bad habits;

                                        lee minki as 𝖆 𝖛𝖆𝖒𝖕𝖎𝖗𝖊

i have late night conversations with the moon. he tells me about the sun and i tell him about you. 

———   「 ♡ 」         a smile paints the chef’s visage, brightening her features. this has always been her favorite time of year ( despite being the world’s biggest scaredy cat ), but then again, jihye’s happy all year round. her eyes take in the sights around her, the happiness growing slightly with each passerby — everyone seemed to be having so much fun. unfortunately, however … after an hour of roaming, it’s all begun to overwhelm her. “ i think i just need to sit down for a second, watch from afar for a bit, ” she whispers to herself, fighting the urge to rub her aching temples. once out of view from the majority, she allows her eyes to flutter closed for a moment to take in the welcomed silence, only to be jarred by the sudden voice greeting her. “ holy cannoli !! ” she exclaims, her eyes shooting open before soft laughter spills from her lips, “ you scared me half to death … ” jihye’s voice trails for a second until she’s finally able to situate herself beside him, “ you’re right, though. as much as i love it, it’s … well, a lot. sorta. what about you, handsome ? ”

he can’t help but to be amused at the woman. she was cute and jittery and he seemed to be attracting a lot of cute people lately. he’s not sure why, but part of him enjoys it. his lips tug up even more and he’s letting out a huff of laughter. “didn’t mean to scare you, i promise.”he’s glad when she sits down next to him, because now he has more entertainment than before. and then she calls him handsome. and he’s been good about not flirting outright with people as much as he did before, but well, her calling him handsome seems good enough for him. he turns his body towards her, just enough that his knee brushes against hers. “i like to people watch,” he shrugs, and then drains the rest of his beer, placing the empty can next to the brown bag at his feet. “you need a knight in shining armor, princess? you seem jittery and i could protect you from all the things that go bump in the night.” 

if there was one so taken aback by all that sudden closeness and contact between the two of them, that was indeed the one with widened starry eyes and cheeks shimmering with pink, so easy to spot underneath the light line of makeup meant to make him look as even more flawless than he naturally appeared to be —with that fluster only growing intense in its pastely color as that finger traced lining against it, feeling how it barely brushed against his skin just like a sample of silk would. it was the way of the heartbreaker, no? to be as sinuous, as expensively groundbreaking —he wished he could reach his own notebook, but delicate hands of his didn’t seem wanting to leave his lap anytime soon.

lungs almost not responding for a moment to his own inhale, his voice still in its high tones and a stutter. “ i—ah, uhm— ” wasn’t he adorable though, princely innocence as he barely could muster keeping his eyes at the heartbreaker indeed  making a move onto him without feeling his stomach blooming into agitated butterflies and his lips almost unable to formulate words. and all because of a presence within his spaces, of an aura he couldn’t help but feel strong and oozing from every pore. “ i’m here to a—attend the book conference that’s gonna start in one—one—one hour. ” okay, he could do it, he could still somehow put words together —he was an author, of course he could. “ are you—mh, are you with one of the guests? ”

this man is certainly full of surprises. minki is once again taken aback by hanbin, and he can’t help but to let out a short breath of laughter. “a book conference?” of course his coworkers would choose some high class fancy lounge on the night there’s supposed to be a conference. they probably knew about it. minki, on the other hand, had no clue. “you’re... an author?” surely he had to be fucking with him, right? authors don’t look like this. they look like some uptight middle aged man or a woman who looks a bit like a mouse. they don’t look like hanbin does right now. it just doesn’t happen. “you’re fucking with me, right?” and then he’s running his fingers through his hair, glancing out around at the other people. “i’m here with some of my coworkers. they decided to go out and i can never really say no to alcohol, so here i am.” he’s shrugging, looking back at hanbin. “they all left to find their own people for the night and left me by myself. but now i’m not alone.” even if he’s still completely thrown off guard by hanbin being an author, he’s still interested. and unless hanbin completely turned him down, he’d continue to show his interest.

minho: wow minho: i didn’t read a word after “good looks” lol minho: … where’s ur tact HUH

minjwa: dw i totally get you the only reason i’m awake is : coffee minjwa: we should go out and get our minds off things !! minjwa: feels like AGES since the last time 

@ eunji : okay here we go with the entertainment u asked @ eunji : i found him eating the trash in front of the shop this morning @ eunji : do u think that if i keep him, my cats & roommates would kick me out ?

conferences could be considered as entertaining as a math class, and he was pretty sure the only thing he could really say he didn’t like was maths ━with his presence required just because he was one of the hottest selling authors in the last year with an impending release everyone wanted to have bits and pieces for. not that he had much else to do that evening, either ━finding himself getting dressed, his manager taking care on putting at least a bit of makeup and giving his cotton candy hair a fix that would help them look less plush toy and more ‘mature’ looking. 

at least there was the free food and drinks, which was always appreciated ━and some privacy given by booths meant to hold onto maximum two people, and all of them oriented along tables towards the stage where the conference’s presentation was going to start in an hour. it wasn’t that bad, he guessed. he’ll only have a moment to go up there and speak briefly of singularity’s imminent release, and then he could just go back to his seat and enjoy some more food before going home and getting ready for the trip to seoul. he hoped it wasn’t going to rain ━he wanted to go to visit the seonyudo island after so many months of pushing aside ! 

now, speaking of things that weren’t expected. “ ah━━ excuse me? “ that guy who just slid in? surely looked like some sultry casanova ready to strike a chord or two into the hearts of many ━his own cheeks flushed as he thought indeed he had become as red as the velvets crowning his own frame, eyes blinking. “ uhm, i━i it’s hanbin━may i know who you are? ”

he’s blushing. the man who looks like sin is actually blushing. it kind of takes minki off guard, because he’s not used to people who look like this blushing. he’s used to people who looked like this guy being confident. but he’s blushing and he’s stuttering and it’s cute which throws minki even more off guard. he’s not as quick to reply as he normally would be, eyes taking in the flush across hanbin’s face. “hanbin,” he starts out, and then he reaches out, brushing a finger across hanbin’s cheek. it’s soft, a barely there touch, but he likes the way the flush spreads across his cheeks and he wants to see more of it. if he’s blushing just from him approaching him, he’s sure a simple touch will keep it there. “i’m minki...” he’s letting his hand fall away, even though he wants to keep the touch, but he knows seduction techniques. and besides, he doesn’t really want to scare hanbin off. so he doesn’t push it. but he still shows how interested he is in him, his eyes not leaving his face. “what’s a guy like you doing in a place like this, hmm?” and okay, so he does actually want to know that. he’s surprised he’s not surrounded by people, especially looking the way he is. so he’s curious, even more so after he found out how easily he stutters and blushes. he just wants to know more. 

he should’ve known he was going to get left all by himself. he’s watching his friends, his coworkers, who dragged him here, all paired off with people. he’s used to regular bars, not lounge bars, so the fancier aspect, as well as the jazz music playing, is new to him. he’s been to one or two with his clients, of course, he’s been everywhere in the time he’s been an escort, but it’s different when he’s not on a job. he feels a little out of place. he’s swirling his whiskey in his glass, elbow on the table and chin in his hand as he people watches, biting his bottom lip. he’s looking for someone to spend his time with, but so far, no one has looked interesting enough for him. that is, until his eyes land on someone in the corner, who, almost quite literally, takes his breath away. he looks like sin, and minki’s licking his lips before he’s downing the rest of his drink in one go. he’s standing up and makes his way through the crowd to the man, eyes focused just on him.

“so,” he starts as he slides into the booth next to the man. “i would start off with asking if it hurt when you fell from heaven, but you literally look like sin and i don’t have a pick up line for that, so i’m a little fucked right now.” he’s leaning his elbow on the table and resting his chin in his palm, just like he was a minute ago, but he doesn’t keep his eyes off of the man in front of him. “what i’ll do instead is just ask what your name is.” 

minho: doing homework? getting an education? minho: couldn’t be me minho: … what did u have in mind (:

———   「 ϟ 」        diamonds are sparkling in the twilight hanging heavy over their head as lips curl into a  s a d i s t i c smile. they’re in their natural habitat — alcohol dancing in his veins and claret blossoms flourish atop their knuckles ( and their white shirt, but kimoon’s never felt more captivating ). they’re without restriction, body moving as if on autopilot, but calculating; every attack planned carefully. the leader is precise, making sure to deliver blows to areas that will do the most damage: nose, jaw, throat — sometimes they’re tempted to aim from the family jewels, but they’ve never believed in cheap shots. kimoon is ( pleasantly ) surprised when they learn their opponent has found his spunk, but it’s futile. kimoon has yet to lose a fight, especially one they’ve picked, and they don’t intend to start now. lightning flashes over head and their emotional turmoil melts, thunder booming just as they land the finishing blow.

a cheshire grin  s l o w l y  creeps onto darkened features, their head falling back to admire the work of mother nature—storms are their favorite, always have been—for a moment before eyes are downcast and they’re appreciating their own. a slow,  l o n g,  gait carries them as they circle the victim at their feet, like a prideful predator gazing upon their fallen prey. however, before they’re able to congratulate themselves on their handiwork, a silhouette in the distance catches their attention. another wicked smile appears like magic, shortly followed by a hellacious chortle. “ i’m sorry, ” they begin as they take a step closer to the other, “ it seems you’ve just missed out on all the fun. can i help you with something else, though ? ” they gather their jacket from the asphalt before draping it over their shoulders without missing a step, “ you really shouldn’t be out here this late, you know ; it’s not safe. ”because i’m here.

it’s late. he’s not sure how late, but he honestly doesn’t care. it’s not like he has any classes tomorrow and he can spend his time laying in bed, dealing with the hangover he knows he’s going to have in the morning. he’d much rather crawl into bed with one of his buddies and not have to worry about anything for a few hours. in fact, he may do that. he’s pulling out his phone as he leaves the bar, scrolling through his contacts with a slight frown on his face. he’s about to make a decision on who to call for the night when he hears noises. noises that are coming from an alleyway that shouldn’t normally be coming from there. a perverse part of him wonders if it’s a couple who couldn’t keep their hands off each other and made a detour to have their fun, and his feet are heading that way before his mind can catch up with what his body is doing. as he gets closer, he hears a sickening crack and a groan of pain and he knows that unless the couple is into some twisted stuff, it’s more likely to be a fight.

he should turn on his heel and walk away, but he doesn’t. he finds himself stopping in front of the alleyway and watches. there’s one figure standing above the one on the ground, the victor, of course, and minki blinks when the figure turns their head towards him. he didn’t think that he was noticeable, but obviously he was because the figure is stalking towards them, motions smooth as they pick up their jacket from the ground and throwing it over their shoulder. “hot.” it slips out before he realizes it and he should be embarrassed. but he’s not. instead he’s shoving his phone and his hands into his pocket, taking in the figure as they step closer to him. he’s biting his lower lip and he tilts his head to the side before shrugging. “i can handle myself,” he says and then lets out a short huff of laughter. “why, do i look like some damsel in distress?” okay, so he flutters his eyelashes a little bit and maybe plays into it, but there’s a smirk pulling on his face. he knows it’s probably really stupid to stay here and talk to this person, but he’s doing it anyway. 

it’s lis again, and this time meet my mess of a kid, minki! honestly, he’s had a shitty past and he’s slowly trying to fix himself, but he’s just... honestly a mess. doesn’t know how to deal with feelings correctly, hasn’t worked through anything from his past, and relies on unhealthy coping mechanisms to get him through life but he’s trying, you know? i have his long and messy bio here, as well as an unfinished stats page here, which i will eventually get to finishing but i’m lazy.

under the cut, i’ve put some key moments of his past just in case you don’t want to read through the mess of the bio, his personality, some extras, and some wanted connections! so just hit that like button if you want to plot and i’ll come bug you with minki as well! 

he would look at minki with eyes made of the same substance space many say its formed ━pitch black and twinkling stars tattering the dark in a poem of light, the smile on those glossy lips of his as soft and poignant as the dawning sun could only bein comparison. flowers were like a second propension to him thanks to the job he had to do at the arboretum while attending school ━so there was no denial of happiness at the sight of them and how easily they could form intricate crowns to embellish anyone. “ ah, minki ━ just wanted to make a little gift. i used to make flower crowns when working at an arboretum in busan, so i think i’m pretty good at it. ” nothing behind, no personal objectives, nothing. just a gentle heart wanting to be gentle wit others. “ come closer, i have one for you too ! ”

his words have minki sighing. “you’re going to put a flower crown on me?” he’s eyeing the crowns once again, and he does have to admit that they look really good. hanbin did a great job with them. he looks like he took his time, placing each flower with love. and knowing hanbin, he probably did just that. the man is too good, too good to be around minki, that’s for sure. he’s running his fingers through his hair, feeling the need to just turn and leave, but he doesn’t. he stays. “i don’t think i’d look good with a flower crown, hanbin. besides, all the flowers would probably wilt if you put it on me.” he’s slightly joking, and one corner of his lips lifts up in a slight smile as he stares at hanbin.

“hanbin.” minki eyes him suspiciously. not him, per say, but his hands. his hands that are holding flowers. which are shaped like flower crowns. there’s more than just one, and minki likes to think that he can be a smart person, so the fact that there’s more than one and that hanbin is approaching him means only one thing. “what are you going to do with those?” he asks, raising his eyes to look at the shorter male. he already knows the answer to the question and he knows that while he’s originally going to protest, he’s going to cave and let hanbin do whatever he wants to him. he can’t help it, hanbin will look at him with those eyes and he’ll cave instantly. it annoys minki, but how could he say no to someone who’s pretty much a literal angel? yeah, he can’t. 

yejin lost herself trying to please everyone else, of course- he became the only exception but, back then, it’s all her life was. her existence and dreams were for others although they may have been things she wanted to do regardless, but she didn’t really live for her own satisfaction. yejin changed herself- her image to maintain her status so that she could be something her parents would notice or someone stable to reply on. it was him that opened her eyes- who helped her notice she needed to start living for yejin. however, she began to lose everyone else trying to find and please herself- that became the foundation of their collapse. 

she was aware that she had minki wrapped around her finger- in most ways, although he didn’t know it. she was also wrapped around his. but they were just so young to move any further than the spot they were in then- especially him. he was so much younger than her-… he had time to clean up, start something- be someone once she saved him. instead- he ended up loving her and in the end proposing. yejin was caught of guard- her and love… her and the idea of someone taking care of her was terrifying. why? because humans are scared of things they’ve never understood or experienced themselves. marrying him then- it felt wrong, she felt like he was wasting his potential on someone that wasn’t worth it. the only way she could’ve fixed that was to remove him- and she knew if she didn’t let him go then, she would of said yes. she would of ruined his life. 

yejin’s hands were shaking as her fingers held the bottle she took from him. her legs walked over so fast, she didn’t even know she was doing it until she was looking down at his empty hand. she used that nervous energy to open her mouth, to stand up against her fear to communicate. “is that right?” yejin questioned, “if you aren’t scared- why did it take this long for you to stay in a room with me longer then 10 seconds, hm?” - “oh- i see, you’re still not a very good liar.” 

the moment he stood, she flinched. yejin wasn’t expecting him to do that, and now she was looking up at him. (  for the first time in months. ) when he held his hands out her expression challenged his, and she pulled the bottle behind her back, showing him she had intention of handing it over. but it wasn’t until his voice was raised did her confidence falter. he’s never spoken to her like that. 

-and he used her name. her real name. the reminded her that he was the only one besides her family that knew it. it caught her off guard- and kind of felt like he was sticking his fingers in her open wounds. 

yejin’s eyes just stared at his once he finished, her surprised expression hardening into one that she was known to make when she was upset, when she was hurt and angry. “who said i was here to control your life? huh? i-.. i was just.. you are always drinking- and if it’s not that you’re laid up with someone-.. it’s annoying, so stop it.” yejin paused, her chest heaving with her with strength to keep in the tears and keep going. she didn’t want to be like him- but she was being too hesitant. so, she took a drink  with her eyes still glaring at him until the rest that was left in the bottle was damn near empty. “- and i can see clear as day that you aren’t eighteen anymore, but you sure as hell haven’t been acting like you aren’t-… i shouldn’t have to be paying you or be fucking you to care about you, minki.” taking a another deep breath, she drank the small amount left and let the bottle it the ground in-between them. yejin wasn’t sure what to say next- her fingers were still shaking and her rush was still there but- she didn’t know what she was suppose to say to that last part. minki was far from a unwanted toy. 

watching him sit back down on the couch and curl into himself, yejin turned the other way- her face tucking it’s self into her hands as she sat on the couch across from him. wrapping herself around a pillow. “i never said that i didn’t want you, so you’re wrong. nobody told you to propose to someone to who wasn’t worth it-..” 

she calls him out on everything. he’s not surprised. but it still makes him grit his teeth, hand curling into a fist at his side. he wants to say something, anything to prove that he wasn’t scared, but his mind can’t come up with anything. he opens his mouth, hoping that if he did, the words would magically come out, proving her wrong, but nothing comes out. instead he’s just snapping his jaw shut and narrows his eyes at her, frustrated that he can’t think of anything. 

he hates the fact that she flinches. he doesn’t want to scare her, that wasn’t his intention at all, but it’s too late now. besides, he’s focused on the fact that she just put the bottle behind her back. he’s tempted to just reach out behind her and take it. it’d be easy, he’s stronger than her, but he doesn’t do that. instead, he stands there, staring at her. he’s watching her expression change, watches as it resembles one that he used to spend time changing. one he wanted to change so she’d be happy. between cuddles, kisses, soft words and caresses, he wanted to make her feel better.

he hates the fact that part of him still wants to reach out and help her feel better. and he hates the fact that her words feel like a hand, reaching out and squeezing his insides enough where he feels sick.

“it’s annoying?” he scoffs, and then shakes his head, his lips curling into a humorless smirk. “oh, okay, i’m sorry for living my life the way i want to now. sorry it’s not up to your standards.” he’s watching her as she downs most of the rest of the alcohol in the bottle, his fingers twitching as he has to stop himself from reaching out to grab the bottle. she’s staring him down, and it feels like a contest. he’s silent, his jaw clenching at the rest of her words and then he’s shaking his head once again. he has so many words, so many things that he could say, but he can’t settle on anything. so instead, once again, he chooses to say nothing.

it’s only when they’re on different couches, when her last words hit her. “what?” he feels that phantom hand again, squeezing harder than before. he feels like he can’t breathe and he’s lifting his head, elbows on his knees and arms hanging limp in front of him. “what are you talking about? you cast me aside like i was nothing, yejin, that pretty much means that you a, didn’t care about me, and b, didn’t want me. you can say all you want, but the way you treated me after everything pretty much proves all that,” he says, and then he’s biting his bottom lip, hard, hoping that that would help keep his tears down.

he’s pausing as he watches her, and he ends up shaking his head again. “and what do you mean by not worth it?” he lets out another scoff, and then he’s looking down at his hands. he knows he should stop speaking because he’s going to spill everything, but his mouth opens again and he finds that he can’t hold it back. “fuck, yejin, i loved you. so much. i didn’t care about anything else. i just...” he’s rubbing his hands together, and he’s glad that his head is down because he can feel the tears coming. “fuck, i don’t know. but you were never not worth it to me. you were... my world... and you just...” he trails off, his hands coming up to cover his face as the tears slip down his cheeks.