moon-yeongjun

[moon-yeongjun]

🐹: Ha! I won!

[moon-yeongjun]

Jun's office was rather cramped-- though to his credit, it was also very clean with minimal fuss. There were a few filing cabinets because Jun was the persnickety paranoid type who made a physical copy of every digital document he ever made. Which included distribution orders, as far back as seven years.

Yes! Seven years of orders he had made and others had made from the Market! That was quite a lot of forms, yet he had a foolproof system, at least, foolproof underneath his neurotic fingers. The only person he trusted with his system was his sister, Sky, who was wonderfully neurotic just like him!

All this to say, hopefully, there was not much for Destiny to trip over.

He cleared his throat. "Oh y-yes! Yes, of course, er, here, there's a chair over here..."

Jun rounded his desk and pulled out the chair, which gave a helpful scrape against the floor.

@it-is-your-destiny

Water Under the Bridge ~~ [Junity]

[moon-yeongjun]

"Of course you can. I'm your hyung, eh? I want you to have an easy landing when you get to New York City," said Jun. And he kept insisting, practically forcing the money into Milo's hands.

If only Jun could do more, really. Because that was what he was supposed to do! Jun had once been the one who received pocket money, eh? Either from his grandparents, his parents, or older individuals at the church. There had even been envelopes from his aunts and uncles that came through on Christmas, but of course, that all stopped once he was properly through medical school and became a full-fledged working adult.

Milo was not quite there yet. He was very adult in many ways, but in others, Jun looked into his eyes and saw the brightness of the boy who had been locked away in Pluto for too long.

But it made Jun feel better, to help out the people in his family. Milo included.

"It's just a small amount anyway. Please. You can use it for subway fare and all that, for a little bit," said Jun. "I want you to have it."

@plutothe-pup

The Departed || Moon Dog

[moon-yeongjun]

Yes, Jun was click-clacking away at his keyboard!

His office hours were always pure bliss-- away from the hustling market, the demanding customers, and even the heat and pressure that came from working the line at his restaurant. Oh, he liked to cook so the latter wasn't so bad, but if Jun were very honest, he'd go back in time and sit down with his younger self and tell him to go into engineering or computer science-- a career that put him at a desk for eight or ten hours a day, where he could just click-clack on keyboard to his heart's content and talk to as few people as possible!

That was not the life Jun led. Instead, he click-clacked, answering emails and checking his orders for next week. That was his life. Emails and orders. Emails and orders. Same thing, different day.

Until Destiny came to his door.

...No, literally. Why was Destiny at his door?! He hadn't seen her in several weeks!

Jun startled as he looked up and saw her. At once, he jumped from his desk, his chair scraping against the wood floor.

"Oh! Destiny, I--hullo!" Jun stuttered. He peered around her nervously, worried that Miracle Paras was not far. "How did you get back here-- I mean, oh, nevermind that--is, is there something I can help you with?

@it-is-your-destiny

Water Under the Bridge ~~ [Junity]

[moon-yeongjun]

Reputation?

Quality stuff?

Jun was torn between narrowing his eyes in distrust and puffing himself up like a proud, strutting chicken. Why, Jun believed that he SHOULD have a glowing, quality reputation, thank you! The things he did for this town, eh? He was always sticking his neck out! And what did people give him for his efforts?

Bah, they called him annoying.

...But maybe...whoever this chef had talked to, they could be one of the business owners in the coalition. Yes, that made sense. Jun relaxed then, a slow smile appearing on his lips.

"Oh, I-- I see. Well! I am working," said Jun, gesturing to his...entire market. "But I suppose I can spare a few moments."

@roland-doylebaby

don't kale my vibe // Heard Jun

[moon-yeongjun]

Jun nodded, taking Lo's hand as he headed off... far far away from everyone else. At least Lo was on the same page about this, even though he wondered--and worried--if her answer might be different if Camilo and her mother were here...

Oh, it was very dreadful wasn't it? Jun only hoped he could cheer Lo up and show her that no matter what-- Jun would stick by her.

Once they arrived near-ish the lake, Jun spread out the blanket they brought. "Oh! Shoot, I-- perhaps I should get drinks for us? We could have grabbed those before, how silly of me!" Jun stuttered.

(Was he stalling? Perhaps!)

@haveyoumet-dolores

Wishing {Juno}

[moon-yeongjun]

Yes, yes, Jun did know Milo, as if Milo were his own dongseang.

He supposed the more appropriate honorific here was actually hoobae-- and imagine that, because that meant, why, that Jun was a sunbae. He sat up a bit straighter as the thought hit him like a hot slap of summer air. The last time he'd thought of himself as a sunbae had been all the way back in medical school, when he was a first-year resident, then a second-year resident, and all the medical students followed after him like schools of fish. Even then, he didn't refer to himself as one, because he was still looking up-- to his own sunbaes, or senior doctors, who were guiding him along the way.

Now, to acknowledge Milo as a hoobae meant to acknowledge that Jun-- Jun was a grocer. Jun was a cook. Jun was a business owner. These were his professions.

Now, you might be thinking to yourself, how ridiculous, surely Jun Moon knew that very well!

But truthfully, no. Truthfully, Jun thought about his work as something he did. It was also something he inherited from his abeoji. It was not who he was.

For the first time, he felt pride prickle at the base of his spine. Yes. He was a grocer. He was a cook. He was a business owner!

And he was Milo's sunbae, and he'd guide him well.

Jun chuckled. "Of course you would. I'd do the same. Alright, tonight, I will send an email and see if we can't set something up, hm? And I'll give you their contact info too. Oh, that reminds me..."

At his point, Jun stood up, holding his melona in one hand as he dug around in his pocket. He pulled out his wallet, then had to be careful not to drip the popsicle juice all over the leather. But he managed to pull out a 100 pound note.

"Some pocket money for you-- for your trip!"

@plutothe-pup

The Departed || Moon Dog

[moon-yeongjun]

What little pride or dignity Jun had left shriveled up at last. What else could he do, eh? Should he really fall down on his knees and beg Miracle to let his brother's mistake go?! It was clear to him that even if he did do that-- prostrate himself, beg, plead, cry-- that Miracle would only relish lording over him. She had not a single merciful bone in her body!

He wanted to lash out. Jun ground his teeth, trying to crush his instinct to shout. That would just make it worse! Knowing her, she really would call the cops on him and then try to accuse him of something untoward, when here he was, just trying to be a decent neighbor!

And so Jun carefully put the basket of home-made goods down and took a step back. His gaze remained pinned to the ground except... at the last second he dared to look up, past Miracle's shoulder to where Destiny stood. She, of course, was not looking at him. But she was frowning-- but otherwise didn't look all that disturbed. Bah, Miracle was just hiding behind her!

His gaze quickly fell as Jun ducked his head one more time. "Yes, ma'am," he uttered. His voice was tight, almost like he might cry. Quite the opposite! If he didn't leave like Miracle said, he'd be shouting in another second.

So quickly, Jun turned around and sped away. But what was he going to do now? What was Tae-yah going to do?! At the gate, the full force of his failure once again caught up with Jun, and he came to an abrupt halt. It felt like a bear trap snapping shut and locking him in place. He wavered there, pinching his nose and shuddering.

But then he dragged in another deep breath. He had no time to shout or cry.

He had to get back to work.

@it-is-your-destiny

The Price of Apologies || Junity

[moon-yeongjun]

two eggs in this economy 💸

[moon-yeongjun]

Hm?

Jun glanced Milo's way as soon as the honorific left his lips. It was a natural response, like how mothers woke up when their babies started to cry, usually far earlier before the father. For Jun, 'hyung' was like that-- a cry for help, or a request, or a demand. For most of his life, his ears rang with the word-- and oppa too, of course. It felt like his true name, far more important than 'Jun' or 'Yeong-jun' ever would.

So he regarded Milo with his steady gaze, eyebrows slightly lifted in anticipation of, well, just about anything. Something stupid, something serious, something lighthearted.

The request made Jun's whole chest swell.

He smiled at once. "Oh, of course! Of course! That's a no brainer, isn't it?" His smile grew even more pleased, and Jun sat up straighter. It was like Milo had given Jun a compliment, rather than asking for a favor.

"Actually, you know-- let me reach out to my cousins in Korea. I'm pretty sure my second cousin's son lives in New Jersey, and he knows many, many people over there! He can help you find a good place. There's got to be a lot of Korean restaurants and stuff there, yes? That's the benefit of a big city! We can get you a job the day you land!"

He slapped a hand on Milo's knee.

@plutothe-pup

The Departed || Moon Dog

[moon-yeongjun]

Jun took one of the seats on the Moon's humble back porch, which was not really a porch at all. It had the feeling of an abandoned home improvement project, since it consisted of a small square slab of concrete with several cheap chairs and a small table. Perhaps once upon a time, it might have been intended to become a back porch, but that 'once upon a time' was not in Jun's history, eh? He arrived in Swynlake and the house had looked exactly the way it did now, his abeoji having purchased his home from an old farmer who retired and moved closer to the city to be with his daughter and her family.

That was the story of Jun's whole life. Very little changed. Everything was passed down and handled with care. Oftentimes, changing things felt like an insult. And well, Jun understood why. He hesitated to expand the market for as long as he did because he felt haunted by his abeoji, imagining his disapproval. You think you know better? What's so wrong with the market the way it is?

And so Milo changing his whole life the way he was left Jun in awe. And quite terrified for him! And also-- quite proud.

He breathed out his nose, smirking a little as he unwrapped his melona. "Oh yes, I'm sure it will be. But I bet, for you, it will be like riding a bike, eh? You lived in a big city once, so all those memories will come rushing back. All the things you loved about it and all the things you hated. There's always both."

@plutothe-pup

The Departed || Moon Dog

[moon-yeongjun]

Ah, Jun's wish.

Jun was not a boy who made wishes. Wishes were very expensive. You know what cost less money? Plans. Yes, Jun didn't wish-- he planned, and he planned well, with budgets and cost analysis and a back-up plan if his plan failed.

Except for tonight.

Tonight, there was no back-up plan. There was a ring in his pocket, a speech he had practiced for two weeks, and a wish in his heart-- a desperate wish that it would go well and he wouldn't be struck with spontaneous dumbness, or an asteroid wouldn't fall out of the sky, or Swynlake wouldn't dump a bunch of demons on them!

(At the same time, Jun also wished for these things... if only so he couldn't face the scarier thing: a no.)

His mouth felt dry. He cleared his throat. "Oh well...ah, I'm still...er...narrowing it down," he said awkwardly. "You're only allowed one wish at these things, isn't that right?"

He offered her the lantern that he'd picked up, then gestured at a place near the edges to go sit. Hopefully. He was going to try to be romantic, but he didn't want the whole world watching him!

"How about over there?"

@haveyoumet-dolores

Wishing {Juno}

[moon-yeongjun]

Jun felt his frustration rise, tasting acidic like stomach bile. How easily it would be to bark bark!

And oh, he wanted to. Yes, Yeong-tae had made a terrible decision. He'd completely lacked judgment! But he stole one thing-- one necklace out of hundreds, and he gave it back! He didn't kill anyone, eh! He didn't threaten anyone! He didn't even take the necklace by force! His brother was many things (chief among them a dunce) but he wasn't a violent criminal! Miracle Paras was just milking this for all it was worth--

Jun had to swallow this rant down. As he did, his gut twisted on the inside. He felt ill, holding everything in.

"Well because-- because exactly what you should! We-- he-- did not want to make you feel even more uncomfortable. But if you wish him to speak to you and apologize again and ask for your forgiveness, he will do so. He will be here in a heartbeat. We're only trying to be respectful of the trial we have put you through," Jun entreated.

"Anyway, I-- I also want to take responsibility. Since I am his older brother, it is partially my fault that he made such an error. So that is why I'm also here, to make up for my failures."

@it-is-your-destiny

The Price of Apologies || Junity

[moon-yeongjun]

Jun rarely treated himself to Melona-- he almost always went for a beer, but it felt strange to drink with someone who didn't (at least, from what he knew, Milo didn't care for alcohol at all. Good for him!) Ah, but now he wondered why he didn't let himself indulge in the popsicles of his childhood more often. They were so creamy, cool, and mildly sweet, the perfect treat to chase off the worst of the moist, overly hot Swynlake days.

He scoffed at Milo's comment about the AC, of course. He was one of those people who loved to brag about his own upbringing and how difficult he had it. Likewise, though he enjoyed AC in the Market (he had to have it there-- he had fresh produce!), Jun couldn't imagine having such a thing at home. What a waste of energy, and not so good for the environment!

He barely stopped his little lecture, though he couldn't help but say a bit of it--

"Oh, yes, you Americans and your AC. I just hope it works for you, hm? I hear quite terrible things about landlords over there. You can't let yourself get scammed!"

The fridge door slammed and he brought over the melona pops wrapped in their crinkly plastic.

"Come, we can sit outside. It's not so bad out today, I don't think. It will probably rain later, and that will be a relief."

@plutothe-pup

The Departed || Moon Dog

[moon-yeongjun]

This year's Lantern Festival felt like quite the quiet, even sad, affair.

Jun knew it wasn't just his own family, who were going through hard times. Lo's family had also gone through a recent change. The bustling Madrigal house was still lively and full of energy, but it was emptier than it was before. Even Jun found it quite strange when he arrived and Pepa Madrigal was not there to drag him into an overly enthusiastic hug, and Camilo didn't come prepared with all kinds of teasing jabs to throw Jun's way. Jun would have thought he'd be relieved to be free of those things-- but he found he missed them too.

But tonight, he hoped, might at least shift the focus not on the past and what was lost but... the future?

He messed with the box in his pocket nervously, feeling light-headed and a bit like throwing up.

"Hm? What?" Jun blurted. His girlfriend had said something and he had not heard it at all! "I mean-- yes. Yes, you're right."

@haveyoumet-dolores

Wishing {Juno}

[moon-yeongjun]

Omo! Why was this big man hustling toward him like a rugby player about to take him down?!

This was Jun's first impression of Roland Doyle, both of his hustle and his loudness. He startled and froze, like a rabbit about to dart back into the bushes. Only there were no bushes! In fact, there was only the fridge in front of him and then the aisles. If he had been located more optimally toward the exit to the bathroom or the back room, Jun might have pretended not to hear and then ran away to hide.

But ah, it was too late, and so he stayed frozen as this stranger approached, nearly knocking over one of his displays.

Jun flushed at his comments as well. "O-oh?" he uttered. Who was talking about him to this person? If he were a business owner that was one thing, but a chef...? "Oh--oh! Well, that's-- very nice," spluttered Jun. "How exactly can I help you...?"

@roland-doylebaby

don't kale my vibe // Heard Jun

[moon-yeongjun]

"Aish, as if we could ever replace you, eh? We will just have to make do!" Jun said warmly, smiling as he did-- almost like it was a joke, one of those warm and tender remarks that ahjussis gave out to the kids in the neighborhood.

And well, Jun really was ahjussi in many ways now. Nearly 35 years old! Where had the time gone?

And he meant the comment anyway.

He didn't have any plans to replace Milo or hire someone else. One of the reasons Jun even went through with the expansion was because of Milo-- not that Jun would ever say that. But he had seen an on-ramp to his restaurant concept with little training needed, considering Milo, himself, and Mu-yeol all had familiarity with the dishes he planned to serve. He supposed he could try to snatch Nemo from Ruff to Fluff if he wanted to fill the space-- if he asked Mu-yeol, he imagined his hyung would certainly try to influence his son.

But well-- Tae was out of work now.

Which meant he was back at work at the Moon Market, whether he wanted it or not.

So! There would be a Milo-shaped space, ready for Milo if he ever decided to come back. This was how Jun was. He was family-first; and Milo was family.

"We'll be fine, hm? Maybe just give Tae-yah tips, he isn't nearly as efficient as you," Jun said. He moved over to the fridge. "Can I get you anything? We have beer, water, tea-- oh, do you want Melona? It's certainly hot enough out!"

@plutothe-pup

The Departed || Moon Dog