine, bemoan, bewail, carp, deplore, grieve, gripe, grouse, grumble, keen, lament, sigh, sob, wail, whine, mewl

Moving:

(exciting,) affecting, effective  arousing, awakening, breathless, dynamic, eloquent, emotional, emotive, expressive, fecund, far-out, felt in gut, grabbed by, gripping, heartbreaking, heartrending, impelling, impressive, inspirational, meaningful, mind-bending, mind-blowing, motivating, persuasive, poignant, propelling, provoking, quickening, rallying, rousing, significant, stimulating, simulative, stirring, stunning, touching, awe-inspiring, energizing, exhilarating, fascinating, heart pounding, heart stopping, inspiring, riveting, thrilling

Need:

compulsion, demand, desperate, devoir, extremity, impatient longing, must, urge, urgency / desire, appetite, avid, burn, craving, eagerness, fascination, greed, hunger, insatiable, longing, lust, taste, thirst, voracious, want, yearning, ache, addiction, aspiration, desire, fever, fixation, hankering, hope, impulse, inclination, infatuation, itch, obsession, passion, pining, wish, yen

Pain: 

ache, afflict, affliction, agony, agonize, anguish, bite, burn, chafe, distress, fever, grief, hurt, inflame, laceration, misery, pang, punish, sting, suffering, tenderness, throb, throe, torment, torture, smart

Painful:

aching, agonizing, arduous, awful, biting, burning, caustic, dire, distressing, dreadful, excruciating, extreme, grievous, inflamed, piercing, raw, sensitive, severe, sharp, tender, terrible, throbbing, tormenting, angry, bleeding, bloody, bruised, cutting, hurting, injured, irritated, prickly, skinned, smarting, sore, stinging, unbearable, uncomfortable, upsetting, wounded

Perverted: 

aberrant, abnormal, corrupt, debased, debauched, defiling, depraved, deviant, monstrous, tainted, twisted, vicious, warped, wicked, abhorrent, base, decadent, degenerate, degrading, dirty, disgusting, dissipated, dissolute, distasteful, hedonistic, immodest, immoral, indecent, indulgent, licentious, nasty, profligate, repellent, repugnant, repulsive, revolting, shameful, shameless, sickening, sinful, smutty, sordid, unscrupulous, vile 

Pleasurable:

charming, gratifying, luscious, satisfying, savory, agreeable, delicious, delightful, enjoyable, nice, pleasant, pleasing, soothing, succulent

Pleasure:

bliss, delight, gluttony, gratification, relish, satisfaction, thrill, adventure, amusement, buzz, contentment, delight, desire, ecstasy, enjoyment, excitement, fun, happiness, harmony, heaven, joy, kick, liking, paradise, seventh heaven 

Rapacious:

avaricious, ferocious, furious, greedy, predatory, ravening, ravenous, savage, voracious, aggressive, gluttonous, grasping, insatiable, marauding, plundering

Rapture:

bliss, ecstasy, elation, exaltation, glory, gratification, passion, pleasure, floating, unbridled joy

Rigid:

adamant, austere, definite, determined, exact, firm, hard, rigorous, solid, stern, uncompromising, unrelenting, unyielding, concrete, fixed, harsh, immovable, inflexible, obstinate, resolute, resolved, severe, steadfast, steady, stiff, strong, strict, stubborn, taut, tense, tight, tough, unbending, unchangeable, unwavering

Sudden:

abrupt, accelerated, acute, fast, flashing, fleeting, hasty, headlong, hurried, immediate, impetuous, impulsive, quick, quickening, rapid, rash, rushing, swift, brash, brisk, brusque, instant, instantaneous, out of the blue, reckless, rushed, sharp, spontaneous, urgent, without warning

Thrust:

(forward) advance, drive, forge, impetus, impulsion, lunge, momentum, onslaught, poke, pressure, prod, propulsion, punch, push, shove, power, proceed, progress, propel

(push hard) assail, assault, attack, bear down, buck, drive, force, heave, impale, impel, jab, lunge, plunge, press, pound, prod, ram, shove, stab, transfix, urge, bang, burrow, cram, gouge, jam, pierce, punch, slam, spear, spike, stick

Thunder-struck:

amazed, astonished, aghast, astounded, awestruck, confounded, dazed, dazed, dismayed, overwhelmed, shocked, staggered, startled, stunned, gob-smacked, bewildered, dumbfounded, flabbergasted, horrified, incredulous, surprised, taken aback 

Torment:

agony, anguish, hurt, misery, pain, punishment, suffering, afflict, angst, conflict, distress, grief, heartache, misfortune, nightmare, persecute, plague, sorrow, strife, tease, test, trial, tribulation, torture, turmoil, vex, woe

Touch:

(physical) - blow, brush, caress, collide, come together, contact, converge, crash, cuddle, embrace, feel, feel up, finger, fondle, frisk, glance, glide, graze, grope, handle, hit, hug, impact, join, junction, kiss, lick, line, manipulate, march, massage, meet, nudge, palm, partake, pat, paw, peck, pet, pinch, probe, push, reach, rub, scratch, skim, slide, smooth, strike, stroke, suck, sweep, tag, tap, taste, thumb, tickle, tip, touching, toy, bite, bump, burrow, buss, bury, circle, claw, clean, clutch, cover, creep, crush, cup, curl, delve, dig, drag, draw, ease, edge, fiddle with, flick, flit, fumble, grind, grip, grub, hold, huddle, knead, lap, lave, lay a hand on, maneuver, manhandle, mash, mold, muzzle, neck, nestle, nibble, nip, nuzzle, outline, play, polish, press, pull, rasp, ravish, ream, rim, run, scoop, scrabble, scrape, scrub, shave, shift, shunt, skate, slip, slither, smack, snake, snuggle, soothe, spank, splay, spread, squeeze, stretch, swipe, tangle, tease, thump, tongue, trace, trail, tunnel twiddle, twirl, twist, tug, work, wrap 

(mental) - communicate, examine, inspect, perception, scrutinize

Wet:

bathe, bleed, burst, cascade, course, cover, cream, damp, dampen, deluge, dip, douse, drench, dribble, drip, drizzle, drool, drop, drown, dunk, erupt, flood, flow, gush, immerse, issue, jet, leach, leak, moisten, ooze, overflow, permeate, plunge, pour, rain, rinse, run, salivate, saturate, secrete, seep, shower, shoot, slaver, slobber, slop, slosh, sluice, spill, soak, souse, spew, spit, splash, splatter, spout, spray, sprinkle, spurt, squirt, steep, stream, submerge, surge, swab, swamp, swill, swim, trickle, wash, water

Wicked:

abominable, amoral, atrocious, awful, base, barbarous, dangerous, debased, depraved, distressing, dreadful, evil, fearful, fiendish, fierce, foul, heartless, hazardous, heinous, immoral, indecent, intense, mean, nasty, naughty, nefarious, offensive, profane, scandalous, severe, shameful, shameless, sinful, terrible, unholy, vicious, vile, villainous, wayward, bad, criminal, cruel, deplorable, despicable, devious, ill-intentioned, impious, impish, iniquitous, irreverent, loathsome, Machiavellian, mad, malevolent, malicious, merciless, mischievous, monstrous, perverse, ruthless, spiteful, uncaring, unkind, unscrupulous, vindictive, virulent, wretched

Writhe: 

agonize, bend, jerk, recoil, lurch, plunge, slither, squirm, struggle, suffer, thrash, thresh, twist, wiggle, wriggle, angle, arc, bow, buck, coil, contort, convulse, curl, curve, fidget, fight, flex, go into spasm, grind, heave, jiggle, jolt, kick, rear, reel, ripple, resist, roll, lash, lash out, screw up, shake, shift, slide, spasm, stir, strain, stretch, surge, swell, swivel, thrust, turn violently, tussle, twitch, undulate, warp, worm, wrench, wrestle, yank 

[slvt4ripleyz]

WHERE is all of the semi appreciation??? oh my god why do i never see anyone talk about her i love this girl 😭 she's definitely one of my favorites dude holy shit

her little nose ring??? the lip ring?? HER SPARKLY EYES??? LIKE PLEASE I NEED HER SO BADDD 😭🙏🙏

[loveridden1999]

"i watched the show for the plot"

the plot:

[chxshiya]

Squid game 2

[ra1nrei]

just finished watching squid game 2. semi's death was not what i expected it to be. i thought she'd be one of the important ones. they were wrong for killing my girl semi.

[niccolos]

WON JI-AN as Se-mi (Player 380) in Squid Game (Season 2)

[peachypills-tomsumbrella-blubru]

Shes so Nana coded. Damn fork and Thanos' friend for existing. She could of lived 💔

[puchline]

she has such a rideable face #needher

[lzux1]

Se-mi outhandsomed all men around the world🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

my shayla💔💔💔

[leledrafts]

001. Girlfriend

summary: first day on set. everyone envies pretty girls.

warnings: swearing, envy, ahyoung is criticized for being pretty and a former idol, ageism, probably more that I forgot.

---

"Street Woman Fighter Season 2!" Hyeji exclaims, stretching out our intertwined hands and pointing eagerly at the glowing sign with her free one.

I let out a small, excited squeak—barely a sound—but enough to express my bubbling excitement at seeing the iconic sign. “Wait, I need to take a photo for my mom—she’s a huge fan!” I say, fumbling for my phone. Behind me, I hear a familiar sigh—probably Jiyoung unnie, rolling her eyes as usual.

“Do you think Kang Daniel will come back as MC? My sister’s obsessed with him.” I add, grinning as I snap the photo.

Before I know it, I’m reaching for Hyeji’s hand again, feeling like a kid at a candy store, completely caught up in the moment.

"Thank goodness you wanted to make a bad girl entrance." Minhee says, smirking as Yeeun and Kayoung burst into laughter.

"Bad girls have loved ones too." I murmur, giving Hyeji's a small kiss in her arm.

"I didn’t know you loved anyone other than yourself." Babysleek quips, her teasing tone cutting through the moment.

I shoot her a mock glare and smack her lightly on the arm. "Keep talking, and you'll be at the bottom of my list."

"I thought I already was." the oldest chimes grins.

"Not even close." I retort, shaking my head with mock seriousness. "Yeeun."

The moment I say her name, she lets out an exaggerated groan. "What? Why me?" she whines, throwing her hands up in protest, making me laugh.

I don’t bother answering Yeeun and keep walking, though she persists, demanding to know why. I ignore her, biting back a smile. It wasn’t true anyway—I just love teasing her.

We enter the building, passing a stall with clothes, and head straight for the stairs. Once we reach the top, our eyes fall on the winning team’s trophy sitting majestically on a table.

“It’s incredible.” Halo breathes, carefully lifting it into her hands. “We have to get this beauty home.”

“Who was the orange crew in the first season?” I ask, running my fingers over the smooth surface of the trophy.

“Prowdmon.” Haechi answers from beside me. She drapes her arm around my waist, and a shiver runs down my spine, though I do my best to play it cool.

“We’re ranking sixth.” my crewmates groaning in unison at my bluntness.

“Don’t say that, kid.” Babysleek scolds, now cradling the trophy protectively in her arms.

“Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I tease, grinning. “And careful with that thing. At your age, strength starts to deteriorate.”

I barely finish my sentence before Babysleek smacks me on the arm.

“You hit girls? That’s terrible publicity.” I say, feigning scandal.

Before I can say more, Chocol clamps a hand over my mouth. “Shut up! Someone’s going to believe you.” she shakes her head with a chuckle.

---

After what feels like an eternity sitting in the crew room, they finally let us out onto the main set. Judging by how long we’ve been waiting, I’m pretty sure we’ll be one of the last crews to make an entrance.

“Unnie.” I whisper to Haechi, my voice small. “I’m nervous.” I show her my trembling hands as proof. She doesn’t say a word but smiles softly, taking my hands in hers. Somehow, that simple gesture steadies me.

We start moving, descending to the set in formation—Yeni and Chocol leading the way, their steps confident and deliberate. Behind them, Halo walks with Babysleek and Mini, their expressions sharp and focused. Hyeji and I behind them, the leader with a serious face but still taking my hand.

My heart pounds louder with every step we take, nerves bubbling back to the surface. Haechi must notice because she gives my hand a gentle squeeze, grounding me without saying a word. It’s a small gesture, but it’s enough to remind me that I’m not alone.

“Haechi Wang has such a powerful presence.” someone murmurs, their words cutting through the hum of the crowd. I smile to myself and give Haechi’s hand a gentle squeeze.

“Oh, Baek Ahyoung is a doll.” another voice gushes.

“I’m not a doll.” I mutter under my breath to my friends as we stop at the center of the stage, trying to keep a straight face.

“Wow, she was my favorite in Dilemma.”

“She’s so pretty!” someone else chimes in enthusiastically.

“I want to be her friend.” Rena from Tsubakill pouts dramatically, earning a round of soft laughs from her crew.

I keep my composure, my heart still pounding. All I can think is: Focus. Keep it cool.

The big screen flickers to life, and to my surprise, they actually start with positive comments.

Well, that didn’t last long.

“I really don’t want to see their dance.” Biggy’s voice suddenly cuts through the room, sharp and unapologetic.

I blink at the screen, my brows furrowing in confusion. “What?”

“Because I know it’s going to be bad.” she finishes bluntly.

A wave of shocked gasps ripples through the room. Mini and Halo both turn to stare at the woman, their faces a mix of disbelief and offense.

"Honestly, I think their moves are old." Mina Myoung, leader of Deep N Dap, remarks casually.

Silence blankets the set. The air feels heavy, charged with unspoken tension.

“She really doesn’t know the difference between old and classic.” Halo mutters under her breath, her tone sharp but composed. The rest of us nod in quiet agreement, our irritation simmering beneath the surface.

Although they haven’t gotten personal yet—it’s getting dangerously close—I can already feel anger bubbling in my veins, hot and sharp.

“I really don’t understand what Ahyoung is doing in Wolf’lo.” BEBE’s Sowon says in a calm, matter-of-fact tone. “She’s not a dancer.”

Gasps and surprised murmurs spread through the room like wildfire. Before I can even process it, Sowon hops down from her seat and starts bowing repeatedly. “Sorry, sorry!” she says in a small voice, clearly realizing she’s poked the bear.

I can’t help but let out a small laugh, shaking my head as I glance back at the screen.

“She’s just a pretty face.” the leader of LadyBounce says, her words cutting through the air like a blade. I freeze. My body goes still, my gaze locking on her.

Did she really just say that?

“Who said that?” Haechi snaps, her voice sharp and abrupt, though she doesn’t let go of my hand. Her grip tightens slightly, a silent show of support.

What is going with this girl? She is not like this.

Nervous laughter bubbles up from the rest of the room, a weak attempt to diffuse the tension.

“Relax, girl.” Yeni chuckles, stepping in and resting a calming hand on Haechi’s arm.

But Haechi doesn’t look relaxed—neither I do.

"You really think I’m pretty?" I ask with a smirk, my voice dripping with irony.

Nob doesn’t miss a beat—she just smiles knowingly at me.

"Don’t say things I already know." I add, throwing in a playful wink. The Mannequeen girls erupt into laughter, their amusement echoing through the room.

The video cuts off, and we make our way to our seats. My smile lingers, but inside, the words of our competitors replay in my mind.

This is going to be a tough competition.

---

The shoot is in full swing, and finally, the girls from Jam Republic walk in. My 2015 self would have never believed she’d be in the same room as her favorite dancer from JB’s music video. Honestly, even my 2023 self is struggling to wrap her head around it.

The girls from Jam Republic make their way to their seats, their initial smiles now replaced with serious expressions. Honestly, I can’t blame them—not after the ridiculous things that have been said to them.

"I just want this to start already." I murmur, resting my head on Hyeji’s shoulder, who’s sitting to my left. "I’m sure Audrey is going to absolutely crush anyone who dares to challenge her."

"Why are you supporting her?" Yeni asks, making me lift my head to look at her. "She’s our rival."

"More than 30 dancers ranked her as the worst." I reply, still leaning against Hyeji's shoulder. "And yet, she’s the one with the most stickers—four."

"You got ranked as the second-worst dancer." Mini chimes in, and I let out a sigh. She’s not wrong.

"And you’ve been challenged just as many times." Halo adds.

"I think we all knew this was coming—or maybe even worse." I say, and the girls nod. "But this doesn’t define the kind of dancers we are. They don’t know us."

I shift my gaze away from my teammates and look at the team next to us, sitting silently.

"Audrey" I call out to the youngest member of the pink team. The entire group turns to look at me, clearly surprised. "Destroy them."

A sly smile spreads across her face, mirrored by her teammates.

"You too." she replies in a calm, almost casual tone.

What guts this kid has.

Just then, Kang Daniel walks onto the set, immediately sending the room into chaos. The singer-songwriter flashes his signature smile and begins explaining the rules of the show, which remain almost identical to the first season.

"Now, let’s meet our judges." he announces, and the anticipation in the room is palpable. "Shin Monika."

The place erupts into screams of excitement. I can’t believe I’m breathing the same air as the Goddess Monika herself.

She takes her seat with effortless grace, and behind her come the other two judges—Monsta X's Shownu and the special guest judge, Mike Song.

For a moment, the studio falls into a hushed silence, the energy thick with awe. Without thinking, I blurt out, "Unnie, be my girlfriend."

The room bursts into laughter—contestants, judges, even the staff. Regret hits me like a truck as I feel my face heat up.

Hyeji lets go of my arm, with a inexpressive face, while Yeni gives me a playful nudge.

"AhYoung!!" Chocol groans between laughs.

The laughter lingers for a few more seconds, especially when Monika winks at me. My face burns hotter than ever, and I’m pretty sure I’m about to melt into the floor. But then, I notice Hyeji shifting uncomfortably, subtly pulling her body away from mine.

What’s her problem now?

"Contestants, you can go change your clothes." the MC announces. "The No Respect Battle is about to begin."

Once we’re back in our designated space, I quickly swap into a different outfit, something sharper and more fitting for what’s coming next.

"Hyeji." I say softly, my voice unusually timid—a rare occurrence for me. "Can I have a hug? Your hugs always make me feel better."

She stares at me for a few seconds, her expression unreadable, before finally pulling me into one of her signature bear hugs—the kind that nearly knock you off your feet, courtesy of her being almost 15cm taller than me.

"You’re going to do amazing." she says with a small, reassuring smile.

I am going to do amazing.