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❧＊   —  hey everyone !  you can call me sharky & i’m 22 with she/her pronouns & i’m also in the est or gmt-5 tmz if that’s helpful to anyone !  i’m ksksdkdkskds super excited to be bringing you all the very brooding & grumpy lee chiheon !  he’s the rhythm guitarist of tidal and one of the more controversial figures in the industry due to some of his stunts at public events. he loves to play contrarian, and while it annoys the label infinitely (haha punz~), his popularity among lunas tends to keep him under contract regardless. but yes, his backstory is below the read more, and you can also find info about him via the following links !!  feel free to add me on d*scord if you prefer: @ 1 sleep until proof#0803, otherwise i will be sure to come and bother anyone who likes this intro. lots of love !

muse stats 〤 wanted dynamics 〤 playlist 〤 pinterest

♡

it was as if her cigarette couldn’t burn fast enough, the nicotine refusing to calm the shaking in her hands. puff after puff smoke billowed into the air, swirling and curling taking her nerves with her…at the very least some of them. what would she say now? which piece does she begin with to attempt to reassemble their puzzle.

“chiheon…oppa i can’t do this anymore…i need you.” she breathed, talking to no one, trying to see how much courage she could muster. it was a small flame, tiny, attempting to grow behind her tender breaths only to snuff itself out. with a harsh sigh she closed her eyes, allowing the tears to beam down her cheeks, only for the moment. 

the sound of the door opening forced her to pull it all together. quickly she wiped the wettness from her skin, stabbing out the cigarette before stomping on it with the bottom of her petite airforces. she licked over her lips, only turning to face him when she was sure she could handle it, plastering a sad, sad smile over her lips. in the moment, it all came rushing back. unfathomable bouts of happiness that she could only feel at his side, in his arms. she remembered the rush that entered her veins when he first threw such a handsome, heart shaped smile in her direction. it was never supposed to go that far, never supposed to be the only year or so of her life that was void of devastation.  but it was, and just like all those moments before, she’d gone and ruined it.

“hey.” she choked quietly, swallowing down the lump in her throat. “hey…i-,” she deflated into a disappointed giggle, mostly at herself, the words she thought she wanted to say dying on her lips. only a few steps closer to the pull edge she dared to go, not going around it, being to close meant too much to her. 

“i-i’m sorry, for texting you that was, just- i-i didn’t even know what i was thinking, i’m stupid. this is stupid.” daisy said shaking her head, running long, red nails through her short cut. “i just needed…” you refused to leave plump tiers but she hoped chiheon could understand, latch on just like he had when they were…whatever.

the smell of cigarette smoke had wafted by him in brief bursts as he’d approached the pool, so he knew her nerves must have been frayed beyond relief. he remembered all too well the taste of her anxious kiss; tobacco, mint and the distinct flavor that was deiji — something more addictive than any drug he’d ever tried.

there was something off about the smile she wore, as though any light gust of wind would fracture it piece by piece until there was nothing left. in his haze, chiheon wanted to curl his finger around her chin and bring that smile to life again, the way that he used to back when he was something resembling happy. when all he needed to feel okay was to capture her loving gaze and hold her hand. 

he noted that her eyes were glassy, clearly having recently shed tears, and the visual twisted like a knife in the pit of his stomach. he let himself reflect for a moment on just how many times she’d cried for him; it was a fucking tragedy that someone so amazing, so vibrant would shed tears over somebody like him. hatred for himself was always boiling away beneath his surface, but it was never closer to full on eruption than when he measured the pain he’d caused deiji. it was as though every time he hurt her, things would come back tenfold on himself. it was a well - deserved punishment for his actions, he felt. hell, he deserved even worse. the fact that she looked upon him with anything other than repugnance was more than he was worth, in his eyes. and yet, her eyes were soft despite their sadness.

when he finally heard her speak, his adam’s apple tensed painfully, because he could hear the distress in her voice. she was trying to downplay it, but he could read her like a book, not that he was worthy of the access. not thinking, his feet carried him a few steps further around the pool, though the two were still at a significant distance.

“ please...don’t apologize. and you aren’t stupid... “ he winced at the act of her labeling herself such a thing. it hurt him tremendously when she’d put herself down like that, especially knowing he was the cause of it all. “ i’m the one who’s fucking stupid, “ his eyes cast down at the sparkling blue tile that lined the pool, as ‘ for letting you go ‘ played out in his head beyond his spoken words. it seemed they were both determined to communicate in ways that weren’t necessarily aloud.

        marlowe’s attention had been officially grabbed when she heard chiheon talk about the staff’s glowing opinion of him, voice dripping with sarcasm. could it be? his reputation was just as messy? marlowe wasn’t going to lie and say she hadn’t heard wild stories of chiheon’s endeavors, but she figured them to all be infinite tall tales. maybe there was some truth to this after all? it was clear to marlowe that, if he wanted to raise hell, he’d picked the wrong girl to raise it with. marlowe wouldn’t have any of it – she proved it by standing up a little straighter, putting on her game face. “is there a particular reason that they would? how do you tend to act on these sets?” as soon as it was out, she regretted asking because she figured it’d be far-fetched for him to air out his dirty laundry – however much it was that he had – in the middle of an advertisement set.

          when he brought up the fact that the staff were very much of the do as i say, not as i do discipline, she nodded. “it’s not that different than the tour, then. our choreographer was fifteen minutes late when we were at osaka and needed to make a last minute adjustment for one of our songs. do you think a peep was said to them? no, but if you or i were even one minute late, there’d be a big to-do about it.” she shook her head. no, it wasn’t best to be commiserating with him about the state of affairs when being an idol, but she was speaking without really thinking beforehand, which was not a good combination. “holding it up for two hours? they know we’re on tour, right?” knowing that the catering was good was a silver lining. a small one, but a silver lining, nonetheless. “what other brands have you worked with?”

chiheon could sense marlowe’s shift in demeanor at his response, and he wondered what exactly she thought of him. judging from the look on her face, it was nothing good at this point. there was something fun about the whole thing, though; part of him always found joy in pushing people’s buttons, in making them think even less of him. maybe this shoot wouldn’t be such a bore, after all. “ depends. i mean, i don’t take any bullshit, if that’s what you’re asking, “ if it was at all possible, his stance became even more casual, a stark contrast to her seemingly staunch professionalism. “ and i was speaking more generally, anyway. some people find me... impulsive, “ he stated simply, not showing pride or shame in the fact. he did what he wanted when he felt like doing it, consequences be damned. “ then again, i keep getting asked back, so i must be doing something right, “ it was said with a low effort shrug.

he nodded in succession in response to her tirade, humming his agreement. “ yep. and god forbid you accidentally smear off some make - up. have you ever seen a make - up artist eat their own tube of lipstick in the throes of a fit ? that was a weird day, “ he pursed his lips with a furrowed brow, shaking his head as if he were reminiscing on something tragic. there was a good chance he was telling her all this just to mess with her head for his own amusement, but his exact motive would likely never be clear, as usual. “ haa, they expect us to work on their time and nothing else. probably wouldn’t care if we never saw another performance getting this all to look right, “ he remarked, slapping his hand against a nearby lighting rig. it did his head in how they were in this beautiful location with perfect lighting, and yet the crew would still manipulate everything artificially. “ well, i’ve been a brand ambassador for dior for awhile now. i’ve also worked with armani, jaeger-lecoultre, bmw motorrad and samsung to name a few, “ he listed them off like they were irrelevant facebook friends. to be honest, brand deals tended to blur together for him.

      jinnie was unable to keep the surprise off her face at chiheon’s words, blinking back sudden tears as she thought about how much the words affected her. she hadn’t been expecting a comment but it had meant the world to her. as he poked her shoulder gently, she resisted the urge to pull him in for a hug. she may have been an excessively affectionate person, but she also respected that some people were not. she didn’t want to make chiheon uncomfortable. besides, it was probably wise to keep her hands to herself when out in public. there was always someone lurking around, filming and taking pictures without permission and ready to make something out of nothing with salacious rumors. so instead, the redhead smiled appreciatively as she looked up at him, carefully bumping her shoulder against his. “ thanks, cheonnie oppa. you’re one too, so it must be genetic. ” jinnie replied teasingly. obviously, they weren’t actually related by blood but still, she meant it — chiheon had to be one of the strongest, coolest people she knew in this industry. “ saaame ! i want to try a bit of everything. ” she would happily take advantage of not having someone hover over her, scolding her for what she wanted to eat. “ of course. you work too hard. you deserve it. thank you for being my bodyguard for the day. i’ll need to buy you many things to make up for it ! ”

chiheon could almost sense the strain with which she tried to hold herself back from hugging him, and he couldn’t help but smile inwardly. jinnie seemed genuinely touched and almost surprised by his words, and it made him feel grateful that he’d said them. sometimes, when things got a bit sentimental, it was more his speed to pull away from it and make jokes. he was reminded every now and again that some people had the innate ability to tunnel under his defenses, and weirdly enough, he didn’t mind it too much once they had. “ haha, well i’ll chalk that up to you. i must have become one simply by association, “ he replied, believing fully that simply knowing jinnie and being shown her patience and friendship had changed him for the better. he’d likely always be a work in progress, but he’d look graciously upon the people who stood by him in between his sarcastic quips. “ look who’s talking about working too hard ! i see you busting a move in the practice room, putting rookies everywhere to shame, “ he told her with a soft smirk. he loved hyping her up, because in his opinion, she deserved to feel like a superstar. he let his mind drift back to the delicious treats that were no doubt waiting for them at the bakery. “ anytime you need a bodyguard that isn’t on the staff, you know who to call. especially if there’s food involved, “ he mused, with a quick lick of his bottom lip. his mouth was dry and he was starving. sustenance was going to feel like heaven for sure.

ʚɞ

a coy smile lifted the corners of aeri’s glossed lips as she realized she was victorious in riling him up — as she intended whenever they were in contact. verbally and physically speaking, of course. aeri faltered for a moment as memories of the night they spent together recently, where they had too much adrenaline after one of their shows. it made her breath hitch quietly but she quickly covered it up with a scoff. putting her defenses back up, she was reluctant to do so but she forced herself to tear her gaze away in an almost flippant manner. “that’s bullshit, you have no idea what i’m thinking.” she drawled, she wasn’t sure when — or how chiheon found the ability to pick her apart, as if he knew the affect he had on her. but as the guitarist stood, she couldn’t help the intrigued look she gave him. this time, she wasn’t holding back. he wasn’t either and that was what kept her coming back for more. “say i was ‘giggling’, as you put it, how do you even know it was because of you?” she smirked, tilting her head.

jaw clenching behind his smile, chiheon walked a few feet to his left; not away from her, no. but their exchanges often left him restless and unable to sit still. his gaze lingered on her face, however. they’d always had a tumultuous dynamic, ever since the first time they’d met. back when she was simply deiji’s best friend that he didn’t get along with. suddenly, a chest pain nearly took him out of the moment, but he eased it off with pure fortitude. he had to accept that happiness with the person he loved wasn’t a possibility anymore. he had fucked that up, and was still continuing to do so with the sweet, yet taboo flavor of self sabotage he’d recently discovered in aeri’s chaotic gravitational pull. even now, his fingers sought to discover more of the blonde across from him, and he’d had to stuff a hand into his pocket to keep them from visibly twitching. “ it’s all in the tone, princess. there’s this absence of cruel intentions when you’re giggling about something else, this lack of being invested because there’s no one to burn. when it’s about me, though ? i can hear it in your voice when you laugh. how you wanna tear me apart again bit by bit with your pretty little fingernails, “ he’d inched forward at least six feet, his voice reaching depths only she could hear due to sheer proximity. no one in the practice room seemed to be paying any attention, and that suited him just fine.

     haneul lifted an eyebrow, not readily responding to chiheon’s comment. instead, he processed the words. he never felt compelled to fill their silences with talking. there were plenty of times when their hangouts only resulted in a peaceful quiet in one another’s presence. but soon, he found the words. “ isn’t that the common theme with us ? being fucking idiots. ” the bitter sarcasm was clear in his tone. no wonder the two of them got along so well — they were both tormented trainwrecks. haneul wanted to ask for more details but the pedestrian signal lit up, so instead, he continued his trek by crossing. his dark gaze found the nondescript exterior of the bar up ahead, and he nodded in its direction. even though it was close to the hotel, the building was entirely unassuming. he doubted anyone recognizable would be there. “ first round’s on me. ”

as the two approached what chiheon figured would be their hideout for the next couple of hours, something besides malcontent crossed his lips for the first time in quite awhile. he could already taste the regret, already felt his head spinning the next morning, and he couldn’t have been more okay with it all, because it meant that he’d forget. haneul’s acknowledgement of their similarities sent a macabre half grin onto the other, and chiheon didn’t really give a damn if it was wrong. sometimes it made him feel less alone that he wasn’t the only one prone to fucking things up on this tour. “ seems to be the case, “ came his reply, not that he knew what would uproot that all too common theme. he followed the younger man inside the bar, letting him make the decision on where to sit. he was perfectly aware of the fact that his friend would know the spot furthest away from everyone else so that they could enjoy their alcohol in peace. “ i’ll buy the second then, “ chiheon offered, knowing full well they’d be staying past the first.

if there was one official rule that jaein could have made for the group than that was if for whatever reason you didn’t have your phone or you needed time to yourself than a simple text to her was enough that she wouldn’t get worried or bother them further. she couldn’t help that she was a bit of mother hen when it came to her members but it was just instinctual for her, maybe it was because she had been forced to group up faster than she should have. “ you know i worry when someone doesn’t message back. also, we’re in unknown territory, it’s different than you leaving your phone and heading out into seoul, but we’re in a new place. ” she sighed and did a vague hand gesture, “ besides if you got kidnapped, how would we know? not that you would actually get kidnapped. hopefully. unfortunately we’re on tour, so it’s almost all work stuff. i know it’s hard, especially when they pull you for separate events. ” but she knew even besides practices and concerts, that they had extra duties.

a part of her now wished she could just delete all of her messages to him. he’d probably get a bit of a chuckle at some of them but it had been strange that he hadn’t been responding. sure maybe she had called him a few choice words here and there but it had been mostly civil-ish.  jaein looked down for a moment, now that she actually had chiheon in front of her she needed to gather her thoughts for what she actually wanted to say to him. “ okay there’s no fire. at least not a real one, that’s hot and stuff. ” jaein couldn’t help her smile but also a roll of her eyes at his comment. “ yeah, totally missed it. people getting swooped up into flying ships as we speak. better find some guns and a bunker down or we’ll be next. ” the sarcasm in her voice was thick but it was all in good fun as his mood was infectious enough. “ you’re forgiven, for now. ignore me again in the next month and you’ll be on thin ice. ” the threat was harmless in itself though. “ i don’t know, last night’s performance, i felt like i wasn’t myself. maybe stress. maybe not enough fun, but i hoped you had some ideas? for fun or something like it? i don’t feel myself completely, i guess. ”

the guitarist felt a slight bit of something that was rare for him; shame. jaein was right, the group was in a completely unfamiliar place, and it was only natural for her to want to know where everyone was. he genuinely felt bad about the worry he’d caused her now, any amusement at her reaction left by the wayside. “ you know if someone kidnapped me, they’d just bring me back five minutes later. who could stand me longer than that ? “ he joked, trying to further ease her mind. his eyes instinctively rolled when she began mentioning all the tour members’ extra duties, not that the gesture was at her per se, more so the circumstances she was explaining. he supposed success always had its caveats, but it sometimes put him through the ringer all he had to accomplish just to play the music he wanted in front of thousands of people. then again, for most people, this was just a pipe dream. maybe he should have been a little more appreciative.

chiheon grinned as jaein’s mood seemed to be lifting ever slightly since finally catching up with him. just what he was hoping for since he’d first seen her in the hallway. “ gah, i knew it. it’s always aliens, you know. people find their cabinets open or hear weird bumps in the night...they might think it’s ghosts, but really... “ he trailed off with a mysterious glance, content that his facetious point had been made. “ i’m just glad my apocalypse bunker will finally see some use--ah, uh, i mean...what apocalypse bunker ? “ he added, pretending as though he hadn’t just dangled the idea out there, obviously in jest. when jaein started to reflect on their previous performance, his nose crinkled in confusion. “ really ? you sounded great as always on my end. i personally think you’re working too hard. running yourself ragged trying to take care of everyone as always. i can definitely prescribe you some fun if need be. first thing’s first, we should have some lunch. no worrying about the members or promotions or the next shows. just existing as human beings for a little bit. sound good ? “ chiheon offered, his own stomach rumbling from the lonely cup of caffeine that swished inside.

♕

A smile adorned her features at the sincerity in his words. It might not be meaningful to him, but it was to her. Even if it was just a game and nothing of that much importance, knowing that he believed she was capable of doing it, just made her feel safer and happier. Those past few weeks hadn’t been easier for several reasons, so having her friends around, a shoulder to lean on if needed, was enough for her to look up and keep marching on.

“You’ll do great. But I can look after him whenever you’re too busy. Let’s call it co-parenting.” The plushie was nothing out of the ordinary, a very cheap toy that they wouldn’t even look at otherwise. But Seonhwa liked it a lot. “Real thing, uh? Do you want a dog?” She wouldn’t call it a wish or a plan, just a thought that had sometimes crossed her mind. Seonhwa had considered adopting a dog or a cat, but she was always so busy. There had been a time when she had almost done it, but then she got told about the merge and she knew the workload that was about to fall on her shoulders wouldn’t allow her to give the small animal the attention it deserved.

Giggles bubbled from her lips as her eyes landed on the colorful machine he had picked. “Are you sure?” she asked. Still, she followed him happily. In reality, those games had nothing to do with any dancing skills one might have, but the eye-foot coordination and the attention enough not to get distracted. Luckily for Seonhwa, she had both. “Alright. I must admit it’s been a while since the last time I did this. And it was for a variety show, I think, a year or two after my debut. So I might be rusty.” She picked the right side, getting on the platform. “Because I’m fair, you should pick the song.”

“ deal. i’ll drop him off with you if ever i can’t give him my full attention, “ chiheon agreed to her co - parenting suggestion, and gave the small plush a gentle head pat. his smile sloped off to the side in a contemplative effort, when she asked him about the real thing. having a canine companion was an experience chiheon had wanted since childhood. he was never afforded the opportunity of those special christmases or birthdays where an excited parent would usher in the new member of the family to the delight and tears of the child being presented with the puppy. he’d see it in movies and on tv — he wanted desperately for it to be his reality, but it had never happened. his schedule always seemed so jam - packed, especially now. he wasn’t sure it ever would happen, but there was that small part of him that still hoped. “ that’s kinda been a lifelong dream of mine. having one of those big golden retrievers that’s always at your side, and that you can train to bring you beer from the fridge, “ he basked in the glow of his nostalgic wishes, a wistfulness embedded in his voice.

as the two advanced on their next game machine, chiheon eyed it cautiously. why the hell had he picked this, of all things ? dancing was one of his most embarrassingly bad skills; though it thankfully didn’t affect him too much, considering his role in tidal didn’t require him to ‘ shake it ‘ an overwhelming amount. still, it was still a tall order to take on such a task in a public place, and he was beginning to wonder how he’d felt empowered enough to even suggest this. “ uh, yeah, i’m sure, “ he responded to seonhwa’s words, even if inwardly, he was anything but sure. chiheon gave the dance pads a few quick glances, trying to memorize exactly where each prompt was located. while he’d seen the game plenty in certain medias, he’d never played it himself, which he doubt would have surprised anybody. “ i guess i just put the tokens in, and then the songs come up ? “ it was half a statement and half a question, his inexperience with this sort of thing shining through the casual shell he often tried to shield himself with.

☆°•.

it was a meeting that was sprung last minute on him and that’s what made it ten times worse for the young manager. jaemin usually needed a day or two in advance to prepare himself for the scary auras the executives exuded every time he spoke with them. it reminded him of his first interview with one of them and it was like his brain blocked out the terrifying experience for his own good. but that didn’t help since he’s still not used to it — will he ever? not likely, he thought dryly. but ever since he let it slip to chiheon in a jaemin-like fashion where he laughs it off just how much he found meetings nerve-wracking, he felt slightly better to know someone would be waiting for him on the other side. he always felt comfortable around the guitarist, over the moon when he was accepted by someone he admired and thought was so cool.

when they were let out of the room, he finally willed himself to relax — his shoulders slumping and fingers unclenched from his previous position of them on his jeans. and even with the embarrassing nickname, jaemin visibly brightened up and it was like a magnet had pulled him into chiheon’s side. “hyung, really?” he whined with a laugh, nudging the older playfully. despite acting like it bothered him, it helped a great deal with calming him down. “oh, it was mainly tour stuff. like promotions and scheduling mostly. um — and also some work evaluations of our managing. like what we need to focus more on.” he replied, shrugging as he adverted his gaze.

chiheon could sense the tension leave jaemin once the executives had strutted their way down the hall, and while he was glad that he gave his friend some comfort, he also wanted to go trip one of them into a wall. he knew how people like that could be all too well, and the thought of them pushing tidal’s manager around or making him feel like he wasn’t doing a good job didn’t sit well with the older man. it was one of the very reason’s he’d remained in the hallway even after jaemin had disappeared into the conference room a significant length of time earlier. his demeanor lightened up once more at the younger’s reaction to yet another one of chiheon’s infamous nicknames. “ yes, hyung. you have to deal with things people your age usually don’t, so you’ve earned that title, i think, “ chiheon explained, and in his mind, his reasoning was sound.

his grin soured slightly as jaemin got into the more technical details of the meeting, and it melted into a frown completely once he mentioned a work evaluation with such an evasive mannerism in association. “ well, if said evaluation was anything other than glowing, and i mean ‘ award for manager of the year ‘ and ‘ give this hyung a raise and a bottle of top shelf champagne ‘ type stuff, then they don’t know what they’re talking about, “ chiheon stated confidently, obviously proud of all that jaemin had done as their manager. “ but lay it on me, anyway, “ he added, wanting the younger man to be able to vent if he needed to.

while she knew that they were going to be presented to the fans together as part of a promotional event, sora hadn’t planned on chiheon accidentally walking into frame for her v-live. she had feeling he wasn’t the most comfortable about the situation. sora guessed that he didn’t often do these sorts of things but they had become important to promotions and when tours weren’t happening they were especially important to reach fans just about everywhere in the world. “ yes, everyone say hi to chiheon! ” she said with slightly faked enthusiasm and clapping of her fans. it was often that you had to act a bit when it came to these kinds of things. she listened as he spoke and it was clear in his words and tone that he wasn’t comfortable at all. but judging by the comments pouring that people were positive towards him. “ yes! we will work our very hardest to ensure that you enjoy our concerts! ”  it was hard to steer the direction of the comments flowing in and like others, they were almost beginning to ask about the sweatshirt in his hands. “ right, the sweatshirt. chiheon was very kind to let me borrow it, i think we could all learn a thing or too about fashion from him. ” she nodded too much and even did a finger motion at the camera to express her point. she was trying to lay it on thick, but with chiheon’s unconvincing performance, it wasn’t going well. pretending to hear a sound from the door, “ oh, i think we should probably end the live early, manager says it’s almost time. thanks for coming to my live everyone. ” the sooner this ended, the better.

chiheon’s expression turned to one of slight horror, as comments continued to pile into the live chat commenting on the sweatshirt and why he would have let her borrow it, as if it were some strange or significant act. he didn’t really understand the fans’ investment in things of this nature, but guilt was rising into his throat over not only having crashed her vlive but for putting a scandalous idea in her fans’ heads. once he realized sora was wrapping things up, probably due to his dumbfounded, deer-in-the-headlights look, relief lapped slightly at his ankles like a waning tide. still, he felt terrible for completely crashing and ruining what was simply meant to be a fun little fan interaction for his fellow performer. as he watched he watched the stream end and the likes and comments rolling in finally ceased, he blew a heavy sigh and turned to sora apologetically. “ i’m so so sorry, i — the door was open, so i thought — i, i shouldn’t have come in, i’m sorry, “ he bowed several times in succession to highlight his regret. his overly informal nature sometimes got him in trouble, and it looked like those might be one of those times. “ and then i went and made things worse by... “ he spoke slowly, not even wanting to comment on what had just happened in front of that camera. it was embarrassing, and what’s worse, he’d embarrassed her, too. “ maybe...maybe they’ll forget all about it. i mean, with dispatch existing they’ll probably have something else to focus on within the next 10 minutes, right ? right ? “ he wasn’t sure who he was trying to convince more, to be honest.

           marlowe had to remind herself to regulate her breathing and heartrate over and over again. who could blame her? it was the day that she’d been waiting on: shoot day. she didn’t mind that it was scheduled during the heart of the tour, either. if anything, it was a reprieve from all the hand-holding and fake carrying on that came with being ¼ of braveheart. however, she didn’t have her members to rely on or play off of. she had another member of the company, but it was chiheon from tidal … whom she knew next to nothing about, really. how much would they get to interact, though? she wasn’t sure, due to the nature of this being her first gig, but she figured that it couldn’t have been that much. she hadn’t heard much about him, but judging by what she had heard, he had a bit of a reputation ( and, in her book, it wasn’t one to be proud of. ) 

         perhaps allowing her naivety get the better of her, she had let out hushed oohs and wows as she was carried via golfcart to the location. the water looked magnificent, like something out of a painting. she took a deep breath and fixed her hair while she followed the directions she’d been given and waited for mr. whatshisname. she fidgeted with her recently manicured nails in an attempt to bide the time. at the sound of her own name, she looked over to recognize the other musician coming towards her. “hello, chiheon. it’s nice to meet you.” she spoke, quickly bowing as she greeted him. “you know, it’s odd because all the staff have asked me so many questions about you. i felt kind of dumb telling them that i didn’t really know.” you’re rambling, she chastised herself before looking around, trying to find anyone who looked like a staff. “if i heard them correctly, i think they’re waiting on the photographer. something about shooting on digital or film, which i wasn’t even sure people did anymore …” she trailed off. “sorry, i only heard bits and pieces. are these sets usually this – busy? or is it because this is dior?”

“ it’s nice to meet you too, “ he returned her sentiments, obviously having some sort of comfort in this hectic environment. chiheon’s ears perked up when the girl mentioned staff had been asking about him. his reputation did tend to precede him, and it inflated his ego a bit even if the attention probably wasn’t positive. he still craved it sometimes. “ i’m sure they had a glowing opinion of me, “ he replied, voice dripping with soft sarcasm and a hint of self awareness. he wasn’t about to press her on what they’d said, it was enough knowing they’d thought of him. sure, he had a history of stunts that made him somewhat controversial in south korea’s public eye, but a lot of it had a deeper meaning that most didn’t bother to look beyond the surface to see. still, some brands embraced his ‘ bad boy ‘ persona, and would continue to utilize his edgy image to push their products. it worked out for him in the end, so what did he care what people said about him ?

“ there’s always someone on the crew who’s late. and then they yell at us if even a hair is out of place. it’s a tough job, but someone has to do it, i guess, “ he said, with a playful roll of his eyes, his facetious complaint mixing with the cheerful songs of birds native to the area. he held his eyes tightly together and let the sun beam down on his face for a moment. as cynical as he could be about, well, everything — even he had moments of levity where he realized how ridiculous it was that he received money for such grandiose experiences. even if he pretended to complain and teased everyone around him, he did have an appreciation for where he was in the world. he glanced back at marlowe, who was awash in a background of bright blue. “ big companies like this tend to do things in style, to be honest. when we film the commercial in a few days, don’t be shocked to see the director land on the island in a helicopter after holding up shooting for two and a half hours. i’ve heard he’s a bit high strung. on the plus side, the catering is bomb and we’re on an island, so... “ he explained, clearly knowledgeable, if a bit flippant about the process.

♕

“I know that!” She giggled again. Her thick skin had always protected her, and she knew better than thinking her own friends would say or do anything to hurt her. Besides, she had spent enough time around Chiheon to know the way he spoke, to know that he never meant anything in a cruel way. No, he was too kind for that. “If I have to be honest, I didn’t think I would do it,” she admitted with a chuckle. “But I did and I’m feeling so powerful right now. Like I won’t even try again, because I will fail and that’s a mood killer.” It was a talent to know when to stop, and Seonhwa had always been good at that.

At the name, the soloist looked at the small stuffed animal and then back at her friend. “He has a Moka face. No, really. Look at him. He was always meant to be Moka.” It had been a while since the last time she had managed to win a prize in such manner, a bittersweet memory that would be a mistake to think of too much. Instead of focusing on something that would ruin her good mood, she simply shrugged and handed over the dog.

“Listen, he is your responsibility now. You have to promise to look after him, because all he wanted was a home that was more than a cold bin where he had no space to breathe.” Her eyes scanned the arcade, studying the other games, wondering if there was anything to occupy their time with. It was too early to go back to the hotel, and she frankly didn’t feel like returning just yet. It had been a while since she had felt this relaxed, and it would be a shame to waste it. “Okay, you pick the next one. We have enough tokens.”

content that she hadn’t taken his words to be ill-intentioned, chiheon frowned at her revelation that her confidence in winning a prize had mostly been playful banter. “ nah, i knew you could ! and you could probably win a ton more, but i respect your decision to back off while the iron’s hot, ” he replied with understanding. it would have been easy enough to spend all their tokens on trying to get more toys from the claw machine, but there was certainly plenty of other games that looked pretty tempting to try.

chiheon gave seonhwa a bow when she gifted the dog plush to him, and a tiny smile gave way as he eyed the small stuffed creature in his hands. “ that’s a lot of pressure. but i guess traveling all over the world on tour is probably a better lifestyle than what you described, so i guess i can’t do that bad of a job. it’ll be great practice for the real thing, thank you, “ he beamed towards his friend. it may have just been a generic looking stuffed animal, but he’d treasure it regardless. he’d make sure moka was well taken care of and a significant part of his routine going forward.

upon being asked what he wanted to do next, chiheon’s dark eyes scanned the arcade for something interesting. there was a lot of vibrant colors and flashing lights, so there wasn’t really a single machine that wasn’t eye catching in some way. “ hmm, “ he ruminated over each one, trying to find what stuck out to him the most. “ aha~ “ he declared, a fist up in determination; god knows he’d need it soon. he pointed to a pretty familiar dance battle game that had dueling pads set up side by side. “ you wanna go kick my ass in pump it up ? “ he inquired, though he was already backing up in the direction of the game while asking the question.

     “ me, a badass ? i don’t know about that… ” jinnie almost wanted to laugh at the compliment. sure, her braveheart persona may be considered so, but she felt like quite the opposite when the cameras were off. truthfully, she wished she was more of one. she would be less afraid to go for all the things she really wanted. shaking her head to rid her overactive thoughts, the redhead instead focused in on his anecdote. she smiled at the thought. “ oppa as a child, how cute~ ” she teased lightly, hoping to coax a smile onto his face. she used to do the same to her brother as a little girl — pester him into amusement. it’s funny how she fell back on a similar habit with chiheon. “ that sounds sooo yummy. you just convinced me to try the lotus seed one when we’re there. ” as the fresh air hit them, jinnie let out a sigh of relief, soaking in the sun. this was definitely better than being holed up in her hotel room. as they ventured on their walk, she hummed lightly, falling into step beside the other.

“ eh, in my opinion, there are different flavors of badass. no two are the same, you know ? some people are badass because they aren’t scared of anything and they ride motorcycles and wear leather, sure. but there’s also the ones who take a chance on understanding people before judging them. the ones who sacrifice themselves to take care of everyone else. that’s you in spades, jinnie, “ his diatribe was carried with a comforting tone, and he offered her gentle shoulder poke to frost the cake. it was really abnormal for him to talk this much, especially of something so sentimental, but he felt jinnie was far too hard on herself. he wanted her to hear a positive truth from someone else rather than a negative lie from herself for a change. “ ugh, oppa was the ugliest child, even you wouldn’t have loved him, “ he remarked, his words clearly in jest as a wide grin had accompanied them. their strides had become completely in sync now, creating a humorous visual to any onlookers due to their height difference. “ one thing’s for sure, i’m probably gonna be crawling out of the bakery after eating so much. thank you for getting me out and about today, by the way. i needed it, “ he spoke genuinely, his songwriting troubles temporarily forgotten in the rear view.

ʚɞ

aeri rolled her eyes, a common occurrence whenever she was in an unfortunate situation where she was talking to chiheon or even just when she was near him. and now she was forced to share — especially with someone as smug as him. it seemed that he was only this way with her.. not that she paid attention to him or anything. nope — not at all. never. so being as fair as she was, returned the energy that was given. and maybe it was more of an interesting way to pass the time than she initially thought. so she let it slide. “you certainly did, pretty boy.” she taunted, returning the nickname right back to him. aeri scoffed but the gleam in her eye was anything but offended. “oh please — don’t act like you weren’t aware of my presence the second you stepped in here. i didn’t even have to do anything.” she added with jeer that barely held any heat, having her haughty attitude rear its head to get under his skin.

he hated when she was right. sure enough, when she was in a room, his resting bitch face would typically find her pretty quickly; today was no different at all. his lips spread out into a thin half frown, clearly gotten to. “ y’know what your problem is, princess ? you let the little things go to your head, “ he mused, eyes flickering in a language only she would be able to interpret, undoubtedly reminding her of the last time she’d looked into them properly. a time where arguing had been the last thing on either of their minds... he was standing up now with his blood temperature rising, an affect she always seemed to have on him within minutes of initiating conversation. his face remained full of forced apathy, however. “ i glance at you a couple times and you get all giggly, don’t try to deny it. “ he was more trying to draw the heat out of his own face and towards hers, but he knew she was made of tougher stuff than he was, not that he’d ever admit it to her.