QUEEN

“i think i’m ready to start working on solo work,” sookie admitted, scrubbing her face in her hands. she’d had a solo debut in rejectz’s early days, but nothing for about three years since. “i’ve put so much of my focus into my group, and i think i’ve gotten us to a really good place. is it selfish of me to want to start working on something for myself now?”

Doah raised her eyebrows in surprise, wondering what in the world could have possibly made her think that pursuing her career was selfish. Maybe it’s because she wasn’t good at much outside of composing, but if she had the opportunity to further her craft she would. “Of course it’s not selfish? What makes you think that?”

“oh, it’s not for me! it’s for idol project,” hoa answered. “our audition performance is distich’s very nice, so this is what the stylists are putting us in. i don’t think i could wear this normally.”

“Ooh,” She says with an approving smile, “That’s honestly one of my favorite songs, I’m sure you guys are gonna kill it.” Doah pats the other’s back, “It’s always fun to experiment with clothing outside of your comfort zone, you should try it with clothes you’re more comfortable with!”

dohee giggled, clocking her head to the side with a playful smile. “honestly, i didn’t think it would be that hard to find? like….sure, fashion cataloguing isn’t a huge hobby for most people, but of all history books, i’d’ve though fashion history would be the most fun to learn about…”

“Fashion history sounds fun? The way people and cultures can style different’t pieces is interesting, it reminds me of music.“ She hums, her eyes getting caught by another book, “They have some from all over the world too, if you want me to grab those? Like they have American, South American, Eastern Europe.... Like niches like that too...”

mengxia bit back a smile, crossing her legs under her. “oh? did you? that all you have to say?” she laughed. “well, thank you. i’ll put that to good use,” she giggled. she did appreciate doah grabbing her a language book for her. with polaris’ comeback on the horizon, she wanted to make sure her korean was immaculate. 

“That is definitely all I have to say about that.” She says, though she can’t help the smile that tugs on her lips from peeking out a bit,” Also, if you need any tutoring help, you know you can come to me right? I’m way better than a book, I can answer all your questions. I did pretty good in Korean language and literature in high school, you know.”

“you know, i haven’t ever dressed particularly masculine before. i didn’t think it would suit me, but i kind of like it,” hoa admitted, looking at her outfit for the idol project audition stage. “the suspenders are really fun…”

“That’s kind of how i felt about some of the clothes we wore at first. Now, whenever i wear leather pants i feel.... badass and a lot more comfortable than when i first started wearing them.” Doah tilted her head for a bit before looking at the other, “what concept are you going for? “

it wasn’t out of the ordinary for jisung to get asked when he was going to be releasing more music. for a moment there, he was the most popular korean man in the world. but his response was always the same. “when i feel like it,” he replied, shrugging and rubbing his nose. “i’m reading a new series right now. don’t feel like writing music.” 

The composer nodded a bit, strolling around the room for a moment before turning to him, “What series are you reading?” Doah had found herself quite bored, they had promised that 2021 would be an exciting year for the group, but she hadn’t really discussed with the other when they were coming back. She typically created compositions whenever the inspiration hit her, which meant she had some written up and already made on her computer and others that were still in the works but none the less she was free for a bit now, “I just started reading this webtoon called Sweet Home, it’s a bit gorey but pretty cool. I think they just made a netflix series about it too.”

“I think, maybe they should probably be used a little a little more sparingly? They can be unique, for sure. But the way it’d shown up all over the place in the past few years and not really before then–” he laughed a little. “I don’t know how long the trend is going be around, but I feel like some kids in the future are going to be so confused about it, like those silly bandz.”

“it’ll be interesting for sure. I’m hoping that eventually we’ll go back to the nineties sweat pants aesthetic. Can you imagine how comfortable it’d be to dance in actual dancing clothes?”

“i mean, i’m sure no one will care if you change for now. we don’t have anything big on the schedule for the moment,” bia assured her, laughing a little and patting doah’s head gently. “well, maybe she needs to be criticized sometimes, you know? she’s not infallible. and these are clearly bugging you, so better to say something than not.”

“Yeah that’ll probably be the best, after I change do you want to get some icecream or something? I’m so bored i feel like i could die any minute now.”

“please, if we’ve learned anything over the last few years, it’s that i can and will speak for myself whenever i need to. looking like a porcelain doll is just a bonus. i can’t help it if i’m naturally pretty,” sera answered with a scoff. “every group is compared to their seniors. or another group. i’ve seen plenty of people compare you to reign. and every company has a similar sound throughout their groups, too. am i supposed to applaud netizens for picking up on that when the rest of us have known that for years?” she said, waving off that comment. whether it was delusion or something she truly believed, we may never know. “you can say we got replaced all you want, but venus is releasing the same song over and over again, whereas every new release iris has is touted the best iris song yet. spotlight is huge– they debut something new every two weeks. your arguments are weak.”

“All of this sounds like delusion to me. if it Venus was releasing the same song every comeback they wouldn’t be so successful, they would’ve been dropped at least a year or so after the first repeat. Just admit you’re scared because no one cares about Iris anymore.” Doah shakes her head momentarily,  rolling her shoulders back before crossing her arms over her chest, “If you have anything else to say go ahead and say it. I don’t want to keep  wasting my oxygen on someone who’s going to convince themselves on being delusional”

“nah– we were in our dressing room, so we were pretty far away from the actual mics and stuff. it was still pretty funny though,” he snorted. “i’m being serious, though– if i could live in those pants, i totally would.”

“Maybe there’s some secret method to make it more comfortable. That I don’t know about because I don’t know how you can feel so comfortable when the possibility of ripping these pants are so high.”

“i have no idea. all i know is that i get to carry the boxes of it up to the stylists’ department whenever it all gets delivered. but they are different. somehow,” chunja answered definitively. “i mean, yeah– you coudn’t see it because it was under the gown, but my mom knew and she was mad. i thought she was going to kick my ass, but she just guilt tripped me for a week. so honestly…. not even that bad.”

“That’s so funny, honestly i’m gonna have to pick up a pair of cargo pants because I can’t do this anymore, i want to change so bad. It’s not even funny anymore. But at least you got to go to graduation comfortable and fine!”

“they were black too– honestly, they added more dimension and texture to the look as a whole, while still blending in. i liked how they looked better than full leather,” meng explained

"Ahh!” She says softly, running her fingers through her hair before shifting in her seat, “ I’m gonna have to definitely try that because i’m tired of these pants already.”

“See–grease on top of leather just sounds about ten times more uncomfortable, if you were in the sun that’d just be begging for roasting,” Sowon said with a shake of his head. “Honestly, though! It would be cool for a throwback performance or something like. You know, like late ‘90s or early 2000s vibe. I agree about the harnesses too, as soon as Legacy started incorporating harnesses into their stage outfits I was real nervous if that meant Rewind was going to debut in them.” Sowon laughed.

“oof you’re right.” She hums a shiver running through her body as she thinks about dancing in hot greased up leather pants under the unforgiving rays of a spotlight and the oozing aura of fire effects. --All of it sounded  unforgiving and Doah wanted no part of that. “Harnesses are cute, but i’m tired of like.... all girls fashion being  centered around it. “I like them and they’re cute  but wearing it all the same few outfits”

“i dunno if that’s what you look like, but it’s definitely what you sound like,” he answered with a snort. “it’s a good thing the music is so loud so it doesn’t distract from live performances.”

“Oh god, i didn’t think about the life performances.... I’m so glad they can’t hear me.” She confesses, brown orbs darting over to the stage before she looks over to him. “Do you know what i can use to make the sound chill. Everyone’s telling me to lube it up but like... with what?”

“well, it’s like in the summer if you’re wearing shorts and your thighs start chafing and you put deodorant on them so they stop– you have to find something that makes the leather slip instead of squeak,” bia answered with a shrug. “i bet bobo has something– you should ask her.”

“i’m honestly so close to just ripping these damn things off.... maybe i’ll go buy a pair of shorts that match this aesthetic.” She says resting her head gently on Via’s shoulder, “I feel like Bobo will get mad at me for criticizing her fashion choices.... It’s a lose-lose situation. Maybe i should buy her like... a dessert or something before I change.. Do you think that would work?. “