cool beans

Noeul didn’t have any problems with visiting family, but the prospect of his dad’s cooking is definitely something that he’s tried to avoid in the past more than once. “Is it an actual recipe this time? Please tell me it’s not something weird!”

“it is! if it’s written on a piece of paper, it’s a recipe!” namil insisted, though he wasn’t sure what noeul meant by weird. sure, some of his culinary dabbling had been adventurous, but weird? namil didn’t see it. “your mother is cooking too-- does that help?”

“it’s so perfect,” jisung insisted. he had been nervous– there was always so much time between his releases, that he wasn’t sure how they’d be received. “and it makes higher happy, so i have time to focus on my next epiphany without being rushed.”

“how much time do you think you bought yourself?” namil asked with a laugh. “or, maybe a better question is, how much time do you have left on your contract?”

“maybe you should look into doing it more– for the right people and ideas,” she commented. “you seem happy. and proud of it. and i think you’d be able to get so much more ideas out for less risk and cost.” she laughed. “i can see how it’d be something you’d take to– it has your fingerprints all over it.”

he smiled. “i’ve been thinking about it. but it would have to be for the right artist-- i can’t see myself making any of the things beom or noeul are in,” he admitted. “they’re boring.” not that they were actually boring. but to namil? well...

“very 80s inspired. from the song to the video to the styling. and not in a reminiscent way where people borrow style from the 80s and modernize it– i want to watch it and feel like i’ve been sent back forty years.”

“that sounds so incredibly fun,” namil giggled, clapping his hands together. “as soon as you have a demo together, i want to hear it. i think we could make something beautiful.”

“do you have a brown bowling shirt? that would be appropriate,” she told him firmly. “what about a grey t-shirt and a blazer? that would look nice.”

“why don’t you just dress me,” namil sighed with fake exasperation. “it would be easier if you went into the closet and picked out what you felt like was appropriate.”

“a very creative and talented man who deserves to be given a chance despite his quirks,” miran answered. “the pants are fine if you pair them with something else. try a solid colored shirt. maybe in a neutral or darker tone.”

“you call them quirks, i call them the spice of life,” namil retorted, turning to go back into their room and to the closet. “neutral or dark? so no bright green bowling shirts?”

“i’ll make note of it. i just really think it’s a project that could use your talents well.”

“do i get a hint about what it’s going to be? just so i can start brainstorming?”

“it’s fun, but not for a business lunch,” miran told her husband firmly, reaching up to take off his hat. “you’re trying to pitch an entire drama. this is important. i don’t want them saying no to you just because you gave them a… loud first impression.”

“what am i if not loud?” namil answered stubbornly. “fine. but i want to keep the pants. they’re stretchy. i like them.”

“i’ll give you my manager’s email. it would be better to talk through him. i’m very bad at answering messages,” jisung explained.

“not everyone can be on it all the time. especially creatives with a lot on their plate. that’s what managers are for,” namil answered sagely.

“we didn’t choose to– we got … encouraged to by management. something about vocal tone. i really have no idea,” joonie admitted.

“and people say i’m hard to understand. nothing spotlight does makes any sense.”

“you know what, namil– i might actually have a project in mind for you. it’s not going to come out for a while but….it absolutely seems like something you’d have a lot of fun with.”

“please. working far out in the future is better for me regardless, because it’s easier for me to know what my schedule will look like. i’d love to be part of your discography in some way.”