#tonyspank

it was a routine you followed every month: react to the top 10 valorant clutches of the month video, hope to see one of your clips make the cut, and play it cool if it didn’t. at this point, it was less about the recognition and more about the banter with your chat.

you weren’t the most well known valorant pro out there—your channel had a decent amount of subscribers, but it was nowhere near the top 100. you had a pretty loyal following that you had worked hard to build since your first few days on youtube and twitch.

and as the months passed, your fan base was only getting bigger.

today was no exception. you had set a stream up for your regular wednesday afternoon time slot. you were going to try and squeeze in a few rounds with a few friends before you had to get ready for your night classes.

but first, you needed to react to the new list. it had dropped the night before, and your notifications had been buzzing ever since.

your fans loved hyping you up every time these compilations came out, spamming your inbox with messages like “this has to be your month!” or “if you’re not on this list, we riot.” it was all in good fun, but deep down, you couldn’t lie—it’d be nice to finally see your name make the cut.

“alright, chat,” you said as the stream went live, your usual intro music playing softly in the background. “you know the drill. top 10 valorant clutches of the month. place your bets now: am i finally on this one, or are we adding another ‘rigged’ tally to the scoreboard?”

username: no way they missed that icebox play last week right?

username Manifesting y/n at #1 this time!

username if you don’t make it we ride at dawn

username 💀💀💀💀💀💀💀

username they’re saving your clip for a ‘top fails’ compilation 😭

you chuckled, rolling your eyes. “hilarious. let’s just get into it, yeah?”

you pulled up the video and hit play. as the countdown began, your commentary started up right away.

clip #10 was decent, a 1v4 clutch with some clean sheriff shots. “not bad,” you admitted, nodding approvingly. “but let’s be real, chat. i’ve done better.”

clip #9 featured an insane operator flick. “okay, now that’s spicy,” you said, impressed. “still waiting for my clip, though.”

by the time it got to the top three, you hadn’t seen your name, but you weren’t surprised. “alright, here’s the moment of truth. if i’m not in the top three, i’m officially calling this list a scam.”

then, the #1 clip began to play. the name on the screen caught your eye immediately: katarinabluu.

your face froze for a second as the clip began—an ace on icebox, clean headshots, and a flick with an operator that sealed the round. it was an undeniably impressive play, but your competitive streak refused to give in.

“that’s it?” you said, pausing the video. you shrugged. “but let’s be real—if that’s #1, this list is definitely rigged.”

username who the hell is that

username y/n who???

username: HELLO??? KARINA’S GONNA SEE THIS

username not you dragging her when she’s literally better than you ☠️

username 😭😭

you leaned back in your chair, smirking at the chat’s chaos as the messages flew by faster than you could read.

“what? i’m just saying!” you said, raising your hands in mock defense. “she’s good, but if that’s the best clutch of the month, then clearly the editors need to broaden their horizons. my icebox clip was cleaner.”

the chat exploded even more.

username oh you’re done for

username: why are you here starting beef w karina i can’tttttt

username: Plz she’s gonna roast you so bad

username 100% she’s gonna watch this later and go feral

username you done fucked up 💀

you laughed at their reactions, brushing it off as just another day of trolling with your viewers.

a/n: lolll idk how i feel about this 😔

what? what was that noise?

it takes a second for you to register the sound, the left side of your cheek pressed against the soft white pillow on your bed as your eyes lazily blink open.

the buzzing continues.

you sigh, reaching a hand out from under the blanket, and pat the nightstand in search of the culprit. your fingers brush against the device, and you pull it towards you, holding it over your face and squinting.

the bright light momentarily blinds you, but when you open your eyes fully, you hit the green accept button and bring the phone to your ear, muttering a groggy hello.

"y/n," your manager's voice came through, far too cheerful for 1:07 a.m. "wake up! i got some big news!"

"obviously i'm up." you groan, rolling over onto your stomach and closing your eyes. sassiness wasn't really something you could control before your morning coffee. "what's the news?"

"karina wants you to help write and produce her solo," your manager blurts out, his excitement practically vibrating through the line. "she personally asked for you."

your eyes snap open. whatever sleep fog still remained vanishes in an instant. "wait, what?" you ask, sitting up so quickly the blanket falls off your shoulders.

"you heard me. sm called. she wasn't happy with the last version of her single and asked for your help. she loves working with you, y/n."

your heart races. karina. asking for you. specifically.

"but—but—" you sputter, still not quite believing his words. "no buts," your manager interrupts, clearly on a roll. "sm is flying you out first thing this morning."

you blink, your brain still playing catch-up. "wait, this morning? like, in a few hours?"

it was around 5 am when your plane finally took off, your headphones over your ears, and eyes covered by a frog sleeping mask that your mom got you for christmas.

the flight was long; it didn't help that you kept twisting and turning in your seat, trying to find a comfortable position to sleep in. only fully submitting to the exhaustion once your head fell against your manager's shoulder, who was fast asleep and didn't mind.

the plane touches down with a soft jolt, and you push yourself upright, immediately regretting it. the frog mask from your mom's christmas gift sits comically on top of your head, and a long yawn escapes your lips as you stretch your stiff muscles.

your manager, ever the morning person, doesn't seem to notice your exhaustion as he watches security gather your things and move toward the exit. "you ready?"

you nod, rubbing your eyes. the realization of being back in korea hasn't fully hit you yet, and the reason you're back again isn't for personal enjoyment this time but for business.

with...karina.

you hadn't seen her in weeks (because you were in la), hadn't even spoken to her since that one fateful day when she gave you her number after pulling slightly on your arm. so much time had passed since then, and now, suddenly, the dark-haired girl was the topic of all your thoughts.

your manager and the security guards walk a little ahead, talking amongst themselves as they lead the way toward the exit of the airport. then there's a shutter, a faint shutter sound. then another.

you glance up to see a few people hovering near the arrivals area, some pointing in your direction. the whispers turn into excited squeals as you walk by; phones start popping up like whack-a-moles, flashes of professional cameras going off.

and you instinctively cover your face with the frog-shaped sleep mask, which causes a couple of laughs to erupt from the growing crowd. but you quickly pull it back when you realize you can't see out of it.

you hear your manager talking with the security team, and suddenly there's an arm wrapped around your shoulders, leading you outside, the warm sunlight hitting your skin. you're ushered into a waiting car, and your manager sits next to you, giving you a reassuring smile before explaining the next steps of your busy schedule for the day.

"wait, what? lunch?" you ask, a bit incredulous, a bit shocked. your manager chuckles and nods, "they want to treat you to lunch as a thank you for your hard work."

huh.

you sink back into the plush seat, twisting your lips. "and, um, all the girls are gonna be there?"

"yep," he replies. "everyone, including their manager. so make sure to rest when you get to your hotel room, okay?"

your heartbeat picks up speed.

"okay."

you really love your hats.

karina thinks to herself, watching you from the corner of her eye as you sit across the table from her, laughing about something aeri said. instead, this time you're wearing a red balenciaga hat with your brown hood pulled up over it.

you seem so comfortable, laughing and chatting with the others. they each had mentioned having fun that day in the recording studio and how you're one of the easiest people they've ever worked with, along with the most patient and caring.

the way you interact with her members is just the sweetest thing; karina's heart clenches, a soft smile playing on her lips as she watches you. your eyes widen, then you quickly nod your head, agreeing with yizhuo on how mogu mogu is one of the best drinks you've ever tasted.

the truth is, karina did request that you help her with her solo. it seems bad; it really does. her asking you to take down her number was a bold move, only to never receive a text from you, then asking you to come all the way to seoul for her own benefit.

she did it, though.

it wasn't just so she could see you; she truly did want your help. although she was happy to see you again.

the days after the first meeting, karina would replay your conversation in her head.

"ah, i didn't think of that. let's do it again!"

"for sure!"

karina doesn't even understand why the interaction stuck with her; it wasn't anything special, just a quick moment. yet, it stayed. karina was never one to act like a lovesick fool, and she prided herself on her professionalism. she had always been able to keep her personal and work life separate, and she knew the importance of keeping her relationship status private.

she knows how that turns out; she's experienced it firsthand before.

but something about you made her throw all caution out the window. she wanted to know more. wanted to spend more time with you.

"unnie? are you feeling alright?" minjeong asks, a tiny smile cracking through her concern. karina blinks, realizing she had been lost in thought.

"i'm fine," she replies with a forced smile, taking a sip of her water.

"i saw fortune cookies near the register. anyone else want one?" you suddenly ask, a wide smile on your lips as you stand from your seat. karina's eyes linger a second too long.

you earn a few yeses from the group before making your way to the counter, and karina gets up to follow you, excusing herself.

you glance over your shoulder as karina steps beside you. swallowing a lump in your throat, you turn back to the counter, your hands digging in the bowl of fortune cookies, trying to ignore the discomfort of karina's sudden presence beside you.

"how have you been?" karina asks softly, her voice barely above a whisper.

"fine," you reply curtly, not looking at her. "busy." she pauses, and you can feel her studying you.

"you seem upset with me." you let out a small, humorless laugh, finally turning to meet her gaze.

"upset? no, i'm not upset. i just want to get this over with."

her brows furrow, her lips parting in confusion.

was she really trying to act like she had no idea why you were acting this way?

"get what over with?"

you stare at her. is she serious?

when it's clear that karina's waiting for an answer, you let out a frustrated sigh, stepping a little closer to her.

"this whole thing," you say, gesturing vaguely. "helping you with your solo. i don't even know why you asked me when you haven't bothered to talk to me since the day you gave me your number."

karina's expression shifts, her lips parting slightly as if to respond, but she doesn't. instead, she just stares at you, processing your words. "i didn't talk to you because you didn't text me," she says finally, her voice a little louder than before.

"what are you talking about? i did text you," you counter, swapping the handful of fortune cookies to your other hand before pulling out your phone. "i sent you a message right after you gave me your number. and then another. you never replied."

you open your messages, scrolling to the thread and showing her the unsent texts, demonstrating that you did, in fact, reach out to her. karina takes your phone, her brows furrowed as she inspects the screen.

her lips press into a thin line before she lets out a quiet laugh. "y/n," she says, holding the phone up. "you put a 3 instead of a 4 in my number."

"what?" you reply, confused. your mouth opens again, then closes. "no way," you mutter, snatching the phone back to confirm.

sure enough, there it is. the tiny typo that had caused months of silence. "oh my god."

karina bites her lip, her eyes shining with amusement. "i thought you ghosted me," she says, a giggle escaping her lips; she immediately brings her hand up to hide her huge smile, her shoulders shaking with laughter.

you groan, running a hand over the material of your hoodie. "i thought you were ignoring me!" you exclaim. you can't help the small laugh that slips past your lips.

you feel stupid, embarrassed. "i—this is so stupid. i feel so stupid."

"hey," she says gently, her smile softening. "it's not your fault. just... a miscommunication."

you exhale sharply, shaking your head. "yeah, but still. all this time, i thought—" you stop yourself, a sigh escaping your lips.

karina studies you, her gaze searching, curious.

"whatever. at least now i know."

karina tilts her head slightly, her eyes searching yours. "so... can we start over?" her question catches you off guard, and for a moment, you just stare at her.

then, slowly, you nod. "yeah. i guess we can."

she smiles, a genuine one that makes your heart flutter. "good."

aespa's comeback was coming quicker than ever. it had been two weeks since the meeting about the concept and choreography—two weeks since they all heard the demo for "whiplash," written and produced by none other than you. they loved it, honestly. it was bold, raw, futuristic, and, in aeri's words, "a cooler version of supernova."

when the group found out you'd be joining the usual directors in the recording studio, karina felt the familiar pang of nerves. working with someone new always came with its anxieties—different expectations, different ideas.

that was, until about ten minutes ago when she finally met you. her eyes went wide, flickering with recognition, her gaze landing on the black baseball cap that sat perched on your head.

she can't believe it.

you.

her eyes then drifted to your face, and your heart started to beat even faster than it was three seconds ago.

jesus christ... did she know how intensely she was staring at you?

those sharp, catlike eyes seemed to pin you in place. it didn't help that she looked like an ai brought to life, with her perfect features even in a bare face and messy bun.

karina's mouth opens and closes a few times, but no words come out. you watch her carefully. you can tell she's struggling to find her words, and the way her cheeks redden only adds to your growing confusion.

"hi," you say, breaking the awkward silence, bowing slightly as a sign of respect. karina's eyes widen in surprise, and a small smile tugs at the corners of her lips and she quickly copies your gesture, reciprocating the respect.

"i love your music," she admits, laughing a bit, her hand resting on her chest as she tries to calm her nerves. she's so cute. you laugh lightly, a smile gracing your features.

"i love yours," you return. "it's an honor to work with you and the rest of the group." karina's smile grows wider. she nods, brushing her bangs out of her eyes.

once introductions were out of the way, everyone got into their positions and began recording, you behind the glass of the booth with other directors and sound engineers, watching karina through the window as she took a sip of her water, mentioning the way the lights of the studio keep changing colors.

karina stood in the recording booth, the microphone poised inches from her lips, her headphones snug against her ears and glasses perched on the bridge of her nose.

"shall we start?" the main director asks, and karina nods in response, but not even a second later she takes in several breaths, the smile on her face making everyone relax because half the room thought something was truly wrong.

"what happened?" the main director asks, looking at karina, smiling slightly, her mouse hovering over the red record button on the control panel.

karina chuckles softly, "i feel nervous." she earns a few laughs from the crew, but she quickly composes herself when the familiar instrumental comes through her headphones, signaling the start of the recording.

she transforms in an instant. gone is the slightly shy, bashful girl who fumbled her words earlier. in her place stands karina, the leader of aespa—poised, professional, and utterly captivating. the next few takes go smoothly, with karina pushing herself further with each one.

occasionally, she glances toward the glass, her eyes catching yours for the briefest of moments. it's subtle but enough to make your breath hitch every time it happens.

the session wrapped up with a round of fist bumps. karina smiled as she made her way around the room, lightly tapping knuckles with the staff and finally. . .you.

your knuckles collide, and as you pull away, you can't resist adding an explosion sound, wiggling your fingers with a playful grin. the moment it leaves your mouth, regret washes over you like a tidal wave.

did you really just do that?

if only you had a neuralyzer from men in black to erase the memory of everyone in the room.

karina freezes, her mouth falling open slightly, and for a second, you brace yourself for judgment. then, unexpectedly, a soft laugh escapes her lips. her smile widens, and her laughter ripples through the room.

she looks at you for a second, and when you notice her mouth fall open, a soft laugh escapes her lips. she smiles widely at you, and her laughter is infectious. you can't help but laugh, too.

when being an idiot pays off.

"ah, i didn't think of that." she says, still giggling. "let's do it again!"

your face lights up. "for sure!"

the rest of the room chuckles along, and she taps her fist against yours again, this time with a little more force. you repeat the explosion sound with the same exaggerated enthusiasm, and this time, she joins in, wiggling her fingers and mimicking the sound.

karina, being the last one out of the group to record, some of the staff began grabbing their belongings and preparing to leave. some of them stayed put, though, but you weren't a part of the staff, so, of course, you sat up from your seat, packing your own stuff.

even though you were the one who got ready first, karina ended up leaving the room before you. you weren't able to catch a glimpse of her. she left as quickly as a bat out of hell. as you walked out of the recording room, your phone began ringing in your pocket, the familiar ringtone indicating it was your best friend.

"hey," you answer.

a sniffle comes through the phone, followed by a shaky voice. "i—I miss you," ian says, and you stand in the middle of the hallway, rolling your eyes. he was faking; he does this every time you answer his calls.

"i miss you too," you say, laughing as you continue down the hall, waving goodbye to some of the staff.

"what are you doing? where are you? are you cheating on me?" all of his words rush out in a panicked tone. you stop again, leaning against a wall, the hand not holding the phone resting on your hip.

"yes, ian, i'm cheating on you," you deadpan, rolling your eyes again. "you caught me."

"i KNEW IT!" he yells into the phone.

"jesus," you breathe, pulling the phone away from your ear a bit. are your eardrums okay? maybe you should book a doctor's appointment just to be safe.

"what are you actually doing right now, loser?" his tone half-serious, half-teasing.

"just left a recording session. it went well; i think i might spoil myself with a nice dinner tonight," you reply, a small smile playing on your lips.

ian gasps.

"oh, my god, you mean the recording session with aespa was today? and you didn't even think to remind me? was winter there? what did she smell like—" ian's crazy, but he's your best friend. he's also a tad bit the reason why you're even where you are today. he was always pushing you and giving you that little extra bit of encouragement.

he's the best hype man.

you furrow your eyebrows at the words that just left his mouth with no sort of filter. "did you just ask me—"

"wait, wait, hold on," he cuts you off, and you hear a bunch of shuffling and muffled cursing on his end. suddenly a staff member steps in front of you, fiddling with her id badge nervously.

you lower the phone from your ear.

"i'm sorry, but we're recording a behind-the-scenes video, and your voice is being picked up in the audio. we need you to keep it down, please." you nod apologetically, feeling a flush of embarrassment creeping up your neck.

"okay, sorry. it won't happen again."

the staff member offers a kind smile. "thank you."

as the woman walks away, you bring the phone back to your ear. "what the hell, ian?!" you whisper harshly.

"yeah, hi, sorry, i'm here. i was joking, by the way. i don't wanna know what winter smells like..."

he goes silent before adding, "...that badly."

you don't even give him a warning before hanging up the call. the last thing you need is for someone else to overhear your embarrassing conversation. once you make it to the front of the elevator, a figure steps besides you, causing you to freeze in shock.

"hi," karina greets, that same smile from earlier appearing on her lips.

"oh, hey," you say, a smile forming on your own lips, the nerves still present but not as prominent as earlier. a ding is heard as the elevator doors open, the two of you stepping inside in sync, both avoiding eye contact as the elevator begins to descend.

"what are you getting for dinner?" the woman asks, breaking the silence, leaning forward a bit to attempt to make eye contact. "you are treating yourself, right?"

you open your mouth to reply but stop yourself. how did she know you were treating yourself? with a slight furrow in your eyebrows, you turn your head to look at her. karina's face is slightly tilted up, a smirk gracing her lips.

"how do you know about that?"

the smirk turns into a laugh. "you were the one talking loudly near my interview." your mouth falls open. oh, god. "i'm so sorry."

karina giggles, the sound so cute and light. "no worries, i didn't hear much anyway," she reassures, and the silver doors of the elevator slide open with a soft ding.

as you both step out onto the floor of the lobby, "um, probably sushi," you reply, referring to her previous question, and the thought makes your mouth water.

karina hums.

"that sounds good," she replies. "i might get that myself."

"maybe we can get it together." karina's eyes widen a fraction.

did you really just say that out loud?

"i—uh," you stutter, clearing your throat. "if you want, of course."

she does want to, but would it really be a good idea to hang out alone with her producer? not just any producer, but one that would definitely cause gossip and rumors among herself if the paparazzi were to get a picture. she's the group's leader; after all, she has to set an example.

and sometimes that means taking away from her own personal desires.

"i have a schedule, unfortunately," she lies, biting her lip. "but thank you for the offer. i appreciate it."

"oh, no problem," you say, nodding. "sorry if i came on too strong. that was uncalled for."

"no, no, no, no, no," karina says quickly, shaking her head. she felt like she just kicked a puppy, your lips pouting ever so slightly and your pupils visibly shrinking. "not at all. i would've loved to, really."

your lips curve into a small, grateful smile.

"well, i'll let you go now," you say, gesturing towards the exit, which is only a few feet away.

karina's eyes follow your gaze, her own smile never leaving her lips. she nods, and you take it as a cue to go ahead and leave.

"wait," karina says, suddenly grabbing your arm. her fingers are cool against the warmth of your skin, and you have to fight back the urge to shudder.

she lets go as soon as you turn around, her hand resting awkwardly by her side. "uh, sorry, it's just... do you want my number? by chance...?"

her heart pounds as she waits for your response.

"oh, yeah, for sure," you say, and pulling out your phone, you type in the new contact information that she recites to you. you smile once again when she's finished, locking your screen and placing the device back into your pocket.

"okay, bye," karina says, the smile not leaving her lips.

"bye," you reply, the word almost a whisper.

she never received your text.

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