** 𝐇𝐎𝐋𝐃 𝐎𝐍 // 𝓉𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉

-★·. by purchasing this pack you'll get access to the updates of the pack as well.

wes  might  cry .  he  might  start  tearing  up  in  the  middle  of  this  random  ass cafe  at  too - fucking - early - o’clock  because  yejin  understands  him  on  a  level  he  wasn’t  expecting  anyone  to .  “  don’t  be  scared ..  but  i  think  we  might  be  soulmates ..  ”  it  was  as  if  she’d  climbed  inside  their  brain  and  carved  out  the  exact  idea  he’d  had  ..  he’d  never  felt  such  kinship  with  jack - o - lanterns  before  today .  “  i  was  literally  just  thinking  that  it  could  be  mild  spooky  for  the  kids  during  the  day  and  then  full  spooky  for  anyone  willing  to  stay  after  dark .  — ... yejin ,  we  might  be  geniuses .  ”

like yejin's brain was mildly functioning, but for that reason she was in completely agreement that this might be the best idea yet. she leans forward, "wes, i'd never be scared of that. i swear if this idea actually gets made into something. we should probably get married. and even like in comparison to marvel and all the licensing, it should probably be cheaper to make and i just know that cast would easily be down for a reprisal. and! we could keep using scooby doo on everything because he's a literal animated dog. and! other parks or rides could be about any of the monsters of the weeks, or my favorite animated movie cyber chase."

         “  it’s  fine  ,  ”  ria  brushes  off  her  concerns  with  a  light  laugh  .  “  you’re  talking  to  someone  who  takes  inspiration  from  art  so  i  really  don’t  mind  it  .  ”  they’ll  shrug  .  “  and  is  it  really  workaholic  tendencies  if  you  enjoy  your  work  ?  but  if  you’re  in  desperate  need  of  a  subject  change  ,  we  can  also  do  that  .  i  heard  there’s  a  celebrity  chef  restaurant  opening  down  the  block  .  and  i  may  be  a  hater  but  i’m  always  skeptical  when  it  comes  to  celebrity  chefs  .  i’ve  noticed  most  of  the  time  it’s  about  aesthetics  and  ambiance  over  quality  of  food  .  ”

yejin always feels terrible whenever she tunnels on work projects while she's not supposed to be. she knows work is all she talks about, and that theres more to life, but it's hard to talk about other things when art is how she expresses herself. "like, i do enjoy my work! absolutely! i just sometimes wish i was able to turn off my brain. talk about other things, connect with people in new ways! i just feel like i need to learn a new love language, if that makes sense?" she puts her face in her hands as she sighs deeply. "so... a resturant that could be entertaining for not the reason people would expect? let's do it!" happy to judge anything that isn't a canvas or sculpture, and could be a nice little treat, sounded like the best break for her brain.

mona doesn’t grant an answer right away,     at least not without taking a    good    look at yejin while imagining such a hairstyle on her.     “     wolf cuts…     so cool but terrifying to sport.     i fear wolf cuts are a hit or miss,     ”     the brunette speaks,     phone lowering now that the conversation was way more important than their manager,     “     but    you    my dear yejin,    i think you were born to at least try it.    ”

"right! like i know it's basically a modern day mullet, but it's cool now. and i think it could be really hot?" she curls a strand of hair around her finger, "and as an owner of an art gallery, i think it's rather fitting and probably a little gay and i'm half gay so it feels like a haircut i need to do at least once. like i have all the traits of someone who has a wolf cut, so i think i should get a wolf cut."

                    “   wait   ,   so   …       they’re   purposely   trying   to   get   a   rise   outta   you   with   my   songs   ?       ha   .   ”       and   it’s   a   good   thing   yejin   and   joey   are   on   good   terms   .       imagine   if   there   were   diss   tracks   about   her   on   his   albums   .       not   that   he   never   wrote   songs   about   her   .       dream   boy   and   disconnected   from   killer   instinkt’s   second   ep   were   about   their   relationship   .       happy   songs   ,   thankfully   .       at   least   that’s   how   joey   sees   them   .       reminds   him   of   the   good   times   .       “   that’s   …       kinda   flattering   .       maybe   a   little   messed   up   if   we   weren’t   friends   .       but   you   gotta   give   ‘em   points   for   creativity   .       seriously   though   ,   thanks   .       for   liking   the   music   ,   i   mean   .       means   a   lot   .       and   don’t   worry   about   tickets   —   we’re   going   on   tour   starting   in   may   ,   kicking   off   in   new   york   .       just   tell   me   how   many   you   need   ,   and   i’ll   hook   you   up   .       you’re   definitely   a   cool   boss   .   ”

"yup, they're all giggly about it. teasing me. this is why i try to not share too much about my personal life because they're all little weasels that won't let me life anything down. like the time i came into work with my pants on inside out because i went to sleep late and i was so goddamn tired i wasn't paying attention," she laughs, knows it could be a lot worse, but and at least they're comfortable with her, and like her as a boss, which is more than she could ask for. "wouldn't have hired them if they weren't creative, i wasn't even the one who told them! they just did some searching on their own and figured it out! one of them is a super fan and just figured it out and then clued the rest in. so i figure if i flex it a bit they'll tease me a bit less about that and move on to probably the next loserish thing i do," she laughs. "but thank you, joey, i appreciate it and it'd be great to go to one of your shows again, it's been a while. how's the band? how's the music and everyone?"

“   i’ve   seriously   considered   ordering   a   bunch   of   it   just   to   take   home  ,   honestly  ,  ”   she   was   leaning   her   elbows   on   the   table  ,   eyes   wide   with   happiness   at   yejin’s   reaction  .   she   knew   there   was   just   something   about   it  ,   so   seeing   the   other   very   clearly   enjoying   the cheesy goodness just   as   she   had   was   extremely   gratifying  .   “   so   —   …   how   does   it   measure   up   to   squidward   cheese   pockets  ?   did   the   truffle   oil   and   panko   crumbs   win   you   over  ,   or   do   i   owe   you   a   shopping   spree at your store of choice  ?   ”

"no, yeah. i understand that dilemma. especially now that i've tasted it..." yejin couldn't believe it, it felt too bold to say, but it was possibly the best mac and cheese she'd ever had. "mai, i wish i could say that you don't owe me anything because who wouldn't want a shopping spree just because they disagreed with you. but i can't lie." with all seriousness yejin can muster up, "mai, i think this is the best pasta i've ever had. and i know that's bold to say because mac and cheese is so different from like the cacio y pepe's and carbornaras of the world. but this is something else. and i don't know how to live unless we come back and order this like at least once or twice a month."

yejin mentioning her trust in him makes him smile.     even when i could do better when remembering some pieces’ names?     (he does,     however,     know the pieces that were her favorite ones:     from name,    to title,    to the inspiration behind it,     those were just as important as remembering his many scripts)     he wanted to ask,     but doesn’t since he’d rather listen to her musings than say or do anything.    “     ah,    interesting,    interesting…     guess pamela is a stellar woman,     then.    the colors are gorgeous.     congratulations.     ”     he compliments to no one in particular:     to the painter?    to pamela?    to the artwork for being pretty?     to yejin for securing yet another mesmerizing artwork for her gallery?     probably the latter…     or maybe a little bit of everything.     his eyes are drawn to the colors before he’s suddenly looking back at her,     then back at the artwork before them,     “     you know,     the colors kind of remind me of you,     ”     he tilts his head and squints an eye,     lips pursing into a playful purse as if he was an artist with an artistic point to share,     “     maybe add some more red and purple here and there,    but it’s still you.     is richard open for a commission?     i’m now curious.     ”      then,    an idea comes to him,     and he almost laughs at it but still seems eager to share it,     “     or should we try to be artistic and do it ourselves?     just one big canvas and some paint to do your aura—     i will be picking the colors though,     it will be from my perspective,     ”     and suddenly he pauses,     lips pursing as a hand moves to the back of his nape,     “     as long as we don’t commerciale it we won’t be getting in trouble for taking inspo from him,     right?     wouldn’t like us to catch a case just because i had a thought.     ”

yejin knows benny tries for her, and lets her speak and feel confident about how she expresses herself, even if it is through her work and that encourages her own workaholic tendencies. but besides the negative, yejin feels great when she shares with him, it eases her out and it feels less like work and having to prove something and more about enjoyment and pride. looking at pamela's aura, she knows having it here creates an aura for her space as well, and smiles. "of me?" she turns to him, head a bit tilted, smile still there. she laughs, "yeah, i guess i can see that. he does still do commission's but are you sure you know my aura well enough to explain it to him?" she's fishing, knows she is, she can't help but want to know what benny thinks of her, how he'd paint a picture of her to someone else. "but i think...that sounds like a great idea." but loving the idea of seeing how he'd go about doing so himself, "i do have a studio space back here. i'd need to get a large canvas or we can make one. and i should have enough paint..." she walks backwards, waving him along. "so you should be able to pick out all the colors you desire." she opens a cabinet in her empty studio space, made for artists to use when they're passing through or the few times she's hired them for a residency. it's mostly empty, large, with white walls littered with faded rectangles left behind from a piece in progress. "and i wouldn't worry about that, a lot of artists take inspiration from others. i think richard and pamela would be flattered, actually."

         “  i  heard  someone  asking  for  a  scooped  bagel  .  not  to  be  mean  but  i  kinda  wished  i  wasn’t  leaving  the  shop  to  hear  the  aftermath  of  that  .  guess  they  didn’t  see  that  one  scooped  bagel  tiktok  .  ”

"like i haven't seen that tiktok but i'm certain that has to be like illegal in terms of like deli bagel orders. like that's a crime right? should we go back and see that person get kicked out or arrested?" yejin laughs.

leaning back in his seat , wes shook his head in disbelief , a grin stretching across his face . “ to this day , i still can't believe that warner brothers fumbled the bag so badly , ” he began , amusement audible in his voice . “ i mean , imagine if they had actually done the smart thing and made spooky island into a real theme park .. disney would be absolutely shaking in their fucking boots . ”

taking a sip from her coffee, yejin has to pause, as she did NOT expect wes to talk about scooby doo of all things, and was seconds away from spitting her drink out. she swallows slowly before she laughs, " yes, of course. absolutely true. like who cares about halloween horror nights, i would rather be running away from the luna ghost. to this day that scares me. like imagine it was all normal in the day but at night time everything changed and it went like full spooky hour. like, it'd be genius."

“  not   to   be   dramatic  ,  ”   she   began  ,   placing   down   her   fork in order to better   wax   poetic   about   her   lunch  .   “  but   this   is   the   best   mac   n  ’   cheese   i’ve   ever   had   in   my   life  .   i   swear   they   put   something   in   this   to   make   it   so   addicting  —  besides   cheese  ,   obviously  .  ”   scooping   a   generous   forkful  ,   she   holds   it   out   across   the   small   table   in   offering  .  “  here  ,   try   it  .   if   it’s   not   the   most   delicious   bite   of   your   life  ,   i’ll   treat   you   to   whatever   you   want  .  ”

yejin laughs a bit behind her napkin, "well, i think the spongebob shaped mac n' cheese is the best. something about those cheese pockets in the space of squidward... it's just so good." yejin nods, "so, of course, i'll try it, especially if you swear it's so good. and while i don't doubt you, i almost do wish you were wrong just to get a treat. because i love treats. but i can smell it from here and i smells amazing." she takes the fork from mai, and doesn't hesitate to eat it. she covers her mouth as she chews, eyes closed as she savors it. "oh my god. why the fuck didn't i order this?"

but yejin’s introduction to the beauty of the arts have been culminating for a while,     and maybe he will never ever be able to be in her level of knowledge,     but that has never stopped him from enjoying her musing about the newest addition to her gallery.      to hear and watch her like that was enough to find everything about her profession “mean much”.     he pats her shoulders then turns back to the piece,     taking a moment to reply as he admires the piece,      “     phew,     the pink is gorgeous.     what’s the name of this one?      i doubt the name is something very non-meaningful,     no?     what’s the story,     oh-so-master yejin? ”

sometimes showing her collection to others even if it was her whole job to, felt like she was showing too much of herself. insecure to be under a microscope and have to explain her reasonings for why certain pieces stood proudly on display at her gallery. she's been doing it for a while but with each piece she finds and feels drawn to, it still feels like a bandage she has to rip off before putting it out there. "ok, ok. sorry. i just get... kind of shy... i guess. each piece is special to me. but i'm biased and i worry about those that aren't. and i trust you, so much." yejin bites her lip, in attempt to down play how much it means for her to say that to him. she takes a deep breath and turns back to the piece, a smile growing on her lips as she feels confidence find her again, "this is pamela's aura by richard mayhew. this piece was actually a commissioned piece. there's this couple, quite famous in the art work for being collectors and alfred commissioned this for his wife pamela. he said he used the pinks and corals as an ode to her favorite colors. it's a bit simple in meaning but i think it says a lot about her and how he sees her and with pamela being a collector of richard's work it's a story that comes full circle. and it's so romantic." yejin almost sighs, she loves the story it tells. "to have your essence captured so vibrantly. it's beautiful. i just love the colors."

" you ever try painting ? " eyes stay glued to the canvas on the wall , " ... you're just constantly immersed in art , i'm surprised you haven't really broken out onto the scene with your own shit . "

"no, not really. but if i did i doubt it'd never amount to anything like this. i've done doodles and stuff but... to sit down and make a piece i just don't think i have space for that." an insecurity rises, fear of how her emotions would bleed into her work. "and it's so easy to support great artists like this. give a platform for strong voices," she smiles.

                                       ⌞      ❀ .      it's  honestly  half  a  miracle  that  they've  been  able  to  maintain  the  peace  for  as  long  as  they  have,  but  percy  supposed  that  being  in  public  necessitated  some  modicum  of  civility.   ❛  it  means  i  have  other  considerations  to  take  into  account,  maybe,   ❜   she  offers,  blandly.   ❛  a  cat  would  be  a  commitment,  i  do  not  want  it  to  be  an  unpleasant  experience  for  those  living  around  me.   ❜

yejin tries her best to be pleasant, but it's never been so easy with percy. she almost wants to roll her eyes, of course, she'd have a hard time making a decision. "who cares about everyone else. unless you live with someone with an allergy, i don't think other people matter in this equation. plus cat's are like very self sufficient. like if i like, just a little bit less busy, i'd get a cat. but i'm just too busy for it."

                    jules   doesn’t   invite   yejin   to   sit   ,   yet   when   she   does   ,   sends   a   ripple   of   discomfort   through   him   ,   manifesting   in   an   agitated   tap - tap - tap   of   his   fingers   against   the   table   .       (   you’d   think   he’d   have   his   royal   composure   locked   down   by   now   ,   huh   ?   )   .       opens   his   mouth   to   retort   ,   then   pauses   ,   giving   her   that   look   —   one   where   he’s   halfway   between   amused   and   displeased   .       “   let’s   not   rewrite   history   here   .       staying   put   was   never   my   forte   ,   true   —   you   of   all   people   should   know   my   life   doesn’t   afford   me   the   luxury   of   staying   put   .       but   let’s   not   pretend   your   heart   was   ever   a   place   i   could’ve   stayed   even   if   i   wanted   to   .       belle   ,   you   walked   away   first   ,   remember   ?       you   made   sure   of   that   .       no   need   for   me   to   place   blame   when   the   facts   speak   for   themselves   .   ”       the   space   between   them   feels   charged   ,   heavy   ,   full   of   unspoken   words   and   bitter   history   .       lets   out   a   resigned   sigh   ,   eyes   flicking   towards   the   exit   .       “   if   you’re   planning   to   stay   ,   i   can   leave   .       this   little   reunion   ,   as   thrilling   as   it   is   ,   doesn’t   seem   to   be   doing   either   of   us   any   good   ,   does   it   ?   ”

her jaw only tightened as he spoke, an ugly feeling climbing up her throat, wanting lash out and dig this whole deeper between them. "yup. of course. you're still you, sorry for expecting something different." for assuming what they had was different. that he cared about her, differently. she wasn't a spiteful person, but something about him, brought it out of her. couldn't sit still and let him blame her, even if he was right to do so. she was hurt, angry and lacking control. of course, she'd intend to be hurtful, "some could say the same about you. i left because why would i have stayed? you weren't good for me. you were barely good to yourself." she brought her drink up to her lips, drinking it down fast as she stood up. "well said. sorry for bothering you, julien. have fun doing what you always do." setting the glass down. with her best attempt at composing herself, "i wish you the best." whether she meant that genuinely or not, she wasn't even sure. she did love him once.