#these are nice but i would be more energized by something more springtime.

[cyclesprefectpress]

[video description: recording of letterpress printing in a clamshell-action press. the press opens on a hinge, with a relief surface fixed to one side of the V and the paper placed on the other. as the hinge opens, the rollers pass over the relief surface and distribute ink across the raised parts; as the hinge closes, the relief material comes in contact with the paper. each card is placed in register inside the press and removed after printing by hand, as the hinge opens and closes. This small notecard is printed with a small illustration of a trumpeter, and HALLOO in large type that fades from pink to blue across the page. end description.]

📣 📣 Getting ready for Tacoma Wayzgoose this Saturday, 11-4, at the Moore library branch in Tacoma! Steamroller printing, an equipment swap, printing demos at every table, etc etc. I’m only going to be there Saturday BUT it’s open 11-7 on Friday as well 📣📣 Come see everybody and grab one of these shouty guys with a little embossing demo :)

[jindallaebe]

I'VE GOT YOU 조진달래 → 스티비

the drive to gyeonggi wasn't bad. in fact, jindallae's convinced that it'll probably be one of his favorite parts of his their day, even if it's just the prelude to it. he enjoyed the peace of being able to focus on the road, he liked listening to stevie talk, and he especially loved discovering more about him from the songs he'd play. before they met up, he told him to build a playlist for them to jam to, and every song caught his ear in one way or another.

overall, it was nice to slow down like that for a little while. that's not something that happens for jindallae that often, and he appreciated stevie's company during that moment.

now, though, they're standing in the adventure zone of a sports monster—a place he's always wanted to share with someone, and he has a hunch stevie will be the perfect person to experience it with. every time they've gotten together, they end up doing something physical; adventurous. they spent all day surfing in the summertime, skateboarded all afternoon in the springtime, and hiked aurulent mountain trails in autumn, so he figured planning something mirroring those memories would feel the most natural.

while he wants this to feel like a date to stevie, jindallae thinks it's important to ensure that they have fun, too, so as he turns to stevie, he gazes down at him and grins. "now you can see why i told you to wear gym clothes," he quips, his sights sweeping through their surroundings; the technicolor layout vibrant and energizing.

"i thought we could start with one of the rock-climbing walls, but if you have any other ideas, i'll follow your lead. i have a feeling we're gonna be here for awhile anyway, there's so much to do." thankfully, it's not that packed with people either. the cooler weather must have people staying home, which he's more than fine with. "though, i will admit, part of the reason why i think the rock-climbing walls would be fun is because i think you'll look super cute working your way up to the top."

hopefully his teasing remark isn't taken the wrong way. he'd hate himself for making things awkward so soon into their day. "you think you're up for the challenge?"

[glacialltz]

hello! your writing is super good, so i was wondering if you could write some headcannons about the first years’ ideal first dates. i hope you have a nice day! -🍒

content: fluff

warnings: none

word count: 2.7k

author's note: i really hope you enjoy this, dear 🍒. i tried to write it as sweet as possible, just for you. lots of love went into this particular treat! i hope your day is wonderful as well 🤍

Ace doesn’t want to feel tied down on the first date. He wants to get to know his date, of course, but he doesn’t see the point in some stuffy old meeting where all you do is talk.

Dinner dates are fine and all, but they’re not quite his style. Ace may be a bit flippant when it comes to relationships and tends to figure that if he already likes you enough to want to go out with you in the first place, he doesn’t need to sit down and talk with you about each other for two and a half hours first. Why not just go for it? Who even takes love that seriously at his age anyway, he thinks.

If you are heading out on a date with him, make sure you’re wearing good walking shoes. Ace prefers active dates where you can walk and talk. A likely first option for him would be something akin to running from attraction to attraction on a boardwalk.

On Ace’s ideal date, the sun is shining and the summer is soon approaching. The air doesn’t feel too hot - not just yet - as the world begins to shift from springtime into early summer and the wind still has a cool chill to it. The sky isn’t spotless, but the clouds aren’t drab and grey either. The light is bright, reflecting sharply off of the ocean, and it feels like you’re reliving the days of childhood in which the world seemed to be a technicolor-esc vividness. 

If Ace was to have his way, the two of you would be sampling food from every spot you could find some without getting sick. Your stomachs would feel boundless and your eyes were bigger than any plate out there. Everything from hot dogs and French fries to elephant ears and scones, the two of you were sure to sample them all. 

The sugar would keep the two of you energized as you ran every which way and took in every sight. You’d holler at the kites in the bright blue sky together and he’d wonder if he could get away with snatching a balloon for you.

Excitement running through your veins, the two of you would practically cover every inch of the boardwalk, wanting to see all there is to see. If you got tired, you'd sit together on a bench for a short break and make up stories about the people you saw walking around you and what their lives could possibly be like. Even when resting from the constant motion of the date, Ace finds a way to keep it from being boring.  

It’s not a thought that would frequently cross Ace’s mind, but every now and then he may figure his “ideal date” to be a bit cliché, but he shakes it off thinking it doesn’t really matter. He likes it and as long as the two of you are having fun together, who really cares? The day was amazing and he’d be getting to see you smiling for all of it; what else could he ask for? 

The day would feel long yet not tiring; like a week’s worth of activities rolled into one. It’d be the kind of day you’d only like to have once in a while - only for something special - because it would be tiring and boring if it were to happen too often. A special day that truly suits something as precious as the first date with Ace Trappola. 

Deuce is nervous, to say the least. If you somehow got him to the point where he was asking you out, however, he would be trying to push that nervousness away in favor of enjoying the day with you.

He's still super nervous the whole time though.

Deuce, unlike Ace, treasures the moments in trying to get to know you, even if they come before the actual dates themselves. He tends to freeze up in the face of relationships, so he tends to lean more toward the type of dates that are calmer and he can try to collect his nerves.

While being a bit brash and dense at times, he still enjoys delicate dates, even if the two of you are simply walking through a flower field (possibly arm-in-arm, if you would like).

In fact, he may like that quite a bit. He likes being able to talk with you with minimal distractions around. He doesn't want his attention to be caught by anything else and lead astray, but this may make it a bit harder for him to look you in the eye. He's shifty and blushy but calms down when he sees your pleased gaze as you look at the flowers.

He explodes with red once more if you place a delicate flower crown on the top of his head, however.

The air would be warm as the sun shines, but not still like the dead of summer. The flowers bend and sway in the soft wind as the two of you walk through them. Fear not if you have allergies, as the pollen count remains low so you may enjoy the day with your lover.

Deuce tends to stick more toward the shade of the towering trees around the field and he smiles with glee if you run out into the middle of the sun-kissed flowers. You can draw him out with you with ease, just beacon eagerly to him with a bright smile. He can't resist and will quickly rush out to join you.

After making him the initial crown, please teach him how to make some himself. He'll work at it with an unusual amount of focus, tongue ever so slightly peeking out from the corner of his lips, twisting the flower stems through his fingers. He's eager to work at them, putting himself to it with incredible dedication. He wants to give it to you, after all, and make more in the future, so it would be no good if they didn't live up to the standard he held toward any gifts for you.

You two could have spent hours there together, dwindling the hours away beside the daisies. The sun felt so warm and the atmosphere so pleasant. Deuce was glad he picked you and glad he chose to take you here, as the date was amazing despite its simplicity. The two of you held multiple conversations, sharing details about your lives and answering each other's light-hearted questions. You two were able to grow closer, and you too were glad to have accompanied him to this magical place.

The date would only come to an end as your stomachs growled and it became apparent that the both of you forgot to bring anything to eat. You'd head back sheepishly, cheeks tinted pink, but it wasn't for nothing. You'd grown so much closer and your first date was something truly enjoyable. Please ask him to go on another soon, or at least revisit this beautiful field with him again.

Jack is an earnest boy in everything he does, and this includes his pursuit of you. He set his eye on you and plans on being successful in his courting, both due to his personal feelings toward you and the tradition of his kind.

You're quite the lucky one to be asked out by him, really.

Who wouldn't wish to be with such a kind-hearted, hard-working, fluffy-haired boy?

Jack, too, would enjoy a more quiet, slower-paced date with you, but would be willing to accompany you wherever you'd like. You'd like to go shopping? May he carry your bags for you? Would you like to go to lunch? Do you want to pay or do you want him to? Or would you prefer to split the bill between you both?

Despite not being very picky, he would enjoy simply spending an afternoon with you for his first date. He's not too talkative, and he's definitely not the best at admitting his feelings for you, so he enjoys showing his love for you by doing things for you.

He'd be quite glad to just be let into your sunlight-filled dorm for an afternoon helping you clean up or even just doing homework next to you.

His tail wags happily as the two of you "work" away. Please don't comment on it, thank you. His heart can't handle it and he will deny it fervently as it continues to wag.

He can't help it, he's delighted to be so close to you. You aren't even looking at him but he can't stop looking at you. You're really good-looking, you know that?

You pass simple questions back and forth. Thank goodness you've become so accustomed to his more curt way of speaking. He's eager to learn about you, he really is, but, well, old habits die hard.

When the afternoon begins to draw to a close, Jack will end your day together by escorting you to get dinner. Your lighthearted conversation will continue on over the warm meal, and you can finally see the delight and joy dancing within his eyes. He feels truly blessed to be here spending this time with you, and really really hopes you feel the same way too.

Jack insists on walking you back to your room again, even if you tell him it's no trouble. He's a gentleman in his own way, rough around the edges as it may be, and his concern for your safety extends even this far. Allow him to do so, won't you? It does make him so happy.

He'll bid you a short goodbye and leave you for the day, tail continuing to wag. He had such a pleasant day with you, even if it seemed so simple compared to the dates others may have asked you on. But regardless of if you were doing homework or put him to work helping you clean, he feels so happy to know he possibly helped lift a burden off of your shoulders and would be pleased to do it again anytime.

His shoulders are square and his eyes hardened when he asks you out - there's no way you'd say no. His expression seems even more delighted when he's proven right and you do answer yes.

Despite Sebek's initial confidence, however, he has a slight dilemma when you ask him what it is you'll be doing. He's never done anything like this. Oh no...

Panicking slightly, he lists off the place he finds most relaxing, asking you to join him at the school's botanical garden. Thankfully, you accepted.

He worked hard packing the two of you something to eat for the brunch you agreed upon, meeting you toward the later end of the morning hours. A blanket was laid out for the two of you to sit upon, the basket placed directly in the middle.

Sebek takes pride in the food he prepared for you, even if it's not 5-star quality, as he knows it is leagues better than anything that would have been made if he had let Lilia help him, which the older fae asked to do several times. He was even kind enough to try to prepare you something nice to drink in case you don't enjoy the humidity and warmth of the gardens.

He sits next to you, reading quietly for a while. But his eyes can't focus and he's reread the same page several times now. He isn't quite sure exactly what to talk about, faltering every time he tries to open his mouth to speak.

When you do get him to put down the book and speak to you, please brush off any of the slightly less polite things he may say. He doesn't insult you - oh far be it from so - but he may accidentally insult things like your dorms or a hobby you have. He doesn't mean it, he really doesn't, he's just not yet used to speaking more politely to anyone but Lilia and Malleus.

You get quite the chuckle, however, when Sebek eagerly says something stupid with his whole heart. He tells you something idiotic that Lilia tricked him into believing, and you almost double over in laughter. You have to wipe away quite a few tears from your eyes as you explain to him that it is, in fact, not true.

If you humor him by asking him to share anything about his Young Master, he'd be ecstatic. The next hour, if not longer, will be devoted solely to this topic, and you may wish you had never brought him up, to begin with. Sebek's quite grateful, however, deriving great joy from being asked to share such information with someone who obviously knows nothing about his Master's amazing benevolence and power.

The sun is already high in the sky when the two of you part ways for the day, with Sebek's tough-guy exterior finally cracking long enough for him to blush as he bids you good day. He stiffly thanks you for joining him and expresses excitement for seeing you around school some more. He does end up chickening out of asking when your next date will be, however, which may be for the better. He still needs time to recover his quickly beating heart from the day, even if it doesn't show on his face.

A bit cliché, maybe, but Epel would enjoy teaching you how to apple carve. Well, maybe not that exactly, but he would like to have a date in which he can show you there is more to him than just a pretty face.

He knows everyone chalks him up to his appearance, so chances are you already know there's more beneath the surface if he's even asking you to go on a date with him, to begin with.

The two of you sit shoulder to shoulder as he shows you what to do, hands moving nimbly and expression hardened. He does only the most intricate work, desiring to pull that beautiful awe-struck amazed expression from you.

He tries to teach you what to do, but his explanations are a bit stiff and lacking. Let's hope you are a visual learner, or can at least figure out what to do from watching his hands. He goes a bit slower for you if you ask and compliments any work you do regardless, even if it doesn't compare to his.

Don't compliment Epel's appearance, and instead compliment his handiwork. While he would prefer being called "manly", he's still grateful for every "wow" that slips past your lips and each muttered, "that's so cool".

However, Ace and Deuce aren't the only mischievous first years. Epel persuades you into swiping some treats with him. The more they would cause Vil to fret if he knew, the better. He's so tired of eating things that "benefit his skin" and sometimes just wants to snack, he tells you, arms waving about with his speech.

He talks with his mouth full at times and icing smeared on his lips. His brash tone and frank way of speaking becomes more and more apparent the longer he goes on and on, but he quickly gets embarrassed and sheepish if you point it out. With just a little reassurance, however, he'll perk up again and even offer you a bite out of his own tart.

He's willing to accompany you anywhere you'd like for the rest of the day, however, embarrassed slightly about the day being more focused on the things he wanted to do. If you chose to take him up on his offer, you become privy to more of his sarcastic comments and snide remarks as he follows you about on your daily routine.

However, Epel makes sure not to wear out his welcome and knows when to leave you be for the day. As stellar as the date was (and he really did enjoy it very much), he smartly draws it to a close with a sweet ribbon on top. He bids you goodbye cheerfully despite knowing he has to return to his dorm. Something about you seems to cheer him up, even if the Head and Vice Head of his dorm annoy him. It seems he'll have to ask you out again soon, then.

[sassyshoulderangel319]

A Springtime Hike

For one of my oldest Tumblr friends, @saviorsong​! Thank you for always being awesome, my friend!

Word count: 1,752 (it ran away with itself, lol XD)

Warnings: Kissing? Does that count?

The day was pleasant. Warm and light, but not too hot and not too bright. In fact, the light was dull and fuzzy, lending itself to painting the land in a dreamlike blur.

You and Thor were walking hand-and-hand down the path that led through the forest. You were fairly certain that this particular path was forged by deer over generations before humans took it over as a hiking trail.

The one good thing about quarantine was that “solitary outdoor exercise” (or whatever the governor called it) was still allowed. And Thor… well. His Asgardian immune system wouldn’t even accept the virus causing the outbreak. Some viruses weren’t cross-species compatible, and this was one of them. So you could walk with him all you wanted without worrying that either of you would infect the other.

“Okay,” you said after a few minutes of walking through the woods. “Where exactly are you taking me?”

Thor gave you a little smirk. One that had enough mischief to remind you that he did, in fact, grow up with an impish little brother who most definitely rubbed off on him. “You’ll see, love,” he said.

You narrowed your eyes at him, his ocean blue meeting your hazel green with mirth. Thor would never do anything to hurt you—physically, mentally, or emotionally—but he did have a tendency to exasperate you with unexpected surprises. You liked his surprises but sometimes they were just over-the-top enough that it was too much.

The hike was nice. Invigorating and energizing but not exhausting. Just satisfyingly tiring enough to leave you feeling accomplished.

Another mile went by while birdsong and Thor’s excited chatter filled your ears. A cool breeze—apt for spring—blew through your chestnut curls.

Though you couldn’t help but feel like you were being followed. Just a slight inclination. Like the hairs on the back of your neck could not lie down. But every time you looked back to see who was following you, the path was empty. There weren’t even any deer or visible birds hopping on the branches of the trees.

“Something wrong?” Thor asked. His grip on your hand tightened slightly as he looked around. His axe was hiding under the car at the head of the hiking trail and could be summoned within moments, but he wasn’t reaching for it yet.

You made a face. “Not sure. Just feels like someone is following us.”

“Who would be doing that when all your mortal people have been instructed to stay inside?”

“I don’t know,” you admitted. “I just can’t shake the feeling.”

“Hm. Should we wait a moment to see if another hiker catches up with us?” Thor asked.

“No. Let’s just keep going,” you decided. “It’s probably nothing.”

Thor nodded, maintained his tighter grip on your hand, and continued pulling you down the path.

Until he pulled you off the path.

“Where are we going?” Your complaining tone was lost on Thor’s ears.

“You’ll see,” he said.

The two of you trekked up a slight slope, breaking twigs underfoot and scaring off any wildlife within earshot.

And still the feeling of being followed didn’t go away. You rubbed the back of your neck to try and get the hair to lie down but your instincts refused to relax. Another chill breeze made goosebumps sprout on your arms—though they quickly disappeared as Thor wrapped an arm around your shoulders, bringing you to the warmth of his side.

His other arm reached up, across his body and covered your eyes.

“What are you doing?” Your voice was sharp but playful.

He chuckled. “Do you trust me?” He was teasing you, but also genuinely asking.

“Maybe. Should I?”

Another low chuckle deep in his chest vibrates against where your side is pressed to his. “I should hope that after six months of being together, you felt like you could,” he said.

You thought for a moment. “Sure,” you decided. “I trust you.”

A brief exhale of amusement out of his nose let you know he was smiling. He led you over the forest floor carefully, instructing you to step over fallen branches and large rocks, for a few minutes. No more than three.

Finally, he stopped. “Alright. Are you ready?”

“Absolutely,” you said.

Thor removed his hand from over your eyes.

Laid out before you was a clearing. Natural, by the looks of it. A meadow of wildflowers and wild grass extended in a twenty-foot diameter to the trees on the other side. It wasn’t perfectly circular, but the gap in the canopy of pine and leaves spotted the ground with that hazy sunlight that casted the whole day in a dreamy fuzz.

Nestled into the clearing is a picnic blanket. On top of which was a small table and two chairs. The table was draped in a pale green tablecloth, held down by the place settings.

Your mouth dropped open. “What is this?”

Thor took your hand and led you to the setup. He pulled out the chair for you and pushed it back in when you sat. Then he circled the table and took his own seat. “Well. I know how much you love the outdoors and how much you’ve disliked being stuck inside all the time. So I thought it’d be nice to have a little full service lunchtime picnic,” he said. “Speaking of full service…”

He clapped twice and looked back the way you came. You looked over too, curious of what he was on about.

Two dark figures dropped from the trees. Your friend Cassie and the small Spider child. Peter. Both were in black skinny jeans and T-shirts with tuxedo prints on the fronts. Cassie pulled white towels out of her back pockets and draped one on her arm, and one on Peter’s. They ducked behind the trees for a moment and approached the table. Cassie handed you a menu while Peter handed one to Thor.

“Good afternoon, we’ll be your personal servers today,” Cassie said professionally, fighting back a smile and losing the battle. “My name is Cassiopeia and this is… Peterolomew.” She snickered as Peter shot her a glare. “Can we start you off with something to drink?”

“Yes,” Thor put in before you could say anything. “We’ll both have the special.” He shot her a smug smirk. She nodded and she and Peter crossed to the other side of the clearing. They came back with wine.

After drinks were served, the two younger Avengers took your orders from the menus—you highly suspected they’d hidden coolers behind the trees, just out of sight—and disappeared with a brief goodbye of, “Signal when you’re ready for dessert.” You watched them step into the trees, duck out of sight, and then never reappear.

You looked back at Thor. “How long have you been planning this?”

He shrugged. “About a week. It was Cassie’s idea to have her and Peter play the servers.”

“Of course it was. Where’d they go?”

“Probably off to enjoy their time outside as well. They’ll come back when we call for them.”

You can’t help but laugh in mild exasperation. “Thank you for this. I really did need the outing. And… well. Any extra time I get to spend with you is time well-spent,” you said, winking at him. He beamed and reached across the table to take your hand. He picked it up and planted a quick kiss on your knuckles.

The wind brought the scent of spring trees. Pine and maple. The smell of the wildflowers dotting the clearing. It made the shadows of the leaves and branches dance on the green grass of the meadow.

The food was standard lunch stuff. Sandwiches, muffins, salads, simple stuff. But somehow just being out in the sun after so long of being shut inside made the food taste that much stronger. The flavors popped and your senses felt opened up. Like taking a decongestant after not being able to breathe from a cold.

Thor smiled across from you. His smile was bright and full of life. His eyes sparkled with amusement at just being with you and happiness at spending time together.

“What?” You couldn’t help but blush slightly at his unwavering eye contact.

He shook his head. “Nothing. I just love you. And love being out here with you.”

You smiled. “I love you too. And I’m glad we can do this.”

He nodded. “Me too. We should do simple things like this more often.”

“We should,” you agreed, taking a bite of your food. It saturated your tastebuds and made your mouth water.

The two of you talked a little more while finishing your lunch—about the pandemic, about families, about the other Avengers, about the two younger Avengers lurking in the trees somewhere probably eavesdropping the nature of their relationship (just to mess with them if they were listening in), and about anything else you thought about.

After the main course was finished, you let out a shrill whistle to summon the servers. It took a moment, but Cassie and Peter reappeared. “You rang?” Cassie asked with a smile.

“We’re ready for dessert,” Thor said.

“Lovely. Take a moment to browse the menu for desserts and then let us know what you want.”

“Of course.”

After the two younger Avengers gave the two of you your dessert and disappeared again, Thor picked up his chair and brought it to the same side of the table as yours. He threaded his fingers into your hair and pressed his lips to yours. They were sticky and cold from his ice cream and you could taste the caramel as you kissed him back. His lips parted just enough to let his tongue touch your lips before retreating. Asking quietly if you’re okay deepening the kiss.

“Let’s scar Cassie and Petey for life,” you whispered playfully.

He chuckled and kissed you again, asking permission to deepen it. You let your own lips part just enough to let your own tongue through. Thor tilted his head for a better angle and rubbed his thumb over your cheek as the two of you deepened your kiss.

The wind picked up, sending your curls tumbling over your shoulders and around your heads, the ends flicking Thor’s cheeks. You felt him smile against your lips and scoot closer to wrap you up in his warmth.

“Was this a good lunch date?” he asked quietly.

You couldn’t help but smile. “The best.”

[theblueinyou]

Star Chaser, Star Keeper 01

genre: supernatual, healing, angst  

words: 1,833

pairing: KookMin

Jungkook, child of the moon, falls in love with Jimin, child of a dying star.

( AO3 Link )

Downpour

/ˈdaʊnpɔː/

(noun)

A sudden and unexpected heavy fall of rain.

Jungkook has never found a word so fitting that described him and Jimin perfectly.

Chapter  1: The Springtime Visitor

The weather in May is like a pendulum. The sun would tease its scorching existence a little before disappearing behind a sheet of rain for weeks on end. Sometimes there were brief periods of snow in the lower regions of Korea. Too warm for spring and too cold for summer - it was easy to tell that the people were tired of the seasonal ambiguity.

Seoul has the worst of it. Although the weather forecast hadn’t officially declared the end of the rainy season, its citizens crowded the streets at the first sight of a clear sky, wanting to see the cherry blossoms before the flowers were washed away by the rain. The good weather had only lasted for a few hours until a sudden, unexpected downpour forced everyone to take shelter in nearby cafes and stores.

Solgahun is one of them.

The wooden nameplate of the traditional tea house etched in hanja is practically invisible to most people. Their eyes predictably skip over the unassuming sign and exterior, drawn to the dozens of other cafes lining the streets of Jongro district.

Jungkook runs Solgahun ( 솔가헌, derived from how the place smells like the pine tree ). His patrons are usually the elderly who like to play Baduk while enjoying his homemade tea or herbal medicine. They also like to play Hwatu, but Jungkook always prohibits the gambling with a firm but gentle smile.

“Jungkook-ah,”

He’s quick to respond, shifting his attention from mopping the floor and raising his brow at Namjoon to indicate that he now has his full attention.

“I’m working more than your staff . Now that I’m thinking about it, I should be the one getting paid by the hour,” Namjoon complains.

“ Would you like to be paid by me?” Jungkook scoffs, balancing against the mop as he gives him a knowing look. He knows the rules of Confucius don’t apply to Namjoon considering how he’s been around long before the philosopher was born, but a child of the Sun taking money from a child of the moon is still seen as petty. The age hierarchy, it seemed, was universal - with minor variations, of course.

Jungkook had met Namjoon in Seoul at the end of the Joseon Dynasty, right before the Japanese had forcefully annexed Korea. It made sense to keep each other company during times of hardships. The two had been together ever since.

“Besides,” Jungkook adds, “it’s not like you have anything better to do these days. Best spend your time doing something productive.” Such as cleaning the floor and help serving tea, he thinks to himself. Namjoon may not be the most careful with the china, but he acts as a quiet energizer, just like his celestial parent, which eases customers in a way Jungkook can’t.

Namjoon looks mildly offended by this, but decides not to add fuel to Jungkook’s teasing, nodding in defeat and going back to sweeping the floor.

The bell chimes when the door opens, and a rain-soaked guest stepping in in a hurry. Both Namjoon and Jungkook turn to greet him.

The guest brings in the smell of cherry blossoms mixed with wet soil as he enters, a warm breeze drifting into the tea house despite the heavy downpour outside. The oversized beige sweater he’s wearing is drenched, drowning him in his own clothes and making him look smaller than he already is. Jungkook notices how the chime of the bell still echoes around him, and he lets out the breath he didn’t know he was holding when the boy meets his gaze.

“Welcome,” Namjoon says with a smile while Jungkook stares in stunned silence. It seems like Namjoon had picked up on his surprise since he doesn’t wait for Jungkook to speak. “Feel free to seat wherever you’d like,” Namjoon tells their guest before turning to Jungkook.  “Jungkook-ah, bring him a towel.”

“Yeah,” he replies, almost on autopilot.

“Is there something you’d like to drink as well?” Namjoon asks the guest.

“Thanks,” the boy says shyly, his eyes darting here and there, obvious that he’s surprised as well. “Um, do you have warm omija tea?”

Namjoon nods and gives Jungkook a gentle push towards the kitchen. Jungkook doesn’t fight the push and moves where he’s supposed to go even though he’s half-annoyed and half-grateful, wanting to stare at the boy longer but needing a minute or two to refocus.

“We didn’t expect to see someone like us around so soon,” Namjoon muses when Jungkook returns with a towel and a tray of tea. “Do you have a name?”

“I’m Jimin.”

“Jimin?” Namjoon echoes, almost as an afterthought. “Ji (智) for wisdom and Min is for…?”

“Sky (旻),” Jimin nods. “Wisdom that touches the sky.” Namjoon’s small talk seemed to have help relax both Jimin and Jungkook a bit; Jungkook can look at the guest without looking away whenever their eyes meet.

There’s a faint glow around Jimin, bright enough to see the dust dancing around him. It might be from the help from the sunlight pouring in, but Jungkook can’t take his eyes off the guest.

Besides the glow, Jimin was soft-looking with a mouth prone to smiling. And with his pale skin, rosy cheeks, and soft, silver-blond hair, Jungkook isn’t surprised when Jimin introduces himself as a child of an old star.

“Seems like you’re the youngest out of the three here,” Jimin giggles, giving Jungkook a kind yet unreadable look. “All the other children I’ve met so far were older than I am.”

“You’ve met others?” Jungkook’s eyes widen in interest. He hadn’t seen any other gods for a while now, not since the Korean war.

Jimin shakes his head. “Not in Seoul, at least. There’s too much light pollution here, so you can’t see anything in the sky. Not to mention the yellow dust.” Jimin crinkles his nose, making no effort to hide his disgust.

“Yeah.” Jungkook looks at Namjoon, who gives him an understanding look. Seoul wasn’t exactly the best place to live. “So what brings you here then?”

“This was my first home. I was created here.”

So were Jungkook and Namjoon. Their silence prompts Jimin to continue.

“I missed this place. I haven’t been here ever since the Japanese occupation and wandered around in Europe for a while but…”

“It’s just not like home,” Namjoon helps him finish.

“……” Jimin doesn’t answer, giving him a slight shrug instead.

“Yeah, home is the best place to be.”

Namjoon’s words have put them all under nostalgic silence, and Jimin looks particularly wistful. Jungkook wonders what kind of life Jimin had that makes him miss the past so much.

It’s nice to reminisce. While Namjoon is a great companion, they’ve been living together for too long. While Namjoon is a great companion, they’ve been living together for too many decades to count. Jimin’s stories are more interesting to listen to, the newness of his tales taking hold of Jungkook. If Namjoon and Jimin were talking about the same sky, then they described it as different colors.

When the downpour outside had metamorphosed into a light drizzle, Jimin tells them about how there are two rivers in the their galaxy. He speaks delicately, the words almost a soft mumble that makes Jungkook feel warm and comforted.

“I’ve never seen them in person,” Namjoon shakes his head when Jungkook looks at him for confirmation.

“There’s a river where all the wishes flow. You can see all of them glitter underneath the water like rocks.”  

“Wishes?” Jungkook asks, brows furrowing.

“It’s where people’s wishes go,” Jimin clarifies. “Anytime someone looks at one of us, blows out a candle, prays… it becomes part of that great flow.”

Jungkook’s mouth forms a small “O”, catching the way how Jimin’s eye glitter as he speaks of their home.

“I heard it’s almost overflowing, but it never floods,” Namjoon comments.

“That’s because our Father made it, silly,” Jimin giggles.

The god who created the universe. It always amazed Jungkook how someone with such a big presence could obscure himself so that no one had ever really seen him. There were an abundance of rumors - glimpses, even - but nothing more than unconfirmed tales. Even legends had their own legends.

“So what kind of wishes get granted by Father?” Jungkook asks, curious as Namjoon as never spoke of it before. “The brightest one? The one that’s in the deeper part of the river? Or the most humble one?” A river made up of glittering wishes - Jungkook found it so poetic.

Jimin’s response is not what he’s expected. Jimin looks at him for a while, lips pressed together tightly.

“None.”

“......”

“It’s a river made up of wishes that can’t come true.”

“......”

“That’s why it hurts when you try to dip your hand in for too long.”

Jimin leaves when the rain stops completely. Jungkook blinks at the clock on the wall, surprised to see how time went by so fast. Even for a celestial child, Jimin seems to timeless.

He’s reluctant to see Jimin go, wanting him to stay longer. Jimin promises that he’ll be back, and he believes him. The way Jimin’s gaze lingered on his makes him sure of it. Or that’s how he imagines it to be.

When Jimin disappears into the corner at the end of their street, Namjoon turns to Jungkook.

“I think you scared him away with all the staring.”

“What? I didn’t stare.” Jungkook is quick to defend himself, not meeting Namjoon’s eyes when he feels the heat of a blush rushing up his neck. “I just, you know, his skin kind of glowed. It was cool. I never met a child of a star before.”

“It was cool,” Namjoon parrots him dryly, wetting a cloth from the sink to wipe the table clean.

“He looks like he’s been around for a while. He must have seen a lot of stuff,” Jungkook says, trying to change the topic.

“Yeah. Centuries before you were created.” Namjoon’s voice sounds almost distant, indicating that he’s reminiscing again. “There were a lot more star children back then. No one wants to come to Earth when it’s so difficult to see the stars these days.”

“He looked a little sad,” Jungkook says, picking up the cup that Jimin had drank from, still warm to touch. Korea had changed drastically over the century. Although most changes were for the best, the difference might have made Jimin feel like a stranger in his own home. “He must miss how things were like before.” He recalls the distant longing in his voice when Jimin spoke of the past, how he stared into his reflection on the glass rather than the view outside the window.

“Jimin doesn’t really miss the old days,” Namjoon corrects him. “He’s just counting his days.”

Jungkook stills, his grip around the tray tightening.

“…what?”

In the short silence they share, Namjoon seems surprised that Jungkook hadn’t noticed, shooting him a sympathetic look.

“He’s dying, Kook. Jimin is a dying star.”

[heaven-delight]

[INTERVIEW] TRANS: 2018/04 - Red Velvet Yeri CéCi Cover Star Interview

Warm Colors, Red Velvet Yeri

The facial expressions of Yeri, a 20-year-old who doesn’t want to push things back until tomorrow.

“You don’t turn 21 after being 20 years old. You turn into a person in your 20s.” This is a sentence from the introduction of Kim Yeon-Soo’s short novel, “20-Years-Old”1. You don’t have to give meaning to each passing year, but there are times that whiz past you even quicker if you don’t keep track of them.

It seems a bit too early for Red Velvet’s Yeriㅡwho just turned 20 years oldㅡto be associated with the word ‘youth.’ Yeri, whose freshness can be still found underneath her bubbliness, is a different person from last yearㅡwhen she posed for her high school graduation photosㅡand a different person from yesterday. She’s no different from any other 20-year-old, for she’s the kind of person who laughs out loud after saying “I only want to give love,” a person who seriously contemplates over what kind of birthday present she should give her motherㅡwhose birthday is coming up soonㅡand also a person who is embarrassed about her old taste for food. But she’s also a person whose unique color is destined to become even deeper as she feels the world around her richly, for she also continues to explore herself deeply. Through this article, CéCi recorded what the Yeri today is like, what the today of a person who would surely make any time of her life meaningful is like. Like how there’s one springtime that lasts in your memory even longer out of all the ones that come each year, we hope that Yeri’s 20-year-old life would be like that.

How was your trip? Did you just go with Saeron?

Yeah. I went to Bali with just Saeron. Because both of us wanted to use this trip completely for resting, as soon as the dates for my break came out, we thought a lot about where we should go. Bali was really hot, and although the two of us had to constantly put sunscreen on in order to not get sunburnt, we had fun resting. I don’t think I’ll be able to forget about this trip easily because eating good food and casually mingling with the other travelers helped me get rid of my stress and feel better.  

It looks like you’ve been to Gangneung too. Have you already decided where to go next?

Before heading to Bali, I watched “Youn’s Kitchen 2,” and I found Garachico so pretty that I actually looked up plane tickets. But it took 35 hours round trip, so I gave up. (Laughs) I have a weak stamina so being on a plane for 35 hours didn’t seem to fit the purpose of the trip which was ‘rest and recuperation.” But next time, I’m going to go to Spain or Italy for sure.

You turned 20 years old this year. But honestly, has that made you feel anything different?

Yeah, whenever I got questions about turning 20 years old, I always said that I don’t know what’s there to be so different, because it’s just time passing. But after thinking hard about how I could’ve changed recently, not when, I found out that one thing that I’ve changed is that I started to eat jokbal2. (Laughs) I’ve never eaten jokbal until last summer. I ate it for the first time last summer, while practicing for the concerts. I was starving and drenched in sweat, so I just took a bite of it but it was super delicious. After that, until the end of 2017, I always ate jokbal at least once a week.

You ate gamjatang3 often too. (Laughs) Two years ago, when Red Velvet had a group photoshoot, you said that you wanted to live healthy. How’s your health these days?

I want to stay healthy both physically and mentally, so I always try to look for something that I like to do. That’s why I often try to work on making songs in the studio when I’m not promoting, play games as hard as I can, and go outside a lot to take pictures.

You look like a person who has various interests and tries to actively search for new things to enjoy.

I am a person who’s always looking for new things to try. (Laughs) Actually, from when I was a trainee, I tried to label each emotion I felt and wondered what names they had. That became a habit, so recently, I’ve been thinking harder about that these days. Eventualy, I realized that I was looking for an emotion called “stability,” and that I wanted to be stable in many aspects, such as in my way of thought, and my actions. At the same time, I also felt very thankful at the fact that I was able to find the “stability” that I’d been looking for. 

It was your birthday a couple of days ago, wasn’t it? Did it feel different since you got to spend it with your fans?

This year, I really want to meet the fans, to the point that I started scheduling it enthusiastically from two months ago. Normally, it’s hard to talk to the fans face to face, up close and personally. So, through the birthday party, I wanted to talk a lot about the things that I couldn’t say before. Although it was a bit embarrassing, I also read a letter that I wrote out loud.

Even if it wasn’t your birthday, I think events like those would’ve filled your heart up.

A lot of people think that the fans would like these kinds of events more than me. But, after meeting fans, I don’t feel just happy. I feel calm and extremely energized. Because of that, I wanted to meet the fans even more, and it was actually a very pleasant time for me too. 

We have to talk about your friends, since you always manage to win the hearts of those around you. Are you the kind of person who approaches people that you want to be friends with first?

I often get asked about how I manage to have so many friends. But, I always haven’t been able to give a clear answer, because I always don’t know what to say. Because I’d been a trainee from a young age, I don’t have a lot of friends that are the same age as me. 

No matter how hard I think about it, I can’t say that I really do have a lot of friends. I think it only looks like that because all of my friends are famous celebrities. Most of the friends I have are people that I’ve known for a while, because once I get to make new friends, I tend to stick with them for a long time.

I don’t think there’s a special secret behind how I have so many friends. Rather, I think it’s important to not be biased when you meet someone for the first time. Honestly, I only want to give love to the people around me.

“Wanting to only give love.” I guess that’s the truth and the secret to having so many friends. 

Usually, I don’t reach out to other people first. But I try to show as much affection as I can to the people that I adore. I don’t get to meet them a lot because everybody is so busy. So, I try to contact them often and talk to them sincerely. Everybody each has their own troubles and sorrows, so I want to only give love to the people around me. I guess that could be the secret behind why the relationships I make last long. 

You also revealed songs that you created, and on top of that, you’re also into games recently. Do you have any other things that you like to do, Yeri?

There are three things that I promised to do this year: studying foreign languages, song and lyric writing, and honing my piano and guitar skills. I know achieving all three goals looks impossible, but still, I want to give it a shot. Also, I always liked writing the stories inside my head out into lyrics and making them into songs. 

I was surprised after listening to 1000, the song that you created, because it was better than I expected. How long did you work on that song?

Really? Thank you. It feels great to hear that. I have the habit of writing down whatever comes to my mindㅡeven if it’s only just a sentenceㅡon my phone’s memo app, so I have a bunch of stories. It didn’t take long for me to come up with the lyrics to 1000. I was up during dawn one night, and I found out that it was my 1000th day since debut. After that, I wrote the lyrics while thinking of the fans. I thought that if I’d create a song out of these lyrics, it would become a great present. It didn’t take long for me to write the lyrics and come up with a melody to go along with them, but I got a lot of help from my friends who did music while recording the song and mixing it. After thinking about when to release it, I decided to do it on my birthday. Whenever I have time to spare, I use it to work on songs. It’s so fun that I can’t break the habit.

Didn’t you also write the song and lyrics for Ragoon’s “Story?” You’re a real hard worker.

That’s just how my personality is. If there’s anything that might help what I do, I want to try it out. The reason why I mentioned that I want to get better at playing the guitar and the piano is because they can help me make songs better. I want to keep having fun making songs in the future too. 

Do you always work on making music whenever you have time to spare? How do you usually spend a normal day?

I have a regular pattern. First, I meet my close friends and eat something nice for dinner. It’s one of the small joys of life. Second, I go to the bookstore and spend my time there. Then, there are times when I just head straight to the studio. I usually spend my time like that. 

Do you still buy and read lots of books?

I have so many books. (Laughs) Even last night, when I saw the empty space on my bookshelf while I was organizing it, I was sure that that space was going to run out soon. I go to the bookstore often, but recently, I spent a whole day trying to get my hands on “Castella” by Park Mingyu. I’m going to read it soon since I managed to get a copy of it. Also, I was impressed deeply by the movie “Your Name,” so I’m thinking about reading the novel that it’s based on.

Four years have passed already after you’d debuted as a member of Red Velvet. What was the most fun thing you’ve experienced while performing?

I think it was easier for me to perform when I was 17, because everything was new to me and I didn’t know anything. But, one reason why I think I’m better off now compared to back then is that I got to know myself better. It’s because, in order to do better at work and music, I need to know myself well. 

Also, I’m not just saying this because my fans will be reading this, but the biggest difference between before and after debuting is that fans exist. Because I was young and I only went back and forth between my house and the practice room during my trainee years, I couldn’t help but feel lonely. I mean it when I always call my fans as friends. I feel reassured knowing that I’ll be able to spend time with them, just like now. That’s the best thing that’s happened to me after debuting. 

“I made good friends.” Doesn’t that sound really warm? I made my dream come true, and now on top of that, I made friends. Even if you’d achieved your dreams, if you don’t have friends or people that you like close by, it really means nothing. It is thanks to my fans that I’m able to have fun while being a part of Red Velvet.

CREDIT

Editor: Go Hyung-Gyoung

Photographer: Kim Hee-Joon

Makeup and Hairstylist: Go Woo-Ri and Soonie from the makeup salon, Soon-Soo

Stylist: Lee Ha-Jeong

1 Offical English title not yet released. The Korean title is “스무 살.” 2 Pigs’ feet.  3 Pork Back Bone Stew

[woebegonewanderer]

2017 in review, at last.

It's been awhile since I logged out and never logged back in to this blog. The first and foremost reason was that I was really trying to get myself focused on academic matters, such as my thesis, and... Well, only my thesis basically. The particular thing around which my life currently revolves. Secondly, I had to be honest that: I just had nothing good to write about. Something that I was very shameful to admit about, but feels like I want to just purposely profess right now. Because I really, really want to write something (that people could actually read as well) at the moment, and if the only materials I had in my mind are not so good ones, so be it.

But let me try to shape it in a more uplifting tone, rather than an utter downfall.

It's going to be a review about 2017. The year that seems to be very much likely will be remembered about the most by myself, despite myself already knowing that I really do not want to remember the majority part of it. I really don't. It's one heck of a scary year, where things that I could never imagine happened to me actually do happen (in both good and not-so-good ways), and I lost control, and I had to struggle more than ever to grip back onto anything. And many other terrible, awful details that I'm very much thankful to be over (not necessarily bigger picture-wise over, but at least those smaller sequences ended). Most people don't know about it, and I would very much rather they stay that way, but somehow I end up typing this post knowing that the opposite would happen. See, my brain is a complicated logic machine indeed. But I'll try to stay in a lane where people who read this, like you, could actually learn something from what I experienced, and the last thing you would do is maybe empathizing me.

I started off 2017 coming back from one of the most remarkable trips I've ever had in my life (but that was before I went here and there). Nevertheless, instead of feeling happy and energized coming back to my residence in Edmonton, I felt more homesick than ever. The feelings of spending time with people you do like and make you feel that you do belong in their circle remind me of the comfort of home, something I was craving too much for. Something that I just realized, that I might not find here in this city. I could write an entire essay explaining my feelings and situations regarding that particular situation, (in fact I did, but I then cut-pasted all the texts into another (upcoming) post,) so I would just be brief here.

At the same time, a couple closest friends of mine happened to drift away as well because of some reasons that I couldn't explain here either. Hint: it involves some of them finding a new society which I clearly can never fit in any way possible even if I want to, some of them changing into the kind of people they never were before and it also falls into the same category of the previous group, and some of them finding... love. My mistake was probably that I stayed the same while everyone else changed, but I just couldn't change into what they have become. Long story short, that was the end of our previously-meaningful friendships. And just like that, it was the first time in my entire life that I thought that it's not worth it to chase those people. It was the first time in my life I let friends go, and decided not to stick around anymore. It was the time I broke the lifetime record of me keeping close to everyone that I was once close with. And no, it didn't feel good at all, it still does not, although maybe necessary.

The same time they occurred, I started discovering new phase of difficulty in my academic phase. I had the firsthand experience of a rather discriminating story, where people believed that I was really incapable of something that I had to gain a credit for. And I fought back, in a way where I tried not to hurt them back, because I knew I was capable of doing that, although I failed in convincing them initially. And it was the first time I cried uncontrollably in the middle of the night that I had to knock on my neighbor's door to disturb their sleep just because I was literally losing my mind at that moment. Just thinking that people could let you down that way is just... terrifying. But thankfully, I crawled back, I pushed back, and eventually I got what I knew I deserved to have. Wasn't easy at all, but the fight was worth every teardrop.

And along the Winter term 2017, I filled my days going to social gatherings, signing up for new clubs and volunteering activities, for the sake of looking for a new circle where I could fit in. All by myself, hoping that the casual conversation I tried to build with people in the room was going to lead me to a new lasting friendship with anybody on campus. Spoiler alert: never found it even until today, lol. Although, I did meet two early-20's Indonesian ladies that I clicked with and surely we immediately became friends. Kudos to Chacha and Suzi for saving me during those hardship. Also, I finally began to attend the Indonesian Muslim community's halaqah, and even though 90% of them were adults with the other 9% being babies and toddlers, at least I was happy to find people that speak my mother language again.

Springtime was when I began to gather my thesis data. I had an accident where suddenly, all the money that I had in my bank account was literally stolen and left zero and it took a week for the bank to process and recover all my savings. I was just arriving in Calgary at the time to do my thesis work, about to pay for hotel room rent when I realized that I had nothing in my savings and my credit card didn't even have enough balance. So all I could do was for sure, crying on the phone. Thankfully, an Indonesian family that I know in Edmonton was able to help me out by lending me some money to cover the hotel rent. That day was when I realized that I missed home way too much, because my family kept calling me to check if the situation got better, and they also sent me money rightaway to cover the loss temporarily. Needless to say, I then cried even more crazily because of how homesick I had been, and how I had realized that I had the best family in the world I would never replace even with the Kardashians (well, of course).

However, of course the feeling of social inclusion didn't stop there, because when I spent 1.5 months in Calgary, I had nobody around. I was just working with my cores, on my table, every single day. I was just too shy to talk to strangers across the table (who might be some gentlemen from a huge O&G company... Well if I were socially more extraverted I could've networked and been less stressed at the same time!), so I was just by myself all the time. But can you imagine though, being the only hijabi, with legit Asian face, brown skin, and short body, among all those Caucasian people? I mean, do you not know how terrifying it was?

But then, Summertime was the happiest time of the year, because, heck yeah, it's flippin' summer! Sunshine's in the air! That's already one good reason. But other than that, I also got lucky to be able to get one of the VIA Canada 150 pass, where basically I got a pass to travel to anywhere in Canada by VIA Rail train for the whole month of July of only 150$. Isn't that the best thing in the world? (jk, I've come to realize that the best thing in the world is the presence of family and loved ones :).) So of course, that's what I did. Traveling across southern border of Canada, coast to coast, for 38 days.

And I thought life's going to get better. I might have been wrong though.

In the Fall, I realized that I missed home way too much. All the accumulating ache I've felt since the beginning of the year is on a new level. I thought I'd become numb after some time, that I'd finally be okay with having no meaningful relationships with fellow human beings and just learn to be a lone wolf because none of my effort to change the situation seems to work, that I'd be overwhelmed with work and forget to miss home at last. Well, I was wrong. Having no more classes, only thesis, basically means that I now have more flexibility and freedom, in terms of work schedule, as well as social life. I no longer meet people in regular basis, because I was technically almost always the only person working in the office room (some people choose to work in their labs, I do not, just because the room setting). And after it went after some time, the bad thoughts after subconsciously constantly isolating myself finally caught me. All that I can confess is that it's the worst, scariest, most intense, most aggravating feeling I've ever experienced.

At some point, I realized I have become the worst version of myself that I never was before. I lost track on my responsibilities, I disappointed myself and other people related to my work a couple times although thankfully it wasn't something too major, but it made me even sadder than before. All the homesickness and alienation I've felt for the entire year, I thought I could still handle them because at least it didn't seem to affect my academic performance... Yet. But this time, it became real.

But He is good. He gave me the chance to feel happy for a bit. I was able to do one my lifetime dreams to solo travel to Peru. (Wasn't something I was going to do if not because I booked the ticket back in Winter, though.) It was a week where I was reminded how nice it feels to be able to the person that we know we are, that radiate positive energy into things that we choose to do, and just to be able to be the best version of yourself, amidst the overall tough situation that we're in. I made new foreign friends, stayed at a friend's friend's place which made me regret, "Why haven't we been friends since you were still at the U of A?!" and most of all, I became that bold, brave, fearless person that I always knew I could've become. And maybe... It's just a matter of time until I get to discover that side of me here, in Edmonton.

Nevertheless, after I came back, the pain became real again. I became familiar with counselling services, and many articles or videos regarding self-help, mental health, self isolation and/or inclusion, and so forth. Although, I was, and I am grateful for that as well, for it made me able to sit back and think about who I really was, what I want to become, what things actually matter to me, and make me want to build a closer, more meaningful relationship with my creator.

The pain still lingers, but I know I'm not alone. I am grateful that I, at least, have never had any thoughts about harming myself, because imagining the pain that my loved ones will have to go through to see me suffer even more is just... Unbearable. I can't handle that much of pain. And thinking about gratitude, I think I'd like to close this post with things that I'm thankful for in 2017, despite all the distress that I constantly mentioned about:

That I still have a supportive family, and I realize how much they mean to me, and how much I've taken them for granted all these years,

That I also have a supportive boyfriend and we're going through our fifth year together. That he's doing well with his studies in the Netherlands, and while many people around our age might still have insecurities about marriage and seeking for future spouse and everything, we might not have to worry about that,

That I still get to maintain my friendship with my best friends back home, and that they seem to be going through a good, deserving life,

All my traveling opportunities,

That I have the willingness to be a better servant for my creator, that my pain makes me feel that I want and I try to get closer to Him, that the only thing I want to do in 2018 (other than getting that MSc degree and reuniting with my loved ones) is becoming a better servant for Him.

Well, January 2018 clearly wasn't a turning point for the dark maze I was journeying into in 2017, but maybe we could try in February?