; reborn as an artist

youngjae’s smirk deepened as skyler’s cheeks flushed, the small bow and pressed hand over his heart almost too much to resist teasing. but there was something genuine in the moment, too—something that made him pause. “sunbaenim?” he chuckled, shaking his head. “save that, you can speak informally to me. we’re both just idols here, trying not to make fools of ourselves.” he adjusted his sleeve, the motion deliberate, giving skyler a second to breathe. “and for the record, i’m just as thrown as you are. thirteen years in, and i still get that kick in my gut before something new. but this?” his eyes flicked to skyler, then back to the set. “this is a pleasant surprise.”

he gestured to the chairs, waiting until skyler was fully settled before leaning forward, elbows on his knees. “as for taking care of you—consider it done. you’re in good hands.” his gaze drifted to the stack of flashcards, curiosity piqued. “though i have to wonder what they’ve got us walking into.”

without waiting for an answer, he reached for one of the cards, flipping it over with a practiced flick of his wrist. the camera would catch the motion, the way his fingers lingered on the card for just a second before he read it aloud. “what is your favorite song from each other’s group?” he set the card down on the table between them, tapping it lightly with his index finger.

youngjae's words of encouragement help him brighten up though, his shoulders relaxing a bit more and his smile becoming a less bit tight. the older man's calming energy really was doing a lot to help him chill out. "i get you—i think it's nice to still get that heart-pounding feeling even now in your case though, it means there's still things to look forward to even after so much."

he nods after he reads out the question, before he leans in further this time when youngjae takes the lead on answering first, only for his eyes to widen at his answer. "ah, it has to be plot twist, right?" skyler covers his mouth to hide his shy grin, peeking away bashfully for a second before speaking up again, "… ah, wait, i wrote some of those lyrics…! i'm really glad you like our song! all of us were really, really happy with how well that one was received."

"for myself… i think i will have to say whalien 52." he nods, leaning back into his seat as he mulled over his answer. "the lyrics there are very… melancholic? the concept of being completely alone, but still continuing on and hoping someone will relate to your feelings… i really like it a lot!" he gives him a gentle smile after finishing his thoughts, "the story told in it is the type of songwriting i want to be able to achieve, too."

a small, knowing smile tugged at youngjae’s lips as skyler fumbled over the honorifics. the kid was still getting used to the idea of being casual with him, and honestly? it was kind of endearing. “hyung is more like it,” he said, his voice carrying that familiar dry edge, but softer now. “and yeah, you’re right—still getting that kick after all this time? means we’re doing something right. means there’s still fire in there.”

he nodded as skyler confirmed the song, his smirk turning genuine. “no wonder it was good. i should’ve known you had a hand in it.” there was a hint of admiration there, though he’d never admit it outright. the way skyler talked about the lyrics, the care he put into them—it was the kind of passion youngjae respected, even if he’d never say it to his face.

“whalien 52, though?” His fingers tapped lightly against the table, a habit he didn’t even realize he had. “funny you mention that. the concept was actually mine. wrote a good chunk of the lyrics too.” he smirked, shaking his head at skyler’s aspiration. “if you put your heart into it, someone will always resonate with it. don’t overthink it.”

thread .03—starter for @dionyxux, youngjae’s apartment, a summer night in 2025.

It’s nights like these that make Miori appreciate all the work it took to get to this point—the point where she’s comfortable enough to lounge in her scrappiest pajamas, eating the sweetest ice cream, drinking the darkest of wines—and, of course, chatting with one of her closest friends.

She’s well aware that, at this very hour, there are trainees and rookies grueling away in the KH and Adagio buildings alike. It’s approaching that end of the month where trainee evaluations are coming up—it’s a blessing in and of itself to be surprised when she remembers that still happens.

Youngjae is one of her favorite people to remember those days with—the days of long, hard, seemingly thankless work; and the nights, too, where idols like them would lie awake and wonder if this was all in vain. Axis and Serene may not have had quite the same career trajectory, but the level of work was all the same between them both. And as the groups’ two leaders, those sleepless nights felt even longer.

So. Nights like this, where they can recline on the couch like languid cats, purr over the new crystal decanters Miori purchased last week, and gossip about the state of the industry—these aren’t anything she takes for granted.

Tonight’s not much for relaxing, though. They killed some time with bad movies and cheap gossip, some shallow laughs that didn’t feel quite right. But this isn’t why Youngjae invited her over, she can tell. He’s in one of those moods—Miori’s come to know them well. He’s been seeming agitated tonight—she can take any number of guesses as to why, whether it’s dissatisfaction with Axis’ direction, or the way the public is always seeming to misunderstand him. Miori lifts her wineglass to her lips, observing him with a critical eye as she takes an unhurried drink. Eventually, she sighs, kicks off her slippers, and pushes off the couch to snatch the half-empty bottle off the table. She pulls the cork off and leans forward to fill Youngjae’s glass, still in his hand, much more than is customary.

When she leans back, completely graceless and completely uncaring of that, she takes a deep, lazy pull from the bottle, keeping her eyes fixed on his. When she sets the bottle back on the table, a half-kind, half-defiant challenging smile is barely tugging at her lips.

youngjae watched as miori topped off his glass with that dark wine, the rich color catching the soft light of his apartment. he swirled the liquid absently, the crystal decanter between them glinting like the ridiculous purchase it was. she always had a knack for finding the most extravagant ways to spend money—though he couldn’t exactly talk. his own taste wasn’t exactly modest either.

he took a slow sip, the wine bitter against his tongue, before setting the glass down with a sigh. “you always know when to cut through the bullshit, don’t you?” he muttered, though there was no real heat in it—just the familiar resignation that came with miori’s particular brand of directness. “fine. since you’re so eager.” he shifted in his seat, stretching his legs out. “my manager’s been on my ass lately. wants me to prioritize axis, put my solo project on the backburner. as if the group’s going to fall apart if i take five minutes to breathe.”

he downed the rest of his wine in one smooth motion, the burn grounding him. “but it’s not just about the group. it’s about the fact that they act like i’m not allowed to want more. like i should just be happy with the way things are.” his jaw tightened, the frustration bleeding through despite his attempt at nonchalance. “i’ve given axis everything. but if i can’t do this—if i can’t keep creating the way i need to—then what’s the point? it’s not about abandoning anything. it’s about not stagnating.”

the ice cream had melted slightly in its bowl, the sweetness a stark contrast to the wine. he picked up his spoon, turning it over in his fingers. “i’ve been thinking about it a lot. the things i do—it’s not just a side project. it’s part of my own growth. and if they can’t see that, then maybe they’re the ones who don’t get it.”

the door to the studio swung open, and youngjae stepped in, immediately aware of the red blinking lights of the cameras already trained on him. he adjusted his jacket with practiced ease, though his thumb still absently swiped through his phone out of habit. his manager’s voice was a distant murmur as youngjae scanned the set—the board games, the chairs, and then—there was skyler. he paused for just a second, his expression carefully neutral. wonder’s leader. he’d been following their work, their stages, their growth. this wasn’t who he expected, but honestly? it was a relief.

skyler’s reaction was priceless—youngjae couldn’t help the small smirk tugging at his lips. “guess we’re both in for a surprise,” he said, his voice steady but laced with that dry humor of his. he knew the feeling; skyler wasn’t the only one caught off guard. but thirteen years in the industry had taught him how to adapt, even when he was just as thrown as the person in front of him.

he cleared his throat, shifting his weight. “you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said, though there was a softness there, beneath the observation. truth was, he’d been keeping an eye on wonder. their music, their energy—it was refreshing. and skyler? he’d seen enough to know the guy had talent. “but since we’re here,” he said, gesturing to the chairs, “might as well make the most of it.”

"… it's really nice to get to work with you, sunbaenim." he takes a few steps closer before giving the other man a small bow this time, one hand pressed against his heart once he rises back up to full height—calm down, damn. a few weak laughs come from him now, as he already knows this is going to highlighted for the convention's experience event. "p-please take care of me today as well."

he lifts his free hand to brush a few strands of his hair behind his ear, glancing away to not make eye contact with him just yet again. there's a shy smile on his face as he started to become more comfortable with the situation, "not a ghost, just definitely not someone i was expecting to be paired up with… but i'm excited to work with you today, though."

youngjae’s smirk deepened as skyler’s cheeks flushed, the small bow and pressed hand over his heart almost too much to resist teasing. but there was something genuine in the moment, too—something that made him pause. “sunbaenim?” he chuckled, shaking his head. “save that, you can speak informally to me. we’re both just idols here, trying not to make fools of ourselves.” he adjusted his sleeve, the motion deliberate, giving skyler a second to breathe. “and for the record, i’m just as thrown as you are. thirteen years in, and i still get that kick in my gut before something new. but this?” his eyes flicked to skyler, then back to the set. “this is a pleasant surprise.”

he gestured to the chairs, waiting until skyler was fully settled before leaning forward, elbows on his knees. “as for taking care of you—consider it done. you’re in good hands.” his gaze drifted to the stack of flashcards, curiosity piqued. “though i have to wonder what they’ve got us walking into.”

without waiting for an answer, he reached for one of the cards, flipping it over with a practiced flick of his wrist. the camera would catch the motion, the way his fingers lingered on the card for just a second before he read it aloud. “what is your favorite song from each other’s group?” he set the card down on the table between them, tapping it lightly with his index finger.

when skyler had received the timeslot for the filming of his 'mix and match' video for the lynk con experience, he felt a weird mix of jitters running through his body and also the need to go hide in a dark closet for a few minutes. he had no clue who he'd be randomly matched with, all he knew was that it would be someone from a different company—so the concept of a relaxed talk with any of his kh entertainment seniors (or juniors, including kismet), was completely out of the question.

now he finds himself here, standing awkwardly as the filming crew prepared to get to work, surrounded by the small set made up of comfortable chairs, a table sat between them, and a few board game boxes stacked neatly on top of one another. he had noticed there were a stack of cards faced down right next to the boxes, what game they could be related to, he wasn't sure yet.

a director calls out something, and when he turns around, he finds the red blink of a few cameras staring right back at him; wonder's manager had mentioned that they would be filming his reaction to his partner… but he'd be lying if he said he didn't briefly forget about that fact. it takes skyler a second, but with his shoulders relaxing and that look in his eyes becoming even warmer, it takes him no time to become skye—wonder's ever kindhearted, supportive leader.

he gives a quick introduction to the future audience as he waves to the main camera with both hands, "hello, i am skye, the leader of wonder. please take good care of me today, too." the cameraman spoke up soon after, asking if he had any idea who he'd be working with today (which saved him the embarrassment of trying to make conversation without much guidance.)

"ah, i'm honestly not sure really! it's a complete surprise to me, but i'm excited regardless." skyler smiles brightly as he speaks, but it's at that moment he hears more footsteps begin to make their way to the studio they're in. that has to be them.

he knows he can't turn around until he hears the last of the steps come towards him, but he's feeling those jitters again and it's getting harder to not look early on and ruin the idea. he's patient though—so he waits a second or two before finally getting to see exactly who this other idol is.

then suddenly he's taking a step back and covering his mouth. one of the side cameras watch him as he runs a few steps away from joo youngjae, and lets out a laugh of disbelief. "oh my god, you're joking!" his collected demeanor from a few seconds ago melts away easily when he realizes he's been matched with not just another group's leader, but the leader of axis specifically.

the door to the studio swung open, and youngjae stepped in, immediately aware of the red blinking lights of the cameras already trained on him. he adjusted his jacket with practiced ease, though his thumb still absently swiped through his phone out of habit. his manager’s voice was a distant murmur as youngjae scanned the set—the board games, the chairs, and then—there was skyler. he paused for just a second, his expression carefully neutral. wonder’s leader. he’d been following their work, their stages, their growth. this wasn’t who he expected, but honestly? it was a relief.

skyler’s reaction was priceless—youngjae couldn’t help the small smirk tugging at his lips. “guess we’re both in for a surprise,” he said, his voice steady but laced with that dry humor of his. he knew the feeling; skyler wasn’t the only one caught off guard. but thirteen years in the industry had taught him how to adapt, even when he was just as thrown as the person in front of him.

he cleared his throat, shifting his weight. “you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” he said, though there was a softness there, beneath the observation. truth was, he’d been keeping an eye on wonder. their music, their energy—it was refreshing. and skyler? he’d seen enough to know the guy had talent. “but since we’re here,” he said, gesturing to the chairs, “might as well make the most of it.”

INTRODUCING... YOUNGJAE.

LEADER, MAIN RAPPER of AXIS. ADAGIO LABEL.