nsyongjin-blog

[nsyongjin-blog]

drunk adventures.

( @nskwon​​ continued from HERE )

   yongjin has grown progressively drunker as the night went on, and when he sobers up he will realize so has the texts he has been sending to his old friend. when he had received the first response of seojun deciding not to come, it had put a considerable damper in his mood, because he was genuinely looking forward to spending more time with him, especially since they didn't have much chance to catch up since his return. and going from previous experience, alcohol always eased the process, so he was looking forward to seeing seojun at the bar when he first arrived, wanting to see the younger, making sure he was having some fun, as all of them should have. and as the fact that he wasn't coming stood at the back of his mind, yongjin slowly retorted to texts, sending seojun a couple every once in a while as the night progressed and he got drunker and drunker.

   there were multiple occasions during the night he texted the other, one where they were playing darts and he boasted that even though he was good, kwon seojun had set the record. it had been years since they all went together to a local bar, and thinking about it only made him more reminiscent of the past, which to a drunk yongjin, deserved a text message. the rest of the night was more chaotic, especially talking to jihae about the past few weeks had changed the mood considerably and perhaps opened the road to more, but when they had parted ways and it was much later in the night, seojun came to mind again when he really needed a ride home. for some reason a drunk yongjin couldn't fathom, he had even brought his car when he arrived, and with his mind revolving around his friend, he kinda really wanted to see seojun — and well, he trusted seojun to pick him up if he had the time.

   only a little bit surprised to have received a positive answer, yongjin waits on the street of the bar, walking around in circles and grinning quite stupidly as the alcohol still has its effects. when his phone pings again, he takes it out and quickly begins to type, looking around and walking back to the main entrance where he has strayed away from for a few minutes. he is just about to send a message when he sees his friend standing next to the door, and yongjin quickly rushes forwards, a goofy smile on his face as he aves at him. "seojun! you came!" the agent exclaims, perhaps louder than he should have, but he is genuinely happy to see his friend. and once again, he can’t help but pull him in a short hug before pulling away. "i'm sorry to be a bother man, it's just — my car — and why didn't i think in advance i don't know —" he starts, words slightly slurring together but hopefully making some kind of sense. only when he is closer to the other that he squints, looking up and down for longer than necessary before he speaks, a grin on his features. "dude, are you drunk as well ?"

[nsyongjin-blog]

nsjihae‌:

( ... )

“i’m fine, an–  i’m fine.” he replies, stumbling over his words a moment, mouth and brain losing connectivity just long enough for instinct to almost take over again. he can’t call him that anymore, he knows this. “just… a lot of things to think about, yeah? the coming months are going to be hell…” he murmurs, wiping his sweaty palms on his work slacks, eyes drifting from yongjin to their surroundings briefly only to be pulled back once more, “how… are you holding up?”

     the agent feels as if he is thrumming with concern, panic threatening to spread across his frame as he takes in jihae in front of him, and manages to ground himself a little, so that he isn't quite making a scene in the corridor of the hq. as much as he attempts to calm himself, he still has a hard time staying away, probably standing closer to the younger than he would do so with anyone else, regardless of the status of their relationship at the moment. worry triumphs all, and he searches jihae's face for any indications of his feelings, as if yongjin can do anything in a situation such as this. but god knows he will try; no matter the fact that they aren't... together anymore ( which sends a pang through his chest ), he will still turn the world upside down with a word from jihae.

     which is why he completely focuses on him, his hands itching to touch but barely managing to stay away. he doesn't want to burden him any more, not at a time like this —- especially after how things ended, so he does his best to act as a concerned friend would, even if he walks ( and passes ) that line way too often. the stumbling over the words only amplifies his concern, and he can't help but raise one of his hands to gently put it on jihae's shoulder, stroking it, wanting to project the fact that yongjin is there for him, and he will be there for him as long as he can.  "yeah, yeah they will be..." he can only let out, for he has no clue about how things are going to unfold either. a part of himself hates this treatment that they are all going to be treated as suspects, that jihae will need to go through answering questions about his past again, when it's the least that he deserves. hasn't the younger gone through enough ? before yongjin can get heated about it any further, he shakes himself out of that line of thought, more pressing matters at hand.

     "i'm fine, don't worry about me, jiji." he can't help but utter that nickname out, managing a smile for the younger although the concern is still clear to see. "are you sure you're going to be alright ? i'm sure i can — i can try to —-" what can he do, really ? can he stop the tests from happening ? can he stop the agency from digging further into wounds that are barely closed ? no, there is so little he can do that he hates himself for it, bites into his bottom lip for a few seconds before he can continue. "i'm here for you, please talk to me if you need anything... anything, i mean it —-"

urgency.

[nsyongjin-blog]

nshansol‌:

( ... )

yongjin is seemingly as clueless to strike a conversation, starting it with bitcoin. in all honesty, hansol does want to smack his own face at this starter, but he forces a smile that probably would come off as a grimace instead. well, cheers to the effort, at least. coffee and pastries, wafting with the scent that renders him hungry, but he knows it’s not a free offering. at the next gesture, he can almost guess what the next step will be for yongjin. rice… a bag of rice. but poking amidst the grains, he can see clearly what’s inside it. he looks at yongjin upon being shown the problem, face deadpanning. “did you… perhaps drop it in the water?” he bites his sarcastic remarks about how rice doesn’t help except to absorb the water. it’s not exactly a resuscitation technique for a doused phone. “hyung,” he swallows. “you probably need a new one. again.”

   yongjin waits sheepishly by the desk, putting on his best face for the occasion, as if he hasn't completely destroyed his phone and very desperately needs help with it. the bag of rice looks even more out of place amidst hansol's computers and keyboard, all looking very advanced and technological ( not that yongjin would know ), while the ziploc bag is a oddly juxtaposed amidst the others. he waits for the hacker's response patiently, yet it's clear to see he is expectant, hoping, well believing that the techie could fix it. he has done much harder things before right, what is a wet phone considering all the databases he hacks everyday ? at his words however, yongjin does let out a grimace, one hand going up to the back of his head, and he laughs a little, to go with the words that are about to leave his mouth. "it's a funny story you see —"

   the fact that it is probably not funny at all is decidedly put aside, but the agent focuses on the ridiculous image of his phone amidst the rice before his eyes move up to meet hansol's. "i didn't... drop it in the water." he begins, not sure if hansol is going to appreciate this joke, but he might as well try since the bitcoin seemed to have fallen flat. "i fell in the water. river actually, wasn't too fun — would not recommend it in winter." before he goes off any further, he stops himself, throwing hansol another grin. the previous days haven't been too fun to begin with, some time spent in the medical bay, and once he did have his phone, he was smart enough to put it in rice, even though it might have been a little too late. at least hansol can save the data, right ?

    "getting a new one isn't the problem — it's just... i had photos in there, numbers, my apps-" he is really close to whining, and he would do so if it was anyone closer, but he really doesn't want to get on hansol's bad side, not then, not when he actually needs to get this taken care of as soon as he can. "i would really like them back, like — there was some important stuff in there, and i'm sure the rice might have worked..." it's more phrased as a question than anything else, a hopeful tilt of his eyebrows accompany the words. he really isn't sure but... "google told so. a few people have tried it on youtube."

tech troubles.

[nsyongjin-blog]

polygraph test.

DATE: 20190128 LOCATION: first floor, main headquarters TIME: 16:07

1. “where were you on the 28th of OCTOBER, 2018? do you have an alibi?”

    even though yongjin isn’t nervous about the questions, knows himself has nothing to do with the murder that took place, — he is less than comfortable staring at a foreign face looking back at him, void of emotion, so much that it borders on accusing. he nods at the fist question, having asked this before, it isn’t hard to come up with an answer. “i was on a mission. you can find further details at the database, but i was in japan, with a team of people in my ear guiding me through the mission. i would like to think there is enough proof i wasn’t in seoul. furthermore, the mission was a success, but we had to stay there for one more week to tie up the loose ends.”

2. “what are your thoughts on park jaekwang? what are you thinking about the murder?”

   this is the one that upsets him the most — if anything, yongjin has preferred not to dwell on it, pushing himself to his work — but ignoring the elephant in the room has been impossible over the last few months, the tragedy, the shock of losing a previous leader he had gotten to know in his own ways. "it's... tragic. he was a great director. i have been a part of nis for a long time now... and so has he. i met him only a handful of times, but that was enough for me to know he was a good man. his death was a shock, and i would like to find whoever is responsible for it. they have to pay for it, and you have my full cooperation." he ends it with finality, nodding before he looks down. even though he had little to no ties when it comes to personal relations with the man; nis is a huge part of who chae yongjin is, and park jaekwang was an essential part to his experience with the agency. no matter how the next director behaves, yongjin has a sense of unease at the thought of things changing, for better or for worse.

3. “is there anything that dissatisfies you within the agency?”

   a little huff of breath leaves his mouth at that, this needs a little bit of thinking, a lot more than the previous questions asked to him. he knows he needs to tell the truth, but it's not like there is a blatant issue at the front of his mind about the agency, nothing that bothers him all the time. "i suppose..." he begins, trying not to avoid eye contact, knowing very well himself that would make it seem like he is lying. "there is that sense of the unknown when it comes to the administration. handlers change quite often, new faces rather than the ones i have gotten used to. it's not a problem anymore, however. i have been here for near ten years now."

4. “what do you now about your father’s whereabouts? what was the last time you were in contact with him? what did you speak about?”

   if the last question threw him off rhytm, this did so tenfold, his breath hitching slightly at his throat, a frown fighting its way on his face. "i don't know about him." he lets out, perhaps with more emotion than he thought was suitable. it was the truth however, he knew that they could see it on their screens, the blaring truth that chae yongjin hasn't made contact with his father for near to a decade now. "last time i saw him was a year before graduation. when my aunt died and i was hospitalized. he was there for a few hours, but then he disappeared. i don't know where he left. we never even spoke about the agency before, i'm not sure if he knew anything about nis — or whether he was a part of it or not... i always suspected he did... secretive jobs behind our backs, but like i said, it's been ten years. i don't know where he is right now. i gave up searching for him years ago... he doesn't want to be found." he hardly manages not to spit that out, even the mere mention of his father is enough to get a rise out of him, he blames him, despises him for all the questions he has left unanswered. the thought of his father brings back the memories from that day, and there is nothing to do but mourn over the family yongjin has lost.

5.  “have you witnessed anything unusual, both in the headquarters or during missions when it comes to the administration of the agency?”

   yet another pause, yongjin purses his lips, leaning back against the chair. he is more at ease now that the question has changed from personal to professional, something he can handle a lot better than talking about himself. being an agent is such a core part of his personality that noticing things, observing his environment has become second nature at this point. he nods slightly, he doesn't have all the answers, but he has some that might help them even a little. "only slightly. new faces appearing is one of the biggest differences, i'd say. even some senior personnel has disappeared, and for someone who has been working for the agency for ten years now, i can say easily that it was a shock to lose some of the people that have been here for so long. when it comes to the administration... i suppose missions have unfolded as similarly as they always have been. even newer handlers have given me missions in the past couple of months with more urgency, but i simply thought it was because of all that's going down with the agency. i haven't seen any other changes, however." with that he finishes, letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding when they tell him the interview was over. more like an interrogation, he would say, but he holds back, thanks them with a nod and wishes them good luck. he wants the culprit to be found, he really does.

[nsyongjin-blog]

nskwon‌:

( ... )

“Thank you, Yongjin… Believe it, I am back.” His voice sounds tired when he speaks, almost husky and quiet. But he takes some time to answer to the other’s question,  not sure what to say. “I… I’m as good as I can be, I guess? I’m not sure. But I’m happy to be back, it’s great to see you again.”

And he’s sincere when he says that, which is the reason why he rests a hand on Yongjin’s shoulder, smiling a bit more warmly at him. “How have you been? How are things going around here?”

    there's a smile on his face he can't and doesn't want to wipe away, genuinely happy to see his friend after such a long time. worry does come in the wake of memories since they last spoke, since they last saw each other, but yongjin is still so, so glad that he is there, that he is maybe back in the agency again — and maybe, hopefully, they can build back the bridges that are covered in dust. they didn't have a fall out, a big fight, but it's undeniable that they are nowhere as close as they used to be, and yongjin wouldn't dare try to find reasons for that, what happened was horrible, no matter how long has passed, and he just... wants to make sure seojun is okay, and if it's alright by him too, maybe have an occasional drink or two, for old times sake the least.

    but many thoughts and questions flow in his mind, and he hardly manages to stop himself from uttering those out. at seojun's words however, he brightens, happy to know that his old friend is back at the agency, hopefully for some time too. "it's amazing to see you back in here man!" he lets out, nodding at the reluctant response. that dims his smile only a little, only because it makes him feel guilty, what happened all too clear to be said out loud. the agent nods regardless, returning the man's smile. "likewise, i hope the military was kind to you — as kind as they can be." he hasn't done his enlistment for a number of reasons, and he knows if it resembles anything close to the nis training, it must have been quite rigorous.

   "i've been well. things have been... a bit hectic, but i'm sure you can see that easily if you have been around for a few days." a grimace follows that statement, the elephant in the room is left unsaid, for yongjin doesn't want to delve into that unknown territory, not when he has met his old friend after so long. "please tell me you have some free time — let's have some coffee, or a drink? i'd love to catch up. it's on me." he adds after a pause, grinning at the man again. yongjin is oh so curious and worried at the same time about seojun, and if the man genuinely wants to know, he will confide a summary of the last two years as well, a brief summary maybe — the last year hasn't been too kind to yongjin either, but once again, he doesn't want to think about that. "even if you don't... have you been reinstated back to your old position? i bet you missed all the paperwork, and even the missions maybe?"

sudden reunion.

[nsyongjin-blog]

🥂 + do you regret the things... we did?

( ASK MEME II: HAPPY HOUR | accepting )

    they’re sitting at the bar, both nursing their respective drinks as the question reaches yongjin’s ears, making him frown immediately. for the alcohol has been affecting his head for a while now, he needs to take a pause, his eyebrows furrow at the thought. he shakes his head afterwards, first quickly then slower, his lips pursed before he actually speaks. “no… not at all. why would i?” he lets out, turning his attention to her, inspecting her face as if he can find a reason to why she has asked him that. if it was anyone else, he would have thought it was perhaps insecurity latched under those words, but with sora, he can’t be sure.

   it’s true that it was always… awkward the day afterwards, when they saw each other in broad daylight at the headquarters, as if they haven’t borne their souls to one another in the dark, found solace under the sheets and in the warmth they seek in their lives. then again, it wasn’t something yongjin regretted. there were a lot of things he regretted in his life, a very special person he still couldn’t get over no matter how much he tried. that was always in his mind that brought along a plethora of regrets, things he should have done differently, things he shouldn’t have done. but that didn’t mean he regretted the time spent with sora in dim hotel rooms, either one of them leaving in the morning soon after the sun came up. it was… intimate, imitating a feeling he longed, an unfamiliar warmth he hadn’t gotten used to. that sora was different from the sora he ate with the day after, similar to how yongjin himself wasn’t the same as he put his mask on like her and sat down on the opposite chair. but no, he had a feeling of trust when it came to her, and he neither regretted the physical aspect, nor the fact that he wasn’t wearing a mask around her those nights.

    it just… happened. and while it shouldn’t come as a surprise, yongjin still enjoys spending time with her. as awkward as it might be at some instances, he doesn’t mind it at all. he realizes he has taken a pause, and cuts the chain of thought as he speaks again. “i don’t regret it at all, sora. i hope you don’t either. i’ll try to bother you less if you do. my art talk might have been a little too rusty.” he tries to joke, but he looks back at her with a question in his eyes before he takes a sip of his drink. only time will tell.

[nsyongjin-blog]

🥂 + did you miss our friendship?

( ASK MEME II: HAPPY HOUR | accepting )

    it’s late at night, a few hours after the beginning of the party. yongjin both feels drunk and sober at the same time as he stands there on the rooftop, cold air waking him up more than he thought it would. the agent leans against the railing with a glass in his hand and his phone in the other when it pings, his eyes flying down to read the message. it makes him freeze for a few seconds, his eyes widen, lips pursed as he reads it a few times. it brings a sudden bout of melancholy, the alcohol doing nothing to slow down the emotions it brings.

   it’s… an easy answer to a difficult question, one that brings memories in its wake. yongjin remembers it all too clearly, the time they first met during training, the rigorous instances where they had to go over the same routine again, and again; then he remembers seojun and his fiancee, so happy together that it easily brought a smile on yongjin’s face. seojun was a great friend, someone yongjin opened up to, someone he enjoyed spending a lot of time with. and then, after that damned mission, he remembers the funeral, how that image shattered to pieces, how broken seojun was. that’s what upsets him the most, his inability to help a friend who had gone through such a horrible event — how they couldn’t even manage to keep in contact as time went on. the worry for his friend is still fresh in his mind, so is the feeling of longing, spending carefree time together, laughing over a nice meal. yongjin’s always been too talkative for his own good, but he can distinguish between an acquaintance and a friend, and seojun was — still is a good friend. yongjin refuses to use past terms. he is back after all, and he believes they can be on similar terms again. they’re both different people, but maybe that’s why they still can get along.

    his fingers ghost over the screen for a few seconds as he begins to type up a message, unsure what exactly the other waits from him. seojun should better know that of course yongjin has missed him, missed their friendship — is there any way he can make it clearer? he takes a swig of his drink and puts the glass down on the floor as he types up the rest. he is probably too drunk to have a proper filter, but he hopes the message goes across the way he wants.

📩   (  text to ➟ seojun  )  —  of course i did!!! what kinda question is that📩   (  text to ➟ seojun  )  —  i’m sorry i couldn’t … maybe i should have tried harder

   that’s when he takes a pause, unsure if he should have sent that. it’s impossible not to think about if he could have helped the man better, if he could have shown him that he was there for him if he needed anything — but it is too late now. at least they have a second chance, and yongjin couldn’t be more glad about that. he is going to do better this time, he has to.

📩   (  text to ➟ seojun  )  —  but that doesn’t mean i didnt miss you man📩   (  text to ➟ seojun  )  —  i missed our friendship, and i missed you📩   (  text to ➟ seojun  )  —  i’m very happy you’re back

[nsyongjin-blog]

🥂 + why are you so afraid of showing me your dick?

( ASK MEME II: HAPPY HOUR | accepting )

    there’s a decent amount of alcohol in his system; he isn’t too drunk already to switch to a state where he probably won’t remember — but then again, he is definitely tipsy enough to feel the buzzing in his head, his stance is more relaxed than it had been at the beginning of the night. with his hand around yet another glass filled with a cocktail that definitely has vodka in it, he takes a sip — and thats when doyoon’s question reaches his ears, almost making him choke on his drink. it burns going up, and then down, and the tip of his ears turn red seconds after. he would say it has more to do so with the alcohol, but it is quite clear to see that it’s about the question instead. “you!” he lets out, more affronted than he initially wanted to seem like. “i mean — are you—-” words come out muffled, and he pauses for a minute to let out a huff of breath. calm down, he is definitely messing around with you.

    “it really is a non-brainer, mr. doctor man —” yongjin squints as he utters those words out, not trying to stop his hand which goes up to point at the man in question. “i — you — there is no reason for me to show you my dick —-” he begins with that, taking another pause before he continues. “no medical excuses either, i told you i was going to the bathroom to send texts! i really have no problem down there whatsoever, and the fact that you kept telling me to take my pants off just makes it more uncomfortable!” it’s easy to get heated at that, the embarrassment coming back to him in waves. he just wanted to text his boyfriend in private, he had no problems with his prostate. but actually admitting that took longer than he was proud of back in the day. “also, you do sound like a bad porn actor when you talk — so my answer is still no —-” the idea is enough to make him shudder, doing so in a medical environment is much more uncomfortable than in situations where he would normally take his pants off. “so, stop asking.”

[nsyongjin-blog]

「  ASK MEME II: HAPPY HOUR  」

SEND 🥂 + A QUESTION, and the muse will answer it drunk at any time during the night.

ᴸ  to go hand in hand with our EVENT. to be reblogged by NISKRP members only.

[nsyongjin-blog]

nsminji·:

minji had never been well tempered. she had more prominent issues in her youth, and they had lowered as she had gotten older but certainly never went away. stubborn, and very pressed on feeling consistently respected was astonishingly important to her. it had called for her to have many issues with friends and colleagues in the past. minji needed to be better about this though. so while she would normally feel hot ears on the both sides of her head as she listed off reasons things should have gone differently, she didn’t this time. no, the agent needed to find different reactions now.

she huffed as she sat back casually in one of the conference room chairs. while annoyed she couldn’t be too upset. in his defense, he had done what he thought was best in the moment and she had to find some kind of respect for that. he did hold more experience than she. 

“right, right sure.” she was pushing past her frustrations with some humor. even if it was still maybe a bit more sharp than she intended. minji was aware that she needed to turn the other cheek for this one. “we can just come up with a recovery plan now i suppose.”

     it was tense to say the least, yongjin had no idea what else to say that wouldn't add fuel to the fire, and he knew that if he tried to go forward in detail about how he would do the same things again — he was sure that would be very counteractive. he understood that plans were meant to be followed, he knew how hard they worked to put together a decent course of action, but almost a decade on the field also taught him a lot about what to do in case something was about to go wrong. he trusted his instincts when it came to it, and it was a situation just like that with minji in his ear.

   regardless of the situation, he still didn't want to be a thorn in her side, so he kept it quiet until she spoke. even though it wasn't an outright acceptance of his apologies, yongjin very happily didn't mind, having worked with her before, he knew she would have said something else if she was really mad. or it was simply wishful thinking, and the clandestine agent set it aside. working for recovery, on the other hand, was something he could do, it was much better than dwelling on everything that went wrong.

     "yes — that's a good idea. i'm sure we can turn this around." he added with a grin on his face, walking towards the table and leaning back on it next to her. "we have intel to go off from — do you think they would recognize me again? i don't think a lot of them saw my face."

blame game || yongjin & minji

[nsyongjin-blog]

sudden reunion.

( @nskwon )

     it's a day filled with paperwork, dull, boring, mundane — yongjin expects nothing else of it as he continuously writes the details of the last mission, how exactly everything went, why he made the decisions he made, which routes he used during the day to get to the target, and more... basically everything. it makes him yawn even after his third cup of coffee, and when the end of the shift comes, his table is littered with origami figurines and empty a4 papers used as coffee coasters to stop the liquid in the cardboard cups leaking out to actual files. he manages to get rid of the trash and throws it all in a metal bin under his desk before he puts everything in his bag and gets up, his back making a noise as he does so. the man hides a wince and puts his coat on before leaving the desk, wanting to get out as soon as he can. it's one of those days where he is trying to get everything done as quickly as possible, and even though it's not really done — he can figure it out tomorrow.

    he steps out of the elevator to the lobby, fixes the strap on his shoulder as he heads for the main exit. it's only then he sees a familiar figure heading towards the right wing. yongjin only catches the side of his face, and for a second he is unsure if it was just someone else looking similar to his old friend and he's really tired, or if it is seojun indeed. before he can delve into that any further, he changes direction and rushes his way immediately, "seojun?" an exclamation falls from his lips as yongjin puts a hand on the other’s arm to stop him from walking away.

     when he's closer and the man has turned around, he realizes it's really him — that seojun has returned from the military, that he's back at nis. yongjin is so surprised that he is almost frozen for a few seconds, unsure if the worry he has been feeling for the other will mask the sheer happiness at seeing his friend. during seojun's time in the military their contact had been stilted, almost impossible even though yongjin tried his best. it was understandable after all that happened, but that didn't change the fact that yongjin worried, and he... worried a lot. they were close friends before it all happened, and to see seojun again is both exciting and worrying at the same time. and after glancing around and finding the corridor deserted, he can't stop himself from pulling the other into a brief hug, a grin settled his face as he does so. "welcome back! i can't believe you're here —" he says once he has pulled back, his eyes traveling up and down on his friend’s face and frame, as if he can really figure out how he has been after such a long time. "how are you?"

[nsyongjin-blog]

soraxns‌:

( ... )

this time, she gave him an honest and brilliant smile, allowing herself to be full immersed in the conversation. ‘‘you should invest in art. and i do agree. a stunning piece can light up any atmosphere. tell me, what impresses you the most? is it the way it makes you feel? or do you see something in those paintings? something hidden from the plain sight. tell me, how do you recognize genuine beauty?’’

     he could only agree with that — there was no place for doubt as he had crossed the path already, made the move to sit in front of her and engage her in a conversation. if she had been despising the idea, yongjin is sure she would have told him already, for he knows she can be brilliant and swift whenever she puts her mind into it. perhaps that little fact does calm him down a little, ease the worry in his chest that he had maybe made a mistake — she doesn't seem to be completely bothered yet, which means there is room for a pleasant time still, disregarding the experience they shared tangled in the sheets not very long ago. they are professionals after all, and yongjin continues on with refreshed confidence, giving her a more genuine smile this time as he listens.

     to be frank, he is nowhere near as educated as she is when it comes to matters of art, but he isn't completely clueless either; from a few art history selective courses in college, to his fondness for sight- and art-seeing, he believes that he knows enough about it to hold a decent conversation. "that does sound exciting, though—" he adds on, his mind going through familiar paintings of the impressionists. even though it's easy to forget the names and dates of the paintings, yongjin clearly remembers seeing the brushstrokes up close, the emotions that stirred up inside him when he saw monet's nympheas in person for the first time."i have visited a few museums when i was last in paris — the marmottan-monet, the orangerie, and of course — musee d'orsay." he is more at ease once he realizes sora is into this topic, so he speaks more excitedly, a fond smile across his face at the memory. "what are some of your favourites then? if you don't mind my asking..."

     to hear her comment drives him even further, and he leans forward a little, nodding in agreement as she goes on. even though the classics are often breathtaking, he has visited enough freelance exhibits to know those are just as breathtaking, more open and unconstrained in the way the artist uses their medium. "i completely agree — sometimes small exhibits in the corners of the city are like a fresh breath of air. i find myself... shocked quite easily. since it's more... unexpected. oftentimes visceral." which is yet another reason he has bought a few lesser known art pieces before within his price range, and he is truly looking for more.

    "oh, that is a tough question —" he lets out, though a smile matches her own on his face, his lips pursed for a few seconds in thinking. "beauty is... something difficult to define. it's not something tangible or easy to spot at times. to be quite honest, what attracts me the first about a painting has to be the emotions — what they make me feel, then at a second step, i wonder what the artist felt making a particular piece. beauty... might be overrated at times, you know? sometimes beauty is terror, and something much more darker, or crooked, holds a lot more meaning than a conventionally beautiful painting." these are only his opinions after all, so he raises his shoulders a bit in a shrug, before directing the question sora’s way. "what do you think? it's awfully difficult to criticize a painting, but what is the first thought that comes to your mind when you look at one?"

lonely hearts club.

[nsyongjin-blog]

lunch break.

( @nssomi​​ )

     working out has always been a decent way to distract yongjin out of his mind, whenever he has some free time and has his mind occupied with whatever's going on in his life, he hits the gym, does some cardio enough to tire himself out properly. it's one of those days, his head clouded with too much worry, too many questions after the briefing from last week, he just wants some time let it all go, and that's exactly what he does. he steps inside the familiar environment early in the morning, and it takes long enough that it's past lunchtime when he's done.

     the familiar ache in his bones is only familiar and welcomed, his mind more at ease after the fatigue that veils his frame. after a shower and a fresh change of clothes, yongjin throws his sports bag across his shoulder and leaves the changing rooms, thinking lunch is in order. only then he spots the familiar face, and grins, his feet taking him her way immediately after. "somimi!" he knows the nickname infuriates the girl, but that's one more reason to use it. he knows she doesn't genuinely dislike him — or he thinks so, he hasn't gotten anything thrown his way just yet (besides punches whilst training), so deep down, he believes she doesn't mind.

     "are you here to work out? i'm impressed you still want to keep up with the training, even though i remember you over the moon because it was over —" he raises his eyebrows a little bit, knowing he is bound to get a reaction out of her with that. he understands why a doctor wouldn't hit the gym as much as a clandestine agent would, it's simply in his job description to be in shape at all times, whilst it's much different for her. and, because he also knows she isn't very good at taking care of herself (as much as she'd reject whatever he said), he squints for a few seconds at her before he speaks yet again. "did you eat? you can't work out on an empty stomach you know —" the agent points out, with what he hopes is a stern face. it wouldn't be the first time he caught someone skipping meals, but if he can stop it, he definitely will.

[nsyongjin-blog]

nsjisoo‌:

( ... )

“It’s quiet during weekends, but it gets busy on weekdays after work,” Jisoo says casually when they arrive. “I’m a regular here,” he grins before walking in. He’s friends with the lady who runs the place, and she gives them extra servings of beef and a few bottles of soju on the house. He hasn’t come in a while, and she welcomes him brightly and he smiles genuinely for the first time today.

“So,” Jisoo starts as he pours soju into Yongjin’s glass. “Get me up to date with your life, hyung. It’s been crazy busy since the new years that I don’t think I managed to send you a message,” he pauses, raising his own glass for a toast. “Happy belated new year to us.”

    it's not difficult to guess that the boy is not looking forward to speaking about his life, not looking forward to the numerous questions yongjin is bound to ask him. of course that's to be expected, but it doesn't make yongjin less determined, the worry is still stark in his chest, the phone conversation sounded too awful to leave it alone. if he thinks about it too much right then, he knows he's going to give it away, so he manages to hide the thought away for now so that they can have a proper talk later.

    "of course! i want to know what's going on —" then the car arrives before he can delve into that any further, and they make their way to the restaurant in question. yongjin has never been too good at staying still, but he manages not to speak for the length of the car drive, leaving it for the restaurant, leaving it after they have some amount of alcohol running through their veins. there are stories that shouldn't be exchanged in the cab, questions that would be too uncomfortable to answer as the car drives through the city. so, somehow he keeps quiet, and luckily enough they make it to the restaurant.

    once they step inside, he looks around, taking in the surroundings and the decor. with a smile on his face, he nods, glad that they are at least in a place jisoo is familiar with. maybe it'll be more comfortable after all, certainly so than a completely new place. "it looks nice — maybe i will visit here more often from now on." with that comment, he takes off his jacket and sets it down before sitting opposite to the other, turning his attention to him rather than the surroundings. "then i'll leave orders to you, get us the best they have —" he offers with a small grin, rolling his shoulders as he leans back.

    "will do — happy new year, jisoo, i hope it will be a good one." he picks up the soju glass and raises it in a toast, clinging it against the younger’s before he drinks. "that's completely okay, don't worry. it's been a... chaotic few months, i know." his eyebrows tilt a little upwards, enough to show there is no need to be talking about whatever's going on with the nis. things have been tense, but they have a whole other reason to be sitting there right now.  yongjin wants to learn about jisoo, but knowing he can't just jump into it, he thinks about what he should tell instead.

   "i have been abroad for a few weeks to be honest, i'm not very up to date about what actually went down in the hq. i visited quite a lot of sights though, bought too many books that i had to come with extra luggage." whilst he normally would ramble on that subject further, he doesn't, and directs it back to the younger instead. "what about you? anything... new?"

when we forget to mourn

[nsyongjin-blog]

nsjihae‌:

( ... )

“shit, cameras are down for the basement level,” he hisses to the quartermaster and yongjin as he quickly tries entering a few commands, hoping they’re just in need of a reset, but it’s to no avail. they have eyes only on the top floor now and not the basement area where they need it most and jihae hears himself cursing the cheapskates under his breath, heartbeat quickening in his chest. “we only have you in our ears now, yongjin. i’ll keep working on the feed though.” he says as the quartermaster tells yongjin to wait for backup. he sneakily uses his text program to message yongjin’s phone because he knows him, knows him better than he knows himself most days, and he knows what he’ll be thinking.

[message sent -> angel: no. wait for backup.]

     after weeks spent researching and planning, yongjin is glad that the day is finally here, that they are so close to finally getting the result of their hard work. they have been tracing this criminal organization for a while now, and since a few days ago they actually found the den, they are hopefully about to catch the leader in mere hours. the idea makes yongjin's head thrum with impatience, wanting to get there as soon as possible. he wants to get to the bottom of this, and even though he swears it's not personal (he knows better), a part of himself is disgusted by the numerous crimes these people have committed, and he knows that they can and they will put an end to it for good.

   the earpiece is snug and comfortable in his ear as he enters the building, having done this a million times before, he is quite confident in the fact that he knows what to do next. they have gone over the plan a few times, but due to the lack of blueprints, they trust camera footage alone, and as yongjin enters the first floor, his eyes flit toward the cameras, knowing that they are watching him. he fights against throwing a grin like he normally would months ago, but simply nods instead, continuing to advance further inside. the reality that jihae is watching him too puts things in a different perspective, making him want to succeed more; there are a few reasons for that, the main one is because he knows the younger has put days into researching the inner workings of the organization; the second, more hidden reason is that he doesn't want to let him down yet again. it's irrational but he knows he has to succeed, he doesn't want to let jihae down again, he doesn’t want their team to mess up because of him. once again, at the thought of the younger, the guilt threatens to reach the surface, but he buries it down yet again, knowing it's not the time for such things.

   he listens to the quartermaster as he climbs down, a firm grip on the gun as he walks through the empty corridors. the building would seem to be abandoned if they didn't know any better- but the actual business happens in the basement, and that's exactly where he is headed. as he's closer to the basement where their criminals are located, the voice reaches his ears, making him falter in his steps. his grip on the gun tightens slightly, his face hardening as he thinks. realistically, he knows waiting would be safer, but on the other hand, their intel may not be as trustworthy as they thought, and he is worried that they will escape before he can get to them.

   "i hear noises —" he lets out as soon as foreign voices reach his ears, making him rush forward as silently as he can. yongjin hides behind a corner as he peeks through the end, looking at the room where he is sure their culprit is sitting right now. before he can actually refuse the quartermaster's offer to wait, his phone buzzes against his thigh, and he shuffles to take it out. the message has more effect on him than the previous words, and the fact that jihae knew what he was thinking — it just makes yongjin's hand tighten around the device, makes him actually think. as the noises grow louder, he quickly replies back.

📩   (  text to ➟ jiji ♡  )  —  sorry.

   that's all he can spare, and he hopes it's enough before he speaks again. "negative, the target is on the move. i repeat, target is on the move. i have to act quick —" with that, he leaves the corner and moves towards the door in question. it's a backdoor rather than the main entry, and he hopes it will make up for the fact that there are no eyes on him as he slowly opens the door and looks inside.

⸢ what happened and what’s going on? ⸥

[nsyongjin-blog]

nskangwoo‌:

@nsyongjin

kangwoo is a creature of habit.

if anything, he has a deep-rooted dislike for impulsivity. surprises are never pleasant, whether its confetti popping right on his face at the end of his birthday or an unaccounted gunman appearing out of a corner during operations. outings are to be planned a week prior, just right before he starts jotting down his plan for the week. kangwoo’s really more of a careful planner than a natural improviser, after all.

and one of his habits during the weekend happens to involve a particular… talkative colleague at work. and a batch of bone soup that he had cook a little more than he can eat. perhaps on purpose.

[ ✉️ yongjin-hyung ]: hyung [ ✉️ yongjin-hyung ]: have you eaten breakfast yet?

there’s a brief moment of silence where round eyes just stare at the small screen before him, thumb hovering upon the ‘send’ button. lips tugged into his front teeth before he finally tapped on the screen once and shove it into the pocket of his jacket. he doesn’t want to risk getting caught in heavy traffic, especially while carrying food to yongjin’s apartment.

the agent yawns as he looks at the mass of paperwork on his table, papers upon papers waiting to be filled. perhaps he should have concentrated on it more during the week, but it's too late now, and all he wants to do is get everything done with so that he doesn't have to go through that damned mission again. too many mistakes, it was a miracle it ended in success, and while yongjin is happy about the latter — more mistakes still mean more paperwork, more explaining to do why things went wrong.

he wakes up in the morning and settles on the dining table with a pen in his hand, hoping to finish everything for good. the cup of coffee on the table has grown cold by the time his phone pings with a message, hours have passed by without him noticing. the agent pushes the papers around to find his phone buried underneath them, unlocking to see the texts.

a fond smile spreads across his face, touched that the younger has thought about something like that. as if on cue, his stomach grumbles, reminding him of the fact that nope, he hasn't eaten yet. he has an inkling that the other will offer to eat with him, but he asks nonetheless.

📩   (  text to ➟ kangwoooo  )  —  aaah nope i forgot >.> 📩   (  text to ➟ kangwoooo  )  —  did you?

* same old same old

[nsyongjin-blog]

nsminji·:

ʀᴇQᴜᴇꜱᴛɪɴɢ… @nsyongjin

minji was quiet as she stepped into one of the offices. it wasn’t a typical silence that fills the air between coworkers though. the quartermaster was frustrated. minji knew that she would have to become accustomed to missions not going as planned, but it was hard. she put so much of herself into the planning and execution of her missions. anytime something went wrong it sent waves of frustration and anxiety through her.

“okay, so let’s work on a recovery mission i suppose.” the agent looked back to yongjin, but didn’t meet his eyes. she knew that it wasn’t completely his fault. he had followed instinct. there was still a lot of recovery to go now though.

“so, where should we even start?” her eyes finally met his as she closed the conference room door and crossed her arms over her chest. she knew that she was acting like a brat, but she couldn’t help herself.

     even though he was confident on the field, yongjin felt like a dog with its tail between his legs when he stepped foot in the hq, feeling responsible for the way things went. of course, when it came to the chase, he didn't regret it one bit, he would do it all again — yet the fact that it wasn't a success (and far from it) didn't bode well with the clandestine agent. so with apologies at the tip of his tongue, he followed the quartermaster across the corridors, knowing it wasn't the time to speak just yet.

     at her offer, he silently nodded, biting his lip afterwards in an attempt to stop himself from speaking. patience had never been his strongsuit, and he was neither good at keeping quiet. but he managed it, somehow, and when they stepped foot in the conference hall and had a bit of privacy for their own, he began to talk.

   "i'm not sure — look, minji-sshi —- i'm sorry. i didn't mean to-" he began, though it was hard to figure out what exactly to say. he understood that she must have been feeling disappointed right then, and yongjin really couldn't blame her either. "i didn't mean to mess up your plan. i'm terribly sorry-"

blame game || yongjin & minji