#kongart

kongphob:

I was writing a thing about SOTUS and it tried to autocorrect "hazers" to "hazards". Which is not NOT wrong - both Arthit and Kongpob pose hazards to each other's hearts.

Arthit gives Kongpob his SOTUS gear (aka his heart), symbolising his acceptance of their new relationship.

Just finished watching the Sotus universe again (link here for the Discord server for the watchparty, Sotus will definitely come around again) and I've been meaning to make a rec list.

This isn't a full list, there are so many fics I want to put on here and I was trying not to make it 30 fics long so this actually got posted at some point (Sotus will be rewatched in the future and I shall add to this!). I also avoided adding the same author twice.

I was tagged by @emotionallychargedtowel who laid out a lot of beautiful observations for the game @my-rose-tinted-glasses started with this post, including a great summary of the themes @porridgefeast pointed out out in her response to this ask game.

Here are the criteria Rose gave herself, for anyone who wants to follow along. The central idea is "a list of couples that I think have what it takes to make it in the long run." She ruled out couples that are portrayed in high school exclusively, couples that have already stayed together for a long time (e.g. Shiro and Kenji from What Did You Eat Yesterday?), and couples who could only be argued to belong on this list with a lot of extensive headcanon type action.

I've happily seen all of the couples I'd personally pick for this game come through my dash already, so I'm gonna break the rules a bit for my own fun.

Instead of picking the couples who I think have what it takes, I'm going to pick couples who I think would give us a compelling series as an established couple. I'm thinking about how heart-wrenching ATOTS's Phupha and Tian's story was when we revisited it in Our Skyy. I'm thinking about the adjustment Kongpob and Arthit undergo as the power dynamics reverse in the adult world of SOTUS S. I'm thinking about the couples that we want to see living together and still working through personal struggles well into their 40s and 50s like Shiro and Kenji in What Did You Eat Yesterday? Forgive me for letting some high-schoolers into the proceedings who fit the mold. Because I want to know which couples years down the line will still have an interesting story left to tell?

Kongpob and Arthit from SOTUS

It feels ridiculous to say a pair that's already had an established-couple sequel series still has more gas in their tank, but so much was left beautifully open-ended in SOTUS S and their Our Skyy episode. Call up writer Bittersweet; there is a meet-the-family story primed and ready in there! We saw neither come out to their parents, and so much has changed culturally in Thailand since we last saw them. But does that mean Arthit's been able to accept that the culture's changed? Arthit's rampant anxiety and stubbornness in contrast with Kongpob's romantic idealism is just such rich storytelling fuel.

Kit and Shane from Boys in Love

This is a couple I think would struggle in fantastically compelling ways, but they are nothing if not committed to working, however slow, to stay with the routine of their comfort person. At the end of the series, Kit had just given up a huge academic opportunity, and Shane's entire future had fallen apart. They just had each other. I want to see them in college or as adults: Kit's impulsivity tempted in more ~adult~ scenarios; Shane's rigidity and parental traumas creeping up at the worst moments; both of these neurodivergent boyfriends discovering the new challenges of workplaces. They have so much left to still figure out, but I also believe they've found a rare home in each other that they would come back to at the end of their struggles.

Gu Hai and Bai Luo Yin from Addicted

Screw censorship. Gu Hai is never letting Bai Luo Yin go, whether the latter likes it or not. That's a fact. Luckily, under the grumpy face and internalized homophobia, Luoyin does like it. And with all the class and corruption issues tucked into that dynamic, it's gonna be one hell of a relationship (with some fantastic sex). The question is not whether they stay together, nor whether it would be an interesting story. I'd only be desperately wondering if they're navigating the provincial Chinese economy toward a happy-ending or deeper into the belly of the beast. Maybe I should read the web-novel to find out where it actually takes them?

Teh and Oh-aew from ITSAY

They're so fucked up, y'all. They're so fucked up. I want to watch them fight every day when they're married and then quasi-make up because they're stuck in how good the sheer intensity of it feels. Maybe one day Teh could get his BPD diagnosis and medication, and then I won't need to watch they're beautiful trainwreck of a relationship anymore. But until then, I would be happily plopping my lawn chair out to watch these two Phuket stars trapped in each others' orbit.

Ae and Pete from Love By Chance

This is my slice-of-life vote. These two characters are so deeply gentle. I want to watch them buy groceries. Together they'd find something to smile about in the basil. They could visit with each others' lovely families, have dinner with their ridiculous friends, and have average jobs that tire them out but make them feel fulfilled. Then, they could come home and lie on each other's shoulders. There'd be some steam in this slice-of-life, too, cuz Ae would still be going wide-eyed and hard over how soft Pete's cheeks and lips well beyond when they are old and wrinkled. I could weep for years over these two simply loving each other as they go about their days.

SOTUS || THE EX-MORNING dir. Lit Samajarn

everyone noticing the girls Kongphob is surrounded with

Arthit zooming in on the guy and noticing his hands have two signature books

also him remembering the student ID and name