#mythvoiced ( ft. eunjae )

[ofgentleresolve-a]

welcome to the struggle bus eunjae don’t judge him too hard ( ft. @mythvoiced​​ )

“Mul?” He points to the vending machine albeit nervously. A new country ( for the summer ) means a new language to adjust to, even if he has technically been learning Korean for the past year. It makes him anxious, especially considering that he still hasn’t quite grasped the different levels of FORMALITIES the language uses. Hyuk said not to worry about that quite yet.

He can’t help himself with that though. Even if the teenager he’s tutoring English for is years younger than him. Patrick fumbles with his hands for a moment before giving them a polite smile. “I can...buy snacks too. If you would like.”

[ofgentleresolve-a]

@mythvoiced​ sent in: "Is that tea with a bit of Red Bull, or Red Bull with a bit of tea in it," there's a hint of a smile in their usual deadpan, as if the cause for which professor Grace seems to be on the verge of vibrating out of his skin is one noble enough to have them soften in their sympathising. "Once did a google search on the effects of Red Bull," because they truly sympathise, been there done that, "and well, for one, wish I hadn't, two, I also read that drinking water helps against caffeine jitters." And that's what the water bottle they're holding out to Patrick is for. "How about we go get some fresh air?" ((Eunjae mid-conversation with Elise: btw is your dad okay FKHL HELLO FERRE hope this is okay ;W; JUST!! felt like nyooming something in~ FEEL FREE TO IGNORE & have a lovely day ♥)) || apparently he has to get better at hiding jskdlf ( ft. unprompted )

As he’s heard his students say on more than one occasion around this time of year, desperate times call for desperate measures. Or perhaps he’s said it himself years ago back when he was a student. That seems to be a timeless experience, regardless of how the world has changed in these last twenty years. Even being on the other side of the classroom does little to ease this period of sheer panic and suffering.

A jitter runs through his spine when Mx. Eunjae addresses him. He looks up from his cup of Red Bull tea. It’s the Red Bull, definitely the caffeine along with the image of the stack of papers he’s dreading to meet again in his office. Years of knowing Mx. Eunjae has Patrick more than accustomed to the sharpness in their voice, how quickly they can switch their attention from Elise to him and vice versa. It must come with years of being a CPS worker too: observing without betraying their thoughts. After all, the best to truly know someone is to watch them in their natural state when they think no one is working. He gives them an apologetic smile. He didn’t realize they were watching him and his impatient foot tapping against the floor of the café. It’s been their meeting spot for years on end. The same spot at the same time of the month.

“You wouldn’t suppose it’d be a lie to say it’s a COMBINATION of both?” He muses, even though he knows his drink, a personal concoction he’s relied on for years to get through these three weeks of hell leans more towards the latter of Mx. Eunjae’s suggestions. They know that for a fact too, probably. After all, he’s known them for almost as long as he’s known Elise. They must have picked up on more than a few tidbits on him.

“I can’t say I have done the same, unfortunately.” He admits although he supposes he’s more than familiar, on a personal level, with the effects of a generous amount of caffeine in the system. If it’s not the jitters, it’s the parching in his throat, the inability to sleep at night, the occasional dizziness, or even the embarrassing need to use the bathroom more than once within the hour. That’s usually the worst of his symptoms although he can imagine there are worse symptoms to have. Like nausea, vomiting, irritability, an increased heart rate, or even seizures...

Patrick’s just lucky the worst of his symptoms is the occasional dizzy spell. Either that or a headache.

( Mx. Eunjae doesn’t need to know about that. Hyuk doesn’t either. )

Still, he takes the water bottle from them gratefully. His throat was getting parched despite having his thermos of tea Red Bull on hand. Twisting the cap off, he takes a sip as Mx. Eunjae begins to gather their belongings. Elise does the same, happily agreeing with her case manager’s suggestion. It’s almost amazing really, how free-spirited she’s become around Mx. Eunjae. It’s a stark contrast to the stilted conversations they shared during the early years. Still, there’s still the the rest of the hour to go before they go their separate ways only to meet back here again in the next month. Setting the water bottle on the table, he rests a hand on Elise’s shoulder before looking up at both his daughter and Mx. Eunjae.

“Why don’t you go on AHEAD with Mx. Eunjae? I still have to clean up so I’ll bring her bag out when I finish.”

[ofgentleresolve-a]

@mythvoiced sent in: "you're about as intimidating as a butterfly." - Eunjae @ Patrick idk I hope this is okay :'3 || time for some fun facts about butterflies ( ft. 400 random dialogue prompts meme )

"An interesting simile you're using there, Mx. Baek." It's an observation, murmured from across the table, and yet it's also said warmly, as warm as the cup of tea he's currently drinking. Perhaps this is fraternizing, chatting over a cup of coffee ( tea for Patrick ), considering that Mx. Baek is also Elise's social worker. Patrick knows very the consequences, professional or not, that come with blurring the lines of friendship with the job.

But then again, it's not like he can't be FRIENDS with them, especially considering that they'll be dropping by at least once every three months up until Elise turns eighteen. And Elise is only four, now.

In that case, one might as well make the best of the situation. It's not like Mx. Baek plans on whisking Elise away every time they drop by. That's only supposed to be a last resort. The final, backed-into-a-corner kind of step to take, the same one Patrick had done with Dr. Andrew Jung, his former colleague who also happens to be Elise's biological father. Of course, he wouldn't want Elise to be separated from her birth family. Patrick knows that feeling well enough.

But even upon consistent prodding on Patrick's part for Dr. Jung to pay better attention to his daughter, Dr. Jung remained UNCHANGED, who continued to throw faculty parties at his own house. Where his daughter was supposed to stay upstairs with the nanny. Sometimes the nanny wouldn't even be there.

And then there was that robbery case that occurred during one of those parties. Elise had been the sole witness. Dr. Jung's first instinct was to check the damage done to the house. Elise's first instinct was to run to Patrick.

Patrick didn't need any more evidence after that. Child Protective Services didn't either.

Which brings them to now. A friendly business relationship between Patrick and Mx. Baek, both with Elise's best interests in mind. Mx. Baek might be terse, suspicious, with little patience for incompetency, but it’s all with their client’s wellbeing in mind. Clients who aren’t ready to advocate for themselves just yet. And considering how long he assumes they’ve been doing her job, it’s safe to assume more often than not the parents of their clients are less than...savoury. It only makes sense for them to be cynical if not SUSPICIOUS of Patrick’s intentions of volunteering to take Elise in so readily.

“Did you know that some butterflies can be poisonous? Mind you, none of them are venomous because they don’t have spines, fangs, or any piercing body parts to inject their toxins in with. It seems like a loss, considering that its previous form, the caterpillar, can have spines. But if one were to eat a butterfly, they certainly wouldn’t be exempt from consuming such toxins. Take the monarch butterfly for example- as a caterpillar, it starts to stocks up on toxins from the milkweed it intakes. By the time it’s undergone metamorphosis, the toxins take their place in the wings and the abdomen.” He sets his cup of tea down. “That being said, it’s not enough to necessarily kill a predator upon consumption, but the pain from digesting it is certainly enough to ward one away from trying AGAIN.”

Of course, that’s probably not what Mx. Baek was thinking when they said that. They probably meant that as a compliment- Patrick being harmless as a butterfly. But if he were to think of butterflies in a more metaphorical sense, well...

Butterflies. Typically in literature, regardless of the region, they’re a symbol of hope, life, renewal, and doubling in a literal sense, transformation. CHANGE.

Maybe Mx. Baek comparison isn’t so accurate after all.

Nevertheless, he chuckles, rubbing the back of his neck and watching the steam from their coffee rise. “My apologies, I’ve been...we’ve been reading about butterflies the last few days. I was thinking about getting one of those butterfly kits so she can see one GROW herself. I won’t let her eat it either, if you’re worried.”