This And That

it isn’t his scene but he’s making the most of it. trying to clear his head and make the fog of twilight head away. she’s easy to be around. same age helps and the checking in she’s doing definitely helps. he’s a bear who can get lost in his own thoughts so her pulling him back to earth was probably what kept them as friends in the first place. “i’m feeling a little envy for you.” he downs his drink and tells himself it’s the last one. “you seem to have endless energy, but i’m melting down over here.” when the bartender hands her the water, he gives her a cheers with his glass. “it’s a process alright.” chuckling, he swirls the last sip in his deep glass. “just some cheap beer, but i should stop soon.” he’s a man who knows his limit.

“thanks for dragging me out of my apartment. without you i’d still be in my pajama’s being a hermit.”

a small giggle left her mouth, a small one that turned into a loud one and jiyoo had to get herself under control before she got even more looks. “i’ve always had this restless energy since i was kid...” no one could really keep her from moving. “but my teachers, coaches and the like wouldn’t agree with that.” in fact, she was sure they wanted a little less from her. just a little. jiyoo muttered a thank you to the bartender and tipped, drinking about half the glass. “ready to leave soon?” she titled her head and looked at him, “beer, blech, it taste horrible.” she liked her stuff fruity and see tasting. 

“thanks for letting me drag you out, not everyone wants to party with a bull of energy. but being a hermit in pj’s doesn’t sound like an awfully bad idea.” 

“ awh, i promise it’s not as bad as it looks, ” yoojin says as she pulls one of the puppies up closer to her face, nuzzling it with her cheek. “ they’re very very nice, just excited. i don’t think they get out too much – and they see new people even less. ” she says, looking over at the puppy in her hands before it ends up wiggling away and running to jiyoo’s feet. “ see, i think they like you ! you should definitely join me down here. we’ll tire them out quicker this way, ” she points out before she has the puppy that was on her shoulder yawning in her ear and hopping off. they scurry away to play with another pup, but yoojin maintains her spot on the floor.

yoojin nods in agreement as she watches another pup skitter away across the floor, before pouncing on another. “ i feel that, ” she sighs, shaking her head. “ my roommate and i, we have a cat. or, well … she has a cat, ” yoojin clarifies, shrugs. “ cats are a whole lot easier most of the time. less maintenance, cats tend to take care of themselves and ask for affection when they want it … but they don’t often want it, ” she chuckles. “ puppies ? they’re very hyperactive … 

“ ah, i wish the idol lifestyle allowed for it, you know ? that way, i could have one around to play with and have around, they can be more fun than cats at times … but i don’t think i have the energy to keep up with a pup or anything. ” yoojin points out. although, with the way she was, there were absolutely no chances she could keep up with a dog. after all, she barely kept up with azir, but that was just because he was yuju’s pet and she didn’t really have to take care of him that way. “ i feel bad, the ones here don’t even get that … just some outside time running around like this – i feel a responsibility to make sure this is the best outside time they have … but then i get sad to think they’re gonna be sad when their next outside time isn’t this fun … ” she sighs, shaking her head.

“ i wish i could just adopt them all and give them happy lives … it’s so sad seeing them here, ” yoojin states solemnly. “ i hope they all find good homes … maybe we should make like, fun profiles for them so they seem more fun to take home. i mean, they’re all so cute ? how could people resist ? we’ll make them all have … i don’t know, saved someone from a fire or something. hero dogs – people would like to adopt heroic dogs, right ? ”

“you make it sound so appealing.” yoojin was really selling it, it also helped that she had some cute pups at her side. all of them looking at jiyoo with what felt like the hugest puppy dog eyes. (ha.) in the end, she couldn’t help but ease herself onto the floor and quickly, she found herself with a lap full of pups. “i am often told that cats are a bit easier to take care of.” and she had heard about the affection thing, it wouldn’t work, she loved to cuddle pets. 

“that is a bit sad.” it was why they were here to help out, after all. just to bring the pups a little more joy. “well... with us helping out, maybe people will be inclined to help them find their forever homes.” she didn’t know much idols helping out like this would help but it had to count for something right? “but don’t feel so down, you’re doing the most you can right now and that’s what matters.” she was giving her time after all. 

this was her clubbing partner for the night. “i’m tired....” that she was, her legs hurt but that meant she was having fun. “but i enjoyed the process.” finally, jiyoo took a proper seat and flagged down the bartender, simply getting a water for now. “what are you drinking?” 

“jynx!” alice beamed. she was a big fan of the aria member, though they weren’t too close yet. her personality and wit were just so endearing and the emanated good vibes.

“thank you! i’m 23 - well, 22 internationally.” she said happily. she’d heard a few different ages quoted for a woman’s best year, but all of them - 24 to 28 - were inching closer, and she was ready to be the most beautiful, wise and calm she’d ever be, even if what she was doing just then probably didn’t qualify her for any of those things. “ah, please, don’t worry! i’ve already bought the cakes!” she showed one off for jynx to see. happy birthday alice was written on top in a pretty script and it was pink, decorated with white borders. “i’ve got more too!” she grinned. what an understatement.

“ah, well today is a good day. how does it feel being 23 for a few hours?” jiyoo asked it playfully. for some people, you didn’t feel anything at all. it was just a new day and yet, you’re closer to getting older. some people enjoyed the magic of it all and she did feel a little older each year. “what do you plan to make of your 23rd year? i hope more sweets are involved.” now that was good day for her. a small pout formed on her face, only perking up at the cakes. “well, then you have to let me take you to a coffee place and buy you a drink or we can hang out and taste test at mines.” 

❝ I see, ❞  he said, moreso to himself. So even established idols could forget who they were and what they were? It made him feel a little better about the slip up. Daehyun grinned brightly as he looked up at her. ❝ Really? That must be hard. Do you sneak out sometimes? My manager will probably do that with me soon. Thankfully, he’s still getting to know me and my habits. ❞ Daehyun chuckled.

The vocalist let out a soft laugh at her reply to his question and smiled brightly. ❝ Hyung, really? Then hyung it is! ❞ He said excitedly. However, once she began asking about the idol life, he puffed his cheeks and his expression dropped a little. ❝ It’s.. It’s good. It’s not what I thought it would be but nothing is ever easy, right? It’s not like I planned this from the start so I still have so much to learn but I’m getting there. Do you have any advice? ❞ Being an idol was a lot harder than he thought it would be but he wasn’t one to give up easily. ❝ Oh perfect! So do I. We will get along well then. ❞ He smiled.

“i do sneak out well...i did. i live on my own by now but sometimes i’d do it and just go to the lobby of our dorm.” just to give her manager a scare and then she could have a good laugh. “but mostly, i’m not allowed to go on some shows by myself. i tend to think before i speak and i don’t have the best delivery.” she was of the mind that some found it charming. the company didn’t always agree with her, even if some fans did. 

“cool, i don’t get too many people who would go for it.” he was her new favorite person. jynx reached out and gave him quick pat, “it isn’t. it wouldn’t be right to sugar coat it for you. some days, you’ll be head in clouds and somedays...you’ll wonder why you even thought about becoming an idol.” the highs were super high and the lows were able hard to come back from. “it wasn’t my goal to become an idol either, i just followed wherever life took me.” 

with how little free time jaein actually has, it shouldn’t be surprising that she doesn’t particularly have a hobby. whenever she’s asked about it during interviews, she simply says the generic things like listening to music or watching movies. truth be told, she doesn’t really listen to all that much music during her downtime nor does she know what movies are currently playing in theater. 

that being said, she can’t understand how this could be relaxing. she thinks having to scrapbook would be stressful, but she blames that on her perfectionist attitude on everything. “does it take you a long time? i’ve seen my old sister spend like an hour on one page.” she stops before she goes on to say that it’s ridiculous because she doesn’t know if jiyoo is like that as well. “just seems like a lot of dedication.”

it was easy to get into the feel of the song while wanting more.

ello, this is a schedule plot for jynx below are some plot ideas for general dates, aria related things that might involve idols~

The younger smiled and shook his head softly. ❝ Don’t be sorry it’s ok! I appreciate your concern, sunbae. Sometimes I forget I’m now an idol. It’s still weird hearing or thinking about it. ❞ Not too long ago, Daehyun had been a regular student who was literally thrown into a survival show with no prep. Now he was a debuted idol. He often forgot about that. ❝ It’s probably stupid, right? To forget you’re an idol. I bet you don’t, sunbae. ❞

❝ Right. Ok. Don’t be formal. ❞  He repeated, mostly to himself as a reminder. It was weird to be less formal with those who were older or more experienced than he was but being the people pleaser he was, he will do what it takes to make others happy. ❝ Jiyoo noona. Gotcha. I’m Daehyun but you can call me Hyun. It’s nice to meet you! ❞ He grinned brightly and nodded. He gestured for her to join him on the seat. ❝ Please, sit down. The same goes to you, noona. ❞

“ahh, no worries. it is an bit of an adjustment.” even her, who easily slid into the role of idol had to think about a few things differently. jiyoo let out another chuckle, “but i do, at the most random times and the most random things. my manager doesn’t allow me out much because of that. think of this as my break out. i can be a bit too goofy at times.”

“noona is fine but i like hyung more, it sounds cooler.” she let out a small laugh and went to sit down next to him, giving a bit of space so she could place the snacks and food down. “hyun, well, how is going, the grand life of idol? is it everything you thought it would be?” some people were in for a rude awakening and she felt bad for those few. “ahhh don’t say that, you’ll never have money again, i eat...a lot.” 

jaein’s taken back by the offer to buy everything. taking a look at what was held between her fingers, she calculated that it wasn’t a whole lot to begin with but still. there was a part of her that didn’t want to be indebted to jiyoo, and so she put down one of the masking tapes that she picked up later on. those little things cost more than her stickers combined, and she’s sure jaeeun can do without them. 

“thanks,” she said as she settled her things down onto the counter besides jiyoo’s basket. “you must really like stationary.” there were a lot of little things in her basket to the point of overflowing. while she couldn’t understand her own sister’s hobby of scrapbooking and decorating her diary, she can see how it could become a hobby. “do you use it to relax?”

seungwoo couldn’t help smiling as he watched jiyoo blow at her coffee. “you’re welcome – and i’ll have you know, i got them to put enough syrup in it that it’s gotta be cool enough to drink already,” he teased. still, he let her blow away on it until she was content with temperature, watching her fondly. he was the type to take his coffee either scalding hot or icy cold, there was no in between. today, thanks to a fun fact he read on some bullshit website once that said drinking warm things was better for combating the heat, it was the former. 

“yeah, you’d say that, wouldn’t you?” he rolled his eyes, even as a faint blush rose to the top layer of his skin. “you know they’re a real pain to get out of too, right? they stick to you and you gotta peel them off. it’s the worst. zero outta ten. sexy in concept, not sexy at all in practice.” but if she asked him to, he’d probably still wear them for her. seungwoo wondered if it was at all smart of them to chit-chat like this at work, but he also doubted any of the staff actually cared. they were too busy running around trying to get everything ready in time. such a large scale concert required a lot of prep work.“i watched you guys rehearsing earlier, by the way. you looked cute up there.” 

“you think of everything.” jynx let out a small giggle, this time drinking more of her coffee. she itched to get a little closer to seungwoo but that wouldn’t do. honestly, the staff might not care and the american staff really wouldn’t. it was the chance that it could get exposed to the public. 

ha — another happy idol, in the happy idol world, lamenting the shit concept to him. it’s a damn flaw, non-existent when bc’s fucked him over more ways than one. there’s no happy medium in a contract of modern day slavery.

but gyujeong ignores the comment, rolls his eyes far back, plucking the cigarette from his mouth. “it’s america — what do you expect from this country?” early years inside childhood would give the impression of the country as one of extra-large sizes, and free-for-all buffets. now, he just knows — it’s another capitalistic mecca, bigger than what lies in the heart of seoul.

by now, the conversation looks grim. more annoyances starting to imprint itself, transferring from the weighty sigh leaving his mouth. “do i have a reason to know you?” one, two — he counts the seconds on a nonexistent clock, turning a conspicuous gaze towards her. “good shit doesn’t come from knowing people in the industry. it comes from ignoring.”

jiyoo rolled her eyes and took another bite of her hotdog. most of her focus was on the fashion show going on in front of her.  “nothing, which is why i can be delighted as the small things like this.” she shrugged her shoulders, unwilling to let his general demeanor bring her down.