(Untitled)

[quid]

shadow of the giant
g-dragon/tao, r, 3135ⓦ

Comments

[snoaz]

I don't know EXO but still I really liked this. It was nice to see Jiyong from the perspective of someone who idolises him, it made for a different take on him than when written from the perspective of someone who knows him.

How old was Zitao here though? It did bother me a bit how Jiyong clearly is in this position of power compared to him so it might feel like taking advantage of the situation? Even though I know Zitao initiated it but. And then the ending felt crude, Jiyong and Seunghyun talking about trading trainees like, what...? Did that take place right after the previous scene by the way or some place else?

But anyway, kudos to you for drawing me in even though I have no knowledge whatsoever of the main character. Some beautiful lines such as The latest encounter seems too surreal to count, too much like the fleeting fantasies he’d had back in Qingdao, of meeting Jiyong, the same half-shuttered expression he’d conjured up for Jiyong when he’d laid in bed, stripped, and licked his palm and Jiyong sweeping into the studio with sunglasses and a five o’clock shadow, sometimes late, sometimes bringing with him the acrid smell of cigarettes, and still the Jiyong of his idolatry and imagination pales.

Well done!

[quid]

Thank you for bringing up these issues as it's really important that this all comes through - following the original timeline, Zitao entered SM in December 2010, making him 18 in Korea, so he's an adult when this takes place, around 2014, as the other trainees mentioned are real people (B.I, for one) and the solo album/events are meant to be canon. YG also generally has a training period of 4-5 years and only features debut-track trainees. Zitao idolised Jiyong, but at the time that Jiyong seeks him out, it's pretty solidly admiration for him as an artist, which then develops and becomes more, in the context of an actual, functional relationship, as he gets to know Jiyong and differentiates between the persona he idolised and the actual person. It's important to note also that Jiyong isn't initially aware of Zitao idolising him (I say initially because Zitao's not subtle), and chooses Zitao based on his talent, and as they spend time together, Jiyong reciprocates Zitao's interest but always lets Zitao be the one to initiate.

The last part comes a long while after their collaboration, definitely does not happen immediately after the previous scene, and isn't about trading trainees; Seunghyun's just being facetious about wanting a trainee to dote on too. I hope this clears things up; please let me know if it doesn't. Thank you for reading!

[snoaz]

Thanks for clarifying and explaining, it does look better now!

I look forward to more stories from you in the future, I'll add you if that's all right with you :)

[quid]

Of course, thank you!