two days away

ahhh hi everyone im so excited to be here and that the rp is finally open! you guys can call me sun #2 or foot sun (because i saw there is another sun here too <3) :) i am gmt-5/cst, she/her/hers. i am here to bring to you all the very dual personality han yoogeonie. i have his background linked here, profile here, plots and wanted connections here and tl;dr below the cut! and i also have discord available (home of red hair sanha🦶#4507, please let me know who you are if you happen to message me first!) if you guys would like to plot there! since i've been seeing a lot of im limits on tumblr! if you would like to plot with yoogeon please give this post a like and i will slide into your dms asap!

[...] this time, however, it was taking a bit longer for pica to come. sieon was starting to worry about his friend. although he frequently ran off, sieon never really took pica for anything more than a house cat. pica always knew to come back, but why was it taking him so long to return this time? what if some bear picked him up and— well, sieon didn’t want to think about that. “pssp pssp, pica!” sieon called out, shaking the treat bag vigorously. 

it was no use, sieon had to change his plans. he just had to be that crazy neighbor, knocking on each door asking if they’ve seen his little companion. he approached his neighbors door and gave it a firm knock. sieon couldn’t remember who lived here, but he didn’t seem to care much. as long as they were willing to help him find pica. 

“hello? is anyone home?” sieon called out, “this is you neighbor. i just had a few questions about a lost cat.” he was aware of how stupid he sounded, but at this point he was desperate to see his little companion.

yoogeon is seriously contemplating letting the cat out at this point and just following it wherever it goes. even if he might look a little crazy doing it. of course... he's not obligated to make sure it finds it home... but what if it didn't have a home. yoogeon wasn't the type to keep pets but within the few times the cat had wandered back to his place, it had started growing onto yoogeon. it was cute and minded its business. it really didn't give him a hard time at all and it was nice having a little companion... there who wouldn't scrutinize or judge or try to pry into every little thing about his life.

before yoogeon can decide what he wants to do next with the cat though, it jumps off the small table it had been eating the tuna from before heading straight for the door.

"do you have telepathic powers?" yoogeon mumbles to himself as he considers the cat actually understood what he had been saying. "are you ready to go home?"

as yoogeon gets up to meet the cat at the door, there's a sudden knock followed by a muffled voice.

a wave of relief - and a little bit of disappointment - washes over yoogeon when he hears that it's his neighbor looking for their lost cat. it's good to know that it has an actual caring owner and that it's not just a stray that's been homeless for how long.

yoogeon gently opens the door and watches as the cat steps out to walk around its owner's feet, as if to greet them and congratulate them for finally finding him.

"perfect timing," yoogeon says with a small smile to the male standing in front of him as he continues watching the cat. "i was about to go around and ask if anyone had lost a cat recently."

it's not until yoogeon actually looks up to really see who his neighbor is before he's hit with the nostalgia of what childhood fun and friends were supposed to mean. of the two feelings he's able to make out in that moment, shock and surprise are the biggest, weaving in and out of his mind.

"sieon?"

yoogeon is slightly baffled when the younger female makes her statement.

in all honesty, he hadn't even really been paying attention to her all... he had simply been waiting for her to leave the stall before he approached it. his grandfather had left another package of herbs for them and he was simply there to deliver it since he had no use for it.

while waiting, he had been trying to make out the various drinks on their menu from afar. so, he understood why she would have thought he was watching her if he was standing from a distance. but, he still thought it presumptuous that she would assume he was watching her...

"i actually wasn't watching you. i was trying to read the menu you were standing in front of." yoogeon flatly states after a moment of silence. after all, he's not so sure what she's insinuating by him watching her.

[...]

the stranger–although now he’s not sure if he really is one–catches his eyes and yunho stares back. “um, i don’t think we have?” is what he replies, slowly and hesitantly. he was pretty confident in his memory but this entire encounter was making him think otherwise. “i mean, i know han daeshim but–” he pauses, considering whether he should be a little nosy and ask for more details or not. however, since the other had asked him first if they knew each other and had invited this kind of conversation on his on, yunho decides to just ask what’s on his mind. he is a yunhwa native, after all; maybe seeking for more is in their blood. “are you… a relative of his?”

yoogeon takes a moment to remind himself of his manners. he was meant to be in and out with the simple intention of picking up his wreaths and paying debts, yet it seemed he was asking more of the young male who had tried to make several attempts to the back. it was also surprising to yoogeon to hear that the young male was actually the owner of the stall. of course, most of it was due to the fact that he didn't seem to have the same vibe or energy of those in yunhwa running their businesses. yet, yoogeon also knew that if he had known the male from his younger days in yunhwa, he would remember some how. he had remembered a lot more people in yunhwa than he would like to admit but something was telling him he'd seen this male from somewhere else.

the thought plays in the back of his mind though when he's given a total for his grandfather's bills as the male gets straight to pulling up their records.

"would you prefer payment by card or cash?" yoogeon throws in another question once he's given the total.

when he sees the male backtrack at his question of meeting, he takes a second to do so too. if he knew his grandfather... was there a chance they had met when yoogeon still spent time in yunwha? if his guesses were right, the male seemed younger than yoogeon. if that were the case though, yoogeon may not have recalled any memories of him considering he didn't spend much time with the local kids who were younger than him after moving to busan. that was the only logical explanation yoogeon could think of.

yoogeon wants to play with the idea that maybe they've run across each other in busan possibly. yet at the same time, the male is clearly just trying to do his work. yoogeon is sure he wouldn't really appreciate feeling interrogated about having met before and where no matter how much it's bugging yoogeon now.

the urge to bring up that suggestion is tossed as soon as the male asks him about his relation to han daeshim.

"ah... i'm his grandson." yoogeon simply states in reply. he's surprised with himself how easy and smoothly he was able to answer the question. however, an awkward silence quickly falls over him as he tries to figure out what to say next. seeing as there's not much yoogeon has to say about his grandfather overall.

"hearing that you know him i assume you've heard of his passing then," yoogeon decides to wrap things back around to why he was there despite having initiated the conversation. and to give the male a chance to fetch the wreaths after yoogeon's barrage of questions held him back.

first off, i’d like to give a warm welcome to all of our new members! i’m sorry i haven’t gotten around to messaging you all but i hope you have been enjoying your time at yh so far!

this past week has been very very overwhelming and like a smart person i should’ve requested for a semi hiatus at the least but i didnt.... so i am here to save my poor muses asjfieoaj i have a tracker for yoogeon below. for anyone tagged please let me know if you’d like to drop any threads. i will slowly be getting back to all messages and finishing meme asks before attempting anything new so that you guys won’t have to keep waiting on me!

yoogeon usually knows how to have a good time when alcohol is involved. usually. ever since the funeral and having to make a temporary home of room number 2 at yeyun inn, alcohol hasn't held the same meaning or use for him. he's heard the quiet and pitying mutters of the elders sitting outside the convenience store for their daily drinks when they'd see yoogeon appear to buy more soju to get through the night. all the whispers about how hard he must be taking his grandfather's death and handling everything alone.

it was very much the opposite though. handling everything by himself wasn't much an issue either considering yoogeon did everything alone a lot. simply a bit of nuisance. what the alcohol truly served as, was not exactly a failsafe solution for lifting his moods while being stuck in town.

he had been tired though of hearing the old men talk about him like he couldn't hear them. of feeling their eyes trailing on him from the moment he arrived to the moment he left. so despite the preference of drinking alone he had decided to spend his evening drinking at mokjawon tavern.

it was supposed to be a simple night with one to two drinks. however, leaving himself to drink alone while brooding about his situation was definitely a mistake. yoogeon certainly had more alcohol in his system than planned and he could barely walk in a straight line. in fact, he couldn't really even walk. he was sure he had dropped his keys over ten times now stumbling down the street to where he had parked his car.

he was in no condition to drive back to the inn but there was no way he'd spend the night making the trek back to his grandfather's house to rest. so his best option was to sleep in his car. if he could even get to his car.

so when yoogeon hears a stranger call out to him, he doesn't hesitate to respond for help rather answer their question - knowing his physical state was enough of an answer itself.

"hey- can you...."

another round of stumbling.

"can you help me to my car?"

yoogeon is sure he's dropped his keys again but his focus is on the stranger now.

"it's down.. the block...? somewhere."

⋆: ― ∘ ･･ if there’s one lesson yunhee has been forced to learn since she started working at the station was to stay in line. as to where that line is exactly? she’s never really sure of, for it varies between what her boss tells her and what certain customers demand. her boss isn’t all that against her helping with the cars anymore, they just much rather have her doing that when they know no regulars will stop by. why is that? well, said regular clients happen to mostly be conceited older men that are a little too touchy about their “classic” not to say old vehicles.

it admittedly leaves her with a bitter taste whenever she thinks about it, but she also understands the unspoken policy of “the customer is always right” and her boss’ preference to avoid any kind of conflict. that night, however, they had to leave early and left her in charge of closing the station. as she finished sweeping and cleaning up a little more, her eyes landed on the only car the garage can fit with its hood propped open. yunhee recalls her boss briefing her on what was wrong, a case of a failing alternator that had already been fixed. still, they wanted to give it a general check up to make sure everything was running smoothly. yunhee then thought she could help, after all, it was closing hours and no one was expected to come.

yet, as usual, things didn’t go according to plan the moment she started checking the engine. the car’s owner showed up and the first thing that registered in her mind was his scandalized yell of “what are you doing to my car?!”. yunhee immediately steps away from the car to face the man, who then opts to simply lecture her for things that haven’t even happened as well as spouting nonsense about how “a girl shouldn’t even be working at such a place”. 

yunhee doesn’t retaliate neither tries to explain herself, having learnt from previous experiences how fruitless that is. instead, she remains quiet, counting the seconds for it to be over when she catches a glimpse of another man, way younger, walking into the station. she doesn’t miss the frown on his face and she can only hope he’s not here to yell at her, too. 

as soon as yoogeon steps into the dreary building and past the old entrance door, the muffled voice becomes clear as day. an old man is going off at what appears to be - and yoogeon assumes - the only worker present. unfortunately, the worker appears to be young and naive. not to mention a young female and yoogeon doesn't even have to guess that that is the issue at hand. otherwise, why would a man expecting good service be shouting if someone else were present to appease him?

the annoyance that yoogeon felt inside him is immediately doubled as he listens to the man go on and on, sounding like a broken track record. the conceited tone, the incessant whining, the obnoxious volume. at this point, yoogeon doesn't even process what the man is saying anymore because it all sounds like horse shit dribbling down his chin along with the spit he's collected from bellowing so loudly.

the brief stare yoogeon exchanged with the girl when he entered the building was enough for him to know that she was aware of his arrival. so he simply steps forward, inserting himself between the two, making his presence known to the old man.

"excuse me, we don't have time to listen to you whine like a child. if you're looking to cause a ruckus i'm sure you know where to find the local delinquents in town to keep you company. and if you're lost i'm sure the police would be more than happy to guide a delirious resident like yourself back home." yoogeon simply cuts off the old man's tirade off, giving him a hard cold stare. "and frankly speaking, i'm tired of hearing the bullshit this conservative town comes up with when it comes to women doing things like working on your car."

[...]

            “  well what a coincidence?  “    he barks out rough mirth, then shuts up when he decides that’s not suitable for the occasion. his hands shift from his sides to rub his wrists, trepidation strong in his veins.        “ i’m alright. i guess. live round here now with my relatives. came here right after my service.  “    a harmless explanation veiling the other half of the story. his parents’ position he understood, but couldn’t agree after all the years of stifling they’ve pushed onto him. but yoogeon doesn’t need to know that, a pandora’s box which should remain shut.

             “  but what about you?  “     he doesn’t enjoy prying when he keeps his life under tight wraps and locks, but the other has never once mentioned the small town during the time they met. a modest place like this, popular enough for tourists but dull enough most individuals wouldn’t live in it, still drops into conversation in swift passing like a drop of soundless dew. unless?      “  dropped to the relatives too?  “     he jokes in simple humour, attempting to relieve the stress he’s shoved onto the other’s shoulder.

yoogeon remembers jiwon well. in fact, jiwon would always be someone that yoogeon appreciated  considering serving in the military wasn't exactly a joyous time, even if it was required. yoogeon was never big on patriotism but come time for fulfilling his duties as a citizen, of course he would complete his duties with little to no complaints. after all it was expected and meeting expectations was something yoogeon had learned early on in his childhood.

but the thing is. once yoogeon made the decision to stop yunhwa at the grimy age of fourteen, he also decided he would never bring up yunhwa. if anyone asked, he was simply from busan. no more information, no less. anyone who befriended him respected it and didn't push. outside of his family and yunhwa, yoogeon was a completely different person and it was made clear with the way his tone and expression would change from a cheerful smile to a solemn one if anyone tried to broach the subject. boundaries drawn and attempts extinguished.

so the fact that jiwon, someone yoogeon had met outside of yunhwa at such a significant point of his life, was now standing in front of him.... well... yoogeon was speechless to say the least. the little town wasn't a tourist attraction. the only people who truly resided or spent time there were those who grew up there or had close family situated there. and unfortunately, one of those was now holding yoogeon to a truth he had tried to hard to escape his entire life.

"coincidence..." the word plays heavily on yoogeon's lips as he blankly listens to jiwon's response.

to hear that jiwon had any connection whatsoever to yunhwa while considering that the two had been in the same squad... it seemed like less of a coincidence and more like a cruel joke fate was playing on yoogeon with each passing second. sure. maybe it sounded dramatic as yoogeon's mind somersaulted out of control. but meeting jiwon like this and being openly exposed to a past he never would've wanted someone like jiwon to know... was to say damaging.

not to mention that yoogeon was here for reasons he didn't want to be. there was a certain image yoogeon had built in the friendship he curated with jiwon... he was worried jiwon would view him differently if certain points of his past were revealed because even yoogeon knew they weren't the best.

once jiwon returned the question to yoogeon though, he braced himself. he was there and there was no point trying to hide the truth. it was a small town after all. and word spread easily. whether you were interested or not, you'd find out about every piece of gossip the town had to offer.

"i'm glad to hear you're doing okay. i'm well.." he can feel the words getting stuck in his throat and does his best to offer a smile. because as easy as it is to form the words, it seems saying them is a whole other obstacle he's not prepared for. "i guess you could say dropping in for the relatives too. are you in a rush anywhere? why don't you take a seat?"

it's rare for yoogeon to panic however he can clearly feel it settling at the bottom of his stomach, making it's presence known. but it's been a while since he's seen jiwon and despite it being extremely unnerving, yoogeon wanted to catch up with him. after all, how often was it that you would come across your military mate in a town like yunhwa. odds were probably one in a million and yet here they were.

          it had been six months since haru had first arrived in yunhwa ; nightmare-chased & sorrow-ravaged as he crossed oceans from england to south korea —— clinging weakly to the hope that, perhaps, a change in sunlight and air might help him escape the harrowing depths of his grief and loss. 

          it was in this state that he arrived at anshikcheo books : carrying a great wound in his heart, and worrying that this wound might never heal ( afterall ; how many times could a heart endure breaking, before it ceased beating for good ? ). the moment haru stepped inside the bookstore, however, all the darkness and grief which had hung in a shadow over his soul, swapped places with light. the grandparents of his late wife welcomed him in with such warmth ; telling him he was home —— telling him he could stay as long as he liked, and that this was a place of healing. for haru, anshikcheo was a sanctuary away from the sorrows of life ; and he carried in his heart the wish that it could be a sanctuary for others, too. 

          and so it is of very little surprise that “ welcome, ” is the first utterance which falls from haru’s gently curved lips ; the man pocketing the piece of string he’d been using to keep occupy lily’s attention —— tapping her on the nose gently and running his fingers under her chin before he raises from his knelt position on the floor with a smile. he pauses here for a small moment, appraising the stranger with a warm gaze —— “ please, there’s no need to apologise ; you’re fine —— truly. ” haru says next ; the gentle patterns of his speech falling into the air between him and the stranger with a softness. “ i’m sorry i didn’t hear you come inside —— ” an apologetic look colours the man’s kindly shaped eyes, “ but i’d be more than happy to help you now. what is it that you’re searching for ? ”

yoogeon is slightly convinced that he's no longer in yunhwa anymore. it's a completely strange feeling because he can feel it in his bones that he's still in the wretched town. the town that there is nothing to enjoy. the town that he's unable to truly relax and feel at ease in. yet... standing there in that bookstore almost makes him forget all of that. there's a second thought though, and yoogeon is sure that it isn't the bookstore but the man standing in front of him.

of everyone that yoogeon has run into or met in yunhwa so far... the man seems to be the most at peace. and it's the weirdest thought because yoogeon has no idea who this man is. it's their first time meeting and yet, the calm that emanates from him seems to have an effect on yoogeon because he finds himself feeling at ease for the first time since he's arrived to yunhwa. all from the ways that he's simply chatted with a cat alone, his soft expressions and just the welcoming tone he has speaking to yoogeon.

but yoogeon hurriedly brushes it away. it's not a feeling he wants to instill within himself. especially not in a place like yunhwa.

so yoogeon utters a small "thanks" in reply to the man's response regarding his eavesdropping.

"it's no problem, i should have, rang a bell or something..." yoogeon simply returns when he apologizes. "and i was actually in today because i'm looking to sell some used books. there's a bit.. that i've come across and don't have much use for so i thought i'd check around town to see if anyone would be interested in purchasing. or even if you know a place i could donate to."

yoogeon stumbles over his words when he begins to mention how he's suddenly come by books that he doesn't need. he's dived into small details unnecessarily and it's an honest mistake. a mistake that he's definitely regretting because there's absolutely no need to talk about the books or where they came from. and just like that, yoogeon feels the strain in his back muscles as the stress from everything washes over him again. it's not a welcome feeling but at least it's better than feeling relaxed considering his surroundings.

[...]

she went home, yes, but only to get her truck and drive out to the little farm she’d once called home just for the opportunity, should her brother still be there, to chew him out. she almost laughed when she saw the lights on in the windows, her grip on the steering wheel so tight that her hands trembled, and parked the car out front.

she still had a key and didn’t hesitate to shove it in the lock and wrestle the old door open, hands in fists when yoogeom came running out to see what the commotion was.

yeji just stared at him while he spoke, her teeth grit, and remained silent for a full and uncomfortable moment after.

“oppa,” she finally said, her voice uncharacteristically low. “what are you doing with the farm?”

yeji. yeji. yeji....

yup. yoogeon was sure he would've preferred if it was an actual robber standing in the middle of the living room rather than his younger sister. despite the way he struggled with accepting his step-mother as a true maternal figure in his life, yeji was and would always be related by blood no matter how far away he would push her. and even that was something yoogeon would never be able to deny.

he struggles to really pull himself together in that moment despite the fact that he probably seems startled is all. truth be told he was completely rattled though. down to his core, down to his very bones. and it didn't even have to do with the apparent anger flashing in her eyes or her question. just the fact that yeji was there... her presence... willing to confront him during the middle of the night like this after all of their silent run-ins at the inn and pretending like they were strangers... was definitely not a good thing at all in yoogeon's book.

but he brushes it all aside and quickly sweeps it under the rug like he does with any emotion related to or regarding his family. because she's obviously here for one reason and it's something yoogeon can actually deal with. it's one simple question and she'll have to take it as is considering she had no qualms moving out when he arrived.

"i'm looking to sell it." yoogeon simply replies as he uses one hand to push his damp bangs out of his face. "along with the farmlands, the appliances, everything. whatever can go needs to go."

it's a simple answer and he's sure she'll leave it at that because his mind is made up. after all, everything was left to him. and he saw it best to sell everything. "there are plenty of locals who are willing to buy what there is to sell. and whatever is left... well, i'll figure something out to handle them. you don't need to worry about anything."

jiyeon didn’t make much of an effort to hide the displeased scowl on her face. if not from the other’s obviously disheveled appearance, than from the strong scent of alcohol that lingered from the doorway. her natural instincts had almost immediately formed the word no on the outline of her lips, but the sudden thought of her grandmother caused jiyeon to hesitate with her response. she could already hear her voice now, ridiculing her for leaving her ‘poor cousin’ all alone in the old, empty farmhouse. 

as she contemplated her options to herself, jiyeon studied the other from head to toe. maybe he seemed familiar, but he was also a grown man who could handle himself on his own, right? besides, the dead look in his eyes seemed to mirror that of her own— neither of them really wanted to put up any pleasantries for one another. 

nodding her head, jiyeon had seemingly come to conclusion of turning on her heels and making her way back home. however, one last thought of the disappointed look on grandma han’s face was enough to reel her back in to a decision she was sure she’d come to regret.

with a slight roll of her eyes and a defeated sigh, jiyeon accepted the offer in. she couldn’t believe that even when she was in the safety of their shared home, her grandmother was still telling her what to do. 

“sure. i guess i’ll come in for a little while, thanks.” 

as she allowed herself in, jiyeon studied the empty home, thinking that some memories of her childhood might come back. alas, they did not, but it wasn’t all that important to her anyway. 

“are you making yourself comfy here, or do you just use it as a private bar?” 

yoogeon would be lying if he said he didn't want to walk away from the door. it seemed jiyeon was more than reluctant about accepting his offer but something was definitely holding her back from saying so. that and the frown she clearly wasn't trying to hide. either way, leaving her at the open door to make a choice wasn't exactly the most hospitable thing to do considering she had gone out of her way to check in on him. even if it was because grandmother han had instructed her to do so.

the fact that yoogeon couldn't recall any memories of her was also no surprise to him either. he barely spent time with his own family. and the times that he did were all followed by him trying to block them out. even then though, as much as yoogeon wanted to deny it, he knew he would've remembered jiyeon if he had met her before leaving yunhwa no matter how much he wouldn't have wanted to.

yoogeon exhaled quietly as he watched her. with the way the both of them seemed ready to call it a day, he was sure she was going to politely reject his offer and walk away after catching her rolling her eyes. to his surprise though, as quick as it assumed she would, she proved him wrong by accepting his offer.

with a silent nod to acknowledge her hesitant decision, he simply motioned with his arm for her to take a step in. seeing the same gloom of shade hovering over jiyeon, yoogeon simply brushed off her question for sincerity rather a jab at his current state.

"make yourself comfortable" he simply states before responding to her question. "i'm not staying here. i have a room at the inn."

he knows it's not much of an explanation but... was there really a reason to dig into it when neither of them actually seemed interested to hear or tell? he's sure she won't mind the curt answer as he disappears into the kitchen for a second to grab a cup and extra water bottle while leaving the pie on a counter. it's a source of warmth... like consolation... something too close to parental love that yoogeon isn't too entirely comfortable with. seeing the state that he was in, it was obvious that his current choice for any source of warmth came from clear liquid in the green bottle he had left on the table.

"a private bar sounds more comfortable than being here actually. although if i had a choice, i wouldn't be here in this town at all." yoogeon continues as he pours the alcohol into the new cup for her, completely forgoing a shot glass. neither of them were there to enjoy the night. if anything, a glass would probably help them get through it easier.

he fills it more than halfway before making his way over with his own cup filled with just as much - if not more - and holds it out to her.

"what about you? why are you here? there are certainly better places to be."

it's been a busy and long day for yoogeon and it's only past noon. he's running a bit late on time after all the phone calls he's had to make with the office and then meeting his lawyer so he's a bit restless if anything and just wants something to eat. before he can really stop to consider where he wants to enjoy his lunch though, there's one last stop to the post office where he has to send in all the forms for ownership of properties, paying bills and picking up any incoming mail addressed to his grandfather.

seeing as it was around lunch time, he was hoping that the office was still open since he didn't exactly remember their hours having only been there once or twice to check on any incoming mail or packages. what he hoped for even more was that it there was no one so he wouldn't be held up but... it seems that wouldn't be the case for today.

yoogeon’s family playlist

the way yoogeon immediately freezes in his tracks is hard enough to give the next person whiplash. he's not sure what part of him thought he was actually being stealthy considering the road he had been following jiyeon on was gravel. if anything, he could pass it off as if they were just heading in the same direction but.... it was the residential area. he's silently cursing himself because he really should've followed from further away. take into account that his cousin was the one and only secretary to the town mayor, of course she would be able to pick up on the smallest thing like someone following her.

yoogeon isn't too sure either if he should be relieved or embarrassed that jiyeon's caught him red-handed. on one hand, she is his cousin. whereas the other, just because they were dubbed cousins by her grandmother it didn't exactly mean that the two han youngins were close. so the thought of yoogeon being a long... lost? cousin suddenly come back and following jiyeon home was kind of a ridiculous thought.

scratching the back of his head sheepishly, yoogeon decides that he'd rather just face the embarrassment now rather come off as condescending by pretending he wasn't. after all, he was following her.

"i'm... sorry. i had forgotten to ask you where you and grandmother live the last time i saw you. i wanted to stop by to thank her properly."

it's late and yoogeon's overstayed at the hwesakgu residence. after a long day of going through and cleaning the equipment down at the fields and then dealing with more paperwork, he's ready for the day to end. if he weren't so stubborn about not staying in the old home, he could've been resting up by now. he would've managed with a quick shower, a light dinner and there was still an open couch if he didn't want to sleep in any of the open bedrooms. but doing any of those things meant getting comfortable. getting comfortable meant forgetting, and that meant forgetting what the place actually meant to yoogeon. nothing but pain and bad memories.

so he settles for rinsing down his face and the back of his neck in the dimly lit bathroom. his shower could wait until getting back to his room at the inn. the mirror in front of him has stains and scratches from use and tear over the long years that he hasn't paid attention to before, and in that lighting yoogeon tries not to stare too long at his reflection. he's already in a place he'd prefer not to be in and the last thing the needs are thoughts infiltrating his brain about how he really feels.

whether it's by luck or not, yoogeon doesn't have to confront his thoughts because the sudden sound of the front door slamming open against the living room wall is all yoogeon needs to pull himself back together. with how intense the break in sounded yoogeon spares no time running to the living room to confront the perpetrator. water is running down his face, dripping onto his shirt and he has absolutely nothing to defend himself if they have a weapon to use against him except for the adrenaline running through his body.

however, as soon as yoogeon spots the young female standing in the middle of the living room he immediately freezes and his blood runs cold.

"yeji? what the hell? what are you doing here?"