related to @garaks-padded-bra's post but i love seeing which particular episode people have seen one billion times, it reminds me of those pokemon polls where every pokemon gets at least one vote

Foolish

Summary: Being the new kid is hard right? Try moving across the world to attend the elite hero course at U.A. Unfortunately following the path of straight and narrow is difficult when you find a blonde ball of death throwing twists in it. Nobody said it was easy. New experiences, new friends, new interests...what could go wrong?

Chapter 4: Fine. Fight Me

Content Warning: adult language, Cringy Situations, slight mentions of grinding

WC: 1.4K

AN: This is what I was listening to when I wrote this :)

It was a restless sleep to say the least. First you were hot, then you were cold. Hours of tossing and turning had passed until you finally realized you weren’t going back to sleep. You stared out the window at the night sky for a while contemplating on what to with yourself.

Glancing at your phone to check the time, it indicated that there was still an hour until sunrise. You huffed and swung your feet over the edge of the bed. You padded quietly to the bathroom and flicked on the lights, wincing at the brightness.

You examined yourself in the mirror. You had faint dark circles under your eyes and disgusting eye boogers. You must have slept hard for the time you did sleep. Quickly you brushed your teeth and washed your face. Feeling slightly better, you brushed your hair and threw it up to get it out of your face.

When you retreated back to your room you opted to change your tank top into a sports bra with a loose cropped top. You put in your contacts carefully infront of the mirror hanging infront of your closet. Sliding some socks on, you picked up a pair of sneakers and headphones. Deciding to begin your work out, you took the three flights of stairs to the gym.

You paused for a moment infront of the gym doors to lace up your shoes. Making your way inside an audible gasp escaped you. The room was filled with expensive equipment. Rows of treadmills, bikes, bench presses, you name it, gleamed. “Planet Fitness doesn’t have shit on this place.” You drooled.

Finding an empty spot on the floor you began stretching. Once you were warmed up, your eyes darted from one thing to the next. Settling on running a few miles, you chose the treadmill in the corner, facing the wall. You clicked on your work out playlist and turned the volume up loud. You found you could think better with music flowing through your ears than silence.

You jogged for about 20 minutes before shifting to a run. The to do list for today formed rapidly in your head. You needed to buy the essentials, obtain a residency card and a metro pass, pick up your uniforms, and locate your hero costume. You didn’t exactly know where to go for any of these things, but you knew you needed to call Mr. Aizawa about the last part.

You began to think about your costume. You loved it with every fiber of your being. Designing it yourself, It was made to be a simple yet functional long sleeved black bodysuit. The sides were a breathable sapphire colored material. You adorned the same colored high boots with a thick heel that made it easy to run. Blue goggles were made especially to protect your eyesight from diminishing more, thick insulated gloves helped form your UV light, and a utility belt to hold your smaller support items.

Lost in your thoughts you realized you had ran about two miles and you were loosing steam. You turned off the treadmill, and tried to catch your breath. Your muscles ached and you shirt was sticking to your back. You felt gross. Closing your eyes you pulled up your shirt to wipe your face.

When you turned around and opened your eyes there stood Bakugo in all his shirtless glory. “Ugh, don’t look!” You cried out and pulled your shirt down, attempting to stretch the thin, white fabric over your stomach. If you weren’t mortified you probably would have tried to sneak a peak yourself. His cheeks dusted with a heavy blush as he dropped his weights onto the floor.

“I wasn’t fucking looking! You’re the one who flashed me!” He shouted, defensive he had been caught.

“I thought I was alone!” You crossed your arms over your chest, trying to make yourself feel small. You had a banging body that you weren’t ashamed of, but your cleavage hanging out of an old, ratty sports bra infront of a guy you didn’t know was a different story.

“You live with 20 extras! You’re never alone!” Bakugo argued. He stared at the floor, not making eye contact with you.

“Clearly!” Your own blush not faltering. “How long have you been here?”

“Just long enough to hear the whole rendition of that Chris Brown song. Jesus, I thought some stray dogs were going to break in.” He laughed. You threw your head into your hands. You had to get out of here.

You hastily made your way to the exit. “Go to hell.” You called over your shoulder.

“See you there, Cherry. ” Bakugo called after you. You paused dead in your tracks, anger taking over you.

“You just always have to get the last word in don’t you?” You were fuming at this point. You never let anything bother you, but you had enough. He didn’t have to be rude to you all the time.

“You started it.” Bakugo grunted, now gaining his full attention once again. “ Look, I don’t care who the hell you are or where the hell you came from, we can go right here. Right now.” Bakugo said through gritted teeth, maintaining a hardened stance.

Turning on your heel, you stomped towards him. He was built and had the advantage of a few inches on his side, but that didn’t matter. You had taken on far scarier enemies. Your gaze bore into his. Without breaking eye contact, you responded. “Fine. Fight me.”

You could have sworn your answer took him by surprise. His face faltered slightly before turning back into the grimace he wore well. “No quirks. I’ll be damned if I pay for one more thing in this shithole.”

“I don’t need it.” You hissed. Taking him by surprise you hit him in the face, hard. He groaned, but it didn’t affect him as much as you were hoping. Bakugo countered and hit you with a jab to the side. Thank god something told you to move so when he connected with you there was only half the impact.

You two were going at it hard. Every move he made you matched. It was a pretty equal fight overall. You didn’t hold anything back. You let out all your aggressions and frustrations onto him. He took them in stride. If you weren’t so focused on winning this battle you might have realized you were having fun.

“This is all you’ve got, Cherry?” Bakugo taunted as he blocked another one of your punches. You knew you needed to end it fast because you didn’t have a whole lot left in you. You managed to kick his leg out from underneath him and twisted his arm behind him as he fell. You landed ontop of his back, straddling him, and held his arm tightly in place.

“You don’t have to like me, Bakugo. But you will respect me.” You huffed, feeling accomplished you kicked his ass. You held his head down so he couldn’t escape. He squirmed under you as a string of curses left his mouth. You remained like this for a few moments until he stopped moving. Smiling, you let up on his arm slightly, assuming all the fight left his body. You were wrong.

Bakugo used the opportunity of you loosening the grip and flipped the two of you. Your back was planted firmly on the floor, pinned under the weight of him. He held your wrists down to your head with both of his hands.

You both were panting messes, chests rising to meet each other and falling back into place. “I’ll be damned if you tell me what to do, Cherry. ” He hissed, just loud enough to make your head swim. It was a compromising position to say the least. If anyone were to walk in they’d assume the worst. Hell, you were beginning to assume the worst.

You shifted under his weight, planning your escape. There was no point in trying to use your arms, so you used your lower half to wrestle against him. The friction you caused was dangerous. You both felt it. You felt something press into you and you knew it wasn’t his phone. The gym felt like it was five hundred degrees.

You struggled to find your voice. “My name is Y/N.” You whispered. Giving up, you stopped resisting. This time he ground his hips into yours, not breaking eye contact. You moaned in response. You felt yourself throbbing to the core. Bakugo wasn’t dumb, he could tell you enjoyed it.

He leaned down and his lips hovered over yours. You held your breath and closed your eyes, waiting for his to meet yours.

“I don’t give a fuck.” Bakugo peeled himself off of you and left you laying on the floor alone without another word.

You grabbed your chest, “What the hell just happened?”

~~~~~~~~~

AN: Hi all! So if you’ve read the chapters before this one was posted you might be confused why Bakugo is calling Y/N Cherry. Well, after brainstorming ideas of the future chapters a thought came to mind referring to the panty incident of 2021, “Lane, he can’t call the reader pinky...that’s Mina’s hero name.”

That was a total face palm moment. So if you go back you’ll see I changed the underwear to black with cherries on it. Ok, thanks for coming to my Ted Talk. 😬

Enough Pt. 13

A/N: Sorry for being a filthy liar you guys! I said I was going to post two days ago and I didn’t. I just needed to edit a couple scenes I wasn’t 100% happy with and that set me back. But thanks for your patience and support! You all know I love/appreciate feedback, so don’t be shy! Any way, here is the update and happy reading!

“So have you answered him yet?” Jaehyun asked, fingers caressing your arm as you cuddled on your couch. 

Once you woke up, you texted Jaehyun and told him you made it home okay and apologized for forgetting to message him. At the office, he was very attentive and apologized for being distant for the past few days. He admitted that he was worried because of the phone call you got from Namjoon and he thought that creating a little distance was going to make him feel a little better. Of course he realized it was a mistake and possibly the stupidest thing he could have ever done. He asked if he could come over to your place and stay the night. You agreed of course, happy that your boyfriend was going to spend some time with you and that the awkwardness was gone. After work you both came to your apartment, had dinner together and were now cuddling on the couch as you watched a movie. You were in a little bubble of bliss and nothing could ruin that. Not even the inevitable question of what answer you were going to give to Namjoon.

“I am going to tell him that I am not going to leave early.” You say with conviction in your voice. 

He sat up straight and looked at you perplexed. He knew how much you loved your job and you were amazing at it, so saying no to Namjoon was a big deal.

“Are you serious?” He asked, wanting to make sure he heard you correctly.

“Yes. There are plenty of people in Seoul who can take care of the projects he has lined up. But if he really feels like he needs me to oversee these projects, then I can do them from here via teleconference. My workload will significantly reduce now that all the final details are done. I just don’t want to be away from you.” You explain, looking into Jaehyun’s eyes.

“I am very happy to hear that. I just hope you’re doing this because you really want to and not because of me.” He says, giving you a soft kiss.

“I really want to. And I also want to be with you.” You say, leaning in to kiss him on the lips.

He deepens the kiss as he hovers over you, making you lay down on the couch, slightly opening your legs to accommodate his frame.

His fingers are quick to lift your shirt, rough pads skimming the soft skin of your stomach. You arched into him, the contact sending electric shocks through your body. You wrap your legs around his hips bringing him closer to you, wanting to feel him pressed up against you. Your fingers work fast to unbutton his shirt, slipping it off his frame and skimming his skin with your fingertips. He helped you pull your shirt off and discarded it on the floor, lips attaching to your neck, lightly biting the soft skin. You moaned as Jaehyun stained your skin, hands reaching behind you to unclasp your bra, kneading your breasts and slowly grinding into you. Your hands are quick to reach for his jeans, undoing his button and tried to pull his pants down. He pulled away from you to remove both his jeans and boxers, helping you remove your skirt and panties too. You gulped at the sight of his hard length and you could not handle it anymore. You pushed him so he was sitting upright and you straddled his hips, teasing his length with your wet folds.

“Don’t tease baby.” Jaeyun groaned, gripping your hips tight in an attempt to regain control.

“Patience baby.” You whisper, enjoying the strain in his voice. 

You decided to end his torture and aligned his length with your entrance. You sat down all the way and you both groaned at the feeling of your tight walls engulfing his length. You waited a few seconds to adjust before you started to undulate your hips, walls tightening around his length.

“Oh fuck.” Jaehyun moaned, throwing his head back against the couch.

You took advantage and bit his neck making him moan louder, which turned you on even more.

 You sped the movement of your hips, breath catching in your throat at the pleasure that coursed through your body. 

“Ah, yes.” You moaned, Jaehyun’s hands guiding your hips, increasing the friction against your clit. That sent electrical jolts through your body, a strong shiver shaking you. You grind your hips faster against Jaehyun’s, the angle hitting deep inside you and aided in the stimulation of your clit. Jaehyun popped a nipple into his mouth, sucking harshly as his other hand kneaded your other breast. The added sensations were all it took for you to reach your end. You moaned Jaehyuns name like a mantra, hips bucking wildly against his. The tightening of your walls was all it took for him to reach his end, a low moan leaving his lips as he filled you with his cum. 

Your hips slowed to a stop, hands still clutching Jaehyun’s sticky body against yours. His breath slowly turned to normal and it tickled the slick skin of your neck. He attached his lips to yours in a slow and sensual kiss, a warm feeling melting in your chest and spreading to the rest of your body. Your brain felt hazy and in that moment a single word came into your mind: Chanyeol. 

You pulled away from Jaehyun’s hips and wandering hands, receiving a confused look from his gorgeous face. 

“You okay?” He asks concerned, hands planted on your hips.

“Yeah. I just feel super sticky. I am going to head to the shower.” You say, hating yourself for lying to him and for thinking about Chanyeol in your post-coitus bliss. “Care to join me?” You say, a mischievous glint in your eye.

He chuckled and nodded his head, completely unaware of the stuff going on in your brain. God were you an asshole.

“Yes babe, I’ll be right in.” He says as he watched you get us from his lap, his soft member falling out of your entrance and his cum trailing down your thighs. The sight alone was enough to turn him on.

“Okay, don’t take too long.” You say in a sing-song voice as you quickly make your way to your bathroom, not wanting to make a mess on the floor.

Jaehyun was wiping himself when he noticed your phone was blinking, indicating that you had messages. He didn’t think anything of it but at that moment your phone vibrated again, illuminating the screen with a notification. Curiosity got the best of him and he looked at your screen, chuckling when he saw a Snapchat notification from Mark. He asked Mark why he had made you get the app and the young boy told him it was easier to send you funny videos and memes through there. You and Mark had a brother/sister relationship and Jaehyun thought it was cute. His smile slowly disappeared when he saw that you had three text messages from Chanyeol.

Chanyeol: I really appreciate it

Was what the preview message said in your Notification Center. He would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little bothered at the fact that Chanyeol was messaging you, but the message wasn’t incriminating. He was probably just talking about the great wok you did with the press release of him and Ara for the opening gala. Besides, Jaehyun trusted you and he felt a little guilty for even looking at your phone screen. He knew you had nothing to hide. He shook the weird feeling away and made his way to the bathroom where you and your hot wet body were waiting for him. 

___________________

You were typing away replying to emails when you were distracted by a soft knock on your door.

“Come in.” You mumble, not looking away from your computer screen.

“Hey.” The deep voice says as the person enters the office.

“Chanyeol?” You say confused, recognizing the voice right away.

“Sorry to barge in, I just wanted to stop by and say hi.” He says with a cheesy smile on his face.

You raise your eyebrow at him, a small chuckle leaving your lips.

“Well hi then.” You reply, making him shake his head.

“You’re so mean.” He whined playfully, sitting on the chair across from you.

“Yes please make yourself at home.” You say sarcastically, looking back to your screen to hit the send button for your last email.

“So, what brings you here?” You ask, finally looking at him.

“Well I was here meeting Wendy for some last minute details and arrangements for Ara’s travels.” He explains, leaning back in your chair.

“Hmm, and you decided to stop by?” You question, thinking how ridiculous that sounded.

“Yes, don’t make it weird.” He joked, leaning forward on your desk.

You eye him wearily and decide he probably was being sincere.

“So when do you go back to Korea?” You ask, deciding to be civil.

“Tomorrow morning.” He pouted, which made you chuckle.

“Well, safe travels then.” You said with a cheeky grin, making Chanyeol laugh.

“Really? Why are you being so cold?” He playfully whines, splaying his upper body on top of your desk.

“Okay, okay…” You relented. “I hope that your plane doesn’t crash.” You gave him a sarcastic smile, making him laugh and causing your desk to shake. 

“You are so rude.” He mumbles, reaching out in front of you and poking your hand with his index finger.

“I’m joking. But I do wish you safe travels, that’s not a mean thing to say.” You mention, not pulling your hand away for whatever reason.

 “I know. I don’t know, i was just expecting something else…” He trailed off, his whole hand splayed on top of yours.

The warmth of his hand was oddly comforting, but it also felt a little wrong.

“I’m not sure what else you were expecting, Chanyeol.” You say, nervously pulling your hand away from under his embrace.

He stared into your eyes, not breaking eye contact. 

“Hey babe ready to go?” Jaehyun says as he enters your office, stopping abruptly once he sees who is sitting at your desk.

“I’m sorry, am I interrupting something?” Jaehyun asks, hoping Chanyeol’s presence is strictly business related.

“No, Mr. Park was just leaving.” You smile, giving Chanyeol a pointed look, indicating that he should leave.

“Yes, I was just leaving. Once again, thank you for our time and hard work team captain.” Chanyeol said, giving you a small smile before exiting your office.

You walk up to Jaehyun and wrap your arms around his waist, embracing him in a tight hug and enjoying his warmth. You look up at him and smile, enjoying the sight of his beautiful face.

“Ready?” You ask, giving him a small peck on the lips.

“Yeah, I’m ready.” He agrees, holding your hand and heading to the elevator. 

Jaehyun feels a bit uneasy and he is not one hundred percent sure as to why. He knows that unfortunately Chanyeol has to be around because of work but that did not mean he was not weary of the man and the situation. He did not want to come off as insecure and jealous, he trusts you. It's Chanyeol he doesn’t trust and for some reason he feels that Chanyeol’s involvement in this project is more than just good exposure for him. 

 He doesn’t want to be that guy, but he is more than sure that Chanyeol is trying to get close to you. Jaehyun looks over at your face and smiles; he felt like a winner because you were next to him, holding his hand. 

______________

“Thanks for cooking dinner babe, it was delicious.” Jaehyun complimented while he helped take the dishes to the sink.

“No problem babe. Anything for you.” You wink, smacking his butt as you walk back to the table to wipe it down. 

He gasps in mock offense, claiming he wasn’t a piece of meat.

“I’ll wash the dishes babe.” He offered, being the gentleman he always is.

“Thanks babe, I’m going to wash up.” You say, excusing yourself and running into the shower. You were in desperate need for a hot shower to relax your muscles. 

You unknowingly left your phone on the kitchen counter and you got a text message at that moment. Jaehyun looked over and saw that it was a message from Chanyeol. Furrowing his eyebrows he debated whether or not he should let you know about your message. He ignored it and went back to the task at hand, scrubbing the dishes with unnecessary force. He was trying really hard not to lose his temper, but the fact that Chanyeol was texting you yet again was starting to annoy him. It was almost nine in the evening and he doubted that there were any business related issues that needed your attention at this moment. Your phone vibrated two more times and Jaehyun felt like he was going to go crazy. Before he could do something irrational, he grabbed your phone and headed to your bedroom. He needed the device away from him so he could concentrate on not chucking it out the window. 

“Oh, hey.” You say surprised as Jaehyun walks into your room with your phone in hand. You had just gotten out of the shower and you only had your towel wrapped around your body. Normally, that would turn Jaehyun on, but right now he couldn’t even focus on that.

“Here.” He says, dropping your phone on the bed. “It was vibrating a lot, so I decided to bring it to the room.” He explains, hoping his tone didn’t sound bothered. He did not want you to know he knew who was texting you. 

“Oh. Okay, thanks.” You say with a smile before Jaehyun walked out of the bedroom and back to the kitchen to finish cleaning up.

Later that night, Jaehyun lay awake in bed not being able to fall asleep. He stared at your peaceful sleeping face, admiring how cute you look. He finally found his comfortable spot on his side, facing you and he closed his eyes, ready for sleep to take over. It seems like you forgot to put your phone on silent mode because a text notification is what made Jaehyun open up his eyes again.  He could not believe someone was texting you this late, but it could be an emergency. Jaehyun carefully leans over you to grab your phone from your night stand. He knows your password so he types it in and checks your messages. He scrunches his nose when he sees it’s yet another text from Chanyeol.

Chanyeol: Have a good night. Sweet dreams ;)

‘What the fuck.’ Jaehyun mutters under his breath, now thoroughly annoyed at the fact that Chanyeol was sending you good night texts. Against his better judgement, he looks at your text chain from earlier when Chanyeol was blowing up your phone.

Chanyeol: Do you remember this night? That was fun!

                 [Image.jpg]

Me: when we were on a double date with Suho and Mina. yeah I remember.

Chanyeol: I had a lot of fun that day. Did you?

Me: Yeah it was alright.

Chanyeol: :( why are you being so cold?

Chanyeol: Helloooooo????

Chanyeol: Fine, I get it. I won’t message you xp

Chanyeol: Have a good night. Sweet dreams ;)

Jaehyun was furious after reading the messages. How dare Chanyeol show up out of nowhere and think this is okay? He looks over to your sleeping form once again, eyeing you suspiciously. You didn’t seem interested in engaging conversation with Chanyeol, but you were also not putting a stop to his advances. 

‘Stop it Jaehyun. You trust her.’ He thought, shaking his head and feeling bad for doubting you for even one second. Clearly the problem here was Chanyeol and Jaehuyn was going to make it clear to him that he needs to stay away from you. 

______________

Much to Jaehyun’s dismay, he did not see Chanyeol at the office that day. He had some business to attend to all day and he was stuck in his office all day with conference call after conference call. He was upset because he was going to need to stay at the office late and he was looking forward to having dinner with you and cuddling. Your guys dynamic was finally where it used to be and he was happy. He knew he had been a bit distant for a while after you broke the news about Namjoon’s call. But he was thrown off because he had some big plans that had to be put on hold for now. He just needed some time to regroup and execute them another time. He was still bothered about the text messages from Chanyeol but he decided to forget about it and concentrate on his work. He trusted you completely so he knew he had nothing to worry about. 

“Hey handsome.” You say as you knock on Jaehyun’s office door, observing his tired eyes. Poor guy has been working non-stop all day. He was barely able to get 15 minutes in for lunch and he had to basically scarf it down.

“Hey babe. I still have a lot more to do. You should probably head home and I’ll catch up later.” He said with a sigh, rubbing his eyes.

“Aww okay baby. Don’t overdo it, okay?” You say, giving Jaehyun a parting kiss. 

You were sad to leave him behind because he looked so tired but you knew what he was working on was very important and he had to finish it before he was able to go home. You decided you were going to make him a nice meal for when he got home, that way he could have a full belly and be well-rested. You walked to the nearby market that was a short walking distance from work and bought some necessary ingredients and then took an Uber home. You were not about to use public transportation while carrying grocery bags. Once you got home, you started working right away. You made him some spicy kimchi stew and a few side dishes you knew were his favorite. You had sent him a text message to see if he knew when he would get home but he had not answered yet. You hoped you had enough time for a quick shower before he got home. You wanted to wear a very cute night gown to let him know he had options as to how he wanted the night to end. Wrapping your silk robe around your frame, you walk back to your kitchen and make sure the food is still warm and not overdone. You were startled by your doorbell ringing, knowing that Jaehyun had a key to your apartment and would never have to ring. You were confused as to who would visit you at this hour since it was close to ten pm. You cautiously make your way to your door and look through the peephole, even more confused with who is on the other side of the door.

“Chanyeol? What are you doing here?” You asked incredulously, not being able to think of a reason as to why he is at your home at this hour of the night. “I thought your flight left already?”

“I changed it for tomorrow. Can I come on?” He asked, looking around the hallway. You didn’t really want to invite him in, but you also did not want to stand in your doorway with flimsy clothing on for all your neighbors to see.

“Sure I guess.” You concede, moving out of the way and closing the door behind Chanyeol. 

“Thanks. It smells good in here.” He said, sniffing the air.

“Chanyeol why are you here? These are not necessarily regular visiting hours.” You say, crossing your arms across your chest. Chanyeol tried not to look at your cleavage but it was hard since you looked great in that robe.

“Look, I know I have no right being here, but I am leaving and I just want to say that I am sorry for all the trouble I gave you.” He said, looking right at you.

“I think you already had this conversation with me Chanyeol. You can’t be here for too long.” You say, needing him to leave your apartment as soon as possible.

“I know. I just want to say it again and I hope you can forgive me for all the crap I did. I don’t want to interfere anymore in your life. But I just want you to know that if you ever want me back in your life, as friends! I would really like that.” He said, giving you a small smile that made you relax a little.

“Thanks Chanyeol. Look, I don’t hate you or anything. And I am genuinely happy that you are now doing what you love and I hope you keep being successful in it. I think friendship could be a possibility….. In the relative future.” You say with a giggle, making Chanyeol laugh.

“Fair enough.” He said, looking at his watch. “I better get going, I need to be on my way. I should get at least a few hours of sleep before I head to the airport.” He says, standing awkwardly in the middle of your living room. 

“Have a safe trip.” You say, not knowing what else to say.

“Okay this is plenty awkward. I’m going to head out now. Is it okay if I get a hug?” He asked, awkwardly holding his arms out.

“Sure I guess.” You agree with an eye roll. 

You go in for the hug and hold your breath, nervous for whatever reason. You were just saying bye to an acquaintance/ sort of friend and old lover. You were not doing anything wrong. Chanyeol wrapped his arms tightly around you, missing the feeling of your body in his embrace. He sniffed your hair, commiting the scent to memory. He wished he could have appreciated you when he had you and it was now too late for him. Hopefully not completely late.

“What’s going on here?” Jaehyun asks, making you and Chanyeol break away from each other. You did not hear him open the door.

“Jaehyun!” You say breathless, your heart was hammering in your chest and you felt like you got caught doing something wrong. 

Jaehyun was silent as he looked between the two of you, not knowing what to make of the situation. 

“I was just leaving man. I just came by to say goodbye. Nothing else.” Chanyeol said defensively, not expecting Jaehyun to show up. But that did explain your attire.

“Well then I guess you better go.” Jaehyun said cooly, flexing his fingers in an attempt to calm himself and not punch Chanyeol. 

“Okay.” Chanyeol said with a parting glance at you and a cold stare to Jaehyun. 

The room was uncomfortably silent, a heavy feeling settling over the room. Jaehyun wasn’t looking at you, his back facing you and you could see his shoulders moving up and down with every breath he was taking.

“Jaehyun.” You say softly, trying to get him to look at you. 

He finally looked over after a few seconds that felt like an eternity. 

You sucked in a gasp at the cold, hard look in his eyes; something he never had before. Not with you anyway.

“Care to explain?” He asks, voice low.

“I know it might look bad, but I swear it was nothing. He stopped by to say goodbye because he goes back to Korea tomorrow morning. Nothing else.” You explain, taking a tentative towards him. 

He takes a deep breath and looks at you before speaking again.

“Do you still have feelings for him?” He asks.

“What?” You ask, not knowing where this was coming from. 

“Do you or do you not have feelings for him?” Jaehyun asked again, getting agitated and his voice raising slightly.

You stared at him, wide-eyed and not knowing what to say. Of course you did not have any feelings for Chanyeol. So why the fuck could you not say that out loud?

Jaehyun scoffed and shook his head, not really believing what was happening right now. 

“Jaehyun, I don’t have any feelings for him.” You explain, placing your hand on his arm.

“Then why did you hesitate to answer?” He questions, moving away from your touch.

“I was just taken by surprise! Nothing else.” You say, chest heaving with anxiety. 

“Really? Is that why you’ve been messaging with him? Why he’s been stopping by your office? Why you’ve been kind of jumpy and dodgy?” He pressed, trying not to get agitated.

You were stunned to silence, not knowing he had been aware of the messages from Chanyeol. You knew that you’ve been a little distant because of the guilt you had felt because of these mixed feelings ever since Chanyeol has been bombarding you in your workplace.

“Right.” He says after your long pause of silence. Jaehyun let out a sigh and wiped his hands down his face. “I’m going to get my stuff.” Jaehyun says, going into your bedroom to get his belongings. 

You stood there in silence as you heard Jaehyun packing his things, your heart felt like it was breaking and you did not know how to stop him. He seemed so upset and you do not know how this evening took a turn for the worse. 

Jaehyun came out of your room holding a duffle filled with his clothes, stopping right in front of you before he left.

“If we are going to be together, I want you to be one hundred percent sure. No room for doubt. It looks like you might be confused right now, so I think it's better if we put an end to this.” He says, looking right into your eyes. You sucked in a breath, not expecting this to be happening right now. This relationship that you cherish so much, this person that you love, how could you be losing this? Jaehyun took your lack of answer as a silent agreement and headed for the door.

‘Say something! Stop him from leaving. Tell him you have no doubts!’ Your brain screamed. It seems like your mouth and feet were not receiving the signals, because you just stood there in silence as you watched the man you love walk out of your life.

“Oh, and one more thing.” Jaehyun says as he pauses in your door frame, looking back at your bewildered face. “You know that offer Namjoon gave you? I think it would be a good idea if you accept it.” He says, finally walking out of your home and closing the door behind him.

You stood in the middle of your living room for a few more minutes until your body finally caught up with your brain and with everything that just happened. You dropped to your knees and let out the sob that was stuck there since this night went to shit. An excruciating pain you had not felt before hit your chest and you crumpled inwards, hitting your chest repeatedly to ebb the pain away. Your screams and sobs were muffled by the rub beneath you, burying your face into it because you could not bear the pain in your chest. Your cries carried through your apartment, the emptiness in it bringing a new wave of cries, tears and sadness. You stood up and shaky legs and made your way to your bedroom, crumpling on your bed once you saw the absence of Jaehyun’s belongings. He was really gone. He did not leave anything behind. You lay your head on his pillow and inhale his scent that still lingered, the smell bringing a wave of fresh tears to your eyes and the pain in your chest intensified.

You could not sleep that night. You laid awake, blankly staring at the clock on your night stand. Every time you would drift off you jolted awake, thinking that what happened was all a bad dream. But once you realized it was all real, you broke down again. Your sobs echoing in your room and ricocheting from the emptiness in your heart. You glance at the clock and see that it is two am, which meant it was three pm in Korea. Namjoon did not leave the office until five, so you knew you could find him in his office. You cleared your throat and grabbed your phone to dial his number.

“Hey! I did not expect to hear from you at this hour. Isn’t it like two am over there?” Namjoon greets, happy to hear from you.

“Hey. I can’t sleep.” You pause, trying to hold your tears. “Um, I’m actually calling because I changed my mind. I’m not going to stay the full year in New York, I want to come back to Seoul and work on those projects you have for me.” You say, forcing a smile onto your face so you could fake sounding happy.

“Oh! Really? That’s great! What changed your mind?” He asks, curious as to why you want to come back but happy nonetheless.

“I just figured that there really is no reason to stay if everything I’m responsible for is done. Besides, my best friend is pregnant and I want to be there for her. And also because I miss you and I want to work on those projects you told me about.” Maybe faking your happiness won’t be so hard from here on out. 

“That’s awesome! I’m so happy to hear that you’re coming back. When can you come back to Seoul so I can book your ticket.” He asks, browser already up on the airline’s website.

“Everything I need to do is done. Book me whatever flight is available for tomorrow.” You say, not seeing the point in dragging this out. 

“Oh! So soon, okay. Give me a minute so I can see what is available.” Namjoon informs you. You can hear the fast clacking of the keys as he looked for a flight. “Okay. there is a flight at five pm. Does that work?” He asks.

“Yes, that’s fine.” You say, the reality of it all hitting you.

“Okay, I’ll email you the details.” He says before hanging up. 

You sigh a shaky breath, the tears dry but the pain in your heart is still very much present. You get up from your bed and with shaky knees you make your way to your closet to start packing. You knew you were not going to be able to sleep so you might as well do something productive. 

The sun was rising as you finished packing your belongings, having accumulated a few more things than what you arrived with. You were showered and packed, sitting at your kitchen table, cold cup of coffee in front of you. Your phone vibrated and you saw that it was Mina. You gulped and coughed before you answered, hoping your voice didn’t sound hoarse.

“Hey, I heard you were coming back to Seoul. What happened?” She asks. You were not aware that news traveled that fast.

“Mina…” You say, your voice breaking at the last letter of her naame.

“What? What's wrong? Are you crying?” She asks worried, not sure as to why you’re crying.

“Mina…” You say again, voice breaking into sobs. 

She tried to placate you enough so she could understand what you were saying but it was no use. Your heart was broken and all you could do was sob into your phone, wishing this was all a nightmare.

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1. Before explaining something to a woman, ask yourself if she might already understand. She may know more about it than you do.

2. Related: Never, ever try to explain feminism to a woman.

3. Trans women are women. Repeat that until you perish.

4. RESPECT PEOPLE’S PRONOUNS. It’s not hard.

5. Remember that fat women exist and aren’t all trying to get thin. Treat them with respect.

6. In fact, just never comment on a woman's body.

7. Be kind to women in customer service positions. Tip them extra. (But not in a creepy way.)

8. Trust women. When they teach you something, don't feel the need to go and check for yourself. And especially do not Google it in front of them.

9. Don’t maintain a double standard for… anything, ever.

10. CLOSE YOUR LEGS ON PUBLIC TRANSIT, OH MY GOD.

11. Trying to describe a woman positively? Say she's “talented,” “clever,” or “funny.” Not “gorgeous,” “sweet,” or “cute.”

12. Examine your language when talking about women. Get rid of “irrational,” “dramatic,” “bossy,” and “badgering” immediately.

13. Don't think to yourself, I describe men like that too. A) You probably don't. B) If you do, it's to criticize them for acting like a woman.

14. Do you love “fiery” Latina women? “Strong” Black women? “Mysterious” Asian women? Stop. Pick up a book on decolonial feminism. Read.

15. Stop calling women “feisty.” We don't need a special lady word for “has an opinion."

16. Recognize women's credibility when you introduce them. “Donna is lovely” is much less useful than “Donna knows shitloads about architecture.”

17. Think about how you describe the young women in your family. Celebrate them for being funny and smart, not for being pretty and compliant.

18. Examine the way you talk about women you’re attracted to. Fat women, old women, queer, trans, and powerful women are not your “guilty crush.”

19. Learn to praise a woman without demonizing other women. “You're not like other girls” is not a compliment. I want to be like other girls. Other girls are awesome.

20. Share writing by women. Don't paraphrase their work in your own Facebook post to show us all how smart or woke you are. I guarantee the woman said it better in the first place.

21. Buy sanitary pads and tampons and donate them to a homeless shelter. Just do it.

22. How much of what you are watching/reading/listening to was made by women? Gender balance your bookcase.

23. Feeling proud of your balanced bookcase? Are there women of color there? Trans, queer, and disabled women? Poor women? Always make sure you’re being intersectional.

24. Don't buy media that demeans women’s experiences, valorizes violence against women, or excludes them entirely from a cast. It's not enough to oppose those things. You have to actively make them unmarketable.

25. Pay attention to stories with nuanced female characters. It will be interesting, I promise.

26. If you read stories to a child, swap the genders.

27. Watch women's sport. And just call it “sports.”

28. Withdraw your support from sports clubs, institutions, and companies that protect and employ rapists and abusers.

29. Stop raving about Woody Allen. I don't care if he shits gold. Find a non-accused-abuser to fanboy over.

30. It's General Leia, not princess. The Doctor has a companion, not an assistant. It's Doctor Bartlett, not Mrs Madame First Lady.

31. Cast women in parts written for men. We know how to rule kingdoms, go to war, be, not be, and wait for Godot.

32. Pay for porn.

33. Recognize that sex work is work. Be an advocate for and ally to sex workers without speaking for them.

34. Share political hot takes from women as well as men. They might not be as widely accessible, so look for them.

35. Understand that it was never “about ethics in journalism.”

36. Speak less in meetings today to make space for your women colleagues to share their thoughts. If you're leading the meeting, make sure women are being heard as much as men.

37. If a woman makes a good point, say, “That was a good point.” Don't repeat her point and take credit for it.

38. Promote women. Their leadership styles may be different than yours. That's probably a good thing.

39. Recruit women on the same salary as men. Even if they don't ask for it.

40. Open doors for women with caring responsibilities by offering flexible employment contracts.

41. If you meet a man and a woman at work, do not assume the man is the superior for literally no reason.

42. If you're wrongly assumed to be more experienced than a woman colleague, correct that person and pass the platform to the woman who knows more.

43. Make a round of tea for the office.

44. Wash it up.

45. If you find you're only interviewing men for a role, rewrite the job listing so that it’s more welcoming to women.

46. Make sure you have women on your interview panel.

47. Tell female colleagues what your salary is.

48. Make sure there's childcare at your events.

49. Don't schedule breakfast meetings during the school run.

50. If you manage a team, make sure that your employees know that you recognize period pain and cystitis as legitimate reasons for a sick day.

51. If you have a strict boss (or mom or teacher) who is a woman, she is not a “bitch.” Grow up.

52. Expect a woman to do the stuff that's in her job description. Not the other miscellaneous shit you don't know how to do yourself.

53. Refuse to speak on an all-male panel.

54. In a Q&A session, only put your hand up if you have A QUESTION. Others didn’t attend to listen to you.

55. If you have friends or family members who use slurs or discriminate against trans or non-binary people, sit them down and explain why they must stop. (This goes for cis women, too.)

56. If you have friends or family members who use slurs or discriminate against women of other races, sit them down and explain why they must stop. (This goes for white women, too.)

57. If you see women with their hands up, put yours down. This can be taken as a metaphor for a lot of things. Think about it.

58. Raising a feminist daughter means she's going to disagree with you. And probably be right. Feel proud, not threatened.

59. Teach your sons to listen to girls, give them space, believe them, and elevate them.

60. Dads, buy your daughter tampons, make her hot water bottles, wash her bras. Show her that her body isn't something to be ashamed of.

61. But dads, do not try to iron her bras. This is a mistake you will only make once.

62. Examine how domestic labor is divided in your home. Who does the cleaning, the childcare, the organizing, the meal budgeting? Sons, this goes for you, too.

63. Learn how to do domestic tasks to a high standard. “I'd only do it wrong” is a bullshit excuse.

64. Never again comment on how long it takes a woman to get ready. WE ARE TRYING TO MEET THE RIDICULOUS STANDARDS OF A SYSTEM YOU BENEFIT FROM.

65. Challenge the patriarchs in your religious group when they enable the oppression of women.

66. Challenge the patriarchs in your secular movement when they enable the oppression of women.

67. Trust women's religious choices. Don't pretend to liberate them just so you can criticise their beliefs.

68. Examine who books your trips, arranges outings, organizes Christmas, buys birthday cards. Is it a woman? IS IT?

69. And if it is actually you, a man, don't even dare get in touch with me looking for your medal.

70. Take stock of the emotional labor you expect from women. Do you turn to the women around you for emotional support and give nothing in return?

71. Remember that loving your mom/sister/girlfriend is not the same as giving up your own privilege to progress equality for women. And that gender inequality extends beyond the women in your direct social group.

72. Don’t assume that all women are attracted to men.

73. Don’t assume that a woman in public wants to talk to you just because she’s in public.

74. If a woman tells you she was raped, assaulted, or abused, don't ask her for proof. Ask how you can support her.

75. If you see a friend or colleague being inappropriate to a woman, call him out. You will survive the awkwardness, I promise.

76. Repeat after me: Always. Hold. Men. Accountable. For. Their. Actions.

77. Do not walk too close to a woman late at night. That shit can be scary.

78. If you see a woman being followed or otherwise bothered by a stranger, stick around to make sure she’s safe.

79. This should go without saying: Do not yell unsolicited “compliments” at women on the street. Or anywhere.

80. If you are a queer man, recognize that your sexuality doesn’t exclude you from potential misogyny.

81. If you are a queer man, recognize that your queer women or non-binary friends may not feel comfortable in a male-dominated space, even if it’s dominated by queer men.

82. Be happy to have women friends without needing them to want to sleep with you. The “friend zone” is not a thing. We do not owe you sex.

83. Remember that you can lack consent in situations not involving sex—such as when pursuing uninterested women or forcing a hug on a colleague.

84. Champion sex positive women but don't expect them to have sex with you.

85. Trust a woman to know her own body. If she says she won't enjoy part of your sexual repertoire, do not try to convince her otherwise.

86. Be sensitive to nonverbal cues from women, especially around sex. We’re not just being awkward for no reason. (You read “Cat Person,” didn’t you?)

87. It is not cute to try to persuade a woman to have sex with you. EVER. AT ALL. Go home.

88. Same goes for pressuring women to have sex without a condom. Go. Home. And masturbate.

89. Accidentally impregnated a women who doesn't want a kid? Abortions cost money. Pay for half of it.

90. Accidentally came inside a woman without protection? Plan B is expensive. Pay for all of it.

91. Get STD tested. Regularly. Without having to be asked.

92. Examine your opinion on abortion. Then put it in a box. Because, honestly, it's completely irrelevant.

93. Understand that disabled women are whole, sexual human beings. Listen to and respect them.

94. Understand that not all women have periods or vaginas.

95. Believe women's pain. Periods hurt. Endometriosis is real. Polycystic ovaries, vaginal pain, cystitis. These things are real. Hysteria isn’t.

96. If a woman accidentally bleeds on you, try your absolute best to just keep your shit together.

97. Lobby your elected officials to implement high quality sex education in schools.

98. Uplift young Black and Indigenous girls at every possible opportunity. No excuses.

99. Do not ever assume you know what it’s like.

100. Mainly, just listen to women. Listen to us and believe us. It’s the only place to start if you actually want all women to have a “Happy International Women’s Day.”

Every year, I wake up on March 8 to a flurry of tweets from men wishing me a “Happy International Women’s Day!”

And every year, I find myself thinking: Well, thanks, but is that it? Is that all the support for gender equality that you can muster? For the entire year? It’s a nice sentiment, but at a time when the gender pay gap means that women in the UK work for free for 67 days each year, Black women in the US are three to four times more likely to die in childbirth than white women, and trans women in the US are four times more likely to be murdered than cis women, it doesn’t quite do it for me.

So, to ensure that men aren’t missing direction, a few years ago I started compiling a list of easy actions that men can take to meaningfully support gender equality. Every year, I would post it on social media. Slowly, other women started contributing suggestions. So the list grew. And grew. It will likely never stop growing.

The suggestions cover many realms of life—from home, to work, to the ways we interact with strangers, to the language we use—but it is in no way comprehensive. Below, I’ve included a mere 100 entries out of the several hundred I’ve crowdsourced and personally compiled.

To the men reading: You may already do some of these things, and others you may not be in the position to do. But a good place to start is by, at the very least, reading the list through—in its entirety. And remember: These apply all year, not just during the annual 24 hours dedicated to half of the planet’s population.

1. Before explaining something to a woman, ask yourself if she might already understand. She may know more about it than you do.

2. Related: Never, ever try to explain feminism to a woman.

3. Trans women are women. Repeat that until you perish.

4. RESPECT PEOPLE’S PRONOUNS. It’s not hard.

5. Remember that fat women exist and aren’t all trying to get thin. Treat them with respect.

6. In fact, just never comment on a woman's body.

7. Be kind to women in customer service positions. Tip them extra. (But not in a creepy way.)

8. Trust women. When they teach you something, don't feel the need to go and check for yourself. And especially do not Google it in front of them.

9. Don’t maintain a double standard for… anything, ever.

10. CLOSE YOUR LEGS ON PUBLIC TRANSIT, OH MY GOD.

11. Trying to describe a woman positively? Say she's “talented,” “clever,” or “funny.” Not “gorgeous,” “sweet,” or “cute.”

12. Examine your language when talking about women. Get rid of “irrational,” “dramatic,” “bossy,” and “badgering” immediately.

13. Don't think to yourself, I describe men like that too. A) You probably don't. B) If you do, it's to criticize them for acting like a woman.

14. Do you love “fiery” Latina women? “Strong” Black women? “Mysterious” Asian women? Stop. Pick up a book on decolonial feminism. Read.

15. Stop calling women “feisty.” We don't need a special lady word for “has an opinion."

16. Recognize women's credibility when you introduce them. “Donna is lovely” is much less useful than “Donna knows shitloads about architecture.”

17. Think about how you describe the young women in your family. Celebrate them for being funny and smart, not for being pretty and compliant.

18. Examine the way you talk about women you’re attracted to. Fat women, old women, queer, trans, and powerful women are not your “guilty crush.”

19. Learn to praise a woman without demonizing other women. “You're not like other girls” is not a compliment. I want to be like other girls. Other girls are awesome.

20. Share writing by women. Don't paraphrase their work in your own Facebook post to show us all how smart or woke you are. I guarantee the woman said it better in the first place.

21. Buy sanitary pads and tampons and donate them to a homeless shelter. Just do it.

22. How much of what you are watching/reading/listening to was made by women? Gender balance your bookcase.

23. Feeling proud of your balanced bookcase? Are there women of color there? Trans, queer, and disabled women? Poor women? Always make sure you’re being intersectional.

24. Don't buy media that demeans women’s experiences, valorizes violence against women, or excludes them entirely from a cast. It's not enough to oppose those things. You have to actively make them unmarketable.

25. Pay attention to stories with nuanced female characters. It will be interesting, I promise.

26. If you read stories to a child, swap the genders.

27. Watch women's sport. And just call it “sports.”

28. Withdraw your support from sports clubs, institutions, and companies that protect and employ rapists and abusers.

29. Stop raving about Woody Allen. I don't care if he shits gold. Find a non-accused-abuser to fanboy over.

30. It's General Leia, not princess. The Doctor has a companion, not an assistant. It's Doctor Bartlett, not Mrs Madame First Lady.

31. Cast women in parts written for men. We know how to rule kingdoms, go to war, be, not be, and wait for Godot.

32. Pay for porn.

33. Recognize that sex work is work. Be an advocate for and ally to sex workers without speaking for them.

34. Share political hot takes from women as well as men. They might not be as widely accessible, so look for them.

35. Understand that it was never “about ethics in journalism.”

36. Speak less in meetings today to make space for your women colleagues to share their thoughts. If you're leading the meeting, make sure women are being heard as much as men.

37. If a woman makes a good point, say, “That was a good point.” Don't repeat her point and take credit for it.

38. Promote women. Their leadership styles may be different than yours. That's probably a good thing.

39. Recruit women on the same salary as men. Even if they don't ask for it.

40. Open doors for women with caring responsibilities by offering flexible employment contracts.

41. If you meet a man and a woman at work, do not assume the man is the superior for literally no reason.

42. If you're wrongly assumed to be more experienced than a woman colleague, correct that person and pass the platform to the woman who knows more.

43. Make a round of tea for the office.

44. Wash it up.

45. If you find you're only interviewing men for a role, rewrite the job listing so that it’s more welcoming to women.

46. Make sure you have women on your interview panel.

47. Tell female colleagues what your salary is.

48. Make sure there's childcare at your events.

49. Don't schedule breakfast meetings during the school run.

50. If you manage a team, make sure that your employees know that you recognize period pain and cystitis as legitimate reasons for a sick day.

51. If you have a strict boss (or mom or teacher) who is a woman, she is not a “bitch.” Grow up.

52. Expect a woman to do the stuff that's in her job description. Not the other miscellaneous shit you don't know how to do yourself.

53. Refuse to speak on an all-male panel.

54. In a Q&A session, only put your hand up if you have A QUESTION. Others didn’t attend to listen to you.

55. If you have friends or family members who use slurs or discriminate against trans or non-binary people, sit them down and explain why they must stop. (This goes for cis women, too.)

56. If you have friends or family members who use slurs or discriminate against women of other races, sit them down and explain why they must stop. (This goes for white women, too.)

57. If you see women with their hands up, put yours down. This can be taken as a metaphor for a lot of things. Think about it.

58. Raising a feminist daughter means she's going to disagree with you. And probably be right. Feel proud, not threatened.

59. Teach your sons to listen to girls, give them space, believe them, and elevate them.

60. Dads, buy your daughter tampons, make her hot water bottles, wash her bras. Show her that her body isn't something to be ashamed of.

61. But dads, do not try to iron her bras. This is a mistake you will only make once.

62. Examine how domestic labor is divided in your home. Who does the cleaning, the childcare, the organizing, the meal budgeting? Sons, this goes for you, too.

63. Learn how to do domestic tasks to a high standard. “I'd only do it wrong” is a bullshit excuse.

64. Never again comment on how long it takes a woman to get ready. WE ARE TRYING TO MEET THE RIDICULOUS STANDARDS OF A SYSTEM YOU BENEFIT FROM.

65. Challenge the patriarchs in your religious group when they enable the oppression of women.

66. Challenge the patriarchs in your secular movement when they enable the oppression of women.

67. Trust women's religious choices. Don't pretend to liberate them just so you can criticise their beliefs.

68. Examine who books your trips, arranges outings, organizes Christmas, buys birthday cards. Is it a woman? IS IT?

69. And if it is actually you, a man, don't even dare get in touch with me looking for your medal.

70. Take stock of the emotional labor you expect from women. Do you turn to the women around you for emotional support and give nothing in return?

71. Remember that loving your mom/sister/girlfriend is not the same as giving up your own privilege to progress equality for women. And that gender inequality extends beyond the women in your direct social group.

72. Don’t assume that all women are attracted to men.

73. Don’t assume that a woman in public wants to talk to you just because she’s in public.

74. If a woman tells you she was raped, assaulted, or abused, don't ask her for proof. Ask how you can support her.

75. If you see a friend or colleague being inappropriate to a woman, call him out. You will survive the awkwardness, I promise.

76. Repeat after me: Always. Hold. Men. Accountable. For. Their. Actions.

77. Do not walk too close to a woman late at night. That shit can be scary.

78. If you see a woman being followed or otherwise bothered by a stranger, stick around to make sure she’s safe.

79. This should go without saying: Do not yell unsolicited “compliments” at women on the street. Or anywhere.

80. If you are a queer man, recognize that your sexuality doesn’t exclude you from potential misogyny.

81. If you are a queer man, recognize that your queer women or non-binary friends may not feel comfortable in a male-dominated space, even if it’s dominated by queer men.

82. Be happy to have women friends without needing them to want to sleep with you. The “friend zone” is not a thing. We do not owe you sex.

83. Remember that you can lack consent in situations not involving sex—such as when pursuing uninterested women or forcing a hug on a colleague.

84. Champion sex positive women but don't expect them to have sex with you.

85. Trust a woman to know her own body. If she says she won't enjoy part of your sexual repertoire, do not try to convince her otherwise.

86. Be sensitive to nonverbal cues from women, especially around sex. We’re not just being awkward for no reason. (You read “Cat Person,” didn’t you?)

87. It is not cute to try to persuade a woman to have sex with you. EVER. AT ALL. Go home.

88. Same goes for pressuring women to have sex without a condom. Go. Home. And masturbate.

89. Accidentally impregnated a women who doesn't want a kid? Abortions cost money. Pay for half of it.

90. Accidentally came inside a woman without protection? Plan B is expensive. Pay for all of it.

91. Get STD tested. Regularly. Without having to be asked.

92. Examine your opinion on abortion. Then put it in a box. Because, honestly, it's completely irrelevant.

93. Understand that disabled women are whole, sexual human beings. Listen to and respect them.

94. Understand that not all women have periods or vaginas.

95. Believe women's pain. Periods hurt. Endometriosis is real. Polycystic ovaries, vaginal pain, cystitis. These things are real. Hysteria isn’t.

96. If a woman accidentally bleeds on you, try your absolute best to just keep your shit together.

97. Lobby your elected officials to implement high quality sex education in schools.

98. Uplift young Black and Indigenous girls at every possible opportunity. No excuses.

99. Do not ever assume you know what it’s like.

100. Mainly, just listen to women. Listen to us and believe us. It’s the only place to start if you actually want all women to have a “Happy International Women’s Day.”

To the men reading: You may already do some of these things, and others you may not be in the position to do. But a good place to start is by, at the very least, reading the list through—in its entirety. And remember: These apply all year, not just during the annual 24 hours dedicated to half of the planet’s population. 1. Before explaining something to a woman, ask yourself if she might already understand. She may know more about it than you do. 2. Related: Never, ever try to explain feminism to a woman. 3. Trans women are women. Repeat that until you perish. 4. RESPECT PEOPLE’S PRONOUNS. It’s not hard. 5. Remember that fat women exist and aren’t all trying to get thin. Treat them with respect. 6. In fact, just never comment on a woman's body. 7. Be kind to women in customer service positions. Tip them extra. (But not in a creepy way.) 8. Trust women. When they teach you something, don't feel the need to go and check for yourself. And especially do not Google it in front of them. 9. Don’t maintain a double standard for… anything, ever. 10. CLOSE YOUR LEGS ON PUBLIC TRANSIT, OH MY GOD. 11. Trying to describe a woman positively? Say she's “talented,” “clever,” or “funny.” Not “gorgeous,” “sweet,” or “cute.” 12. Examine your language when talking about women. Get rid of “irrational,” “dramatic,” “bossy,” and “badgering” immediately. 13. Don't think to yourself, I describe men like that too. A) You probably don't. B) If you do, it's to criticize them for acting like a woman. 14. Do you love “fiery” Latina women? “Strong” Black women? “Mysterious” Asian women? Stop. Pick up a book on decolonial feminism. Read. 15. Stop calling women “feisty.” We don't need a special lady word for “has an opinion." 16. Recognize women's credibility when you introduce them. “Donna is lovely” is much less useful than “Donna knows shitloads about architecture.” 17. Think about how you describe the young women in your family. Celebrate them for being funny and smart, not for being pretty and compliant. 18. Examine the way you talk about women you’re attracted to. Fat women, old women, queer, trans, and powerful women are not your “guilty crush.” 19. Learn to praise a woman without demonizing other women. “You're not like other girls” is not a compliment. I want to be like other girls. Other girls are awesome. 20. Share writing by women. Don't paraphrase their work in your own Facebook post to show us all how smart or woke you are. I guarantee the woman said it better in the first place. 21. Buy sanitary pads and tampons and donate them to a homeless shelter. Just do it. 22. How much of what you are watching/reading/listening to was made by women? Gender balance your bookcase. 23. Feeling proud of your balanced bookcase? Are there women of color there? Trans, queer, and disabled women? Poor women? Always make sure you’re being intersectional. 24. Don't buy media that demeans women’s experiences, valorizes violence against women, or excludes them entirely from a cast. It's not enough to oppose those things. You have to actively make them unmarketable. 25. Pay attention to stories with nuanced female characters. It will be interesting, I promise. 26. If you read stories to a child, swap the genders. 27. Watch women's sport. And just call it “sports.” 28. Withdraw your support from sports clubs, institutions, and companies that protect and employ rapists and abusers. 29. Stop raving about Woody Allen. I don't care if he shits gold. Find a non-accused-abuser to fanboy over. 30. It's General Leia, not princess. The Doctor has a companion, not an assistant. It's Doctor Bartlett, not Mrs Madame First Lady. 31. Cast women in parts written for men. We know how to rule kingdoms, go to war, be, not be, and wait for Godot. 32. Pay for porn. 33. Recognize that sex work is work. Be an advocate for and ally to sex workers without speaking for them. 34. Share political hot takes from women as well as men. They might not be as widely accessible, so look for them. 35. Understand that it was never “about ethics in journalism.” 36. Speak less in meetings today to make space for your women colleagues to share their thoughts. If you're leading the meeting, make sure women are being heard as much as men. 37. If a woman makes a good point, say, “That was a good point.” Don't repeat her point and take credit for it. 38. Promote women. Their leadership styles may be different than yours. That's probably a good thing. 39. Recruit women on the same salary as men. Even if they don't ask for it. 40. Open doors for women with caring responsibilities by offering flexible employment contracts. 41. If you meet a man and a woman at work, do not assume the man is the superior for literally no reason. 42. If you're wrongly assumed to be more experienced than a woman colleague, correct that person and pass the platform to the woman who knows more. 43. Make a round of tea for the office. 44. Wash it up. 45. If you find you're only interviewing men for a role, rewrite the job listing so that it’s more welcoming to women. 46. Make sure you have women on your interview panel. 47. Tell female colleagues what your salary is. 48. Make sure there's childcare at your events. 49. Don't schedule breakfast meetings during the school run. 50. If you manage a team, make sure that your employees know that you recognize period pain and cystitis as legitimate reasons for a sick day. 51. If you have a strict boss (or mom or teacher) who is a woman, she is not a “bitch.” Grow up. 52. Expect a woman to do the stuff that's in her job description. Not the other miscellaneous shit you don't know how to do yourself. 53. Refuse to speak on an all-male panel. 54. In a Q&A session, only put your hand up if you have A QUESTION. Others didn’t attend to listen to you. 55. If you have friends or family members who use slurs or discriminate against trans or non-binary people, sit them down and explain why they must stop. (This goes for cis women, too.) 56. If you have friends or family members who use slurs or discriminate against women of other races, sit them down and explain why they must stop. (This goes for white women, too.) 57. If you see women with their hands up, put yours down. This can be taken as a metaphor for a lot of things. Think about it. 58. Raising a feminist daughter means she's going to disagree with you. And probably be right. Feel proud, not threatened. 59. Teach your sons to listen to girls, give them space, believe them, and elevate them. 60. Dads, buy your daughter tampons, make her hot water bottles, wash her bras. Show her that her body isn't something to be ashamed of. 61. But dads, do not try to iron her bras. This is a mistake you will only make once. 62. Examine how domestic labor is divided in your home. Who does the cleaning, the childcare, the organizing, the meal budgeting? Sons, this goes for you, too. 63. Learn how to do domestic tasks to a high standard. “I'd only do it wrong” is a bullshit excuse. 64. Never again comment on how long it takes a woman to get ready. WE ARE TRYING TO MEET THE RIDICULOUS STANDARDS OF A SYSTEM YOU BENEFIT FROM. 65. Challenge the patriarchs in your religious group when they enable the oppression of women. 66. Challenge the patriarchs in your secular movement when they enable the oppression of women. 67. Trust women's religious choices. Don't pretend to liberate them just so you can criticise their beliefs. 68. Examine who books your trips, arranges outings, organizes Christmas, buys birthday cards. Is it a woman? IS IT? 69. And if it is actually you, a man, don't even dare get in touch with me looking for your medal. 70. Take stock of the emotional labor you expect from women. Do you turn to the women around you for emotional support and give nothing in return? 71. Remember that loving your mom/sister/girlfriend is not the same as giving up your own privilege to progress equality for women. And that gender inequality extends beyond the women in your direct social group. 72. Don’t assume that all women are attracted to men. 73. Don’t assume that a woman in public wants to talk to you just because she’s in public. 74. If a woman tells you she was raped, assaulted, or abused, don't ask her for proof. Ask how you can support her. 75. If you see a friend or colleague being inappropriate to a woman, call him out. You will survive the awkwardness, I promise. 76. Repeat after me: Always. Hold. Men. Accountable. For. Their. Actions. 77. Do not walk too close to a woman late at night. That shit can be scary. 78. If you see a woman being followed or otherwise bothered by a stranger, stick around to make sure she’s safe. 79. This should go without saying: Do not yell unsolicited “compliments” at women on the street. Or anywhere. 80. If you are a queer man, recognize that your sexuality doesn’t exclude you from potential misogyny. 81. If you are a queer man, recognize that your queer women or non-binary friends may not feel comfortable in a male-dominated space, even if it’s dominated by queer men. 82. Be happy to have women friends without needing them to want to sleep with you. The “friend zone” is not a thing. We do not owe you sex. 83. Remember that you can lack consent in situations not involving sex—such as when pursuing uninterested women or forcing a hug on a colleague. 84. Champion sex positive women but don't expect them to have sex with you. 85. Trust a woman to know her own body. If she says she won't enjoy part of your sexual repertoire, do not try to convince her otherwise. 86. Be sensitive to nonverbal cues from women, especially around sex. We’re not just being awkward for no reason. (You read “Cat Person,” didn’t you?) 87. It is not cute to try to persuade a woman to have sex with you. EVER. AT ALL. Go home. 88. Same goes for pressuring women to have sex without a condom. Go. Home. And masturbate. 89. Accidentally impregnated a women who doesn't want a kid? Abortions cost money. Pay for half of it. 90. Accidentally came inside a woman without protection? Plan B is expensive. Pay for all of it. 91. Get STD tested. Regularly. Without having to be asked. 92. Examine your opinion on abortion. Then put it in a box. Because, honestly, it's completely irrelevant. 93. Understand that disabled women are whole, sexual human beings. Listen to and respect them. 94. Understand that not all women have periods or vaginas. 95. Believe women's pain. Periods hurt. Endometriosis is real. Polycystic ovaries, vaginal pain, cystitis. These things are real. Hysteria isn’t. 96. If a woman accidentally bleeds on you, try your absolute best to just keep your shit together. 97. Lobby your elected officials to implement high quality sex education in schools. 98. Uplift young Black and Indigenous girls at every possible opportunity. No excuses. 99. Do not ever assume you know what it’s like. 100. Mainly, just listen to women. Listen to us and believe us. It’s the only place to start if you actually want all women to have a “Happy International Women’s Day.”