better off

BIO || PROFILE || PLOTS/CONNECTIONS

in raymond fashion, bonjour! hi cuties!!! i’m rina and so excited to be here!!! i’m gonna get straight to the point and say that the bio i typed up isn’t v helpful for anything except explaining why hailey came to the islands, so there will be a little recap under the cut as well as a few more small details about this little bab. give this a like if you’d like to plot and i’ll come sliding into ur dms! ps admin april ur wonderful with fc suggestions

also welcome to our newbies!!! it’s always so nice to see new faces hehe hopefully i’ll be able to get to your official welcome messages once i’m officially back on dash xoxoxo

until then, as always, feel free to hmu on discord ( icb mark saved 2021#0884 ) as i’m more likely to check there before i get to tumblr ims (i’m so sorry dsjhfds)

set at eastbell’s wishing well for @runawayheir​

Hailey had heard word of the twin island bulletin board. With messages and comments galore, she was afraid that even if she had decided to post a message for her brother, it would get swallowed amongst all others. However, it had been over a month now, and she was yet to find him. So, in yet another act of desperation, Hailey ultimately chose to leave him a message. But she hid behind a mask of anonymity, afraid that revealing her true identity would steer him away. 

That being said, she also understood that there was still that chance that she was wrong in believing that he’d run here, to the twin islands, in the middle of nowhere. There was no guarantee, that even if he were, that he’d show up. Part of her was afraid of the possibility of rejection and failure to apologize. 

Despite saying that she’d meet at noon, Hailey arrived an hour in advance. The girl had tossed and turned all night, unable to think about anything but today’s meeting. She placed herself, on the edge of the fountain, her leg bounding up and down in anxious wait. Hailey hardly knew how much time was passing as she waited, but when she’d finally seen someone approaching in the distance. Standing up with a sudden jolt, the girl could not process the thoughts running through her mind. Should she meet him halfway or stand still? Would it be best to run away now and spare herself the shame of being told that he didn’t wish to see her? Maybe it was a complete stranger who had come out of mere curiosity. Regardless, Hailey could only force herself to find out.

—✰ * ♬ ⋆ a backdated starter for @parkhxh​ !

for someone who regularly found it difficult to escape the bright lights of camera flashes, the quaint twin islands were a stark contrast to the fast-paced life he had adjusted himself too. it came as much-needed relief to slow down, a glimpse into a past life that daehyun thought he had lost for good but one that he craved more than anything. while it was jarring to readjust, there was peace in the fact that not many seemed to approach him. even here in the grocery store, no one seems to notice him. he never realized just how much he appreciated that before.

he contemplates the assortment of fruit, picking up a crisp red apple. shopping for himself isn’t a new task, but it seems somewhat foreign when the uncertain future hangs above his head. he sets the apple back on its display and moves on, wandering the store with a basket in his arm.

as he passes the frozen section, he double-takes, whipping his head in back her direction. he’s definitely seen this girl before but — could it truly be her? what would someone like her, with all her family fortune and success, be doing here on these small islands? he thinks of all the times they’ve crossed paths in the past, usually during functions and events between their associated companies. did she, like him, grow tired of the artificialness of it all?

there’s only one way he’d find out. he can’t help but to stare at her, uncertain if he should approach her. when their eyes meet, the choice is made for him. “are you — it is you, isn’t it?” he asks, expression warming into a smile. he’s more certain now that she’s looking directly at him, but he asks for a conformation anyway. “hailey, right? it’s been too long.”

As of late, Hailey found herself pacing back and forth in her hotel room, always far past her bedtime. What she craved was a midnight snack, but her empty fridge did not allow her to satisfy these desires. Furthermore, room service came to a halt at 10pm sharp, and the nearest convenience store was ironically not as convenient in distance as she would prefer. Thus, a bit of grocery shopping was overdue. However, she’d never gone to do the action herself back in Seoul. So, instead, she wandered around the store aisles aimlessly, browsing the shelves, but placing nothing in her basket.

It wasn’t until she could feel a pair of eyes on her that Hailey began to slow down. While she was used to being stared at (with her looks, who could be surprised?), it usually wasn’t very long before she was approached. The city girl had learned quickly just how quirky and warm each resident of the twin islands were. But when it had felt a bit too long for her liking, Hailey glanced upward to find whomever was setting their sights on her.

As she connected eyes with a familiar face, Hailey froze. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him, let alone spoken to him. While the girl would have once gone so far as to consider themselves friends, her father had long since revoked permission to consider him as that much. Ever since her arrival, she’d managed to convince herself that this new environment was a place for her to break out of her old habits and behavioral patterns, but to come face to face with this piece of her past now had apparently wiped these newfound thoughts from her mind, almost immediately. 

( ... )

             she  lifts  her  gaze   to  the  other  before  continuing,  ❝  then,  a  little  bit  after   that,  he  shows  up  to  the  observatory  and  long  story  short,  i acted  in  a  way  i  shouldn’t  have.  i  said  things  i  should’ve   kept  to  myself,  i  imagined  things  i  shouldn’t  have,  and  worst of  all,  i  flirted.  well,  i  tried  to,  but  i’m  really  horrible  at  it  and—anyway,  that’s  not  the  point.  the  point  is, i  was  a  bad  friend  and  i’ve  been  feeling  guilty  about  it   ever  since,  so  i  came  to  say  i’m  truly  sorry.  regardless  of   everything,  you’re  an  important  person  to  me  and  i   disrespected  you.  ❞  byul  takes  her  bottom  lip  between  her   teeth,  blinking  to  keep  her  tear  ducts  from  doing  the  one   thing  she  knew  they  had  no  right  to  do,  and  repeats   softly,  ❝  i’m  really  sorry.  ❞

While she mirrored the other’s smile, her eyes betrayed her true feelings of concern for the other. Of course she’d noticed how tense things had been between the two, but it had never crossed Hailey’s mind to confront the other with her observations. To be quite frank, she wasn’t even sure that she had a right to do so. Afterall, her arrival on the islands had been sudden and much more eventful than she’d even thought possible. The fact that she’d even stayed this long was another surprise. Hailey was bound to leave Starden, and when she did, it meant leaving Byul, too. Part of her thought that keeping this distance might have been for the best. But seeing her friend now, she couldn’t think of anything else besides offering her consolations. “Of course I wouldn’t mind. I’d love to chat.”

Before Hailey could even offer to guide the other into a comfortable seat in her room, Byul’s words began to pour out of her mouth like rainfall. However, the younger chose not to interrupt. It was clear that there was much that her friend had to say to her and that it must have taken much thought and courage to bring herself to do. So instead, Hailey leaned against the door frame of her room, hanging on to each word. As the story progressed, she could only feel even worse by the second. Not only had her suspicions from New Year’s been correct, but there was some deeply rooted history between Byul and her ‘ex-boyfriend’. The pang of guilt knowing that Byul had felt so terribly about betraying Hailey shot through the girl, since the reality of the situation was that Hailey was the one in the wrong. At the other’s apology, she reached over to hold her hand with a gentle touch. “There’s no need for you to apologize. In fact, I should be the one apologizing to you. Please come inside and take a seat.” 

at his question, there was not much of a response besides a laugh - he wasn’t pretty sure that it wasn’t worth pestering her about; it must not have been very important, and the thought of trying to get her to talk about it seemed more annoying than he would’ve liked. rude or not, hyunjin found profound interest in knowing what people thought of him, regardless of whether or not that was positive. shrugging it off, hyunjin offered her a rather blank look. while some people enjoyed the limelight so to speak, and found it quite satisfying to become showered in compliments, hyunjin wasn’t one of those people. of course, there was nothing wrong with a healthy amount of praise from friends. but from people he didn’t know too well? such compliments were hard for him to accept without looking as though he was uncomfortable and didn’t know how to act. when her face turned to concern though, he sighed, feeling bad that she had taken his reaction the wrong way. “ah, it’s not that – i know you must’ve meant well… i’m just – not used to people talking about me like that.” hyunjin could feel the embarrassment come back, probably quite easy to read. “i mean, i’m always quite happy to have a satisfied customer. that’s part of why i’m still doing all of this in the first place. it always means a lot to hear that.” he offered her a slight smile in return, definitely glad to hear such words from her. “a model? what makes you think that?” his interest was piqued, despite the fact that he probably wasn’t ready to accept whatever words she was going to say next.

"Ah, I see.” Hailey hummed thoughtfully in response. Since arriving on the islands, the girl had come across a great deal of bashful characters who seemed charmed by her words and compliments. But despite that, she knew that she probably shouldn’t just assume that about everyone. Each person was different, and yet, Hailey couldn’t pass up the opportunity of offering a few words of advice. “You should think more highly of yourself! I’m sure that there are many others who share the same sentiments as myself. They just haven’t gathered enough courage to tell you.”

her attempt at familiarity is met with an ambiguous smile, reminding her of the hyemi she’d been uncomfortable around. but maybe she can say something about it now, even if it’s just nudging the older girl and telling her, “don’t do that! i will figure it out!” seonmi pouts a little, then shrugs her shoulders and gets over it. they can’t build a new relationship right off the bat, and this is a good enough start for her.

seonmi picks out the last of the desserts at the table, the almond cake they’d passed over in favour for the mousse. “this is the last one! i hope we’ve saved the best for last,” she says, bringing her shoulders up in a little hopeful shrug. cutting into her piece, the blonde pops a piece into her mouth, sighing happily when it bursts in flavour, coconut and apricot melting into a light harmony over the delicate almond sponge. “i’m going to say we did,” she decides, taking another bite with gusto.

they’ve run out of desserts to try at the table. seonmi thinks a little, then offers, “these aren’t the only offerings from fleur de la mer, so if you ever wanna try something from there, you should call me over!” she smiles and gestures between them, “we can do this again, if you want to.”

There was something pleasant about being able to relax in the other’s presence. Their interactions prior to meeting here on the islands were anything but relaxed. They were stiff and forced; Hyemi felt as though she was constantly being watched under a microscope despite being in a room flooded with other people. She could even go so far as feeling relieved here, with Seonmi. 

Watching the other eat with such giddiness brought a smile to Hyemi’s face as she waited a few moments before following suit. She took some time to properly assess the flavors before nodding in agreement. The girl carefully wiped away crumbs from the corner of her mouth, ensuring that she’d swallowed each and every piece before allowing herself to speak once more. “I believe we share the same sentiments on this, Seonmi. Thank you for allowing me to accompany you at this snack table.” While her sentences were still a bit more formal in comparison to speaking to other island residents, she was sure that with some time, she’d be able to warm up to her. “I would really love that, thank you. Maybe we can meet up for tea soon. Let me give you my contact info.”

               if he had truly loved the hailey, she probably would have made him cry about ten times by now. in the span of … what, fifteen minutes? life may not have treated him too well lately, but at least he wasn’t the kind of person who caught feelings quickly. man, that would have sucked in this situation. “ people have told me i look pretty no matter what i do. ” he didn’t pride himself in his looks, but after being fed nothing but compliments throughout his entire academic life, sungho had gotten used to it. at least his apperance was not one the long list of things he was constantly insecure about — that counted for something, right? “ seems like i was careful enough then. i don’t recall any of that happening though. ” maybe because he had been too busy at the bar.

              he couldn’t help but laugh at her sudden attitude, shaking his head in slight disbelief. “ calm down, it was a joke, not an invitation. i know you may not believe me when i say this, but i’m not that kind of guy. ” after that statement, she probably thought he was a huge virgin; not that he could blame her for that in the slightest. for some reason, sungho felt relieved when the ferry started to come to a halt, slowly standing up from his seat when hailey did. “ i think it’s best if you don’t know too much about me. ” it would make things feel less personal. they weren’t friends, right? or were they? “ do you even have one? ” his voice was dry and unamused, but his lips curled up into a soft smile when his gaze landed on the girl beside him. it was almost robotic, but ever since he was told that he looked like an asshole, sungho tried his best to look at people with a lot more fondness. “ would you like me to do the whole ‘ it’s not me, it’s you ’ spiel then? ” guiding her off the ferry, sungho wrapped an arm around her for just a small moment. “ and then you’re gonna fake cry and i’m gonna cry because i can’t stand to see you cry and we kiss for the last time despite being sobbing messes and you go on to tell the whole town about what an asshole i am for ending things so soon after starting them? ” letting go of her again, he came to a stop once they reached starden’s dock. “ or are you going to let me walk you home, not as your fake boyfriend, but as someone who cares about your safety and well-being before we part ways and tell everyone that we are better off as friends? it’s up to you. ”

Quietly, Hailey studied his face once more at his words. She could definitely appreciate good facial features when she saw them, and Sungho certainly had the right to boast about compliments, regarding his looks, that he’d received in the past. “Yes, that would be quite a sight to see.” Her words were nonchalant as she agreed with a few small nods of her head. “I would argue that I’d be prettier, but we can save that for another day.” While most would interpret her words as playful banter, Hailey spoke with a confidence that made it clear that she was, in fact, speaking genuine and true thoughts. “I’m certain that there’s much that you don’t remember from that night— I would even go so far as saying that we bonded over some quality time together.”

A sound escaped her lips in response to his words (though, she was unsure of whether it was a sigh or a scoff). There was much on her mind that she desired to share, but she kept her words brief for several reasons. The first being that she had manners, and knew that sometimes it was best not to say anything at all. Second, she’d noticed the trend of exchanging coy words with one another, but never digging any deeper into the surface. Which brings up the third point: despite the impression that the whole island was under, the reality of the situation was simple. They were strangers. “I don’t know what kind of guy is ‘that’ guy, but you’re really trying your best to play the part of some mysterious man with a dark past." For the short moment in which she’d found herself in his arms, Hailey was lost in solemn thought. It was strange, but she felt a bit empathetic with the other. While she was never one to pry into the lives of others, there was a twinge of curiosity sitting in the back of her mind. She almost felt bad for Sungho, who appeared to be so lonely and closed off, that he would rather have a fake girlfriend in his arms than be with someone he felt a genuine love for. Of course, these were just nosy thoughts— opinions— running through her mind. They were assumptions and held no actual weight. When he let go of her again, Hailey kept mum on her notions.

                sora tried to hide the fact that hailey’s sudden silence made her feel quite triumphant, though it became evident in the wicked smile that spread across her face. she loved winning arguments and even though her conversations with the other girl usually just felt like two siblings bickering, she still counted it as a win for herself. not everything was a competition, that she knew … but in sora’s book, most things in life were — and she always had to have the last word for sure, no matter the cost.

                her mouth fell open in shock when hailey commented on all of the bikes looking all the same. she was just about to go on an agry rant about what differentiated them from each other, but it wasn’t really like hailey would care. or like she would understand what she was talking about. so, she decided to brush it off instead of being offended by the other’s words. “ you must not have good eyesight then. ” was all that she said in response, not bothering to pay too much attention to her. “ that’s why your outfits always look so boring, girlfriend. ” sora fake yawned before putting one of her helmets as well — it was bright and colourful, contrasting hailey’s appearance. “ are you ready to go? ” the mechanic slowly began walking to the pink motorcycle, looking over her shoulder to get a glimpse of hailey. “ i promise i’ll drive slowly so you don’t get your panties in a bunch. ”

Hailey rolled her eyes at just about every word that came from the other’s mouth. It was clear that the two couldn’t be more different from each other— although, she could say that they shared a commonality of snarky comments towards each other. “I could say the same about you.” Hailey’s brow cocked up as her gaze bore into the other, very clearly displaying her irritation with the biker. “Feel free to drive yourself down to the eye doctor. I absolutely would not oppose to that.” The girl forced a mocking smile, reluctantly dragging her heels towards the motorcycle that the pair would apparently be riding.

             the  clock  on  her  nightstand  reads  15:00  when  she  finally  decides  to  call  it  quits.  the  past  days  had  been  full  of  fitful  sleeps,  her  overthinking  (  and  guilt  )  making  it  difficult  for  the  astronomer  to  get  any  semblance  of  decent  rest.  a  heavy  sigh  ghosts  over  chapped  lips  as  she  pulls  herself  from  her  bed  to  get  ready,  deciding  it  best  to  come  clean  while  she  still  has  the  courage  to  do  so.  ❝  i  know  i’m  probably  making  a  big  deal  about  this,  ❞  she  explains  to  her  cat,  ❝  but  it  doesn’t  feel  right;  especially  after  our  last  interaction  on  new  years.  i  ..  was  not  the  nicest.  ❞  the  soft  meow  she  hears  in  response  elicits  a  smile,  ❝  let’s  hope  that  hailey  is  as  understanding  as  you,  pluto.  ❞  with  a  goodbye  pet  along  the  cat’s  obsidian  fur,  byul  ventures  into  the  strange  sunlight  towards  her  destination.

             it  doesn’t  take  long  to  arrive,  thankfully,  and  the  ferry  ride  was  more  comfortable  than  she  had  anticipated.  after  allowing  all  other  passengers  to  exit,  she  finally  steps  foot  onto  starden  soil,  her  eyes  quickly  panning  over  the  island’s  details.  it’s  not  often  she  finds  herself  here  and  she  can’t  remember  the  last  time  she’s  seen  the  place  in  the  daylight,  but  she  shakes  her  head,  ❝  you  can  admire  it  later,  yoo  eunbyul.  ❞  the  female  keeps  her  head  down,  worried  about  who  she  may  run  into  while  also  going  over  the  impending  conversation  inside  her  head.  what  if  hailey  gets  mad  at  her?  the  elder  considered  the  two  friends,  of  course,  but  the  reality  was  that  they  hadn’t  known  each  other  that  long.  it’d  make  sense  for  her  to  misunderstand  me—would  it  even  be  a  misunderstanding?  she  groans,  lifting  her  head  now  in  front  of  @parkhxh​‘s  place.  ❝  i  probably  should  have  called,  ❞  she  says  quietly,  knuckles  knocking  on  the  door  soon  thereafter.  ❝  it’s  me,  byul!  ❞  the  elder  calls  out,  ❝  please  tell  me  you’re  home.  ❞

Hailey was an early riser. Ever since she’d began to settle into the islands, the girl found herself falling into a habitual pattern day after day. She rose with the sun, allowing an hour or two to prepare herself for the day. Back home, she preferred having breakfast in bed, but alas, the small hotel unfortunately did not offer the service. As of late, the girl has settled with a morning cup of coffee from The Roost. Afterwards, she either spent most of her day browsing through the inventory of Graciegrace or walking the sandy beaches of Eastbell. Strangely enough, she managed to forget one of her favorite bracelets at home. While this was a minimal detail, Hailey was a particular person. Thus, the missing accessory left her mind restless. 

he was aware that the people of the other half of twin islands would be more judgemental when it came to fashion, though he’s met a handful of fashionistas on eastbell himself. that being said, he was surpised not many people were taking notice of his apparel today. he personally thought he looked great, but perhaps they were just like him in which they didn’t really care for how any other person looked on this island besides themselves.

still though, it was nice to at least get one person’s atention.it does make his day a little bit better, knowing that someone was gracious enough to want to give him a compliment about his fashion choices. 

he fails to notice the weak smile on her face, let alone her overall facial expression. it’s not that he was refusing to notice it, but he’s simply been worse at reading other people’s expressions. after years of telling himself not to care about much, he’s found himself being a little more selfish by only thinking about himself and his own wellbeing. so it makes sense for this stranger to think he looked good! bold even! and he wants to know the reason behind his fashion choices, too? what an honor!

“oh! not really,” he answers, his smile brightening as he speaks. “i just wanted to look my best while walking around the island! that’s all. everyone here is so fashionable, so i sometimes feel a little bit intimidated coming here.” should he be honest of what he usually wears? he should, shouldn’t he? “i have a hawaiian shirt collection because i want to keep the tropical vibe, but also because they’re usually my nicest thing in my closet.” he says this with no shame at all. “i usually wear sweats because they’re less of a hastle, to be honest. but i decided to go for a bright red with flower patterns. don’t you think it’s neat?” 

The corners of her lips turned downwards into a mix between a pout and a frown. Putting her genuine opinions for the garment to the side (as well as the daunting idea of an entire collection sitting in a closet somewhere on island), Hailey was charmed by the other’s words. It was blatantly clear that there was a pure and genuine love for the tacky shirt he donned. “Well aren’t you as cute as a button.” She sighed out, mindlessly moving her arms to fix the shirt collar.

“I will say that you certainly stand out amongst the crowd. And your attire is...quite a sight.” Hailey took a step back from the other, looking over his appearance once more. There was so much that she wished to change, but alas, to each their own. While she wouldn’t say it directly to their face, the girl felt pained to even be in close proximity to the bright article of clothing. 

Another sigh left her mouth at his words, though this time, it was a sigh of relief. At his decision to not wear sweats that day, Hailey applauded, showering the other in praise. “I see that there is hope for you after all! Great call, sweetie! You want to look as good as you feel— and sweatpants will not help you achieve that.” As she continued to look at the other, her gaze softened. Yes, there was certainly potential in this one. “And such a handsome face.” She spoke quietly to herself before nodding.

rain: BABE?

rain: wait what are you talking about with the internet

rain: ARE YOU GOING TO POST IT ON YOUR WEB THING? don't post it!! i know my rights and i'm pretty sure i can sue!

Hailey: oh, sweetie....again with "internet" and "web thing"

Hailey: Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, etcetera

Hailey: you are also NOT going to sue me, don't be silly