#ioref

&. BASICS

FULL NAME:  Isabella Jean Oswin

NICKNAMES: Izzie

AGE: 24 years old.

SEXUALITY: Straight

DATE OF BIRTH: July 8, 1992

PLACE OF BIRTH: Macon, Georgia

GENDER: Female

CURRENT LOCATION: New York, New York

SO backstory time. Basically, the first week of May (I actually think it was May 1st, but specifics don’t matter.), I addressed Gen with a problem I think I may be facing: Miles showing some interest in me.

The reasons I had the feeling it was happening started when we first started going over to the House. We played the new version of Clue, where people would end up dying if there were too many Clock cards drawn. Miles had gotten Clarise “killed” by forcing her to draw a card since he had relocated her to a different room, and the card she drew was the 8th Clock card (thus killing her). After he did that, he joked that his character (Mr. Green) was stalking mine (Ms. Peacock) through the house while carrying his ax (the weapon he accused Clarise with). 

The following week, when we actually joined in the D&D, he created a NPC as a halfling bartender that ended up having a thing for my character. It became a thing he brought up repeatedly that day. His NPC actually asked if Momo & Clarise’s characters could put in a good word for him (which, thinking back in hindsight, could be construed as a hint for them as well). When their characters left the tavern and mine was still there with Iris’s, his NPC hit on my character.

This is what I told Gen when I first mentioned it, and she said that he seemed to be flirting. After that, it was touch and go on flirt-vibes.

Anytime I went to visit them and spent time with him, he has been very attentive to anything I had to say. But I figure that is just him being nice. However, for a D&D session, there was a moment he was struggling with something and I helped him out with something, and I didn’t think about it until he commented about it with “At least Io likes me” towards Clarise who was giving him trouble. He also was a bit stricter towards me about my character voice that day, and the halfling was mentioned again.He also tried to impress me, I think. I showed him my class ring and he showed me his from when he graduated.

That was the one day, about 2 weeks ago, I think. Following that, we have just been playing board games and visiting places like the Japanese Grocery, so it was hard to discern.

Recently, some more came up. As I mentioned in 5.30.1, we were over there twice in the last 3 days. Turns out he was watching a show with his sister that I suggested, he joined in on the Bachelorette game, and involving himself a bit more. As far as Running Man, I tend to instruct people on the Korean aspects that they might miss and a bunch more. And he said he appreciated the Korean lesson, which I initially thought was sarcasm but turns out he was being honest. (I am VERY horrible at discerning if someone is being genuine or sarcastic.) And his attentiveness towards me was getting stronger. But to be honest, he was pretty preoccupied with his idea of setting up a fire pit in the backyard.

But today, the signs were stronger than ever. Some important things to highlight and are open to interpretation because I have one, and others could have another.

For the first time this past month, he sat next to me on the couch

He baked snickerdoodles & pointed out his proficiency at Pokemon Shuffle (attempt to impress?)

He was constantly leaning towards me and sat really close (he had a bunch more room on his side)

Our legs brushed repeatedly, that’s how close

For my turn, he would put his hand on my back

Anytime a dice fell, it always landed under the couch and he crawled down so I wouldn’t have to

Spending as much time as I did with him today, it wasn’t as awkward talking to him as it has been (on my side, but very likely because we were next to each other rather than facing each other.) ((NB: I have a bit of a complex about making eye contact with guys that either I have a thing for or I think have a thing for me, so up until today, talking to him was weird for me because I would almost intentionally avoid eye contact. However, if someone is speaking, I may very strong eye contact because that’s how I am, so I am a contradiction.))

When Iris & I were leaving, Miles and I actually hugged (first time ever)

It’s worrisome. All of it is. Gen thinks he has a crush on me or is trying to flirt with me (based on what I told her). I could be totally misinterpreting all of it. I could be overthinking everything. Wouldn’t be the first time, since when I first started hanging out with Clarise and Momo again, I was kind of hung up on a crush I had from a class I had (until I talked to him and learned more about him).

Sorry for ranting and raving about this. My plan right now is to just ignore anything he sends my way, pretend I don’t notice. The reasons that I’ve come up with are that, despite the fact that he’s a pretty cool/nice/smart guy:

he’s my friend’s little brother (he’s only younger than me by a year, before people start attacking)

not looking for anything serious at all right now 

I plan on leaving in less than 7 months

he is crazy smart

despite having had a crush on him in high school, I’m not attracted to him anymore (not a fan of his facial hair)

he’s our DM which could cause problems or favoritism

I need to focus on me after the crush I had that failed miserably

But another problem I have is the fact that I am more likely to gain some kind of attraction to him do to the Propinquity (mere exposure/frequency) effect. He already knows all my ‘abnormal’ interests like video games, KPop, and I think RP. 

Please note that these are aliases based off of the individual's real name, either syllable, letter, meaning, or just matching their personality. Out of all the names listed below, keep in mind, that Iris and I are the oldest (unless otherwise stated).

(Basically) Family

Iris & Iliana are my blood family, and I like to think of Genesis as another younger sister since I talk to her all the time. Same with her mom, Gail.

Iris: my fraternal/mirror twin that is older than me by 3 minutes. still in college majoring in Japanese, going away for 8 weeks for an immersion program. for now, we both live at home. Picked her fake name because of mine starting with an I as well.

Iliana: my younger sister that is 5 years younger than me. see a pattern? yeah... its like that in real life, kind of what I was referring to. she lives in an apartment with her boyfriend in a different city while going to school and working - infinitely more responsible than me.

Genesis: my best friend that is currently living in Korea teaching English. Basically gonna be the Batman to my Robin when I go. most of whatever adventures I have next year will most likely be her doing - and that's fine with me, I don't have to be the protagonist in this story all the time.

Gail: Genesis’s mother who Iris and I spend time with semi-regularly and have ever since Genesis left for Korea. She is a huge fan of Mr. Capable (Kim JongKook) from Running Man, some kpop, and is a beautiful perosn. She is basically a second mom.

Not mentioned by name: Mom, Grandma, Grandpa, Cousins, Uncle, Aunt

The House of Friends

Momo, Miles, and Clarise are roommates, renting a house from Momo and Miles' parents. Also, Momo and Clarise, as well as Iris, are my D&D party, with Miles as DM. I try to see these people weekly.

Momo: Known her 10 years. Friend from high school who got the name Momo as a joke from a manga we read back then. She practices Japanese with Iris and is currently unemployed (like moi). While Iris is gone (and while her roommates are gone as well) several adventures will be had with this one~

Miles: Momo's younger brother by less than a year (yes, its possible). Went to a different high school so only know him a bit better recently, but was involved in a few of our shenanigans back in the day. Had a rough time in college, came home, and how works at a print shop. Driving force behind our (Iris' and my) recent involvement in D&D.

Clarise: My oldest friend of 12 years, we met in middle school. A very smart and dramatic individual, and I mean that in the very best way possible. She is an English teacher - the only official grown up of the bunch.

Additional Names

Camilla: also known affectionately as Millie, became friends through Genesis, and have become close. She is so sweet and puts others before herself. The original plan was for her to go to Korea in January, but with some recent health problems, it is likely she won’t be able to go in the winter, if at all. She has a younger sister named Cassandra, called Cassie.

Allison/Ally: who I would consider my youngest friend. While I am turning 25 this year, she just turned 19 and is younger than my baby sister, Iliana. Sometimes it seems the only thing that connects us is our shared major and interest in Korean culture (kpop). She can be ditsy, oblivious, and so much more. But she is a good friend most of the time, so I can’t sell her short. She typically comes to me for advice, but now that I’ve graduated, I think my roll is now obsolete.

Helen: