beyinuo

[beyinuo]

go piss girl.

@bewooyoung

staying busy is the best thing that yinuo can do for herself this time of year. sure, a flight home wouldn't be terribly long and jindallae is sure to give her the time off of work, but it's expensive and rent isn't getting any cheaper and... if she goes home, she might not come back. whether it's her parents convincing her to stay or situations beyond any layperson's control, it's a risk she knows she would take. but it's not like yinuo doesn't miss her family, especially during this time of year when loved ones are supposed to gather a little closer. she misses the warm, grainy smell of the brewery and the constant hope for snow that only very rarely fell. it's colder here in south korea. not by much, but enough that she notices it.

yinuo is a bright girl though, both in intelligence and temperament. she knows better than to dwell on things that can't be changed; wallowing in her own misery will get her nowhere. so staying busy and distracting herself from the loneliness in her tiny studio apartment is the best she can do in this situation. she make friends wherever she goes, so taking herself to the market to walk around and enjoy the lights and sounds and scents of holiday spirit all around her is no big deal even alone.

that said, she didn't exactly plan for this situation.

cold air and one too many coffees this morning has put her in a rather uncomfortable position, but she didn't realize it until just after she bought herself a hot serving of rose tteokbokki from a street vendor. yinuo will tolerate many things that are a little bit gross, but taking food into a public bathroom is simply not one of them, and it's not like she can just leave it out in the open for anyone to steal or mess with. ah, relying on the kindness of strangers is scary, but necessity demands it's either that or something far more embarrassing.

yinuo fancies herself a good judge of character anyway; she's intuitive like that. so when she spots a man roughly around her age with kind eyes, she hardly hesitates before approaching him. "hi! i'm yinuo, and i really need a favor, if you have a minute?" she doesn't give him much of a chance to respond before she continues. "i really have to go to the bathroom but i eat too slowly and it'd be so gross to take this in there with me so do you think you could just... hold this for a second so no one takes it or anything? i'll buy you a snack or drink or something when i'm back, it'll just be a minute, i promise!"

[beyinuo]

like a christmas card.

@beyuji

"do you want to go to the holiday market with me?"

in retrospect, yinuo realizes she should have been more clear with her intentions. a date, like a romantic, hand holding, hopefully kissing, maybe take you home with me at the end of the night date. that's what she meant to ask of yuji, hoping to finally clear the air of the is she? isn't she? question always lingering in the air when yinuo finds herself charmed by the company of another woman. are we friends? are we only ever going to be friends? she doesn't know, and she's not sure what yuji believes their relationship is either, but at this point how does she ask? it's not like yinuo is usually very shy when it comes to her intentions. she was just off her game this time, the presence of a beautiful woman distracting her from nailing down the important details. but maybe she can nail me later? yinuo is hopeless.

ah, in any case, yinuo will enjoy the time spent with the other woman. yuji is gorgeous, of course, but she's endlessly talented, funny in her own way, and possesses this quiet inner strength that absolutely mesmerizes yinuo whenever she catches a rare glimpse of it. "my hand's cold, can you hold it for me?" she grins at her own lame line as she offers her hand to the other woman. alas, this still means nothing in the is yuji into me or into me? conundrum even if their fingers are locked together, braving the cold just for a little skin to skin contact. straight girls do this all the time, as yinuo is well aware.

"do you know how to skate?" she asks suddenly, already imagining the perfect princess charming moments on the ice; saving a damsel in distress from slipping and falling (yinuo is more likely to be the damsel in distress, alas). "my hometown is by the coastline so, like, it'd get cold and all but it didn't snow much, and i don't think the ocean is capable of freezing over. at least not anymore, global warming and all."

she had a great call with her mother the other day. it's too easy to feel melancholic during the holidays away from family. even if things with yuji are a little ambiguous, she's happy for the distraction and to get out and do something instead of sitting alone at home.

[beyinuo]

jindallae expects a punch in the arm and yinuo would be a fool not to oblige. she's pretty sure she could use her full strength and still not so much a bruise the man, so she's not exactly holding back as she smacks her fist into a firm bicep. "who's soft?" she challenges jokingly, "don't let the rest of the bar staff hear you. i might have to beat them all up one by one to get their respect back!" another jest; she's more than earned the regard of her peers thanks to a short lifetime of experience in this industry.

ah, she'll admit to a bit of homesickness though. she doesn't think about it often, she's content with her life here after all, but especially as family holidays approach she can't help but think about all the fond memories of home, the special events they'd put on and decorations they'd hang up at the bar and brewery, the staff who were just as much her aunts and uncles as those who actually share her blood. and yes, the homemade meals. korean food isn't that much different in a lot of ways, but no one here knows how to capture the sentimentality of stewed vegetables cooked just a minute too long so grandmother can chew more easily when taking meals with the family. she's not sure how to describe the heat level her father liked, enough to 'make his mouth happy' without burning for hours afterwards.

she's not one to wallow in negativity, to let the weight of the world push her down. so yinuo tries to shove the homesickness away, back down in the box where it came from, and put a convincing smile on her face. even as close of a friend as she considers jindallae, it's not something she wants to talk about with him. ah, but if only she had the time and money for a trip back home, just for a week or two... no, it's just not in the cards right now, and yinuo can accept that.

the woman doesn't remark further on the topic, but she knows jin will make the dish for her when he has the time. nothing more needs to be said. instead, she hones in on the upcoming holidays. "no budget as in i can do whatever i want and you'll cover it all?" her eyes gleam, anticipation showing through even though she knows, realistically, what her boss means is 'no budget as in you have a handful of change and a dream.' "we can do all out for both, you know. there's no rule about that. and i'll do all the work, you and everyone else can just rest. c'mon, please? it'll be fun."

will she admit that she wants to keep busy to keep from missing home during the holidays? not aloud. but she suspects that jindallae is wise enough to pick up on it anyway.

grimacing playfully in her direction, jindallae sucks in his through his teeth teasingly; holding his hands up to drive his unserious dramatics home. "i don't know, yinuo..." he begins, licking over his lips. "when i look at you, all i see is softness. the most softness i've ever seen..." will he get a fist to the bicep for this? almost definitely, but this type of playful aggression is one of his favorite ways to communicate with his loved ones. whenever anyone can take the heat he gives them, then dial it up a couple notches before giving it right back, he knows he's met someone that he can be himself with.

not everyone is cool with his sense of humor, but he's glad that yinuo is. it makes their friendship feel all the more real, even if he's technically a senior employee to her.

"yeah, a pal of mine whose been in the mainland for awhile sent me some in a care package. he packed up a bunch of cool food-finds and sent 'em my way, tellin' me to fuck around with 'em to see if i can come up with new takes on recipes." thinking of it now, he feels lucky to have such good friends in his life; ones that encourage him to keep evolving as a chef. "i can see if he can send some more, though. he's in the industry, too, so it shouldn't be too hard."

when yinuo speaks of her mother, jindallae half-smiles. he's glad that she can speak so fondly of her mom like that, that she has fond memories of her mom like that. he's happy for her. "i definitely won't beat your mom's, i know that for sure, but you never know. maybe mine'll be decent enough that it'll scratch the itch for you. though, food that's made purely from muscle-memory is the best kind. you know a person's got that recipe in their soul for life in that way."

honestly, he's got quite a few meals he can whip up without thinking. so long as he has the supplies, they come together like magic. most of the menu items at the restaurant are those he considers to be in this category. however, before he's able to nerd out about culinary arts any further, the talk of yuletide decorations and festivities distracts him. the thought of it causes him to take yet another swig of his seoul mule before responding. "what if i told you that we have no budget for this?"

jindallae doesn't want to be a stick-in-the-mud, it's just fact. "we go all-out for seollal. that's literally next month. isn't that enough?" the commercialization of christmas has always felt exceptionally scummy to him. all it is, is corporate greed. take the spirituality out of it and it's merely massive companies sucking the bank accounts of the working class dry. "december's a slower time for us. let's just chill, take it easy, like we're supposed to in wintertime. we can party later."

[beyinuo]

she pouts, lower lip jutted out and brow furrowed, as hangyeol points out that some of the girls that yinuo is so expertly wooing may not know that they're being wooed. damn heteronormativity. in some ways, it's never been better for a lesbian to find love in this country with so many women no longer hiding their distaste for men. in most ways, it's still very uncommon to find fellow sapphics who aren't afraid to openly date another woman. "don't burst my bubble," she scolds the source of her reality check, "we don't have any proof that they're not aware that these could very well be dates. and i'm happy to make friends too, for the record." she shoots an accusatory glare at all the men around her, as if they would only ever be kind to a girl to get into her pants. hangyeol only gets included for bringing it up in the first place.

ah, it makes her sad that her friends are going through such rough patches. yinuo can't help but absorb their hurt and pain like a sponge, her own face falling into a frown as the subtle movements on hangyeol's face betray the heartache he's going through. she wishes she could just take it all away; she has enough brightness to compensate for the rain clouds around the man. "none of these dumbasses, of course," she reassures him, rolling her eyes at the men behind the bar who have already returned to serving other customers. "hey, this might be a long shot, but i have another regular-slash-friend who's coming out of a breakup and could use some company. if you guys don't want to be 'complicated' together, it might be nice just to have someone who understands... what do you think?"

she doesn't know if either hangyeol or joomi would be receptive to an introduction, but she did feel like a genius in the moment for the idea of the connection. two birds with one stone, or something like that. yinuo herself tends to fall in love quickly, but her one-sided crushes have rarely left her down for more than an hour or so before she's onto the next. she knows she can't fully relate to what these guys are going through, only offer them another drink and a listening ear and hope that she's being as good of a friend as she'd like to be. but maybe she should just start a brokenhearted gays support group for all the men in her life right now.

"ah, that's right, i should be careful talking to you before we start a dating scandal," she winks as she laughs at the impossible concept. "oh, are you allowed to even drink, mr. celebrity? should i dump this and pretend that you only drink water and have never been to a club ever in your life?" she knows how fandom culture works, she knows how insane people can be. she's grateful that hangyeol isn't so famous that he can't visit her here at the restaurant anymore, but she does wonder how long that will last.

"mm," he nods along, scribbles gibberish across the page as if he's diligently taking thoughtful, important notes on yinuo's confident claims.

"that's certainly admirable of you, your excellency," he continues to play along, skipping easily into his best impression of a loyal eunuch plucked right out of a historical drama, even punctuating his tone with a slight head bow and an archaic lilt to color his already present country dialect.

"but do chaeun, jooah, and sumin know they're signing up for dates, and not unfortunately heteronormative hangouts where a single lip gloss isn't smudged?" he sheds his historical caricature and belly laughs, poised to dodge anything solid and tangible that might be thrown in his direction, "because it sounds like you're signing yourself for another triple bout of pathetic sapphic longing, princess."

ah, so she noticed his shift in mood, his own pathetic queer longing worn loud and bright on his sleeves like an avant garden fashion accessory. he has to consider her question for a few long, solemn moments. maybe a distraction would help him recover, recuperate, reenvision. or would it only make him worse at moving on by emphasizing every lack he feels when he wakes up and knows yejun isn't sleeping next to him but across an ocean somewhere? would yejun want him to move on or would he be hurt that hangyeol had even tried to? it doesn't pain hangyeol not to know, but it does pain him that he cannot simply pull out his phone and ask.

"maybe," he answers honestly, not entirely lacking in his normal kind, cheerful air, but certainly colored by a tinge of his solemn contemplation, "as long as he knows that it's 'complicated.'"

for good measure, to keep the mood from plummeting too far into a cold, wintery abyss, he adds with a smile, "I've got such a big celebrity reputation to uphold, after all."

[beyinuo]

"okay, i promise to be quiet if you keep saying such nice things about me," the girl can hardly keep the laughter out of her voice. it's giddy, full of butterflies, and all too pleased that a beautiful woman is showering her in compliments and attention. yinuo could be happy like this for a lifetime, she thinks. claudine is a comfortable weight on her lap, warm and steady. if yinuo wasn't intentionally focusing on being on her best behavior she would let her hands roam as they please along the other woman's thighs and hips. she imagines how claudine's hand might have the slightest tremble if yinuo were to lightly trace her fingers up her sides, tickling her robs ever so slightly. ah, but there would be more fun ways to ruin the color being carefully applied to her lips... it's too bad it all stays a fantasy in the girl's mind, locked away for now. maybe someday, maybe next time.

"one more thing," yinuo breaks her promise, "you can stare at my face whenever you want, free of charge. as long as you keep doing it like this," she does indulge her body's impulses this time, locking her fingers together behind claudine's back just enough to keep the girl in place on her lap. yinuo smiles again, bright as ever, but forces her face to relax, lips just slightly parted, as the other woman goes in with the lip tint for real this time. please think about how kissable i look, yinuo prays to the sapphic gods, if such deities even exist. you want to kiss me sooo bad, she mentally manifests; maybe if she thinks hard enough the thought will transfer to the other woman.

her heart flutters as claudine calls her beautiful again, this time while tucking her hair behind her ear. it takes everything yinuo has not to melt into a pile of goo right then and there; she has to have some pride after all, even if beautiful women are clearly her greatest weakness. "why would it be a waste?" she counters, "what's the phrase... beauty is in the eye of the beholder? i don't mind if you're the only one who will 'beholding' me tonight." the girl laughs, pleased with her flirtatious pun. "i'm pretty good at korean now, aren't i?" she manages between the giggles.

she sits up straighter, leaning into claudine's personal space. "what do you want to do?" yinuo looks deep into the other woman's eyes as if searching for something there. do you like me? will you kiss me? do you want to forget about everyone else and just stay here with me? she knows it's all too much, too fast, too soon, but it's hard not to dream about a whirlwind romance like something out of a fairytale. if she bit the poison apple, surely she'd be pleased if these were the lips that woke her from the spell. "you know me, i love going out, but i think i'd be perfectly happy with you, no matter where we end up tonight."

make-up has always been rather personal to her. she would remember the first time she picked up an eyeliner, dabbing profusely on the corner of her eyes without any proper outline. then, smearing red all over her own lips. the result hadn’t been as visually rewarding as it had felt—but that’s not the point of make-up, in claudine’s humble opinion. it’s an art form, a device for self-expression, a tool to enunciate her own identity, not something to hide behind. over the years, she managed to polish her skills in the area. enough that she was trusted with stage make-up back during her theatre troupe days. aside from acting, this would be one of her favourite activities.

to be trusted by someone else to paint over her face is an honour like no other. it isn’t the first time that she has, there has been many instances where she would be commissioned to assist in another cosplayer’s make-up. lately, she’s been grieving those days—she can’t exactly keep being active in that scene should she want to keep her career as an idol. but this, helping a friend get ready for a party, is more than enough for claudine. it’s fun—it’s also for fun—but she’s taking it seriously.

yinuo’s sudden question keeps the atmosphere rather lighthearted though, drawing a light laugh out of claudine’s lips. “you’re getting there,” she replies, the bristles of her brush dancing around yinuo’s eyes and leaving colour behind. “even without my help, you would’ve been a masterpiece of your own,” she assures. “but i’m glad you decided to let me experiment on your face. it’s a stunning canvas as is, and i could get used to staring at your features for quite a while.” her words are laced with a teasing cadence as she speaks, but she wouldn’t say things she doesn’t mean.

another truth to the art of make-up is this: when you’re acting as the painter with a canvas, the process can be rather… intimate. it’s for that reason claudine has settled on yinuo’s lap, focused on making sure the other girl glows tonight—in every sense of the word.

“you’re talking so much,” claudine points out, although she doesn’t sound all that annoyed. she doesn’t mind it, finds yinuo’s chatter a perfect replacement to the expected silence. still, she waits for yinuo’s mouth to stop moving before applying the lip tint, so that nothing is out of place. only then, does she formulate a response.

“really? you look so beautiful tonight, wouldn’t it be a waste if i’m the only one who gets to witness this?” she hums afterwards, gently tucking a strand of yinuo’s hair behind her ear. “it’s not lame though, drinking our fill and letting the night lead us doesn’t sound all that bad either.”

[beyinuo]

"are you saying i'm not intimidating enough?" it's so clearly a joke that the girl doesn't even try to pretend otherwise. she's only barely over 160 centimeters on a good day, slight enough that a good gust of wind might blow her over. no matter how she might have the fighting spirit of a bull mastiff she's still trapped in a tiny little purse dog body. "actually, i'm the one keeping the bodies of bad bartenders in the fridge. it's just more convenient to blame on you. so don't you ever call me soft again," she points a finger at him, her face split into a brilliant smile despite her supposed scolding.

a second wind seems to hit the girl as she sits up a little straighter, eyebrows raising. "you have doubanjiang?" she's shocked, genuinely. "where did you find it? or is it under a different name here or something? i swear i've been looking and haven't seen it anywhere. oh, but i guess i don't have your culinary connections either. anyway, spill." yinuo is no chef, she's not making elaborate meals for anyone, but living alone means she cooks for herself for the meals she doesn't eat here at the restaurant, and an extra taste of home in her cuisine would never go amiss. "my mom's the pro, actually. i'd ask her to send me the recipe but i don't think anything is actually measured out. you can try to do it as good as her, though. i don't think you'll win."

maybe she should be more concerned about her boss inviting her back to his place, but the situation isn't like that at all. yinuo knows jindallae's boyfriend, for crying out loud, and jindallae in turn knows about yinuo's blatant preference for the company of women. there's nothing weird about it, especially when she would consider the two of them friends after working with each other for this long.

a gasp escapes the girl. as much as she joked about a christmas rush and gimmicky decorations, she's shocked and horrified that jindallae won't even try to indulge in the commercialized, secular version of the holiday. "really? no garland? not even a little?" she acts scandalized. "i guess this place really does need a woman's touch. okay, give me a christmas decoration budget and i'll take care of it. i'll do it in place of that extra bonus." it's a missed opportunity, in her opinion, if they do nothing in recognition of the winter festivities. it's a romantic holiday, one often spent between couples and lovers, and what's better than a fancy dinner date? no, doing nothing simply will not do and yinuo has always been the type to take matters into her own hands, warranted or not.

"your team will be happier if you throw them a christmas party," she half-jokes, knowing she's probably going too far yet still unable to rein herself back in. "it's not even religious at this point. it's a national holiday, you know? a lot of people have off of work!"

"who says there's not?" he counters to her comment about the rumors about him, supposedly the ones that he's hiding bodies in the walk-in. though, he's quick to laugh it off; clearly indicating that he's joking. "look, someone's gotta be intimidating. it keeps people on their best behavior. the rest of you do your jobs well. you're charmers, you're soft like that. i'm not only the chef—i'm the muscle, too."

with that, he shrugs; hoping that it's not a strange comment for him to make. he's definitely had to kick people out of this place, especially now that he's all but taken it over, so he makes himself responsible. it's what he's used to, after all. he didn't grow up kicking mindeulle's bullies' teeth in for nothing. "i've got some o' that at my house, so i know what you're talkin' about. i've tried fuckin' around with it in certain recipes; it's pretty good."

he notices a slight shift in her energy, and offers a smile to counter it, "how about you come over sometime and we can make some authentic mapo tofu together? obviously my version's already on the menu, but i'd love to try yours. maybe i can make some tweaks to mine, too. i'll learn from the pro." he pauses and wonders if asking her to come to his place is appropriate or not, but figures that yinuo would let him know if it was weird. that's not his intention, but he'd understand if she wasn't into the idea.

"nah, there's no need for any of that. we've never really gone all out for christmas here. owner's not religious, and neither am i, and it's a pain in the ass to set up and take down decorations." does this make him somewhat of a 'grinch'? a 'scrooge'? if it does, he couldn't care less. other than his birthday and halloween, this time of year has never been his cup of tea. "you can do whatever you want with yourself, though. m'sorry if we're a boring crew."

taking another long gulp of his drink, he hums at its flavor; knowing that once he finishes it, his entire body will feel less tense. "you better be kidding. i just gave you a raise a couple weeks back, you get a free meal every shift, and an end-of-year bonus. don't get greedy on me now..." jindallae teases, helping himself to another sip. "it's the least i can do, you've all worked really hard this year. i know i couldn't do any of this alone, and keepin' the team happy is my top priority, so."

[beyinuo]

there was never any doubt that yinuo would be raking in the most numbers night after night. most of the girls she talks to aren't even into women, just so delighted at the idea of making a new friend and easily disarmed by yinuo's cheerful demeanor that they hit it off fast and easy, chattering back and forth while yinuo balances work and play. she'll admit, she probably has an unfair dynamic. there's a lot less stress in giving your number to another woman than to a strange man... but, honestly, it's siyoon and jinwoo's faults for not being more charming. if hangyeol can do it, why can't they?

still, the girl smiles smugly as hangyeol reads out the scores. "you should know better than to challenge me by now," she jokes with them. "it wasn't even close."

yinuo's love for women isn't necessarily a secret. she couldn't hide it if she tried, her unabashed adoration seeping out every time she sees a pretty girl. and honestly, she has yet to meet a girl who isn't pretty. she falls in love quickly and easily, but that doesn't mean she doesn't feel that love deeply.

"how dare you imply i play with a woman's feelings," yinuo presses her hand to her chest, putting on her best impression of a pearl-clutcher as she gasps dramatically at hangyeol. "i'll have you know that chaeun and i are going out for drinks after my shift is over here, jooah has been sending me pictures of her new puppy, sumin wants to meet for coffee later this week, and... well, yerin hasn't responded but she might be busy!"

the girl shakes her head, disappointed that anyone would ever doubt her. she doesn't miss the way that hangyeol falters for a moment, the way his eyes linger on someone without really recognizing them. ah, why are all her male friends dealing with heartbreak right now? she leans against the bar under the excuse of proving her claims to hangyeol by showing him her phone, instead using the closeness to whisper "do you want me to put in a good word for you with one of my coworkers, or are you not ready for that yet?"

hark! there goeth the rizzler

@beyinuo

"alright, that's the one hour mark lady and gents," hangyeol announces, swiveling around on his barstool and raising the bastardized server notepad and its accompanying pen in his hands with a flourish.

"our current tally is: siyoon, two; jinwoo, with a sad, sad zero, step it up jinwoo; yinuo, reigning champion, with four; and little old me with one and a half, because siyoon is a cheater~"

"who's cheating?" comes a baritone retort from the other side of the bar, attached to a hand pouring a large series of cass pints, "you don't even like girls."

"that doesn't mean they don't like me~" hangyeol calls back easily, sliding the makeshift scorecard across the bar for further inspection by his contestants. he takes the brief lapse in tallying to take a generous sip of his own drink, something tart and salmon-colored yinuo customized for him in exchange for his very important services.

"my question is this," he adds, pausing to stir his beverage and to scan appreciatively siyoon's admirable right bicep while he's busy serving customers. if he could admire jindallae for anything, it was how well he seemed to know his customer base, because hangyeol was certain he wasn't the only one partaking in a bit of harmless staring.

"do any of you actually do anything with all these numbers?," he glances at yinuo then, a knowing glint in his eye, "or do you chicken out before you ever actually call anyone?"

a figure enters through the side door in a well-worn hoodie tucked up over dark hair and a plain black face mask, swiftly retrieves a set of bulging to-go bags with nothing more than a murmured word and a hasty boy, and disappears just as quickly as he appeared. hangyeol's rose-colored grin falters at the same moment his heart chokes briefly on its own beating. how much he'd looked like yejun.

[beyinuo]

"someone has to worry about you," she argues, as kindly as an argument can be made. "you play superman in front of everyone else... or scare the shit out of them with being so tall and your face all like—" the girl attempts her best imitation of a jindallae scowl, eyebrows furrowing and eyes beating down with intensity. "i know you don't mean it, but i think some of the newbies are starting to start a rumor that there's the remains of poor performing employees in the freezer." she's joking, clearly, but wouldn't that make for a fascinating tale?

the bar is clean—she knows it is because she's the one who just finished wiping it down—so she folds her arms on top of it and rests her head against them. for just a moment, yinuo closes her eyes and revels in the sensation; she hadn't realized how tired she was until she finally got a moment to sit down and take a break. realizing that she probably could fall asleep here if she's not careful, she half sits herself back up, resting her chin on her arms instead, and glances sideways at her boss.

she grins, pleased with his promise to make her dish extra spicy. hot food, both in terms of temperature and spice-level, tastes even better on a cold, autumn night. "at home we'd use doubanjiang instead of gochujang and doenjang," she remarks; the fermented condiment is nearly impossible to find in korea and she doesn't expect jindallae to have any on hand. the korean substitutes are close, but it does make her a little homesick for her mom's cooking sometimes. "you can lift me after i've eaten, though. the extra weight will be good for you." she jokes, unwilling to make herself sad thinking about things that are impossible. maybe she'll try to visit home soon.

"i'm good, actually. i promise," she brightens up, her signature wide smile plastered on her face immediately. "it's just so dark and cold these days. and i live alone, so," she punctuates the thought with a shrug, "i'm not getting out as much, and it's a little too quiet for me sometimes. but it's nothing bad, just that time of year. things will get busier again when christmas gets closer. oh, ugh, this place is going to be insane, isn't it? should i get ready for staff christmas outfits?" she half-jokes, though she wouldn't mind wearing a sprig of holly in her hair or something festive and cute. "you should give me an extra bonus to keep it quiet," she winks; obviously she'd never extort her favorite boss for more money. "kidding. that's generous of you. i'm sure everyone will really appreciate it."

"gee, thanks!"

yinuo's right, though... like always. the last time he looked in the mirror, he noticed the bags under his eyes and the slight dullness to his complexion. that, and it's been hard to get to the gym over the last few weeks, and that has his mood on the floor. if anything, it's been made excruciatingly apparent to him that exercise keeps him feeling altogether rather "normal." not only does it strengthen his body, but his mind, as well; maybe even more-so.

maybe exerting his body in athleticism better channels the aggression that's always existed inside of him. he takes it out on punching bags, and on his own musculature, instead of on other people. it's a welcome change. "don't worry about me, i never get sick." is that true? not really, but he's practiced concealing any discomforts or ailments he feels since childhood. when you grow up with a sick brother, it's easier to lie and say you're fine.

"once i've had a drink, i'll throw together some mapadubu for you. your bonus will be that it's extra spicy..." he teases, scrunching his nose at her; retrieving the mug she slides over to him. he wastes no time lifting it up and taking a long sip, humming at the burn of the ginger beer and soju. he finally feels like he can relax now. "honestly? i'd be down with that. haven't been able to lift much lately, so it'll be good for me."

jindallae hopes that yinuo knows that, if she ever needed someone to walk her home, or to literally do what she says and carry her, that he has her back. "you doing alright?" he asks, more casually. "things in your life are good?" above all, he wants his staff to feel valued and important. he wants them to enjoy working here, and he wants them to feel taken care of; monetarily and otherwise. "between you and me, i'm giving everyone a winter bonus. the restaurant had a great 2024, and i wouldn't've been able to handle it without all of you."

[beyinuo]

on top of the world.

@rihabe

if there's one thing that yinuo would never do, it would be to take her youth too seriously. sure, she learned the value of a strong work ethic from her parents early on, but she's always craved adventure, freedom, and a bit of fun. it's why she left home to pursue a career in a field she honestly had no business entering a few years back. more imperatively, it's why she finds herself in a crowded club now, dancing between countless sweating bodies and singing along to the music even when she doesn't know the lyrics. there's a pleasant buzz thrumming through her veins from drinks knocked back at the bar and the thump thump thump of the bass rumbles in her chest.

alas, just because she feels like she's soaring on cloud nine from all the fun she's having on the dance floor doesn't mean her physical body doesn't still have all of it's painfully mortal demands. she runs out of breath, ready for a break, and makes her way over to the ladies' room still breathing heavily as she leans against the sink, examining how the long-lasting claims her favorite makeup brands made have any validity to them. she's sweating and uncomfortable herself at this point and it feels good to cool off for a moment, her stomach pressed into the cold countertop as she stretches towards the mirror.

yinuo is just touching up her lipgloss when another door opens and she sees what may be one of the prettiest women she's ever seen in her life. so pretty, in fact, that even without the alcohol in her system she would likely have let out the same exclamation: "oh my god, you look so good," she gushes, first at the mirror and then turning around to face the girl properly. "your makeup is so hot, and i love your hair! can i see up close? wait, you're so pretty, stop!" she can't stop laying on the compliments, each one genuine but no less flattering than the last.

[beyinuo]

just a quick ooc post since my hiatus is ending this week!! and plot call at the end of the post.

sorry for disappearing so long guys :( unfortunately there were some large, unexpected changes in my life that kept me away from being online but things are settling down now and i'm getting back into the swing of things. the good part about this forced break was that it gave me time to step back and reevaluate how i was feeling about rp and my muses and gave me the perspective needed to make some really necessary changes.

so... this is a bit of a bittersweet message, but i want to give an early heads up that i'll be dropping jinyoung and yejun. if you want any details about the in-character nature of their departures, i have some of those figured out and am happy to share, but i don't think i'll be logging back into their accounts for a while... i don't want to change my mind on this decision :')

yinuo will stick around though! and after next week's activity check, i'll be applying for a new muse... who will use the same fc as jinyoung... so apologies in advance for any confusion on that too :')

anyway as i'm getting back into the swing of things, please consider this a plot call to get things started again on miss yinuo! please leave a like or comment if you'd like to get involved with her and i'll come find you to get stuff plotted! and will be available on discord as well to anyone who's in the wannabe server.

i'm excited to be back and getting back into all the action!!

[beyinuo]

artist and canvas.

@beclaudine

they say that patience is one of the virtues of womanhood. not that yinuo has ever considered herself a particularly virtuous woman, but sometimes she finds that sitting back and waiting quietly pays off. she sits still now, eyes closed, the softest smile drawn across her lips. she likes to imagine herself as the picture of femininity and beauty in moments like this; of course, she knows that she's a pretty girl. but the girl on her lap is almost prettier. her touch is so gentle, so meticulous as she dabs color onto yinuo's face. the girl opens her eyes and smiles brighter when claudine's focused gaze is the only thing that greets her.

"am i your masterpiece yet?" she's never seen claudine's work before and yet she knows that it will be beautiful. when she offered to be a canvas, there was never any doubt that such a graceful, elegant woman would steer her wrong. yinuo just thinks that it's a shame that she can't keep her eyes open while the other girl applies makeup there. she can't get enough of watching the tiniest changes of expression on her face; the way her brow furrows in concentration, the way she holds her breath to steady her hand before touching the brush to skin.

and this is only the very beginning of their night. some might consider that it hasn't even started yet. the party doesn't start for another half an hour and it's more fashionable to arrive a little late anyway. yinuo's sure that they'll have a good time but for now she's content to savor this moment for what it is. could she do her own makeup? absolutely. but a pretty girl, hyperfocused on her? why would she ever turn that down?

"you know we could just ditch and stay here. i think i still have soju in the fridge," she half-jokingly makes the suggestion. not that yinuo has ever turned her nose up at a night out, something just tells her that she wouldn't regret a night in with claudine either. "or is that lame?" she laughs, and then takes a breath to force her face to relax again. "okay, sorry, back to canvas-mode."

[beyinuo]

when one domino loses its balance, the rest inevitably fall into a messy pile behind it. and that's exactly what happens in business sometimes; an ill-timed virus, an unfortunate chain of events, and suddenly the back end of the restaurant is missing a lot of the usual chatter and banter that yinuo is used to hearing back there. she's no stranger to running a business, she knows that when one of the crew goes down, it's the responsibility of the managers to pick up the slack. jindallae has done a good job of keeping things running, but even he can't be superman.

she's leaning against her side of the bar when he plops himself in front of her, most of the night's cleanup already done as business winded down and closing hour crept up. "you look awful," she chirps, knowing full well that she's stating the obvious. "if you get sick now, we're really screwed. see if you can get your hands on some astragalus root, i swear it'll do the trick!"

"you should give me a bonus for all my hard work," she winks, not at all serious (though she wouldn't say no if jindallae misunderstood her intentions), and grabs a mule mug to fulfill the man's request, humming as she considers her own in turn. the nights are getting colder, certainly darker as well. "i don't know. something warm and a little bit spicy, but don't break your back to make anything. it's been a long night for both of us."

the fizzle of the freshly poured ginger beer punctuates the quiet that falls between them for a moment as yinuo wraps up the cocktail and pushes it out in front of jindallae. "okay, now no one ask me for anything else because i need to sit down," she half-jokes; she's not one to complain, but she knows she has blisters from the new shoes she foolishly wore tonight. at least they're likely well broken in for next time. "once i'm down i'm not getting back up. you'll have to carry me home." she grins. but the nights are darker now; she wouldn't mind an escort.

BOTTOMS UP 진달래 → 이누오

it's been a long day. with a few of his line cooks out with the common cold, jindallae's had to pick up all the slack himself—holding it down in the kitchen, alone, as business surges. in the fall and winter, he adjusts the menu to highlight warm hearty stews and comforting side dishes; hoping to fill every customer's belly with delectable meals that are satiating and savory. suffice it to say, it's been a hit—reviews for his food are better than ever, and the college crowd consistently thanks him for keeping his prices reasonable.

it makes him feel good, accomplished even, but the success isn't as fun when he's busting his ass and working extra long shifts. tonight's been non-stop, too, and he's so glad that he's in the middle of boxing up the last delivery order. sending it on its way, he wanders over to the empty bar; plopping himself down on one of the stools. removing the baseball cap from his head, he uses its fabric to dab the sweat away from his brow, then tucks it into his back pocket; taking a deep breath.

"god... i guess no one in the neighborhood felt like cooking tonight," he muses to yinuo, his tone half-apologetic as the bar didn't get as much clientele. "thanks for helping me in the back when you could. you were a big help." that's something he adores about his crew. they genuinely have one another's backs. he's somehow managed to foster a really positive work-environment, and he's grateful for that.

"what do you want for dinner?"

everyone gets one free meal per shift, and if they want, one free drink after their shift, which is what he's planning on indulging in right now. "think about it while you make me a seoul mule?" painting on a still rather intimidating puppy-dog face, he looks toward yinuo; pitiful.

"please?"

[beyinuo]

there's nothing scary about being on camera anymore. yinuo has recordings of herself from her very first dance practice; nothing can be worse than that? but even now she watches back on those old videos with a smile. she knew nothing back then. to be honest, she still doesn't know much now but the improvement is blatant even to an untrained eye. yinuo can't help but be proud of herself for doing something scary... and ultimately coming out on top.

she's no professional, but she manages to set herself up with a decent setup for filming her audition tape for dreamwave. well, if it can even be called that. she's not sure why it's an interview instead of a test of her skills, but maybe personality is all that's really needed to be an idol these days. yinuo isn't concerned; she has plenty of that.

DREAM COMPANY & SECOND DREAM COMPANY:

"hi!" she beams into the camera, greeting whoever will be watching this with a polite bow. "my name is zhou yinuo, and my korean is better than you'd think, right?" she grins, clearly proud of herself. "if i just came in first place on next gen and had the choice of any axis labels company, i honestly think i'd choose studio delta. but in case that doesn't work out, i think i'd be a good fit for lime entertainment. honestly though, i'd work hard to be successful and happy wherever i might end up!"

PREVIOUS MUSICAL EXPERIENCE: 

"right, my resume. i bet you're wondering how i learned korean too, right? well, a few years ago, i auditioned and got into a little company called kt entertainment. they brought me over to korea where i started training for a girl group they were going to debut. ah, but, you probably noticed, i didn't make the final cut. i didn't fit their concept at the time, i think," yinuo can only shrug; it was disappointing at the time, but these days she sort of thinks it may have been for the best.

"i trained for over a year with them before they finalized the lineup. i left the company shortly after, since it was obvious that i wasn't going to get another chance to debut for a very long time. since then, i've tried to keep up on the skills i've learned with independent practice! you should check out my tiktok if you want to see how many dance challenges i've done since then." the girl winks at the camera, a little cheeky as if she momentarily forgets that this is supposed to be somewhat professional. oh well; she's showing off her personality.

SKILLS: 

"i caught on quickest to dancing when i was training, and i think it's the most fun for me too. i can sing a little bit but i'll be honest and say i could use a lot more practice with that... i haven't kept up on it as much as i've kept dancing in my free time. oh, and i use my voice a lot for my job, i do a lot of talking, so it hasn't been in the best condition... but i'm a quick learner! so don't count me out!" briefly, she wonders if she should get up and show a bit of what she says she can do. but the instructions didn't say to to anything like that, so yinuo makes the choice not to. if they want to see it, they'll have to call her to do it in person.

OTHER TALENTS: 

"i was born and raised in china, so of course i speak mandarin." yinuo pauses to demonstrate briefly, repeating exactly what she just said in a second language just to prove a point. "i've learned some english too... but not enough that i feel confident in showing you," she laughs, a bit embarrassed. should she edit that out? nah, they'll only notice the jump cut.

"oh!" the girl exclaims, suddenly remembering something. "i have an incredible sense of balance. i've never dropped a serving tray no matter what was piled up on it, and i can find the balance point of anything on my hand. it might take me a minute but once i've found it i can keep any object balanced for as long as you want me to!"

FAVORITE ARTISTS: 

"my favorite artist is myself," the girl boasts, though immediately erupts into a fit of giggles. "no, i do have that sort of confidence, but i know i can't call myself an artist yet. of axis' many impressive acts i have to say i'm the biggest fan of goeun, bltz, starlie and prizm, and nina! i love girl groups and soloists and i grew up listening to a lot of them... i also have been really into billie eilish, chapell roan and charli xcx lately... i think i'm having a brat summer," the girl laughs again, pleased with herself for getting the reference in. "oh, i sound like i only listen to girls... may be i do!"

"i hope you enjoyed getting to know a little bit about me, and i hope more that you want to see me again soon," yinuo closes out her questions and answers, her smile never once fading or losing its genuine charm. "thank you for your time!"

[beyinuo]

"wait, this looks fun," yinuo's algorithm is working hard these days, tracking her every interest and movement. of course it had picked up on her interest in waterbomb fest and of course the dance challenge was all over her page. it's been a minute since she's really danced, her idol trainee days gone but not really forgotten, and this seems like a good of a time as any to brush those old talents off. especially in the company of yulhee, who she spent so much time cultivating said skills alongside.

"can you film for me?" she asks her friend. "oh wait, and at the end, what if..." she leans in close, whispering the thought in the other girl's ear. yulhee seems on board, and yinuo flashes her another bright smile before pressing her phone into the other's hands and trotting off to stand in front of a good enough backdrop for her challenge.

it had only taken a few minutes to learn the simple choreography but that's not the big reveal that yinuo was looking for in her latest tiktok contribution. it's really not that much of a choreography at all, just a few beats of shaking her hips and pointing a her fingers up in the sky like a gun. still, yinuo turns up the charm, smiling at the camera and relaxing into the upbeat rhythm, just enjoying and having fun.

it's when the clip comes to a close that her request to yulhee comes into play. at the last waterbomb in the song, yulhee throws a water balloon up in the air and... it bounces off of yinuo's chest and miraculously falls onto the ground before popping.

"wait, that's not what i wanted to happen!" yinuo wails, utterly disappointed with her lackluster finale. "you have another one, right? one more take, please?"

of course she gets her wish and honestly, the second take is probably better anyway. yinuo's more familiar with the timing, more comfortable with the dance after repeating it again. and this time, when yulhee throws the water balloon, it pops perfectly on yinuo's head and soaks her. she bursts out laughing, giggly-stumbling towards the camera before the recording stops.

"this is perfect!" she exclaims, playing it back once before mashing in a caption and a couple hashtags and pressing publish without a second thought. "you should be a director, you know. you're kinda good at this stuff."

[beyinuo]

"you should wear it more often!" yinuo continues to gush, compliments flowing easily and genuinely as they were her native language. "i promise nothing but very respectful looks from me if you do," she punctuates the thought with a wink, clearly implying there may be a few disrespectful thoughts thrown in there as well. yulhee matches her energy though, yinuo easily turning as her friend guides her by the waist only to pop her booty out as she turns it to the other woman. "you think?" yinuo grins, "i've been working out lately, tell me how good my butt looks so i'll keep it up."

of course yulhee is full of only the best ideas. it's why yinuo adores going to these sorts of events with her; they play off of each others' energy well. a little sexy and a lot of fun. "oh, wait, you're brilliant," she scans around for the water balloons, trying to plan out their next path after getting something to drink. "do you think i'm hot enough to go viral? oh, i should ask about luck instead. i know i'm hot." she grins, and it's their turn in line. yinuo steps up to order herself a citrus cider before turning to yulhee for her order. "my treat," she assures the other.

she's only just taking her drink in hand as yulhee takes the opportunity to tease her about her wandering eyes. yinuo, for all of her confidence, can't help but blush bright red. "stoppp," she complains, though she has to laugh through the embarrassment anyway. "i'm just looking! there's so many pretty girls here how can i decide to only talk to just one? and, plus, i deserved to be chased after, not be the one doing the chasing!" she holds up her drink, inviting yulhee to touch their cans together in a sort of makeshift cheers. "but let's see how much attention we get for our water balloon reels. you have to do one too, by the way."

yulhee has been to every day of the waterbomb festival in seoul, yet she keeps finding new and exciting things to do. 

this time she’s with yinuo, and it proves to be an entirely new experience. whereas before she was the one tugging her friends along and reminding everyone they’re supposed to be looking wet and hot at the same time, now she feels as though she has a partner in crime that can truly enjoy all that the festival has to offer with her. “i know, right~? i waited all summer to wear this, and it’s soooo worth the wait. but hey, look at you in those shorts, who knew you were packing so much, huh~?” yulhee turns her friend around by the waist lightly, and laughs as a nearby water gun sprinkles them with water at the right time. it’s what they’re there for, anyway. 

but it’s not enough, she can agree with yinuo on that. she’s too hyped up about the crowd to really pay attention to landmarks or anything of the short, though, so she just lets the other girl guide her to what seems to be a soda vendor. “yah, if that’s what you want i can just get a water balloon over there and pop it over your head. oh, maybe we can record that in slow motion~ it would be a fun reels for sure~ and you’d get soooo wet from it, isn’t that what you want, naughty girl~?”, she winks. 

yulhee follows yinuo’s gaze as the woman with the bird tattoo walks past them, and she laughs to herself. “not really, but clearly there’s someone you want to see,” she nods with her head in the woman’s direction, her eyes narrowed with a devilish gleam. “that’s what we should be planning for instead. c’mon, you want to talk to her, don’t you?” yulhee motions to leave the line they’d been waiting on, in order to follow after the other. “oh, or perhaps there’s someone else that’s caught your attention, huh~? c’mon, i’ll be your wingwoman!” 

[beyinuo]

HOT GIRL SUMMER.

@yulbe

it is the perfect day for waterbomb. yinuo had only spent about two hours on her outfit only to end up wearing pretty much what every other girl was wearing; swimsuit top, shorts, and a light coverup for when the confidence just wasn't hitting right. it doesn't stop her from absolutely gushing over her friend's outfit though, even if yulhee didn't exactly break the status quo either. "you're so hot!" yinuo squeals, pure excitement lighting up her face. "your tits look so good in that top, i'm not even kidding."

"c'mon, let's get something to drink. i'm dying out here and i'm not nearly wet enough to cool off," she grabs onto the other girl's arm excitedly, taking the lead despite having no idea where she's going. yinuo isn't exactly the best navigator to begin with and she certainly didn't memorize the map or anything beforehand. how hard can it be anyway? she manages to find a stand with sodas on display and gets in line before anyone else can sneak in before them. "would it be a waste if i bought a bottle of water just to dump it on my head?" she asks her friend with a grin. she won't actually do that. probably.

they've only just arrived and yinuo is already having fun, even if the heat is killing her slowly. it's the energy of the place, the music thump thump thumping in the background, and, frankly, the many attractive women walking around half-dressed to beat the heat. yinuo can't help but stop and stare as a woman she's never seen before with the prettiest bird tattoo on her shoulder walks by them. i'm so gay, she reminds herself for only the hundredth time. "oh, but was there someone in particular you wanted to see?" she turns back to her friend as the thought flits through her head. "we should make a plan, right?"

[beyinuo]

hiii everyone!! i just finished following the masterlist and wanted to make a quick introduction <3 this is august back again (jinyoung, yejun) with a new third muse who is very dear to my heart; introducing zhou yinuo, your golden retriever girlfriend! as usual i'll stick the tl;dr about her under the cut and i'm looking forward to getting her involved so please let me know if you'd like to plot!!

born in quingdao, china and lived there her entire life up until 2020 when she came to south korea after being scouted and signed to kt entertainment (same company as yulbe!)

back home her parents own a brewery she practically grew up in and she loves it, but she wanted to explore the world and experience more things before settling down into the family business.

she trained for about a year before kt debuted their girl group, yinuo obviously didn't make the cut, and a lot of the female trainees were cut from the company altogether.

she wasn't ready to go home yet though! so she figured out how to stay in south korea, visa issues etc, and... is still here, still casually trying to be an idol since it seems fun, and currently working at jindallae's restaurant's bar because she could bartend in her sleep and also. she really enjoys buying things.

personality-wise, like i said she's a golden retriever! super friendly and outgoing, never afraid to try something new or jump into a conversation or introduce herself to anyone who seems interesting... she's just everyone's best friend and goes out of her way to make everyone around her feel welcome and included.

lesbian. she loves women so much. very easily distracted by a pretty girl... and also falls in love so quickly and moves way too fast. it's probably burned her in the past.

as for a few initial plot ideas... i think any of these connections might be neat!

and they were roommates.... i don't think miss yinuo can afford her own place at this time so would love to get her in with a roommate or two! maybe three, why not! the more the merrier!

boys who hit on her and she remained completely oblivious thanks to her utter lack of attraction to them... she would love to be your friend though <3

i've been joking that of all the handsome guys who work at the restaurant, yinuo gets the most numbers from female patrons. would love for her to make some of those imaginary connections real! girls she's chatted with and given her number to from across the bar... regulars who she's dreamed up a fantasy love story about in her head... anything

she is easily suckered into buying gimmicky products. you take advantage of this somehow.

her go-to helper in korean! she's pretty fluent after being fully immersed for the last four years but every now and then she runs into a word she doesn't know. so she texts you immediately since you obviously have all the answers.

idk this is all i have off the top of my head but! yinuo is so fun and literally wants to be friends with everyone so please give her a shot she'll be your bff <3