#ron57

[insociometry]

Inso my love my sweet my darling this chapterrrr

Oh my gosh your MIND

Okay so I’m going to touch on the Felix of it all of course but I have to give you your flowers for the Hanjae confrontation first.

Why did you?” you ask finally, quiet.  “Offer me the seat next to her, I mean.”

The question makes him jump, and his eyes jerk to yours before darting back down.  “I just,” he starts, wavering, “wasn’t thinking about it.  I wanted to sit near you, and I just—  I wasn’t thinking.  I’m sorry.”

literally highlighting that he was being selfish and making him confront that later when he’s minimizing his friends’ actions in

“They aren’t bad people,” he says slowly.  “They’re just…  They can be a little thoughtless, sometimes.”…. “Thoughtless,” you find yourself murmuring, swimming back into the present.  Your eyes flick to Hanjae’s like the crack of a whip.  “So what does that make you?”

Inso the way I had to put my phone down and do a victory dance because EXACTLY that’s what I was saying the whole time about Danny in RON book club like “why is she still allowed to be around people??” And also inaction in the face of sexual violence is enabling that violence??? I know mc has been hanging out with Hanjae and co a lot less but I wonder if this will be the catalyst for Danny to actually face consequences and maybe have mc be friends with that group again, or if she’ll reckon with the fact that they ALL KNEW and did nothing and justified it to themselves with “oh I wasn’t thinking” and allowed her to be assaulted and cut them out? (I know you can’t answer that, the wheels in my head are just turning seeing how this plot point has the potential for more drama..

LIXIE!!!! My sweet cheese my good time boy I love Lixie in this so much omllll

Him respecting that she can’t talk about what she just went through and just giving her the biggest hug? 🥹🥹🥹Him waiting for her to pull back first??🥹🥹🥹 Him not really needing help in the kitchen so he puts her in Counter Princess Jail and works?? 🥹🥹🥹 and the detail of wrapping a napkin around the cup so she doesn’t get cold??? 😭😭😭 I might have sobbed🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽 cuz are you joking??? 😭😭

But also her opening up about her thoughts on soulmates and her abandonment issues from her parents? I have a feeling the pack gc is gonna be swarming when Lixie tells them she’s wary of that bond 🥺

I loved the callbacks to the first Felix date 🥺 the way his feelings are barely restrained but he’s holding back soo much cuz he knows she’s still soooo flighty 😭😭 the angst ughh Inso your word choice needs to be studied this prose was soo damn good!!!

And her comparing their relationship to animal crossing 😭😭 I know I have mentioned before that I am different from mc but I do relate to her in this way. I have, like, two long term friendships that have lasted more than 10 years? And this particular narrative made me actually reflect on the fact that I may also have an avoidant attachment style? Like I have absolutely described my involvement in certain communities like “yeah I’m having fun while I’m here cuz in like two years max something will happen and we’ll all fall apart and everyone will end up either hating each other or indifferent to each other so actually maybe I’ll just leave now” and OUCH it was hard seeing that mirrored in this metaphor with mc and Animal Crossing.

“I’m not going to stop loving you,” he swears, dark and tumbling and tortured.  “I can’t; I don’t know how.  I can’t.”

The words take your breath away — and as soon as you process them, you’re doing damage control for your shaken heart.  Love doesn’t have to mean love; Felix loves lots of things, like his Animal Crossing island, like his packmates, like his newest favorite snack.  It doesn’t have to be a deep feeling; even if it is, it doesn’t have to be romantic.  It doesn’t have to matter; it doesn’t have to change anything.  You can stay in the shallow end, where you're safe.

The way I knew the moment I read Lixie’s confession that the next paragraph was gonna be completely talking herself out of it.

Predictable and no less devastating. 😭😭

he stands between your legs and kisses you in the kitchen like he loves you for what feels like hours.  And if just for now, if just for today, if just in the secret, guilty reaches of your heart — you let the both of you believe, just this once, that he does.

This ending lowkey snuck up on me I so wish I could wrap mc up in a blanket burrito and kiss her forehead.😭😭 please let yourself be loved mc 🫶🏽🫶🏽🫶🏽💕💕💕 the boys are so down bad for youuuu

This chapter was such an emotional rollercoaster I loved it and I see why you loved it too 🫶🏽🥰💕😭

Questions… hmm..

If the RONpack were to go to a fair or carnival, what is each member/mc doing?👀

“the Felix of it all” Laughing at this 😆😆😆

I’m glad you liked the Hanjae confrontation!! It was a really satisfying write 🙆 MC actually isn’t friends with this friend group of Hanjae’s (they’re separate from Siwoo and the others!) but I do think she’s been spending less time with Hanjae… and this conversation probably isn’t going to help, is it? We’ll just have to seeeee~~~

I love writing Felix, he’s so sweet… I know I just told you I’m editing a Changbin scene later this week but literally right now I’m editing a Felix scene so I’m feeling extra soft for him 💛 I really love writing little things like the napkin around the cup that make you go, “Oh wow he really loves her,” I feel like there can be so much said in details like that. Also “Counter Princess Jail” made me laugh hahahahaha

I think they’re both very brave in this chapter!!! Totally agree about the group chat; I actually have a few scattered text conversations that happen somewhere over the next 3 or so chapters that didn’t make the cut that I’m making a mental note to search for… 🤔

Ahh the “I don’t want to get ditched so I’ll ditch first” fallacy, nodding nodding… It’s funny to be able to see ourselves even in characters we aren’t particularly like 😊 I’m not very much like MC either but there are times where I write something of her that feels like a splinter in me. I’m glad this particular metaphor stuck with you!!! It’s actually one I’ve had planned for a really realllyyyyy long time

Bittersweet endings my beloved 🫶💛 We get to be bittersweet for most of next chapter tooooooo 🫶💛💛💛💛

Omg a fair or carnival… If this is an American-style state/county fair (sorry other countries I don’t know what your fairs are like!) and there are animals I honestly think a lot of them are going to be going around gawking at the animals most of the time, MC included, hahaha. Fried food is a must; who makes themselves sick on funnel cake and why is it Channie; I don’t care how powerful your stomach is, too much funnel cake will fell even the strongest soldier. Oh man and Chan would get so sunburned too… 😔

I think MC would want to go on the ferris wheel, Lino would know his limits and not go, and Han would know his limits and go anyway, and then suffer for his hubris. If there’s live music I think they could spend a lot of time with that, too 😊 Laughing at the mental image of them in a beer garden

I think for the most part they’d stick together though, so they just have to take turns on what they want and experience the whole thing together! With exceptions for like someone not wanting to get on a particular ride, or wanting to go to a different food stall, that kind of thing 🫶

Anyway, thanks for reading!! It’s soooo fun hearing your thoughts!!!! 💛💛💛

[insociometry]

Inso dearest, I am back on a new blog now. holy cow that chapter. I’ve left an absolutely monstrous comment for you on AO3 that I didn’t quite realize the length of until I was done 😅 but I just wanted to say wowza you’ve done it again. I really really loved it.

Helloooo, welcome back 🥰💛 I RAN to AO3 when I saw this ask and am totally blown away by your comments -- like, gasped out loud, covered my face, absolutely delighted. I'll reply to it properly later but I LOVE your commentary and a lot of the lines you pulled out; and you're totally right, that there were callbacks to all the way to the first Felix date chapter!!! I simply cannot resist a reprise

In other news I think "Felix-puppy-wolf evidence" is going to enter my vocabulary from now on 😆 Thank you so much for reading, you're so sweet!!!!! 💛💛💛

[insociometry]

Hi Inso!!!🖐️🐥

Wow, what a chapter!!

Hanjae 😔 The way this boy needed to relieve his own guilt so much he ambushed MC ... and then had the audacity to admit he knew Danny had done this before, and still remained friends?!😤(and continued to protect Danny by not giving details on how she attacked the other girl!!) I don't know what he thought was going to happen by having this conversation but yeah, living up to his own self-description: thoughtless. I agree with Jisung now, he doesn't deserve to be saved as "Han" in her phone!!

But then we get to hangout with Felix 🥰 Their relationship has come so far, especially when you compare this with the start of RON! Her freely asking for hugs for comfort... 😍

The consistency of MC spiraling, then immediately asking the closest boy in her vicinity something that, in any other case, would drastically move the relationship forward, like getting a speed up mushroom in Mario Kart. But somehow, it doesn't in MC's case. 😅 Invite to her graduation?!?! Somehow, that feels bigger than when she asked Binnie if she could give him a BJ! I wonder if she's subconsciously testing them? Like, needing proof that they want her, not just as a fling but as a partner... even if she's trying to stay delulu about that. 🤫

I also really like that Felix took the opportunity to communicate! Or, at least try! I think he did really well, especially with the lore-drop about her dad and her thoughts about soulmates 😭 and her asking about their future or lack of... 🥺 I think this was my fav Felix quote this chapter! (but also all the fairy tale, light/dark metaphors were ✨)

“I already have forever; we already have forever. We’re in it, right now — together. We’re not waiting at all.”

It's funny because I also liked this sentence:

"...waiting for you to slow back down and match his pace. Waiting for you."

...which is about waiting 😅 I think I like the two of these quotes together because it really shows the mismatch on where they think their relationship stands. Our patient boys...

Another sentence I liked!:

"It’s not you that I don’t believe in"

🥺 Our poor girl. This was a really great chapter peering into her mind, and how she thinks about herself. Especially coming off that conversation with Hanjae, where he didn't value his friend/crush to even think that he should put some boundaries to protect her from Danny, which in a way reinforced her view of her own self-worth. 😔

I was so happy to see this chapter end on a positive note! The boys upgraded from a casual fling to a guilty fling with feelings!

There's been a lot of talk in these past few chapters (and the teaser!) about how serious the boys take the relationship with her... which is great! I'm glad they are confessing, it's too bad MC immediately mentally disregards it 💔 There's noo way all of them bringing this up is going come back in a bad way... not at all... 🫣

Question! MTL, who is the most spontaneous when planning hangouts? I'm just thinking because Felix's baking date was fairly planned out (prepping ingredients, getting drinks, etc) vs IN pivoting to a more casual hangout when he needed to practice more? I hope this makes sense..

🖐️💙

Hello hellooo! 🎶

Hanjae…. 😔 Fic so dramatic even the side characters are a mess… He isn’t friends with Danny (he’s actually a very vocal Danny hater, not that we see that directly hahaha) but he IS friends with people who are friends with her! I think it’s difficult knowing how much to talk about something painful that happened to someone else without their express permission, since that other girl presumably doesn’t want her assault being public knowledge, but it’s really frustrating, I agree 😔😔

I feel like MC can only ask the right questions when she’s in the wrong headspace to hear the answer, sometimes 😅 Honesty only under duress! I feel like there’s a lot of significance in her extending participation in this milestone in her life to him though, especially since her other friends would be there 💛 Felix she wants you tooooooo

Felix’s central motifs are light and fairytales, so I’m glad you pointed it out 🥰

These chapters where MC gets kind of stuck in her head are so fun for me; I think she’s a really fascinating character (…weird to say about a character I made!) and I like having the opportunity to explore the stuff she usually represses. I do think there’s a connection to the Hanjae conversation for sure; MC feels like someone simultaneously valued as an object and depreciated as a human being, and those self-worth issues being consistently reinforced by society and lived experience don’t help with our relationship progress

“There's noo way all of them bringing this up is going come back in a bad way… not at all… 🫣” …🫣🫣🫣🫣

Awww how fun— I think it depends! Innie is probably one of the more intense planners but you’re right that his last hangout was pretty spontaneous 😊 I feel like him, Chan, and maybe Seungmin plan the big things the most; and Felix and maaaaybe Hyunjin plan little things more? but Hyunjin also forgets a lot of what he wanted to say/do hahahaha 💛 Lino, Changbin, and Han are more go with the flow types to meeee

Thanks for reading!!! I loved your comment 🥰🥰🥰

[insociometry]

Inso!!

So, I’ve been watching Grey’s Anatomy while waiting for Thursday’s posts, and I noticed how similar our MC is to Meredith Grey! Both of them have been through a lot of trauma, yet they act like it’s fine and that it’s nothing. They also don’t like to talk about their pasts unless it’s absolutely necessary or they truly trust someone.

Also, Meredith and the MC have a tendency to run away when things get too serious, especially in relationships! I hope I’m not spoiling anything 😭 but their dads also left them when they were young. I just had to say it because I’ve been thinking about it a lot, hahah.

-😼

Oh that’s so interesting!!! I’ve never seen Grey’s Anatomy but I love hearing comparisons like these 👀

I really like reading and writing (or watching, in this case? 😊) characters who are relatively functional but whose traumas bleed into everything that they do, and it sounds like they both fall into this category 💛 I am terrible at watching TV and never do it, but if I ever happen to watch the show, I’ll be sure to keep an eye out

Thanks for thinking of our RON MC, you’re so sweet! 💛💛💛

[insociometry]

Hi Inso! The new chapter was so good and when I read I was just thinking about MC and our sunshine Felix, but now that a day has past I’m stuck on Hanjae. I understand that he’s trash but is it bad I am sympathetic? I had a friend who was going a wrong way and I stayed friends with her because I thought there was hope. I understand in this situation there is attempted rape and that’s different. But maybe because I am older than Hanjae, I feel sympathy for him. I don’t know. What do you think?

I don’t think it’s ever wrong to feel sympathy for fictional characters, especially when you examine it as much as you clearly have! Fiction isn’t real and it can be a really useful tool for all sorts of things. Even if I happened to really disagree with you, I’m not here to judge you for that 😊

But actually in this case I do know what you mean! I am not our protagonist, but I still think it’s pretty obvious that the narrative is not exactly exonerating Hanjae of all blame — and actually, when I wrote that scene, I was like SPITTING mad hahahaha. Definitely top three “author worked themselves into a rage writing this” scenes in the fic

Buuuuut I also do feel some level of sympathy for Hanjae, too! I think sometimes realizing your friend (not Danny, his other friends) is not the person you thought they were is part of growing up, and he’s kind of in the middle of that process. Danny is not and has never been his friend but I also think making nice with someone you think is scum like he was pre-chapter 18 so you don’t make things awkward is common, too. It’s not that I think it’s right, it’s just… waves hand. You know

To me one of the biggest problems with Hanjae is actually a problem of framing. I think that he knows on some level that what happened and continues to happen with Danny is a systemic issue, but he feels it as an individual one. He has the privilege to view Danny as a bad actor. Danny is a bad person and that’s why she did a bad thing; but his friends aren’t bad people, which means they must just not understand. And that makes him very willing to condemn Danny, but hesitant to do so to his other friends. Those friends are in that weird middle zone you kind of alluded to, where you don’t know how someone falls yet, but you’re worried that if you let go first, they’ll inevitably fall the wrong way. It’s a level of responsibility that is mostly in your own head, but it doesn’t feel like it at the time. But he he hasn’t really wrapped his head around what this is, I think, which is a group of alphas who are fine with one of their own being a predator because it doesn’t affect them. And that complacency is its own form of violence, right?

Overall I guess I think it’s…. complicated! It’s not as easy as “total guilt by association” but it’s also far from “he’s totally innocent”. I guess to me Hanjae isn’t trash, he’s just… wrong? 😆 He's done a lot of things wrong! So he needs to change, not for MC or anything but for his own person. That’s my opinion! 🫶

[insociometry]

Inso oh my gosh, im pretty sure you just love to see me cry. 😭😭😭 This has literally been my favorite chapter of all time now because what!!! Im literally writing this in tears because the end part was just so emotional and it made me realize how similar I am to the mc emotionally 🥺🥺Even now I can't really understand how people are able to like me and still stay, and I just feel so seen reading your book....at first I thought it was gonna be just a fun little story to entertain me but its honestly just one of the best things in my life. Your writing is just so good and it really makes me feel so emotional sometimes....and ugh I just love it so much ....feeling so much it hurts and I dont know but ugh, I just love this book and your writing style so much. You're able to show so much emotion and thought, and it's so touching🤧🤧🤧. I don't think I've ever related to a mc as much as I do to yours. The feeling of thinking that you're not enough and that the special people in your life are just temporary is just the worstand I never thought I'd ever see it being depicted anywhere else. The fact that empathetic doesn't really help because now I just want to wrap myself in my blanket, have my emotional support plushie, and just bawl my eyes out. Snd even if im feeling so sad. I dont really regret finding your story or even reading this chapter. This story of yours has had a huge impact on my life and even how I think, id like to think that im getting a little better everytime I read your story and I get so excited to read your updates, even if I can sense the angst from a mile away. I just love how you're able to depict anything from angst to fluff and all in between. Im excited to read more from you, and I hope no one ever discourages you from writing this story because I'll always be excited to read more 💗 💗

Your all-time favorite!!! That’s so nice to hear, thank you 🥺 And I’m glad MC’s struggles are something you can relate to, even the not-nice parts. She’ll get a different perspective on this as the story goes on, and maybe you’ll be able to relate to that, too 🫶

And awww you like my writing style, thank youuuuu 🥰 This chapter was one of the ones that was just a breeze to write, it just flowed on its own without any effort from me, and that’s really the best feeling. It’s always validating when a chapter I particularly love also gets a lot of love from others 💛

There is in fact a lot of angst coming!!! But remember the happy ending tag!!!! We’re all getting out of here together!!!!!

This comment is so sweet; thank you so much for reading! I’m putting some tissues and snacks beside your blanket burrito 💛💛💛

[insociometry]

Inso, dear!

This chapter was absolutely amazing, I understand why it’s one of your favourite chapters in the entire fic! The way Felix tried to make the MC understand that he won’t leave, that none of them will leave her, was genuinely so adorable.

It was the first time in a long while that a fanfic made me tear up (while I was on a train 😭). This chapter hit me so hard, I can’t really explain it, but it touched something deep inside me, and I almost started to cry because of it.

-💞

Awww I’m sorry to have inadvertently made you almost cry in public but also that’s so sweet that it touched you so deeply 🥺

Felix is a dear isn’t he…?? There’s this really difficult line he toes here of wanting to push (either for more info, or to reassure) without pushing too far — and we’ve talked about it on this blog before, but the “too far” mark for Felix specifically can sometimes be a bit closer than for the others. I do not envy him in this chapter!!! But I think it says a lot about them, too, that they’re talking about this, and she’s not lashing out at him, and he backs off when he gets the signal that she’s done (the chocolate comment, at the end) 😊 I think especially when you consider that he said I love you and got nothing back, it’s like… woof! But also…. good job…?? I think…?????

Anyway, all that is to say — I like this chapter a lot, so I’m glad you liked it too! Thank you for the ask!!! 💛💛💛