⠀⠇ tattoo + piercing studio

@seo changbin A smile lifted the corner of her lips. She was used to men comparing her to a dainty flower, a damsel in distress, but the word 'heroine' was unfamiliar to her ears. She had never been given such a title before and it made her shoulders lift with pride.

"Well, now you can use my technique next time," she said, revealing her secret. "When you want to make a lady smile, give her a unique and unexpected compliment. It will make her feel special and will make her forget her anger." She smiled knowingly that she had been able to help him out somehow.

Miyeon scanned the tattoo parlor, her gaze taking in the various designs on the walls and the people in the shop, some of whom were getting tattoos done. The smell of ink and the buzzing of the tattoo gun filled the air, creating a unique atmosphere that was both calming and exciting at the same time.

She told him, "A patron at my workplace had quite a beautiful canvas painted on him and I was curious. I love the idea of getting a tattoo, but I don't want to commit to something permanent so I'm considering a temporary tattoo. Do you have anything like that here?" She held her breath and waited for his response.

@cho miyeon so there were gods.

changbin has silently concluded as the door bell rang, alerting him about the arrival of a potential customer—hopefully with no parents in tow. he was just about to acknowledge her, almost desperate to do anything just to stop the incessant talking he was currently being forced to listen to.

but he didn't have to do much. watching with a small agape mouth as the newly arrived customer fell to the ground. almost quite believably too.

her next words did confuse him though. 'an actress?' ... yeah, right. what did she act as? a villain? a karen? changbin tried not to laugh, but his professional smile twitched once more.

oh—she did not just... eyes wide, staring at the younger woman. changbin had to fake cough, feeling the laughter bubbling in his throat.

"c—come again next time, customer! have a good day!"

poor son though, he was a good one. but changbin was honestly ing relieved to have him and his baggage out of the shop.

he lets out the biggest sigh of relief.

the tattooist faced the remaining person with him in the shop. changbin's lips formed a genuine smile, "they were but to be fair, I've had worse. fortunate enough, i have someone to come save me today like a heroine—" he snickers.

"and i got it... I'm just so used to letting them win just so this whole—thing—doesn't get any bigger, you know?" changbin sighs, "anyway. enough about them! welcome customer! what can i do for you today? anything you want, I'll give you a 10% discount!"

@seo changbin Miyeon has never gotten a tattoo before--well, besides the glittery sticker tattoos she got from a 25 cent machine as a curious child, at least nothing permanent. It was nothing against her morals, she loved the aesthetics, the idea of having something permanent and meaningful on the canvas of your skin and therefore becoming part of your identity. However, she has yet to commit to permanent ink.

Recently, she's been making acquaintance with a customer at the VIP lounge at the bar she sings at, who has told her about temporary tattoos which sparked her curiosity. Initially that was what she came here for and not to be involved with the disgruntled protests of an unhappy mother at a tattoo artist over the choices of her adult son.

Yet, Miyeon has dealt with a handful of drunken men who can dance better than some ladies on the tabletops of bars and seen with her own eyes as their raging wives find their husbands wrapped in the arms of young hostesses half their age. This, was nothing she couldn't handle.

As she pretended to walk by the lady, she intentionally timed her foot steps just in time as the woman stepped backwards--therefore, knocking into her. Miyeon put on a pretense of a paper doll who was feebly and frail.

"Omo, eonnie, I'm so sorry, are you hurt?" Her voice was just the right amount of concern and sweetness. Then she ran her eyes over the older woman's face, acting as if she had witnessed something interesting, "omo, aren't you an actress? I could've sworn I've seen you before!"

The woman seemed to have forgotten her initial purpose, immediately a sense of delight washed over her face as she blushed, "no, no I'm not." She laughed, masking her evident joy.

Miyeon smiled, "omo, I'm so sorry for the confusion. You're just so pretty eonnie!" She pretended to look over at the ladies son, "is this your boyfriend, eonnie? Omo, how cute! Are you both here to get a couples tattoo? That's so romantic!"

The son, seemingly embarrassed by this situation, tugged his mother's arm. His face red, "mom...l-let's go..." He pleaded, head low as he turned to the tattooist, "I'll be back next time..." and he left the premises with his mother.

Miyeon sighed at the sight and crossed her arms as she looked over to the tattooist. She knew it wasn't easy dealing with customers like this and a sense of compassion filled her. She's also been in these situations before, but it has taken her a while to learn how to deal with them.

"I hope they didn't give you too much of a hard time," she said to the tattooist, "next time have the man leave to console the woman on their own terms. Between you and me, I don't think we get paid enough to deal with people's unhappiness."

( open starter • m/f • mother knows best? )

it was a fine day.

emphasis on the word 'was' because right now—halfway through his afternoon shift—changbin found himself getting berated by a customer's *mother*.

she was complaining about why he went and tattooed her (twenty-two years old!!!!!) son. changbin kept silent as he wore his professional smile, twitching slightly as he was continuously yelled at. he didn't really know whether to be thankful or not that there weren't any other customers scheduled for today.

"ma'am—Ma'am. again, i would like to repeat myself. this was an appointment scheduled Weeks ago. your son is a consenting party and also a young adult, certainly old enough to be making his own decisions."

perhaps he lets his irritation seep a little too much into his words because he can see how the mother's face quickly twisted into what he can roughly describe as—hellish.

changbin is Not a religious person. however, these kinds of situations have him praying to all the gods willing to listen and save him from this awful predicament.

he can only wish for a miracle.