OOPS!

“you are great company, but me being my own company is the best company.“ as quirky and funny as jihoon could get, he really did prefer his own time. there were very few people he would willingly take time out of his day to spend with them. however, jiyoo fell in that category to an extend. afterall, they were at his place drinking “probably suffer to be honest, no one else agreed to drink and play games with me tonight, so, big gold star for effort in your file.“ he adds, grin pulling on his lips.

“listen, greasy foods after drinking? the best. hand down, that, or a nice spicy soup.“ jihoon gives his two cents. he didn’t feel the effect of the shots just yet, but something at the back of his head was telling him that the morning would be somewhat of a bitch.. “samn, still not feeling great? despite having me as company? i’m offended, if the alcohol makes you like me even more than usual, i’m never inviting you over.“ he complains, al lighthearted and not meaning anything he says. he pours himself another shot and slides the bottle to jiyoo “the question is, what are the interior motives behind seeing me naked you know? thats the real question.“ he asks back, brow raised at the other as he downs the next shot.

“well..” jiyoo cocked her head to the side, squinting at him. “i don’t accept that narrative. i’m the best company. thank you.” she was half-serious, half-not. she wouldn’t really force herself to be the best company but she was shameless enough to say that she was. “see that’s why i am the best, because now you’re not suffering alone.” though, if he wanted some drinking buddies, she knew a few people. 

“the best company.“ he teases, “no need to, my coach already reminds me every time i hit the gym.“ jihoon can’t help but chuckle at the way she brings up the sandwich specifically. “listen, the energy drinks were the best. i don’t i have ever had a sugar free drink. if i’m gonna be unhealthy, might as well go full on out you know?“ health wasn’t something jihoon cared about much during his trainee days, because god, five years were enough for him to just loosen up a bit. he did manage to pull through when he was informed about his debut.

“glad you depends on me for that. we will see how it goes.“ he laughs out, keep up with her pace of shots. he wasn’t going to push her, but god, had it been a while since he had a good set of shots. he loved drinking but schedules were always a pain and having a day or two off and getting jiyoo to have fun with him? he was taking this opportunity. “coffee machine or two week of pizza. both are good. i’m not running naked on the street, if you wanted to see me naked, you should have picked a better plan.“ he teases, but jihoon doesn’t wait for her to take her next shot, throwing it back and his three empty glasses now sit between them on the table.

“as bad as it is, i do agree.”  she paused for a second, “and i mean that for the health thing, i think i’m the best company, what would you do without me?” not streak for one but those were the small details. and still, she couldn’t say much, her life was lived on sweets and everything filled with sugar that she could get her hands on. 

lux scoffed, but grinned widely at jiyoo’s words. she was a trip. “careful, i’ll start a fansite.” they warned in jest, turning his back to the group of people. “don’t buy everything, jynxy, it should all at least be your size.” he pointed out, taking the idea seriously. why wouldn’t he? jiyoo had looked great in everything she’d tried on. “take your time, though, i’m not going anywhere.” he promised, offering his pinky to pinky swear.

“i’ll accept the names jiyoo jjang, yoon oppa, cherry red or best smile.” yes, jiyoo found herself very into the idea of having another fansite. “and since you’re an idol...you’ll get all of the best pictures.” the smile that was on her face as followed by a small pout. “but buying everything is the best of fun, think of all the bags we’ll have to carry.” now, that meant you were having a fun time. she reached out her hand, taking the pink and giving a firm shake. “i’m holding you too that, if i blink and you’re gone, we fight.” 

there is a short pause on jihoon’s side, thinking a bit if that was really possible but this was the idol world they were talking about “yeah, i think i can keep up. you’re talking to the person who lived off coffee and energy drinks with a sandwich slapped in between in his trainee days.“ which honestly, looking back now made jihoon consider how he survived their training. “damn, you really want to drink me under the table huh?“ he laugh at her, and you couldn’t really blame him.

“see, as much fun as that would sound, i am sure drunk me has at least half the braincells left to say that that will ruin our image and make you change it.“ he explains, watching as jiyoo reaches for the shot glass. instinctively, jihoon reaches for his own and brings it to his lips, downing it without much of a reaction. “pizza everyday for at least two weeks? yeah okay, i think i can shake my hand to that.“ the male replies, smile tugging on his lips “i get a new coffee machine. i think it equals out on money, yeah?“

“it looks like i’m in good company.” jiyoo shot him a wink. “we can think about how bad all that was for your body later.” that being said, she wasn’t the best role model. it’s not like pizza and sugar was the best diet to have with her training schedule. “the sandwich, not so bad but the drinks....” very bad for you, depending. 

this is what jihoon was carving for really, someone to not burst his bubble and play along. what more could he want? there is a big grin on his lips, threatening to split his face in half “guess we gotta see how crazy we can get.” he says, obviously teasing as he winks at jiyoo. he is already opening the cabinet and taking out the alcohol she picked and he regrets giving her a choice. “at least i bought the expensive vodka, i don’t think i have had a hangover from this brand ever.” not that jihoon drank that much, but he drank enough to know what a hangover was and how he didn’t want to experience it again, but a week down the line and he had already forgotten that resolution of his. “what do you wanna win if you take me down?“ he asks, glancing at jiyoo as he places six shot glasses down. the sound of the cap popping off the vodka bottle makes him sigh, it brought back a bit too many mixed memories “i wanna say you could dare me to do something, but im too scared drunk you will go overboard.“ jihoon says, grin back on his lips as he pours them three shots each, pushing jiyoo’s closer to her.

“let’s see if you can keep up with my crazy. i’m a person who runs on nothing but candy, pizza and all thing sugar.” like herself. “no hangovers, that’s good.” she already knew she wouldn’t be on her feet after shot after shot after shot. “at least, i’ll stand on my feet until i beat you and then crash to ground.”

lux clapped for jiyoo as she came out of the dressing room, even giving a wolf whistle once that had a few dirty looks thrown their way. lux made a face at the passers by who were apparently so irritated. when jiyoo reemerged they grinned. “you looked gorge, jynx.” they informed her, unusually supportive, in part to spite the people they’d bothered. “what are you getting? all of it?” they questioned, curious about what she had and hadn’t been satisfied with. of course, she really had looked good in every piece, but, well, jiyoo was really beautiful. she always looked good. it would be hard for her not to, even if lux’s personal taste wasn’t suited to the cutesy motif and colors jiyoo favored.

“thank you, thank you. i will not charge a service fee to look at me but because i like you, you can view me for free.” she didn’t pay much attention to the people watching him, enjoying the praise from lux more than the glances. “yes, i am buying all of it.” she had a plan. “i plan on buying out the entire store, this way, i won’t have to shop for at least two years.” or at the very least one but she intended to not shop for a while. “i need to hit up a few more racks and then it’ll be on to food.” 

sooah feels a burst of excited giggles filling up her stomach in the familiar way that she has come to know as it’s associated with the fact that someone is going along with her stupid ideas. sometimes, just being a young person who has the money to buy things that make her happy, is the right way to go. “unnie, have i ever mentioned that you’re an angel?” she says truthfully as she scans the racks more thoroughly now that she has been given the permission she was looking for. “i’m not convinced at all. i’ll get you the prettiest thing i see here,” she tells jiyoo with a smile even though the other won’t be able to see it through the phone.

sooah holds the phone between her cheek and her shoulder as she goes through the options of not only hats and belts but also a skirt now that jiyoo suggested that. “oh, there’s no need of that,” she says almost defensive, “it’s a gift, after all, there’s no reason for a payback.”

“you might’ve but i wouldn’t mind hearing it again.” most of the time, she was the devil, maybe an imp but angel was an pretty good title if jynx said so herself. and she did say so. “and i trust you to do that.” she had faith that sooah would help her make the best cow-girl outfit. even if she only thought of it on the spot. “other than trying to be talked out of making quick buys, are you having fun?”

* ╰         IF ONLY HER HONEST SENTIMENTS COULD BE TAKEN AT FACE. it’s hard to accept this glimmer of sugar when he himself was a little rotten. ❝ well in that case, i’ll fill the shoes you’ve given me. ❞ at least, pretend to. ❝ you’re saying i’m doing a BAD job? ❞ feigned hurt swirled over his expression, twisting away the smile for just a beat before it’s back just as bright. ❝ you’re dealing some splash damage calling yourself old. i’ve got three years over you, don’t forget. ❞ ( though it’s in jest —— masked beneath it is a sore spot around AGE. ) footfalls steady to a halt, idle fingers traipsing the fabric of hung shirts while he looked them over. it’s not really his personal taste for himself, but he appreciates all fashion in its own right. ❝ does it match up to pixels on a screen? nothing worse than being cheated once you see it with your own eyes. ❞

the platitudes are scorching pyres over his tongue, mock idealism oh-so disingenuous ; but people always liked optimism. ❝ isn’t it great? life’s full of difficult problems so it’s nice to have something easier to deal with. ❞ a charmer, her diction still drifting within his plane of thought. ❝ right, i’m no tyrant so i won’t stop you from thinking even if i don’t agree. ❞ though it’d be easier if he could. ❝ if you’re still hung up on it, you can just repay me next time. ❞

it took a second to realize he was joking. jynx was ready to rush and apologize to him. it was a good saying, at least she thought it was. it took a second to realize he was joking and then laugh left her mouth, loud enough that she looked around but it didn’t stop the laughter. always ready to apologize for her strange behavior. “what’s that saying that i don’t agree but it’s proven to be true.” she thought about it for a moment, not knowing the right wording. “men get value as they age, the value of woman....” jiyoo trailed off with a shrug. “it’s not something i agree with but it’s hard too not notice, especially in our industry.” 

“it seems to be living up to the hype, i’m not disappointed just yet.” but the day was long and who knew what would happen? “i’m glad we could settle on a compromise.” but he wouldn’t be able to stop her anyway, not that she’d say it out-loud but she was sure he’d be able to see in her eyes. random, goofy but stubborn as hell. “i don’t know if you meant it this but i’m taking it, thank you for pre-agreeing to come hang out with me on my next shopping trip.” 

lux lets out a rich chuckle, shaking their head. jynx was too much sometimes, but as much as she could get on their nerves and make them cringe, they did care for her. she was childlike enough that it would be almost a cruelty not to. 

lux shook their head again at jynx’s antics. perhaps it was merely the key difference between them - jynx saw things with a bubblegum tint, whereas lux saw in shades of grey. jynx never failed to make something good out of every situation, where lux merely made the best of what they had. they wondered what it was like to be rosy. “yes, yes. let me see when you try one on, though, to make sure it fits well from the outside.”

“you got it boss.” jyoo gave lux a pair of finger guns before she held the dresses up to her body for a moment. “i think i’ll take some of these items as well.” another pair of jeans, two stripped shirts in different colors and a pair of shorts. with a wave, jynx made her way to the dressings room. to her credit, she did make a point of changing quick. the first thing she came out in had been one of the knit dresses, doing a few spins for lux before she returned to the dressing room, that happened a few more times until she modeled everything she had. “so, did it all look good or did it all look good?” a very obvious hint that there was only one right answer. 

“ah, okay.” joomi nodded her head in understanding. “i’ve never heard of this place before, but i hope i can find something that suits my tastes.” her fashion sense, while diverse, was still very specific and exactly tailored to fit her vibe and aura. it had taken her years to figure out what worked for her fashion wise, and now that she had, she tended to stick to her own lane. disregarding the times where dimensions had their own stylists give her clothes. “oh, that’d look good on you,” she commented on the shirt she held up to her body, nodding her head. “is it your size?” joomi began perusing through the clothes, trying to find something that she liked. “i’ll be holding you to that,” she chuckled.

“muted colors.” jynx replied, “colorful but muted, a more preppy style.” she could at least offer a heads up. jynx wasn’t sure if that would vibe with joomi but that’s what she was going for today personally. jynx turned her head a bit to look at the shirt, nodding her head in agreement. “let’s see...” jynx took a shirt, checking the size and pout formed when she realized it wasn’t. “maybe they’ll have more.” and she wanted to know who stopped by before her. “here we go.” jynx laid the tee over her arm, shooting a smile at joomi. “you can count on it, if there’s one thing i love more than food, it’s eating it with other people.”

YOON JIYOO

* ╰         WARM BROWN EYES ARE MOLDED INTO KINDLY CRESCENTS, sugar-coated smile comes with practiced ease; he’s in his element. ❝ you’re sure? it’s not too late to shoo me off, you know. ❞ like the mouth of a river flowing into the sea, where jiyoo goes, myungil flows to && follows with that signature pep in each step. ❝ well thank you, i do try my best to be a good listener. it helps to have something interesting to listen to.❞ a laugh at her gestures, more air than sound. ❝i’d like to think i can carry my fair share AND. . eating with company is the only way i like to eat. ❞ his white lies, falling so easy from his mouth that even he believes them. suppose there was worst things to be deceptive about.

❝ i think that’s the happiest problem to have. ❞ fashion decisions were far from his area of expertise, it comes with some assurance he’s just along for the ride rather than to offer substantial help. ❝ i wouldn’t call it charm really. .  ❞ his voice falls flat —— drifting away into silence as if some wave of modesty had struck. he’s not charming, no, he’s a mirror; reflecting back a vision that’s nearly himself but flipped, tossing away whatever fragments of self aren’t quite right; nothing more. but that sort of truth is best kept to himself. ❝ i’m happy you’ll at least consider my, admittedly tempting, offer. if it helps you can think of it as a kindness for a kindness —— that being you taking me along, of course. ❞

“nope.” she replied, popping the ‘p’. “if i didn’t want you around, i wouldn’t have invited you in the first place.” if there was one thing she wasn’t, she wasn’t fake. “well, you’re doing a bang up job.” jiyoo paused for a moment, tilting her head to the side. “am i old? do people still say that.” a small shudder ran through her and jiyoo shook her head. “forget it, let’s see....” jiyoo stopped at a rank of t-shirts, with various words and prints. “i saw some of this online, i think i’m going to stick to the pink and light blues.” 

jiyoo didn’t expect him to offer advice, grabbing the two t-shirts and laying them over her arm. “i didn’t think of it like that, i like it that way.” a happy problem. “we’ll compromise...you don’t have to think it but i can.” because he was too her and in the moment, jiyoo didn’t feel like thinking too much about it. “i just might give in, you’re making it hard for me to ignore kindness or kindness.”