#*i: replies.

“Not fucking me, that’s for sure.” he stretches out, arms above his head, decked out in his usual lounging attire– nothing but boxers with various prints on them. Today’s theme is kittens. “Fuck pants.”

“Fuck yeah, I do.” This definitely isn’t a bad idea. Not in the slightest. He’s already grabbing her hand, tugging her with him through the convenience store where they’re getting armfuls of snacks until he stops, realizes something, turns to her. “…Where do you buy balloons?”

As she went through her text messages, her thumb swiped down the list of contacts in the app. Seeing a few from another of her three roommates, Ishiko had gone straight to his messages, excited to see what he had to say. 

The sound of her phone going off with message after incoming message had her looking over in curiosity, wondering just who would be sending her texts. She pulled her phone out of her bag, pausing for a moment to go through the messages before the sight of the familiar name in her phone brought a smile to her face. 

continued from { H E R E ! }

[ MESSAGE RECEIVED: 10:53 AM ]                [] I have a daughter.

His promises only last a moment long enough to fulfill his own objectives. Siri is always an outlier, detaching themselves from his life based on their own whim and appearing when they require his help. To Sunggyu, this is simple. This is someone he made a deal with years ago. Forgotten after completion of a task. Now he is moving on to the next, returning the favor only because her presence benefits him. This is how he runs his life, attentive to the moment, never remembering anyone who is not a current asset or liability (they never live long enough to become a memory). Methodical minds are so ruthless–he survives this way. His business is in Japan, and he had already tuned out the voice of their daughter a long time ago. Every response of his is clipped, ending simple conversation. He hands her enough money to get lost in downtown Osaka, a separate room key in the unfortunate circumstance she finds her way back to the hotel, and only pauses once. She couldn’t be aware of enough to find him interesting. Should not be.

“You don’t even know me, kid.”

That would be–

“Unless I have to sew your father’s mouth shut.”

Concerning.

She’s been doted on for too long, even at her current ripe age of 19, but she knew her father had his reasons. While she’s always been one to ask questions and push the issue, there was a time and place for her to do so and she had acknowledged that this was not the time to complain. Instead, she had simply agreed to the arrangement while packing her bag; it was only a weekend in Osaka for the convention, anyway. The least she could do was make the best of it, even if her guardian this weekend was a bit on the quiet side. And the more time that she spent around him, the more she could see how he and her father seemed to have some sort of relationship, even if it was the first time she had seen him. As she continued to style her hair in front of the mirror of the hotel room, she couldn’t find herself to be fazed by his gruff voice, instead focusing on her pastel pink locks and he pigtails they were supposed to be in to complete her costume. She paused for a second, lifting her gaze to instead look at him through the reflection of the mirror. 

“I don’t think that’s necessary, ajusshi,” she replied, serene expression on her face. “I mean… oppa.” 

It amused her to see someone so very violent at the slightest remark; it reminded her of her father when he was in a bad mood, which was enough for a content smile to appear on her face.

“He doesn’t need to tell me anything for me to get an idea of how you are and how you think. You remind me of him, which is why I said such a thing.” Returning to fixing her hair, she hummed. 

“I wouldn’t have even thought you were jealous until you said that.” He puts his arm around her shoulders, a hand in her hair, ruffling the blonde locks. The tip of his nose nudges into her temple, knocking their heads together. “I can’t just bail now, though– I’ll be totally free tomorrow, if you are? You don’t have classes then, I know that much.”

Burying his face in her chest, he laughs quietly, shoulders quivering as she tries to catch her breath. “You’re so ticklish, oh my god.” Affection comes easy for Gun when he’s with Ishiko, wrapping his arms around her waist and snuggling against her side. He gives her a pinch as well, just to go the extra mile, as always. “Don’t even mention the word ‘short’, she’s taller than me.” Grinning broadly, he looks ridiculously proud of his own pun. “I… I sent her a picture of my abs and she told me it made her lose her appetite.” The confession makes him snicker, because although it does hurt his feelings, it’s still exactly like the girl he knows and loves. “If I told her, she’d probably tell me to fuck off.” The thing is, that’s exactly what he likes about her. He loves that she can tear him down and think nothing of it.