Would you consider saeran as a morally grey character. Like for example jihyun is a classic morally grey character as in he is actively hurting people despite his noble cause and also feels that there is "no other way" to go on if its to protect his group and serve his own interest. Same for rika. Even jumin and seven are very morally grey to an extent.
But what about saeran? Like on one hand he has misplaced anger at seven. But at the same time he is malicious in his cause he does want to hurt rfa members and mc. I think ray probably has some greyness but what do you think
Yeah, when it comes to Saeran, I think it's a fair assessment to suggest he's morally grey. There are times when he thinks what he does is right, and times when he knows it's wrong, but those aren't in alignment with the idea of good or evil.
While we can point out his misgivings and the things he did wrong, we have the understanding of the fourth wall that tells us that he has been coerced, groomed, drugged, and manipulated to feel the way he does. This knowledge doesn't erase his crimes, but it helps us get insight into the situation that characters in-universe wouldn't be privy to.
Saeran does not enjoy cruelty. His motives feel that way, but when you get down to it, he's been twisted up inside from here to next Tuesday by someone who sees him as nothing more than a weapon at worst, and a burden she cannot escape at best. Every choice he makes comes from what was beaten into him, and for the choices that aren't aligned with what Rika told him?
He desperately clings to his lonely heart and acts on fantasies he's used to survive the torment Rika inflicted on him. MC is his escapist dream.
He targets the MC because that was the only choice he was given complete autonomy over. He was allowed to pick who he wanted to work with. He became infatuated with the idea of the MC because it was the one thing that was considered "his". He didn't know them. He knew what he wanted to happen, and because he's in a Cult where his Savior dangles the MC like a carrot on a string in front of him while at the same time drugging him out of his mind?
Yeah, it makes sense that he clings to the one positive thing he has. Does this excuse the stalking? Nope! Does this excuse the things he does to the player beyond that? Nope! He was in the wrong for what he did! Despite me adoring Ray as a character, I'll be the first to tell you he is not in his right mind, and many of the decisions he makes aren't okay, nor are they healthy.
Suit Saeran hates every minute of being cruel. He does what he does because it's the only thing he can think of to protect his loved ones. It isn't the right answer, but when the only answer Rika will allow is to be strong "her" way, what's the best option? Are you going to fight the one person who "didn't" abandon you? Are you going to fight someone who can hand you over to your father? You know, the man who wants you to die and has been trying to kill you since day one?
You take the devil you know over the devil you don't.
It doesn't make what he does right, but in his eyes, it's the only thing he can do to keep you, Ray, and himself from being killed. The intention is good. The impact and methodology are wrong. But you know what they say, the path paved to hell is made with good intentions. Jihyun Kim is the character who embodies that the most, though.
It's just that I can't outright say he's malicious for every choice he makes. There are times when you have to acknowledge that he did something wrong, that he's not the only one who did wrong, and that he didn't do anything wrong. It's complicated. We can't call him good, we can't call him evil, and we can't call him neutral. There is only one answer, and that puts him in the grey area.
It's the same thing with Unknown, but he has an extra two years of routine drugging and manipulation on his belt. Though it can be way harder to find this understanding of Unknown because his actions are undoubtedly unhinged in Common and Deep Route. The things that he does to Yoosung, for example, make me sick to my stomach. From my interpretation of the scene, he did that because Yoosung got in the way of his opportunity to get revenge on Saeyoung.
He would've tried to hurt anyone in Yoosung's shoes there. It wasn't about Yoosung. It was about his twin brother. Had Zen gone, then he would've launched himself like a bullet at him instead. That's where I think a lot of people misunderstand him. He could not care less about the RFA. Other than V and Saeyoung, the RFA doesn't matter to him. They're useful in his quest to get revenge, but that's about it. He does not hate them.
He pities them. They are being deceived by the same man who tricked him. Don't assume that pity equals sympathy or compassion, though. If anything, he's neutral. It might sound hard to believe when we're given interactions where he's insulting them without a second thought, but it isn't the way it appears.
That's the thing with Unknown, though. He is that SpongeBob meme that goes like, "I only know fine dining and breathing." He only lives for revenge and to breathe long enough to make that happen.
If he gets what he thinks he wants and succeeds in hurting Saeyoung, he... You know... removes himself from reality. Because what he wants isn't revenge. It's for someone to actually listen to him instead of telling him what to do, how to feel, and what his life is meant for! But how can he know that, much less communicate it, when Rika is holding a gun to the back of his head? It's tragic, his situation is tragic, but like I said, it's not an excuse or an erasure of his own crimes.
It's the fundamental understanding that Saeran isn't a character we can claim is good or evil, point-blank.
A victim can also be a perpetrator. That should be the main takeaway from what I said. Mystic Messenger cannot be viewed through a black-and-white lens. These characters are countless shades of grey, which is what makes them feel so realistic in the first place!
Do you sometimes think about how yoosung only holds grudge against people who hurt his loved ones and never once holds any grudge against those who hurt him personally. Like he held grudge against jihyun because he thought jihyun was a bad bf to rika. But he seemingly doesnt hold anything against Saeran for literally BLINDING his eye. Even with his grudge against V he got worried about him when he found out that he was blinded. Im gonna be honest yoosung is wayy too kind for his own good and doesnt get enough credited for it (Even with cheritz themselves marketing him as like a very kind person)
He really is so kind and so protective of his loved ones 🥺 it's been 8 years of this and I still don't know why people sleep on the best boy so much
You know I was thinking that in yoosung's good ending, jihyun must have helped him to get dressed up for the party (cuz he was injured and very likely high from the anaesthesia to an extent) and knowing what has went down in the route....its making me feel something.
I made this conclusion cuz jumin and zen were at the party right from the beginning and had no knowledge about the whole ordeal with yoosung until seven informed him. Seven was definitely too traumatised from the whole ordeal and prolly feels too guilty to come close to his bestfriend. He also arrived a little before jihyun and yoosung did
So it leaves us with jihyun and yoosung who arrived at the party together so they likely couldve had a moment with themselves. Maybe jihyun chuckled a little when yoosung called mc telling her to not be scared of him
It warms my heart
You know, that is such a warm thought to consider. If there's anything I love about Yoosung's route most of all, it's the way his relationship with V changes and grows. It's arguably the healthiest we see them (aside from V's route, but it's a bit different there). Knowing V, he'd be a huge worrywart, almost to a fault. It's also sweet to think of Yoosung reassuring him and not letting him blame himself too much.
Of course, Yoosung does not know why V feels as guilty as he does, but still. For a moment, just for a brief moment, I'd like to think that V can let go of his constant burdens and just enjoy a warm moment with a friend. Lord knows he needs that.
I very like the idea of V helping him get to the party, as well as getting him dressed. I just know he'd make a couple of warm-hearted comments about how MC will be very happy to see him, and that he has nothing to worry about. Since Yoosung is a bit nervous about looking unappealing due to his bandages and all. It's a bit embarrassing to him, but, hey, it's all in good faith.
i do believe yoosung is generally a very gullible guy because he trusts people too easily but sometimes i feel like he knows seven is pranking him and joking with him and he probably just goes along with his jokes pretending to be actually scared of them. I feel like sometimes yoosung just pretends to be gullible (since he knows thats how people generally see him) and i dont mean as in he is malicious but like he is just too polite and doesnt wanna upset someone who clearly is giving him a bad hunch. Wdy think
You know, while I do believe Yoosung can be gullible when it comes to looking for the word literally printed across the ceiling, I don't know if I would say he's always aware that people are pulling his leg. What I think it comes down to is trust. Yoosung has a huge heart. He trusts others at face value. Now, don't get this confused with the way Zen trusts others because that's a different idea, but he never approaches his life with the thought that someone could be lying to him. It's his experience and age showing.
This isn't me calling him immature, though. It's more like he's ignorant, but not by choice. He has a lot to learn. He'll get there the way most of us do! You make mistakes, but you take what you do right and wrong as a measure to learn how to react the next day. It gets a little easier to do stuff the more you do it, but when you're first starting out? Oh, that's a mess.
This is everyone's first time alive, so we're bound to have a hiccup here and there. But that makes sense, right? This goes beyond the fact that Yoosung keeps "falling" for pranks. This is about his trust in people, and the fact that the RFA members were the first people to treat him the way he wanted to be treated.
He is the youngest person in the RFA. Through luck, love, and sheer chance, he was born into a family that wanted him. His mother and father made sure he had a safe home to live in, and he didn't have to face extra environmental pressure on top of what an average kid will encounter in society growing up. All in all, while he was quietly lonely despite the way he presented himself to others, he didn't have a very hard time taking care of himself.
The most difficult thing that Yoosung faced growing up was not feeling like he had someone to talk to and relate to who was close to his age, as far as familial connections go. That's why Rika is so important to him. It is the relationship he builds with her and the RFA that helps him finally feel not only seen but understood. I've always run with the assumption that Yoosung's sister is MARGINALLY older than he is.
That's why he's hardly ever brought her up in conversation. He's just not as close to her as he was to Rika. If I'm right and that is the answer, then it further explains why Yoosung detests being treated like a baby. He is seen as the baby by everyone around him. Perhaps his sister was more like a babysitter because of the age gap. We know from every mention of his mother that she loves to baby him, too. But at the same time, she also pushes him to be more self-reliant and scolds him when he doesn't get something right.
Rika never treated him like that. Even though his family isn't malicious, their words have impacted Yoosung deeply, and that's why having the chance to find validation in his cousin mattered so much. She knew he was a kid, but at the same time, he was a teenager, quietly growing into an adult just like everyone his age would. She was in his shoes before... the only difference is that, unlike Yoosung, she didn't have someone to teach her that things would be okay.
To treat him like he can't take care of himself or understand complex problems is no different than a slap on the face. She refused to treat him the way she had been treated. She understood that what Yoosung wanted to hear was that he had room to grow up, but that he shouldn't be spoken down to like he's five when doing so. Through his friendship with his cousin, he found the rest of the RFA!
Anytime we're treated to information about what things were like before RIka's "death", they make it out to sound like Yoosung found support at every corner from Jumin, Jihyun, Zen, Jaehee, and Seven. They tutored him, gave him advice, and cheered him on as he moved from high school into university. He wasn't telling them to stop treating him like a kid back then. It seemed like nobody pinched his cheeks the way we see them do sometimes in the present.
None of the jokes made at his expense are malicious in nature, but it does sting to see them when you realize Yoosung keeps "falling" for these pranks because he inherently believes his friends wouldn't lie to him. Jihyun lied; that much Yoosung knows for sure, but in his heart, what he wants to believe is that the others won't do the same to him. They're in the same boat as him as far as information about Rika goes, so it's not like they're equally lying to him.
He doesn't want to believe his friends would lie to him or withhold the truth. There's significant guilt on his part about this, too. Why didn't he realize Rika was suffering? Why didn't he do something? Could he have done something if he knew? He could've helped, right? He asks himself that series of questions more times than I can count. He hates himself for not being "smart" enough to know something was wrong. The sheer amount of guilt and blame he carries is unimaginable.
He couldn't have known, but he wishes that he could have known. It's the way a lot of people feel after they lose someone they love. One of his main lessons is forgiving himself for not feeling like he was a good cousin. Saving the MC the way he does is one of the ways that Yoosung challenges this view of himself. He's not inactive; he's active, and he'll do whatever he can to save the people he loves from that point onward.
He won't hesitate.
Sure, is that to his detriment sometimes?
Yes, but it's something he unfortunately has in common with Jihyun... and Saeyoung... and Saeran... and Zen... and Jumin... and Jaehee... and you get the point. These characters love deeply. They love to the point that they will put themselves in harm's way for their loved ones. It's not always the healthiest choice, but every damn route contains a lesson in learning how important it is to find a balance.
Do not give your last shirt to someone else if that's the only shirt you have to keep warm. You can't give if what you have left to give is the only thing keeping you safe.
We only see the major shift in their dynamic AFTER Rika's "death". The moment we see Yoosung start to slack off and push aside work despite still maintaining great grades and a decent social life. The way he talks in the chatroom often lands him a scolding from others, but it's always dismissive of the hard work Yoosung IS putting in. He volunteers, goes to clubs, and has friend groups we're unaware of, outside of him giving us contact information to invite them to the party.
There's a breakdown in communication. The RFA is struggling in the time they're grieving Rika's "death", and until we enter the apartment, the chatroom is sparsely used, and most conversations are spread out and mundane. Where they once connected, they all flounder around in discomfort and remorse. Rika really brought them all together, but she was the glue that kept things from falling apart. Where they connected in the past is now tangled with their unspoken grief, and why we see a shift in how they treat Yoosung.
(There's a change in the way they all interact with each other, but I'm only speaking to Yoosung.)
Compared to the rest of the RFA, Yoosung has had the most stable upbringing emotionally and physically. He's never had a reason to be doubtful of others. But he has had plenty of reason to feel like every adult in his life is going to pinch his cheeks and treat him like he isn't capable of looking after himself for one reason or another. After what happened with his cousin, he lives with doubt every day when he looks at Jihyun.
He festers in that feeling, and I don't think he wants to look at everyone in his life with that same sinking suspicion. He wouldn't be able to make it through the day if everyone lied to him. Look at what happens if your outcome is the Day 4 Bad Ending. His paranoia eats him alive, and the way he crumbles as his delusion takes hold of him is hard to watch. He is struggling in more ways than one, and it's a lot easier to blame V for everything than it is to look at himself or others (including Rika).
So, I guess what I'm trying to get at is, Yoosung wants to believe you're telling him the truth about chocolate milk. He's been fundamentally lied to by the one person who knew his cousin as well as he did, if not more than that, and he cannot stomach being lied to again. He wants to hear you out, listen to what you have to say, and take it at face value. Maybe it's foolish to live that way, but the opposite of that is deciding that the world is cruel and will hurt you for no reason other than to hurt you.
He is, and I love him for this, so pained whenever someone tells him about how cruel the world can be. I feel the same way. Why are people cruel? Why do people lie? Why can't people be honest and work to do kind, gentle things for others? It takes zero energy to be kind; it takes all your energy to be cruel.
When he weeps in Zen's arms in the RAE, I get it. When he confronts Rika and Jihyun in the VAE, I get it.
This is a young man who wants to believe the world can be a kind place, and he has had it thrown in his face that it's not. Call it ignorance, call it immaturity, but I think Yoosung Kim knows what the world should be and is devastated when he realizes it's not like that. I might not ship Yooran, but God, I do see the appeal sometimes, as soon as I sit with the thought that Yoosung sees the world the same way that Saeran's gentle heart does.
Why can't the world lead with kindness? I'll admit, I giggle sometimes at Yoosung's gullibility, but to me, it's purely an extension of the faith he has in other people.
It could be like you said, maybe he does know it's a joke at his expense, I don't know. I'm not sure what the "real" answer is, but I do appreciate the chance to get to think about it more. I know from Cheritz's angle, it probably isn't supposed to be that serious, but it is. It is that serious.
Girl i just wanna lyk that i really really really love the way you write yoosung. I especially love the fact that you do not write him as a dumb guy like some writers do and it means a lot to me as someone who relates to him and struggles with low self esteem when it comes to my intelligence
Yes yoosung might not be the smartest of the bunch and he is impulsive- but he isnt stupid. Academically he is really good especially given how strict the kr education system is. And even outside academics he has been quite quick to figure out things and take action accordingly. Without him Saeyoung wouldve been dead in two instances. Besides he was also quick to place aside his feelings towards rika after her expose ESPECIALLY given how much rika has meant to him all his life. He still stepped up and called the authorities to arrest her and protect everyone from being drugged. Yoosung was also quick to suspect Jihyun regarding the information related to rika's death. Sure you might say that he did not "handle the matter well" but it will never change the truth. Jihyun infact was hiding a whole can of worms. And him hiding information related to mint eye has led to rfa members becoming more vulnerable to the cult.Yoosung is #2 in LOLOL. Just below seven. And Im p sure LOLOL is based on League of Legends which is a strategy based game. And obviously you need some amount of critical thinking skills to play a game like that. Alot of writers tend to make him bad at gaming and i dont like it. So yeah yoosung is far from being stupid and i am glad some writers take their time to emphasize on that. Love you
A lot of the characters in MM end up flanderized by the fandom, unfortunately. In the case of Yoosung, I want to say that it's okay whenever someone writes him as being young or naive, because there's nothing wrong with being young or naive as you're coming into your own. Everyone starts somewhere, and you don't start out knowing everything and anything there is to know about the world!
Compared to the rest of the cast, Yoosung really hasn't had as many life experiences to grow from just yet, and that's okay.
Being young isn't a bad thing. He has all the time in the world to grow and continue to make strides toward understanding everything he wants to know about the world and more. Yoosung isn't a baby, he's always been a stellar student and goes out of his way to join clubs as soon as he discovers he's interested in something he's never done. It occurs to him that if he wants to know something, he has to seek out the people who already know how to do it.
He's comfortable enough to say, "I don't know what I'm doing and I would love to learn how to do this right." In fact, watching him learn how to bake over the years felt like such a wonderful nod to him as a person. When he decided to take on a culinary path after the events in the RAE, I cheered because it felt impactful to his interests. That was so much more respectful to him than what the VAE tried to do, but we all know how I feel about the many faults of the VAE.
There are parts of the VAE I did actually enjoy, and Yoosung taking charge to do the right thing despite knowing just how desperately he didn't want what Rika was doing to be true was one of them.
Post-RAE, he took a step back and realized he pushed himself into veterinary medicine because of his long-standing grief and utter determination to make sure nobody had to grieve as Rika did, and while he adores animals and never wants to see them suffer as Sally did at the end of her life, him pursuing a path of culinary enjoyment after seeing him adore making food from the start of this series felt like him deciding to do something for himself as opposed to doing for others.
He can still make a difference in both peoples and animals lives by being a culinary master! Yoosung deserves to do whatever he wants because it makes him happy. I'd support him no matter what path he wanted to take, be it veterinary medicine, psychology, or culinary school. But, it's nice to see him be able to reflect on what matters to him most at the end of the day and choose what he wants to do on his own terms. He should be able to live the life he wants to lead no matter what path it is.
But, in regards to people writing him as "dumb"?
He didn't have to grow up quickly to survive something difficult, and that's why he may feel different compared to the others in terms of his "maturity". Zen and Saeyoung are hardly older than he is, but they have been forced to learn how to adapt as fast as possible compared to Yoosung because life... was not kind to them. Just because they've had more time to learn how the world works doesn't mean that our boy Yoosung is "dumb", it means that he's got a lot more to sit down and learn about the world. That's all.
And frankly, you don't magically stop needing to learn one day as an adult. If you want to make sure you continue to be the kind of adult who always listens to those younger than you when they tell you the world needs to change for the better, you need to keep learning. You need to actively focus on listening to other people when you're out of your league. You will never know everything, not by a long shot, and to say you do would be factually wrong.
I was a year younger than Yoosung when the game came out, and having grown with this game, I can tell you I've grown up so much since that time, and I hope to continue to grow with time. I know this world can only be a better place if I—and everyone else in it— choose to grow with it rather than become quiet and complacent.
The problem with the way Yoosung is written when it comes to this issue is that sometimes people make him clueless for the sake of being clueless as opposed to being gullible or naive. Because we can't deny that Yoosung is a gullible guy. He looked up when he heard it was written on the ceiling, but the main reason why he looked for it on the ceiling came down to trust. He trusts his friends even if they treat him like a baby, and their opinions matter to him. If you tell him something, he wants to believe you!
He doesn't want to believe someone would outright lie to him, even as a playful joke, and people can fall him a fool for that if they want, but I think it says a lot about Yoosung as a person that he's willing to trust with all he's got to give unless presented with something that's undeniably wrong, such as Jihyun lying to everyone about what was really happening behind the scenes.
Honestly, I haven't seen too many people mischaracterize Yoosung in my side of the fandom in a while, but I think that's because I've gone out of my way to make sure that I'm only seeing posts about all of the characters that don't irritate or squick me out, LOL.
I think some folks have a hard time balancing his gullibility with his maturity, especially when it comes to fans who are as young as he is. I try to give people the benefit of the doubt when I see something that doesn't mesh with my understanding of him. I tend to assume they're young like he is and haven't really realized that Yoosung's kind of an outlier in his friendship in terms of life experience.
He's book smart, and he's a good judge of character, but this boy is not street smart like Zen or Saeyoung! And, you know what? That's okay! Why would he be? He's never had to worry about a roof over his head. He's never had to be afraid he wouldn't survive to the next day. He's always had his parents there to support him, and he's done his best thanks to the support of his family and friends. He's had a very normal upbringing, and there's nothing wrong with that. He may not be as "interesting" to some folks, but Yoosung is a good boy, and he isn't "dumb" or "lame" for having a "typical" experience.
Can you please write a one shot on vet yoosung having to deal with a patient like this guy
"Dr. Kim, you should be warned, the patient today was listed as a bite warning."
"I'm sure we can handle him. He might just be anxious at the vet. It's no problem! I'll take it at his pace so he doesn't feel crowded. I'd hate to feel cornered when I don't feel good and I can't communicate why that is, too! Is it the mastiff from last time? He wasn't as bad as they'd claimed, you know! He just needed some belly rubs before he turned to butter."
"Dr. Kim, I'm starting to wonder if you're afraid of any animal at all!"
Yoosung chuckled. "No, no. Of course not. I don't have anything to be afraid of! Animals can sense your anxiety, you know. That's one of the first things I learned before I even got far into my studies. If you're as calm as you can be, they'll feel better about trusting you. It isn't clear cut and perfect, but it does make a difference in my experience."
"You might be surprised with this guy."
"C'mon, how bad can he be?"
The nurse nodded and went to wet the patient from the waiting room. It wasn't long before she turned with a crate that was filled with the howling and growling of a dog. Yoosung noticed that the nurse was wary, trembling as she went to the unlock the crate and free the beast from his cage, but he offered her his hands.
She took that offer in an instant and took a step back so he could do it.
A fraction of a second later, a Chihuahua burst out of the crate and began to bark at him in incredulous speed. He didn’t seem happy to be at the vet, that was for sure, but the rate at which his body was shaking was bound to make anyone assume he was filled with rage the likes of which no human had ever seen.
Yoosung knew what most people assumed when they saw a yapping Chihuahua. They expected to see a dog that wouldn't stop trembling or howling in disgust. Frankly, a quick Noogle search would tell them that the reason why their dog was responding the way it was because they were overstimulated, overwhelmed, or cold.
They weren't filled with anger nine times out of ten.
He knew these animals weren't filled with rage, and it was sad that most people were afraid of them for that reason. He had to imagine that it would be frustrating to be a small dog, constantly poked and prodded as if you were nothing more than a toy, and anyone would angry after being treated that away—even if you didn't want to be.
The Chihuahua yipped at him but Yoosung was patient. He took a seat in front of the dog and kept his hands to himself, seeing how long it might take his patient to get the barks out of his system with the space to do what he needed to do. He knew that wouldn't be all the comfort the dog needed to feel better, but it was a start, and he wasn't the type to rush an appointment if it wasn't an emergency to start with!
"Hey there," his voice was gentle as the dog continued to shake and tremble. "We've got plenty of time to figure out what's wrong, little guy. I won't poke and prod you until you establish your comfort level. I don't like going to the doctor, either, but the least I can do is make the trip less cold."
The growls continued.
This wasn't his first rodeo with an animal that wasn't comfortable. But, this was assuredly the first time he interacted with a tiny dog that clearly hadn't had its boundaries respected. He knew what that felt like... and it wasn't fun to have his buttons pressed until he felt cornered!
Undeterred, Yoosung continued, "I would give you treats to help you feel a little more comfortable, but for us to run the test today, you can't have anything to eat. But, I promise if you let me take care of the scan, I'll give you something fresh to eat. Your owner said we could do anything to make sure it was comfortable for you if we could and I bet a plate of chicken will do the trick, huh, little guy?"
Quietly, he offered his hand to the Chihuahua. Most people would have expected the dog to bite them on impact, but he didn't let any fear show on his face. "Don't worry, I won't grab you without asking first."
He was somebody who took care of animals for a living, and he knew that showing fear over a bite or a scratch wasn't worth it. He could take it, and he would rather take it if it meant they trusted him fully instead of feeling like nobody listened to them. It took a moment, but the dog sniffed his hands, and the growling suddenly subsided with it.
A smile appeared on Yoosung face as he let the dog nuzzle its face against his hand. "There we go, that's much better, huh? Let's get you taken care of so you can go home and eat to your hearts content all night long, hm?"
"Dr. Kim... how did you do that...?"
"Simple! I let them decide that I'm trustworthy on their own before I go poking around. They're just like you or me, you know? That's what I told you before. Patience helps."
So i introduced my irl bestie to yoosung and ofc told about him and made her listen to some of his phonecalls. Knowing her, she liked yoosung, yoosung fits her type (we both are also the fans of The Song of Achilles and love Patroclus there- who is very similar to yoosung)
But she was also like "THIS GUY IS SUCH A PEOPLE PLEASER OH MY GOD".....
And like😭😭😭😭😭😭 i dont think i can deny that. Im gonna be honest as much as i love yoosung, his people pleasing tendencies and lack of regard for his own well being makes me very angry at him like, yeah okay you will d1e for me but why cant you think that I will become depressed when you will d1e.
Yeah definitely, he's very sweet but I wish he'd think about himself more!
Hey so i got another yoosung centric ome shot request
Can i have a oke shot fic where yoosung gets physically bullied by his classmates but he usually tries to hide it from mc until one day he comes back really badly beaten up and this drives mc so mad that she decides to avenge him and she successfully does so since she is very physically strong and has a black belt in karate.
It wasn't that bad.
That's what he tried to tell himself when he came home to your shared apartment with a swollen cheek. It couldn't be that bad, he repeated. It would heal within a couple of days and he wouldn't have to think about it. Nobody had ever laid their hands on him before in school, he never had to think about learning how to defend himself.
Zen mentioned how many times he had to do that growing up, but Yoosung never thought he would fall into a similar position. Zen had tough luck on the streets after he ran away from home, and people harassed him because he was a kid without people to protect him! It wasn't like Yoosung had anyone to protect him from bullies if one had decided to target him, but his family cared about him.
They would've put a stop to it if it started. That's what he told himself when he was a kid. But, for some reason, now that he was attending college and taking care of himself, someone decided to target him for no reason. He tried to reason with them, to make them listen, but he couldn't stop them from towering over him. He lost that fight before it started and no amount of shouting helped him.
He just never thought you would tenderly press a bag of frozen peas to his face and tell him you would take care of it. He wasn't sure what you meant by that. Your eyes made him believe that you wanted to go to his college and tell the security to look at what happened from the cameras, but... you sounded more serious than someone who made a split second decision to leave.
He was too tired to argue with you. He didn't want you to put yourself in danger, he was your hero, but you adamantly told him that you had every right to be his hero, too. You were partners, and that meant you protected each other instead of letting one people take all the blame or trouble under their wing.
It was a while before you came back, but when you did, you had a triumphant look on your face as you washed your hands and came to join him on the couch. You settled against the edge of the couch and smiled when he draped his head against your lap. You replaced one of his hands with yours so he could rest as you replaced his peas.
"What did you do, [Y/N]?"
"I took care of it," you said.
Yoosung eyed you suspiciously.
"Listen, I didn't fight them if that's what you're thinking. I told them they needed to hand themselves over the security team because our favorite hacker Seven found evidence of their attack, and when that tall guy tried to argue with me, I flipped him on his butt for trying to harass me, too. That taught him a lesson," you explained.
Oh.
You didn't...
"Yoosungie, you don't have to beat someone up to win a fight. I'm trained to defend my loved ones, and if someone tries to hurt me first, then I'm allowed to defend myself. You don't have to throw yourself into danger to protect people, either. Seven watched me the entire time, and I knew I was safe to defend you, you know, the way you've always defended me."
He sighed and nuzzled his face against your chest. He was working hard at trying to overcome that fear of not being "man" enough. He knew his value wasn't less because he "couldn't win a fight" and he wasn't "weak" just because you wanted to defend him. The idea of you putting yourself in danger scared him... but he knew you were capable.
You could defend yourself, but you still asked for help just to make sure he wouldn't be afraid.
"You're not mad I leapt without thinking, are you?"
"Of course not," he muttered. "I just wish I could've watched you lay that guy out."
You beamed, smile spreading cheek to cheek as you plucked your phone out of your phone. "That's another good thing about being friends with Seven, honeypaws. We can watch that as many times as you want."
