#c;starters

starring: @pxsamantha

[ sms: sammy ] sammmy 

[ sms: sammy ] free for lunch today? 

Chohee texted, body reclining on the couch of her apartment as she stared up at the ceiling, awaiting Samantha’s reply. Fiddling with the usb between her fingers, ears perking up at the soft flow of music filling her apartment, chohee waited patiently. 

She remembered her first time meeting Samantha -- the two had bumped into each other at one of chohee’s favorite coffeeshops, her dark milky latte spilling onto the blonde’s creamy white shirt. Only the two somehow had managed to laugh it off, chohee offering to treat the woman to dinner while lending the other her jean-jacket to be worn as a make-shift top. 

From then on, it was as if the foreigner had established a connection with her -- one made through chohee’s mistake. And for chohee, one more friend was always wanted, especially such a beautifully exotic one at that. Only what made it all the more beneficial was that Samantha worked at Timeturner inc. and as a secretary no less. Sure, it was only for the cover organization, but regardless it meant that she had access to their network. That chohee could use it as a method of getting in -- accessing classified intel that would be needed to finish her missions. 

It was ironic really, that given everything chohee’s been through she was still deeply afraid of horror movies. It was as if the huntress, after living through the eyes of another for an hour or two on screen, became an entirely different person. Gone was the calm and composed exterior of a woman that had slain one too many in the dark of the night, and in its place sat a young girl, knees-hugged and eyes glued to the screen, as profanities and other sorts escaped her lips to comment on the stupidity of the characters. 

Starring: @woobinxp

“Thank you for your purchases!” the cashier chirped before sending a rather over-piling chohee out the store. The poor lady was not only holding three plastic bags on each of her arms but also attempting to balance a box of over-flowing paints. Now usually Chohee didn’t buy so when she visited the art supply store, but well, her end-of-the-month coupon was expiring today and procrastination had caused her to buy 500 dollars worth of supplies in a day. 

Barely able to see a few feet before her, anyone on the verge of turning onto the street was no doubt unsafe from Go Chohee. Not that she knew that of course. Chohee was under the false-belief that she could make it down a block to her car safely without over-running anybody. Only, she never took into account the fact that someone might overrun her. 

“umpf!” Escaped her lips as an unexpected (really she should’ve expected it) collision occurred the moment she stepped out of the store. Within seconds the supplies had gone flying, only what’s worse was that the paint containers had spilled. The tops coming off to create a paint-splattered mess on the street. 

The box, having fallen out of her hand as she fell in a heap, held most of its contents. and well, the one’s that’d escaped landed on a rather....angry (to say the least) stranger, blotting what seemed to be an expensive suits with vibrant hues of orange, and pink, and blue. 

“Oh gosh I am terribly sorry!” Chohee exclaimed as she rushed forth, “uh uh are you ok?” she questioned, half of her mind worry about the stranger while the other half worrying about the cost of dry-cleaning the suit.   

Starring: @pxirene

A world in which vampires and humans could live in harmony once more -- that was the one goal Chohee strived towards always. It was the goal that Arcadia strove for. A world in which the species could live in both peace and equality. Yet the natural fear of the unknown, fear of differences, and the societal flaw of bigotry only seemed to expand within the hearts of many, making such a taste seem nearly impossible. 

Regardless, vampires and humans alike did try. Try to establish a connection of understanding, to understand their inherently natural differences, because, if you thought about it, they weren’t that much different. And at times, it did work. For Chohee, the collaborative missions and collaborations between the Ouroboro’s faction and Arcadia was the beginning of such a world. Wherein a mutual trust and reliance could be slowly developed. 

Today was one such day. Assigned to lead a team of heroes in a collaborative assignment with knights from ouroboros, Chohee had been briefed on the case a day before the two factions convened. The mission was a simple extraction mission: retrieve and leave. 

Word had gotten out that Timeturner Inc. had employed a new experimentation factory far from seoul and within the confines of the mountainous forests. The two teams were assigned to gather any intel they could and report back to headquarters. Depending on the circumstances, they were also given orders to extract any potential victims of experimentation. 

The teams had already staked out the facilities for a week, gaining significant intel regarding the times of patrol, headcount of the workers, and also an understanding of the facilities infrastructure. They’d even managed to receive inside information on the details of the experimentation, from where the kids were kept to where they’d be each hour. 

starring: @pxsungjoo

It was raining, drizzling, as chohee made her way home. The soft hum of street-lamps her only accompaniment in the dark as most slept soundlessly. It was 3 a.m. with only the crickets awake and singing at this ungodly hour. occasionally a drunk would appear and bang against the garbage can, inebriated and unable to find his way home only to have his body give-away and fall to the ground, snoring. but then, at least he was sleeping. And chohee envied him for that. Even though he was splayed out in the street, vulnerable and cold, at least he was sleeping. 

A luxury that she didn’t have as insomnia plagued her once more. She couldn’t remember when she’d had a good’s nights rest, couldn’t remember back to the days that sleep had once come so easily. So opting instead for a walk and a breath of fresh air than staring mindlessly at her blank ceiling, chohee found herself caught up in an yet-to-become-heavy storm blocks away from her apartment. 

While most would’ve likely quickened their pace and raced on home, chohee didn’t quite mind being rained on. instead, a slender arm rose to catch the rain droplets on her skin as she slowed to a stop, enjoying the cool sensation of the droplet’s touch. 

It was then she spotted him -- spotted movement and a blur duck into a nearby alleyway. she should’ve kept walking, she shouldn’t have looked back. Only curiosity and instinct led her feet towards the darkened alleyway. and before the other could escape, her eyes had finally caught him, her hand catching him first as she pushed him against the wall, threat about to leave her lips as she was about to interrogate his stalker-like presence. Only it wasn’t until she caught his gaze that it dawned on her just who it was.

sungjoo. her heart dropped, eyes widening in surprise as her body froze in place. it seemed as if time had stopped, slowed, as her eyes scanned across the features and searched for the familiar features of the partner, the friend, the lover she’d abandoned. 

No words seemed to find its way to her brims in that moment, instead her eyes seemed to do all the talking before they shot sharply downwards, resting on the collar of his shirt and the ground as her grip loosened. “I’m sorry.” she murmured softly, unable to face him. but their distance and his presence seemed to reawaken old instincts as the hand, once holding him down now wrapped around his neck in a lost embrace, her eyes hiding the welling of tears in the groove of his shoulder as she apologized once more. “I’m so so sorry soojung. so so sorry.” 

past && staring: @pxtaekwoon

It had only been a few days since her escape. Since she disappeared silently without a trance from the clutches of time turner inc. A new beginning once more, only this one, at least she’d remember. 

She’d been working with healers and agents the moment she stepped into arcadia’s headquarters and it was only once the healers had cleared her was she allowed to step out of its confines. Or soon to be safe-haven, if she were being accurate. They stressed the importance of maintaining a low-profile for the first few months, of not calling attention to herself. “you’ll be placed within one of the safe-houses for the first three months, then you’ll be transferred out to another house for the rest of the year and by the second year you’ll have the choice of transferring to another safe-house or getting your own place. though we recommend you stay within areas that our members reside. for you safety of course.” the woman in white noted with her wispy voice. They would take care of tying all the lose ends and she was allowed to return to her previous home and take a few items out of necessity. Everything else would be provided for her until it was safe to reclaim her remaining items. 

Chohee merely nodded, still finding it all quite hard to believe. As if she’d awoken from one dream only to step into another. And so when they allowed her time to leave headquarters, Chohee chose to go as far way as possible from both Arcadia and timeturner -- she chose to retreat to the woods. 

A short drive in the company car, equipped of course with safety measures and a gps, chohee unloaded her painting supplies and easel and set off for a quiet place to paint. Maybe it was having spent too much time confined within walls that made nature and open-landscapes one of the favorite places for her to escape to. She loved that she could hear the birds sing, feel rain droplets on her skin, and the warmth of the sun shining on her pale complexion. 

@yftablo

  Home was suppose to be a safe place. A place one found comfort in -- but home was only an entity that sucked at Chohee’s soul. Her room was her only escape; but even there she wasn’t completely safe. Her dad wasn’t home again. Her mother was reading in the living room, alone in the house -- and then the loan-sharks came a’knocking. They were late with the payments they said -- They were tired of waiting. But Chohee knew they still had a week, and so she’d called them out on it. 

Much to their distaste, they gave her a piece of their mind. Her mother screamed, but Chohee didn’t. In her fury, she’d fought back -- but that was the wrong choice, one they’d make her regret later. Metal bats collided against her body as she wildly fought back, her hands, her nails, her only weapon. But compared to them, she lacked both physical strength and numbers. Her only satisfaction was she’d managed to knock three of them out using their own bats, had punched the leader in the face, and ruffled up the other. But for the damage she’d inflicted upon them, they quickly repaid her back in double. 

After they left, her mother, horrified, drove her to the hospital to get ‘cleaned up.’ It was a private one -- one that had relations to her grandfather. One that would ask no questions. Then she drove her back to school, silence enveloping the two, as Chohee attempted to keep up her strong facade. “I’ll catch ya later mom. Ask grandfather for maybe some security around the house for the next couple of days yeah?” She’d said, before placing a quick peck on her cheeks and leaving. 

@yfxjackson

Decked out in her comfortable dance attire, Chohee walked into the gym with her dance club. She really had no idea what the coach had to announce that involved the lot of them to go to the gym -- where they going to do an impromptu routine or something that required alot of space? 

She also most certainly didn’t expect to see the basketball team there too. Sitting on the bleachers just as oblivious to what was about to happen as the dance club. A few awkward smiles were flashed in their direction as a few team members waved to her -- they knew her of course, though that was a memory of the past. A memory that she did not like to speak of. 

“Alright now settle down the lot of you!” The loud voice of the basketball coach rang out. And then the two coaches made their announcement, much to the horror of Chohee. She didn’t understand why they needed to ‘expand their horizons’ and ‘mingle among the clubs.’ It wasn’t that she didn’t like basketball so much as she hoped desperately she wouldn’t be paired with him. And then, her worst nightmare happened. “Chohee and Jackson” The coach called out, making them a pair in this little experiment of theirs. 

       “fuck.” 

                Profanity leaking from her lips before her eyes caught his and she grimaced inwardly. This would be a long long week. 

----- Flashback to a year ago. 

It amazed her how quickly something could change -- how quickly everything you knew could come crashing down around you. How, sometimes, ignorance was bliss. 

Tears welled in her eyes even though she willed herself not to cry. Her heart ached even though she told herself it’d been nothing more than a ‘fling.’ After all, they hadn’t even been officially dating. In fact, their relationship was so murky, so indefinite, with the only tangible thing being each other. 

At first they were friends. He was just the nice-oppa that lent her a helping hand. She’d see him in passing in the hallways and they’d say hi. Then they began hanging out. Studying together, eating together. He’d even pick her up after work, making a fuss about how it wasn’t safe for her to ride it back alone.  And then one night, each a bit tipsy, they kissed. Neither of them sought an explanation, neither of them wanted to talk about it in fear of ruining what they had. And so they continued to do what they did, joking that they were just ‘friends with benefits.’ 

But Chohee knew she couldn’t lie to herself, that she had feelings for him even if she wasn’t ready for anything serious. But if he’d asked, she knew she wouldn’t have the heart to say no. That, even if she wouldn’t admit it, she’d be happy. Because he made her happy -- made her feel safe. 

Then the rumors started. The ones about him dating, no seeing, a girl from outside the Academy. Chohee didn’t have the heart to ask, but she knew that girl existed. Because she saw him, another girl hanging by his side, that day at the dance. She thought he’d ask her, and if not, that he’d go along. But he didn’t. But she did.