lavender blood

❝ Yeah, that makes sense. I know a bunch of people who find the idea of putting eyeliner on your waterline to be extremely terrifying, and I get what they mean. It honestly requires a steady hand or else you can easily end up with black tears. ❞ Vera remembered the first time she used liquid eyeliner, accidentally getting it in the inner corners of her eyes. It was safe to say that she was absolutely mortified. ❝ Well, from what I can tell, you’re both really lucky to have each other as friends, ❞ she said with a smile. ❝ Not everyone finds that in their lives, but it’s nice when you do. I still can’t believe how much of a coincidence this was, meeting you... I didn't mean to rhyme that. ❞

❝ Ouch, I can’t say that I haven’t had that happen to me when I was younger. If it has anything to do with eyeliner or mascara, it’s gotta be me doing it myself. ❞ Having her eyeballs accidentally attacked by various bristles in the past was actually what led her to learn how to do her own makeup, and it eventually became a hobby she was rather invested in. ❝ Good point. A lot of people are making the change to their real names nowadays, huh ? So like a prima ballerina. I get it. It rolls off the tongue better, yeah. ❞ Kai’s reassurance gave her a boost of confidence, for she often experienced impostor syndrome back home despite the fact that she was more than capable. Vera’s tendency of comparing herself to others served as a self-deprecating habit; she couldn’t help it. She wanted to express how much hearing that meant to her, even though they barely knew each other, but all she could put to words was a ❝ Thank you. ❞ Putting the pieces together, she finally realized why she thought Kai looked familiar. ❝ That makes so much sense now ! ❞ she exclaimed before explaining, ❝ I could have sworn that I’ve seen your face before, and now I know why. I guess my memory isn’t all that good sometimes. ❞ Vera pondered for a brief moment, debating whether or not to continue speaking. She did anyway. ❝ You guys are really adorable, y’know. ❞ She raised her glass in a toast, then drank a bit more.

❝ Don’t worry, I don’t think I’m the best with other people’s faces anyway. I’m just out here trying to handle my own, ❞ she admitted, laughing. ❝ Primakai, got it. I, unfortunately, lack creativity for an original channel name, so I was just ❛ Vera Choi ❜. I mean, I still am Vera Choi, but you know what I mean. ❞ She frowned. ❝ No really embarrassing old videos ? Aw, I’m slightly disappointed. I was lowkey looking forward to finding some. ❞ Vera wasn’t the type to make certain videos private, but in that moment, she realized that she had uploaded a ❛ My Boyfriend Does My Makeup ❜ video and made a mental note to go back and change its settings. ❝ You’re so right, you know. I’m not sure about the success aspect, but definitely the part where I prove them wrong. This might sound a little bit mean, ❞ she paused before continuing, ❝ but the looks on some of those guys’ faces when we compare scores are honestly priceless, especially when they admit to not working as hard. It feels good. ❞ Vera let out a sharp breath in disbelief when he revealed that they were talking about the same person. ❝ What a small world ! ❞ she exclaimed. ❝ I’ve been online friends with Dae for quite some time now. We subscribed to each other’s YouTube channels back when I was still uploading, and they messaged me on social media after a while. We’ve been in correspondence since— Wait, were you talking about Dae when you mentioned a friend you filmed videos with ? ❞

❝ Yeah, that’s true. And now you can add another friend to that list, assuming we’re friends now. I mean, I did save you from potential mayhem. ❞ Vera was surprisingly comfortable talking freely with Kai. Maybe he reminded her of an old friend. ❝ Oh, shoot, you’re right, ❞ she remarked with a snap of her fingers. ❝ Then you gotta let me know your channel name so I can marathon your videos later and come back with a verdict. ❞ Vera was almost certain that she would be thoroughly amazed, so the end of her statement was delivered with a jesting tone. She nodded in understanding when he spoke about his restlessness — it made sense why their studies were quite different. ❝ I suppose you’re right. It’s just that it’s hard to be proud of it when people find means to doubt you. ❞ Her eyebrows raised at the mention of Dae’s name. Could it be ? ❝ Wait, wait, wait, ❞ she interjected. ❝ You don’t happen to be talking about Kyong Daehyun, are you ? ❞

❝ You can call it an egg sponge if you want it to be an egg sponge, ❞ she assured him. ❝ It’s all about practice, really. Like how you can’t expect to pull off a solid choreo without cleaning it up and making sure it’s sharp. ❞ Vera grinned, content with her best attempt at an analogy. ❝ Well, now that you’ve ingrained the fact that you’re pretty good at singing and dancing in my mind, you’re eventually going to have to prove it to me some day. ❞ An incredibly supportive person, she enjoyed being exposed to other people’s talents and passions. Seeing the drive they have, in effect, influences Vera’s own dreams and motivations. ❝ Funny, I’ve actually grown accustomed to sitting in one spot for long periods of time. My posture could honestly be worse, judging by how much time I spend in front of a screen. ❞ With a sigh, she admitted, ❝ Okay, yeah, I guess I’m rather intelligent. ❞ Vera wasn’t sure if anyone she knew was on this trip, so it took her by surprise when Kai revealed that he had a friend here. ❝ A friend ? Who is it ? Maybe I’ve come across them before. ❞

❝ Oh, are you the type of person who needs to have the television on in the background even though they don’t actually watch what’s playing ? ❞ Personally, Vera often preferred the quiet. She found that her mind’s already cluttered enough — why add to the noise ? ❝ It’s a pleasure to meet you, Cara, ❞ she replied, shaking the girl’s hand. ❝ You’ve probably gotten this question several times already, but where are you from ? ❞

❝ Wait, like, the beauty blender ? ❞ she giggled, amused. ❝ Honestly, a sponge is a sponge, but I’m still trying to wrap my mind around the silicone sponges that hit the market recently. I mean, they’re innovative in the sense that it doesn’t absorb any product, but I wonder how they feel when applying— sorry, ❞ Vera stopped herself, realizing that she was beginning to ramble. ❝ Oh, wow, you’re, like, some type of triple threat. Can you freestyle ? Drop bars ? ❞ She cringed at her word choice, which contrasted her soft tone of voice. ❝ Ugh, I hate traffic, but I’m just preaching to the choir, honestly. ❞ Sticking her bottom lip out, she shook her head. ❝ I wouldn’t say smart, necessarily. More like invested. I just really took to it. ❞ Vera never boasted about her intelligence, often downplaying her skills. Her friends would always complain that she made coding seem menial, which never was her intention. ❝ I get what you mean. I’ve known people who were really passionate about certain instruments, but being in concert band drained the love out of them. ❞ Taking another sip, this time more enthusiastically, she nodded. ❝ Yeah, that was your test. Congrats, you passed ! Anyway, what made you decide to fly out here ? You know, besides the fact that the offer was too good to pass up. ❞

Vera was prone to finding herself lost in thought, staring off into space, and this occasion was no different. She didn’t think much of the other person’s presence in the nearly vacant room, which led her to tune out most of her surroundings. Unbeknownst to Vera, the girl was recalling a makeup-related anecdote directed toward her. ❝ Oh, shit, no, I mean... yeah, highlight, ❞ she offered, flustered and tongue-tied. ❝ I’m really sorry about that. I guess I’ve just got a lot on my mind or something. ❞ After a short pause, she shook her head. ❝ I might have made this sort of weird, so, uh, I’m Vera ? ❞

❝ Yeah, they look like fun with friends. Maybe I’m just salty about the people who get famous purely for making those videos and nothing else, ❞ she shrugged. ❝ You sing and dance ? Consider me impressed. I haven’t sung seriously since, like, high school choir. I mean, I posted two covers on my channel before, but those were also toward the end of my senior year. ❞ Vera had thought about auditioning for an a cappella group at UCSD, but she was too nervous to even try despite her clear capability. For crying out loud, she qualified for all-state honor choir but still didn’t think she was good enough ! ❝ Oh, so it’s about the same then, ❞ she remarked. ❝ What are you studying over there ? I’m majoring in computer science, and boy, it can get real competitive. ❞ Vera subtly scoffed to herself, reminded of the several males who belittled her in their classes, only to find that she was doing better than them. Regardless, she still despised the late nights of troubleshooting and quite literally banging her head on the desk. ❝ Hmm, you better be right about that, seeing as this is my first drink— ❞ She caught herself, following up with, ❝ Of the trip, I mean. ❞ Vera thanked the bartender as she held one of the glasses and raised it to her lips, taking a sip. Surprisingly sweet and pleasant. ❝ Alright, it’s safe to say that you’ve already gained my trust. ❞

❝ Well, that’s nice to hear, ❞ she stated. ❝ What kind of videos do you make ? Please tell me you’re not one of those ❛ challenge ❜ channels that bandwagon video ideas and end up with millions of followers anyway. ❞ Vera never quite understood the hype around the repetitive nature of different strangers doing the same thing with the same, briefly engaging result. ❝ Tell me about it, ❞ she sighed. ❝ One day it could be blazing hot and raining the next. ❞ She raised her eyebrows, interested at his mention of university. ❝ Is your school far from Daegu ? I’m only a few hours away from my hometown, but I don’t know if that seems like much in comparison. I think I try to go home, like, once a month. ❞ Vera giggled at his mention of SunnyD, a drink she had not heard about since elementary school. ❝ Ah, yes, that sounds perfect for a vacation. A holiday in a glass. ❞  

❝ Oh, wow, I didn’t even make it to one year, ❞ she admitted, impressed by his dedication. School was a huge factor in Vera’s gradual departure from the YouTube world, seeing as her time management wasn’t all that great. ❝ I can assume you’re quite successful then ? ❞ She tilted her head slightly as if she were pondering something. ❝ I mean, winter is typically a standard winter, but we’ve actually been through a lot of rain recently. It’s like the sky wanted to make up for the drought it put us in. The flash flood warnings started to get real annoying after the fourth one, ❞ she lamented, shaking her head. ❝ Honestly !  It’s interesting how the world works. What’s it like there ? ❞ Vera’s mother hadn’t shared much about her hometown aside from stories about her past relationships in her teenage years, so she could admit that she grew up rather detached from her roots. ❝ Tequila sunrise ? I’ve never had one before. What’s in it ? ❞

❝ Recording yourself for the internet ? You’re a Youtuber ? ❞ She recalled her brief history with the website, filming makeup looks and an occasional Q & A. ❝ I used to upload videos a couple years back, actually, but maintaining my pin shop and editing videos turned out to be far too much for me. ❞ Vera had mentally deemed Kai as recognizable when she first saw him, but she later concluded that he just had one of those faces. ❝ Oh, yeah, in the summer, we can get temperatures around 100 degrees Fahrenheit, and it never snows in the winter unless you go up to Big Bear or Mammoth. ❞ Having lived in Los Angeles county all of her life, she was accustomed to the uncomfortably hot weather, but it was nothing out of the ordinary. ❝ You’re from South Korea ? That’s honestly really cool. Uh, I’m pretty sure they’re from Daegu. ❞ Vera seated herself next to the boy, utterly unsure of what to order. ❝ Actually, I’ve made it a rule to let the buyer choose for me, seeing as I’m an incredibly indecisive person. ❞ A white lie, but an adequate excuse to conceal her inexperience.