Montages

by tenoh27

Summary:

A collection of ficlets/drabbles/vignettes for ships which caught my fancy.

Notes:

All mistakes are mine.

Chapter 1: Early Summer Sunshine at 7 AM

Summary:

She was pure as moonlight and a beacon of warmth.

Notes:

Title taken from the paraphrase of a dialogue from Ep 13 of the show itself, from the scene of a drunken Chae Yi Heon describing Lee Hye Joon to an elder.

* Pairing: Lee Hye Joon/Chae Yi Heon (Money Game)

All mistakes are mine.

Something about this particular hoobae just seemed to demand his scrutiny and focus. What was it about her?

Could it be the nervous discomfort he could barely glean from her demeanour? Or the quiet strength he could discern beneath the outwardly combative personality when circumstances required it? Or was it the fact that she was the most captivating woman he had ever met?

 

Then, she opened up a bit to him, and Yi-Heon felt as if he was given a precious glimpse into the shining yet vulnerable soul of an angel of steel.

Life would never be the same again.

 

*** *** ***

Lee-Hye-Joon’s nerves must have been made of diamond, so clear and hardy were they. It was something he had few opportunities to witness before and it made him feel infinitely humbled.

Here was a newly minted bureaucrat willing to take on the punishing-weight of doing the right thing. He could not let her take the fall when he was the one responsible. After all, he could afford to take the brunt of any repercussions.

 

The least-he-could-do was to make sure she ate. What made him come up with the idea to cook for her at Sang-Min-hyung’s restaurant was beyond him.

 

*** *** ***

Eugene-Han’s behaviour was despicable. When Yi-Heon saw him aggressively pinning Hye-Joon-sshi against a car, protective instincts and fury had misted his mind.

He was relieved to discover she was relatively unscathed by the ordeal.

 

On-the-other-hand, Eugene-Han was proving to be a red-flag. A man with an agenda. Of what, Yi-Heon was not too certain, but the way he lurked around Hye-Joon-sshi pricked his ire and dialled up his wariness alert.

It was simply prudent - as his responsibility as her superior and sunbae - to keep an-eye-out for Hye-Joon-sshi whenever possible .

 

The reasons for his own interest, however, were buried somewhere deep-in-his-heart.

 

*** *** ***

The insidious manipulation behind Eugene-Han’s advances were becoming clearer. Yi-Heon needed to shield Hye-Joon-sshi from him as-much-as-he-could.

Nevertheless, Lee-Hye-Joon-sshi was her own person and acted as befitting her own principles. He could only try his best from the sidelines.

Even when Eugene-Han had taken a bullet in Hye-Joon-sshi’s stead, it did little to lessen the animosity he felt towards him. After all, the fault lied with Eugene-Han in the first place.

 

The need to shelter her - and their economy - from further harm preoccupied him.

If not for Hye-Joon-sshi’s steady and luminous presence, he might have combusted from the simmering rage.

 

*** *** ***

There was something about her which always drew his attention without fail. He could no longer count the times he would furtively glance over the desktops and partitions to just drink in her features.

The at times grey, dreary atmosphere in the office only brightened by having her around. The minutiae of numbers and economic policies made more riveting by her simply inhabiting the same spaces as him.

Hye-Joon-shhi was like the warm rays of sunshine at seven-in-the-morning, life-giving and inspiring. She was a dash of loveliness to make the long day more bearable. Her sweet, dimpled smile, a delight.

 

*** *** ***

The understanding that Hye-Joon-sshi meant more to him than a simple colleague-cum-hoobae had crept-up on him early. Yi-Heon was not so lacking in self-awareness that he could not understand that he was acting uncharacteristically defensive and jealous with regard to Hye-Joon-sshi.

What chafed-the-most was the realisation that his hands were tied when it came to her. There were boundaries he needed to keep given his position, even when he wished for more.

He also fretted over the impropriety of his interest.

Hye-Joon-sshi was exceedingly intelligent and competent, with a promising career trajectory in front of her. His feelings felt superfluous.

 

*** *** ***

There was something magically relaxing in the act of sitting beside her on a bench by-the-roadside, drinking hot coffee from paper cups. Her company was always a soothing comfort, whether poring over tedious documents or a mundane team dinner.

Right then, he was absorbed by the pretty smile which had danced on her entrancing face, lighting up his heart in unfathomable ways. He wished he could be granted this privilege every single day of his life.

In-the-meantime, he would treasure the moments with her instead.

 

A year later, having been transferred out of the department, he finally made a move.

 

Notes:

Written just because I ship these two too. When you show me canon scenes of a male character feeding the female character, I will ship them come-hell-or-high-water. That dynamic just makes me all gooey inside.

I just want to fangirl over Lee Hye Joon still and as much as I love LHJ/Eugene Han, I want to self-indulge over this ship too. They looked so soft and comfortable together onscreen, I just can’t help but ship them.

This is why I am enjoying “Money Game” as an incomparable, top-supplier of shipping CRACK! And Lee Hye Joon is so awesome I just want more of her!

Partly inspired by the few FMVs of this pairing. (And they deserve a tag of their own too).

Thank you.

Chapter 2: Wildflower and Barley

Summary:

They occupied the liminal spaces between a friend and something more.

Notes:

Chapter title taken from the title to “Wildflower and Barley”, by Hozier and Allison Russell.

* Pairing: Jin Seo Kyung/Oh Ji Hyuk (The Good Detective)

All mistakes are mine.

It was a dance Ji Hyuk did not fully understand, the sometimes synchronised steps they performed together, at times discordant, yet never clashing nor completely in harmony.

 

***

Both of them led hectic lives dedicated to their jobs, and Ji Hyuk could count the number of times they managed to meet up on one hand in any month.

The time they managed to spend together, however, always left a lingering radiance in his barren heart, moments when the loneliness which had deeply stained him faded, so he knew that he wanted nothing more than to continue what they had. Whatever it was.

Work-wise, as of late, their ongoing cases seldom overlap, and he had little pretext to call her up just for a chat about what she might have learned.

Not that that had deterred him.

He would still message or call her when he wanted to and if she was not busy, she would even pander to him for a bit.

Gradually, their topic of conversations strayed more often from their jobs to banal subjects not directly related to their cases, periodically gossip about their colleagues or tidbits of interest instead.

Seo Kyung might even mention to him in passing about the books she was reading or the occasional trips she was daydreaming about. Or less often, the struggles and dilemmas she was facing at work.

 

As weeks bled into each other, they let the humdrum of daily life overtake their interactions with each other, forgoing the primarily work-based fundamentals they had started with.

Ji Hyuk found himself liking the rapport they had built, and the undefined, relaxed companionship she offered him.

There was the nebulous desire for something more delineated and committed, but he understood himself enough to realise that he was not sure what that entailed when it came to them.

 

***

Ji Hyuk was not certain what they were. She seemed content with their undemarcated relationship and he was content to let her lead. Seo Kyung was a smart woman and could not fail to understand his inadvertent confession, and he was inexperienced enough to not mind the ambiguity.

They had never even held hands but he had stocked a few of the vintage whisky she enjoyed in his apartment, and gifted her wine and artisan spirits he came across. She liked her indulgences and he had enough to spoil her with, so he did.

Still, she appeared to have lessened her alcohol intake and there was a quiet satisfaction and gladness he felt at that fact. It had made him feel useful, less of a burden.

They were positive, peaceful influences in each other’s lives.

 

***

Months passed, and their impressions on each other’s lives deepened, grew more enmeshed.

 

Sporadically, they would meet up for a quick lunch or cup of coffee when in each other’s vicinity, and would even get together for casual dinners, time and opportunity permitting.

The frequency of their meetups increased but still largely constrained by their often diametrical working schedules, they turned to near daily messages and calls instead.

 

He could no longer recall the number of times he had crashed on her sofa, the most restful slumber he had had in years, after a short stint at a bar of her preference, or ramyeon at her apartment, sometimes even a shared takeout.

Nor her own equally casual use of his apartment whenever she was nearby. She took the bed, of course.

“Your apartment has a beautiful night view. It seems wasted on you,” Seo Kyung had casually and sarcastically remarked the first time she had come over. He had passed her a spare set of keys to his apartment.

“For when you feel like having a view.”

Infrequently, he would come home to find his bed slept in, and he noticed that his wardrobe and bathroom had a few more things which were decidedly not his. There would be a few more packs of ramyeon in his kitchen cabinet too.

Those sparse reminders of the presence of another person in his living space made his apartment feel less sterile, a little less cold. He loved it.

He was no longer completely alone.

 

 

Notes:

A big thanks to “Alinea” (a lovely commentator) for bringing this show to my attention.

Their dynamics in the show (Season 1) were wonderful and the romantic tension was unabashedly canon. As expected, there was no certain resolution by the end of S1.

Is there anything in S2 for Ji Hyuk? I have no idea but just for a bit of self-indulgent, word salad fun, decided to dabble in a ficlet for them, although I left it partly unresolved here too. Because I am not really sure how these two could be, honestly.

(P.S. I also ship journalist Jin with her editor, Yoo Jong Seok 🫢🫣)

Thank you.

Chapter 3: Stand By Your Side

Summary:

Meeting each other was the highlight of their lives.

Notes:

Chapter title taken from the title to “Stand By Your Side”, by Lee Su Hyun.

* Pairing: Park Se Yeon/Yoo Jae Heon (Curtain Call)

All mistakes are mine.

Se Yeon put down her mobile, a small smile curving her lips. She turned her attention back to the painting she was putting the finishing touches to. It would not take much time but after the message just now, she no longer had the whole afternoon to touch up on her work to her satisfaction.

Mulling over whether to continue or leave it for later, she spent another few minutes attempting in vain to come up with a satisfactory colour shade for what she was aiming for.

When she looked at the time next, another thirty minutes had passed. Well, that decided it for her then. She stood up, wiping her paint smeared hands on her apron.

 

*** *** ***

Being with Yoo Jae Heon was easy. Steady and comfortable. Akin to being enveloped in the softest and warmest of duvets on a cold winter day.

Life had always been wonderful and being with him only added more brilliance to her world. He brought a breath of fresh air into her at times stuffy routine, a passion not unlike her own but still invigorating in his own passionate ways.

Never could she have predicted that the man who came into their lives as an impostor would turn out to be one of the sweetest men she had ever met. Kind, supportive and pure.

It had been all too easy to fall in love with him, despite their disparate backgrounds.

 

Se Yeon loved spending time with him.

In his company, there were sparkles and thrills, yet also the soothing calm of a certain quiet joy which could only be had through years of familiarity. And when she least expected it, he could make her heart flutter with his cheerful, boyish charm. His sometimes bold, manly intensity.

His hugs could sometimes be too tight, his kisses too eager but his smiles were never too bright, his warmth always just the perfect temperature.

He was someone she had not anticipated nor planned for in her structured, privileged life, but welcomed all the same.

 

*** *** ***

Jae Heon noticed Se Yeon immediately as she was walking in his direction, radiant in her impeccable elegance dressed in a floral summer dress, steps light. His breath caught in his throat.

He jogged excitedly towards her, stopping a few steps in front of her, a beam on his face. He could never help the grin which reflexively broke across his expression whenever he saw Se Yeon.

She was always heartmovingly beautiful and being in her presence always gave him the most delicious of fizz, his heart racing in his chest in heady exuberance.

“Did you wait long?” The soft smile she gave him nearly made his heart stutter.

He shook his head, grin growing impossibly wider, white teeth flashing. Reaching out to entwine their hands together, he stated enthusiastically, “I do think you will love this hole-in-the-wall restaurant too.”

“Lead the way.” She squeezed his hand gently, a twinkle in her eyes.

 

Notes:

“Curtain Call” is a low stakes, breezy and just all round mushy and feel-good - also quite teary - drama with a superb cast, if somewhat uninspired/stale story. I enjoyed the episodes I did complete tremendously.

Kang Ha Neul did a sort of reprise of his iconic role of Hwang Yong Shik (of “When the Camellia Blooms”) here, and it reminded me of the thought that most women (who likes men) deserve someone like HYS or Yoo Jae Heon in their lives.

While personally not my type - nor do I find them particularly hot/attractive - I would not hesitate to marry men like these two characters.

While far from perfect, these two characters are the embodiment of green flags, and the best kind of men who embodies the #notallmen. And unlike some other fictional romantic hero, both HYS and YJH can be found IRL (obviously not at all easy to meet but they do exist). KHN always made me believe that men like these exist, so all kudos to him.

The “noona-romance” in the show was incredibly sweet and adorable, and it was lovely to watch, so I feel the need to commemorate those two sweeties here.

 

Cheers.

Chapter 4: Sonata

Summary:

Jae Soo could never forget his feelings for Soo Ah and neither did he wish to. He wanted another chance at happiness even if it was a selfish choice.

Notes:

Note: I have never rewatched the show in the intervening two decades (and counting), so my memory of that show is extremely sketchy at best. I even thought their sibling was a girl? If any of the details do not mesh with canon, my sincere apology.

Content warning: Step-siblings romance.

* Pairing: Lee Soo Ah/Han Jae Soo (Piano)

All mistakes are mine.

As they rebuilt their lives after their father’s passing, it was all too easy to allow his job to take over his life, to go through the motions of living. They were a family but not in the way he had dreamed of, and it hurt.

It was a harsh reality to inhabit but he still stepped forward, egged on by the promise they had made to each other. Even one his heart was not fully committed to.

 

Hours and days ticked away. Soon, a year had flown by, then bled into a second. A third, and on and on.

 

*** *** ***

Jae Soo tried. He truly did.

He even went out for blind dates again, pretended as he once did that Soo Ah did not consume his every breath and heartbeat when he was not at work. Maturity and age had allowed him to be better at papering over his mask of acceptance over their agreement.

To understand the weight of responsibilities on their shoulders in ensuring a stable family life for Jae Min. To be role-models worthy of being looked up to by their younger brother.

But self-delusion only went so far. He had attempted it once already. Going along with their agreed to arrangement had been out of pragmatic necessity, it did nothing to lessen his desires. The feelings which had been with him ever since he could remember.

His hands might be tied now but he was no longer willing to lie to himself. It was futile. He could fabricate the appearance of normal for others, yet that no longer had a hold on his conscience.

After a few listless attempts, he stopped trying to let go, satisfied with simply leaving his feelings be.

 

***

“If we live where no one knows us, will we be happy?”

Soo Ah’s words would echo in his mind in the dead of night - that witching hour while he was grappling with shutting off his consciousness for sleep - a question which had briefly frozen his broiling hunger for her once, but no longer. Nothing could truly cool his ardour for her. He had simply learned to hide and pretend better in front of others, especially Jae Min.

With time, and the continuing simmering of his own feelings, he finally came to understand that yes, he could be happy with just the two of them.

He saw it when he returned to a note and food on the stovetop and refrigerator. Heard it in her gentle voice and the poignant melodies she played on the piano. Felt it in the occasional soothing weight of her hand on his shoulder.

Thought it when they had the occasional eating out at a restaurant or park outing as a family with Jae Min. Realised it when Jae Min entered junior high school.

 

***

Suddenly, it hit him that perhaps time was all they needed.

A double-edged sword it might be but time had proven to him that his love was here to stay, and he hoped that was true for Soo Ah too.

Jae Min was growing up and would likely leave them one day to forge his own life. There would come a day when they needed to come to terms with that development, and the fact that they still had their own lives to lead.

Would Jae Min welcome the knowledge that his elder brother and sister were in love and wanted a life of their own? Or would he disown them?

Now, as Jae Soo stood by the threshold of Jae Min’s bedroom, looking at the back of his head as he bent over his books, Jae Soo thought that he might finally be ready to take a chance on that possibility.

He closed the door, careful not to make a sound.

 

*** *** ***

Jae Soo stared helplessly at the gathering tears in Soo Ah’s eyes, his heart twisting at the mixture of suprise, conflict and resignation on her beautiful face at his words. Nothing, however, could derail him from his planned confession tonight.

“I still love you. Still longed to make a life with you,” he admitted, voice low and steady.

“We can’t. I no longer feel that way about you,” Soo Ah rejoined with feeling, but the quiver in her voice betrayed her, as did her averted gaze. She was always the more guarded and rational between them and while her words had hammered his heart, he was no more trusting of her denial now than he ever did. Not so easily, at least.

He stepped closer, reaching out to grip her arms, palms and fingers curved around her elbows, beseeching huskily, “Look me in the eyes and say that again.”

Her gaze flickered up at him for a moment but she lowered them again, attempting to shake off his hold on her. He held on.

Tears began to slowly trickle down her flushed cheeks as she looked up at him again but while her lips parted and closed, no further refutations dripped from her tongue.

Jae Soo hesitated for only a nano-second before wrapping his arms around Soo Ah’s trembling frame, her quiet sobs faint yet piercing. This was the most physically intimate they had ever been since that day eight years ago.

The niggling emptiness he had had to live with for so long overflowed with contentment. She was finally where she was supposed to be, where he had yearned long years for. Tears welled up in him, heart aching with sweetness and pain.

They could make it work. He knew they would.

 

Notes:

I came across a post about PIANO the other day, and even after more than two decades, it brought back my dissatisfaction and sadness with the ending of the show. I love Kim Ha Neul and Go Soo - and their bittersweet love story - but there is a reason I avoid melodramas/tragedies/sad stories etc and that show is definitely a prime example of that avoidance.

That said, the ending for the characters and story did make a lot of sense in the context of the show. Did not mean I have to like it.

So, this is yet another self-indulgent need to remedy what I thought an upsetting ending for my own satisfaction.

Cheers.

Chapter 5: You Wash Me Away, Bit by Bit

Summary:

She was to be his undoing, a temptation he had not anticipated.

Notes:

Chapter title taken from the lyrics to “Erode”, by TENDER.

Note:
Tweaking a canon scene in Ep 2 of “Red Swan” for my own indulgent impulses.

* Pairing: Oh Wan Soo/Seo Do Yoon (Red Swan)

All mistakes are mine.

Do Yoon stopped and inwardly sighed.

Spitting out the gum he had been chewing into a wrapper and disposing of it, he buttoned up his jacket and turned back in the direction he had come from.

As he neared the hotel’s lounge bar, he saw Oh Wan Soo exit the lounge. A furrow creased between his eyebrows. Why was she alone? He quickened his pace.

“Why was no one on standby?” He asked, instinctively reaching out to steady her as she tottered on her feet. His hands were light on her arms but she shrugged him off, swaying on her feet as she stepped away, not sparing him a word or glance.

Her small handbag swung wildly in her hand but she did not falter, her posture tautly upright. She was clearly drunk, however.

 

He pressed for the elevator as she came up behind him and when the doors slid open, she stepped inside the elevator, turning towards him with a frank gaze. The tension in the air was palpable, a whiff of something he might mistake for being sweetly pungent on his tongue.

They simply stared at each other as the doors slid close. When the doors finally blocked his view of her, the tenseness in the frame of his shoulders relaxed.

Before he could release a breath, the elevator doors glided open again, her exquisite face filling his vision. Her fingers were on the open button, her expression a strange mix of provocation and calm.

They looked at each other for a fleeting eternity.

He stepped inside the elevator and stood facing the doors. She released the open button and the doors closed in on them. No words were exchanged between them.

Before long, they arrived at her floor.

 

***

They were alone in the bright hallway, the thick carpeting fully absorbing the sounds from the tapping of her heels. Her stiff posture had begun to loosen, and she walked somewhat unsteadily in front of him.

Stopping in front of her suite, she rummaged through her handbag, ostensibly searching for the hotel key card. Before she could find what she was looking for, however, she staggered and fell on the floor, spilling the contents of her handbag onto the carpeting.

He stepped towards her, pulling her up by the arms, carefully propping her up against the opposite wall. She went along with his manoeuvring with nary a peep, leaning quietly against the wall as he crouched down to pick up her items from the floor.

After stuffing the spilled contents back in her handbag, he reached for the key card still laying on the carpet.

“Are you sure you were just passing by that day?”

He stood up and turned to face her, looking at her steadily, no answer forthcoming on his lips. Her key card was held delicately between his fingers.

She lowered her gaze.

 

The beep from the suite door opening floated between them, his hand on the door handle.

“Maybe I should just sleep with you tonight,” she muttered, apparently to herself, the words reverberating clearly and loudly in the empty hallway.

His whole body tensed. Mind beginning to buzz.

Compulsively, his eyes flickered in her direction for a brief second but he kept his gaze and head downturned. She was gazing up sideways at him, her body indolent against the wall.

Soon, she was staring down, eyes unfocused. Her expression was somberly coloured by contemplation, pensive.

His jaw twitched. He remained silent and pushed down on the handle, opening the door to her suite before turning his head to face her again.

 

From her position against the wall across from him, she gazed unabashedly up at him, a glint in her clear eyes.

“Do you want to sleep with me?” Her follow-up question dripped effortlessly past her lips, seemingly without a care in the world.

He blinked once. Twice. Heated sparks danced down his back but he kept his rigid composure. Silence reigned between them for another few heartbeats. He pushed open the door to her suite wider.

A flash of pique crossed her expression, momentary displeasure stained on her beautifully sculptured features and the slight swish of her perfectly styled hair. Her whole body language screamed annoyance at him.

Pushing herself off the wall, she walked past him into the suite room before haphazardly stumbling forward. Reflexively, he caught hold of her by the arms again, holding her up to prevent her from falling.

The handbag and key card in his hands dropped noisily onto the suite marble flooring as the door shut behind them.

 

***

Do Yoon steadied her against the neared wall, hands wrapped gently over the curve of her bare arms. The warmth of her skin seeped into his palms. Creeping hunger twined itself along his nerves. Unconsciously, he straightened his shoulders.

She stared up at him.

“Are you unhappy?” He asked, voice softly husky but tone cool.

Her gaze was clear and unwavering. “No.”

“Then, are you lonely?”

She scoffed, shaking her head faintly, “That’s definitely not the case.”

Something knotted inside Do Yoon’s heart. He was uncertain what Oh Wan Soo wanted with him but he had little interest in being her temporary plaything while she soothed her hurt. His heart twinged.

He forced himself to release her. She was still looking up at him, her gaze unflinching.

“You should get some sleep, ma’am.” He bowed lightly and made to turn away.

 

He was stopped in his tracks by her hand tugging on his sleeve. His heart tripped in his chest, the whirring in his mind intensifying. Slowly, he turned back towards her.

Her eyes were bright, expression transparently covetous. She stepped towards him, resting her right hand over his heart, fingertips grazing over the knot of his tie.

“Wanting you is not enough?” She murmured silkily, looking up at him through the veil of her eyelashes. A lump of granular ash built up at the back of his throat, pressing uncomfortably down on his chest.

His Adam’s apple bobbed as he tried to swallow the wedge of grit lodged in his throat. He knew he should brush her off and leave but he remained rooted where he stood.

When she wound an arm around his neck and stood on her toes to press her lips against his, he could hardly react except to hold his breath, arms limp by his sides.

Honeyed whisky. That was what she tasted of. 

Her breath was moist and ticklish on his skin. An enchantment which intensified the ache of desire in his blood. 

Want burst through him. 

He wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him as he cupped her face, thumbing a tender caress on her cheek. Pushing her back against the wall, he slipped his tongue past her lips, tangling it with hers.

He had never tasted anything more intoxicating.

 

Deafening thunder clapped through the suite and they broke apart, breathing ragged. They looked towards the wide panel windows as another bout of bright lightning flashed across the velvety night sky beyond the glass windows, followed by another ear-piercing boom. 

He came to himself and released her, stepping back hurriedly. What was he thinking? She was his protection detail. He was not here to be a rich woman’s gigolo.

Bowing, he did not look at her again before moving quickly towards the door.

As he closed the door behind him, one thought kept looping in his mind. He was fucked. He had not bargained on this emotional quicksand.

Notes:

I am watching “Red Swan” for Kim Ha Neul, but could not seem to prevent my mind from attempting to sometimes cast Jung Eun Chae and Kim Jae Uck as the elegant/badass Chaebol wife and hot bodyguard. As far as I know, the romance is canon, though she is married.
(The show itself is quite mediocre so far, but the building romance between the characters of KHN and Rain is delicious and sweet).

So here I am, tweaking a canon scene - from Episode 2 - to what I wish had happened instead so that I can headcanon JEC and KJU as the respective leads. Self-indulgent brain rot is always a flavour of weird, anyhow.

Cheers.

Chapter 6: Life is Sweet

Summary:

Gu San Yeong was too young, beautiful and lovely for a man like him. Hae Sang had no pretensions of wanting more but she seemed to have a different opinion.

Notes:

Chapter title taken from “Life is Sweet”, by Natalie Merchant.

* Pairing: Gu San Yeong/Yeom Hae Sang (Revenant)

(Just something straightforward and simple).

All mistakes are mine.

Hae Sang stared at the young woman in front of him, coffee momentarily forgotten. Gu San Yeong looked beautiful, and there was still a lightness in her despite the devastating confirmation she had received not an hour before.

There was a small smile playing about her lips, fingers gentle on the coffee mug as she touched it gingerly before cupping and picking it up to sip on the hot beverage.

He was unsure what he should say, if he should say anything but he felt he should. “I am sorry about the prognosis, San Yeong-sshi.”

Instead of a bittersweet expression, San Yeong-sshi giggled, voice airy, “It is not your fault. No need to be sorry.”

Putting down her mug, she continued, “Of course I am sad about it, but I have had time to accept this fate.”

“I am learning all the ways to live productively with it. Life can still be good.”

Again, Hae Sang did not know what to say to that, so he simply nodded, picking up his drink. Suddenly, he uttered, “As long as you are happy.”

She looked up at him and beamed, “Working at it.”

Once again, Hae Sang felt wonderstruck. There was a calm contentment exuding from her expression and body language, and he could not seem to shake off the highly inappropriate thoughts that Gu San Yeong was a very pretty young woman.

And that he wanted to caress her cheek and kiss her.

 

*** *** ***

Stepping out of yet another cafe, this time by a windy beach, Hae Sang reflexively stopped to offer San Yeong-shhi his elbow.

Their habit had begun as practice for San Yeong-sshi. That was the rationale he had been given, and which he knew to be true. He had read up on the accommodations and assistance for the blind, and while she was still far from being fully vision-impaired for the moment, the episodes she was experiencing had increased.

“Where do you want to go next?”

She turned up her face towards the sun, taking in a deep breath. “There is this place not too far famous for their cherry blossoms. Shall we?”

“Whatever you like,” he affirmed.

 

In the car, she immediately turned on the audio player, humming along to the ritual music he usually had on record.

“Oh, another new one. Feels meditative. Can I have a copy?” She exclaimed with no small delight.

He nodded, and from the corner of his eye, saw her leaning back and resting her head against the backrest, closing her eyes. He turned his attention back on to the road.

Hae Sang could not help but be slightly concerned. Was San Yeong-sshi truly doing well? Still, she had never been one to hide what she was feeling or thinking from him, so he had to trust that she was being honest with him.

Tightening his hold on the steering wheel, another bout of uncertainty assailed him. He never could have anticipated how much falling in love had muddled his mind and thinking. Never realised it was even possible.

 

His quest and research had consumed his life, but now that he had had closure on that chapter of his life, his heart and mind had chosen to betray him instead. He swallowed the sigh which threatened to escape him.

Passing another brief glance at San Yeong-sshi, he noted that she appeared to be dozing, and returned to the matter occupying his mind and the road.

Had he not already decided to keep his feelings to himself? To be just a supportive “friend” if and when she wanted it? He knew he was too old, staid and dull for a beautiful, lovely young woman like San Yeong-sshi, especially now that he no longer had wealth to offer. He was more than fine with being just a “friend”.

Yet, he could not help the way his heart flipped and twisted into a pretzel whenever she smiled at him, the sweet curve of her lips turning his brain into mush. He was a lovesick old fool and it made him feel slimy.

San Yeong-sshi, however, seemed to somewhat enjoy his company, though he could not imagine why that would be the case.

 

Nonetheless, he had learned that one should not look a gift horse in the mouth, and to seize whatever minutiae of joy while alive. While at times he would still feel out of sorts about his feelings for San Yeong-sshi, the joy he received from being in her presence trumped everything else.

He was content with the friendly, companionable affection she gave him, and strove to be the kind of support she wanted.

 

*** *** ***

One autumn evening, while he was ensconced in his apartment, reading, he received a message from San Yeong-sshi, saying that she was near his apartment and indicating that she wanted to visit him at his place. He went down to bring her up.

“Would you like something?” He asked as she made herself at home on his small sofa.

She appeared ready to say no but then fidgeted and thanked him, “Anything, thanks.”

Moments later, putting a mug of chamomile tea on the coffee table, he sat down beside her, asking carefully, “Is everything alright? You have something to tell me?”

She had seemed just a tad nervous and Hae Sang was already half-prepared to be served some unfortunate news.

“Ne. Nothing bad, I don’t think so,” she said, hands demure on her lap.

“Whatever it is, just let it out. It will be fine,” he said encouragingly, partially reassured by her words.

 

She sat up straighter, looking at him with little aversion, faint nerves in her gaze, but she appeared to have made up her mind about whatever it was she was going to tell him and not to be deterred. Not by him, at least.

“I have given this a lot of thought and there is only one conclusion I arrived at,” she said, a mixture of apprehension and steel in her eyes.

He nodded.

“I would like us to date, if you are open to it.” She dropped her bombshell as if it was the most common statement about unremarkable weather.

For a minute, Hae Sang was figuratively struck dumb, though his unruly heart gave a heretofore unknown thrill of delight at her suggestion. What did she mean? Date? His mind began to buzz.

“I mean romantically,” she continued, putting emphasis on the last word.

When the gears in his mind started moving again, he blurted out unceremoniously, “I am too old for you.”

Her eyes widened for a second but she did not seem put off, continuing, “I don’t know that I care. My feelings are not contingent on your age.”

“More importantly, how do you feel about me?” She posed the question to him, dismissing his concern about an issue he had felt was paramount.

 

He responded with little hesitation, “I want you to be happy.”

“I am, now. You can add to it,” San Yeong-sshi said with a tiny smile, reaching out to take his hand, squeezing lightly.

“I don’t think I can offer you any.” Hae Sang knew he should retract his hand from her grasp but he could not seem to make himself do so. Her hand was warm on his, the faint pressure a soothing balm. And her pretty, tender smile dazzled him despite himself.

“Let me be the judge of that. And you have not answered me about your feelings,” she pressed, a note of sassiness in her tone.

Hae Sang felt as if he could tremble under the scrutiny in San Yeong’s gaze, but he had always been a straightforwardly direct man, and pathologically unable to be anything but, so he admitted, a tremor in his timbre, “I am in love with you.”

The beam which broke upon her face was akin to the bright moon peeking through clouds, and in so many minutes, Hae Sang felt as if hypnotized.

Her grip on his hand tightened and she muttered, “That is all I need to know.”

Hae Sang was still wracked by his own doubts and insecurities, but he decided then and there to give his all regardless of the outcome. She derserved at least that, and more.

For long moments, they simply stared at each other, drinking in the other, gratified by their reciprocated feelings. When the cocoon of contentment encasing them cracked, a moment of diffidence assailed them both, and a faint blush bloomed on San Yeong’s cheeks.

His temporarily lowered eyes zeroed back onto her prettily flushed face. And for another minute, he could only stare, mesmerized. The staring was becoming a concerning habit.

 

Suddenly, she piped up. “May I touch your face? I want to be able to remember how you look when I finally lose my vision,” she asked shyly but with steadiness.

He nodded, picking up her right hand to hold it against his cheek, then her left.

She began to touch his face with care, fingers tender imprints on his skin, seemingly mapping his features into her mind.

Prickles of heat sparked where she caressed him - eyebrows, forehead, bridge-of-nose and the shallow ridges of the rest his features - and desire burgeoned dangerously but he had agreed to this, so he fisted his right hand and sucked in a few deep breaths. It felt like an eternity, one he would gladly live in.

Then, her fingers brushed against his lips, and Hae Sang felt the tingles right down to the soles of his feet. She did it again, right thumb grazing over the minute creases, her gaze pointed and focused.

Hae Sang reached up, resting light fingers on the back of her hand and wrist, as another cradled her face. She started, looking up into his eyes. For once, he did not attempt to hide the hunger he was feeling, letting it blaze in the depths of his gaze.

When what she saw did not seem to faze her, a satisfied gleam dancing on the quirk of her lips, Hae Sang felt a burden fell off his shoulders.

As her arms went around him, he leaned in and melded their lips together.

 

*** *** ***

After Hae Sang received news that there was an experimental treatment on trial for San Yeong’s genetic disease, and that the team was interested in going over her case, the relief he had felt was one he seldom experienced. Nothing, however, came close to the weightlessness he felt when they received the confirmation that she was being accepted into the trial, and that the prognosis looked hopeful.

They had kept their expectations low through all the checkups and tests, but now there was finally a ray of real hope. He was beyond thankful.

Life could perhaps finally have some measure of sweetness in it. He would hold on to it tightly.

 

Notes:

I shipped this pair before I even watched the drama, but SBS non-Romance and me seem to have some oil-and-water issues going on. The ones I have watched are always good but there is some “sauce” in their shows which is effective at blocking my very sensitive shipping-antennae. They mostly ended up very cerebral (intellectual) shows for me, despite the subject matter. *sigh*

Recently, I managed to watch and complete “Revenant” - which was excellent btw - but the shipping vibes just would not sparkle for me.

I was quite annoyed, as this pairing ticked many, many boxes for me, and the performances and chemistry between the actors were superb (I am very partial towards Oh Jung Se and Kim Tae Ri is always amazing)! (But they remained strictly platonic for me, which was a wonder, and a major credit to the PD and actors, because I know logically the script/screenplay ONLY wanted platonic/mentor-mentee, and that was what was delivered).

Still, there is always a way to recalibrate. Watching some shipping FMVs certainly helped (take that, SBS!).

I also quite like San Yeong/Hong Sae by the end (which the screenplay gave a few *romantic* cues for, but certainly also an unfulfilled potential onscreen. Yet, the implications were there), but San Yeong/Hae Sang is definitely my main love (have you seen them?!), so I just need to satisfy my own indulgence for them (despite the show/script and on point performances).

Note: Friend is in quotes because of their age difference, since I am made to understand that only people of a same age could be labeled “chingu” (friend) in Korean. They are friends by all the metrics which matter.

 

Cheers.

Chapter 7: When in Doubt…

Summary:

Research has always been Hae Sang’s fall back when he is unsure about something.

Notes:

* Pairing: Gu San Yeong/Yeom Hae Sang (Revenant)

(Just another silly little fic).

All mistakes are mine.

Unfathomable strength and sweetness.

Kind. Sassy. Gentle.

Gu San Yeong was all that and more. She had saved him, given him a reason to continue on. The proverbial sunlight in his drab and greyish world.

 

***

Hae Sang had no idea why a beautiful, attractive woman like her wanted to have anything to do with him more than was warranted but he was not capable of turning away the affection she offered.

Not when she was one of the few remaining people he had in his life. And they shared a unique connection.

All that, however, could never have prepared him for the impossibility of falling in love with a lovely young woman like San Yeong, and what that would entail. Especially not when she appeared to reciprocate his feelings too.

 

*** *** ***

Research and the quest for his mother’s killer had been his life thus far, and he had been alone for most of it, with ghosts - and the late Detective Seo - his only main companions. It could be a weary and stifling existence at times, even when he was accepting of it.

And now, only research and teaching - as well as the occasional ghostly ritual - were his reasons to wake up every morning. Not particularly thrilling and even suffocatingly mundane by many people’s standards but he was content with it. Unironically, research work was something he enjoyed tremendously.

He had little expectations for more and he was fine by it.

Until Gu San Yeong decided to up the stakes for him, that was.

 

*** *** ***

From nearly rolling her eyes at him giving an impromptu mini-lecture on an obscure ritual practised by a disappearing village, to listening in with a somewhat interested expression, their relationship had progressed far beyond the initial months.

Then, love happened and to his bewilderment, their relationship had entered into uncharted and unknown territories.

 

“Is this ritual music new?” San Yeong had remarked during one of their outings and as per his habit, he began droning on about some of the information related to the ritual.

When he had finally stopped, he briefly glanced at her, wondering about her silence. She was staring at him.

“I never imagined a lecture about a near forgotten ritual could sound so sexy,” she teased, a pretty smile on her lips.

Momentarily, he was confounded by her words. Sexy?

People - colleagues and students - had gossipped about and called him crazy but sexy was a totally new and confusing adjective.

“I am not sexy,” he countered tonelessly.

She giggled, twinkling at him, “To me, you are.”

For the second time in as many minutes, Hae Sang was puzzled, though the warmth from her words filled him regardless of his befuddlement.

 

***

Despite his lack of experience in this aspect of life, with San Yeong, progress was smooth and pleasant.

The ease of understanding, respect and care that had been developed between them before romantic feelings had shorted his brain had made the transition to an intimate relationship much easier than he could have anticipated.

To his mild surprise, physical intimacy had also come naturally and organically as an extension of their already close rapport.

Still, there was one element of their developing relationship he felt highly self-conscious about, and ill-equipped to handle.

 

*** *** ***

“What are these?” San Yeong picked up the top book from the stack on his coffee table, curiosity glinting behind her gaze as she studied the title. Then, she began sorting through the stack.

He swallowed down the rising unease, unsure whether he should be embarrassed or otherwise, but answered blandly as he was wont to do, “Research.”

She held up one of the papers he had printed out, raising an eyebrow at him, “Women’s Sexuality: Behaviors, Responses and Individual Differences.”

Involuntarily, his jaw ticked as she read aloud the title of the paper.

 

“When did you start specialising in female sexuality?” she asked, amusement and disbelief a blended combination in her expression.

“I would not be surprised if this is information from some Joseon-era records about women’s fertility or a ritual related to such, but these research papers are of recent studies?”

Clearing his throat, he answered carefully, “It is personal research.”

She tilted her head, quizzing, “Personal?”

Not a second more, however, understanding seemed to dawn and she gasped softly before starting to laugh.

“Gyosu-nim, you should know that just theory is not enough,” she cooed, eyes still laughing.

Back ramrod straight, he nodded.

Sidling up to him, a shade of coquettish on her beautiful features, she curved an arm around his shoulder, leaning in close to whisper against his ear, “When are you planning on doing the local survey?”

Her breath, airy and ticklish on his skin, made him flush but he replied in earnest, “Soon.”

Pressing a kiss on his cheek, she announced coyly, “I look forward to it.”

 

Notes:

(September 2024)

What can I say? I am quite obsessed with this idea/trope of male characters - preferably older - being inexperienced in matters of sex/sexual intimacy, and it is always even more gratifying when you can make the case canonically (not a requirement but yeah…) that they are technically a *virgin*.

Because I fully believe experience doesn’t make the pleasure/orgasms, but the desire to please does. One can make up the lack in experience with the determination to do something about it via proper knowledge. And practice. Lots of practice (with their lady love) 😄😎

And amongst my rare pairs, Yeom Hae Sang must be one of the oldest MCs (in terms of age) so far, and when this occurred to me, well, what else is there except to indulge myself? And he is even a proper professor with tonnes of on-site research experience. Research is his forte. 😜🤪😄 (And yes, Oh Jung Se as YHS IS SEXY 🥵🥰).

The title of the paper mentioned above is a real title from an old research paper. Newer studies would be more illuminating, I expect, but that title does the trick, so I never bothered to look up more.

 

Cheers.

Chapter 8: Let There Be Darkness

Summary:

Letting go is also a form of love.

Notes:

Content warning: Character deaths

* Pairing: Lee Ji Young/Kim Hyun Min (Light Shop)

All mistakes are mine.

Hyun Min is dead. Hyun Min is dead. Hyun Min is dead.

The same mantra keeps repeating in a loop in Ji Young’s mind. Pain, sharp and debilitating, closes in on her mind, a vise unrelenting and suffocating. Her breathing quickens, tears dripping down her cheeks, blurring her vision.

Her heart is caving in on itself, an abyss opening up within her to swallow her up whole, sanity lost to the devouring loss she is still struggling to accept.

A wail claws at her throat, trying to burst forth from her numb lips and body, but no sound is discernible.

Her feet keep moving, yet Ji Young has no idea where she is or what she is doing. She can only put one foot in front of the other but her body is no longer hers. Only the cutting, all consuming grief.

 

The disorientation from the acute physical pain of the impact barely registers before she is thudding heavily on the asphalt road, sprawling in a heap as her warm blood oozes onto the black, cold ground.

The brightness before her eyes is the last thing she recalls before everything goes dark. And memories of Hyun Min.

Hyun Min, I will go to where you are.

 

*** *** ***

In the Intensive Care Unit of Eugene University Hospital, Kim Hyun Min is pronounced dead after efforts to revive him failed and he flatlined without once regaining consciousness less than a day after he arrived at the Unit.

 

***

The Accident and Emergency Department of Eugene University Hospital received the case of a suspected drunken hit-and-run by the name of Lee Ji Young not even a day after the major bus accident, but she was declared dead on arrival.

 

*** *** ***

20 Years Later

Under the blooming beot-kkot, a young woman and man sit next to each other, conversing in low, shy tones, oblivious to everything but each other.

It is the first Spring of their budding love and one that stretches long years into their future.

 

Notes:

The love story of Lee Ji Young/Kim Hyun Min in “Light Shop” is the one I am most attached to and as always in recent years, my heart is stomped on by canon. The story itself is deeply memorable but also heartbreaking and infuriating.

I get why it was written that way and I applaud Kang Full for it but as a shipper and HEA-supremacist (also female character happiness-supremacist), that story is horrible and tragic. What did the two even do to deserve such a terrible and horrifying fate? Their ending is the only one I feel deeply upset and regretful over.

A female character killing herself in grief is already a major sin for me, and then have her be forgotten and becoming a resentful and bitter ghost because of it? WTF?! And then have her not getting any peace and haunting the love of her life???

I thought I have moved on but when the story popped into my headspace again, I thought it better that I simply scribble out the ending I actually wanted for them.

Both dying (no suicide or forcing someone to live) and then reuniting in another life. A happier one. Can’t believe that dying in accidents is a happy ending for this ship 🤯😱 😫😰 My shipping luck just got worse over time 🙄😑

So this is me making their story much less interesting and poignant/bitter, but more satisfying for me.

 

*Beot-kkot is Korean for cherry blossoms.

 

Thanks.

Chapter 9: Someone With Your Eyes

Summary:

Gong Hye Won was the wild card he never expected, making things unclear.

Notes:

Chapter title taken from the lyrics to “Who We Are”, by Hozier.

* Pairing: Gong Hye Won/Do Jung Woo (Awaken)

All mistakes are mine.

Jung Woo reached up to cup Hye Won’s cheek, the warmth of her skin against his palm a comfort and soothing. Also a reminder. A reminder that he was more than a monster. He could feel softness, a tender ache born of an emotion he was hard pressed to admit to himself. Both in his heart and on his skin.

It was more than he had ever felt all these years. Or more precisely, permitted himself - or capable of - to feel.

Above and beyond, she made his mind unclear. A creeping fog which obstructed his clear eyed foresight and planning. Mists which enveloped his heart in unexpected radiance. And a hunger he had never tasted.

For a breathless moment, he brushed his thumb across her cheek, memorising the texture of her skin onto his, imprinting it into his mind. Heart.

It was barely minutes but it felt like an eternity, infinitely precious and all too brief.

 

However, it was time to go. He had already dallied for too long. With reluctance, he pulled back his hand, ready to walk away.

In that widening breadth between them, in a sudden movement, she reached out to grab ahold of his elbow. In the intervening heartbeat, understanding dawned on him.

She leaned forward, eyes fluttering close as she kissed him.

For split seconds, Jung Woo allowed himself the exquisite agony of her lips against his, the weight and feel of her grip on his arm. He closed his eyes.

A wave of emotions inundated him, whirling him about in a nuanced vortex of subtle, gentle feelings. He would let himself have these few seconds.

 

When the sweet pressure of her lips lifted, he opened his eyes.

“I…” she floundered, cheeks flushed a faint, becoming pink. The desire to envelope her in his arms washed over him. He resisted the temptation.

The shadow of a quirk lifted a corner of his lips but he said nothing before finally turning away from her.

He did not look back but the heaviness of her gaze on his back pushed him onward.

One day, she would move on with her life and perhaps he could remain a fond memory then. He hoped he deserved that, at least.

 

Notes:

(May 7th, 2025)

I started 낮과밤 (Awaken) mainly for the actors, Seol Hyun and NGM, expecting a passing ship to grab me. I was not disappointed although I was highly surprised and impressed that the “romance” is canon. The open ending is good enough. In my headspace - post-canon - they will be together.

GHW was awesome 🤩

This scene from Ep 14 (if not mistaken) was bittersweet but definitely confirmed his feelings too. However, I felt a lack so I wanted to remedy that by tweaking them to my own satisfaction. If GHW can punch DJW (because she was angry and jealous 😳🤯😆😏), I think she can kiss him as well 🥰☺️🥹

Cheers.

Chapter 10: The Tortoise and the Daidai Tree

Summary:

Another near death experience could make someone do something surprising.

Notes:

Canon pairing from “Marry My Husband” (Japanese version)

* Pairing: Kanbe Misa/Suzuki Wataru

(Sort of a missing scene in Episode 5)

All mistakes are mine.

The atmosphere in the small, cramped room suddenly felt more leaden than before but the heaviness was less of suffocation than the pregnant promise of a potential, of a flowering of understanding. A connection filled with hope and softness.

Wataru spoke again. “When you jumped into the elevator…, ” he trailed off for a second, the memory of that fateful day replaying itself unbidden in his mind.

The words and memory - and landed pushed up against me - hung heavy between them, a tickle of a sparkle.

“It made me want to try and change my life,” he continued in all sincerity, a heartfelt rasp threading his voice.

Kanbe-san stared at him with misty eyes for long moments. He simply gazed back.

Then, with little warning, she stepped forward and cupped his face. He did not even have time to blink before her face drew nearer to his.

When her lips touched his, Wataru had no inkling of what to feel. The next heartbeat, however, a gigantic wave of sweet passion crashed over him, sweeping him up in their turbulence.

Just as his frozen arms twitched and of their own accord reached out to rest his hands on her waist, a loud ringing sliced through the air.

They broke apart at the shrill of the doorbell.

Wataru nearly jumped out of his skin. As it was, he took a few hasty steps back and retreated until his back hit the refrigerator and the microwave on top of it.

He was sure he looked like a fool. The surprise on Kanbe-san’s face turned to amusement and she grinned at him.

Briefly, she looked sheepish and then a determined look came over her features and she uttered a short, “Gomen nasai. Must be the nerves, let us just forget about the lapse.”

He nodded in a daze. He was still in a half-haze when Kanbe-san stepped away to answer the door.

It was Miku.

 

Notes:

(July 12th, 2025)

Inspired by a post on Twitter I read about the pairing and PD Ahn’s style.

Well, I don’t expect anything spicy from the drama itself and at that juncture in time, the writing made a lot of sense, but being a fanfic and shipper-ahjumma, that germ of an idea just would not let go (because I had half a thought in that direction too), so these 300+ words are meant to satisfy my own impulses.

(Also, I could never pass up the trope of a supposedly inexperienced male love interest/lead, so… 🤭🫢🤫)

* Daidai: a kind mandarin orange fruit variety

 

Cheers.

Chapter 11: When the Daidai Tree Blooms

Summary:

A date at their favourite Wagashi-Ya.

Notes:

* Pairing: Kanbe Misa/Suzuki Wataru (Marry My Husband - Japanese version)

All mistakes are mine.

Misa blew softly over the Hojicha before bringing the yunomi to her lips and sipping from the cup. Across from her, Wataru was doing the same.

Two small dishes with Kame-shaped Monaka sat before them, both half-bitten into. Wataru looked up at Misa after replacing his yunomi back on the coaster, noticing once again that special glow Misa had about her these days. He knew he must be entirely biased and unreliable when it came to Misa and how she looked - and made him feel - but he was convinced that she was literally luminous lately.

She had always been radiant but now, he could feel the light glowing off of her. Minutely, he shook his head at the fanciful thought, a small smile inadvertently curling the edge of his lips.

Wataru could sometimes still feel the need to pinch himself to make sure he was not dreaming. Life had been marvelous for the last decade - together with Misa - and he never thought it could get better but it just did.

Today was the six months’ “anniversary” of their marriage and he had made time from his packed schedule to make a surprise visit to Misa’s shop. It had been a while since he had been able to come. It was already closing time when he arrived but it just made it easier for them.

They could have their dates just like they used to in the calm quiet of the evening, just the two of them.

Misa had done a wonderful job with the shop while retaining its charm and character. And that old-style taste was just flawlessly recreated. Pride and warmth filled Wataru at Misa’s accomplishments.

 

After moments of familiar, comfortable silence, Misa excused herself and moved away for long seconds. She came back with a box of Wagashi, a sprig of what he recognized as Daidai blossoms placed on top of the box.

“Wataru-san.” Misa placed the box in front of him.

“This is a new Monaka we created recently, the anko made from the peel and fruit of the Daidai,” she explained with a gentle smile. “I would love to hear your thoughts.”

“Gokurosama.”

He opened the box carefully and saw layered on top of the packaged Monaka were three pieces of origami folded from Suzutoya sweets wrapper. As usual were the Kame and Usagi but there was another smaller, chibi-Usagi. Wataru looked up at Misa with a faint, puzzled crease to his forehead.

There was a sweet, joyful beam on her beautiful face and with little warning, she announced, “Wataru-san, we’re going to be parents.”

For what appeared to be long minutes, Wataru felt himself struck dumb with happiness, his mouth partly parted in elated shock as Misa gazed back at him with a bright, gleeful grin.

Oh. She truly was shining, it was not his mind playing tricks on him.

A maelstrom of emotions and words raced through him but the only word which tripped past his lips was, “Arigatou.”

Misa’s smile only grew brighter.

Notes:

(July 25th, 2025)

The ending to “Marry” (Jp-version) was perfect 🥰☺️

(That said, I was very, very sad over Reina’s fate although knew it was inevitable. After her backstory was fully unveiled, she just got all my sympathy. It explained everything about her as a character/person and I can’t help but wanted a different, more hopeful, happier ending for her. She deserved happiness - and redemption - too. Maybe even more. She made her own bed but with her background, she had so little chance with no one ever at her corner OMG 😭)

My one gripe with the story aside, the last scene with M & W kept me expecting her to announce her pregnancy LOL 😆 Her marriage proposal was perfect too (a favoured trope 😄 and how would I know they have not gotten married by then 😆). Still, I wanted to satisfy my own delusions, so here it is.

* Yunomi: Japanese teacup
Anko: the sweet paste/filling in Wagashi (Japanese cakes/confectionery)
Gokurosama: “You did well, thank you for your hard work”
Arigatou: thank you (less formal)

Cheers.

Notes:

Thank you.