Chapter Text
Ara is a 30-year-old respected PhD scholar specializing in cultural studies and musicology, currently living abroad on an exchange in Seoul. Her world is academic conferences, late nights in libraries, and deep dives into Korean music’s cultural impact — especially K-pop.
Ara is also in a PC Bang in Hongdae at 11:30pm on a Thursday glancing over her shoulder trying not to feel embarrassed as she types
"thirty year old Sagittarius woman, sun sign compatibility BTS and Got7"
It’s 11:30 pm the low hum of PCs and the occasional sounds of soft clicking across keyboards. This is being interrupted by…the furious bashing of keys clearly in frustration coming from the back of the room. Masked up and hood up, the figure in the back corner attempts to remain incognito or as incognito as someone can be as a foreigner in Korea.She slowly types in her date of birth and a brief description of her occupation, and hobbies.
AI : Here you are......... [Loading......]
Ara- Sagittarius, age 30.
Traits: Adventurous, independent, philosophical, optimistic, sometimes (often) blunt (especially when drunk).
Ok AI is a being bit sassy she thinks but she glances over her shoulder trying not to feel embarrassed as she continues to type
"sun sign compatibility BTS and Got7"
Here you go ...[Loading].....
Here is your Zodiac compatibility Kpop Idol edition
Ultimate Fictional Matches
Top BTS Match: Jin (Sagittarius) – witty twin flame
Top GOT7 Match: Jackson (Aries) – explosive soulmate energy
Ara swigs from her hydro flask, choking slightly at the strength of the Soju.
Ok I need to get a grip, "what does this even mean?" She mutters to herself
AI: I’m glad you asked…..[Loading….]
“Whoa whoa whoa” Ara exclaims, forgetting that she has been wearing and therefore speaking into a headset.
HERE IS YOUR PROFILE IN FULL...
💖 Sagittarius Queen x GOT7: Zodiac Idol Edition
1. 🥇 Jackson (Aries) – “The Firecracker Soulmate”
Sparks? More like fireworks. He's bold, you're wild — you'll wrestle and kiss in the same breath. Never boring.
Compatibility: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Ship Name: SagJack: Wild hearts, no brakes
2. 🥈 Jinyoung (Virgo/Libra Cusp) – “The Secret Softie”
If his Libra side shines, it’s all wit, books, and slow-burn tension. Virgo side? You'll tease him out of his routines.
Compatibility: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Ship Name: Jinsag: Elegance & edge
3. 🥉 JB (Capricorn) – “The Stoic Heartthrob”
A Sagittarius tames the cold CEO? Challenge accepted. You spark something he didn’t know he needed......
Ok that’s enough....she hits pause. Cold CEO, what in the fanfiction.... she thinks to herself "ok I don’t need a deep dive into the entirety of the group this is too much behind the scenes" she says out loud .
AI : Of course BTS [ Here you are…[.Loading….]
“Argh” Ara groans.
Compatibility: Sagittarius x Sagittarius = pure chaos, wisdom, and warmth.
🪐 Dating Profile: "Two Comets, One Love Story"
Name: ARA
Age: 30
Zodiac: Sagittarius ♐
Vibe: Witty intellectual with a suitcase half-packed and a philosophy book in hand
Ideal Date: Midnight museum tour followed by instant noodles on a rooftop.
Her Match:
Name: Kim Seokjin (Jin)
Age: Timeless (but actually 32)
Zodiac: Sagittarius ♐
Vibe: Worldwide Handsome meets Cosmic Philosopher
“Ok this is ridiculous” Ara removes her headset and tosses it on the table, the lo-fi beats doing nothing for her nerves.
Dragging the keyboard towards herself she decides she might as well finish what she started she types in sheepishly…
Compatibility Jackson Wang
AI : Here you go
[Loading…..]
Compatibility: Sagittarius x Aries = sizzling, fearless, iconic
🔥 Dating Profile: "Ride or Die, But Make It Designer"
Name: ARA
Age: 30
Zodiac: Sagittarius ♐
Vibe: Rule-breaking romantic with a passport full of stamps and a playlist full of bangers
Her Match:
Name: Jackson Wang
Age: 31
Zodiac: Aries ♈
Vibe: Streetwear king + philosophical gym bro
Ok that’s enough internet for the night. Ara pinches the bridge of her nose and sighs to herself. Contemplates another swig of soju, but just sighs and leans back in her gaming chair.
Why is Ara drinking in a PC Bang on a Thursday night, instead of working on her latest research paper for a conference? In order to understand the current predicament we need to time travel exactly two and half weeks into the past.
Let’s rewind to the beginning of this potentially cinematic love story....
TIMESKIP - two weeks (& a bit earlier)
Seoul National University
The lecture hall was packed, the air buzzing with anticipation. Ara stood behind the podium, adjusting her glasses, she’s short -sighted, so doesn't actually need to wear them to give her presentation as she can see her notes clearly. However she always likes to see her audience clearly, and it makes her look more intellectual, and isn't academia just cosplaying as an intellectual by wearing tweed. Her heart is steady despite the crowd. The crowd is much bigger than she expected, but that is expected as the conference today is not just middle-aged academics, but there are rumours swirling online that some Kpop idols may be in attendance, sadly her presentation are just 2D versions of their favourite idols.
As she began discussing K-pop’s role in shaping modern identity, she notices a figure sneaking in the back row, a black baseball cap, a white t-shirt, black jacket, a white mask and dark sunglasses. He removes the sunglasses, as he takes a seat. Ok Ara thinks to herself, a bit weird but she's had students wear masks in lecture before, it's very common in Korea she has to remind herself. Ara clicks to the next slide, and she launches into her speech. Suddenly twenty minutes have passed by.
"Finally to conclude I have shown using music videos, idol variety content, and fan-produced media, how we can interrogate how performance personas blur with perceived authenticity, fostering parasocial relationships that heighten emotional investment of fans, and ultimately lead to increased profits for entertainment companies. Thank you so much for your attention."
Ara gives a short bow, and sighs in relief as the audience begins to applaud. Speaking for extended periods of time in Korean always gives her a bit of a headache
After the lecture, the room clears out, as there is a short recess before the next panel, a group of students, mainly young women, swarm to ask Ara questions. She’s pleased but glances around them and notices the man in the baseball cap still seated lingering in the back.
Finally done with questions she gathers her papers from the podium, and glances at her watch. Glad she still has another fifteen minutes of break, she could probably go grab another coffee. Nectar of the gods. The masked man finally approaches the podium she realizes there are just two of them in the room, minus a man she has just noticed by the door who has an ear piece. Is he somehow connected to the man in the baseball cap?
“Your analysis of music and culture is… refreshing,” he said, voice firm but sincere. “I’ve always felt there’s more to what we do than just the stage.”
“Oh thank you”. She responds
Ara can’t quite tell who he is with the mask and the hat, but can now assume he must be a singer.
“ Oh I’m 1994, by the way.” Ara sometimes forgets the cultural norms here.
“1992.”
Ok I’m going to call him Idol-Oppa, Ara thinks but doesn’t say out loud of course.
Ara can’t help but think Oppa, her inner fangirl threatening to come out. Ara knows that she is considered huge by Korean standards, at 179 cm so she is always a bit shocked when a guy who is over 180cm speaks to her. It makes her feel feminine, and god maybe she should try dating apps again…... .and now he’s looking at her and she's staring into his brown eyes, and his mask is moving which means his lips are moving and oh god—did he say something?
“ I did have a question” The soft spoken man must have said.
Ara realises she needs to focus on the conversation.
What follows surprises Ara is an interesting conversation turned debate on the tensions between creativity and corporate demands, as the masked stranger argues that para social relationships are much more authentic than Ara had just argued in her presentation. And actually he's not as soft spoken as she first thought, and she can feel herself kind of getting worked up about the whole conversation. And he's very expressive considering she can barely see his face. And now she kind of wishes she was the type of Kpop fan that can tell who someone is just by the shape of their eyebrows.
Unfortunately they are interrupted by an older gentleman walking into the room, Ara recognises him as an older professor in the department. The break must be ending, at least ten minutes must have gone by.
“ I should go,” he says.
“ Oh right….”
Ara didn’t realise her heart had been racing and time had passed so quickly; she loved a good debate.
She realised she didn't even think to ask his name, and was about to ask but....
" Ah you must be IT person I requested, here is my laptop thank you for your help."
Another day, another micro-aggression Ara thinks to herself.
She's dressed in a blazer and everything. Feeling slight frustration she takes the laptop off of Professor Kim.
And as she turns her head to watch the tall stranger walk off, she can't help but admire his broad shoulders.
"Ok, I'm ready to try hinge again". she mutters to herself