Late Post but...

... Chapter 22 of Keeping the Casanova has been posted at Soompi, LU and Fanfiction.net~! (Just click on the links to go straight to the newest chapter!)

Oh, and I haven't sent any PMs to the readers on Soompi because of time-constraints... Cheongmal mianhaeyo!

Anyways, I'm very happy that some people stick stuck on to reading KTC even though I rarely update nowadays. Law school is a difficult playing field so I have to keep my studies up if I don't want to get kicked out of the school I go to. *sigh*

Well, I'd still like to thank everyone for their support!

Imagine, Boys Over Flowers (Korean Version) aired in the year 2009. And it's already 2012! It's been three years since I became a SoEulmate and up until now, I remain a true blue SoEulmate~!

My only wish this year is that some PD finally recognize that Kim Bum and Kim So Eun both has stable acting backgrounds under their belt, and finally acknowledge that their chemistry is still very powerful... *cough*Prettypleasepairthemupinadrama*cough*

I'm looking forward to spending another year being a SoEulmate! I hope you guys do, too! =)



regards,
shattered teardrops

Yes, I've been MIA for a month

... and with an acceptable reason.

I've been pretty open about how law school affected my life since I nose-dived into it without much preparation or warning. (Well, I've been warned, but I didn't think it would be too difficult. I was wrong.)

The epic failure of my grades, my barely-existent social life reduced further to mere miniscule shambles, my stressed-out appearance, my dwindling eyesight (I'm near-sighted and it's getting worse.), and my constantly saturated brain were the results of my first semester in law school.

It's not fun. It's challenging definitely, but not fun.

We're constantly bombarded with essay questions which seem more like trick questions, rather than an essay ones. MCQs are hecka confusing, and the teachers, well, some of them are exactly the devil personified.

And so, I am left confused and torn yet again.

During my first week of law school, the Dean of our College told us that being in law school required a lot of sacrifices - some small, some big - all of them essential in order to survive law school.

She said that, "Law School is a jealous mistress...". Most of the working-students were discouraged from employment if it's possible for them to study without any distraction. And this advice came with good reason: law school really is tough.

And this topic, I would like to relate with the promise I made a month ago: I promised not to abandon writing my SoEul fanfiction entitled "Keeping the Casanova". In fact, I even promised not to quit writing fanfics.

I haven't posted an update for a month already, and this has been a constant source of heartbreak. I feel that as a writer, I've failed in the most basic task of posting new chapters for my readers.

And I don't even have much time to write because most of my time is spent on reading, studying and memorizing. What's left of it, I use to rest and help out with the chores at home. (I'm the eldest daughter. Imagine the responsibility.)

As of the moment, I am in deep contemplation. (Not to mention, confused as hell.)

I have been writing for eight years now - admittedly, that is not such a short time and something that is not easy to give up.

I don't want to give up writing fanfics.
I don't want to give up writing Keeping the Casanova.
I don't want to give-up SoEul.
I don't want to give up being shattered teardrops.

...but it's as if I'm driven to the edge and forcefully pushed to choose between two things I highly value.

School or Writing?

The decision is heartbreaking. =(



regards,
shatteredteardrops

Newly Wed

... Chapter 20 of Keeping the Casanova.

First things first!

I was supposed to post the whole update on Saturday evening after or Sunday morning if in case I wasn't able to finish all of it by the Saturday... I even planned to write a 5,000-worded chapter just to make the readers happy...

I even announced it on Twitter.

But then, a blackout happened for more than 10 hours so I wasn't able to complete the chapter on time. Hence, I only posted it now... Truthfully, I apologize. *sigh*

I know you guys have been waiting so long for this. I'm sorry...

Anyways...

REPLIES:

babypillow - I know, right? =) Thanks for the comment.

leighannechan - You're welcome! Han Byul was really meant to drop unto Ji Hoo because he's the only F4 without so much conflict to handle.. so yeah. =)

great.am - Ahahaha I'm glad your heart is now appeased!

dee:) - Yep, I'm crazy by putting twists like that. Hee.

rawrritsgracex3 - Yep, Philippines!!! XD

Ahr3um - You're welcome! haha Everything at school is... Well, I'm not even gonna touch on that topic because it's tough. haha

alasdair_vahn - Well, I'd like to call it motherly instincts. All of them are at the age of marrying, anyways, right? =)

sapphirever - To answer your question, YES, I can and will write a Rated Chapter when it all comes down to that. =)

paradoxist - Thank you for the comment! Hee. I just love how I can twist things in a story sometimes.

teresaa- - Ooohhh... I love surprising twists! Don't you? haha

Trixie9394 - The Baby is actually Ji Hoo's sister but the Mom is not Ji Hoo's Mom because baby Han Byul is the product of a scientific insemination. I hope that cleared things up!

kly8 - ahaha Yeah, I agree! XD

deep.dreamer - WHUUTTT??? Ahahaha That, I would like to see!!! But then, not really. XD

jaequeen - Ahahaha It's alright... They will have time together... soon. *winks*

isdupt15 - Yeah... I do think they should consummate their marriage in the Philippines, though! XD

xBeckkii - Uh oh... Why do you think something bad will happen???

iLuvBlackCoffee - I promise never to abandon this fic! I swear! It's going to take long to post updates but I will not stop! =) Actually, there's going to be a twist with Woo Bin's condition as well. XD Oh, and I was also planning for something to happen in the Philippines!

akemi_cho - Thank you for the comment! It's alright if you can't really comment on every chapter. I understand. =)

shar0nsaurus - The honeymoon will come in due time. I promise. Hee.

iaimeyouS2 - You're welcome and thank you for the comment! =)

batta - Ahahaha They will be intimate... when I say so! XD Patience, patience, patience...

babsy10 - Aww... It's alright. I understand is you're busy. =) Good luck with your clinical internship!

sylvia_psf - Thank you! XD

L_H_R  - I PAWNED ANOTHER SILENT READER!!! YEAAAAAAAHHHHH!!! haha Thank you for reading!!! =)

Everyone, sorry for the long wait! Hope you enjoy the update! =)

regards,
shatteredteardrops

Busy~

I just started law school last June 6, 2011. And I just got through my first six days in law school. It was effing hellish, I tell you.

Nevertheless, I'm not here to talk about that.

Anyways, before classes started, I mapped out goals to do before I run out of free time. Unfortunately, I was not able to complete any of those goals because I had been very occupied with a lot of things.

Secondly, I would like to inform you all that my writing is going to take the back seat for now. Law school is demanding, and exhausting, and stressing and - It's crazy.

I just got through my first week and I'm already very dizzy with all the work I have to do, and all the cases I have to read and digest.

Truth be told, if I see another case, I'm going to barf. And that's saying much because I have to study 16 cases tomorrow for my graded recitation on Monday. And 200 more cases before Friday.

And what's more hellish is the fact that before I sleep at night since last week, I have been thinking of a fantasy romance plot for a story, and have been polishing character details in my mind. What's hellish is the fact that I don't have time to put it into paper!!! ARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!

I've also been itching to write an update for Keeping the Casanova and for He Caught Me but I just don't have the effing time!

It's disappointing and frustrating, plus the fact that my stress levels are soaring high up because of law school - my sanity has been treading on a very thin thread and very soon, I'm gonna snap. And when that happens, I will have to bitch-slap someone senseless to relieve stress. (Any volunteers?)

Anyways, that's it.

I'm not really going on a temporary hiatus, but I will have to say that I'm not going to be updating as frequently as before. Please understand and please be patient. You're going to be of a lot of help to me if you just be patient. Thank you very much.



regards,
shatteredteardrops

The Quiescent Kind

... a one-shot.

Just to clarify any questions...

YES, I AM DaniFire

I made two versions: one for Soompi, the non-gasoo version, and the Wattpad & FictionPress version. I cater to different readers so I decided to make two versions.

The Quiescent Kind

Teaser/Preview

Dear May,

Let me start by quoting the eternal words of our favorite ol’ William… "Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, And therefore is winged Cupid painted blind..." You made a mistake because you were in love with him but I still do think that it was better that you knew everything before it was too late.

Then, let me add my own quote because I know ol’ William and I share the same passion for poetry… “It is better to lose a lover… Than to love a loser.”

I know that no truer words have ever been spoken. And I know you’re probably rolling your eyes out because of sheer exultation for the showcase of my poetic prowess.

Ah, well, if you must know, I am honor-bound to act like a dork and sound completely idiotic just to make you feel better. But seriously, Baby Girl, this is the moment of truth. I’m completely being serious here… No sh*t!

-oOo-

POSTERS AND CHARACTER CHARTS:

In light of the two versions, I also made two posters & character charts.

The Original Fiction Version poster & character chart (For Wattpad).

The Soompi Non-Gasoo Version poster and character chart. (For Soompi Forums)

 

NOTE:

The Original version will be uploaded on FictionPress under DaniFire and on Wattpad under shatteredteardrops.

The Soompi version will be posted on Soompi Forums under DaniFire because it's been so long since I've used that account. =)

LINKS:

The Original Fiction Version - Wattpad & FictionPress.

The Soompi Non-Gasoo Version - Soompi Forums

What a shocking development in my writing career, isn't it? =)

regards,

shatteredteardrops a.k.a. Dia a.k.a. Dani a.k.a. DaniFire

To The Readers of...

...The Crimson Insignia & Ignominy,

First off, I would like to apologize for dragging you all into a world solely existing inside my mind, and leaving you hanging for several months. For making you wait, for making you expect, for making you excited... only to disappoint you in the end...

I'm sorry.

There is no excuse for such behavior and I solely take the blame for my mistake.

I have been in a constant battle against myself these past few months, trying to discern just what exactly should I do with my story. There were moments when I was caught up in a block, but pressed on and posted an update for you, guys... Those moments made me breathe a sigh of relief, but I knew that I was slowly losing the will to continue.

Don't get me wrong. Before I start any story, I have already laid out the trail of twists that will follow. I have always been a planner. The planning and the twists to put in the story is not the problem.

The problem is the lack of motivation. The lack of will to continue. It is not something that readers can demand for. It is something intangible and intimate that exists between a story and the writer.

Every story that I have created is like a child of mine, since it is something that came out of my own hands. I tend to it with care, late-night brainstorming and endless hours of typing. The work simply does not end after I post the first chapter. In fact, the needs of these "children"of mine increase once they are released into the vast world of the web.

I have had the opportunity to mother several "children". And I do admit it is hard. After all, I lead a double life. An offline life, and an online life. It's especially exhausting when my off-line life gets hectic and I have to get away from my online life for long periods of time.

When I started these stories, I really wanted to finish them.

But along the way, things didn't work out, and I just have to let go.

I perfectly knew that if I continued to write these stories despite the lack of motivation, it wouldn't be something that "the best of me" created. It will not have my heart in it. It would be like updating for the sole satisfaction of the readers, but without me in it. It would be like raising a child without love.

And so, I decided to discontinue writing TCI and Ignominy.

Since these stories are children of mine, I do not have the heart to kill them and say good-bye. Rather, I'd want to say "See you later" to them. I am not merely proposing an indefinite hiatus from writing these stories, rather I want to shelf them up and open them for later - a time when I can look at them again and maybe have the strength to correct my mistakes and finally finish them.

To sum up, I would like to apologize for not finishing the stories I've started. I apologize for starting an adventure with you guys, and not being able to finish it up until the very end.

I take all the blame and I apologize.

Sincerely,
shatteredteardrops

Love and Lust

...Chapter 17 of Keeping the Casanova

Before I post the replies, I hope you guys don't mind if I rant a little bit.

Today isn't a very good day for me. My Dad left to work overseas, and I don't know when I'll be able to see him again. It was an abrupt departure and we weren't really expecting it. All of a sudden, he just received a call from his agency at 10 in the morning and by mid-day, he had to go to the airport and leave.

I was still asleep when he left. He didn't say good-bye. And I actually prefer it that he didn't.

Okay.

REPLIES:

swtxlilqt95 - Secret!!! wahahaha

inday_yu - Han Byul's appearance in the lives of the F4 definitely rocked their world. They're now thinking of their own futures! =)

natashaz - You have been added to the PM List!

yeongweonhi02stary - Well, I am trying my best to juggle out the three pairings I have going on in this fic. haha

alasdair_vahn - Correct! Han Byul is that influential! LOL.

Trixie9394 - I don't think Ga Eul is the one Kristofer Valfrid is looking for. =)

dee:) - Yeah, well, I kind of still don't know what to write about them at the moment so I'm diverting some attention towards the other pairs. LOL. I'm abnormal.

leighannechan - Me, too! I can't wait! XD

Ahr3um - Why do I get the feeling that you read minds? Especially mine? Wahahaha

deep.dreamer - LOL. Possibly. haha

teresaa- - Ji Eun's identity is finally revealed in Chapter 17, plus the introduction of another character! XD

kly8 - Kristofer Valfrid's story shal be unveiled in the near future. *winks* Oh, if Ji Hoo pancakes are sold somehwere, I'd buy at least a dozen! Along with Ji Hoo! Bwahahahaha (lunatic  fan-girl mode)

carylmeasblue - I think so, too! LOL.

aliceex - Thank you! It's alright! =)

iaimeyouS2 - Haha Not really. XD

jaequeen - Whoah... What do you think will happen?! Tell me!!! I'm just curious... haha

sylvia_psf - Thank you! And your welcome! =)

isdupt15 - There is a reason why I'm still not writing about SoEul. *winks*

-oOo-

IMPORTANT NOTES:

For Chapter 17, the highlights are:

• Ji Eun's real identity is revealed.
• A new character is introduced.
• More on Jae Kyung & Woo Bin. 

I didn't write an update on SoEul because in all honesty, Chapter 17 is a filler chapter which will only fill space for a bit of development dedicated to the minor characters. Next Chapter, I'm going to drop nukes and bombs regarding SoEul as well as the real Father of Han Byul. Watch out for it! =)

Thank you so much for your continued support! =)




regards,
shatteredteardrops

Will be AFK for two weeks..

AFK means Away From Keyboard..

I will be away from writing, posting and updating in the coming two weeks because of two reasons: 1.) Processing my law application, 2.) Trying to find employment for my lazy ass.

Seriously, the law application has been dragging on for too long because of the fact that the teachers, whose signatures I need to have on a piece of paper called a clearance, aren't showing up when I need them to.

Also, I just happened to take note of a job opening in a government office where I did my on-the-job-training. They have an opening for a clerical position so I was hoping I could apply.

Since law classes start at 5PM in the afternoon, I have the whole day free. That would be just enough time for me to take on a part-time job or a full-time one.

Wish me luck! =)

Will update after I'm through with these responsibilities...

regards,
shatteredteardrops

Good and Bad

I just started my Twitter Account!

Let's be friends!

Follow me on Twitter! I'll follow you back! =)

Chapter 14 of Keeping the Casanova.. 

REPLIES:

__krazydaisy96 - Thank you! I will! =)

__carylmeasblue  - Thank you! YesS!! I survived College!!! Bwahahahaha! I am so awesome! XD Good luck to you, too! Law school, well, yeah... I bet it'll be hecka busy but I will still continue this story.=) Puahahaha! Get me as your lawyer? I wouldn't do that if I were you. I have a tendency to fan-girl at random times. LOL. XD Kidding!

__alasdair_vahn - Thank you! I'm still thinking for the twist of the DNA test though... Bwahahaha!

__dee:) - Thank you! Yep, I'm trying to enjoy my break for now. Hopefully, I get to accomplish lots of things... *keeps fingers crossed* GO AWAY LAZINESS!!! XD

__Trixie9394 - Thank you! I haven't actually gotten into a law school yet. I have to take entrance exams first. =) And thank you to you, too, for patiently waiting for me to get out of my hibernation from writing. =)

__kly8 - Thank you! =)

__Ahr3um - Thank you! XD hahaha There's going to be a twist on Han Byul's parentage. *winks*

__auriella_varela - Thank you! I'm not yet a law student, by the way. I still have to take an entrance exam to qualify. The exams are to be given starting next month so I still have a few weeks before I officialy become a law student. =)

__deep.dreamer - haha Not yet... That's just the tip of the iceberg, baby. *winks*

__inday_yu - A twist shall come on the result of teh DNA test! XD

__jayz79 - Thank you for the patience and the comment! =)

__mangga2711 - Thank you! Hope everything goes well for you, too! =) And thank you so much for the patience in waiting for my updates!

__yeongweonhi02stary - The Casanova taking care of the baby would be epic... Plus, being assisted by the other F4! Damn! That would be sooooo LOL. XD hahaha Thank you! Yep, memorisation and stuff... Ugh... I get goosebumps just thinking about it.

__jaequeen - Woo Bin and Jae Kyung, well, haha I think I'll update about them on the next chapter... Not in this one. =)

__iaimeyouS2 - Well, I bet you're nice in your own way, too. =) Thank you and thank you to you, too, for the patience and support!

__leenie2236 - I love writing about them, too! XD Do I like Mario? Heck, I ASDFGHJK LOVE HIM!!! I first saw him in Crazy Little Thing Called Love, then in Love of Siam... haha You're Thai? Cool! XD

__sapphirever - I couldn't agree more. XD

__paradoxist - The real appa of the baby is.... *dun dun dun dun* *winks*

__leighannechan - You're welcome, and thank you for the comment, too!

__teresaa- - haha The Mafia and The Heiress... I think that's a cool title! Hmmm...

__swtxlilqt95 - Good luck on your studies! Hope you do well! =)

-oOOo-

Everyone, thank you so much for the support! =)

regards,

the nonviolent torturer,

shatteredteardrops

Edit and Fix

Today, starting 5 o'clock in the afternoon, I edited the messed up code tags of Ignominy on Soompi Forums... I briefly stopped for dinner and continued editing again. Currently, it's 11:18 in the evening and I've finally finished fixing the messed up tags of all 26 Chapters.

I also have to fix the messed up tags of my other stories on Soompi. Don't ask my why I trouble so much... I'm OCD like that...

Here's a small preview of how the newly fixed Ignominy thread on Soompi Forums look like...

Anyways, just to get some points across, I would like to clarify that I'm not abandoning my unfinished stories. Everything is just so crazy right now because I'm graduating from College on March 25.

Although it has crossed my mind to just abandon my stories when my flashdisk got lost, I realized that my stories are my children. They're the offspring of my love for writing and my late-night typing, so if I abandon them, it's just like abandoning my children... And I just can't take that...

So, hopefully, within the next few weeks, I finally conjure an update for you guys.

Again, I apologize for the long wait. Please bear with me...

ANNOUNCEMENT: INDEFINITE HIATUS

To My Readers,

I regret to inform you that I will be going in an indefinite hiatus from writing my current unfinished stories. I have been struggling since last year to post updates and I'm really sorry to inform you that my schedule really isn't being very helpful right now.

Like I've said over and over again, I am a Senior in College and I'm still struggling to graduate this year. Hopefully. I have an on-the-job training to take care of, plus a Thesis to complete (I haven't even started it yet.). That and the usual school load including projects, exams and stuff like that.

Also, I have a lot of extra-curricular activities lined up. I'm part of our University's Debating Team and I've got a series of Debates lined up where I'm supposed to travel to far places. We just won the Regional Competition in Oxford-Oregon Format for the Philippine Association of Universities and State Colleges yesterday. That means, I and my team mates are going to have to proceed to the National Level of the Competition on February 20-21, 2011. I don't exactly know where we're going for the National Level. I'm not sure if it's going to be in Isabela or in Vigan but surely, we're going to have to travel.

Aside from that, I'm also going to compete in a Debate Competition among Political Science students all over the Philippines on January 28-30, 2011 using the Australasian Format of Debate, and that will be in Iligan. That's pretty far from where I am so that means travel as well.

So, yeah, I have no choice but to announce an indefinite hiatus from writing, and practically my online life as Shattered Teardrops. I apologize for this but I hope you understand that I have other priorities to settle aside from writing.

The Readers

  (a completely random essay by Shattered Teardrops about Readers and Reading.)

There is that certain power coming from a reader’s mind which brings the characters of a book to life; a power that is only given to the very few whose solitary silences are spent in the company of books. 

(c) JaneMere @ DeviantArt.com

It is a strange power but a wonderful one nonetheless, for it liberates readers from the physical constraints of their surroundings and gives them wings to fly through time and space without moving an inch from where they are standing or sitting.

This power is imagination – the very power to picture people, things and culture that may have not existed within the reader’s time or within the reader’s culture.

Reading allows the reader to glimpse into the minds and hearts of the characters within the book who are whole-heartedly written by the Author; and in a small indirect way, the reader and Author meets through these characters.

Whereas the Author teaches and weaves a series of events through words, the reader learns and rides the emotions and situations presented by the characters and their circumstances. And within the pages of a book, imagination makes the reader grow, learn and experience various things.

One can say that a Reader is a special being bestowed with such a power to be enlightened through the words inscribed within the pages of a book. He is given the unrestrained power of the mind to freely run where the book directs it to go.

And with each and every book a Reader reads, his heart soon follows and experiences the same guiding emotions felt by the characters. Not only the reader is an enlightened person to understand the complexities of human relationships as described within the books, he is also a compassionate person to be able to relate and feel the same emotions as the characters.

(c) ElementsOfPersuasion @ DeviantArt.com

Although the words within the book describe everything there is within the story, the Reader is freely given the liberty to read between the lines or not. At some point within the story, the Author loses control of the little things and details which the Reader’s mind makes up for.

Yes, the Author is responsible for the story and the characters; but it is the Reader who is responsible for the story’s interpretation and therefore, holds a more powerful position than the Author. Once the book leaves the Author’s hand and reaches the palm of the Reader, the Reader’s power is invoked and there… the magic starts.

Whoopie! KTC Update!

Don Juan's Dilemma - Chapter 11 of Keeping the Casanova...

This Chapter didn't include SoEul. Why? Simple. They're still having a Lover's Quarrel and Ga Eul seems pretty upset so I decided to shift the spotlight towards Woo Bin and Jae Kyung for a little bit.

This Chapter also drops nukes about the sexual lives of the F4!!! *gasp* Got you, didn't I? keke

You may notice that this chapter isn't as comedic as the previous chapters because I'm trying to lay down the foundation for future conflicts within the story. Also, this chapter humanizes Don Juan a little bit. It gives us a glimpse of his vulnerability beneath the tough exterior. =)

I'm not going to say anything more about this chapter so you guys should just check it out. =)

Hope you like it!

Oh, and yeah, I've been meaning to write personal replies for the readers of Keeping the Casanova but I just don't seem to have that much free time. I'm in my Senior year in College so yeah... Am busy as hell.

Anyways, I finally found some time to write personal replies! YAY ME!! XD

So, for those who commented on Chapter 10 of Keeping the Casanova, here are the replies! =)

__krazydaisy96 - I PAWN ANOTHER SILENT READER!!! Bwahahahaha!!! teehee Sorry for that. It's just that, I feel like I've done something really great to be able to make silent readers comment. =) Thank you for reading my story! I apologize for the slow updates... Blame school for that. T_T But I'm still updating no matter what, right? At least... Oh, and yeah, you've been added to the PM List!

__inday_yu - Ga Eul is a sweet girl and the baby is adorable but she's still mad at Yi Jung, right? hehe As for the mother, well, let's just say I've got things planned up for later... =)

__SwtAznStar18 - Oh yeah... Infidelity is really something that's hard to forgive... I haven't experienced it first hand but that would really feel like shit... *shrug* Hopefully, it's not Yi Jung's child.

__ 01x_baybee - Including an innocent baby in a possible prank isn't fun. =(

__Baby_joon15 - You think Ji Eun is the mother? Hmm... I'd rather not comment. Bwahaha! I'm evil like that, yo!

__xxSanityx - Glad I made your day! Hopefully, I made your day with this update too! =)

__iHEARTTyooh - Yeah... But our Ga Eul is strong so hopefully, she gets through all of this and finally have her honeymoon with Yi Jung. XD I'm so looking forward to the honeymoon!

__nina218 - Thank you. I'm trying to update when I can... Well, I'm still struggling. *sigh*

__sylvia_psf - Han Byul belongs to...? ME!! XD Joking, joking... =)

__isdupt15 - But of course Ga Eul is motherly! She and Yi Jung are going to have a baby in the future after all... keke But of course, honeymoon first. XD

__syalovee - I don't want Ga Eul heartbroken too! That would definitely break my heart! =(

__jaequeen - Glad you liked that part! I loved writing it too! haha Jae Kyung and Woo Bin make an awesome pair! XD

__lildragongurl - Well, what's a good story without some conflicts to go with it, right? I'm trying to build up some conflict hence the depressing start. keke But it'll all fall into place... eventually. =)

__alasdair_vahn - The mother's reaction is different than what you guys expected, right? Well, it's not really because I'm being inconsistent with her character. It's just that... I'm humanizing her. Some fics always has the scary mother but I'd rather have the character of a mother with a complex personality other than just plain scary or evil. =) I'm weird like that so don't mind me. keke

__kly8 - I'm hoping it's not Yi Jung's child too! Then whose is it?!

__corrupted.soul - Woo Bin + Jae Kyung = WIN!! haha You agree, right? *winks*

__wlimilk - The Sweden guy will come out again... In the future chapters. Let's just reveal one thing at a time, shall we? *winks* You've been added to the PM List!

__teresaa- - Babies. F4. Amnesiac. Monkey slave. If I didn't know what you were talking about, I'd probably think you'd gone looney! haha And to be honest, I don't think everything is coming together yet... I'm weird, I know. =)

__ yeongweonhi02stary - Glad you liked the end! I had fun writing that! haha

__paradoxist - I'll ask the same question back to you! Whose baby is it?! haha

__ trippi - You've been added to the PM List! Thank you for reading! =)

__dee:) - Babies are always cute, right? I love babies! Ji Eun's background and development will come later though... I'm struggling about which pairing to prioritize... Although I love SoEul, Jae Kyung and Woo Bin are irresistible! Argh! What painful dilemma! haha

__swtxlilqt95 - Yi Jung's Mom? Hmm... I won't answer that... haha Technically, Ji Hoo and Woo Bin doesn't have girlfriends yet... Just potential ones. XD

__Mizz_Ana_cutez - I apologize for the short Chapter 10. I'll admit it was a rushed chapter. I had to make with what little time I had. Hopefully, I'll have more time to write in the future. =)

__babsy10 - More like... I'm the evilest author because I gave them problems within the first few months of their marriage. LOL. keke

__batta - Was the baby planted by Yi Jung's Mom? Or is she Ji Eun's daughter? wahaha I'm toying with your mind! keke joking! XP

__noona - She'll come through it! Our Ga Eul is strong! HWAITING!!

__ iaimeyouS2 - haha I know, right? This is a completely different Ji Hoo than the one we saw on TV! But he's more fun! XD

__Ahr3um - Glad you like it! hehe Don't worry. You're already added to the PM List so you'll get a PM every time I post a chapter. =)

__cookielover - You've been added to the PM List! Thanks for reading!

__aliceex - Babies are lovable so who wouldn't be attached. hehe Well, Ji Hoo seemed the most dependable out of the F4. Who would have thought that he was the sneakiest? LOL.

__shar0nsaurus - Thank you for reading! =)

__Trixie9394 - As I've said, Jae Kyung and Woo Bin are awesome! haha Sure, you've been added to the PM List! Thank you for reading!

___mangga2711 - Apology accepted. And I, too, would like to apologize for taking so long to update... Life gets really hectic sometimes... *sigh*

___virtuosorosiny - F4 Babies = The Next Generation = WIN!!! I like the idea of that! haha I can just imagine the F4 trying to deal with their teenage daughters and sons... Hopefully, they get to be in-laws! That would be so cool! XD

__pers3as - Thank you! Glad you love my stories... =) It's really hard for me to have a fixed update time right now because I'm in my Senior Year in College. School is top priority so yeah... Hope you understand.

__belle6022 - Omo! haha Is this another Jae Kyung and Woo Bin shipper I see? *wiggles eyebrow* I see a sister in you! XD

__ rawrritsgracex3 - Not yet... Technically, Woo Bin and Ji Hoo don't have official girlfriends yet, remember? haha Nah... I don't think Jae Kyung and Woo Bin would include a baby in their plan... The baby's a person, not a toy... hehe You've been added to the PM List, by the way! Thanks for reading!

To everyone, thank you so much for the continued support!
I apologize for the slow updates...
Life really gets so hectic sometimes. =(

regards,
shatteredteardrops

Impending Face-Off...

Chapter 34 of The Crimson Insignia...

I know this chapter isn't much, that's why I'm going to admit that it's a filler chapter. It fills the gaps between key situations I've planned for the story. If I could compare this chapter into the engine of the car, well, let's just say that it would be the cables and wires connecting the different machines inside the car that make up the engine. It's small, long, winding and tangled... but it connects everything. =)

Hopefully, you guys enjoy this because I will be dropping nukes in the next chapters after this one! And when I say nukes, of course, not only do I mean action nukes but comedic ones as well. =) I gotta tell you, guys, if you're reading a story written by me... you have to expect the unexpected.

I love twists! =)

By the way, I will be off for a 3-day Educational Trip to Manila next week. I won't bring my laptop with me and thus, that's going to three days without sneaking off to write anything. *sigh*

Now, unto the replies!

REPLIES:

___-quiescent - LOL. Whaddya know? Taiki is a Miharu&Shin shipper! haha Thanks for the comment! XD

___cahaya - Whoah... I'm so jealous. T.T I don't even know if I'll have a chance to visit South Korea...

___LOO5LOO - haha If I make them kiss more often then it wouldn't be as special, right? *winks* I'm not really good with portraying subtleties so I keep the romance slowly building. It's more... thrilling that way, I guess. XD

___STEPHiiiEx3 - Shin and Miharu moments will come waaaaaaay later... but what's important is, they'll come. =)

___asianekawaii - Omo... Really? The secret meaning behind the kiss on the forehead is 'he trusts her'? I didn't know that... Thanks!

___betty_7_30 - I'd say the prankster is very obvious... Oh, I updated on your birthday?! Erm... Belated Happy Birthday!!!

___miss_dolly - I guess we can safely conclude that all spies are sneaky... And Shin is sneaky in a good way... right? XD

___seorero - Taiki's role from the very beginning has been the comic relief. He's supposed to be the annoying character. haha Besides, he's still lovable. XD

___popo_chan_xo - You've been added to the PM List! Thank you for reading! =) Akira? The brother? I wouldn't really proclaim that yet... The identities are still not known. haha As for the brother, well, there's a reason why he can't take over the yakuza clan... *winks*

___Princess_Wincyy - Did Taiki want to make them jealous? Well, I doubt he wanted to... But he sure did want to mess with them a little! =)

___SHINEjaejoong - I think the identity of the prankster has been obvious right from the start... haha

___SwtAznStar18 - Pent up frustration? I kind of like the idea of that... It's like a volcano... It just suddenly errupts! Oh, how I would enjoy writing the scene when everything simply errupts! Bwahaha! I shall build more frustrations 'til then. =)

___rainn - Ooooohhh... Welcome! Hope you enjoy reading! XD

___beef taco - I have a fondness for lines that make people melt and gooey... haha Shin was heart-melting, wasn't he? *winks*

___xXKymmXx - You're welcome! Hope you liked it! =)

___teresaa- - It sucks when I want to write but things seems to messed up and busy. T_T Makes me sad sometimes... huhu But I'm trying my best to write. Hopefully, I get more free time...

___babsy10 - Her bike's tires got spiked... Tsk... Stupid prankster.

___leighannechan - Glad you liked it! A kiss is always a welcomed scene, isn't it? LOL. Thank you!

___dyang4 - He sure did show them! haha

___xsweeetzx - You've been added to the PM List! Thank you for reading! Oh, and good luck on catching up! =)

___Ashling - LOL. YOU MADE ME LOOOOOOOL BIG TIME! HAHAHAHA =)

___LeeYan1025 - Oh... I Soeul fan! Hello! You've been added to the PM List! =) Ermm... Although, I have to warn you that this is very different from the soeul stories I write... You've been warned. =) And Welcome!



Hope you guys enjoyed this update! =)


regards,
shatteredteardrops

Formspring me! + TCI Chapter 32

Ask me anything and I'll my best to answer honestly. =)
Just don't ask for spoilers about my stories because
I would not answer them. haha

-//-//-//-//-//-

TCI Chapter 32: Friends and Foes

Whoah... It's been so long since I've posted an update. I apologize. Classes just started for me again two weeks ago and I'm still trying to get a fixed and somehow stable schedule where I could fit my writing in.

Good news is... my schedule is a bit lax!

Bad news is(are)... I'm a member of our University's Debating Team. I'm also the head officer for the creation of a Debate Society in our University. My sister and I just recently decided to do part-time work as tutors for grade school pupils.

Yes, I'm a bit busy at the moment.

REPLIES:

__cahaya -As usual, thank you for your detailed comment! =) You really are a fanfic addict, aren't you?

__dyang4 - You're welcome! haha I've got you intrigued, didn't I?

__potion - Oh, it's okay if you can't comment on every chapter. I'm a little lazy myself. =)

__pkv
"and shin basically told the grandpa that he likes her right?" -Yep. XD

__nalouche
" I'm a bit confused though I don't remember her saving him" - At the Charity Ball. Miharu risked her life just to get back to him since he was trapped in a room-full of bad guys. hehe

__simpleangel
"Sucks how he's still a bodyguard to her." - THIS. I agree.

__xXKymmXx - Thank you! Glad you liked it! =)

__TOPsarang
"about time they kissed =3=
--> i sound like a creeper" - Don't worry. You're not the only one thinking that! haha ILY too!

__miss_dolly - Thank you! Glad you liked the 'juicy' chapter. haha

__babsy10
"what a way to fess up his feelings to his future grandfather in law who is actually holding your pretty neck hahaha..." - I was cracking up with the 'pretty neck' part. teehee!

__betty_7_30 - Lt. Nakamura is such a meanie! haha But I loved that part. =)

__lady_luv
"lt nakamura just waits for long enough for miharu to respond to the kiss eh???
does miharu still have feelings for ryou?" - Haha Yes, Lt. Nakamura wanted to see some of the juicy parts as well. XD As for Miharu having feelings for Ryou, well, I think she's a bit confused. She hated the man for the last two years of her life and drastically changed herself to get even with him right?

__pinkslippers - Let me guess, the kiss scene blew your mind away? haha

__mangoes_ - Shin is ALWAYS cute. =3 I sound biased, don't I?

__Princess_Wincyy - Yay for Lt. Nakamura! XD

__SHINEjaejoong
"That must've been soooo awkward for Shin, since Lt SAW it!!!! Eeek!" - I don't know about Shin but if it were me, I would want to evaporate! Imagine a senior officer seeing you make-out. haha

__teresaa-
"you are so violent.
D;
YOU LET NAKAMURA INTERRUPT WHEN IT WAS GETTING HOT." - Mee? Violent? *innocent eyes* I didn't do anything bad. I just made Lt. Nakamura interrupt a make-out session. haha

__shushshuckspui
"omg my heart totally goes out for shin!!! (which i always imagine to be jaejoong)." - Jae Joong is my self-proclaimed husband! Awww... Shin has been doing so much...

__curiousitykills
"time to eliminate his ex-bf!
you just didn`t know how much i was craving for Shin and Miharu moments!" - When you say it like that, you almost sound like an assassin. haha Evil much?

__reddynamitez
"great chapter. especially the kissing scene.
it's about time. Why did the Lieutenant have to ruin the moment for?" - Because I wanted Lt. Nakamura to ruin it. haha I'm evil like that, yo! XD

__icecreamiie - Hiya! Glad you found me here too! hehe I rarely post up updates at FP anymore... I try when I get a lot of free time and that's very rare... Anyways, you're on the PM List now!

__BEBE_AN
"you have a way of making shin irresistible. if she doesn't want him, i'll take him : )" - You should know that you have a lot of competition for Shin. The other readers want him too. haha About the part where Shin murdered five people, the reason why I allowed Shin to shot them was his desperation. He was caught up in a lot of things. And this mistake was to show that Shin is merely human and he also makes mistakes. However, the truth will be revealed to him somewhere along the future chapters. =)

__s0fi3
"I stayed up till 12something in the morning trying to finish this today
but stayed up till 3 in the morning trying to get to chapter 18 yesterday:L
And being dead at school was all worth it" - I really appreciate the fact that you stayed up all night to read my story... But really, I'm a student myself. Being dead at school is not fun at all. haha When this happens to me, I usually fill myself with sugar and caffeine just to stay up. XD

To Everyone, thank you so much for the support!

regards,
shatteredteardrops

Some readers...

Readers read my stories because they like it. And I appreciate that. REALLY.

But what I don't like are the kind of readers who demand as if they actually PAY fanfic Authors like me to update. This post may come off as harsh, but I really get offended and irritated with readers who say things like:

"Yah! Why did it take for you to update so long?"
"ya, what took you so long to update, been waiting for this forever"

I appreciate it that some readers like my story enough to actually be impatient about when the next update will be. I'm a reader, too, and I get impatient as well so I perfectly understand that.

But I have to remind you guys that I write fanfics for free. I do the planning, typing and even editing, all by myself. Although I'm not a professional writer, I do my best to provide quality fanfics for the readers. And this, I also do for free, because I love writing.

Second, I HAVE A LIFE outside of writing. If you don't understand that, let me spell it out for you. I am a full-time College student. I'm the eldest daughter in our family. I have responsibilities which are more important than writing. The little time I have left for myself is spent on writing hence, I can't update often.

If you like my story enough, you can show your appreciation through the following:
BE PATIENT and WAIT 'TIL I UPDATE.

DO NOT DEMAND OR USE A DEMANDING TONE ON ME BECAUSE THAT IRKS ME.

I would understand if you demand an update in a joking manner. And I don't mind that because it's nicely expressed and it comes off as a joke from a reader to the writer.

If you say, "Update soon!" I think this would be enough reminder to tell me that you guys are waiting. In fact, this is a common comment I've read in almost every comment/review on my stories. And I've been so used to this that I don't find it infuriating anymore.

Third, the first and foremost reason why I write, is for self-fulfillment, self-expression and as a creative outlet. As you can see, all these are self-centered reasons. I do not write for the number of readers. I do not write for recognition.

I write for myself.

As a writer, I think that readers being able to appreciate my writing is already a bonus for the craft that I love doing. And this only motivates me to work harder... But is not the main reason why I write.

I am not reader-centric. I do not aim to please readers. If I did, I would have updated everyday with crappy and unedited chapters just to satisfy the readers' demand for an update.

If you are a reader of mine and you read this, I hope you understand why I am so infuriated with readers who only demand without even knowing what the Author has gone through. I have been sick these past few days that's why I wasn't able to update soon.

I think that as an Author of the fanfiction story that readers' follow and read, I am entitled to a bit of consideration from the readers. I do this thing for free! I do not demand payment! The least you guys could do is thank me and wait patiently for my updates!



regards,
shatteredteardrops