* POP GIRL CHIC !

"okay   —   try   this."   sets   the   coffee   mug   in   front   of   her   with   an   embarrassed,   endearing   little   grin.   as   it   turns   out,   as   much   as   he   couldn't   cook   any   other   day   of   the   week,   he   also   could   not   cook   in   front   of   the   most   jaw   dropping   woman   he's   ever   met.   the   first   batch   of   eggs   wouldn't   even   come   off   the   pan,   the   second   a   texture   that   didn't   look   safe   for   human   consumption.   but   coffee   was   his   thing,   even   adding   one   of   those   fancy   heart   designs   on   top   of   the   cappuccino   as   a   way   to   apologize.   the   kiss   to   cook   apron   he   wears   feels   a   little   silly   now,   but   his   eyes   glimmer   anyway   as   he   sets   his   forearms   on   the   countertop.   "i   make   a   really   good   coffee.   promise   —   practically   the   crown   prince   of   the   cafe   i   work   at." / @lemontang

@niziui

he   has   a   long   string   of   failed   dates   —   humor   that   didn't   land,   incompatible   personalities,   a   few   who   excused   themselves   to   the   bathroom   only   to   never   return.   it's   about   this   point   where   his   eagerness   usually   gets   to   be   a   bit   much,   the   charm   of   a   decent   looking   guy   fading   away   and   replaced   by   notion   that   he's   terrible   at   social   cues.   but   juliet   doesn't   do   any   of   that!   and   she's   way   hotter   than   anyone   else   he's   even   gone   on   a   date   with   —   all   of   it   almost   feels   like   a   dream   he   doesn't   want   to   wake   up   from.   "you're   cute   too."   grins   wide   at   the   reaction   elicited,   bringing   his   fist   over   his   mouth   to   stifle   a   laugh.   whereas   words   seem   to   get   caught   in   her   throat,   he   only   knew   to   keep   talking   in   the   presence   of   nerves   and   butterflies   that   came   with   meeting   someone   he   couldn't   stop   looking   at.   "i   would   say   that   it's   pretty   messed   up   for   your   friend   to   set   this   up   then   but   ...   i   don't   know.   kinda   wanna   thank   them   for   it   right   now."   literally   just   knew   her   name   and   where   to   show   up   before   tonight,   essentially   pushed   out   of   the   door   by   his   roommate   who   told   him   he   was   throwing   away   his   youthful   20s.   it   annoyed   him   a   little   bit   at   the   time   —   now   he   thinks   he   should   give   him   a   kiss   for   it,   if   he   doesn't   get   to   kiss   juliet   first,   that   is.   his   brow   raises,   looking   around   for   a   moment   —   maybe   she's   talking   about   another   guy   here.   not   that   he   doesn't   think   he's   good   looking,   but   he   can   acknowledge   it's   more   of   in   the   boy   -   next   -   door,   underachieving   class   clown   kind   of   way.   "me?   no   —   never   happens.   i   usually   open   my   mouth   and   it   ruins   the   effect   for   most   people."

@niziui

❝　i　don't　think　so.　❞　small　sigh　exits　lips.　❝　are　you　feeling　insecure　?　i　promise　i　don't　see　you　through　tinted　glass　or　whatever　old　people　say　--　i　like　you　for　who　you　really　are.　❞

⠀⠀⠀𓇢𓆸⠀⠀⠀❛ you really want to throw that at me ? i didn't steal your song, i wasn't even in the meeting for it ! and i'm not gambling the people who trusted me just to ... get a few more streams, or whatever. ❜ a small, humorless disbelieving laugh escapes. amahle's body remains still, the kind of stillness where everything inside her narrows into one unbearable point. ❛ you know, if you had told me you didn't want this because you were scared or something i would've understood, ❜ mouth twists into something that can't be quite called a smile, eyes glaring at the singer for a long moment before speaking again. ❛ but resorting to pinning me as the bad decision is an ... interesting choice. what, do you think scandals are somehow less of a problem for me because everyone has already decided my reputation survives just fine with me being the one that's reckless ? ❜

❝　yes　?!　your　group　literally　reheated　nachos　that　were　still　hot,　may　i　add　!　my　whole　game　concept　for　the　comeback　being　ripped　off　to　shreds　is　killing　my　solo　--　they　think　i'm　the　stealer　when　literally　no　one　cared　when　it　dropped,　so　thanks　for　the　free　promo,　babe.　❞　ranting　revealed　growing　anger,　furrow　of　brows　&　pursed　lips　a　sign　of　evident　frustration　--　had　amahle　grown　so　apathetic　to　situation　at　hand　?　with　such　words　drowsed　earlier,　it　might　seem　so.　the　laugh,　however,　it　is　key　to　make　voice　raise　upon　releasing　words.　❝　scared　?!　you　think　i　fear　this　?!　i'm　mad　at　your　company　--　do　you　not　understand　what　just　happened,　amahle　?　are　you　fucking　stupid　?　i　don't　have　time　for　you　being　careless,　and　if　that's　all　you're　gonna　do　then　walk　out　the　door.　❞　arm　raised　so　index　could　point　out　exit　further　from　couple.　❝　can't　you　understand　that　my　problem　right　now　is　your　company　and　also　your　lack　of　empathy　?　i　thought　i　could　count　on　you,　i　made　a　wrong　guess　there.　❞

❛       i'm   so   sorry   ⎯   i   completely   got   that   wrong,   didn't   i   ?   i   don't   know   where   my   head's   at   today.   here,   i'll   remake   it   for   you.       ❜

❝　it's　okay,　this　one　looks　good　--　i'll　take　it.　❞　spoken　with　a　smile,　manicured　appendages　ready　to　take　order　away　from　counterpart.　❝　if　you　wanna　talk　about　it　i'm　all　ears,　luckily　it's　my　day　off.　❞

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❝　i　get　that　--　that　cold　in　the　belly　before　a　big　wave　--　but　something　in　you　tells　you　it's　now　or　never.　❞　being　nervous　isn't　something　new　to　either　of　them,　yet　somehow　surfer　always　managed　to　find　calmness　before　the　storm　--　this　time　won't　be　different.　❝　if　they　get　stuck　we　kick　them　!　we　can　bring　tools　to　help　us　get　unstuck　from　most　physical　situations　...　bail　?!　you　don't　say　no　to　a　big　wave　like　this　one,　so　grab　your　mental　board　and　throw　yourself　in　this　ocean　--　we're　in　this　together　!　❞

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❝　o　-　one　foot　at　a　time　?　❞　brunette　gulps　right　on　the　spot,　camera　shaking　lightly　in　hand.　❝　this　seems　a　little　...　y'know,　like　maybe　a　gymnast　could　do　it　--　i'm　not　a　gymnast,　though　!　❞

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❝　i　mean　it　!　❞　excitement　buzzing　through　body,　shocked　at　disbelief　other　displayed　--　it　wasn't　every　day　that　such　opportunity　came　afloat,　why　wouldn't　feiyu　accept　it　?　❝　i've　always　had　some　curiosity　about　the　occult　and　things　like　that　--　it's　the　perfect　opportunity　to　get　more　people　interested　!　❞

⠀⠀⠀𓇢𓆸⠀⠀⠀❛ yes, i mean ⸺ yeah, you are beautiful. anyone with eyes could tell you that easily. ❜ words leave quieter than intended, sincerity outweighing embarrassment for a fleeting moment and realization only catches up with his tongue after the confession has already escaped, crimson rushing up his neck as he hastily clears his throat. ❛ ... really ? thank you. it .. it won't be anything difficult, i'd rather paint you naturally than force you into some dramatic pose. ❜ fingers absentmindedly roll the charcoal between his finger, warmth climbing straight back into his face as his words falter momentarily. ❛ there is one thing, though ⸺ some classical portraiture rely on ... simpler garments. it — it's easier to study form without heavy fabrics interrupting it. ❜ a beat, and there's a hurried shake of his head as atlas winces an instant too late after the explanation leaves him. curse his mind for wandering to the composition that has lived inside his sketchbook for weeks now. ❛ but we don't have to ⸺ we absolutely don't have to ! i can paint you exactly as you are now, and it'd still be the most beautiful thing i've ever made. i'll ... i can just start with the sketches. ❜

❝　w　-　well,　i　won't　deny　a　compliment,　but　it's　high　coming　from　you　--　as　a　painter,　not　as　a　man　...　❞　despite　attempt　to　act　natural　cheeks　&　tip　of　ears　gave　away　effect　that　compliment　had　--　falling　for　her　employer　...　what　was　this,　business　proposal　?　such　cliché.　swallows　air　before　forcing　self　into　usual　composure,　head　nodding　as　words　left　artist's　delightful　mouth,　finding　self　almost　in　a　trance　before　falling　back　to　reality　with　a　blink.　❝　naturally　?　so　you'd　require　a　a　natural　setting,　too　...　❞　musing　to　self,　trying　to　imagine　what'd　be　natural　to　self　--　truthfully　it'd　be　further　in　orbit,　but　such　information　shan't　be　spilled,　only　ink.　eyes　widen　when　noticing　the　change　of　hue　on　atla's　face,　his　words　bringing　manicured　hand　to　cover　open　mouth　&　partially　warm　cheeks.　❝　you　...　you　want　me　in　my　underwear　?!　❞　fascination　glimmers　through　gaze,　a　smile　hidden　underneath　appendages.　❝　oh　my,　i　didn't　know　you　were　freaky　like　that,　atlas　--　wanting　to　see　your　assistant　in　her　inner　garments　...　something　tells　me　you　want　more　than　a　painting　~　❞　venusian　nature　shining　through　with　flirtatious　jokes,　only　to　push　further　the　crimson　hue　onto　handsome　features.　❝　oh　but　we　do　!　i　want　to　see　where　it　leads　us,　and　i　promise　i　won't　tell　the　results.　❞　winking　in　employer's　direction,　not　feeling　a　single　ounce　of　shame　--　perhaps　a　promotion　would　be　on　its　way　if　anything.

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❝　well,　no,　but　i　also　don't　really　believe　in　them.　❞　tells　him,　or　more　like　the　viewers,　feeling　a　little　awkward　being　in　front　of　camera　--　after　all,　all　brunette　was　used　to　recording　were　the　buildings　themselves.　❝　although　it　would　be　exciting　to　meet　one　--　have　you　ever　met　a　ghost　?　❞

⠀⠀⠀𓇢𓆸⠀⠀⠀❛ i'm glad you liked them ! i ... spent longer picking those candies than i'd ever admit, but i'm happy they didn't go to waste after all. ❜ relief settles into her expression, though eyes widen for a moment at the mention of the candy shop and date starter, before a small smile slips onto her face. ❛ ... date ⸺ yes, making those together does sound fun ! i'd really like to go with you, of course. ❜ head bobs in a meek nod, hands tucking a loose strand of hair behind her warm ear. ❛ i should tell you in advance though .. if there's anything strawberry - flavored, i'm probably stealing that first. but i can make up for it on a second date. ❜

❝　wait,　really　?!　❞　easily　impressed,　but　rare　it　was　to　find　raven　incredulous　over　something　--　this　one　was　truly　for　the　books;　warmed　heart　to　know　someone　spent　their　time　trying　to　demonstrate　feelings　for　her　in　the　yummiest　way　known　by　human　kind.　❝　that's　a　relief,　i　thought　i　was　overstepping　for　a　second　--　you　do,　like,　like　me,　right　?　like　in　a,　should　be　my　girlfriend　type　way,　right　?　i　just　want　clarity.　❞　&　of　course　beauty　would　still　be　confused,　with　way　kaori　spoke　it　felt　slightly　hard　to　tell　where　feelings　lied.　❝　no　way　--　!　strawberry　is　my　favorite　flavor,　too　!　i　think　our　first　argument　is　on　its　way,　how　romantic　!　❞

⠀⠀⠀𓇢𓆸⠀⠀⠀❛ oh ⸺ don't pin this one on me. you care more about what people think than who's actually standing beside you ... if your reputation is that fragile, then maybe i'm not the problem. ❜

❝　you　literally　want　dispatch　to　catch　us　to　promote　your　single　--　you　don't　even　care　about　my　career　in　the　slightest　!　how　was　it　they　sang　in　the　demo　...　?　you're　such　a　game,　girl,　i　don't　wanna　play,　girl　!　if　it　was　about　who's　standing　next　to　me　you　wouldn't　pull　this　stunt　and　you　know　it.　❞