mindeullebe

[mindeullebe]

Min had never actually been drunk before. Perhaps because he was nervous about adverse affects on his health, or merely because he didn't feel he had any friends who'd want to drink with him. His usual circle were more of the studious type. Tonight, he'd agreed to go out with some new friends he'd made from the dance department, and after the first hour spent awkwardly standing near the bar and watching his friends gyrate like the world depended on the perfect twirling of their hips, they'd somehow managed to drag him out with them, once they'd poured enough liquor down his throat. Turns out fruity cocktails really do go down a treat.

He must be doing something right, he realises once he's on the dance floor, twisting his hips the same way his friends had done, and they all cheer. For the first time in his life he feels wild and free. The youth he'd let almost entirely slip through his fingers was finally enveloping him in a swaddle of glitter and neon lights. He's losing himself to the music, eyes closed and arms raised above the heads of the people surrounding him, a strange temperature difference making goosebumps rise on his forearms.

Then there are hands on his waist, and someone pressed against his back. Someone broad, and solid, and just that little bit taller than him, perhaps only a few centimetres, but it makes all the difference when Min looks over his shoulder at him. He's handsome, in a pretty way, with fluffy hair and muscles that seem to threaten to tear the seams of his shirt apart. Min had never felt this small in his life, and yet instead of making him feel vulnerable, it felt exciting. He twirls in the man's grip, his arms raising to wind around his neck as he sways against him. "I'm Min," he says, leaning close to speak his name right into the man's ear, his lips brushing against the shell of it, "what's your name?"

𝒊'𝒎 𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒐𝒕 —

written for 𝐜𝐡𝐨 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐞 ( @mindeullebe ) ♡

myungsoo clocks him the second he walks in. same face. same mouth. same sharp collarbones glinting under the strobe. but this one moves different. this is softer in all the right ways.

not the the other twin brother who he saw wear turtlenecks in july and left poetry books in the kitchen a few months back. no—this one's soaked in sweat and glitter, hips rolling like the bass is wired straight into his spine. mindeulle, someone shouts near the bar. that name hits like a shot of mezcal, warm and dirty, and suddenly myungsoo's already moving, drink forgotten, pulse syncing to the beat.

he's not thinking about what his brother would say anymore. just about that mouth, parted and glistening, and the way mindeulle’s ass would feel pressed up against his thigh. he slides into the rhythm, brushes skin to skin. he grinds against him. myungsoo grins, teeth bared like a dare. this is going to be a problem. he hopes it lasts all night.

fuck.

[mindeullebe]

[ BRIDGES TO MEND ]

𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐀'𝐒 𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓, Seoul, SK May, 2025 w. 𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐀 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐀

The last time Mindeulle saw Shouta, they'd both been crying. Min, breaking both of their hearts, had broken things off, 'for Shouta's benefit'. He still believed that to be true. Who wanted a boyfriend who was stuck in hospital? Who's health overtook their life over and over again. He'd set him free, and in doing so, he'd lost the only person he'd ever loved. They'd stay in touch, he'd told Shouta. They could still be friends, he'd told Shouta. Yet their messages were sparse, and lacked the feeling they used to hold. Both retained too much hurt and sorrow, and so they'd left their chat room dusty for far too long.

Min had never stopped loving him, even after months apart. He'd lain awake thinking about the boy with the bunny teeth and catlike eyes. He loved him with every fibre of his being, and being without him hurt more than any sickness he'd ever endured. It's what had led to his inevitable return to Shouta's doorstep, ready to grovel for forgiveness, though he knew he'd have to be the luckiest man on earth to win his affections back after breaking his heart, regardless of whether he'd broken his own in the process. It takes a full ten minutes of standing a few metres down the corridor from Shouta's front door for him to finally muster up the courage to just go over and knock. As soon as he does, though, his stomach drops into his feet and he feels like he might faint. He should have texted ahead of time, warned Shouta he was coming. What if he was with a new man? A man better, healthier, stronger than Min? It would be what Shouta deserved, of course, but Min could already feel his heart bleeding at the mere idea of it. What did he even intend to say to him, past 'I'm sorry'? What could he say to make any of it better? At the very least, they had a lot to talk about. Bridges to mend.

[mindeullebe]

Min hadn't gotten into any new groups in a long time. In fact, it had been a few years since he'd paid great attention to the realm of kpop. He'd tried, somewhat, to 'grow' out of it. That childhood dream of becoming one himself would never come true, and he'd known that from the very beginning, when he sat in his hospital room gazing at the glittery people dancing on the TV screen. But in recent months, when he'd been pushing his body to the extremes, going further than he ever thought was possible for him, he'd found his usual music tastes just weren't cutting it for the gym. He needed something with higher energy, and that was when his sights returned to kpop.

It was during this new foray into the modern music of Korean youth that he found Vybe—a group with eyecatching young men and music that made him run just a little bit faster. He liked the youthful sound, the sunny music videos, the boy with the catlike eyes that reminded him of someone special.

And so, unbeknownst to anyone in his everyday life, he'd attended a fansign. He'd been shy about it, surrounded by girls over a head shorter than him, all squealing (and some peering up at him between distracted displays of mild hysteria), while he weakly cheered, overly self-conscious of the pitch difference between his own voice and those of the fans surrounding him.

But it had been fun in the end. He'd found he got a relaxed and pleasant reception from each of the members—perhaps they were pleased that they had a male fan, maybe it was a sort of novelty, something uncommon, noteworthy, memorable. Min wouldn't have considered himself memorable, and yet here his bias is, remembering him, in a small cafe he'd only stepped into for his cheat treat of the week. They'd only spoken for about two minutes, and yet Noel remembered him, and even remembered his name. "Oh my god- I mean yeah, yeah I was. I... I'm surprised you remember me, after meeting all those people." Act cool, he tells himself firmly, and yet he can already feel his hands shaking.

recognizable

noel honestly hadn’t been prepared for how busy idol life would be. noel had always been busy basically, used to handle multiple jobs while being a student, then handling multiple jobs while being a trainee. once he joined project green, he quit his jobs to focus solely on debuting, figuring, hey, no more work i’ll finally be less busy, that wasn’t the case, and it especially wasn’t the case once he debuted. it was schedule after schedule, and noel felt like he rarely got any breaks.

it was fun though, it was fun performing on stage and interacting with fans, and noel was truly happy he had gotten to debut. and while he has a short break, he heads down to a café to grab something to drink and eat. he’s wearing his cap and his facemask like usual, not that he gets recognized that much, it’s more so just become a habit. 

he’s looking at the menu when a familiar face catches his eyes “min?” ( @mindeullebe ) and he speaks before even thinking. is he allowed to interact with fans outside of fansigns, and is it inappropriate for noel to be the one to approach a fan? ah well, noel is still a new idol, he’ll make mistakes. he quickly pulls down his facemask briefly, just so the other can see his face. “you were uh, you were at vybe’s last fansign weren’t you?” good thing noel is good at remembering names and faces.

[mindeullebe]

hi all! it's me, bear (he/him) back at it again with my boi mindeulle, twin brother of @jindallaebe !! you can find more info about min here, but i'll leave some info under a read more here for quick food for plotting. in short, currently min is in his final year of a korean lit. degree at snu, graduating next feb. however, over the winter he came down with pneumonia (due to longstanding health issues from when he was a kid that flare up now and the) and had to step back from all social life stuff for a while (if anyone remembers the last time min was here, that's the story of where he's been all this time).

anyway, i would love to plot with any and all, so if you'd like to plot please like this and i'll hope into your dms.

as a child, min was pretty poorly, thanks to being born premature and weak (i blame jin for stealing all the strength in the womb)

he spent a lot of his childhood in and out of the hospital with infections and flus that were doing a number on him, or pneumonia or asthma

this led to him getting bullied quite a bit at school since he was taken out a few times and it singled him out as 'different' to the other kids, but he was lucky that he had jin to protect him

as he got older he did get stronger, but he's always been physically a little behind other guys his age strength and stamina-wise, especially since his brother has always been a lot more strong and fit than him

since he spent so much time alone in hospital or recovering at home when he was young, he developed a great love of books, and a strong, albeit slightly more secret interest in kpop. he'd seen music shows on the tv in the hospital and had grown to love the idea of performing in fun outfits, singing and dancing on a stage with bright lights and people cheering, but he knew he could never do that; he'd never be strong enough

he did well in school thanks to having so much time to study since he had very little social life. during high school he did succeed in making a small group of friends, but they were all more 'bookish' so kept their grades up alongside him

after his first semester at univserity (sept. 2020) he enlisted in non-active military service (due to his health), and after 2 years, he returned to university (sept. 2022)

he's mainly been focusing on his studies, but after his last bought of illness, and having to give up something very dear to him, he decided he's never letting his health get in the way again and has been working out since earlier this year to try and strengthen his body and his immune system

right now he's got his head in his books, but he's trying to turn his life around a bit from being aout nothing but studying and being sick. he doesn't want to let his health ever hold him back again

[mindeullebe]

Min had never been an excceptionally confident person. His youth hadn't set him up to be, when he'd suffered at the hands of bullies until Jindallae caught wind and stepped in. But, even if people weren't benig mean openly, he was made to feel different. He felt excluded due to his many absences and his obvious health issues. He'd been practically glued to an inhaler for a good few years, had been the only child drencing himself in hand-santiser so often his hands were dry and cracked during the winter. He just wanted to be normal, but elementary school had beaten into him the belief that he never would be. That feeling of being different stayed with him in many ways even till today, despite much of it subsiding during his high school years, when he found some semblance of popularity. It was different to his brother's though--Jindallae was cool, Mindeulle was smart, studious, agreeable and reliable. He'd found other students respected him, now that he no longer missed many days, and kept up a little more during sports. Yet still, now, he's reminded that confidence is sort of a foreign feeling to him. It seems to come from somewhere entirely unfamiliar within himself as he light-heartedly plays with Shouta.

It help that his object of Min's affections always seems so agreeable to his attention in all the ways it's so far been given. Even as he pretends to be annoyed by the mild teasing about his height, Min can tell he liked it, and the boost that gives his ego is entirely unspeakable. Speaking of ego boosts, Shouta's reaction to the meal does wonders for it, and Min can't help the broad smile that splits his face in two.

"Mmm... Well, it could be the water chestnuts I put in, or that I've been cooking the meat for about 9 hours now." He's not entirely sure how to react to compliments on his cooking. It almost feels wrong--he's not the cook of the house; he's nothing compared to Jin when it comes to making good meals. But it's nice to know he can please Shouta. Cooking seems like something someone would want their partner to be at least somewhat passable at.

And there it is, that thought that had been ever-present in Mindeulle's mind recently. He had to admit it to himself; he wanted something serious with Shouta. He wanted more than just casual dating and the risk of losing him to some other man who might come along and whisk him away with even better cooking skills, and probably sports skills as well, knowing Min's luck. "I'm glad you like it. Jin's a much better cook, but... I wanted to make something for you myself. So I could put a lot of love into it." For a moment, he goes quiet, just taking the chance to look at Shouta. As much as he likes being taller than him, and looking down to speak to him, this is nice too. There's something almost intimate about it. Looking right into his eyes like this feels like opening a door inside himself and welcoming Shouta in, throwing light into dark corners he'd never shown anyone before.

Without realising, he'd stepped closer, right up to Shouta's knees, so they were close enough to feel each other's breath on their skin. "You're making me blush..." He whispers, before he leans in and presses a delicate kiss to his pretty little rosebud lips.

when mindeulle tells him that he has the perfect job for him, shouta looks at him; his head tilting to one side. "mm?" he hums, smiling. "what's that? you'll come to find that i'm really handy in the kit—" before he's able to finish his sentence, he feels min's hand overtake his own, and the feeling of their palms' embrace makes it difficult for him to remain on the same train of thought. instead, he focuses in on how much bigger mindeulle's hand is, in comparison to his own.

it makes his heartbeat escalate, a blush burns away at his cheeks, and he blissfully allows himself to be guided wherever he's wanted, almost as if he's in some sort of trance or stupor; completely and willingly handing control of himself over to his senior.

hormones. they're so silly sometimes. even something as simple as this can cause them to rev and purr. shouta is trying his best not to listen them much. restraint is important, too. however, it becomes even more difficult to ignore his blatant attraction when he's literally swept off of his feet, and placed on the countertop; his face flushing an even more potent scarlet than before.

oh, he's strong... he thinks to himself, fearing that his heart's incessant pounding can be heard outside of his own body, even if it's irrational. a part of him feels like he's being made fun of, but he also isn't reading what's happening as anything negative. instead, the reality of their difference in stature is made more obvious because of this, and he can't help but swoon at it.

so he enjoys men who are larger than he is. sue him.

"whoa..." he croaks afterwards, flustered. though, before he's able to form any other thoughts, he's met with a spoonful of their dinner hovering in his face, and when mindeulle's jokes continue, he rolls his eyes playfully. "watch it, you..." shouta half-heartedly threatens, then leans into taste test their meal. the instant the flavors mingle with his tastebuds, he hums; the depth of them perfect for this time of year.

"wow, that's... like, that's really good!" eyes widen at it, and he looks over to mindeulle; beaming. "what did you put in there? i've had galbi-jjim before, but this is, like, different. like, in a very good way!"

this is one of his favorite things, to be honest; trying other peoples' food. every family has secret recipes, so he wonders if this is one of theirs. "i love the level of spice in this. honestly, that's my favorite thing about korean food. i love how spicy it is." he remarks, looking over to mindeulle. "it's nice to be a little more eye-level with you. i like this view... i get to look at your face without my neck cramping up." with that, he laughs, his self-deprecating humor always shining through.

"your face is so handsome, too..."

[mindeullebe]

Mindeulle hadn't always celebrated Halloween. As a child, he'd seen movies from America where kids went out, dressed as ghosts, or vampires, or witches, and got pillowcases filled with candy, and he'd desperately wanted to experience something like that. But, it wasn't really something his family, or anyone he knew, celebrated. At least not to the extent where they'd go trick-or-treating. But Mindeulle always loved putting out his little pumpkin shaped tealight holders and plastic skeletons around his room to put him in the spooky season mood.

As he'd gotten older, Halloween had become much more popular among people in Korea, though it seemed to be mostly teens and older who'd dress up and go out. His first time dressing up he'd decided to be a vampire. It was an easy costume, and he still had a picture from that night stuck on his wall, reminding him of happy, youthful memories. Tonight, however, he was dressed as a glow in the dark skeleton, having just finished the race with Noel, and was perusing the stalls, wondering if Shouta might like anything from any of them.

A woman strikes up a conversation, and after an initial moment of panic, wondering if she knew him but he'd somehow met and forgotten her, he decides, no, he'd never seen her before and says, "yeah, I can't imagine being able to paint like that."

He looks over at her, then back at the paintings and asks, "do you think you'll buy one?"

━━ halloween market◞ monster mash.·( @mindeullebe )

the market stalls have filled themselves to the brim with trinkets and toys just waiting to be touched by the grubby hands of children. "oh can i get this one? it's my favorite character," and "pretty, pretty, please," can be heard as jiayi makes her way through the crowd. she laughs, but of course these objects catch her attention too.

a stall in particular catches her eye, one with what looks to be filled with things of the handmade sort. prints line the tent behind the shopkeeper, big and small. the theme for the artwork is the holiday they're currently celebrating. ultimate, she's intrigued enough to stop by and take a closer look.

as her eyes briefly glance over the artist's work, she notices another market-goer next to her admiring the paintings as well.

"these are good, right? they really capture the essence of halloween," jiayi chuckles, trying to make small talk with the stranger. "i wish i was half as talented."

[mindeullebe]

Mindeulle had never really thought of himself as a bad cook, but Jin had always been the one to instincively cook them dinner and look after Min, so he hadn't had many opportunities in the past to hone his cooking skills. However, he'd made an effort to at least learn the basics, and how to avoid burning things or blowing stuff up or setting fire to anything. So far, he'd never had a truly terrible kitchen disaster. He doesn't think of himself as a wonderful cook by any means, so when Shouta comments on the smell, saying it smells 'delicious', a bubble pf pride floats up through Min's chest, his back straightening, as if he's almost puffing out his chest at the compliment.

"I made galbi-jjim!" Honestly, he's pretty proud of himself, given how difficult the dish is with all the meat preparation and the length of cooking involved. But, it's a favourite of his, so he effort seemed worth it. "Oh? Well, happy Tsukimi! What did you bring?" As Shouta tells him about the things he made with his mother, he can't help but smile. He wonders how close Shouta and his mom are, and what being close to your mother's like. He imagines cooking alongside his own mother, but quickly the imagining is ruined by his brain making her nag at him about something mid-cooking. He loves his mother, but he's not sure he'd want to cook anything with her. Some things are better done separately.

"I'm sure they're incredible." Shouta's distracting. It's something that Mindeulle had already learnt from their first date. He has this smile that draws you in, his cat-like eyes shining and his pretty, blushing cheeks all round and soft. He reminds Min, in some ways, of a little fairy, or some creature that, when no one's looking, turns into a fox and dashes off into the forest. But, Shouta is nothing like a fox in personality; he's far too sweet. Foxes are notoriously mischievous creatures. But Shouta, and his eagerness to help, to say kind things and make Min feel so very special surely separates him from the naughtiness of those bushy-tailed canines.

"Mmm... I have the perfect job for you actually." There's only a moment's hesitation, before Min reaches out with feigned confidence and takes Shouta's hand to lead him further into the kitchen, where the galbi-jjim sits bubbling on the little stovetop. Then, he pretends he's assessing Shouta, his eyes narrowed as he peers over him from head to toe. "No no, this won't do." He finally says, before, in one quick motion, he lifts Shouta onto the counter beside the food he'd set there a moment ago. "Much better." Perhaps it's mean to tease him about his height, but he's just so adorably small that Min won't be able to focus if he's curling around his ankles like a cat.

"Now, you're my sous-chef!" Reaching over to the chopping board where he'd left his wooden spoon, he takes a small spoonful of the galbi-jjim sauce and a few vegetables, and carefully lifts it to Shouta's lips. "Say 'aaaah'!" But he simply can't say it without bursting into a cheeky grin, fighting back a little laugh as he does so.

shouta has always loved this time of year.

he was born in the summertime, but in his opinion, there's no better season than autumn. the weather is perfect for oversized sweaters, the trees don hues of gold and blaze, and everything is flavored with pumpkin, and cinnamon, and pear, and cardamom, and apple—all of which are his absolute favorite flavors. that, and it also brings back a flood of memories from childhood, mostly how he and his mom would go all out for tsukimi by preparing hundreds of traditional baked goods and snacks to serve not only to the family, but to all of her customers, as well.

they did the same this year, but it was more low-key; much like how its been every year for them since moving to south korea. however, as he's on his way to mindeulle's place in celebration of chuseok, shouta thought it could be fun to share a little bit of his culture, too, so in tow, he has rabbit-shaped mochi that he and his mom made together, a count of precisely fifteen tsukimi dango, and an entire apple-cinnamon upside-down cake that he baked himself. all he can hope is that everything suits min's tastes. he'll be so embarrassed if mindeulle's allergic to apples or something.

nevertheless, the journey there is short and sweet, and after he rings the doorbell, he's promptly let inside; his cheeks flushed from the sight of his senior with an apron draped over his shoulders. min's always so handsome... and shouta is so mesmerized by how he manages to look so good every time he sees him. "mm, something smells delicious!" he comments, balancing the items he's carrying in his hands as he takes off his shoes; exchanging them for slippers that are much too large for his feet.

somehow, he finds it really cute; endeared.

"it was a little chilly out, but don't worry! i'll warm up in no time." he reassures, smiling. "some tea sounds nice though, thanks! i, uh—... i hope it's okay, but i brought some things for us to share." setting everything down on an empty section of a nearby countertop, he turns toward mindeulle with a grin. "back home, while you all are celebrating chuseok here, we celebrate tsukimi. it's a harvest moon festival."

not wanting to get too carried away with explanations, he stops himself from droning on. "anyway, i baked a cake, and my mom and i made the mochi and tsukimi dango together. i really hope you like them!" offering a warm smile, he pauses for a moment and gazes at mindeulle, totally zoning out; distracted by his beauty. when he snaps back to reality, he blushes, then laughs. "d—do you need help with anything?"

[mindeullebe]

[ i'd rather spend it with you ]

𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐔𝐋𝐋𝐄'𝐒 𝐀𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓, Seoul, SK Chuseok, 2024 w. 𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐀 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐀

Chuseok is usually not the easiest of holidays. Not that Mindeulle would consider any of them easy, but anything involving a family get together always left him feeling uncomfortable. The tension between his mother and Jindallae was the main issue really, not that Min could judge him for how he felt about being around her. She could be a little... rough around the edges, and while Min rarely felt as if he was the one her sights were focused on when it came to criticism, he knew he wasn't safe from her cutting remarks and judgement of his direction in life. At least he could hide behind his college education. Jin didn't have that.

So, he didn't blame him for his decision to not attend Chuseok this year. It just meant that, without him, Min felt out of place somehow. Being a twin had always felt somewhat like they came as a pair, at leas to him. He'd always relied on Jin, but now that they were older, independece was somewhat expected, and Min just couldn't look to Jin for support in all situations anymore. Which is why he'd decided to put himself first this year as well.

He'd just finished cooking dinner when the doorbell sounds. It's nothing special, and nowhere near as good as Jindallae's food, but he'd tried hard, and was pretty sure it would be at least tasty enough to eat. He couldn't very well live with a professional cook and not learn a thing or two about cooking. He's still got his apron on when he rushes to the door, trying to keep his smile to a reasonable, normal width, instead of the cheek-splitting one that threatens to settle onto his face. As excited as he is to spend his evening with Shouta, he doesn't want to make it into a big thing. To him, inviting someone to spend Chuseok with him is, in a way, a sort of big deal, but he doesn't want to burden Shouta with the knowledge that Min would rather spend the night with him than his family who he most definitely doesn't see often enough.

"Hey!" He swings the door open and beckons Shouta inside. As usual, he looks sweet; small and pretty. It's hard not to stare at him, really. He's the sort of person that you see out on the street and have to do a double take, just to try and commit their face to memory a little better, to appreciate it for a little longer. Like a piece of artwork that sticks in your brain for the rest of the day and leaves you feeling peaceful. "Are you cold? Would you like a drink? I made tea."

[mindeullebe]

[ drenched ]

𝐖𝐀𝐓𝐄𝐑𝐁𝐎𝐌𝐁 𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓𝐈𝐕𝐀𝐋, Seoul, SK Early August, 2024 w. 𝐋𝐄𝐄 𝐍𝐎𝐄𝐋

There's a ferocity to the sun that feels almost suffocating. Mindeulle's skin, slathered in sunscreen, still feels as though it's burning. He checks, every now and than, a hand reaching up to his upper arms and the back of his neck to check it hasn't blistered from the unrelenting rays beating down on him. The only relief is the promise of getting absolutely drenched at the Waterbomb Festival, which Min would rather not admit he'd been looking forward to for months. At first, he'd thought he'd simply go alone, but then he'd mentioned it to Noel during one of their text conversation catch-ups, and they'd decided to meet up there.

It had been a long time since Min had gotten to see his friend in person. He knew Noel was busy being a trainee these days, and while a part of him was terribly jealous, he knew it wasn't something he could ever do anyway, so he managed to muster up the appropriate happiness for his friend. For a while, he'd taken comfort in them both being at a similar point in their lives, but now that Noel was so close to being a real idol, Min couldn't help but feel as though his own position, as a mere Literature student, paled in comparison.

Today, however, wasn't about their differences in life stages, it was simply about having fun, listening to music, and getting very, very wet. It seemed the perfect time for it, what with the sun trying to incinerate the entire population of Seoul. Min just hoped Noel had worn suncreen, though he'd brought his with him just in case. For a fraction of a second, Min envisions himself rubbing sunscreen over Noel's back, then realises he'd not going to be shirtless, and, flushing in embarrassment at his own imagination, hurries to the place they'd decided to meet at.

Along the way, he buys a watergun from one of the stalls; a nice medium sized one, blue and glittery, and very much Min's style. Then, he settles himself in some shade and waits. But he doesn't have to wait long before he spots him, his feline eyes and big, pouty lips instantly catching Mindeulle's eye. "Noel!" he calls out in excitement, waving a hand above his head.

[mindeullebe]

He's disarmingly cute, Mindeulle thinks to himself as he watches Shouta walk, noticing how his hips sway a little. He's got a delicate curvature to his body that Mindeulle could only dream of having. He prefers to view it on others, though. Appreciating how his eyes can travel down the slopes and hills of his body and never get bored of the sights. He'd found many a man attractive before, and a good variety of different looking ones at that, but Shouta is one kind of pretty that always stops Min in his tracks. It's hard to believe this is a *date*, and not simply him hanging out with someone attractive. That Shouta saw a picture of Min and thought he was cute enough for him.

"I'll think of one." He can already think of a few nicknames that suit Shouta purely on appearance. He vaguely resembles a rabbit, and a cat at the same time. "Nekogi, because you look like a cat-rabbit, maybe," he suggests. The way his eyes come to a sharp, upward point at the outer corner give a cat-like appearance, until he smiles and his prominent front teeth soften his image into that of a little bunny. Mindeulle had often wondered what animal *he* resembled, but he was afraid of receiving an unsatisfatory response; he didn't want to run the risk of being likened to a mouse or something.

Shoving his wallet back into his pocket, Mindeulle shakes his head and smiles down at Shouta. "But if I don't pay for the snacks, how am I going to see you blush again?" He teases, grinning as he takes note of the way Shouta's skin had been tinged with a pleasant pink hue. He's already quite pale, so it stands out beautifully. Though, as it dawns on him what he'd just said, he can't help but blush himself. He supposes he must have picked up *something* from Jindallae. Where else had that come from?

His stature, while not unusual to Min, given he was far taller than most of his friends, suits Shouta in a way that makes Min want to coo and pick him up. It makes something constrict in his chest. Of course someone as pretty as Shouta would be pretty on the inside too, he thinks as he listens to him talk of his ambitions. It makes sense that he'd want to do something as kind as rectify wrongs that he experienced himself. Min's not sure his own ambitions are as virtuous, and suddenly feels a little lacking beside this seemingly perfect little man.

In an effort not to embarrass himself, Min's careful as he takes his gold club and little basket of balls to the first little... *course*? Is that what it's called in golfing? "I'm a Korean Literature student. I'm afraid I don't have as noble a reason for picking my studies as you do. I just... always loved to write, and read, and I wasn't sure what else to do. I was never much good at anything else." It doesn't do to talk negatively about yourself on a first date, and yet Mindeulle can't really help it. It's a built in feature of him. "I suppose reading feels like an old friend. I wasn't able to make very many when I was young." Setting down his basket on the grass, he assess the small green area, and the hole at the other end that they need to get their balls into. "Do you want to go first?"

when he's told that he can call mindeulle 'min', shouta grins and nods; glad to know that there's already a softly casual vibe between them. it won't stop him from continuing to respect the hierarchy, per se, but it helps take the edge off, that's for sure. "min... that's cute," he admits, then shrugs. "no one really calls me by any nicknames, so i don't have another option to give you, but who knows? maybe you can give me a new one by the end of the night? it'll help me seem much cooler, or something." this is partially untrue. his teammates refer to him as grandma all the time, but that's not really a moniker that's impressive or attractive, so why would he want his date, of all people, to see him in that light? he's already showing up vertically-challenged and not-the-most-confident, so sharing anything that could be embarrassing seems like a horrible idea.

though, he's caught off-guard by min's compliment pertaining to his height, and he smiles in response; glad to know that shortness isn't a deal-breaker for him. "luckily for me, i'm used to looking up at most guys when i have to talk to them, too, so it works out! though, i may need a neck rub later on from all the straining. it can get tiring!" his statement ends with a chuckle, emphasizing that he's joking and that he's still a bit nervous for this. there's no time to remain paralyzed in that feeling though, and when mindeulle opens the door for him, he shuffles his way into the entryway of the mini-golf space; captivated by the lighting and music that pours out of the speakers.

"mmm, not really! i had to get on the train, but it was a short trip and the journey wasn't crazy. i kind of wish it was, though. i would've had stories to tell you. what about you?" in that moment, before he's able to protest, he catches min paying for both of their tickets. a part of him feels rude for not offering to split the cost with him, but at the same time, he finds it incredibly romantic that min took it upon himself to do that. it honestly makes his heart flutter a little, but he does his best to remain composed, despite flushing. "th-thanks for getting the tickets," he begins, softly shy. "if you want, i can get the snacks later? whatever you're comfortable with..."

he knows that, technically speaking, the senior in the dynamic is meant to treat the junior, but being that this is a date, he thinks it's important they play by their own rules, too. "ah, i see that jiwoo played the same tactic with you, too. they refused to tell me much about you either." he laughs, keeping close to mindeulle; near-about glued to his side as they walk. "i study education at korea university. it's my goal to someday be an educator!" hopefully that doesn't make him sound like a stiff. "i didn't have the best time in school, so i want to be someone that helps kids feel safe, and seen. that's the dream anyway."

once they retrieve their clubs and other supplies, he bows toward the attendant, then starts heading toward their first zone. "what about you? what are you studying?"

[mindeullebe]

Mindeulle had never had problems with speaking. Not in front of friends, strangers, or even on stage. He's never been one to doubt his words, and yet, right now, he finds himself turning a multitude of greetings over in his mind, trying desperaly to find the perfect one. He'd met handsome men before, but he'd never been on a date with one. It's hard to believe this is a date. That Shouta had seen a picture of Mindeulle and agreed to go out, in a romantic sense, with him, to test the waters and see how they fit. The potential riding on this suddenly dawns on Min, and he wonders how he's going to make someone like Shouta find him desirable. A man this pretty must have people climbing over each other for a chance at a date with him. So, how on earth did Min have a date with Shouta handed to him so easily?

"Nice to meet you, Shouta. You can call me Min, if you want." It's hard to keep his smile to a casual, relaxed one, when the corners threaten to split wider and wider with every passing second. He's here, on a date, with the prettiest boy he'd ever seen. Him. He can't help but laugh a little at his apology for being short, as if Mindeulle isn't used to most people being shorter than him. "Don't worry, I'm used to it." He says, but hurriedly adds on, "Your height suits you. I like it." Though this only succeeds in making the fire in the tips of his ears spread down his neck.

"Mmhmm, let's go." He turns to hold the door open for Shouta, his eyes locked on him, taking in the way the sun reflects off his dark hair, and the two front teeth are are a little longer than the rest. He's built delicately, but in a different way to Min. He'd got some shape to him, and yet he's still small and slim, where Min is straight up and down and stick-like. It's as if Shouta were created, rather than simply born. Surely a lucky draw of genetics can't be that lucky. "Did you have to travel far to get here?" Min asks as they near the ticket booth. Without really thinking, Min pays for both of their tickets, and then as he slips his card back into his wallet, and he wonders whether that will be a point for or against him on the scoreboard of their date.

"So..." It's much harder to think of what to say when Shouta's standing there beside him making him feel, for perhaps the first time in his life, big and strong. Though Min knows for a fact he's neither of those things where it counts. "I'm afraid Jiwoo didn't tell me that much about you. What do you study?" Min enquires as they head to the little window where they pick up their golf clubs. He'd been a little irritated that Jiwoo had told him absolutely nothing other than Shouta's name, age, and where he knew him from, but now he realises it was perhaps a blessing; he's at least got a good few generic questions lined up for him to get the conversation going.

maybe it's embarrassing and pathetic that shouta pines after romance so desperately, but he's forever been this way. he's always possessed an absolute shamelessness when it comes to his need for affection, so much so that it seeps from his very being. it beats from his aching heart and glows from his lonesome soul in a manner that's overwhelming, smothering even. it's not for the faint of heart, and that includes himself sometimes, but he can't exactly help himself.

throughout his entire life, he's dreamed about what it would be like to find someone to love, and who loves him just as much; to meet a man that makes him want to dig his hands into his chest cavity to retrieve his heart, then surrender it to him in a manner so intimate, so vulnerable, that it exhilarates him in more ways than just one.

this is eternally on his mind, and it's only amplified by the romance-heavy content that he consumes in hefty quantities. web-comics, dramas, novels, poetry books, literally anything that allows him to read with his coveted rose-tinted glasses on is on his radar, and it's created what could be described as an addiction to all things love.

he yearns for it, hurts for it, so when a friend of his informed him of a possible blind date with another colleague of theirs, shouta sprung at the chance.

now, does that make him any less nervous now that the night of the date has arrived? not in the slightest, but he hopes that the nervousness that swathes him will soon settle into comfy excitement; into delicate fluttering butterflies instead of the demons that accompany anxiety. though, when he arrives at the mini-golf course and immediately spots who he's meant to be meeting, his heart beats so hard it near pounds its way out of his body.

he's tall. like, really, really, really tall. he's handsome, too, and the way he lifts his hand to wave makes him look like a leading man in one of the many tv series shouta's hooked on. this moment paralyzes him almost, and he pauses in place to take everything in; feeling it deeply. after, he raises his own hand and waves back; one that's timid, but still warm; like a spring breeze.

ambling toward him, he only becomes more intimidated when they stand face-to-face. it also doesn't help that he needs to angle his head upward to look at him. that alone creates a somewhat daunting dynamic. come rain or shine though, shouta makes sure to smile, then bow. he's the junior in this situation, and the last thing he wants to be is rude. "hi—mindeulle?" he asks upon straightening his posture; sweet.

"i'm shouta, jiwoo's friend. it's nice to meet you!" his cheeks are flushed, but he hopes that his date can't tell. "i... i'm sorry that you have to look down while you talk to me. i thought about wearing platforms, but i don't think they would've helped that much." with that, he laughs; placing one of his hands on the back of his neck.

"are you ready to go inside?"

[mindeullebe]

[ FIRST DATES ]

𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐈-𝐆𝐎𝐋𝐅, Seoul, SK Late August, 2023 w. 𝐇𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐀 𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐓𝐀

In all the twenty-two years of Mindeulle's life, he'd never been on a date. Isn't that lame? He'd tried to put it from his mind, and had been, up until recently, somewhat successful. He'd put aside any romantic desires to focus on his education. Or at least that's what Min likes to tell himself when he remembers that he's a fully grown man still sort of stuck on his first love. Not that that first love knows, or ever will know how Min feels. After all, he'd decided to move on from that, and try and actually step into the world of romance and relationships that moved past mere friendship.

That's what had landed him here, standing outside the mini-golf course, waiting for a man he'd seen only one picture of before. He knows that Shouta's shorter than him, and looks sort of like a cat-rabbit. The friend who'd set him up on this 'blind date' hadn't told him much past that. In all honesty, Min's not sure why he agreed to it. He'd never been on a date, so why was his very first one with someone he didn't even know? What if it went terribly? Sure, this guy looked really cute, but what if he wasn't nice? What if he thought Min wasn't cool enough? Or worse, what if he laughed at Mindeulle's atrocious golfing skills?

He's contemplating calling his friend to tell them to call this whole thing off, when he sees him. He's far smaller than Min imagined he'd be, and his eyes almost resemble those fo a deer, big and searching. He's pretty, so much so that Mindeulle feels himself grow far more nervous than he already had been. He realises a part of him hopes to impress this pretty boy, though another part of him assures him that he won't. It isn't that Min's insecure, because he isn't, he's just realistic. He's skinny, and that mixed with his height gives people the overall impression of a beansprout. He's not cool in th slightest; he's a book nerd. All he knows about this boy is that he's breathtakingly beautiful, and that he's a student at KU.

Mustering up the courage, he lifts a hand to wave to him, trying to catch his attention. He's here now, and perhaps Min can at least make this a fun outting, even if he has no idea how to make it a good date.

[mindeullebe]

There's something about eating Jindallae's cooking that always succeeds in making Mindeulle feel safe, and comforted. It's like an internal hug. However, Min had found himself avoiding it sometimes, as though indulging too much and too often would dampen the pleasure that comes with it; that he might appreciate it less. In truth, Min's appetite alludes him as often as sleep does, as though his body is still finding ways to sabotage him, even after all it's previous attempts that landed him in hospital. "I was studying. I've got exams coming up and it slipped my mind. I wasn't really hungry." His excuses, he knows, are weak, especially in his brothers eyes.

"You're eating for the both of us." Min jokes, the corner of his lips pulled up in a silent chuckle. His second bite is much slower, as though if he eats slowly enough he'll be able to remember how good it is for longer. Perhaps the memory of this meal can carry him through the rest of the week, and he won't need to feel guilty about forgetting meals. It comes, he supposes, with living such a sedentry life. He doesn't move much, and so he doesn't need much fuel. Unlike his brother—even thinking about Jindallae's life makes Min feel physically exhausted.

"Not really. I should study at some point tomorrow but I could spare a few hours for my favourite twin." The longer he eats, the less stunted his biting, chewing, and swallowing becomes, as though the rhythm of eating is coming back to him, as if he'd previously forgotten how. "Sometimes I wonder what I'd be doing if I didn't go to college... But I can't really imagine anything else. What else could I even do?" He'd thought of himself doing a job like Jin's once or twice, but it was so outrageous he'd scoffed and discarded the thoughts. He'd envisioned being some kind of corporate lacky, running around in a suit, filing things and sending passive aggressive emails. That hadn't seemed right either. Truly, Min wasn't sure he had a clear vision of his future. He constantly felt as though he was merely wandering through life, letting life happen, rather than really living it wit hany true purpose.

"Did I tell you about the time Mr Jeon, from Biology in high school, told me he thought I could be a doctor? I almost laughed at him." Perhaps in another life Min *could have* been a doctor, had he not had the start to life that he'd endured. Hospitals were somewhere he avoided like the plague. He'd spent enough time in them growing up to to last him a lifetime. "I'll be disappointed if you don't continue doing something with food... You can become my personal chef after I make millions selling my debut novel."

jindallae doesn't realize it right in this moment, but he and mindeulle have had many nights like this. they did so even as children. after lights-out, jindallae would retrieve snacks from his backpack to share with his brother, and the two of them would chat for a couple hours. topics would vary, but they were often about dreams, and aspirations, and about how annoying their parents are; whatever crossed their minds. these moments were—and are—the only times jindallae feels like he can be honest in confronting his emotions, in expressing them, too, and he cherishes them more than anything.

times have changed though, as they grew up, the snacks jindallae bought from the convenience store turned into his experimental meals as he taught himself to cook, and now, he serves beautifully presented, absolutely delicious midnight eats after years, and years, of accumulating knowledge. his favorite part of times like these, though, is whenever he can catch mindeulle's reaction to the food he makes. it still makes him smile when people enjoy his cooking, but it's especially sweet whenever it comes from his twin.

"what do you mean you 'forgot' to have dinner?" he asks, raising a brow at his brother. "set an alarm on your phone to remind you, or something. it looks like you've lost weight." his observation is only one of concern, even if it's spoken somewhat roughly. he realizes that min's a hard worker just like him, and well, that comes with some downsides. "i'm a fuckin' chef, like... just tell me when you're hungry."

to him, it's that simple. he'd drop whatever he's doing to make min something to eat. any loved one, really. it matters to him that they're fed. "m'glad you like it. i got hungry, i don't know... it sounded good. i ate earlier, but i guess with how much i've been working out, my appetite has just gotten kinda huge." he's in the best shape he's ever been in his life, and honestly? he has no idea how it happened. it just did. "i've got the morning off and figured stayin' up a little late wouldn't be so bad. you got any plans in the morning?"

if he doesn't, maybe they could chill. he's been meaning to catch mindeulle up on some shit anyway.

[mindeullebe]

Sometimes, sleep took hold of Mindeulle with such force that he felt battered and bruised by it's grip the next day. Others, however, it alluded him, hiding in the shadows of his moonlight-streaked bedroom, just outside the glow of his desk lamp, under which he worked, hunched and perhaps overly caffeinated. Tonight he'd found it in him to turn off the light and battle with his bedsheets, trying to find a position that might let him slip into a restful sleep. The steadily darkening circles beneath his eyes, made up of the darkness in his room sinking into his skin, but never deep enough to reach his brain and shut it off for a while, really weren't a great look on him, and he was determined to rid himself of them. However, as he lays there, thankful that the baby blue, star-shaped clock on his wall doesn't tick, the minutes pass by in almost-silence—the ever-present hum of the city outside the walls of the apartment a premanent backing track to his life.

At some point, he must have dozed off, because he's suddenly awoken by a noise from the kitchen. Probably Jindallae, he thinks. Well, since he's awake now, and doubts his chances of falling back asleep, Mindeulle clambers out from under the covers, almost tripping as the sheet tangles around his legs. It's still sort of cold at night, despite summer tiptoeing on the horizon, teasing them with it's warm fingertips every few days. He pulls a hoodie on, then goes off in search of his brother, and whatever he might be doing.

Often, during the day, Mindeulle finds himself lacking an appetite. But then night falls and it's as if a bottomless pit opens up inside him and he could eat forever. So, despite his mild confusion, the sight of the meal prepared in the twilight hours pleases him, leaving him hopeful for a taste of whatever it might be. "It's okay, I was struggling to sleep anyway." He mumbles, sliding into a seat at the table and eyeing the food. His stomach rumbles, accepting the offer for him.

"Thanks... I think I forgot to have dinner. I was studying for an exam." He watches Jindallae, smiling as he bites into his food. Mindeulle had always enjoyed watching his loved ones eat; there was something so comforting about it. Satisfied that his brothers eating well, he picks up his half of the sandwich and takes a slightly more reasonably sized bite, his eyes closing as a blissful moan vibrates in his throat. He takes his time chewing, savouring it. As often as Mindeulle forgets it, or has little appetite for it, he truly is a food lover, and he knows no better cook than his brother.

"This is so good. Well worth being woken up for." Washing it down with a sip of the plum tea, Mindeulle smiles. "So, why are you cooking so late at night?"

MIDNIGHT SNACK 조진달래 → 조민들레

although his sleeping patterns have been more consistent lately, there'll be at least one or two nights per week where jindallae simply can't rest. in the past, he'd try and force himself to—digging his limbs into his mattress in sheer desperation, while constantly fighting with his own mind; screaming at it to shut off for once. now, instead of being so stubborn, he chooses to give in; relenting by pulling himself out of bed and busying himself until he feels more tired. some nights, he kills time by doing an extra hundred push-ups, others he leaves the warmth of his home to go for a walk around the block. tonight, he's in the kitchen with his stomach roaring at him for sustenance.

he's not doing the most efficient job, but he's spent the last half an hour lazily slapping together the most monstrous gilgeori toast sandwich he's probably ever made. it's full to the brim with all the works, smashed between perfectly toasted pieces of bread, and cut diagonally in half; its filling remaining intact based on how he prepared it. jindallae admires it for a few seconds, and right when he's about to pick it up and inhale it, he looks up and sees his brother enter the kitchen; confused.

"fuck, did i wake you up?" he asks, immediately feeling bad. "m'sorry, man... i guess i didn't realize i was being that noisy." with that, he interrupts himself with a yawn, then uses one of his forearms to rub at his eyes. "want half a sandwich? i was gonna make myself some plum tea, too... i can double-up, just say the word. it's the least i can do for getting you outta bed." before mindeulle even answers him, he's ambling over to the fridge to grab his favorite plum concentrate.

swiftly, he pours up to glassfuls of their iced beverage; setting one in front of his brother at the table before joining him with his. "there—we're all set now." once he's back to where he started, he picks up his portion of food and takes a massive bite of it; cheeks overstuffed with deliciousness while he chews, gesturing his head toward his brother, non-verbally asking him if he thinks it's good.

[mindeullebe]

hi there!! i'm bear (h/h, 25) and i've returned after being away for many months with a muse i've never written before but am very excited to dig into. cho mindeulle (20011027) is the twin brother of @jindallaebe, however he's very different. here you can find his profile, and eventually i'll have his biography here. i'll leave a tl;dr version and some fun facts under the cut, and as always please like this if you'd like to plot and i'll hop into your IMs, or if you'd prefer, i have discod (upon request)!

min was born premature, and due to this suffers from ongoing health problems. these health problems were much more pronounced when he was young, but now the only things he deals with are shitty stamina, asthma, and a pretty crappy immune system

he spent a lot of time in the hospital as a child for various things from inections to pneumonia to flu's that he should have been able to fight off on his own but couldn't etc. up until middle school he frequented the hospital, though nowadays manages to stay out of the hospital (he likes to attribute it to the fact he takes about a million vitamins and supplements daily)

during his hospital stays he'd fill his time with reading, writing (stories, poems, songs etc), listening to music and watching mainly the music channels on the little tv in his room

despite being ill quite a lot, he managed to keep up with his schoolwork, and genuinely really enjoyed learning and studying, so was always near the top of the class and became class president towards the latter half of middle school and a few times during high school

he never seriously considered music as a career, despite really liking singing as a hobby and writing lyrics to express things he didn't feel he could talk about. instead he decided to pursue literature, since he loved reading so much

he graduated from high school top of his class and secured a place on the korean literature degree course at seoul national university, but postponed it until he'd completed his military service. due to his asthma and shoddy immune system he was assigned a 'civil service' type position, but had to serve for 21 months, intead fof 18

he was discharged in december of 2021, and began his degree in march 2022

the usual places min can be found are coffee shops around snu, or jongno area, libraries, bookstores, cat cafes, or his bedroom

min comes off as calm and polite, and almost a little too agreeable. it can come off as naivete sometimes, and he's very easy to pin as a weak person, physically and in will, but he's really not, he just doesnt play all his cards immediately

mins incredibly smart, which is how he got into a SKY university in the first place, and surprisingly creative

many people see min as a sweet, book nerd who never shouts or gets angry, has every vitamin known to man in his bag, along with hand sanitser and multiple kinds of masks, and has a great love of sweets

[mindeullebe]

[mindeullebe]