lgceunwoo

[lgceunwoo]

indeed, nothing as simple as a yes or no. all the words she spills in just a few seconds almost make him dizzy. he's getting too old for this (or something like that). still, he listens, and even speaks: "how long are you staying in new york again?" cramming a whole theater show if they just have barely one evening free might not be the best of ideas. he doesn't know the other members very much, but he can picture hayoung and eunhye bouncing back quite quickly. or at least, not wanting to just stay in their hotel room.

he perks up when she mentions hamilton, but seconds later she's already on something else. yep, at this point, her ability to talk is actually impressive. his thoughts wander a bit as he tries to picture his little brother and minji talking each other's ears off. thus, when she exclaims 'six' he almost jumps out of his skin. "actually, six is a good idea i think. going to see a girl group adaptation of historical events with your group members sounds pretty neat" he comments. he wouldn't lie just to please her or get rid of her. that would've really been the type of things he would've liked to do had he debuted as an idol.

"well, it would be preferable if i could go with all the members," minji explains first, still scrolling down the playbill website. "but not everyone might be interested in seeing a musical, or maybe if they're still adjusting to the time change they might be too tired to go." minji is mindful that she may need to accept that not everyone will go. "but i think i would at least try to convince eunhye unnie and hayoung unnie, since we've been out of the country a whole lot now. but it'd be nice if all the members came, don't you think?"

she thinks through other musicals. "do you think hamilton is too much? it's super popular and honestly a staple for broadway at this point, but i worry that the fact that it's rap makes it hard to understand for someone who doesn't speak english natively. and also it's history based." she then sees another idea in the same realm. "or six! it's the wives of king henry the viii, but as if they were a girl group. it almost feels perfect, but it's history, so... maybe it's still a little too off the walls?"

[lgceunwoo]

from the moment hayoung suggested going for a ride, eunwoo knew that it would be one hell of a time. there's never a dull moment around her after all but even the words she greeted him with sounded omnious this time around. his first glance towards her happens even before they've left the parking lot. "my loyalty?" he asks. "you locked the door, i have no way out." he continues. at that time, he still has a smile playing on his lips. that wouldn't last long.

first missed turn, another glance. at the second, he can't keep his mouth shut: "ya ya ya ya, it's here". too late. not only that, he's met with the last combination of three words he wants to hear right now. his gaze lingers on her this time, absolutely flabbergasted. stunned.

"i definitely feel like a damsel in distress right now," he mumbles back, his complexion gone two shades lighter by that point.

eunwoo isn't the type to talk a lot, however he's usually chatty around his girlfriend. well, not today. he wouldn't even be able to tell which songs played.

"yeah... euhm... i'll go back to my role of designated driver for that." he breathes out. finally, he chuckles at the ridiculousness of the situation. "so, did you scare the instructor into giving you that license? is it even real?" he picks it up, just to be sure. loyalty? very much erroded.

it's almost surprising that it indeed is the real deal. he shakes his head. "okay, no really, tell me how your practical test went." there's more amusement than mirth in his voice. after all, he's never letting her drive again after this, so better enjoy it while it lasts.

♡˖ BUCKLE UP. ( ft. @lgceunwoo )

hayoung grips the steering wheel like it’s a trophy, her license proudly tucked into the cupholder like she’s showing it off to the world — or at least to her very charming boyfriend sitting in the passenger seat. “ready to experience the ride of your life?” she grins, vintage sunglasses slipping down her nose. the car jerks slightly as she pulls out of the lot, a little too fast, but she just hums along to the music like nothing happened. “that wasn’t me,” she says casually. “it was the car testing your loyalty.”

she misses a turn. twice. but hayoung doesn’t even flinch and, instead, just throws a wink over her shoulder and mutters something about 'freestyling the route'. even with the eyes on the street, she can sense eunwoo watching her with that look. the idol steals glances at him at red lights, foot tapping along to the beat, hand occasionally brushing against his on the gear stick just to see him fluster a little. “you like being my passenger princess, don’t lie,” she teases, biting back a smile.

the sky outside turns soft with sunset and the windows are down, wind threading through her hair as they drive nowhere in particular. it’s been a while since they had time like this — just the two of them. she reaches over to turn down the music, just enough to hear his laugh better and says, “next time, i’ll plan a real date. drive-in movie? fancy dinner? getting slightly lost again but on purpose?” hayoung smiles, gaze flicking from the road to him for half a second too long. “told you,” she whispers. “ride of your life.”

[lgceunwoo]

eunwoo's known the two others for long enough to understand their language, and also what they've left unsaid. as he absentmindedly chews on his bottom lip, he leaves a simple replay: wanna come over?

one thing about the young actor, is that no matter how much he acts like a feral cat in his daily interacts, he'll always pull through for his friends when they need him. now, who fit the framework of a friend is rather limited, but akio and noeul are within that small space.

after a text to hayoung to let her know he'll be with the boys and would text her before bed, he tosses his phone somewhere on the sofa and gets up to check what kind of comfort food he might have in his kitchen. already having an inkling that he'd resort to ordering food.

by the time akio arrives, various greasy foods - some dishes, others snacks - are on the table, freshly delivered. he leaves noeul to organize his haul to open to their friend.

the man doesn't even need to speak for eunwoo to know this really bad; the number of beers speak for themselves. "good, i got the food covered" he replies, patting the man's shoulder before leading him to the living room.

✩ — one of those nights

here goes nothing, akio thinks as he presses the doorbell to @lgceunwoo's apartment. he doesn’t usually force plans on his friends on such short notice. they’re all busy with their own lives and it’s important to respect each other’s time. or at least, that’s what he’s learned over the years. not everyone is impulsive like him and suddenly gets the urge to get out of their room and see people. he just can’t do it anymore. can’t spend his evenings curled up in his bed, staring at his phone and hoping things will magically get better.

he sent brief texts to eunwoo and @lgcxnoeul in their group chat, saying he needs to see them. he didn't elaborate, which is unusual. but pretty much everything about his life is unusual right now. his dreams are filled with images of her, of their happy moments together. waking up is akin to torture as he's faced with the reality that she'll no longer be around. he hasn't really told anyone, at least not officially. chose to put his brave and happy face on when going to work, only to lock himself in his room upon coming back to versus' dorm. rinse and repeat. he feels like a robot that's merely accomplishing programmed tasks.

hollow. soulless.

"hey." akio fakes a smile when his friend opens the door. "brought beer," he announces. two bags full of it, actually. by the way his eyes glaze over when he walks inside, one could guess he's already had a few before coming over.

[lgceunwoo]

eunwoo doesn't know how he always ends up in these situations. one minute he's studying stage plays and the next, he is suddenly drafted into playing consultant (?) for yet another extrovert (is this what being haunted feels like?). At least, minji is here to talk about musicals, so she manages to capture his attention. he nods along as she talks, listening to her reasoning for her choices (and predicament). she's right, maybe happy ending would be interesting to see, but just because it is broadway. in his opinion, plays are almost always more enjoyable in their original language.

but then, before he can place a word, she's going through the list and he closes his mouth again. his mind begins to wander as she goes on. if it was him, he'd go watch 'Hamilton', but that's not everyone's cup of tea. safer choices for a group of girls would probably be wicked or alladin. "you want to go with all the members?" he asks. yes, his first question. and he might have opened a pandora box. because minji wouldn't just answer yes or no...

show stoppin' number

starter for @lgceunwoo

even if she ultimately decided not to become a musical actress after all her years in community theatre as a possible broadway prospect, one good thing about legacy is that there are quite a few actors in the company who are involved in musicals. they understand where minji is coming from. so when she found out they were going to new york, and she had no idea which musical to take them to- she went to the first actor who has a familiarity in musicals she could find.

"so, there are a couple options right now that could work? so the first one is maybe happy ending, which could be great because it's originally a korean musical," she says, her mind and words whizzing at quite an impressive speed. "it's got a great story too, and beautiful music, but i also worry about whether or not it might be too boring. it's pretty much straight romance, and i know it can be hit or miss. but it's also probably going to win best musical at the tony's, so it might be really fun to be able to see it if that happens"

she continues scrolling through her phone, calling out every show name that sticks out to her. "ah, death becomes her is a really funny one. i worry it's not a good "first" musical though because the plot is kind of strange.. i'm not actually sure how many musicals the other members have seen?" she doesn't even remember death becomes her was a movie first, her entire head being taken over by musical theatre energy. "ugh... this is so difficult... i have no idea what to choose."

[lgceunwoo]

TYPE: SOLO TIMELINE: APRIL 2023

one thing about youth, is that as you grow older, it becomes harder and harder to let go of. a fatalistic thought coming from a 21-year-old, certainly, but youth isn't limited to age. responsibilities, time management, friendships and relationships are all part of it. and as eunwoo's eyes take in the girl in front of him, he realizes that this is it; she's part of the youth he refuses to let go. almost 7 years, even on and off, is a long time, a third of their lives.

"sejeong" he says, cutting the girl mid-sentence.

she's surprised by the interruption. he's usually so good at listening quietly and giving reactions at the right moment. "what?" she asks, seemingly curious. unsuspecting. after all even he didn't suspect he'd be saying this today

"let's break up" he replies flatly. they haven't argued, they haven't annoyed each other, they were doing just fine, and it's only in this moment of peace and clarity that eunwoo realized that who he is now, doesn't see himself sustaining this relationship much longer.

it's a stunned silence that follows his declarations, until sejeong process the words properly. "what did you say?" she seems flabbergasted. "what the fuck, eunwoo? why suddenly? you wanna fuck another girl or something???"

he sighs and looks away for a moment. his gaze fall back on sejeong. her words sound harsh, but her face only conveys confusion. "no, nothing like that." he replies, keeping his voice even. even if this isn't easy for him either, even if he is breaking his own heart, he knows it's for the best. "you and i don't work together."

"we're doing just fine? we were until now at least!" she's sputtering and talking faster and faster. and she is correct. they are fine. right now. but it's just a question of time before they begin another cycle of breaking up, hurting each other and getting back together. it's not on the horizon yet, but it's inevitable.

her heart is breaking in front of him in ways it has never before. because before, there was always a reason, an excuse. there was always a door left opened for later. but this break up comes out of nowhere. and the two of them know what this means.

he shakes his head. "we can't keep doing this, sejeong. we both know we'll never be able to play happy family. it's better to end it now before this becomes a waste of time for the two of us." he said out loud the quiet part. the one that sejeong refuses to admit right now but she'll come to accept one day.

he wishes she would berate him, make a snarky comment about him coming back. instead, it's silence. the silence of two people who love each other and know this is final.

[lgceunwoo]

EVENT: ACTING PORTFOLIO

if given a chance, would you be interested in being a part of a musical?

yes, those are my preferred work

3 genres that you would enjoy the most?

historical, musical (in general), thriller

3 genres that you wouldn’t enjoy as much?

romance, western, children's film/series

3 character tropes that you would be interested in portraying?

antihero, villain, rebel

3 character tropes that you would dislike portraying?

clown, himbo, jester

list 3 of your favorite fictional characters from any work ( eg. movie, drama, animation, musical, play, games, etc. )

chris chambers (stand by me), mercutio (romeo + juliet version) cloud (final fantasy 7)

acting project pick

character, storyline, staff ( eg. if the director/writer is someone famous ), money.

[lgceunwoo]

his half smile becomes more genuine as jino plays along. had he not... well, eunwoo is too cool to run away, but he certainly would've stopped showing up at work from that moment. too much embarrassment. people always underestimate the lengths he's willing to go to avoid uncomfortable social situations. heck, he had conditioned his little brother by the age 4 to bring food to his bedroom when their parents had guests over.

"damn, sorry man, i'll make sure to comply properly during your next attempt," he says apologetically. jino is the first to crack, and laugh. before he even say so himself, eunwoo could've guessed that this isn't the man's style. he feels more like ray of sunshine than knife in the back. after tossing a handful of peanuts in his mouth, eunwoo shrugs. "who knows, you might be just one audition away from playing a serial killer." the rookie comments. "or an assassin." then considering jino he shakes his head. "i'd see you playing the nice guy who's actually the secret villain. like jigsaw in the punisher 2!" he exclaims while snapping his fingers and pointing at jino like he just had the revelation of the century

deciding a murder at eleven o’clock in the morning? nah — jino surely had other things to do with his time (and he surely was not dressed the part; wouldn’t he be in something much cooler as an assassin than slacks and a white floral knit top?) but he plays along; hand slotted just under his chin as he clicks his tongue in a sentiment close to ‘darn it!’. “damn, you’ve caught on. i guess i have no choice but to go through with it.” he shakes his head, as if sorrowful to share the news of his tarnished assassination attempt. “if you had just taken one peanut, it could have all been over and done with.”

he adds, reaching out to grab a single peanut as if to marvel at the nonexistent poisonous coating, “just one peanut holds enough strychnine to put a 6,000kg elephant do—“ then his words dissolve into a fit of laughter, as if he couldn’t even finish the joke, popping the peanut into his mouth for a healthful crunch, “nah, that’s a dag of a joke, it’s too funny. me? a killer — maybe in another lifetime.” jino was more likely to get taken away by cult apologists than do the budding in this life.

[lgceunwoo]

eunwoo knows his friend well enough to recognize his tells. eunwoo himself would've been more direct in any other situation, but this is a complete other matter. still, he pushes forward, not leaving any space for akio to interrupt or interject.

and then he says it and falls silent.

not too directly, he observes his friend. only nodding to confirm that it's indeed that hayoung he's talking about. but he keeps his mouth shut still. it's a moment for akio to process what he just said and probably think back on the past half-year.

eunwoo doesn't realize he's been holding his breath for a while now until akio's question makes him chuckle. he expected worse somehow. it's a chuckle of relief but also amusement, since hayoung and him have always had the flirt-teasing type of relationship. but the question valid since it hadn't lead to anything before. so he nods. "naturally. in a way...?" that probably doesn't answer or clarify anything for akio. "we've always teased each other. some time after breaking up with sejeong, i kept pestering her for a date. she said she'd consider it if i remained single for at least 6 months." he shrugs. "so i did it." before akio can say anything, he rolls his eyes. "yeah, the reason i was on my celibate arc all that time back then was her." better say it out loud before anyone else does it while poking fun at him. after all, this is quite... domestic of him, the boy who hadn't been single for more than 2 months since he turned 14 years old.

akio stares at his friend, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. isn't that old news? he doesn't know much about the lucky woman, in fact, pretty much nothing at all. but he knows now not to ask too many questions. akio would describe his friend as someone private, who doesn't outright share everything about his life. if they haven't learned much about this new person in his life, akio just assumes it's because he has his reasons. not that he doesn't care. if it were only about him, he would have asked hundreds of questions already.

his confusion only grows the more eunwoo speaks. akio almost interrupts him a few times to tell him to get to the point already. this whole preamble is only making him restless. then he hears 'hayoung' and forgets everything else his friend just said. the context, the explanation. everything goes flying out of his brain. "hayoung... you mean our hayoung?"

as if they know fifteen of them. of course it's their hayoung. and this changes things, somehow. the pieces of information come back one at a time. since the beginning of the year. that's months. months of not knowing his two best friends are dating. for once in his life, akio is speechless. "how did um... how did you two... how did it um... start?" it feels so awkward. part of him feels like a damn fool for not seeing, even though he knows it wasn't malicious on their part.

[lgceunwoo]

EVENT: PROJECT SD PART 2 REQUIREMENT: ALLURE KOREA

one might expect eunwoo to be awkward filming these type of videos, but not at all; if it's him talking to a camera with a couple of people behind it directing him, he has no issues. it might appear paradoxical until one remembers he studied acting in college. therefore, his social issues only arise when he has to... well, socialize.

a little awkwardly, a seated eunwoo raises both hands to wave at the camera. "hey allure, my name is jo eunwoo. i play jang daepyo in the stage play 'warrior baek dong-soo'" he doesn't try to act differently than usual. both because his reserved nature is part of his charm and because he doesn't want people to get the wrong impression of him. in fact, if his actions deter viewers from becoming rabid fans, he considers it a win.

QUESTION: something new that happened recently

"something new that happened to me recently..." he might appear like he's thinking about what to say, but spontaneity isn't eunwoo's forte; so he prepared for this. "i realized i'm getting old." saying this nonsense himself makes the hint of a smile appear on his lips while the pds chuckle behind the camera. "my younger brother and i have a big age gap. a couple of days ago, while talking with him, i couldn't understand half of what he was saying. and suddenly, he was teaching me all the 'hip' slangs the kids use these days." he shakes his head and snorts "i kept thinking 'i guess my prime has passed'". the people behind the camera seem to appreciate his story and, likely have had similar experience themselves.

"speaking of my brother, my first favorite item is on my bag." he unclips the keychain from said bag so the camera can take a close-up of it. "he gave it to me for my birthday. he told me he picked this one since my nickname at home is 'crown prince'." he lowers his gaze while he says that, slightly embarrassed. "his is 'charmain jo', so i have a hard time finding a keychain for him. if anybody has suggestions, please tell me."

QUESTION: how have you been relaxing during practices for the stage play?

"i didn't do anything particular this time around, actually. our practices included learning swordplay, and i really took to it. it didn't feel like work, so i took extra lessons." he explains. "since my character is supposed to be a teacher, it's actually a win-win. i get to have fun and, simultaneously, i get valuable experience for our fight scenes during the play." this is the first time that a production has stimulated him that much. "but otherwise, i stay home, i read, listen to music and play games like FIFA." he's really just a boy.

he produces the next item from his bag. well, items; earbuds and on-ear headphones. "i really like all kinds of music and choosing between acting or singing was really hard. i'm happy with my decision to pursue acting, but, i wouldn't be able to live without music in my life. so i always have those with me. depending of the activity and mood, i use one or the other."

QUESTION: this is your first work as an actor under legacy agency, how are you feeling?

he nods and smiles sheepishly. "i'm rather confident when it comes to acting, however, there's a different type of pressure that comes with being a rookie under legacy agency. my sunbaes are all very talented and are making their mark on the industry in various ways already. there's some prestige in being from legacy agency and, i want to keep to that standard. even if i'm confident in my skills, i cannot control how i will be received." he explains before concluding with his first full smile of the interview: "yeah, i'm a bit nervous."

finally, he presents his last favorite item; a notebook. it has more meaning to him than he can let on since it's a gift from his girlfriend, but there's more to it than a sentimental attachment. "my last favorite item is this notebook. first, i love the sleek look of it, it's really my style. this is where i write my notes, thoughts and advice i receive for work. i can measure my progress through it, and keep track of various things. if i ever lose this, it'll be the end of me." he chuckles slightly.

"thank you for having me, allure. this has been rookie actor jo eunwoo. bye bye!"

[lgceunwoo]

EVENT: ACTING MISSION 021 REQUIREMENT: SAMSUNG VLOG

even if he hasn't filmed anything properly during his time in legacy, as an acting bachelor's degree owner, he's experienced himself directing and producing content for various classes and projects. his opinion? tedious. because of this, he knew from the moment he began writing down his vlog concept that he would hate every second of it. the downside of being fuelled by spite; doing too much. of course, he could've backtracked and do something more straightforward, hold the camera himself and follow the rest of the plan. however, doing it this way doesn't feel like him. the execution might be more complex since he'll have to constantly set up and move his camera, but it'll feel more like him to have a vlog at the third person, so to speak.

the concept is rather simple; a half-day routine, so to speak, beginning with him waking up (well, play waking up). the first steps of his morning routine could be considered asmr, as he wakes up, makes his bed, wash his teeth and his face. he goes off camera and reappers already dressed up in sports clothes. this is when he picks up the Galaxy Buds and places them in his ears with ease (that was practiced yes). "bixby, play me something nice" as soon as he's done talking, pado of type zero begins playing.

the following footage are quick shots of him tying up his hair, tying his shoes, running around some of the nicest area of UN village and finally practicing boxing with a coach, all to the rhythm to the song. after an obligatory beauty shot out, sitting on a bench, sweaty and out of breath, the scene completely changes. it's implied that it's later in the day, he's changed into nice clothes. something much cleaner and dandier than his usual style, but it fits the vibe he's going for.

this time his stop is a cafe. he sits at table, open a book he brought with him and press on his earbuds, right away the sound cuts. perfect silence to concentrate. when a waitress comes to talk to him, he presses again to show the ambiance mode without having to remove the devices. silently he thank her for his coffee. more beauty shots as he drinks and reads, pado playing softly in the background. then a call on his phone. the screen reads "mom". he picks up the call with the earbud, while closing the book and exiting the cafe. his conversation cannot be heard, still just the music, but as he walks on the busy streets, the conversation continues, until he reaches a street corner and wave at a woman. though her face cannot be seen, her style and slight features visible hint that he's found his mother.

the earbuds come off and cut.

not bad for his first self produced work

[lgceunwoo]

EVENT: ACTING MISSION 021 REQUIREMENT: SAMSUNG BTS

yeah yeah, we know; eunwoo isn't about that commercial/screen life. he was planning on grumbling about it quietly (in his head) and maybe miss the deadline, when it hit him; he was turning into his parents. the reason why eunwoo took so much time moving to lgc agency in the first place was because his parents considered idols music and artists inferior. in fact, they didn't even consider them proper artists, just manufactured products. since they saw this path in such a bad light, it appealed to him even more.

however, raising his nose on dramas and cfs as an actor is him the same as them in his own filed, no? the realization hit a little too close to home and humbled him simultaneously. he had to sit down for a few minutes after that. he's never considered himself elitist for his lack of interest in acting in dramas and cfs. however, stage and film actors are often seen as the cream of the crop even within the acting community. and maybe unintentionally, he's been internalizing this belief for a long time now (he suspects since college).

while taking his notebook out, this time eunwoo grumbles to himself. not over the task itself but over the fact that he's going to have to take this (and any future voluntold modeling opportunities) seriously. he cannot and will not become like his parents. thankfully, running on spite alone has always made him perform better. normally, mapping his film would've taken him several days of white page syndrome, followed by several days of jotting down notes only to erase them and restart the next day, and one of two crises of dissatisfaction with his final draft. with spite, there's none of that. his pen rolls on the paper smoothly. ideas flow and connect naturally. one page, two pages, drawings, angles... he only stops once he's done and lets out a sigh of relief.

now, on to the next step to not be like his parents; shooting.

[lgceunwoo]

"didn't say that" eunwoo answers and shrugs. if he has to be honest, his words came out more as an automatic response than actual thoughts. eunwoo just likes going against people's expectations (to some degree) and jino somehow stumbled on the correct word combination to trigger eunwoo's contrarian nature. "just curious." it's not exactly a lie since peanuts wouldn't be his personal choice. considering he's less likely to get hungry than feel tired or lack sugar, eunwoo would likely have a small pack of gummies in his pockets than anything. he also always has energy bars in his bag. those are a must. plus there are allergies to consider. unlike jino however, the rookie wouldn't think about his peers' hypothetical hunger. he's the selfishness to jino's kindness or something like that.

"nah." this time, he grabs the pack from the other boy's hands. the day did begin quite early and the snack couldn't hurt. "they just wouldn't be my first choice. unless i wanted to murder someone. but then again, i think there are far more effective methods than betting on a fatal anaphylactic shock to do the job, you see." eunwoo continues conversationally while opening the snack. then, right as he's about to toss a peanut in his mouth, he stops. "you're not trying to kill me, right?" he could've kept the charade going, but jino doesn't know him and wouldn't realize that he's probably joking, so he cracks a smile.

by nature — whether it was truly nurture or nature was up to debate but having his own parents’ ( and even his sister’s ) personalities in mind — jino could deduce that whether he liked it or not, he was destined to be an extrovert. 

he had taken all the sports he could think of joining as a kid, fell into boy scouts and continued up the organization until secondary school when his time became limited and his sports ran up all his time, tried out for any club that would take him ( which were most of them, surprisingly ) and had even joined student council at one point. he was just that outgoing, a dedicated mood-maker wherever he went and to some fault, unaware of it at times of how forward he could be. especially in a society like korea where many liked to keep to themselves and sit behind a boundary of civility, jino was far from a wallflower.

for lack of better words: social anxiety had truly met its maker in the form of the social butterfly that was moon jino.

he looks from the other then to his opened pack of peanuts, taking an amused pause but, nevertheless, continues to keep his arm outstretched for the other. “so — no to the peanuts, then?” he says in reply rather than in answer to the other’s abrupt question. 

but then he mulls over for an answer, a thought to how to answer. why did he have a packet of peanuts on hand — it wasn’t like it was a usual thing, but it also was a far cry from a one time thing. he could definitely recall a handful of times he’s done this exact thing to someone else, but never had they called him out on it before.

“i guess in case i got hungry? if someone else gets hungry? it’s nice to be prepared.” funny considering jino lacked the foresight to be prepared for a good 80% of his life without pause or regard. “they don’t stain your teeth, they’re also a good source of protein. problem is if you eat too much your breath gets kind of rank after a while. wait — don't tell me, you're a peanut hater?” he's teasing, but he couldn't help it.

[lgceunwoo]

@lgckyoka :

It’s Christmas, so of course Kyoka is up at an absurdly early hour, dropping off her gifts for everyone. Obviously, she’s not a stalker so she has no clue where Eunwoo lives, but that’s OK: after a lot of asking and a lot of begging she’s managed to get her gift, a small box with 25 wishing stars and a print of the disgruntled My Sweet Piano she drew along with a richly decorated (read: brimming with stickers and bows) handmade card, handed over to his manager a week ago to be delivered today. She keeps the message simple. 

Merry xmas and happy 2025, Piano-chan is still a flop 🍀🍓🎀 

—————————————————

it’s no surprise to anyone that the last thing eunwoo would expect is to receive a gift on christmas. the first reason is evident since he’s an introvert with asocial tendencies. the second reason is that his family never celebrated christmas due to the religion they affiliate to (practice would be too great of a word, really) that’s why the only gift he prepared is for hayoung, but he wouldn’t see her for a couple more days. thankfully, his manager handed him the gift directly instead of leaving it at his door or something; otherwise, he might have freaked out and wondered if he had a stalker or something. 

as soon as he frees the gift from its package, his curiosity quickly changes into bemusement. even before reading the note, he has an idea from who this comes from. and indeed, the message doesn’t disappoint. he snorts. “two can play that game, kongsuni” he whispers under his breath. “just you wait…”

after promising retaliation, eunwoo picks up one star, rolling it between two fingers. wouldn’t this fit nicely with the decoration of his spare bedroom? 

[lgceunwoo]

eunwoo's introverted nature doesn't come from any type of lack of self-confidence. in fact, some could consider him as conceited with the amount of self-love that he displays. at least, he considers it as displaying, but his stone-cold nature seems to make it difficult for others to read him. how can no one notice the slight upward tug at the corner of his lips as he admires his reflection in the mirror? it's hard for him to understand why people hate 'cuter' looks. with a white fluffy hat, pink-tinted lips, and shiny eye makeup that accentuates his feline-like eyes, eunwoo himself likes what he sees in the mirror. his parents truly blessed him genetically. in his late teens, to playfully annoy them he sometimes thank them for birthing someone as handsome as himself. their reaction was always priceless, often ending with his father chasing him away, but he knows they actually appreciated his cheekiness.

while he barely ever posts on sns, this doesn't mean he doesn't take selfies. leaning against a wall on his own in a corner backstage, he's just about to begin taking pictures, fixing his bangs for optimized cuteness when he's approached by jino. big wide eyes slowly travel from his screen to the man waving at him and definitely coming his direction. he almost glances over his shoulder to check if the other man could be waving at someone else, but considering the wall against his back, this cannot be the case.

well... ain't just that embarrassing.

slowly, eunwoo lowers his phone. "hum, yeah...?" he answers the question, wondering if maybe a manager had sent the other over to deliver a message. but then, jino introduces himself (as if eunwoo had never met him before today), to which eunwoo replies with a simple nod, and asks if he wants... peanuts?

a moment of silence, during which eunwoo is trying to make sense of whatever is going on "i'm sorry but... why do you keep peanuts in your pockets? he blurts out. is this a new ice-breaking trend? or does the other man like to feed random critters on the streets? and above all; why are extroverted like this???

BON BON CHOCOLAT ⋆ @lgceunwoo / a year in and jino couldn’t say that he had grown used to doing photoshoots. they weren’t uncomfortable — no, it wasn’t that. it was more like he hated the leeway of the in between. the waiting for his turn, the shots taken between artists, the change of the camera; of the angle; of the lights — whatever else that made the day drag on so much longer than it needed to.

it was these moments that he disliked. and in these moments, it brought out his more curious side — often seen as a bad sign as it was a slippery slope to him doing or saying something he probably shouldn’t. or worse, provoking others to do the same — in kind, it probably looked to the staff like he was getting comfortable, socializing, schmoozing; for jino, it was his way of staving off his boredom. 

finding someone he hadn’t quite gotten to know quite well was easy, the first person he comes across right off the bat, leaving the makeup trailer, immediately had jino gravitating towards them. a hand waved and a smile thrown their way — jino was probably a little too forward, a little too friendly, but that was hardly here nor there. “hey — uh,” his brain racks for a name, he’s heard it once or twice before in passing. “eunwoo, right?” oh, wait — the other probably didn’t know his name, did he? “jino, the name’s jino. we saw each other in wardrobe earlier.” his hands immediately scramble for an in, reaching the depths of his pockets for — “want some peanuts?” 

[lgceunwoo]

eunwoo chuckles quietly. well, his mother definitely isn't wrong. it's not like anyone would miss his arrival anywhere considering his height and visuals, but his clumsiness make him appear friendlier somehow. "hmm... i think i get what she means." he replies. oh, he could explain to kiyong what he means by that, but where would be the fun if he gave away his answer freely. as an extrovert magnet, he's learn quite a few tricks to make them squirm, much to his own amusement. considering the pleasure he gets in rilling them up, the actor still doesn't understand why they want to befriend him. he's such a terrible person.

"no" he replies frankly to the other boy. "i always have a purpose when i go out. even if it's just to take a walk, i know the path i'm gonna take." he explains. right, another extroverted thing. kiyong might be one of the most 'e' person in his life. even comparing to noeul's involuntary wife... he shudders just at the thought of running into her random like that. yeah no, kiyong is definitely not like that.

the boy shakes his head. well that's a lot of negative today... "just practicing on my own today" he would've offer more words, but kiyong trudges on and eunwoo feels his social battery draining. he doesn't even give an answer to kiyong's first question, only reacts at his offer, by sputtering. "uh? wha-? me?" so much... chaos and not the type that entertains him. "i-- we often play soccer for fun with other people from legacy." that's why he's here to practice. "why don't you join us? we can play together today instead of going on an... adventure." yep that's the only thing he can think of to get out of this.

Kiyong may be something of a klutz, but his profession with the matter makes it easier for him to untangle himself from situations he's inevitably gotten himself into. He miraculously manages to set the bicycle upright, keeping its tires straight enough to push along the walkway without impeding his stride too much — nor Eunwoo's. He offers the other a weary grin, his eyes constantly darting downward to prevent any further entanglements from happening. He mutters a quick 'thanks' under his breath when he's shot the quippy compliment, quickly moving on to answer the other questions.

"Well... My mom always said that I had a way of making myself known! Whatever that means... I would have to assume that it's a good thing? Like I command the room or something!" Although, he doubts it, given his tendency to ramble. It was more so that he sure knew how to stumble into the scene. While his mind reels, his gaze follows the soccer ball Eunwoo occupies his time with, nearly losing his train of thought trying to predict where it will bounce next.

"Oh, right... Me? I was just riding around and seeing where my whims will take me! Have you ever done that before? Just... left the house and thought to yourself... 'today, I'm gonna go wherever I feel like' and it's kinda like a mini adventure."

He reaches up and scratches the side of his neck — a habit of his that he had yet to get over. "What about you? Where are you going...?" he reaches over and gently pokes his pointer finger against the soccer ball. "Playing soccer? Or did you just finish having a game?" he pauses, leaning away, then leaning forward again to huff out a bashful laugh. "Sorry. Asking a lot of questions! I can't help it. My mom also always said that I'm naturally curious. But... I think that's a good thing, don't you?"

Another short pause. "Do you wanna come with me? On my adventure to nowhere?"

[lgceunwoo]

eunwoo feigns being offended by hayoung's betrayal, much to wonwoo's delight. "there's nothing fair about that! you're two against one!" he replies, already backing away from his two opps. his shifts his stance, lowering his center of gravity, ready to bound away from them as soon as they get closer to him. meanwhile, wonwoo's tension is visibly rising, ready to pounce on his brother.

hayoung's whisper almost gets him to stop. "but it's my duty to show him struggle! he needs to learn to fight for what he wants!" the young man half joking, half serious; there's no actual other reason for this than to get his brother rilled up.

but then, his gaze meets hayoungs and he falters. her eyes could melt an icerberg. right there, she almost has him. almost... until, the voice of their mother rang behind them. she doesn't even sigh, yet her words still convey the feeling; "not in the living room, boys."

it's like she pulled a trigger. one second he's wavering in front of hayoung, the next he's sprinting towards the basement where the family room is. while he's steps and exit quiet, wonwoo's is the complete opposite. "nuna! he's getting away!" the child yells and rushes after him. "come!" he orders hayoung, glancing over his shoulder to make sure that his new butler... employee... subject... playmate is indeed following him.

hayoung winks and flashes a warm smile at her boyfriend. "oh, i'd never try to compete with her cooking. besides, i'm on a mission to win her heart today so..." it's not like her to act like someone she is not and she wouldn't start now, but maybe she could try to control her silly jokes in front of the woman ( like about her being the main event ).

and so far, everything is under control. or was under control.

she is in the middle of greeting his parents when she hears footsteps, each one getting louder than the former until the boy reveals himself and runs toward her. hayoung stumbles and steps on the skirt of her hanbok, but manages to right herself to hug the boy, her smile widening enough to make her eyes disappear into two crescent moons. "nuna was counting the days to see you!" she says gently, shaking her head with a smile as to say to their mom that his abrupt greeting was not a problem. to be honest, she is more surprised by the next hug from the elegant woman, yet she smiles wider, taking it as a good sign.

then, in the blink of an eye, she turns and finds eunwoo teasing the child with the gift she brought like any good older sibling, and hayoung couldn’t help but giggle at the sight of the two brothers — so different yet so alike in their playful antics. hayoung instantly recognizes the face the boy makes and knows he is about to go into full little brother attack mode. “mm okay, okay! let’s make it fair,” hayoung jumps in, skipping over to wonwoo’s side with a grin. “nuna will help you, wonwoo! if we team up, hyung doesn’t stand a chance!” she glances over at eunwoo and shrugs, letting out a small laugh.

there is something heartwarming about it and the idol feels a little rush of happiness, but it doesn't escape her that his mom probably wouldn't be thrilled if they all started some tug-of-war in the middle of the living room before lunch, so she softly whispers to eunwoo, "just give it to him" before moving to his side with a wide smile.