#vldwinterfest

Although it was early in the day, he felt it would be wise to make the most of it despite how venturing out later may have provided less necessity to take precautions. One idol by themselves was room enough to cause people to possible spot them, but two idols? That was almost like asking for eyes on them, yet Kiwon had done his best to keep warm and hide his face, mask on and sunglasses donned as he observed the fantastical shopfront displays that lined the street.

Reaching up to run a hand through his hand, the leader smiled behind the black mask, nodding slowly as he glanced to his companion.

“Every year it’s like the displays get bigger and more complex,” he commented, gesturing towards an animatronic penguin that waved when people walked by. “I don’t remember this one from last year.”

An awkward pause as he took a moment to consider...

“I think I came last year. I try to go every winter.”

This, in many ways, hadn’t been how he’d expected nor truly desired to spend his sparsely found free day, yet there he stood, boots on the ground and eyes squinting at a sign in the distance. There were only a few days before Christmas, and the last thing he wanted was to not have enough or the right presents for everyone. He had mostly taken care of the staff, gathering some generic yet personal kinds of gifts, while he still had a few of his fellow members to purchase for. What better place than to find them here, no?

Approaching the market stall, Kiwon began to peruse the owners wares. In the next moment, he felt a strange tingle at the back of his neck, as if he were missing something. Uncertain at to what it meant, the young man raised his head and glanced back to the main walking path, seeing a fellow labelmate pass by.

“Sinjae!” he called, yet attempted to do so quietly. The last thing either of them needed was to be recognized, after all. “Sinjae, can I get your opinion on something quickly?”

A (half)day of rest was well deserved after suffering through that was possibly one of the longest company events he’d been to in a long time. Sure, he was happy to support his fellow label mates, but with the whole event being on a VLIVE simply made the thing exhausting. Everyone had to constantly be on their best behavior, and while he wasn’t one to frequently cause trouble, he could only imagine how much more exciting it would have been if they hadn’t needed to smile and laugh even when they would have preferred to be asleep or playing video games.

Pulling his scarf closer around his neck, the rapper blinked at the young woman beside him. They had stopped at the beginning of the light display so he could check his phone for any messages, and now that his screen and conscious were clear they could continue forth.

“Have you ever been here before?” he asked, combat boots trudging forward along the fancily light pathway. Couples and friends and families moved around them like a river over rocks, and he couldn’t have been more pleased that they appeared to be blending in. Tugging the black mask down to his chin, the man smiled. “I think I’ve been here like a year or two ago, but... I dunno, it looks familiar and yet totally different. You know how that is?”

With Music Bank already two days behind them, Kiwon was more than happy to take a day off amidst the array of holiday activities that KMG had squeezed into their schedule. For the most part, the rest of the month was going to be relatively relaxed for HALF.LIFE, something they always knew to take advantage of for the future always seemed to be far more busy than the present.

Running a hand through his hair, Kiwon glanced at the younger man from his spot on the bench. He’d already pulled on one of his ice skates, and his fingers currently worked on threading the laces of the other foot. Although they were inside, there was still a chill from the rink, so much so that he began to wonder if he were going to need to wear his gloves while they went out there.

Almost out of instinct, he took the chapstick from his pocket and applied, nodding slowly before stowing it once more.

“Have you ever ice skated before?” He was almost certain they’d had the conversation before, but with some much going on—in one ear, out the other—he could have forgotten in but an hour or so’s time.