i've been in love!

jaekyung arrives with a duffel bag slung over his shoulder and a grin wide enough to convince everyone he passes that he’s happy to be here. whether he’s trying to convince them or himself, he’s not entirely sure. he’s been hitting the gym 3 times a week— there’s no real reason for him to need the extra cardio. but a change of pace sounds good… at least, until he remembers one tiny little detail. he’s not a terrible swimmer, promise. well actually— let’s just say he does better on land. the sharp scent of chlorine hits the moment he enters the pool area. “guess who’s back?” he announces to no one in particular. nevermind that he’s never actually been there before.

swimming was the only sport jaya actually liked doing, she always knew she wouldn't be bothered when she swam. but that obviously changed today, she was sitting at the edge of the pool, her toes dipped in the water, she was about to get in and do some laps. jaya looked up to see jaekyung entering, she didn't recognise his face, "uh --- hi stranger?"

aria glances up from the open catalogs sprawled across the counter, feigning shock like she just heard complete blasphemy. "girl, who cares if it has? go for it!" she says, her grin kicking up at the corner. "i think you'd look mad cute with little flowers on your nails." before jaya can reply, aria's already flipping back through the pages, skimming the swatches with practiced eyes. "now, do i wanna cause chaos with electric purple," she muses, a playful glint in her eyes, "or go full power move with glossy black?" a beat later, she taps the black. "sharp. chic. very me, don't you think?"

"electric purple could be cute" now jaya had her phone out, looking at nail art that had daisies on it. she has a brainwave, "i agree, black is very chic but you could do a mix of both, add some purple glitter over the top?".

“daisies  are  a  classic,  definitely  not  overdone. i actually think they're adorable.”  eyes  follow  jaya's,  inching  in  a  slight  as  she  peers  down  at  of  colours  displayed  upon  catalogue. just  to  get  a  better  view  of  the  selection.  "this—"  fingertips  taps  against  the  edge  of  a  certain  nude  shade,  careful  not  to  move  too  much  (else  she'll  end  up  being  scolded  by  the  nail  tech  working  meticulously  on  the  patterns  on  her  other  hand  again).  muted  pink,  not  too  dark,  yet  not  too  light  that  it  could  be  mistaken  for  white.  "—would  be  a  cute  base  for  the  spring  theme  though."  she  muses,  a  smile  tugging  at  the  corners  of  her  lips.  she  understands  jaya,  really,  choosing  the  colours  is  always  the  toughest  part  when  it  comes  to  getting  your  nails  done.  "oooor…  something  completely  unique? jet black nails  with  little  daisies?"  a  soft  chuckle  slips  then,  leaning  back  against  her  chair.  “either  way,  whatever  you  go  for,  you'll  make  it  work.  as  you  always  do.”

jaya pulls a "thinking face", she was still undecided, why was this decision always so difficult, "hm. true, they are such a classic design". her eyes dart back down to the pages, jaya needed to hurry up and choose something, her slot was soon, "oooh, good idea, you can't go wrong with a pink" jaya muses, "very spring-like". at her friend's next suggestion, jaya's face lights up, she always wanted her nails to be cute but unique, different, like no one else's, this could be it, a brilliant idea. "bestie, you're full of amazing ideas today, i think that'd be awesome" she grins back at her friend, "i can totally see the vision. maybe with a little bit of gold glitter in the centre, to make things pop". now jaya was feeling inspired, "thank you but, i think all the credit to this set is gonna go to you".

Geraldine Viswanathan

“oh—oh,  no.  i'm  completely  sober.”  shiloh  was  well  aware  of  the  kind  of  people  who  usually  found  themselves  at  tim  and  jay’s  at  this  hour: half-drunk  regulars  nursing  the  last  dregs  of  their  regret  with  cheap  coffee.  alcoholics,  mostly.  men  with  faces  crumpled  like  discarded  newspapers,  women  with  smudged  lipstick  and  last  night’s  mistakes  still  clinging  to  their  skin.  but  shiloh?  he  tooootally  was  above  all  that.  he  hadn't  touched  alcohol  in  weeks,  not  since  he  started  taking  soul  cycling  classes  and  decided  he  actually  liked  waking  up  in  the  morning  without  feeling  like  his  brain  had  been  wrung  out  like  a  dishcloth.  “i  don't  drink  alcohol  anymore—that  shit's  nasty,”  he  said,  as  if  he  hadn't  spent  years  indulging  in  the  same  vices  he  now  turned  his  nose  up  at.  “i  usually  wake  up  at  four  in  the  morning,”  he  added,  like  a  fucking  badge  of  honour,  “have  breakfast  at  around  five.”

"wow, are you lookin' for an award or something?" she mumbles, picking up a napkin, "i could make you one" normally jaya didn't go crazy. but she'd been so busy with work recently, that she wanted to blow off some steam with some friends, she scrunched up the napkin, throwing it towards the other, "for you". jaya rolls her eyes at his words, eating another fry, "alright, i get it, you're perfect. stop rubbing it in...".