─ dance studio 'hope'

@☾ hwang yeji "Shoe-pping! I love it! Yes, anything that involves buying shoes, I'm in for." Natty's laughter filled the entire dance studio as she threw her arms in the air to celebrate a potential shopping spree. As she spun around, dancing to a song only she heard in her head, she kept an eye on Yeji, listening to her speak with one ear. "Oh, yeah, I know the song you're talking about," she said while skipping around. "Show me the choreo! Let's see what you got and maybe we can play with it!"

@☾ natty suputhipong "How bout we go shoe-pping one of these days? Get it? Shoe plus shopping?" She laughed, letting out a snort as she felt the younger girl tap her , shaking her head in amusement. "That sounds fun, but do tell me if you get tired okay?" Yeji warned playfully, looking at Natty through the mirror before she sat, stretching further, getting rid of the fatigue. "Earlier, when ssaem played a song? I forgot the title of it, it just came in passing." She pursed hr lips, trying to remember the lyrics. "Something like 'na, nanana your help, make me hmmmm make me na, something something break my heart myself', i just thought of a teensy weensy bit of choreo."

@☾ hwang yeji "I guess that makes sense," Natty agreed as Yeji helped her to her feet. She leaned against her unnie with a long, over dramatic sigh. "I sometimes get lost looking at all the shoes I want to buy... But, I can't buy shoes if I don't work." Here, she tapped Yeji's playfully. "What if I stick around and help you work on this new and exciting idea?" Natty peeled herself off Yeji to start stretching anew.

"So, what are we working on?"

@☾ natty suputhipong A soft chuckle escaped the older girl's lips, walking to where their maknae was before she held onto her hand, pulling her up on her feet. "It can't be helped if I have so much ideas I want to work on. Don't you just feel excited to work on a project of some sort? Yeah?" She said with a big grin, playfully patting the younger's head before she stretched and jogging a bit in place as if to ward off the tired feeling. "And how bout you? You aren't heading back yet?"

@☾ hwang yeji Natty was struggling to peel herself off the floor after another intense practice session. Her feet were groaning and begging her to take a longer break, so she did, watching the other members leave until it was just her and Yeji. "Unnieeeee," she whines, wiggling a hand at her. "Where do you find all this energy? Why are you still here and standing?" With a groan she rolls onto her side. "Help me up." And her hand waves in the air again.

@☾ natty suputhipong Instead of packing up her things like the rest of the trainees and other idols in the room, Yeji decided to just take a breather. She downed half of the contents of her water bottle before wiping off the sweat and tying her hair up in a messy bun. “Thank you for today.” She called out to their coach one last time as she bowed politely and grinned. She fanned herself for a bit and paced around, waiting for the others to leave. Her body may be tired, but not as tired for her to leave just yet, after all, the song that accidentally played earlier during practice just fuelled something in her, an idea she wanted to do.

@✵ jay park⁻ᵗʳᵃᶦⁿᵉᵉ Her arms folded beneath her chest as she stood there in the corner, watching her friend hit the steps of a choreography she had not seen before. It looked somewhat complicated, yet he seemed to strike every beat with a powerful precision and fluid movements. Who knew how long it really had been since she had watched him dance. Way before the blond bob at least, that was for certain. It must have been at least two years. God, why did time fly by so fast.

The blonde strands waved gently around her face as she shook her head, not really wanting to fall down that rabbit-hole of thinking. They were still friends right? Even if they had been busy and contact had been a bit slower than usual (something she knew was entirely her own fault) they still had the same rapport as before.

Eunbi’s gaze lifted to meet Jay’s. For a moment they both stood there still like deers in headlight, neither knowing exactly what to do. Guess she had not been as sneaky as she had tried to be, though in an empty room with only one person how would one really hide at all? He would have noticed her at some point anyways.
Luckily he seemed to still have some of his focus with him, as he had smiled and returned to his steps. She hadn’t come there to distract him, so if she could avoid ruining his session she would be happy. And the energy he seemed to hold as he began again proved he was still very much with the spirit of the music.

She was a bit surprised when he paused again and called her name, blinking as she looked in his direction. “I was by the building for a meeting and I say you on the way out,” she admitted, returning his energetic smile with a bright one of her own. He had always been cute when he was excited, and it was hard to not smile just from being in his presence. “Oh, no no, I don’t know the steps,” Eunbi hurriedly protested, laughing nervously as she straightened the black dress down over her thighs. Perhaps given time she would have been able to dance with him, but this was a bit too sudden for her to know what to do. “I’d be flailing worse than I did when I began training,” she added with a small chuckle.

@✵ jay park⁻ᵗʳᵃᶦⁿᵉᵉ The familiar hallways of the DSF buildings felt extra bright and spacious as Eunbi wandered down along the studio rooms she had practiced in so many times in the past. Each one held its own set of memories, both of victories and defeats. And yet with her mood in the clouds from the little ‘meeting’ she had just had, it was hard to not just reminisce on all the sweet and wonderful moments she had shared with friends and group-mates over the years.

It still felt somewhat unbelievable to be where she now was from the humble beginnings she had once had. From just a face to the leader of a group, all within just a couple of years. She knew she was fortunate, yet knew not how much that was just from her own skill. It was why she had to keep the secrets she had to, knowing the world would immediately jump to conclusions if they found out everything going on behind the scenes.

No, those were depressive thoughts for another day. She was happy. She had gotten one step closer to the eventual wedding, sealing her love for the woman she adored the most in the world. Little else managed to stick within her mind with those dreams having fully occupied her for the past hour.

Music however always had a way to sneak its way inside. It was why she had ended up here in the end. Rhythm was just naturally within her, making even the faintest music in the distance capable of dictating the way she moved. Her steps switched up to follow the beat, her head and hips wagging happily along the closer she got to the room emitting the song. Curiosity build as she approached, sneaking a small peak through the window in the door to spot-
One man. Alone.

Not just any one man though.
Eunbi smiled as she peeked around, sneakily shifting her weight against the door to slowly push it open. Not much, just enough for her to slip her frame through by holding her breath. And there in the corner of the room she found herself a spot to watch as Jay went through his routine again.

__________________________continued in condo de grande__________________________

[post deleted by owner]

@☼ hwang hyunjin stubborn as always but hyunjin ends up with his hoodie on and that left jungkook smiling in secret. his clothes always looked better on hyunjin anyways. they also looked a lot better when they were coming off of-
yeah they will , i got this
he replies , snapping himself out of his snowballing thoughts. the last thing he needed was to pop a in front of his ex, hyunjin would quite literally never let his live it down. he pushes a bit of the curtain to the side, peeking his eyes towards the front so the jiho , apparently that was his name, and the driver could hear him properly
sooo
he starts off, arms folded around the back of the driver seat headrest, he was going to pull this right feom his like everything else he does in life. his tone is almost syrupy sweet, a higher pitch and velvety - the tone he uses to get what he wants
i get your job is to protect us and get us home safely, fans are wild. but, we’re really REALLY hungry and i know you guys haven’t eaten since lunch right?
as if on cue he could hear the drivers stomach rumbling , to which jiho looked over at him with raised brows. bingo. easy pickings.
we’re gonna be trapped here forever if we go this way but luckily for you both, our apartment is like right there
he jabs his finger to the right and he can see the wheels in jiho’s head turning
and we could get food on the way? maybe?

‘Now you’re pushing it, order food when you all get home. We can drop you off at your residence id that means I don’t havw to hear you or /him/ yapping in my ear for a moment longer.’ Jiho gives everyone in the car a pointed look before giving a nod of approval and jungkook sits back in his seat , lolling his head to the side with a cocky smirk
Spent so long being an idol and you still not knowing how to butter up staff is embarrassing. we can just order food by the way, no biggie

@☼ jeon jungkook ʳᵒᵐᵉᵒ *How could he have let himself slip up? He'd asked himself that a couple weeks ago too when he'd slipped out of the desolate condo and escaped to the club for the millionth time. At first he'd only sat at the bar. Then he'd ordered a drink. Then he'd kissed a boy. Then he ordered another drink. Then he sent said boy home after promising things he didn't deliver on. Then he returned to the club. Sat until the music hurt his head, went home, and cried on Jungkook's side of the bed.*
*Had all of that just run through his head in the minutes of awkward silence after touching his ex-boyfriend's hand...? Maybe. Maybe not. No he didn't. Because that would mean accepting he still had feelings for...*
*the sweater shoved into his lap has him blinking from his scrunched position.* I don't need your charity
*he snaps, contemplating throwing the sweater into the space between their seats, but at the last second, he instead crumpled it in his fists. Fine, he could keep it. Or wear it. Or whatever.*
*he pulls the seatbelt aside and pulls it on without a fight this time. Jungkook's smell immediately overwhelms him, reminding him of all the times they'd swapped clothes before. Of all the things his scent still lingered on. That familiar cologne wrapped in the tendrils of his body's natural musk*
"...did you wanna go back there for tonight?"
Yes.
*Hyunjin immediately agrees the second Jungkook propositions him. If it could get him out of this car, then he would jump out the window if he had to. the rest of whatever his ex says flies over his head. He's already pulling on the door handles to try and escape the van again.*
You think the 2 buffoons will unlock the doors and let us do it, though?
*he sneaks a peak at the curtain* We can pit stop at a restaurant and get food
*his hunger was strong enough to make him temporarily forget the animosity he held for the other* Open ing sesameeeeee! *he pleads in English, back half turned as he yanks on the handle with a foot pressed to the door*

@☼ hwang hyunjin hyunjins childlike antics remind jungkook exactly why he fell for him in the first place albeit with resistance but fell for him nonetheless. it was charming or whatever to him that no one else thought just like hwang hyunjin , you could travel all the square miles of the earth and never find another him. he feels his throat tighten, that same familiar feeling of regret and guilt crawling throughout his body. he really fumbled this time and with the way hyunjins dark eyes glower at him, he can’t tell if he’ll ever make peace with his decision.
Oh I’m a ty cell mate? Ironic coming from the guy who i just saved /from his own ing shirt/
there was not bite to his tone, eyes still trained on the other next to him as his lips curved into a small smile. he had missed the bickering. some sense of familiarity between the two. they stare at each other for a moment, the soft sound of red lights comes through the care speakers- what a ing cliche? but he couldn’t find it in him to move, not when hyunjin was looking at him with something other than disgust and thats when he felt it. It lasted no than 10 seconds maybe more, the soft hand that laid over his , holding it as if it were a safety blanket. the warmth that flooded his body was gone in seconds and so was hyunjins hand. ing stupid traffic and their stupid horns and stupid people. that was the most hyunjin had said or even done since he had gotten back. was that… hope? did that matter? hyunjin looked embarrassed unable to meet his eyes anymore, jungkook just shook his head in denial at the unnecessary apology.
it’s fine, no its okay. please don’t apologize
he takes in hyunjins awkward and very much exposed self. he opts to let it go, instead he quickly digs in his bag pulling out a black thrasher hoodie he had wore on his way to practice.
here. I don’t need it anyway.
he doesn’t take the time to hear any refusal on hyunjins part, shoving the material in his lap. there’s a beat of silence and jungkook looks out the window again. traffic surrounded the whole car, what the actual was going on. his eyes flickered towards the streets, his brain is slow but he eventually recognizes just where they were. he perks up a bit with an idea in mind. hyunjin may say no and that’s fair but realistically his impatient may have no other choice
hey… you know our apartment complex is literally just a left turn away… did you wanna go back there for tonight? I’ll go to the dorm first thing in the morning. traffic isn’t letting up anytime soon and we are both in need of a shower

@☼ jeon jungkook ʳᵒᵐᵉᵒ *Fate had a cruel way of bullying Hyunjin into submission. And that wasn't him admitting Jungkook was his fate or anything - because he hated him 100% fully and thoroughly, for sure - but... He was being tested. And someone was laughing at him from above*
*he's full on wrestling with the shirt when he hears Jungkook's more quiet voice off to the side. Ever the level-headed one. Jerk. Soon enough, fingers find the edge of his shirt and he all but freezes. Right on time for him to hear the slip of the name 'Hyunj' and feel like he fell out of his seat and down 10 000 miles out of a plane*
*he's shocked by how hard he has to swallow to choke the tears back, grateful for the material barrier concealing him. It was just a minute. Just a moment where he felt the world cave beneath him. Hopefully not long enough to be obvious. The fight begins with less vigor inside his sweaty prison, until finally, he's yanked out*
*with his torso fully exposed to the air, the sweat begins drying and cooling, forcing a shiver through his shoulders.*
Just sayingggg *he mocks back with weak intent, refusing to meet Kook's eye*
*he feels suddenly exposed. It's a new feeling for him. The car inches up a bit more. Hyunjin inches his face around, noting the closed curtain to the front of the car*
*he flounders with his mouth opening and closing. He debates on what to say while pulling the shirt in his hands that slowly drop the more he thinks* *his stomach saves him the embarrassment, growling loudly now that his body has a moment to catch up on the day's grueling exercise*
I'm hungry.
*he states with a sigh, throwing his shirt into his bag and pulling out the now contaminated fresh shirt he'd brought to change into. He struggles less to get it on, but he's able to relax a bit more now that he is.*
This traffic better hurry the up or I'm gonna get hangry real fast.
... Actually, this. I'm gonna -
*it's almost like they knew what Hyunjin was gonna do. The driver had preemptively set the child locks so that he couldn't escape from the inside*
Jerk! *he shouts through the curtain, hoping Jiho heard. With another anxious sigh, he flops back in his seat, drooping so low his head comes halfway down the back rest and his legs push up against the passenger seat in front of him*
This is a ing prison! *he shouts to no one* And you're a ty cell mate. *he adds with quick sarcasm to Jungkook, his head rounding to stare at him. He can't look away this time. The music on the radio raises in volume (probably to drown out his whining), and 'Red Lights' begins to play. Disgusting. He hated hearing his own voice.*
*yet as it plays, and he continues to ogle his ex-lover, the song grows on him. Memories of the project resurface. The ual tension they had on set as they tied each other in chains. The energy in the studio as they teased each other during recording. Nights of practice that ended with one of them pushed to the mirrors or sprawled on the floor while the other devoured him. The kisses they'd shared on rides home in cars just like this. All playing for him like a movie he'd seen before.*
*on reflex, his hand reaches out to grab Jungkook's. It lingers for five breaths, squeezing once*
*a horn honks from the car next to them, and Hyunjin springs up as if he'd burned himself* - sorry -

@☼ hwang hyunjin always one who couldn’t sit still, opposite of jungkook, hyunjin had to be moving or talking at all times otherwise he’d explode.it was one of the many things that jungkook adored about him. the car ride was no different- well more so stuck in traffic than an actual ride, and jungkook could tell his ex was getting antsy. he tried keeping his gaze locked outside, eyes fixated on the tall building lights that he’s seen a thousand times over but hyunjin and his restlessness made it difficult. always. he could hear grunts and the incoherent noises similar to words so he finally chances a glance over at him to find him, in true hyunjin fashion, ‘stuck’ in his own shirt.

“Jesus ing Christ, get this shirt off of me!”

Jungkook lets out an amused snort but he can’t ignore his sweaty hands. He found the courage to actually do something about it. looking towards the front, he quickly shut the curtain to keep as a barrier and potentially wandering eyes out.
Here let me help you
he turns to face hyunjin in full, fingers curling underneath the wet hem of the shirt and tugging on the fabric. it hardly budged
what the ?
he say’s underneath his breath, still tugging with light force
alright. chill. you’re moving way too much, hyunj. Its making it harder, just let me ease it off of you
the nickname had accidentally slipped off his tongue. it felt so natural yet weird, he hadn’t called him anything other than pet names for almost a whole year now. it felt foreign, but hopefully hyunjin didnt catch it. the last thing he needed to help with his ty night was hyunjin telling him off again
there.
he says with a smile of triumph as the shirt finally ing came off. jungkook did his damn best to keep his eyes from exploring the torso before him
this material for practicing you know , silk is better material. justtttt sayinggggg

@☼ jeon jungkook ʳᵒᵐᵉᵒ *Torture. That's all Hyunjin could really call it. He had to spend a long day in a humid studio where the mirrors were fogging up from how hard they were sweating. And all because of the y, sweaty turd in the sweater in the corner. He had spent so many nights trying to figure out how to live without Jungkook, and now that he was back, he was pissed that he had to figure out a way to live with him now. It was too much.*
*all he really could do was throw himself into his work. Like he had been. It was working with Hanbin, who never seemed more impressed by his work ethic. And Younghoon, who seemed to revel in his misery*
*Hyunjin had lost the amount of times Younghoon had stood in his dorm doorway, smirking and cocky, and mocked him about how lonely it must feel to not have Jungkook in the dorm anymore. .*
Huh? You want me to share a car with him?
*the instructor only has to shoot him one sharp look for him to bite his tongue. Jesus ing christ, this couldn't get worse*
*he's slick with his own sweat, but barely bothers to change. A hoodie is thrown over his damp shirt, and he beelines out before Kook can.*
*the van is set up to torture him more, with both of them sharing the back seat. Despite all his fury, he can't keep stealing glances. From the corner of his eye. Through the reflection in windows and mirrors. Had Jungkook always been so handsome? Something about him was different.*
*Good different.*
*the silence seems like its going to strangle him from how hard it grips. He notices a second too late that he's been holding his breath, and it rushes out in a loud sigh. Oops. He clears his throat and shifts, trying to play it off. The silence settles again, this time interrupted with a loud growl that beats the sounds of the idling engines around him*

Yah, Jiho - *he leans into the space between the driver and passenger seat in front* How much longer in this traffic? Like can we get food or something?

"We can order something when you're safely home," Jiho denies with a shake of his head. "It's been too risky and we don't have enough personnel on hand to make a pit stop. Traffic looks like it'll be.... Long."

*Yeah no kidding. He didn't need to be a genius to figure that out. They'd barely hopped onto the road and were already stalled for twenty minutes*
*all he can do is sigh, flopping back in his seat with crossed arms. With his attention hopping more in his frustration, the damp clothes becomes too much and he shifts out of his seat belt to start stripping.* *every time his head pops out of his next layer he sees Jungkook again - those pretty pierced lips, and that forlorn look in his dark eyes and it pisses him more*
*the final layer is his t-shirt, soaked through and disgusting and freezing now that he's settled, and it fights back against him as he tries to undress*
Stupid shirt - *he begins, yanking at the fabric where he's stuck inside* *both shirts and head in, he fishes for an opening, spotting Kook's face through the arm hole* Stupid face *he mocks quietly, punching the fabric again. It goes on for a bit until he's full on flailing in the cotton* Jesus ing Christ, get this shirt off of me!

@☼ hwang hyunjin “Again.”

“From the top!”

“We can do this all day and night until you all get it. Let’s go , enough bullting!”

The sound of heavy breathing and tired groans resonates throughout the practice room. Holy . The janus boys have been tortured and tormented all day by their choreographer , Hwiyoung. This was jungkooks thried official day back since his hiatus and things were in full swing. He had missed everything for the lasted ep release but the recordings. He was basically starting from the very beginning and everyone was taking the brunt of it.

jungkook could feel the sweat dripping off his clothes, his shirt completely soaked and stuck to his body like another layer of skin. he laid on the wooden floor staring up at the ceiling. Death would’ve been better than this. It felt like the trainee days all over again, he was exhausted. But so were his group mates especially after having to relearn the entire choreography. He knew they were upset at him, if looks could kill he’d be dead fifty times over.

“Alright! It’s been 12 hours. I can’t break you,” the teacher was speaking again but it all sounded like muffled yapping to jungkook at this point, “we’ll take a rest day tomorrow and then pick back up. You all better be prepared to actually LEARN. See you then.” His eyes lingered at jungkook, giving him a little nod before gathering his bag and heading out leaving the group alone.

No one says anything to him but they don’t have to, he just FEEL the unspoken tension. they all silent pack up their belongings.

“The company cars are waiting for you. the vans are currently getting fixed. hanbin, kai and hoon to one car. jungkook and hyunjin in the other. lets go.”

Jungkook had learned while he was away that the company had started implementing destination vans- well cars, to take the group to and from the company to prevent crazy fans from bombarding or potentially hurting them. and of course the vans would be out of commission leaving him with no other option than to ride with hyunjin. not as though he minded , he would take any opportunity to be next to his ex lover… if the feelings were mutual. hyunjin hated him and if anything being next to him makes him wish he were anywhere else but there. his eyes shift to the black haired male who doesn’t even spare a glance his way. to be expected. he manages to haul his off the floor with his bag and hoodie in one hand. he was too hot for his hoodie even if it was nearing winter time. jungkook silently follows behind hyunjin who is five steps ahead putting some distance between the two.

when they arrive in the private parking lot, the car in question had the front two seats full with the driver and security guard leaving hyunjin and him to sit in the back. alone. together. the first time in ages. jungkook felt undeniably nervous and awkward, trying to keep his long legs on his side even if that meant squeezing them together so he didn’t risk brushing again hyunjin and having him look his direction with disgust in his pretty eyes. jungkook still cant get the image of hyunjin shoving him away that night out of his head.

@☼ hwang hyunjin *scoffs before nodding, pretending to scribble down some notes*
Family pic and a home cooked meal that'll blow your clean off and explode the stratosphere, gotcha gotcha
*rattles off her new homework with a growing grin by the time she gets to the punchline. she wraps the act by slapping the invisible notebook closed and aiding you with a little scooting of her own*
Mhmm~ That's totally fine; we can go whenever she's ready
Is there anything she's been craving lately?

[post deleted by owner]

@❄ kim miso Uh, I don't know, like a polaroid of you with your family and some food
*he stares Miso up and down with a sarcastic side eye* Like uhhh... Why am I not getting some home cooked meals out of this?
*snorts, reaching a leg out so he can hook it over her thigh, dragging her close*
I know you said you needed 48hours notice, but how's tomorrow?
It'll be more like a lunch. Umma gets tired early

@☼ hwang hyunjin *hums, waving a hand dismissively of your delinquent ways before smiling appreciatively*
Thanks, but I probably won't need to pack much. BUT you can come hang out.
And yes, /obviously/. I would love to see our umma~
*agrees to the rapidfire suggestions while leaning back against her palms and then huffing a laugh*
But /what/ could you /possibly/ want as a souvenir from Yeongdo?

@❄ kim miso I could've given you an alibi if you dipped now
*he pushes one last time before dropping it with a laugh, ruffling his hair instead as all desire to resume dancing leaves his body, exhausted after the emotional unloading they'd both done*
I'm joking, but you know already...
I can help you pack your bags. Bring me back a souvenir from when you go
*a snapping finger gun* Hey, wanna have dinner with my umma?

@☼ hwang hyunjin Mhm, these kids are a different breed
*responds sagely, as if she's a whole ten years older than them and not four. she laughs a little, nodding at the irony of the situation*
There's still no peace, though, the family group chat is literally always live
*as if on cue, her phone chimes with the kakaotalk 'ya!" tone set specifically for her Kim kids' chat. she ignores it in favor of present company*
I'm definitely leaving. I can't make a scene and the not act on it
*jokes before falling into a thoughtful hum as she goes over a mental schedule*
When Sneakers promotions are done, definitely. Since we've already recorded the disbandment song, there's not much to do there and not much reason to linger around. That'll be...sometime towards the end of March

@❄ kim miso Heol - they're already doing all that?
Dayummmm... So you got like, smart smart brothers. Smart in brains, and smart in publicity
*Hyunjin compliments, laughing it off a brush through his own hair*
I always wondered what it'd be like to have siblings
Growing up was pretty lonely, but I always found someone to hang around with
And you... Probably had so many siblings you couldn't find a moment of peace
... There's some kind of sick poetry in us becoming friends here, y'know that?
*snorts, grabbing for his water bottle just to have something to toss around in his hands* So, when are you leaving then?
Because, you're leaving right? We didn't just have this talk for you to /not/ have a vacation

@☼ hwang hyunjin *snorts softly at the instant jump to needing an alibi, sitting up to rest back against her palms*
No bull necessary, you little delinquent
I'm gonna tell sajangnim about it like a normal person
*wrinkles her nose, head pulling back from the hairstache when it tickles in the wrong way. she perks up a little more when given the chance to gush about the twins*
They work on the farm, mostly! But Dongha's studying game development and has been working on one for a while—it looks sooo good so far and it's only...pre-production? Yeah, the super early phases and it's already sickening. And, and Donghae is really getting into being a little influencer. He's kinda one of the faces of that whole program the government's doing to push for more young people in agriculture. I know it sounds lame, but it's actually really ing cool!

@❄ kim miso Just picture it as my and you'll start loving it
*he teases, promptly falling quiet when it's his turn and instead pushing up to sit on his knees*
Okay so take your phone, delete your stupid little apps, and take a trip
If you need an alibi ,you have me
I'm an /amazing/ bullter
*twists a lock of your hair around his finger, pulling it up to give you a little mustache*
Tell me about your little brothers. What are they doing now?
I think they miss you as much as you miss them

@☼ hwang hyunjin That's totally and I hate it
*grumbles, knowing very well that the statement is true. to bake a cake, you have to crack a few eggs. there's acceptance to her tone, though, and she raises an arm to add three more fingers to the base five you're presenting*
Forever and one years. My little brothers are adults this year, y'know? They were graduating elementary school when I moved
*she huffs, puffing her cheeks
That's so ed up when you think about it. Like, time doesn't care about any of us
*goes on a little existential tangent before snapping right back on track as if she never did drift*
I can't leave my phone here. Then I can't talk to you or Pix or Taeyang oppa or Hanbin oppa or Solar unnie or Sua-
I can't leave my phone.
*asserts firmly*
I'll just delete the bad apps

@❄ kim miso *he's not gonna lie, when Miso flops down on the floor for her little fit, Hyunjin finds it looks fun, and throws himself down with her, whining in unison and throwing his limbs*
Wow, that was fun
*he pants, fitting an arm under his head to cushion it from the hardwood flooring*
Y'know, no matter how hard you try, you can't make everyone happy
So stop trying to please everyone. Take that break.
You haven't been home in at least like - *holds up a hand so they can both see his extended fingers* - I don't know... Forever years
*he drops his hand down, seeking hers instead to playfully tug at*
Take the break, before you can't. And leave your phone here.

@☼ hwang hyunjin Jesus-
*huffs a laugh despite herself, tucking further into the embrace as if it'll help her escape the awful joke that—admittedly—helps a little. a very little, but a little nonetheless. the idea of contradicting DIA hadn't even occured to her in her own misery, prompting a little guilty frown while she squints upon being reaquainted with the studio lights.. it's her turn to be quiet, gaze trailing back to the scuff marks that she's itching to scratch away from the polished wood. but she's listening completely while sniffling and palm-wiping at her tear streaked face, nodding almost imperceptively at one point because you're right. and that's abundantly obvious now that she's not hyperfocused on being the strong one and keeping herself from bursting at the seams. she considers the question in silence for a short while before dragging her gaze to yours*
I just want to perform.
I want to be happy on stage.
I'm more than okay with DIA and I love them, it's so fun working with them
But I want everyone to be happy too
*pouts, allowing herself a childish wriggle tantrum*
I haate thiiiiis
*goes ragdoll limp to flop out of your hold and enjoy her tantrum on the floor, this time nothing more than just being spread out like a starfish and whining. she lets out a deep, cathartic sigh after before speaking in a very even, almost monotonous tone*
I think I need a break too after Sneakers.
From social media, from working. From Seoul.
*turns to look at you, face impassive*
Do you know how long its been since I've been home, Jinnie?

@❄ kim miso *Hyunjin doesn't say a word. He just listens. One of his hands rubs gently at her back, not anticipating any reciprocation to his too-long, too-tight hug, but keeping a firm hold so she can't go anywhere. Weeks and weeks of her anxieties, spooling out, like a yarn unravelling on a sweater while you travel up an elevator at full-speed*
*He can only sit in silence and support his friend as she cries out the weeks of trouble she's been facing seemingly alone*
*When she folds into his arms, he's more unyielding in his hold, keeping her head tucked into his shoulder*
It's the 'ora' curse, it seems...
*he finally pokes at the silence he's maintained, trying his best to find a bit of humous in the otherwise bleak situation* *his cheek presses into the side of her head, a heavy sigh exploding from him*
It's not ideal, I'll give you that... But don't put words in DIA's mouth either
*for the first time since the rant began, he holds her at arms length, Miso's shoulders held tight beneath his fingers*
I'm not gonna lie... It's gonna be hard. There's gonna be a rough transition period. But you're not doing this alone. And I've seen your fans. Those true ones will support you no matter what.
And really, at the end of the day, what do /you/ want, Meemz? Is this what you want?