#fixshipping

trying to make a think piece over the fact that namgyu and daeun's ship name is actually a word in korean meaning remainder, left (as in what's left over), remnant, remaining, etc. THERE IS SOMETHING HERE.... grasping at straws to write something cutesy, here's my attempt:

nameun; what remains when everything else is gone ♥ namgyu and daeun's friendship / relationship doesn't seem like it would work, considering they're two completely different people. one: insecure, closed off, and often self-serving. the other: genuine, kind-hearted, and selfless to the point that it borders on harmful self-sacrifice at times. genuine care, love, and mutual respect could only bloom between the two of them through the repeated and conscious effort to show up and be present. daeun's patience, perseverance, and genuine desire to reach everyone no matter how far they are is what allows her to break through to namgyu. she stays and continues to make an effort to understand him despite all of the rough parts of his personality. when the dust settles and everybody else is gone, put off by who namgyu is (and rightfully so), daeun is still there, much to his—and everyone else's—surprise. she remains despite everything he does and is and continues to do and continues to be, still filled with the overwhelming desire to understand, because that's who she is. genuine and empathetic towards everyone she meets. through daeun's eyes, she doesn't just see an addict or a potential patient. she sees a person. when namgyu is done exploding and done pretending, done hurting himself and others with his habits, it's with what remains that he is able to build a relationship with daeun. no hiding who he is or what he feels or what he wants, having exhausted all his options to hide the horrifying reality that maybe, he might actually care about what she thinks of him. the parts of him that are left over once you strip away all the bullshit, those are the ones that allow daeun to finally reach for him, and when she does, he finally dares to let himself reach back.

"my face is always red and i'm always saying "whatever who cares" and "it's better this way anyway" and i'm always looking away and my eyes are always avoiding yours" - the heart, Fredward3948576

also i have decided that their unofficial ship name is fixshipping (inspired by the pokemon fandom and how each pairing gets their own special little ___shipping name). brief explanation:

"fix" as in care and repair. daeun helps people and heals them, aiding them in recovering and becoming whole again "fix" as in addiction. namgyu struggles with his addictions and seeks out drugs to satiate his cravings. he needs his 'fix'.

kind of sad on namgyu's part, but if i wanna wholesome-ify it a bit, due to namgyu and daeun's friendship and mutual influence, namgyu helps push daeun along and fix her people-pleasing habit by teaching her it's ok to be selfish at times and put herself first instead of constantly leaving herself behind for the sake of others. and on namgyu's part, he learns to overcome his addictions and confide in community and healthier coping mechanisms. over time, the love he receives from others due to his continued effort to get better and the sound of daeun's laughter when he tells a good joke replaces his unhealthy cravings, becoming his new 'fix.'

the opposite of addiction is connection ♥