timbxrs

[timbxrs]

if asked for his best talent, the obvious answer would be dance, wouldn't it? but no, yunsol would say that it's his ability to make friends with just about everyone. he never thinks twice about being friendly, about extending a little bit of kindness. and honestly, he has no idea how he and raebin actually became close. it probably started in the company building, in random passings that slowly but surely forged a bond between the two men, at least one close enough to warrant going out for a drink together when their schedules allow it. raebin is laughing, and yunsol along with him, and the vibes are so good that he just about chokes when the revelation is made.

truthfully, yunsol doesn't even remember what he just said, the words as fleeting as the lack of thought put into it before it escaped his lips. "you thought i was attractive?" eyes wide, flattered, yet still surprised. yunsol knows he's a good looking man, he just had no idea he was 'gay-hot'. "wait, what do you mean thought? am i not still attractive?" the man laughs, not offended so much as making a joke between the two of them. he's not even mad when raebin calls him stupid; he kinda has a point.

"i wish i liked guys sometimes, honestly," he admits, taking a sip of his own drink to wet his lips. "i feel like it would be easier. like, we just get each other, right? but no, sorry, you're pretty but you just don't do it for me." he pats raebin on the shoulder as if letting him down lightly, as if he hadn't already admitted that his crush was long since passed. sometimes i wonder if you need a girlfriend or a pet owner to rub your belly, raebin remarks, and yunsol only laughs again. "why not both?" he suggests. it doesn't sound that bad.

"no, but, actually. i gotta know. what did you see in me? is it my ass?"

little details.

raebin would consider himself someone with higher standards than most. it comes with the territory, along with several lived experiences that he had gone through. whether it be the clothes he dons on himself, the decorations of his apartment, and the people he tends to surround himself with. perhaps that’s one of the possible reasons why a few individuals would consider him an opportunist, but raebin believes whatever sort of relationship he forges should be a two-way street—to use and be used, to give and be given.

it’s why he’s picky with whoever he chooses to extend a hand to—and maybe that’s why he can’t properly fathom why he ever thought @timbxrs was even a modicum of attractive, when the other blurts out something a little stupid and a little silly. it’s nothing harmful or anything, and it does bring out a laugh from raebin, but that doesn’t mean it doesn’t cause him to question himself. he did, the first time the thought came to him that yunsol could be attractive to him, only for the other to open his mouth.

“wow, what did you just say? say that again.” he asks, after his laughter has died down, pausing to pull his drink closer before taking a sip using his straw. “i can’t believe i ever thought you were attractive,” he adds on, a reveal without warning as raebin rolls his eyes. “sure, it was only for a week or two tops, but still. so glad it turns out i’m not a morosexual.” oh, right. it’s not like he ever told yunsol this—but he doesn’t see the point, although it’s funny to have dropped this information all of a sudden.

of course, he doesn’t mean to take a jab at yunsol—he’s a kind and wonderful guy, who he hopes can find a woman to cherish and adore him. raebin’s close enough to yunsol to know that the idol would treat her like a queen, save for the dense and unserious demeanor most of the time. “sometimes i wonder if you need a girlfriend or a pet owner to rub your belly,” he comments.

[timbxrs]

he still can't see but it's a relief when he feels yuhyeon's hand touch his, when he hears the tear of the wrapper and what he can only assume is the muted sounds of his friend taking a bite and chewing. "i hope that isn't expired," yunsol jokes, though he's not sure how appreciated the joke may be. clearly his practice bag gets a little chaotic in between phaze's demanding schedules as of late; it's not impossible that an old snack got lost in the pockets even though he swears he just restocked a week or two ago. in any case, for how synthetic those protein bars are, yuhyeon will probably be fine. the chances that a bar from their debut era is still in there is slim to none.

"if they were gonna kick you out, they wouldn't have waited nine years and a solo career to do it," yunsol points out in a way he opes is helpful and comforting. he's not a fan of his friends talking down on themselves, no matter how 'realistic' they may think their words really are. his are just as based in reality, maybe even more so. he knows he can't completely turn around a pessimist's view on the world but he can at least share the optimist's perspective. "i can't do it. i'll refuse to do it. the vocal trainers will quit before they can get me to your level, it's just not possible." he knows that yuhyeon can't see his smile in the dark but surely he can hear it in his voice.

yunsol is quick to act as soon as yuhyeon gives him something he can do to help, though he's not exactly sure what's going on until he feels the weight against his thigh and hears the other man's voice coming from a new angle. his eyes are beginning to adjust now, looking down he can make out the shapes of yuhyeon's features as he uses the dancer's body as a pillow. "good thing," he echoes with a grin. "you can't stay here for too long, though. i have food coming and i gotta pick it up at the door in half an hour, and i ordered for two so you're gonna have to help me with that," he grins. it's still some time for yuhyeon to relax, at least. as long as he doesn't fall asleep; it'd be like if a cat dozes off in your lap and you're no longer allowed to move.

carefully, oh-so-gently in the dark, yunsol finds yuhyeon's temples with his finger tips and applies the slightest pressure, rubbing in circles. "does this help?" he asks, unsure but trying to do anything to help the pain pass quicker or become a little more bearable.

yunsol fumbles clumsily in the room's darkness; it makes sense for him, the personification of sunlight on a june afternoon or the human version of someone's labrador who can't help but knock over everyone who comes through the front door out of sheer affection and excitement. yuhyeon is used to navigating low-light environments, having adapted to the scenario through countless hours in acupuncture clinics, massage therapy offices, his own apartment, equipped with electronic blackout blinds for his worst days. he helps yunsol in this moment, curling his fingers around hand and protein bar simultaneously, without having to turn his head.

the crinkle of plastic makes him wince, like a shark fin slicing through the water in his ear drums, but he brings it up to his mouth nonetheless, tearing the thing open with his teeth and swallowing a mouthful of nauseating saliva before taking a squirrel's nibble of chocolate-peanut-butter protein.

"if they do end up kicking me out," yuhyeon adds on, tone steady but with a hint of something mischievous, placing his statement somewhere near halfway between joke and reality, "who do you think they're giving all my parts to? you'd better start practicing, han yunsol."

his groupmate practically offers him the sun and the moon in his efforts to help him through something that yuhyeon learned a long time ago can sometimes only be helped with time. but the fact that he is so willing to go to the ends of the earth, no questions asked, is certainly comfort enough to make a difference. it's easier to exist in this condition when he knows he isn't alone.

"here, move," he commands with little firmness or energy behind it, gently forcing yunsol's legs flat with his free hand before tilting slowly, slowly, until his head rests comfortably on his thighs.

"good thing you're a dancer," he muses, the back of his head comfortable against cotton and toned muscle, before letting his eyes slide shut and arms rest across his abdomen.

[timbxrs]

KANG DANIEL ✧ Nirvana (feat. pH-1, WDBZ)

[timbxrs]

"we should try it," yunsol laughs aloud. they could make it work, if only because both of them are always up for a dumb challenge, but actually sleeping in such a confined and oddly intimate position? even he would admit that it's far more likely one of them would end up on the floor anyway. still, it's funny to imagine. it's like the clown car of sleeping arrangements.

so many things go unsaid between men. though yunsol is an open book who wears his heart on his sleeves, his affection on display for all to see, he knows that there's things that guys don't just say to each other no matter how much they care. he knows anyway, or so he likes to believe. it's the little things, like how he always has a place to crash as long as seoho is still here. it's the way seoho is considerate enough to offer him a hat to protect his image from any weird lingering fans around the building. yunsol smiles as he accepts the cap, running his hand through his hair once more before he slips it over his untamable bedhead. "thanks mom," he jokes. he can't even deny that seoho's better off right now; that's just what happens when a night owl meets an early bird in the wee hours of the night.

"sure you can," yunsol rolls his eyes with nothing but affection. remedy has good releases, he won't lie. he's rocked out to a song or two despite feeding into the 'rivalry' between himself and his friend. on his way out, he pats his pockets once more, running through the mental checklist as well as the one seoho says aloud. "you want me to forget my wallet, i see you." he calls back to the joke again. too bad for seoho, yunsol actually has it in his jacket pocket. he pulls it out just to prove it too. "not that i need it. you're paying, right?" he laughs.

they make their way down the hall, away from the studio and yunsol's favorite napping spot. he mashes the button on the elevator, too lazy to take the stairs at this point. "i dunno, i want whatever sounds cool," he shrugs, not really thinking too much. yunsol's creativity comes in the form of movement, of expressing himself and different feelings physically. he's never dug into songwriting (outside of messing with seoho's lyrics for fun), let alone production or creative direction or any of the other major aspects that go into a new song. he laughs aloud when seoho accuses him of having a love life, though. "i think you're just using me as an excuse to write a confession song to your secret crush," he teases. "so who is it? you know i'd tell you the minute i had something going on, so return the favor, alright?" he laughs again, not really expecting anything from either of them as the elevator arrives and he steps inside.

"on the couch? you and me?" seoho huffs out a laugh at the idea; the couch isn't that big, and neither yunsol nor him are particularly small men. it's not that he minds cosying up together, but bumping knees as they try to carve out enough space for themselves doesn't sound like his idea of decent sleep. "you may be able to get some shuteye on the floor, but you won't once i step on you in the morning."

here's something seoho's unlikely to ever say out loud to yunsol, because he's only ever that open when his feelings are rubbed raw: he'd sleep in his desk chair before forcing this brother (in all but name) onto the floor. yunsol might be better at falling asleep, but he's also the dancer with the more active schedule. lately, all seoho's needed to be awake for has been his own personal work, which really doesn't take precedence. he's not the one who needs to worry about his back being either fine or completely fucked up.

it may be well past yunsol's bedtime, but it isn't all that close to seoho's, so he shrugs in easy agreement. "of course i'm good." a moment of quiet passes while he gives yunsol a critical once-over. the time spent in the practice room pushing his bangs back and then the nap both haven't done much good for yunsol's look; because it's unlikely but not unheard of that someone will end up snapping pictures for some fan's scrapbook, he turns around to rifle in the bin he keeps his spare clothes in for a cap for his friend to put on. "better than you anyway."

there's that brief pause while yunsol gathers his things and seoho's waiting around, but once he's straightened up he offers up his find. "eh, we can beat you at the regular phaze stuff in our sleep." big words, and unjustified, but he's just saying it to bicker. seoho reaches into his pocket to palm his car keys and almost bumps into yunsol where he's paused in the doorway, gently bullying him further into the hallway and turning to switch the lights off. "nothing in the studio. you got your keys? phone?" very pointedly, he doesn't ask about his wallet - the joke from earlier is still on his mind. it's not as though they won't be back at this very place tomorrow.

"i'll write you a something when you tell me what you want," he says as they start down the hallway, keeping his voice low the way the silence of the building demands him to. "what is this, sol, am i writing you a love song that i need to keep secret?"

[timbxrs]

yunsol manages to make it to the other side of the room without tripping and dying, which is good considering he's trying to make sure his friend and group mate doesn't also die. there's a sense of relief as he slides down against the wall next to yuhyeon, close enough to be present yet far enough to not be suffocating. after years of living and working together, they just know these things about one another. what's a help and what's a burden, when to press and when to back off. yuhyeon knows that yunsol is always there to help him, just as yunsol knows that yuhyeon is only a call away if he needs a favor in return.

"can i interest you in a protein bar?" he fishes through his bag again in the dark, despite just having the snack in hand a moment ago. of course it's ten times as difficult before his eyes have adjusted to the low light, but his fingers find the plastic wrapper among his things soon enough. he offers the snack to yuhyeon, almost more of a demand for him to eat it, actually. "you'll make yourself sick if you don't eat something." he reminds the other.

he checks his phone, being sure to turn the brightness down as low as possible. about thirty minutes before he has to run and grab his delivery order from the door; hopefully that's enough time to get yuhyeon feeling a little bit better. yunsol's not a fan of eating in the dark—he always seems to make a mess—but it wouldn't be the first time.

"you're funny," he remarks as his group mate offers his solo up to him. "you think i can sing like that? maybe if you record everything for me and i'll just go and lipsync it all. but i think that's controversial these days." he's yuhyeon's fan as well as his friend, as yunsol is with many of the people in his life. sure, he can dance, but he's always admired those with talents different than his own with a sort of fascination. if he devoted his life to their skill, would he be as good as them, or would he still fall short? he never quite knows the answer.

"seriously. head massage? hospital trip? tell me what you need and i got it."

!tw migraines!

yuhyeon knows who it is long before he speaks, recognizing his footfalls and the waft of his cologne almost instantly, even with his eyes closed. you learn a lot about the way a person enters a room after spending at least eight hours a day every day for nearly a decade with them.

yunsol's is a welcome presence, even when yuhyeon would otherwise rather ride out the migraine alone, like a feline licking its wounds somewhere dark and damp where no one will take advantage of its vulnerability. there is a twinge of guilt that sounds within yuhyeon, like a thread being pulled through his spine, for how many times he's found himself falling into yunsol's arms, so to speak, how many times he's relied on him in his moments of weakness, as if he isn't just as human as the rest of them.

"mm," he utters an affirmative, scowling at a particularly pointed wave of pain, his eyes still shut against any unwelcome intrusion, before lifting his own water bottle toward his lips at the pace of molasses.

"thanks," it'll be good to have something in his stomach other than water and ibuprofen, even if the thought of eating anything sends a wave of nausea through his digestive system.

"you want to perform my stage for me?" he offers, after he's forced down a gulp of room temperature hydration. it helps, to joke through it, to find some levity in what would otherwise be quiet, indefinite suffering, "if anyone could pull it off, it's you."

[timbxrs]

he's still riding the high of being on stage. performing is a passion that yunsol hasn't lost any momentum on yet, and though he was busy between phaze, unit performances, and his own solo work, the tiredness in his bones is a welcomed and pleasant ache. he thinks this is his version of a runner's high; exhausted, pushed to the point of breaking, and yet never feeling better. well, maybe he could be a little better. the party is just getting started and he can't help the way his eyes dart around, looking for his friends and cataloging who has a drink in their hand and how quickly it's disappearing. he wouldn't lie and say he's not worried about some of them but there's only so much he can do.

in any case, he's going to enjoy as much of the party as he can before something goes wrong. hopefully he gets a good couple hours in before he has to worry about that.

the bar isn't as crowded as yunsol thought, perhaps everyone using the last of their energy to experience the dance floor before truly crashing for the night. still, he doesn't see byeol until the bartender is completely ignoring his attempts to order something and placing a drink in front of him with a finger pointed at the beautiful woman from across the bar. yunsol doesn't even try to stop the way his face lights up into a smile. how long has it been since he's had a real conversation with his old friend? the label "childhood friend" counts if they met as teenager trainees, right?

yelling across the bar might be frowned upon, so yunsol gathers up his drink and weaves his way over to byeol's side. "alright, you bought me one, so now i owe you one too," he greets her with the same bright smile that falls so naturally across his features. "sorry i've been so crazy busy lately, and you and the girls have been killing it too. i'm just sad i couldn't be out in the crowd during haute pink's parts today because it sounded like they were going wild for you guys," he chatters away instantly, like no time has passed at all since the last time they spoke. "anyway, how are you doing? catch me up, what have i missed in the beautiful life of byeol? other than the concert, obviously."

𝐉𝐔𝐒𝐓 𝐌𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐒 𝐈 𝐂𝐀𝐑𝐄— ↪ FROM ( 박별 ) TO ( 한윤솔 )

byeol has a feeling this is going to be a long night. it's already been a painfully long day, one that she's already trying to forget, even if she knows her mind won't allow her to, no matter how hard she tries, and not only that, but she honestly didn't even want to come to this after-party in the first place. however, and while she hates admitting this, she's tired of being seen as a bore by most of her peers. while all of them go out to bars, or partake in hobbies that require excess energy from them, she's perfectly content being stuck at home.

whether she's embroidering something for her parents (because she's cheesy like that), or color-coordinating her closet, or tangled up in blankets catching up on her favorite american reality tv shows, byeol is often happiest when she's entertaining herself. she doesn't need anyone else to be her jester. this queen is a lone wolf.

that said though, she does realize that this makes it somewhat difficult to be her friend. not everyone wants to sit around and do nothing, and she certainly doesn't want to be in-motion if she doesn't need to be, at least not lately. her entire career is life in the fast lane, so whenever she has opportunities to slow down, that's exactly what she does. it's good for her health. it brings her back to center, but slowly, it's starting to mar the relationships she's built over the years. honestly, she's been really wanting to repair some of those.

so, as she approaches the bar to order her first beverage of the night, she catches a glimpse of yunsol at the other end of it. having known him since they were trainees, they've always been some level of friends, and she knows that, out of everyone, he's the most likely to engage in a nice conversation despite their recent distance. so, seeing as he doesn't have a drink in hand, she takes it upon herself to send him one; informing the bartender to point her way when he asks who ordered it for him. hopefully she remembers what he used to order way back when.

after being handed her espresso martini, she watches the reveal unfold, and when the bartender gestures toward her, byeol raises her free hand to wave over at yunsol, knowing that he'll come wandering over to her like a dopey, pleased puppy-dog any moment now.

[timbxrs]

”you sure?” he thinks he’s so funny in his half-asleep delirium, visually gauging the amount of space he can fit on the couch next to him. “i think we could make it work in a pinch. or just roll me onto the floor, i can sleep through it.” he laughs, then runs his hands through his hair, just realizing it’s probably a mess from practice and sleep both. he should have brought a hat but he’s never been the best at thinking ahead. “ugh, i should have slept until noon. what was i thinking getting up at a normal human hour?” it’s both lightly teasing his friend and genuinely chastising himself. he should not be up this late, it’s not healthy. time just has a way of slipping by unnoticed.

yunsol laughs aloud as seoho addresses him oh so politely, reminding them both of the social conventions they could follow when it comes to paying for a meal. they bicker like miserly old men but he knows that when it comes time to pay the bill, it’s a quick draw that rivals the sharpest shooters in the wild west to get their wallets out first. it’s never not funny though, so they keep making the same jokes over and over. “okay, i’m too tired to fight. if you drive, i’ll buy.” he offers the deal, finally getting to his feet and gathering up his own coat and things. “only if you’re good though.” he adds quickly, realizing he has no idea how tired seoho might be by now.

”we’re old and boring now,” yunsol jokes, “just regular phaze stuff as far as i know. we’ll show you guys up anyway though, so you should probably put a few extra hours in the practice room,” it’s unserious banter, just jabbing at the other for reaction’s sake the way brothers would. “when are you gonna write me a song?” yunsol is never serious, never putting any real pressure on his friend to gift him the fruit of their labors. sure, a kuro-produced album is definitely on his career bucket list, but all good things will happen in time. “if this one’s mine, i won’t ruin the surprise. i didn’t hear anything, i swear.” he crosses his heart and raises his hand as a vow of his honesty. and then, with a grin, he’s shrugging his bag over his shoulder and reaching for the door. “what am i forgetting?” he wonders aloud.

it doesn't take long for sleep to pull yunsol into her warm, blissful embrace. the small couch in the back of the room isn't exactly as comfortable as his bed back home, let alone big enough for him to fully sprawl out on, but none of that matters when one is as tired as poor yunsol is. does he even remember what seoho said to him before he closed his eyes? not really, but it doesn't particularly matter either. he's lulled into unconsciousness not by chatter with his friend but with the distant clicks and keyboard taps of a man at work, the occasional clicking of a pen tonight's lullaby.

yunsol has no idea how much time has passed, if any at all, when seoho shakes him awake. he's still tired, but a little less so after some rest. still, it takes him a moment to sit up, rub the sleep out of his eyes, and check the time on his phone before he can muster up coherent sentences. "you couldn't have worked any later?" he half-jokes; no, he'd agree this is good for seoho too. they both need to get some real shuteye tonight if they're not going to be total zombies tomorrow. "dinner was, like, at least six hours ago regardless," he doesn't literally do the math, it's just a wild guess that feels about right based on the hollowness of his stomach. "i wouldn't say no to a midnight snack. you're sunbae, so you treat right?" yunsol grins; technically there's no invitation yet, but they play this game every time.

a long yawn escapes him, hopefully the last one before he truly goes to bed tonight. or, well, early this morning based on the time that's already passed since sundown. "is remedy doing anything special for the family concert?" he's pretty sure that seoho isn't supposed to tell him anything but it doesn't stop yunsol from asking. "are you polishing up a new song to debut at the concert?" he knows that is more than likely not the case but he's always curious about seoho's work. he's probably the greatest producer yunsol knows, barring his own father. "do you know who it's for yet?"

[timbxrs]

yunsol has a habit of working past the point of being productive anymore. some might call it insecurity, others passion. he himself doesn’t know exactly why he does it; it’s just never felt like enough to be complacent with good enough. still, he’s trying to cut back on his bad habits as his thirties look closer. he’s no longer the energetic teenager who could run on three hours of sleep, two shots of espresso, and a dream. still, he’s up far too late. he’s packed his things, ready to go home before exhaustion makes it too dangerous to take himself home.

that’s when he sees a light on in another practice room.

he knows, even without pressing his ear to the door, who must be inside. who else would be torturing themselves with long hours of grueling practice, who else would never be satisfied with good enough? yunsol knows better by now. he also knows better than to assume that yuhyeon has taken decent care of himself in this time.

he checks his bag first, still at least one protein bar left and a mostly full bottle of water that’s probably lukewarm, but still drinkable. and, well, he always has his phone. honestly, he’s already keying in an order for chicken and gatorade as he’s letting himself into the room, about to shout out his presence until he sees the way yuhyeon is all but collapsed against the mirror. quickly, he switches off the lights, anything to help prevent the attack he knows yuhyeon is under.

“did it just start?” yunsol half-whispers, trying not to disturb the quiet defenses already put up. “i’ve got water and food on the way, guess it was a good idea.” he closes the door behind himself as he lets himself in, trying not to trip over his feet as he crosses the room to get to his groupmate and friends. “anything i can do?”

+better with company // feat. yunsol

( @timbxrs )

! tw: migraines !

again.

the team of dancers assigned to support his solo stage went home hours ago, not contractually required to stay past their allotted paid hours (though several did, as perfectionists are often wont to do). but whatever qualifies as 'after hours' must have run out at least an hour ago, and the number of bodies occupying this single practice room has gradually dwindled down to just the one.

again.

yuhyeon doesn't even have that much chorography to perfect for his solo stage, which has been strategically curated to feature his vocal ability and stage presence as the most prominent aspects of the stage. but he has been marking vocally all day, to keep from overworking his vocal chords while he runs through the routine with his dancers over, and over, and over again. but they're done for the day, and he no longer has to worry about wasting their time with his own perfectionism. the only time he spends now is his own.

this is the first time the public will ever hear or see him perform heaven live. it has to be perfect.

again-

the last note of the mr-free version of the b-side's master fades dramatically into silence, only to pick back up again with the sound of the echoing intro blaring abruptly through the speakers as it has done countless times today. except this time, there's something notably more higher pitched ringing in the back of his mind, as if sound itself has pierced through his ear canals and lodged itself into the back of his eyeballs, dormant for now, but threatening to spread the slow poison of an inevitable migraine through every fold of his brain.

he reaches down to stop the music on the waiting screen of his smartwatch, catches his breath and dabs sweat away from his forehead as he hastens to the edge of the room, quickly shutting the flourescent overheads off and swiping his water bottle from a nearby folding chair all in one fluid, practiced motion.

then he stations himself for disaster, like ducking and covering under a plywood desk as nuclear warhead sirens chime in the distance, sliding himself down the nearest mirror wall until he's sat on the floor, his back resting against the cool surface.

he took his last three ibuprofens as many hours ago. there's nothing for him to do now but wait it out.

[timbxrs]

KANG DANIEL Electric Shock (2024)

[timbxrs]

it doesn't take long for sleep to pull yunsol into her warm, blissful embrace. the small couch in the back of the room isn't exactly as comfortable as his bed back home, let alone big enough for him to fully sprawl out on, but none of that matters when one is as tired as poor yunsol is. does he even remember what seoho said to him before he closed his eyes? not really, but it doesn't particularly matter either. he's lulled into unconsciousness not by chatter with his friend but with the distant clicks and keyboard taps of a man at work, the occasional clicking of a pen tonight's lullaby.

yunsol has no idea how much time has passed, if any at all, when seoho shakes him awake. he's still tired, but a little less so after some rest. still, it takes him a moment to sit up, rub the sleep out of his eyes, and check the time on his phone before he can muster up coherent sentences. "you couldn't have worked any later?" he half-jokes; no, he'd agree this is good for seoho too. they both need to get some real shuteye tonight if they're not going to be total zombies tomorrow. "dinner was, like, at least six hours ago regardless," he doesn't literally do the math, it's just a wild guess that feels about right based on the hollowness of his stomach. "i wouldn't say no to a midnight snack. you're sunbae, so you treat right?" yunsol grins; technically there's no invitation yet, but they play this game every time.

a long yawn escapes him, hopefully the last one before he truly goes to bed tonight. or, well, early this morning based on the time that's already passed since sundown. "is remedy doing anything special for the family concert?" he's pretty sure that seoho isn't supposed to tell him anything but it doesn't stop yunsol from asking. "are you polishing up a new song to debut at the concert?" he knows that is more than likely not the case but he's always curious about seoho's work. he's probably the greatest producer yunsol knows, barring his own father. "do you know who it's for yet?"

seoho would like to claim that he doesn’t jump when the door behind him opens and light floods into the room, but there’s little else you can call the undignified jerk of his shoulders. this is the problem with working on audio: his headphones cancel out all other noises a little too well, and it’s not like he’d expected anyone else to drop in on him at the hour. it’s pretty damn late, actually, the reproachful face of the decorative alarm clock on his shelf tells him. seoho reaches up and frees his hearing.

“you almost gave me a heart attack, man.” yunsol’s already making himself comfortable; seoho swivels around in his chair, kicking off the floor to slide himself a bit closer. “i’m not even tired.” befitting his stage name, seoho has always been a night owl. on his own terms he never shows up at headquarters before midday, but he also rarely leaves before those working more regular jobs are headed to bed. “i’ve got like two things i want to get done before i leave, so knock yourself out.”

when he was younger, seoho used to hate working with anyone sitting behind him. it’d make him feel watched - like all his mistakes were bared open for the other person to pick apart. these days, he’s confident enough that it’s soothing instead. he leaves yusol to nap and slips the headphones back on, methodically finishing up the projects he’d started sometime mid-afternoon.

having someone else around keeps him from picking up something new to start on, too. seoho ends his workday at an hour way past reasonable, answers the e-mails that have been sitting in his inbox and shuts off the computer. it’s only at the last possible moment, when he’s tidied up the workspace and pocketed his phone, that he moves to nudge at yunsol’s shoulder, waiting for him to blink his eyes open. “did you have dinner or did all that practice happen on empty?”

[timbxrs]

crash.

@corvuscanus

it's late, later than yunsol had meant for it to be. after sundown, telling the time by the light coming through the windows becomes impossible, and hours pass without realizing that they're not mere minutes. the man knew he was tired ages ago but there's always more work to be done, one more song to rehearse, one more mistake to correct and perfect before he feels like he can call it a night. long after rehearsals with phaze ended, the work for his solo stuff began. yunsol isn't so egotistical to believe that he can perform everything perfectly every time without any practice and, well, there's a lot of discography to get through over the last several years.

maybe he's a little hard on himself. maybe the reputation he's built for himself as a dancer has him expecting perfection every moment he steps on stage. yunsol knows that's not a realistic expectation of himself but falling short feels like it would let the fans down. worse, it would let phaze down. so he stays in the practice room until he's making more mistakes than improvements, when the tiredness sets in to a point where practice is no longer productive. that's when he realizes just how deep the exhaustion runs.

instead of heading directly out the door, yunsol makes his way down a few floors, finding his way to the rooms reserved for ninety-9 artists with all of the practiced ease of a man who has been there way too often. does he belong there? probably not, but it's hard to make an argument against it when he makes his way into the studio seoho calls his own, knocking only briefly to announce his presence before inviting himself in to immediately flop on the couch. "you're up too late again," he says, knowing full well it's a hypocritical statement considering he's also awake and at work at the same time. "are you going home soon or can i take a nap real quick?"

[timbxrs]

*parks horribly in front of your house* i love you so much

[timbxrs]

b-cut, 12. how much do you look yourself up online?

"i really... don't." he shrugs; it's a boring answer, isn't it? "like, maybe i should, but... i don't really care about what people say if they can't say it to my face. and, like, i'm not really active on social media anyway so i don't see what people are saying about me. i've got more interesting things to do."

"oh, there was one time though," he suddenly recalls, his face splitting into a smile as he recalls the encounter. "a fan told me they started to like me after seeing a certain fancam... i can't remember what it was now, but i remember i went home and looked that up. i thought 'i do look good here... i should do this more, it's fun' and then i never did it again."

[timbxrs]

b-cut + 4 (was your family supportive of your decision to become an idol?)

the softest, sappiest smile spreads over yunsol's face as his family is mentioned. his adoration for them is clear as day even before he begins speaking. "well, yes and no," he admits, perhaps a little shy to dive into all the nitty gritty details. but he has to share; what's the point of being honest if he keeps things to himself so much?

"my parents... well, i try not to bring it up too much, but they both worked in the industry long before i auditioned let alone debuted. my mom was part of the first generation of kpop! and my dad just recently retired from producing, he'd work with all sorts of artists. so, they saw a lot of the hard work and challenges that young people in this industry face pretty regularly. i think they were worried about me, but they also never really tried to stop me? talk me into other things, sure, but i think they knew that this was always what i really wanted to do."

"when i actually made it into midas music as a trainee, my mom was asking me every day if i was eating and sleeping enough and my dad would stop by the company to drop things off for me all the time. stuff like an extra sweater on a cold day, or an energy drink and snack when he knew i was having a long night. they showed their support by being as involved as they could while also letting me make my own path in the world... and i'm really grateful for it. i wouldn't be here today without them."

[timbxrs]

on-camera + 10. (if you had the chance to speak honestly to your fans, what would you say to them?)

"i always speak honestly with my fans!" yunsol can't help the amused exclamation from escaping his lips. has he not always been open? has he not tried to be his authentic self both on camera and off? he supposes that no one would actually know that... it's not like they can see the person he is when the red lights are off and the film isn't rolling. "i guess the most important thing... huh, hold on, i need to think about this, it's a lot of responsibility," he laughs good naturedly, easily. it's clear he's taking the assignment seriously.

"one thing i want to make sure our fans know... my phone number is— i'm kidding, i'm kidding! no, i want to thank you all for always supporting all of the members of phaze. we wouldn't be here without you and it really means a lot to me that so many have stuck by our sides for this long. seriously! you're the best!" for a man who forgets to interact with his fans on socials regularly, yunsol seems to be a natural at it once cornered. he punctuates the thought by blowing the camera a kiss.

[timbxrs]

reblog this post if you'd like to participate in the ask meme portion of event one. to send out prompts, please include the category name and the number of your desired question.

on-camera questions should be answered with your muse's idol persona on. their answers may be honest or dishonest, but they have to be appropriate. these are the answers that would be used in the concert vcr and in press releases leading up the concert. b-cut questions are provided to give you a chance to share their raw, honest answers. the answers that would never make it past the cutting room floor. most of these questions are focused on the idol industry to help you dive deeper into their relationship with the industry, the group, and the company. some questions may be answered from the mun's pov, but we encourage the majority to be answered in-character as if your muse is conducting a real interview. you may use gifs in your answers, if desired. please remember to turn your askbox on If you'd like to participate in this event! every question sent to a new mun will earn you one career token. you may earn a total of three career tokens per muse during this event. for muns with two muses, sending out questions to six different muns will earn you three career tokens for each muse. answering at least three of these questions will count as a character development item towards activity for the next activity check (feb 7). please tag your answers with both #midas:meme001 and #midasfamilyconcert. you may send and answer questions for points from JAN 30 @ 12:00 PM to FEB 7 @ 12:00 PM kst. please use this website to convert the date into your timezone.

✩　on-camera

what does the midas labels family mean to you?

what's your best memory from your trainee days?

what would you consider your career high?

have you always wanted to become an idol? what made you choose this career path?

what's the best part of being an idol?

what advice would you give to an aspiring idol?

what's been your favorite era? what did you like about it?

what kind of concept do you want to try next?

what three songs of yours mean the most to you?

if you had the chance to speak honestly to your fans, what would you say to them?

what has been the best gift a fan has given to you?

what's your most memorable fan interaction?

is there anywhere you'd like to perform where you haven't yet? anywhere you'd like to go back to?

which artist under midas labels do you look up to?

which artist under midas labels would you like to collaborate with?

if you could join one midas labels group for the day, which would it be why?

if you had to make a new group with other idols under midas labels, which idols would you like to team up with?

are you a fan of any midas labels artist? do you own any merch?

✩　b-cut

what does the midas labels family mean to you?

what's your worst memory from your trainee days?

if you could go back, would you still become an idol?

was your family supportive of your decision to become an idol?

did you have to sacrifice anything when choosing to become an idol?

what was your career low?

what's the best part of being an idol?

what's the worst part of being an idol?

what advice would you give to an aspiring idol?

if you had the chance to speak honestly to your fans, what would you say to them?

what's the worst interaction you've had with a fan?

how much do you look yourself up online?

how do you deal with hate comments?

what type of hate comment hurts the most?

what's the most ridiculous rumor you've heard about yourself?

are any rumors about you actually true?

do you like your music? your concept? if given the chance, would you change it?

be honest: are you for the arts or the charts?

which group member do you get along with most? who do you get along with the least and why?

have you ever fought with your group members? over what?

if you were given the chance to redebut, would you choose to debut in your group again or debut as a soloist instead?

what do you think your life will be like after disbandment (or contract expiry, for soloists)? would you still work in the industry or will you retire and settle down?

[timbxrs]

hi everyone and ty for the welcome messages i've already received! this is mars again (@andxnte) back with a second muse who's literally the complete opposite of dante :') so! hopefully he's a breath of fresh air around these parts compared to my perpetual raincloud.

anyway, this isn't about dante, so a little more about yunsol under the cut:

the most important thing to know is that this guy is big golden retriever energy. super friendly, super sweet, doesn't take himself too seriously most of the time, and always looking to lift others up and be a good friend. i keep imagining him as pre-patriarchy ken.

if he had a gf he'd be a complete wife guy. just wants to talk about how much he loves his gf at all times. he does not have a gf right now (this is open for plotting but will be extremely chemistry dependent) but if he did. just know this.

all this said he does get kinda serious when it comes to performing, especially dance. when he's been a mentor on survival shows, he's always been rather strict (but also known to be fair; he'll give a honest criticism but then he'll be on his feet helping the contestant learn how to do that move stronger, or sharper, or match the angle more perfectly). the same probably goes within his group too; he'll push for perfection out of himself and his fellow members but he's also the first one to help everyone else get there.

he's very big brother coded in the sense that he likes to look out for his juniors and take care of them. he's a great shoulder to cry on (they're quite broad, they're comfy!) and a good listener. he might try to help solve your problems for you but he means well all the time.

chronically offline. he forgets the internet exists and rarely touches social media and is terrible at responding to texts. but he's always up for some sort of in-person adventure. loves being active and will try anything at least once. if there's some class or activity you've been interested in but don't want to go alone, yunsol will go with you.

his fatal flaw is that he is a terrible cook. he can't even boil water for ramen without something going wrong. he just doesn't pay attention or stay focused long enough and oops now it's boiled over and there's a mess everywhere! anyone who has witnessed this should be afraid. so all that said, he's usually taking advantage of the company's cafeteria or takeout. unless someone takes pity on him and offers a home cooked meal.

there's a few plot connection ideas above, but for a few more basic ideas... do dance challenges together, being a fan of him before your muse's debut, going to him for advice and getting a private mini dance workshop in return, someone who just doesn't like him for some reason! i'll add more as i think of them but i'm a little braindead tonight oops....