#one day i will learn to be lighter on myself when scheduling school
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dont-open-dead-inside-25 · 1 year ago
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no longer an A+ student don't know how ill live with myself
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xxxxhannyxxxx · 2 months ago
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Chapter 10
Leaving both Heeseung and Jake Behind you decide to walk around a bit more browsing at the different clubs looking for new members. As you receive flyers from different clubs you aren't sure which one you wanted to join since you were interested in a couple, so you decide to browse a bit more before choosing one. Thankfully they give the students a week before deciding on a club, so sleeping on it sounded better then deciding then and there.
After walking around a bit more you decided to stop at a café between the school and your apartment. As you walked in you choose a seat in the corner next to the window, you ordered yourself an Iced Matcha latte and some bread to snack on while looking over some of the flyers, from the ones you got the only ones that caught your attention and you had interest in was between joining the College dance team or learning self defense especially after everything that had been going on.
You decided to Send Chan a message to see if he had time to meet up for a bit and you waned to ask him for his opinion plus you wanted to see him.
Yeseul Hey Chan, are you busy?
Chan
Hey! I don't have work for another 2 hours, what's up?
Yeseul
I just wanted to ask you something, plus I'm bored
Chan
Sure, Where you at I'll head right over
And with that you sent him the address to the café you were at and ordered him something for when he arrived. As you were waiting you over two girls talking about how they are in love with the feeling and ecstasy they feel when having their blood drunk by a Vampire and how much lighter they felt afterwards. You knew it was allowed in certain business that were open but to hear someone talking about it openly was odd to you. You asked yourself if it would be weird if possibly someone had overheard that conversation and how they would be viewed but from the looks of it they didn't care at all.
 Soon enough Chan arrived and he took the seat across from you.
Chan: "So how was your first day back?" he asked.
Yeseul: "Boring, they just talked about the same thing they did last year except for the fact there will be more security around the school" you said as you took a sip from your drink.
Yeseul: "Oh, and the fact that Heeseung and his group of friends are also attending this semester" you say as you roll your eyes remembering your interaction with him earlier that day.
Chan: "So THEY are attending as well?" he said with slight annoyance.
Yeseul: "Yeah, supposedly they transferred over this semester but I also think they know the Dean personally. I had seen Heeseung talking to her when I had come to get my schedule But when you said They, do you know his friends?" you thought maybe they were connected to your past as well but seeing how Heeseung was being with you, you shook the thought away.
Chan: "You could say I know Them, but I'm not here to talk about Heeseung am I Yeseul" Chan said trying to change the subject.
Yeseul: "You're right, actually I wanted to ask for your opinion" you say as you pull out the club flyers.
Chan: "Having trouble deciding on which club to join?" He said as he grabbed the two flyers.
Yeseul: "Yeah, I hadn't joined any last semester Since Rose and I would go out every weekend, but now maybe it would be a Good Idea"
As Chan looked over the flyers, you looked out the window lost in thought remembering all the Good memories you had with Rose, but with her being gone joining a club would be a good idea to keep your mind busy. She did always say once you both got bored of going out constantly you would both join the Try-outs for Cheerleading which is why you grabbed their flyer.
Chan: "If you want to Learn Self Defense Myself and the Rest of the group can teach you?"
Yeseul: "Would you really? Are you sure? I wouldn't want to take any little free time you have since you do work." You say
Chan: "I'm sure, plus I Know the kids wouldn't mind it at all, they have been wanting to hangout again since the last time plus you'll have more fun Cheerleading if you make it in" He says with a smile.
And with that it had been decided, Chan had said He would send you a message to work out a schedule after Cheer tryouts and talking with the boys.
a few days had passed and it was Finally Friday, the day of Tryouts as you try to shake off your nervous you receive a Message from Chan, "Good luck, I know you'll do great" It said and with that you knew no matter the outcome you did your best.
As you headed to the Gym You see that basketball Tryouts had just finished and then you see Heeseung walking out with Two other boys one was Jake and the other you did not recognize but the fact they were together meant it was another one of his friends. You also weren't surprised He tried out for the team and you also couldn't lie that you were a little curious if he had made it or not.
Heeseung: "Well look who it is!" He said says as he walks over to you.
You can't help but roll your eyes as you see him.
Yeseul: "Hi to you too I guess" you say.
Jake: "Hi Yeseul" He says with a smile
Ni-ki: "So this is Yeseul, Nice to meet you I'm Ni-ki" he says.
Does Ni-ki know who you are and who did he hear it from Jake or Heeseung.
Yeseul: "Nice to meet you Ni-ki but i got to run, Can't be late for tryouts" You say as you head off.
As you entered the Gym you head over to the bleachers to place your stuff down and you make your way over to where the rest of the girls are at. You start off stretching seeing as there is still time before you start when you see Heeseung, Jake and Ni-ki walk in. As they take their seats on the bleachers One of the squad girls notifies us that tryouts were going to start.
As they start the routine some of the girl pick it up while other struggle, thankfully you were having a grasp of it and slowly girls started being let go. From the 8 that were left only four of you were going to make it in but before moving on to the next routine they give you a 10 minute break.
Heeseung: "Here drink some water" He says as he walks up to you and hands you a bottle of water.
Yeseul: "oh um, thank you" You say as you grab the bottle. And there he goes being nice and for some reason making your heart waver.
He walks away soon after taking a seat back on the Bleachers and tryouts continue. Finally it came down to a decision, Three names had already been called out and you were hoping yours was as well and soon enough you hear your name. You're happy you made it and you know Rose would be too as you look over you see Heeseung mouth out Congratulations and that made you Happy.
Back to masterlist
Chapter 9
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ciaossu-imagines · 2 years ago
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I adore Mystic Messenger and have been lucky enough to handle quite a few headcanon requests for it. Not much love though for my precious V, who is one of my favourites, I will admit, so I took it upon myself to choose to write some headcanons for him! I used this prompt here and hope you all will enjoy them (since I do know he’s a pretty divisive character in the fandom)!
What they smell like?
I feel like V smells really good. He takes his personal hygiene seriously and does regularly shower and keeps clean. He favours shampoos and soaps with light and clean, faintly citrusy, scents. I feel like, when he was with Rika, he wore a more musky and spicy cologne that she favored but that, when he chooses his own cologne, it’s a lighter scent, like Burberry’s Touch.
How they sleep (sleeping position, schedule, etc.)?
V sleeps on his side, almost in a fetal position but not quite. It’s vaguely fetal but he’s not as tightly curled up on himself, and he keeps his bottom leg mostly straight, with one arm underneath his head. He doesn’t move much while he sleeps and his breathing while he sleeps is light and regular and almost noiseless.
What music they enjoy?
He likes a lot of different types of music and enjoys learning about new bands and artists. He does like classical music and he can play several instruments, but he’s also in soft-rock, folk, happy sounding pop music if the lyrics aren’t aggressive, and would be strangely into cuddlecore music.
How much time they spend getting ready every morning?
It honestly depends on his mental health at the time. At the times when his mental health was the worst, while he’d make sure he was clean, V would put a lot less time into his personal appearance and could be ready in less than five minutes. When his mental health is fully positive, he does take pride in his appearance, both in his personal grooming and his attire, and takes about forty-five minutes to an hour to be fully ready.
Their favourite thing to collect?
V is a photographer, so is it any surprise that he likes collecting photographs? He makes scrapbooks and has photo albums that he loves looking through. I also think he likes collecting wine, tobacco pipes, art, and vinyl records.
Left or right-handed?
I think V is ambidextrous. It’s how I’ve always headcanoned him, though I think he uses his right hand slightly more.
Religion (if any)?
V’s been raised in the Catholic faith and is still a practicing Catholic, though he attends church a lot less regularly than he would like and, while the whole Rika situation is going on, I think he feels like he doesn’t deserve the comfort of confession and it would be a while before he allows himself to participate in that ritual again.
Favourite sport?
V was never a big fan of sports, though he did try to enjoy them for his father’s sake growing up. I feel like he played football (soccer) during school because it was his father’s favourite sport and does know enough about baseball to be able to participate in conversations about it but generally isn’t all that into sports.
Favourite touristy thing to do when travelling (museums, local food, sight-seeing, etc.)?
All of it. Seriously, V actually really enjoys travelling. By the time he dies, he wants to have seen the whole world and he will do everything he can to immerse himself in a place and soak up all of the things it, and the culture, can provide. He likes art galleries and museums, visits museums based around history or culture, asks locals for restaurant recommendations so that he can get authentic meals, and does enjoy sight-seeing, both through guided tours and through just exploring on his own with his camera.
Favourite kind of weather?
It shifts…with Rika, in the beginning, V loved the sun. No day was as good as those where the sun shone brightly and warmed everything. But when things got bad with Rika, he developed an almost obsession with rainy days, with the heavy atmosphere and gloomy skies. When he mentally heals, I think he goes back to preferring warmer days, with the sun in the sky, but not quite to the almost obsessive level he had before.
A weird/obscure fear they have?
Honestly, it’s rejection. V is a people pleaser at heart, with a desire to be accepted and loved and he fears everyone rejecting him.
The carnival/arcade game they always win without fail?
I feel like V is actually really good at the goldfish catching festival/carnival booth. He always gets a fish, and he names every single one of them, though he tends to give them away to small children instead of taking them home.
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acanvasofabillionsuns · 2 years ago
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no cookie dough today after all folks, plans are that it will happen saturday 👀
this is bc tomorrow is epiphany and we're going to make king cake!! so i'm looking forward to that :]
also i went back to school today and my culinary teacher sells cookies?? one of my friends is in his first period and if he's feeling up to it then he's the one who bakes the cookies and APPARENTLY i am getting one for free tomorrow so 👀👀👀
also while i'm talking about food then we had tacos for dinner!!! with our family taco seasoning!!!!!! yum omg
and also while i'm talking about school then the sleep deprivation hit hard but i got to nap through 2 consecutive periods bc i didn't do anything for most of the day 😎
also also while i'm talking about my culinary teacher then in class we were talking about eggs and one of my classmates was like 'apparently you can't crack an egg vertically' and a friend (different than the cookie baker) tried and succeeded but got egg all over himself it was so funny 😭
also my culinary teacher did the thing where u spray aerosol and then turn on a lighter and get Extra Fire so! that wasn't like a highlight of my day or anything i just wanted to share
one more thing about school then we're learning about gravitational fields n stuff in physics and my teacher said she's going to try and get a field trip for us to go to a planetarium 👀
i got to work on my collage!!!! it's been like 3 weeks i was so excited to work on it and then i had so much fun :D
i have two pairs of glasses, and one of them is heart-shaped so i gets lots of compliments when i wear them out and about, but today a lady at the grocery store complimented my non heart glasses (which tbh are even cuter on me) and just!! :DD
i've been devouring this one fic in particular today and just!!!! i've already read it, i'm rereading bc there was an update but it's been a bit, but it's so good a;lksdjfs;ladkjfa
i've kind of set up a new schedule for myself where every other night then i do sudokus and listen to bomBARDed for 20-30 minutes and that's tonight so i'm gonna go do that!! i'm excited for it :]
oh wait also i don't have time to read it tonight so i'll have to find out tmrw but i Think i found a fic i've been looking for for a while so !!!!! cross ur fingers everyone i'm real hopeful alksjdf;lsakdf
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bellesowl · 4 years ago
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tell me you love me
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- multiple characters
⤷ sakusa, atsumu, ushijima, kuroo
genre: fluff ; established relationships
synopsis: haikyuu boys and their love languages
word count: 1.5k total <3
warnings: very very small mention of bullies and season 4 spoilers in atsumu’s, i curse a lil
- a/n: one last fluff hc before february ends! i just wanted to do something short & sweet but then it evolved into this as always atsumu’s is too long. oh and ai (@/ luvnami) has a post very similar to tsumu’s so make sure to check it out too! kuroo’s is a sort of prequel to this post too. finally, are we surprised at my choice of characters to write at this point?
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- sakusa kiyoomi
his love language is physical touch
PHEWW i know y’all weren’t expecting this
but let me explain myself
i abhor the fact that people think sakusa would detest touching his partner & that he wouldn’t act completely touch starved
so obviously, even getting him to talk to you was a whole quest and a half in and of itself but once he gets comfortable around you?
especially enough that he willingly spends time with you as your boyfriend?
you cannot tell me this man wouldn’t be completely cuddled up to you 24/7
“kiyooo” you sigh, “baby, you have practice right?”
he shakes his head, trying to trick you into spending more time with him, but by now you have his practice schedule memorized.
“c’mon, c’mon, up we go” you gently shove him off you and he pouts, “as much as i would love to stay like this forever, we both know you can’t be late to practice- especially with nationals right around the corner.” you grab his hand and lead him towards the gym.
“well maybe if you became a manager like i suggested, i would be more inclined to go to practice because i wouldn’t have to choose between my favorite things- you and volleyball.” he says with a pointed look in your direction.
you both stop in front of the gym and turn to face each other. “maybe if you do well enough at nationals, you might come back next year with a new manager, huh?” you unhook his mask and give him a slight peck. “i’ll see you tomorrow, okay babe?”
he pulls you in for a slightly longer kiss, “i was thinking more like tonight after practice, okay my love?”
you nod and shove him into the gym, where the smile on his face fades back into his signature scowl. you laugh slightly, he never will change, will he?
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- miya atsumu
his love language is words of affirmation
i think this one was pretty obvious, but along with this is definitely physical touch
i mean we all know that tsumu is known for being clingy as hell but it’s cute so it’s fine
but words of affirmation- like we saw in s4, he was constantly left out, tbh borderline bullied by the other kids
sure, he always acted like it didn’t matter but that hurts, especially in middle school.
so having someone tell him they love him, that he’s great & all (at something other than volleyball), and that he’s enough? he’ll follow you to the moon and back.
as karasuno’s cheering section continues to roar with delight and the crows are on the brink of tears on the court, you can’t seem to take your eyes off a certain setter. you watch as he stands there, almost in denial. come on tsumu, you’re fine love, you think, silently cheering him on. you watch as he says something to the karasuno duo, and you smile slightly when he begins to argue with his brother.
as they line up, you stay a moment to make sure the goddamn cheering squad doesn’t say anything rude to the team who just poured their hearts out on that court. satisfied with their applause, you make your way down to the court. you wait for them to finish their team meeting before approaching your boyfriend.
“tsumu!” you yell, hoping to grab his attention. his head whips toward you and his smile widens.
“baby!!! you came!” he runs up to you with a grin but you realize his eyes aren’t lighting up the way they usually do.
“of course i did,” you scoff, “you think i’d miss this?” you grab his arm and drag him over to kita. “kita-san, i hope you don’t mind me stealing atsumu for the rest of the day?” he shakes his head and waves you off. your eyes lock for a single moment, but you receive the message loud and clear. take care of him, will you? you nod slightly before dragging your boyfriend out of the stadium.
the drive to your hotel was silent, the music keeping it from becoming awkward. the walk to your hotel room was slightly worse. you finally enter and force him to sit on the bed.
“babe, i- what?” he asks, confused and slightly flustered.
“nothing like that you idiot.” you slap him lightly on the head. “just wanna talk ‘s all.”
he avoids your gaze but you grab his chin, forcing him to look you in the eyes. “hey” you smile, “how do you feel, my love?”
by this point, he looks to be on the verge of tears. you pull him into your chest and he finally breaks down.
“you deserve so much better than a loser like me, doll. much much better than someone who practices all day and all night and still couldn’t manage to bring his team past their first day- a complete and utter failure.” he sobs lightly. you shush him and run your hands through his hair.
“ ‘mu, you know you’re so much more than that, right?” you ask softly. he opens his mouth to interrupt but you continue, “you have a natural talent for this sport, and a drive and ambition unlike anyone i know. you’re the absolute best boyfriend, and a good brother. you’ve learned to care for your teammates, and they’ve learned to love you for you, not just your skills. you’ve grown so much as a person that no one can call you a failure- ever. and if they do, send them to me.” you crack your knuckles and finish with a wink.
he chuckled lightly and pulls away from you. “i love ya, you know? i really don’t know what i did to be able to get a partner as perfect as you.” he ends with a kiss.
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- ushijima wakatoshi
his love language is gifts
okay his is specifically giving gifts
not even extravagant gifts, just small knickknacks he sees that reminds him of u
he knows he isn’t the best with his words, so he tries to make up for it with these trinkets
you enter the gym and your eyes immediately lock on your boyfriend. you see tendou nudge him and point over in your direction, and you smile at the way his eyes soften. you walk over to the bench and give him a small kiss.
“hey toshi” you say with a smile, “i hope you don’t mind me coming over to watch you.”
“of course not, my love. your presence is a very welcome distraction” he answers, his eyes lighting up as he remembered something, “actually, it is very convenient timing.”
he pulls something out of his bag and hands it to you. he watches the way your eyes light up at the keychain and explains, “i remembered that you wanted something for us to match,” he pulls out a matching keychain, the lighter side of the yin and yang symbol, “so i got us this. i assumed you would want the darker side? unless i assumed wrong and you wish to switch?”
you kiss him once more, “it’s perfect, tosh, thank you.” you reply with a bright smile, the joy in your eyes evident. you kiss him a final time before gently nudging him back to the court, “i’ll be here, miracle boy.” you say, amusement and love shining in your eyes.
as wakatoshi walks back toward his best friend, he realizes that he’d do anything to make sure you look at him like that for the rest of your lives.
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- kuroo tetsurou
his love language is quality time
okay so i hc kuroo as someone who wants to be with you 24/7
like while doing hw he would be facetiming you, walks you to classes, wants you to watch practice & brings you home after, etc.
he does this because it makes him feel like he’s knowing everything there is to know about you. he wants to understand each and every side to you cause he knows it will only make him love you more.
“babyyy” kuroo whined, “are you done yet?”
you sighed and answered, “like the last 5 times you asked, no. if you want to go to the party that bad, then you can go ahead. i’ll try to catch up.”
he scoffed, “and have to suffer without you? no thanks.”
“they’re your friends.” you deadpanned, irritation evident in your eyes.
“okay, but you’re much more interesting- easier on the eyes too.” he winked, “and besides, i’m going to have to stare at their ugly faces for a week.”
“and you’ll miss me” you chimed in.
he nodded, “and i’ll miss you. which is why you should just come with me to the training camp. just, i don’t know, pretend to be a manager? please?” he pleaded.
“you’ll be fine without me for a week, you idiot.” you sighed, rolling your eyes.
“it will be a week of hell.” he stated, “which is why i want to spend as much time as i can with you before i have to leave. and if that means sitting here while you do your homework, then so be it.”
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koeyohte · 4 years ago
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It’s bright in the hallway.  Sunlight streams in from the expansive glass doors and windows just a few steps away in the atrium.  The campus has received many remodels in the past few years and I’m fortunate to be taking two of my semester’s classes in this airy building.
    I’ve never been good with school.  Other students could casually discuss what they’d learned or cram their study session in the night before an exam and do just fine.  I’ve always needed extra help - after hours work from the teachers, tutors, extravagant memory solutions.  I’d finished high school last year and now was waiting, alone, outside a closed wood door where my english literature class would take place; not for a while though, I think, glancing down at my phone.  I’m always early to class.  For now, I’m sitting on the floor, plucking at stray fibers of material from my jean shorts and wondering if wearing leggings would have been a better idea.  The tile is a cold shock to my skin whenever I touch it.
    I’ve been taking this class for three weeks now - two days in each of those weeks on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  I look hopefully down the hallway, toward the atrium.  There’s usually a quiet young man who arrives early and waits across from me.  He keeps to himself and is always reading something.  I think he’s nice to look at, though I would never admit it out loud.  He’s a bit unusual looking - angular features compliment a frame that’s thin and wiry, but with broad shoulders that make him appear larger than he likely really is.  His hair falls just past his shoulders, which is unusual around here.  I’ve never seen a man around my age with long hair.  When I’m sitting on the floor, he seems rather tall, but when I’m standing, he’s actually about the same height as me.  I don’t know anything about him but it’s nice to share the otherwise lonely wait in the hallway with him.  I feel like there’s something calm and even comforting about him, though I’m not really sure why.
Twice, I’ve switched up what side of the hall I stand on, just to see what he’ll do.  He stood farther away during the first week but after I accidentally dropped my notes and he picked them up for me in the second week, he’s been standing a little closer, still always across from me.  I remember noticing a narrow but long scar across his wrist when he handed me my notepad.  His hands were rather rough when they brushed mine.  He hardly met my eyes and was quick to move away again, like he was uncomfortable with being near me.  The dark circles under his eyes were much more apparent up close.
I look up when I hear the doors of the atrium open and my heart skips a beat.
    He’s buried in his phone just like he has been every day before.  He makes his way down the hall, barely looking up even once, and comes to lean against the wall opposite me like he always does.  He looks past his phone to nod at me, which I wasn’t expecting.  I try to smile at him but it comes out like more of a grimace.  He doesn’t seem offended and brushes his long hair from his face while he continues to read.  His hair is a strange, dark blond color and it frames his sharp features in a way that makes it difficult for me to look away. He doesn’t seem to attract much attention from anyone else but I realize as I stare at him that I find him oddly handsome.
    I guess that explains why I’ve randomly thought about him more than a few times this past week.  That’s new for me.
    Confused by my revelation, I look away before he can notice.  I don’t even know his name.  There’s a subtle smoky scent that I now recognize is coming from his bag.  It’s sweet and herbal rather than stale and dusty.  His clothes are the same as always - a button down, earth-toned shirt with dark grey slacks.  He looks like he should be working in an office.
    He doesn’t say much and he won’t speak unless spoken to. I’m not sure if that’s just how he is, or if it’s a manners thing, or if he actually despises small talk.  He seems too buried in deep thought for it, from my observations.  He’s always reading something, whether a book in his hand or something on his phone.  I can tell they’re not text messages by the way he brings the phone up and stares at it while occasionally scrolling for the entire 20 minutes we usually stand in the hallway.
    It’s surprising and a bit bewildering to admit that I like looking at him, but it’s true.  That being said, I find just about everyone nice to look at in some way.  It’s confusing sometimes.  I’ve never felt anything more for anyone, though, despite being pursued more than once.  It just hasn’t happened yet I guess.  I’m in no rush, so it’s alright with me.  Unintentional flings don’t seem enjoyable and I can’t imagine being so intimate and open with someone who doesn’t plan to be there in the future.  Unlike Sun, I think to myself - she’s been with lots of people, and while some of them still spend time with her just as friends, others have left a bad taste in my mouth.  She’s easily forgiven them.  Or forgotten.  Maybe both.
    Someone else walks between us and when I glance up, I’m surprised when the man across the hall looks quickly away from me.  I watch him for a moment, wondering how long he was staring.  Maybe he wasn’t.  Instead of looking back at me, he scratches at his chin and tucks his phone away, looking at something over my head.  I find myself glancing upwards, assuming there’s a flyer I must have missed, but there’s nothing there.  When I look back at him, he’s watching me again, but he startles.
    “Sorry,” he mutters and looks away.  He sticks his hands into his pockets and avoids my gaze.  I’m not sure what to say.  That it’s okay?  That sounds weird, possibly even creepy.  Should I ask him if something’s amiss?  That might be weirder.
    He’s looking at me again and this time, he doesn’t shy away from my own gaze.  His light eyes trail down to my knee, where I realize he’s eyeing a small cut from where I had banged it on one of Sun’s short coffee tables last week.  He looks like he wants to speak but he’s holding himself back.
    “Ran into a table,” I say awkwardly, gesturing at the wound.  It’s just a small red line now.  The man looks back to my eyes and nods.
    “Looks recent,” he says after a moment.  His voice is mellow and lighter than I expected it to be.  He sits in the first row, close to me in our class, yet I’ve rarely heard him speak; certainly not more than a simple yes or no.  “Not from this week, though.”
    I tilt my head at him, surprised he can tell.  “How’d you know?”
    Something passes across his face.  He looks almost disappointed - or angry?  “I’ve seen a lot of… cuts,” he mutters.  He shakes his head but falls silent again.  His expression is mellow as he stares at the tiles between us.  Relaxed, he’s very nice to look at.
    I feel myself start when he blinks up at me again.  I’m wracking my mind for something to say.  There’s a palpable tension in the air - either that, or I’m just incredibly nervous, for some reason.
    “What happened to your wrist?” I blurt, glancing at the pale pink line that reaches over his skin.  He pushes his hand further into his pocket and I fear I’ve crossed some invisible boundary with him.
    “Nothing,” he responds quietly, voice hardly more than a whisper.  His posture is stiff now and he’s avoiding my gaze, so I don’t press him.
    “What do you do?” I ask, hoping a change in subject will make him feel more at ease.
    “Metal shop,” he mutters simply.  He’s still not looking at me.  Deciding he’s done with the conversation, I just nod and go back to my phone.  Sun’s sent me a picture of some plants she wants to buy for her patio.
    “What about you?” he asks after a moment.  I’m glad that he’s not giving up so soon.  He still looks upset, or frustrated, but his posture’s relaxed a bit.
    “Just… this right now.  I’ve been around.”  I pause, realizing how that sounds.  “I mean - I’ve had a few odd jobs.  Nothing serious.  Coffee shops, library, things like that.”
    At mention of the library, the man perks up.  “What did you do there?”
    “Just inventory, organizing shelves, scheduling shipments from one branch to another.”  I watch his features change, almost dramatically, from brooding and gloomy to fascination.
    “I assume that means you like to read?” he asks, standing up straighter.  He takes his hands from his pockets and folds them.  He crosses one leg over the other and suddenly appears much more comfortable than he ever has in the hallway.  The newfound engagement on his face makes him much nicer to look at.
    “I do,” I begin, but before he can ask me what most everyone does, I hurry on, “but mostly nonfiction.  I had to focus on school for so long, I hardly had time to read for fun reading.  I’m just now getting into it again.”
    To my surprise, he nods as if he understands.  Most people find what I’ve said to be ridiculous, or a poor excuse to avoid reading as a hobby.
    “I’m like that sometimes, too,” he says.  “I’m always reading something, though reading purely for enjoyment is something I only very rarely get to do.  I’m….”  He tilts his head to the side and sighs as though he’s about to tell me something ludicrous.  “I’m in the midst of a collection of European cavalry history, right now.”
    I nod, unsure of what to say.  It doesn’t sound particularly appealing to me, but I can understand the draw for someone who knows more already than I do.  I try to smile in place of empty words, and the man drops his gaze to the floor again.
    I notice a tear in the belt loop of my shorts and start to pull at it.  They’re one of my favorites, as they actually fit.  I have exceptionally wide hips, so everything is either too tight in the thighs or too loose everywhere else.  I grumble when the string gets caught on my ring.  I wear a thin silver band around my ring finger on my left hand - I grew tired of people trying to hit me up.  Free from the devious string, I glance down the hall, but first I steal a glance at my classmate.
    I nearly startle when I notice his eyes are resting on me again.  It looks like he meant to just glance at me but upon noticing my staring, now he is too, in an effort to hide his intention.  Whatever it was.
    My heart is pounding in my ears.  I can feel my pulse in my chest.
    “Jeans,” I say weakly, shrugging at the string in my hand.  The young man nods once.  I see him swallow and lower his phone from his face.
    “I had a sister who wore a lot of them,” he says slowly, as though he’s considering each word before he speaks.
    I notice how he chose his words - “had” a sister.  I offer him a polite smile.
    “I’ve never had a sister.”
    “Brothers?” the man asks.  I shake my head.  He shrugs.  “More resources for yourself.”
    I open my mouth to respond, then realize that nothing natural comes to mind.  What an odd thing to say.
    “I suppose,” I finally say.  He had started to look at his phone again but when I speak, he pauses.
    “You suppose?”
    I look away.  There’s an edge to his tone that wasn’t there previously.  He seems frustrated with my comment.  His brows lower and the creases along his mouth deepen.  Whatever attraction I did feel toward him fades slightly.  The man straightens himself up and tucks his phone into his pocket.
    “You don’t get anything to yourself with six siblings,” he elaborates.  A subtle, tired smile flashes across his face at my expression of surprise.  “That’s all I meant.”
    Realizing that he noticed my disenchantment with his tone, I begin to feel guilty.
    “It’s alright,” I manage, hoping he’ll forgive my reaction.  I’ve always been sensitive to people’s behavior.  I assume it has something to do with a handful of particular years during my childhood.  My mother went through something that I was too young to understand, but I didn’t miss the things she did and said to me before she found herself again.  I’m quick to assume the worst from people rather often.  It’s something Sun likes to remind me about, if she isn’t criticizing my willingness to help people.
“Seven of you?” I ask, realizing the man is still watching me.
    He nods.  “We’re fosters… so, none of us are really related.  Different ages, come from different places….”  He looks suddenly uncomfortable and trails off, looking away.  He sticks his hands back into his pockets, shoulders slumping.  He looks like he wishes he hadn’t told me.
    “That must be difficult.  I can’t imagine that.”
    “Hmm.”  The young man looks back to me.  “It can be.”
    A few other classmates are starting to arrive.  I’m disappointed that we don’t get the hall to ourselves anymore.  The man pulls his phone back out and resumes his reading like I’m not there at all.  I get the distinct impression that his foster family is something he doesn’t speak about much and probably didn’t mean to offer to me.
    The rest of the wait goes by as usual.  Relative silence in the hall is replaced by shuffling shoes, the rustling of paper, the clamoring of heavy books against tile, and chatter.
The door to the classroom opens, the last of the previous class files out, and the professor beckons us inside.  I take my place in the front row, all the way over to the right, where I’ve made a corner against the far wall.  The man follows and sits two seats away like he always does.  The professor does all the talking, until discussion time.  My quiet companion and I aren’t exactly fans of speaking to the class.  The professor hasn’t called on us yet and she doesn’t this week, either.
    Once dismissed, I gather my things and wait patiently for the young man to take his so I can leave.  He’s shuffling papers in his bag and muttering to himself.  He looks upset, so I pretend to read a message, but am glad to see one from Sun to respond to anyway.  She’s got some exciting news about a new girlfriend, it seems.  I begin to type a reply but the man groans and moves aside, pinning himself uncomfortably against the table.
    “Sorry, I’m sorry.  Go ahead.”  He waits for me to pass him and I notice how he recoils further as I do, as if being near another person disgusts him.  His knuckles are white against the table and he’s turned his head away from me like he’s afraid I’ll look too closely.  I try not to think too much about it, hoping it’s not personal to me.  I pause just after him when I notice the way he paws frantically through his things.
    “You okay?” I ask, lowering my phone.  He looks up.
    “Yes.  I just… lost something.”
    “Can I help?”  I start to move closer but he quickly straightens up, picks up the bag and sighs heavily.
    “No.  Thank you.”  Clearly frustrated, he strides past me toward the classroom door.  I’m surprised when he holds it open and looks expectantly at me.  I thank him and sweep out into the hall.
    “You sure you’re okay?” I ask again when he trudges past me.  He frowns.
    “I’m fine.”
    “Okay.”  He doesn’t seem fine.  He seems to be silently fuming.  His brows are low and the creases in his face are deep.  I remind myself that I don’t know him and it’s best to leave him be.  Despite the way my feelings get carried away so easily, I have to remind myself that they shouldn’t choose my decisions for me.  It’s very difficult, especially when I see someone upset or in need.  Sun likes to tease me about it, telling me I’ll spread myself thin trying to provide more attention to everyone I’ll ever meet than I ever do for myself.
Some days, I think she’s right.
I leave my disgruntled classmate behind and go to stand outside, waiting for my mother to pull the car up.  We share the vehicle, so she dropped me off today.  She had work for a few hours while I was on campus and doesn’t always get off on time.  I could be waiting here awhile.
    I look up when someone comes to stand next to me.  It’s my classmate, and he’s fidgeting like he’s distressed or like something is wrong.  His hands are flexing like he’s in pain and he’s gritting his jaw.  I don’t ask him this time if he’s okay.  He’s staring straight ahead as if I’m not there.
    “You getting picked up?” he asks suddenly.  I nod and ask him the same.  He barely hides a scoff.  “Ah - no.  They would never… no.  I just....”  He frowns and looks down.  “Nevermind.”
    “Wait.”  I follow him as he steps back toward the building.  He looks strangely on edge, like a frightened, injured animal.  I feel myself hiding an eye roll at the way he stares at me like I’ve caused him further upset.  “Don’t worry, I won’t ask if you’re alright - but... do you need anything?”
    He looks offended until he realizes why.  “I’m sorry,” he begins, turning around to face me again.  His voice is thin and suddenly soft.  There’s something gentle in the way he speaks to me now.  “I didn’t mean to be rude.  It’s not… socializing isn’t my strong suit.”  He looks sheepishly away again, hand anxiously rubbing at the strap of his backpack.  I can see how worn it is there.  “You don’t… have a lighter, do you?”
    That’s what the herbal smell was.
    “Sorry, no.”  I don’t have anything against smoking, but I’ve never done it myself.  Sun does, sometimes.  I’ve sat in her room in the cloudy, sweet haze while her company languished around, discussing things they weren’t ever quite relaxed enough to allow themselves the luxury of doing before.  It’s a great time it seems, but I won’t try it with so many strangers around.  I trust Sun with my life, but she has a lot of strangers in her room sometimes.  Some come and go swiftly and others stay for weeks.
    The man casts me a small smile.  I hate how charming he looks like that.
    “Darn.  Hope you won’t think any less of me for it, anyways.”
    “What makes you so sure I’m thinking about you at all?”
    I’ve spoken before thinking.  I feel my face flush bright red.  He blinks at me for a moment, then looks away.  Neither of us say anything for several breaths.  The tension is stifling.
    I close my eyes and shake my head at myself.
    “That - that was… I didn’t mean it like that.”
    The man laughs quietly and I see him reach up to scratch distractedly at the back of his neck, ruffling his hair.  He looks shabby but in a confusingly enticing way.
    “‘S alright,” he mumbles.  I allow myself to look at him for a moment while he’s busy looking anywhere else but at me.  His face is lightly shadowed and his sharp features cast sunlight across his forehead and the bridge of his hooked nose.  His eyes are light, unlike my own.  As I look, I notice pretty, almost yellow centers.  I’ve heard of heterochromia but I can’t tell from here if that’s what’s there for sure.
    He looks at me again and I notice out of my peripheral vision that my mother’s little blue car is turning into the driveway.
    “My mom’s here,” I announce, unsure of how else to proceed.  The tension is still there but it’s not as taut.  The man looks up and backs away from me as though he shouldn’t be seen so close.  He’s chewing his lip but as the car pulls up to a stop, he just looks away from me again.
    “See you,” he says, and turns back into the building before I can even respond.  I open the passenger door and climb in, not allowing myself to stall, and glad when my mother doesn’t ask any questions.
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sunriseintropicisle · 3 years ago
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Things that makes me happier
I gave up posting number in front of my post title, initially it was to mark whether I reach the goal of posting a writing every week, which made me had to post 52 writings for the year of 2021, and by this point I am pretty sure I am not gonna reach that number so yes, we can forget it. 
So I personally feel like recently I am in a better state of being, and have lots of idea coming up in my head. While I still religiously write on my handwritten journal, I feel like writing, in case my nonexistent reader would like to know, or give some inspirations. Lol, like who you are. 
No, really, I am just really believe in sharing, and I would love to know if my mundane knowledge or experience be insightful even to only one other person. Because I myself found multiple times that a knowledge/sharing that someone posted online impacted me greatly - hence I am just thinking about the other me who may be seeking the things I am about to say/share. 
Things that makes me happier are:
Intermittent Fasting
I have been doing IF for 2 weeks now, and yeah, it makes me feel good. I started initially because, duh, like everyone else, I wanted to lose weight. Some might want to kick me in the ass for saying such thing, and assure me that I have normal body and yada yada. And, as straight forward as it is - I just want to be as skinny as possible. Hahaha. Maybe it is something to do with me very sold into the standard beauty, or maybe it’s got to do with something in the past - I was quite cheeky. 
However, even though I always say that I want to lose weight, over the years I have never really made the effort. Some days I took it hard some days it just a normal day, me eating this and that and whatnot. But then I have noted the intention of  me wanting to be so skinny, on top of those beauty standard I believe have huge impact in me and a quite hard time in the past for being cheeky is because it simply makes me feel lighter, not holding anything within my body. Because for the context and some TMI, I have a not so good digestion, so yeah. There was a period of the time that I often I feel stuffed and bloated - which felt so uncomfortable, that I can’t stand working while sitting because I felt my stomach is getting on my way.
I tried IF a while back, and it worked for me, so now I decided to try it again now. Intention achieved. I believe it was because the time window for eating that pool all the food I eat in a day to be only consumed for certain times (I do 7 hours, my best convenience). I used to eat on times where, looking back, I was not really hungry, you know. Like breakfast - turned out (I don’t know why I forget about this) that I am not a breakfast person. All through high school I don’t remember myself sitting, eating breakfast in my uniform. 
But then I just picked up a habit of eating breakfast while my stomach is actually not really ready for it, which end up making me feel bloated that last long all through lunch and pretty much for the day - and then without me knowing the new day has begin, and the cycle starts all over. 
So yeah, IF had helped me to be to schedule my eating time which made my digestion works better I guess, and no more me having a bloated stomach constantly.
Quitting Social Media
Finally I succeed in cutting myself with social media. This, I also had tried in the beginning of the pandemic I guess - went on without social media for weeks and at that time I really felt the benefit and all, until I came back to social media and can not disconnect ever since. Even though I have been wanting to detox myself, but at the same time I felt really dependent on it.
It took me one lows moment of life to finally be able to went cold turkey about disconnecting. It was when I felt frustrated on Twitter news where every day it seems like there were a bad news - people died, people lost jobs, people complaining, the news about our incompetent and corrupt government and so on. Without me realizing, it took a toll on myself. Other than that was me who checking in Linkedin constantly at the time and seeing my friends’ profile whose climbing up the corporate ladder, while I was unsure and questioning whether I am in the right place (sounds like the problem of these days youth who lives in their own bubble, yeah?). 
So one Friday where I had one of my breakdown, I went MIA for the weekend to the people who are close to me, as well as to my social media. It’s only been 2 weeks now, but it is safe to say that I can reclaim myself within these times, suddenly lots of thinking came up to me, as if all these times the bad news maybe somewhat oppress it or something. And, I also feel more certain about what is going on my mind/heart. 
I believe quitting social media has its downside as well, as like I really am not having an update on the news (90% of my news source is Twitter - how sad yet could not be truer for most of us), I completely blind on our Covid update I even think that Covid is slowing down in the territory. Yeah, as expected you lose win some as well as you lose some, but for now at leas, I decided to win for myself. 
Olympic 2020
I have never watched Olympic before, as far as I remember. Nor that I care about it. But this time is different. I believe the fact that we are on privilege to be in the safety of home have a huge part in me having the opportunity to watch the Olympic - thanks for that. For almost two weeks I was hooked to my TV, even one time I was on my TV from 6am to 10pm and watched all the games they aired. 
To have the company to watch was a big advantage as well. As now I have my sibling in the house, I teamed up with my sister to watch the Olympic, we both did not know that we enjoyed it so much that we invested in each game we watched. We cheered for athletics, we scream for badminton, we gasped for weightlifting. It was a very fun experience. For almost two weeks I change my work station in front of the TV and so did my sister. 
On top of that, what made Olympic special and very intrigued me was the diversity of the athletes. I guess I just did not exposed to such diversity as it was presented in the Olympic. I was presented with some very foreign countries whose name I hardly heard, or the people whose features were different one another. 
Questions like why some sports dominated my a certain race while other sports dominated by others also popped out in my head. And not to mention my awed to each of these Olympian athletes when they perform their sports, I always wonder what it takes for them to be there right now - how many years of training, how much tears were sacrificed and relationships had to be let go. There were just so many elements of the Olympics that made me really drawn and invested in it. 
Youtube
Surprise, surprise. 
Well, my attraction to Youtube recently was different because of the previous para - Olympic. Because of getting really drawn into the Olympic athlete, I was searching lots of reference videos. And as we all know how we are being spied and we are mere a number for these big tech companies, they get to know me better know and present me with more content that I love (or else I had never discovered). 
I am not sure what I searched previously, but Youtube chose that I now an avid cultural researcher, jk. Yeah, I watched a lot about something culture-related on Youtube because it is funny, looking back, I was once really attracted to be a global citizen and what not (what a flavor of youth!!), traveling the world, meeting people from other countries, make impact in the NGO (before long I know the NGOs are mostly funded by big corporations as well, heart breaking reality for me). 
What I am saying is that the savvy man-made tech of Youtube has made me rediscover my old interest about culture! And I just actually learn that you can learn a lot from Youtube’s comment section, which debates often open up you to things which are (1) people can comment based on data and have every intention to educate other people; and (2) people more often be ignorant, and how much you are on the right stance, with the wrong people, you can still be, yeah wrong. 
Somehow the lesson I gained in the Youtube’s comment section was really grounding to me to realize these polar of people, and in the end what you can do is only simply be you because after all, people really will hold on to their own opinion and belief. 
Jigsaw Puzzle 
RECCOMENDED 100/100. Damn, wasn’t it a good choice when one day I decided to try out jigsaw puzzle to entertained myself while waiting my partner to reply my chat message? 
On the one of the breakdown moment I mentioned I believe that I had to have distraction and I thought of either a puzzle or a coloring book. I ended up buying both, but I am positive that I am more drawn to jigsaw puzzle. I first ordered a 1500 piece puzzle and when it first came, I kind of secretly afraid that I will give up. Also my mother being my mother and she was pessimist that I would finish the puzzle. 
But one time I was just playing by myself, not expecting anything or even asked anyone to help me (afraid that I put too much task on other people), yet my sister helped me out, and a while after my mom helped we out as well. Resulting in the puzzle finished in 3 days. Soon after I order new puzzle, and so did my sister. Her order came first and it was a 1000 pieces puzzle, which we finished in 2 hours (boo, it turned out to be too easy), and now we are opening up our 3rd puzzle and tried to work on it. 
I am just really happy that I discovered it, it is really great way to bond and filling time. And every time I successfully put the pieces together - that just very satisfying feelings! I believe I will have more and more puzzle to come in the near future. 
--
I hope one of the thing above will work out for you and make you happier as well as it had affected me. 🤗
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winryofresembool · 4 years ago
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Things We Lost in the Fire, ch 8
aka Caleo uni au
Fic summary: Calypso starts studying at a new university, but to her annoyance her new flatmate is a loud mouthed mechanic who also likes to sneak his dog in whenever. But as she learns to know him better, she realizes they might have more in common than what she first thought. Eventually, even the darkest secrets come out…
Chapter summary: Calypso makes another new friend.
A/N: Time to introduce Hazel! Since some of you may be interested in my ToA read, I'm currently reading TTT and it’s reminding me how great Frank and Hazel are. In my fic Hazel is 18 and Frank 20, just for future reference.
Thanks to Cris for helping me out and listening to my rants again, and thanks to the people who commented the previous chapter! I hope you guys enjoy this one too and don't forget that even a short comment like "nice" can make my day!
Characters in this ch: Calypso, Hazel, Leo
Words: 1900+
Genre: romance & hurt/comfort
Warnings: none
previous chapter / next chapter / AO3
...
As the fall progressed, Calypso, who had brought a couple of her favorite paintings with her to her new flat, decided to show some of her art to Annabeth. The architect student complimented them and encouraged her to continue creating art, but Calypso admitted that sometimes it was hard to find the motivation to do it on her own. She preferred making things that she could actually use, such as clothes, but she wasn’t opposed to continuing the art hobby if she found a motivator. Annabeth suggested she join the university art club that had classes for various skill levels and where she’d get feedback to help her get even better. The blonde girl wished she had more time to draw just for fun because her university assignments took a lot of her time, but in Calypso’s case her studies had quite little to do with art so maybe the club would offer her a nice break from history.
And so, only a week later Calypso was participating in her first art class at the university club house. She looked curiously around her to see if she might know someone there from her history lectures, but it turned out that wasn’t the case. However, her attention focused on a girl with curly brown hair, dark skin and eyes so unusually colored that they stood out even from afar. Something about her fascinated Calypso and she decided to approach her.
“Hi!” she greeted.
“Hello. Is this your first time here as well?” the other girl asked.
“Yes! An architect student recommended this club for me so I decided to give it a shot,” Calypso explained.
“Mmmh. I’m not a college student – yet because I’m graduating from high school a bit late – but they graciously let me join when I showed them my art portfolio. I just felt like the high school art classes don’t have much to give me anymore so I wanted to try something different.”
“I see. So, is art something you’d like to do for living? Or just a hobby?” Calypso asked.
“To be honest? I’m not entirely sure yet,” the girl admitted. “Something happened that I was kind of out of it for a few months and that’s why it was hard to think about my future for a while. But one way or another I’ll probably still keep doing art no matter what.”
“Oh. I’m sorry about that…” Calypso said sympathetically.
“It’s in the past now, I’m fine!” the girl reassured. “Uh, I already told you that but I didn’t even ask you your name yet… What is it?”
“Calypso Astal. Yes, I know, like that music style… or that Greek sorceress…”
“I was not going to say that.” the girl shook her head, smiling politely. “I was simply going to say it’s nice to meet you, Calypso! My name is Hazel, Hazel Levesque.”
“Well, nice to meet you too, Hazel,” Calypso said, shaking her hand. “Sorry, I hope I didn’t sound rude… I’m just used to people making weird comments about my name.”
“Oh, don’t worry about it! I can understand that very well. I’m a little too used to people’s comments about anything related to my life at this point…” she said sadly. Now Calypso knew what had drawn her to Hazel in the first place: somehow she had sensed that the girl was an outsider, just like she was.
“So, how long have you been drawing, Hazel?” Calypso decided to change the topic.
“Since I was small. It’s always felt like a good way to express my thoughts and also distract myself when things weren’t that great. What about you, though?”
“I think I’ve always been more or less interested in it, but I didn’t start drawing and painting more seriously until I was in high school. I had a lot of time in my hands then…” Calypso said vaguely.
“That’s cool! What else do you do in your free time?” Hazel asked when she realized Calypso wouldn’t elaborate more.
“I like all kinds of handicrafts – you know, from sewing to building small objects and tending flowers – and I also enjoy singing… although usually I do that just on my own…” Calypso admitted, sounding a little bit embarrassed.
“Wow, sounds like you’re such a multitalent!” the younger girl exclaimed. “I help take care of a horse – his name is Arion and a friend who is good with horses claims that he’s loud mouthed even though I have no idea how he can say that. Arion is just vocal, that’s all.”
Calypso snorted at that.
“Yeah, I believe you. My flatmate would probably claim that he’s entirely capable of understanding everything his dog says, though.”
“Aw, your flatmate has a dog?” Hazel asked.
“Yep, he does, but he is not allowed to have it in our flat. Though he still did, when I arrived, and the dog broke my desk. I wasn’t too happy with my flatmate after that but he hasn’t brought the dog in since then,” Calypso said, now able to smile at the memory.
“I’d love to have one too but for some reason a lot of the dogs seem a little afraid of me. I don’t know why.” Hazel shrugged. “But my, uh, friend studies to become a vet and he’s around animals a lot.”
“That sounds like a cool career. I never really got to be around animals a lot in my childhood… But I do remember enjoying watching birds from the window.” Calypso also remembered wishing she could fly freely like them but she decided to not say that out loud, wanting to focus on more positive things.
The conversation died off because the teacher started explaining the participants the schedule of their meetings and what kind of projects they would make. The first assignment sounded like a fun one in Calypso’s opinion: it was called “If I could be any other living creature”. That meant the students were allowed to draw or paint themselves as any animal or plant they could imagine themselves being. At first Calypso thought about drawing one of her favorite flowers but then she remembered her and Hazel’s discussion only from a moment ago and how she had wished she could be a bird. And that gave her an idea.
The bird she chose was called the Golden Oriole. She had only seen one in her childhood on a trip to northern Greece but she still remembered the yellow feathers and the dark wings very well. Her own hair had been lighter back then as well, more of golden blonde than the caramel brown it was naturally now (before the dyeing) which had really stood out with her dark eyes. That’s why her mother had teased her about looking like Golden Oriole. Thinking about those times made Calypso feel a bit homesick but she decided to channel her emotions into the painting instead of wallowing in them. Once she had gotten started, she took a peek at what Hazel was making. Hazel herself had depicted herself as a horse but somehow she had also time to sketch a bear next to it. That confused Calypso. “What does the bear represent?” she asked Hazel.
“It’s gonna be a panda,” Hazel clarified, “and it’s supposed to depict my best friend. I felt he deserved to be drawn too. He is big and strong like a panda but surprisingly soft inside… I want to show how these two animals, though very different, can get along really well.”
“That’s a great topic. And he sounds like a good guy,” Calypso said approvingly.
“He is,” Hazel nodded and took a look at Calypso’s work. “That looks pretty! So, you consider yourself a bird?”
“Well, at least I’d like to be.” She shrugged. “Maybe one day.”
“I sense something is restricting you,” Hazel commented. “But don’t worry, you don’t have to tell me more.”
“Thanks,” Calypso said with relief, and after that the girls focused on their drawings again.
Once the class was over, the girls continued talking on their way to the bus stop.
“I’m sorry, this might be a strange thing to say but… I got a bit different vibe from you than from most people in the class. Do you know why?” Hazel inquired.
“Could be because I’m technically a foreigner,” Calypso replied. “I was also homeschooled so… I haven’t really been in touch with people of my age a lot.”
“Really?” Hazel raised her eyebrows. “Where are you from?”
“Greece. But we moved from there when I was 10.”
“Your English is so good that I wouldn’t have been able to tell you’re not from here. I’ve lived in many places too. I was born in New Orleans but I’ve also lived in Alaska and San Francisco…”
“What brought you here, then?” Calypso asked.
Hazel seemed to hesitate a bit. “Uh, it’s a very long story. One I’d rather not talk about right now. But after I recovered from an accident I’ve been trying to find my place. My best friend moved to study here and he’s the closest family I have so I decided I’m gonna follow him.”
Calypso noticed that Hazel blushed a bit when she was talking about her friend.
“And your parents were OK with you moving?” she asked, having too much experience with overprotective parents.
“Uh…” Hazel started awkwardly. “I don’t really have any. Mom is dead and my dad only shows up when it’s convenient to him. I lived with a relative for a few months before I turned 18 but once I was that old, she told me that I was free to make my own decisions.”
“I’m so sorry. About your parents.” Calypso said sympathetically. For some reason she seemed to be pulling a lot of people with tragic backgrounds towards her.
“It might be awful to say this but I think my mom is in a better place now. She suffered a lot in her life,” Hazel said as an afterthought.
Calypso only nodded, because really, what could you say to that? The other girl seemed to sense her hesitance because she continued:
“But don’t worry about me. Frank is the best and most protective friend I could have. And here I have found some new ones as well!”
“That is good!” Calypso said genuinely. She already felt like she could relate to this girl and wished a brighter future for her. “Um, I have some things I need to do at home but I’ll see you next week, right? And if you ever want to hang out outside the class, just message me.”
“I will!” Hazel promised and waved to her as goodbye.
Leo was making something to eat in the kitchen when Calypso arrived and he looked at the package in Calypso’s arms curiously.
“Hiya Sunshine, what you got there?” he asked.
“I was at the art club and did this,” Calypso said, taking the drawing from the bag and showing it to Leo.
“That’s a cool bird,” Leo mumbled while trying to swallow his sandwich. “Is there some deeper meaning to it?”
“Yes, it’s supposed to depict me,” Calypso answered, emphasizing the last word.
Leo looked back and forth between the drawing and the artist.
“I’m not really seeing the connection there.” He narrowed his eyes as if trying to see the drawing clearer. “You look nothing like that bird.”
“Leo Valdez!” Calypso yelled and marched angrily into her room, leaving poor Leo wonder what he did wrong.
“I just meant that you’re way prettier than any drawing of a bird could ever be,” he mumbled to himself before sighing and focusing on his meal again.
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queenangst · 4 years ago
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an ask for a later time: Annie! How are you dealing with college? Like choosing classes and majors and what sort of people to be with or clubs/organizations to join? I felt like it's already past time for me, I think it's still pretty cool to hear about?
hmmm, i mean, i’m Dealing with college. it’s been up and down with the new semester; at the moment at least, there are some classes required that i just don’t enjoy & adjusting to being online for a ‘full’ semester (i’d taken two summer classes though those were different, you know). plus my major application.... orz. one week to go!
this post comes with the disclaimer of: safety, covid19, online semester (for me) has changed my current semester + some aspects. 
choosing classes - i generally go for a mix of required classes, or classes that i think would be beneficial to me even if i don’t think i am Super Interested, and then classes that are in my major that are directly tied to my interests! 
also classes that work with a time or schedule that i like. personally i prefer when my classes are more “stacked” together, so having classes either back to back or close together in times (i.e. all morning). knowing what times i want to myself can help narrow down what i’m taking, if i have a choice at all. 
this semester most of my classes are in the morning, with 8:30s starting across the board (ugh, if i could at least take 9am classes i’d be much happier) and my afternoons free save for thursdays. i also really, really like maneuvering so i can have a day off, to do homework/break day, or have some days that are lighter. 
[current schedule: motue 8:30-9:45am, 11:30am-12:30pm, wed 8:30-9:45am, thu 8:30-9:45am, 4-6:45pm].
i learned that i really like having my afternoons and evenings off, which works really well for me because that’s when i like to focus on finishing work or have time to myself. just learning how you work and what you like - maybe you want to avoid mornings and have afternoon/evening classes, etc. 
also don’t forget to make sure you have at LEAST a lunch break, or a reasonable time to eat lunch (like... 2pm is probably the latest you should be eating). the more meal breaks, the better. and don’t pack your schedule so tightly on one day that you’ll have everything due on the same day, or no time to relax, etc. 
hmmm... meeting people! generally i have friends through a few ways: high school friends, friends of friends introducing each other, seatmates/classmates, and people who are in the same organizations as me. 
i’m going to be honest, making friends takes time. especially in college. and it can be very, very easy to feel isolated - i certainly felt, and still feel, very lonely and at the moment have a fairly small circle of people. but that’s okay. every semester there will be different classes and different opportunities to connect with people.
i think just... don’t be afraid of putting yourself out there. being online like, talk to people, make a group chat (class group chats, whether you’re on campus or online, are THE BEST when you’re staring at an assignment and you realize you don’t know what you’re doing), being as active and engaged as possible. on campus it’s much easier if you were able to go places, attend events, etc. 
clubs and organizations are kind of different online. idk about you, but for me there was an organization that i really like, but i felt the transition to online (because it’s more of a social group type thing) just wasn’t “worth” it. 
clubs that i can still feel like i’m participating in: organizations that are actively 
as far as just what to join: ones related to major/area of study (for example for me, an animation guild), ones related to interests/skills (i’m in the student organization that produces our school’s video/film content, specifically in the division that produces short films), ones that are just social.
i mean just figuring out what you’re looking for out of a club, and finding ones that fit your needs. i wanted friends and to meet new people, so social. i wanted to have somewhere to stretch my skills, so tv. i wanted an organization that could provide me help or connections or resources for my industry, so animation. and it never hurts to “try things out” and attend a meeting or two of a specific club before deciding if you want to join it or not. i’ve definitely done that, haha. 
as far as online, if this is applicable: clubs that are still hosting virtual events, that seem to have plans/ideas for moving forward, organized. 
idk i hope this post isn’t too long and those are some of my insights, i guess! i do miss being on campus and seeing friends and meeting new people irl, but that is second to my health and safety/my family. 
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tangerinegod · 4 years ago
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Hello! I am sorry to bother you but I am a senior getting ready for college this year. I am in the US and I wanted to major in the same thing you did, do you have any possible tips for me? I still haven't even looked for colleges that would be best for animation majors so I figured if you were up to giving out any tips/saying any basic ideas if you wanted to/if you had the time to then maybe I'll have a better idea! I apologise for if I sound weird! I'm tried to word it correctly but I can't 😿
hi!! i’m totally down to share my experiences! someone else also had some questions so i’m going to put them all together in this post haha, hopefully this helps! it’ll get pretty long so apologies ahead of time but art school is a lot to think about so i wanna be as helpful as i can around it, its a lot of time and money. I’m gonna put it all under a read more cus it is really really long!
i wanna start off with the fact that I had the privilege of attending school in a financially stable environment, my parents were/are really supportive so w merit scholarship i only came out with around 20-30k in debt and i also had housing support my entire time in school. they were ok with me focusing on academics so i didn’t hold a retail job unless i was out of school like summer/winter break. Ofc though i regularly take commissions/do merch/cons to try and pay for all bills that arent rent cus i did want to be financially independent where it was possible. I also did try and work during the semester but everytime i did my body would deff start to breakdown from the fact that i didnt wanna compromise schoolwork with jobs.. so just read ahead know this experience is from a student who was able to attend focusing only on school work for most of the time!
the biggest thing is knowing art school is not required to become a professional in either freelancing or industry! there are a huuuge amount of online tools and classes these days that provide the exact same education and for cheaper too. i think it depends on what experience you prefer/can handle/want but it’s definitely possible to make art/animation art your living without higher education. the thing that college will for sure give you though is the ability to meet deadlines, work even when you dont want to, and connections with peers+teachers. i think the connections part is invaluable because you’re basically coming out with a network of people you already know and who know you! 
also its good to know if you want to attend/can handle art school! it’s a lot of time and energy and students get burned out really fast. the best piece of advice i got before going was ‘if you draw every single day, even if its for only like 5-10 minutes or a doodle for a whole year you should be fine’ consistency is super key because you’re attending school to draw, and you’ll have to create work for stuff you aren’t excited for at some point or another. burnout is extremely real and the only reason i didn’t experience it was probably because i got super into drawing naruto fanart again inbetween sophomore and junior year! it helped give me something to draw seperated from school which is the only thing i was drawing for since i had entered rip. a heads up id also consider myself a workaholic so i fit in ok with the ‘art school’ environment but it is suuper unhealthy. if you are fantastic at managing your schedule then it’s definitely possible to take care of yourself! freshman year i got 8 hours a sleep a night and only pulled all nighters for some second semester finals at the end. sophomore year + up though i ended up prioritizing hw over sleep and like for sure, definitely shortened my life span. there’s another q down below where i’ll go more into detail but ya, be careful w ur work balance!
another tip especially for animation is knowing for a fact what type of animation you’re looking to go into, and what the school is offering. I didn’t think i’d get into art school at the time so i only applied to two places + decided if i didnt get into either id attend community to get credits out of the way while building portfolio. honestly? i did not do a lot of research LOL but like i did end up having the chance to tour and stuff! just know that each school will have a very different curriculum. The main differences are schools that prioritize 3D (cg animation, cg modeling, ect) and 2D/traditional (hand drawn, ‘oldschool’, digital or traditional based) this is a huge difference so make sure you do research for it! in most cases a 2D/traditional program will also offer 3D since it’s at the forefront of the industry animation wise rn. My school taught 2D but like hand drawn on physical paper 2D, frame by frame. while it was a good experience it’s super outdated because digital tools make it way faster + easier! i’d recommend looking for a program that is digital 2D over traditional 2D. 
if after your senior year covid is still affecting campuses in the US to keep them shut down i’d recommend attending a community college to get credits and then transferring into school. one of the negatives is paying money for gened classes when ur not there for them; if you can get them out of the way sooner and cheaper there is absolutely no negative + you could graduate earlier or use the extra time for better work or to work a job! 
these are all the general tips i think i’d give on like a broad basis of attending or not to think about? let me know if u have more q’s! someone asked q’s im answering below that go more into personal experiences + work culture so heres those:
- how many hours a week do u spend studying, in class, otherwise making art? like how much of ur life does it consume?
I was basically working on art.... 24/7! since i wasnt working a job at the same time i crammed as many credits as possible into my schedule so on avg i did 18 credit semesters (around 6 classes) art classes go for 6 hours and non art go for 3, so i’d spent around 30-35 hours in class a week! hw wise it varied on the class but combined it would be around 35-50 hours a week... im guessing? on average studio classes would have 8-10 hours of hw, maybe 5 for a light week, and gened classes 5 hours w them all combined. or this was probably how things were before junior year? junior+senior year i had thesis + everything else ontop.. i’d spend around 30-40 hours on thesis a week with other classes ontop of that bc my film was super long cus im a dummy! 
- is it hard going to art school n realising that altho u were probably quite talented… so is everyone else? Like. all of a sudden. ur not special and everyone seems as good as u, you know? More generally, how do u deal with comparison?
kinda?? i think instead of the idea of like you vs others it feels more of like a competition at first to be the best. this varies hugely on school culture though; my animation year was really friendly with each other and get along extremely well, so my answer to this is v different than some others who attended different schools. i think that the idea of ‘comparison’ only lasts a portion of the first year because at some point you realize that it’s not a who’s better as much as its a ‘these are my coworkers’ type thing? like healthy competition 100% because we’re all working to improve but i think most of us learned pretty early on that viewing each other as peers going into the same workforce helped a lot. also at some point everyone develops their own style/starts to develop their artistic preferences so there isn’t a way to compare whos 'better’ anymore? i dont think there ever is tbh because style is appealing based off of an individuals preferences. If anything realizing everyone else is also amazing makes you wanna work harder ig? or thats how i felt! it’s inspiring to be surrounded by so many people who create such amazing work. 
- is there a lot of workaholic culture? all nighter culture?
100000% there can be a workaholic and all nighter culture. i know people who avoided it and thats honestly fantastic because i fall super easily into that pit. sometimes i’ll pull all nighters on a personal project just because i really want to finish it... i am definitely considered a workaholic all the way through and its not healthy rip... i’d estimate at the worst i was pulling 2-3 all nighters a week and only 4-5 hours of sleep on the nights i didn’t? that was only for one year tho, after that i was like yeah ok this is really bad for my health in the long run LOL so i tried to cut it down to one all nighter a week and around 5-6 hours of sleep the rest of the week! by senior year my decision to cram in full semesters paid off and i was able to consistently get around 7 hours of sleep a night + no all nighters minus finals since my schedule was lighter despite thesis 😭 while there is that culture i don’t think people view it as like a badge of honor or something to be proud of anymore which is good, we mostly view it as a flaw of the art school system and something that needs to be fixed!!
- are you glad u did it? how did u know it was what u wanted?
i am glad i did it! i’m definitely in a limbo right now of if it was worth both my time, money, and my parents money rip but i think with what i got out of it i definitely wouldn’t be as far skill wise or knowledge wise when it comes to the art industry. i would say it was only worth it for be because i had so much support going in though so i was able to focus so much on improving. if i had only been able to put in part of the effort and not make full use of the resources provided i would honestly have a different answer.. 
i knew it was what i wanted when i realized i really couldn’t see myself pursuing a different profession happily! despite all the bumps and stuff im fully in love with drawing still and feel honored that it’s a field that can provide a living. my second profession choice was to go into culinary school? and third option i think going was into music cus i was also a band kid hehe.  
- how do u cope with ur hobby becoming ur job? how do u deal with art going from something u do for fun to something u do on command constantly?
i think seperating work art from personal art is important! in my case im doubling naruto into being personal work so i have something to fall back onto that isn’t work related. its been a hyperfixation for 12+ years? so drawing it at this point is just like personal art imo. some people have hobbies outside of art and only draw for their job! i think after attending classes for so long the idea of hobby turning into job feels extremely natural? also i enjoy doing it so thats a huge plus! 
sorry this is SO long but i hope i answered your guys’ questions! if you have more just lmk!
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cosmiclatte28 · 4 years ago
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TEMPO (Racer! reader x sehun, nct, exo) #4 (just one more!)
Previous chapters 1 / 2 / 3 
HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND? (3/5)
“Taeyong hyung.. can you find me a promoter? I need a new bike. The old one is starting to not cooperate.” I said one afternoon.
It’s only the two of us in my apartment. I call him over to talk about this. He is my manager after all.
“Hmm.. you need a new bike? Can’t we modify or fix the old one?”
I bite my lips.. well we can.. but I want a new bike.
“I’ll work on it… be patient okay. I’ll tell you when I found one.” Taeyong pats my back and glances to my table.
“Didn’t know you smoked Pall Mall.. I’ve always thought you liked Eve.” Taeyong naturally grabs a bar and lights it up.
My eyes widens. Hey that’s not mine. Shit it must be Kai’s. He left it here..
“Oh that’s not mine. Bring it with you.. it’s too strong for me. Maybe my friend left it accidentally.”
“Woah great. Thanks to whoever left it here. Why would someone leave a good cigarette.”
“You take the cigarette… and don’t forget to find me a new promotor.”
“Done princess.”
--
My study meet ups with Sehun  still happen regularly and after that Kai will be in my apartment cleaning my mess and be my chat buddy. Got to say Kai is an amazing listener and advisor. It is easier to talk with Kai than with Sehun. Sehun is a from a noble family, sometimes I feel not in the right place to speak with him.. or even be with him.
Sehun never returns to the hellish place. He doesn’t come and see me race. Instead we meet elsewhere like the library, café , or Jaehyun’s apartment.
And that is the reason why Sehun doesn’t know what happens with the racing team. Apparently Kai told his group about Taeyong, and their manager Kris appears to like the way Taeyong works. He offers him a deal to join forces and with the huge amount of money they can win when putting Kai (y/n) and Yuta in one group, Taeyong signed the deal. Now the Aces are in one team, and that made it easier for us to win every night. We made schedules Kai and I will least likely meet each other.. when we do, whoever wins.. the team will still earn something right? And that’s how unknowingly.. we fall into the demons trap.
One night Sehun secretly comes to the race and he is more than surprised to see his friends hanging out with EXO. Not that he has the right to ban them befriend EXO, it’s just that.. Sehun can’t blend in comfortably with them. That night he keeps himself under cover. He actually wanted to place a big bet on (y/n), but Sehun is a smart and quick man. He knows his money will eventually goes into Kai’s pocket too.. and he doesn’t like that.
His last patient burst when (y/n) passes the finish line with lots of bruises and Kai welcomes her to a warm hug. Sehun wonders why Jaehyun hasn’t thrown his punches yet… but who is he to judge.
Sehun goes back home with a heavy feeling in his heart. Why must Kai interferes with his life again. Why Kai out of all people. And why (y/n).
Luhan knows every updates about Sehun from his spies. Luhan knows Sehun is secretly interested in that low class wild racer. Luhan knows Sehun always leave to learn in the library.. just to meet her. And Luhan knows how Kai is playing along with her. In order to keep his brother from falling too deep in love, and to keep their dignity… Luhan needs to find  a way to separate the two of them. Kai doesn’t seem to succeed. He’s clearly interested to the point of friends. Luhan sees no lust between them. Kai really sees her as a sister. While Sehun.. Luhan knows Sehun is in love.
“Yes appa? Is the deal going smooth?” Luhan talks over the phone alone in the balcony.
“Great! I can’t wait to inform her. I know.. thanks appa! You’re the best!” Luhan cuts the call off.
He checks his email and feels on cloud 9 when he finds the mail he’s been waiting for.
Meticulously Luhan sends the email to Taeyong and (y/n). Inside is a small present for (y/n). Luhan pretends he is a scouter for young racers to be trained and compete professionally. He lies that he happens to watch her perfect performance and he is interested to offer her a full scholarship to the known racing school.
Upon receiving the email… (y/n) could not be more delighted! She practically made her own decision that she will say yes. And Taeyong cannot hold her back he will have to look for another racer. Jaehyun is happy that she is finally reaching her dream. She mindlessly replies the email agreeing to attend the class as soon as possible.
That Thursday afternoon (y/n) has her usual meet up with Sehun in the library. Sehun is less chatty than usual. Ever since he saw Kai and (y/n) close to each other.. he is keeping his mouth close most of the time.
“What are we learning today?” Sehun asks after sitting down across her.
She pulls out a folded paper and without a word shows it to Sehun. Sehun grabs the letter and reads it carefully. His brow frowns and his face stiffens when he reach the last page.
“what is this?” Sehun asks keeping his emotion down.
“Don’t you read it? It’s an offer for me to attend the racing school of my dream!”
“What? You sure this isn’t a scam?”
“Definitely! I sent them my agreement and they explain me that someone is funding my tuition. I have a promoter!”
“What’s the name of the promoter?” Sehun rechecks the paper.
She points to a name and Sehun’s face goes white..
There it’s clearly stamped his father’s company. He re reads the paper and after reading it three times. His mind goes blank. It’s written there (y/n) is under full scholarship from his father’s company to attend the prominent riding school.
Sehun knows this must be his family’s dirty ways of making Sehun away from her. How can he know? Well first none of their family watches or knows a racer from the wild racing thing… second.. they are usually not this generous.. third.. they don’t even know (y/n). Only Luhan knows.. and damn Luhan.. he did not expect his brother to be such a cockblock. Luhan has always been supportive and this is for the first time Sehun feels disappointed.
“Sehun??” I wave my hand in front of his blank face. I snap my finger and he goes back to his consciousness.
“ah! Sorry I got lost.. I still think this is a scam.” Sehun holds the paper tightly, he low-key wants to burn it here.
“No Sehun! Taeyong and I checked the company’s name and it’s verified. Like it or not I’m leaving! Oh come on it’s still in the same country. Just different region.. you are always welcome to come and see me!” I pack my belongings and stand up from my chair.
“Come on let’s go.. I need to smoke..” I pull Sehun’s hand and he reluctantly follows my steps.
We got to the park near the public library and I light a bar there, sticking it between my lips as I put the lighters on.
I inhale a huff and lets out a puff “Why Sehun? You don’t seem happy? Isn’t this a nice opportunity for me? This is my dream!” I tap on my cigarette as I wait for Sehun to reply.
He looks really different. Since he saw the letter he seems annoyed and mad.
“i.. I can’t explain what’s in my mind… of course I’m happy you can finally reach your dream.. but..”
“But what Sehun? Tell me..”
“It’s just that.. I might not be able to see you anymore..”
“what do you mean? You can join the others when they see me for the race. Or meet me around the area.”
“No. It’s not that simple. I can’t bring myself to that place again (y/n)..”
“Why? Just because you don’t like wild racing?? Fine. We can still see each other outside that place.” I try to see the bright side. Hey there’s so many place in the world. Why is he so confused.
“No it’s not like that.. fine let me be honest. I am not allowed to meet you frequently. And it’s not because of Jaehyun.” Sehun closes his eyes.
“I’m sorry.. I should have never met you in first place.”
“What are you talking about Sehun?” I bite my stick between my lips. Totally confused and not understanding a single thing about Sehun. Why is he lately so secretive and quiet. He doesn’t act like the same Sehun I met at day one! No. He’s totally off.
“Today’s not the right time to tell. Just put in mind I never wanted this to happen.” Sehun looks into the distance, he freezes when he sees someone (I don’t know who.. he looks far away over my shoulder) and suddenly he taps my shoulder and say goodbye.
I finish my cigarette and turn it down while looking confused as hell
“the fuck Sehun? Was he on his right mind? I don’t understand a single thing.”
Last Chapter 
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be-ready-when-i-say-go · 4 years ago
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In Sorrow and In Joy- Part 6: Routine
Luke learns the hard way what it means to be a dad and how to keep his family safe and together. Dad!Luke with a South Asian Reader. This is a collaborative experience with A Family of Five.
CW: Over the course of this series, themes of racism and prejudice on the basis of religion are present. Please read or skip as necessary.
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You have to leave for a conference. Your classes are cancelled much to the relief of your students. You’ll be gone for a week; this leaves Luke alone with the three children. Nothing he can’t handle it. He wakes the two girls up first, then wakes Zeek. Zahra complains about this. Luke reasons that if she’s going to take so much time in the bathroom, there’s no need to have all of them up. 
He fixes them breakfast and as he finishes Noor is the first one down, her dark brown hair clearly unbrushed. He slides her a brush that you keep downstairs for purposes like this. Noor did get the more manageable curl pattern, after Luke, but still, she needs to do something to it. Zeek surfaces next and then finally Zahra comes down the stairs. As they eat, Luke packs the lunches for Noor and Zeek. He slides Zahra some cash to put on her lunch account. “Dad, lunch is not that expensive,” she laughs, looking at the fifty dollar bill. 
Luke feels his cheeks heat for a second and then takes out a twenty from his wallet. “Just wanted to make sure,” he returns. 
She grins. “I know; I like giving you a hard time.”
Luke shakes his head. “Eat. The bus will be pulling up in twenty minutes.”
The next twenty minutes are a mad dash; Zeek gets syrup on his pants. He has to run up to his room to change. Luke double checks everyone has their backpacks. He has already fed the dog though they were more intrigued by the commotion. Luke is constantly pushing them aside or stepping around them. There are five minutes until the bus by the time the four of them climb out of the house. 
Carrying Noor in arm and her backpack on his shoulder, Luke runs behind Zahra and Zeek so they can catch the bus. The other parents watch as they race up the hill.  A few dads offer cheers. “I know how it feels, man!” one calls. 
“Had a morning like that myself!” another laughs. 
Luke nods with a chuckle. They make with a couple minutes to spare. It’s not like he couldn’t drive them, but they prefer taking the bus. It means that Zahra can chat with her friends. Zeek usually trades gaming advice or comics. Noor is pretty quiet but she likes being on the bus because most of the older kids compliment her. 
So, on normal days, you and Luke rush to get them ready on the bus. The three of them say it makes them feel normal, riding on the bus. You scheduled to have an early morning lecture, to accommodate the kid’s schedule. That makes you one to normally see them off to the bus. Luke never really sees how mad it can be to get up the last stretch of that hill though. 
Luke leaves from the studio early that week. He normally would be getting home right as dinner is finished. He wants to be there before the kids get back, but still get in a solid day of writing and recording. He’s thankful that Zahra stays back most days for her debate team meetings; it works well that Noor also stays back for tutoring for her science class or theater. Zeek catches the normal release bus but hangs out at a friend’s house. He always sends a text to the family group chat that he made it safely. They all know to be back home by 5. This way they can get in about an hour and a half of homework before dinner. 
Today feels no different in the morning. Noor’s the first one down for breakfast, hair still not brushed or combed. She huffs when Luke hands her the comb. Zeek comes next- he makes no mess this morning thankfully- and Zahra pulls up the rear. Zeek asks if he can have extra chips in his lunch. Luke agrees. 
He can’t say no to stuff like this. He’s the parent that if Noor breaks a vase, he takes the blame and the brunt of your loud questioning. He can’t help it. If Zahra forgets to take down the chicken, he’s the one that tells her to hide upstairs in her room, pretending to be asleep and when you walk into the house noticing a severe lack of chicken defrosting, says, that Zahra mentioned she felt sick earlier and he had her go up for a nap. 
You always know when he’s covering. He’s a terrible liar with an unsteady gaze. “Why do you cover for them all the time?” you asked once. 
“Because sometimes they need a cover. I know you mean well, but snapping for forgetting to defrost chicken or a replaceable vase isn’t helping them. You don’t want the same rough relationship with your children that you had with your mother.” And he’s right. You don’t want that. So when he covers, you sigh and nod– he’s doing it all from a place of love. 
Luke’s flipping through one of your recipe books when he hears the front door creak open. It’s about ten minutes from 5- they usually come in early, but not super early on their curfew. The door slams shut; there’s no stomping or shouting. Luke knows immediately something is wrong. He doesn’t move from his spot in the kitchen. “Hi, Daddy,” Noor says, rounding the corner. 
“Hey, baby girl. How was school?”
She shrugs, eying Zahra and Zeek. Zeek doesn’t seem too phased, but Zahra. Zahra’s dark brown eyes are fire. “Ra,” Luke tries gently. He goes with her nickname as a soft approach. “Sweetie, what’s wrong?”
“I don’t want to talk about it!” she snaps, storming up the steps. Luke sighs, watching his oldest daughter. What hurt her? He looks to Noor. She’ll probably know something. She’s sitting at the kitchen counter, chewing on her bottom lip. Her gaze is not focused. 
“Noor,” he tries leaning onto the counter across from her. 
She looks up to her father, the same light colored eyes looking at each other. “People teased Zahra on the bus today! And Zeek too.”
“Me?” Zeek questions looking up from the math textbook. 
Noor nods. “They kept saying that she wasn’t related to me; they called her names. They were saying Zeek and Zahra were ugly and not my brother and sister because they were darker than me.” Her eyes swim in tears. 
Luke doesn’t need to ask what names they used. He has a good idea. Luke takes her hands. “Why are kids so cruel?” he whispers. 
“They said that you weren’t Zahra and Zeek’s dad. Zahra-” Noor’s thought is interrupted by a hiccup.
Luke springs into action, jogging around the counter. “Hey, hey, hey now. We all know that’s not true.” Sitting on the couch, Luke soothes her. Her face is pressed into his chest. He rubs at her back. “Sssh,” he coos. 
“That’s so mean!” Zeek shouts. He doesn’t personally feel offended, but he’s upset that his two sisters are affected. “You two are so pretty and nice.” He walks over, offering his own comfort to Noor. 
Luke needs to talk to Zahra. Not now, not with her still worked up. The only thing he can do is give her some time. Right now he’s got to focus on Noor. One spill at a time he thinks to himself. Noor pulls back, face even puffier than usual. Her light tan cheeks pink from the crying. “I know it’s not true. But I wish I could’ve done something to help Zahra,” Noor pants. “I just stood there!” 
“Baby girl, sometimes we don’t always do what we wished we could. You were scared. It’s okay to freeze when you’re scared,” Luke reasons. It’s a couple more minutes before Noor regains her composure. Luke fixes her a quick snack and then takes Zeek upstairs. 
“I’m okay, Dad,” Zeek offers, sensing a talk coming on. 
“For Zahra,” Luke says, pausing outside her door. Zeek nods. Lu knocks. “Ra, please, let me in.”
“I said I didn’t want to talk about it!”
“You don’t have to talk– just listen.”
A sob cuts through the silence. “Please, Dad, leave me alone,” Zahra finally responds. 
Luke descends back downstairs, giving the oldest her wishes. He cooks dinner, not as good as yours, but it’s fine. Zeek goes to the closed door and knocks. “Dinner’s ready.” He leaves, not listening to see if she rustles. 
Luke finishes plating Noor’s food when Zahra slides into her spot. Her face is puffy, eyes swollen and red. Everyone turns to him, to watch his lead. “Extra cornbread?” Lu asks. It’s Harlowe’s recipe she gave you years ago. He figured today was a good day to break out the comfort food. 
She nods, muttering, “Please?”
“Of course, sweetie.” Dinner is tense. Silence is only cut by the scrape of forks against the ceramic plates. There’s small comments, a compliment on the cornbread. A polite ask for a refill on their drink. But the tension sits like fog, thick and heavy. Noor and Zeek finish fast and he excuses them. They take their plates to the kitchen. Luke and Zahra sit adjacent to each other. She runs her fork over the leftover peas. 
“They called me names,” Zahra starts. “That’s not even the worst thing. They do that all the time. It’s when they started attacking Zeek and Noor that I lost it. We are a family and I wish people stopped looking at me differently. I know I’m the darkest one, but like–”
Luke can see more tears forming. “I know.”
“Why don’t I look more like Noor? Why don’t I look like you? Why do I look so much like this?” she gestures to her arm- her skin color. 
Luke pulls her attention up from the plate. “Your mom will kill me for saying this. But here’s the truth; I wished you and Zeek looked more like me. It killed me that none of my children looked like me. Noor was only a baby and she highly resembled your mom at first. I knew the second you were born that you were my world and so beautiful. But the rest of the world wouldn’t be so nice. Baby, I can’t change your genetics. I can’t change the way you look. But wishing you were lighter isn’t going to make it better.”
Zahra sighs, thinking back to the time Noor cried over whether or not she was Muslim enough because she was so much lighter. “Life sucks.”
“I know it’s not easy. I know it won’t be easy for you. I am so sorry it’s not easy.”
“Did you ever think about this before having us?”
Luke shakes his head. “Sadly, I didn’t think it would this bad. Your mom and I had conversations; she told me that I wouldn’t see the true extent of how ugly this world could be until it affected my own children. And she was right.”
“When is she not?” Zahra scoffs. Luke wipes at the two tears that drop down her slender cheeks. Noor took her round face from you. Both Zahra and Zeek got more slender faces after Luke. 
“I love you. I will always love you. I know the world is cruel. But there is so much more love out there. Those kids at school are bullies. They don’t care about you–nothing they say about you should hold any value to you.”
“That’s so much easier to say, Dad. You’re white. Always have been, always will be. I will always be seen differently than you!”
“You’re right. I don’t know your pain. I can’t fathom it. But please don’t shut me out. Tell me what I can do to help.”
“Can you hand me more cornbread? Let’s start there.”
Luke slides the pan over to her. “Of course, Ra.”
As Zahra collects her next slice, she looks up to Luke. “Thanks for listening.”
He nods. “Anytime, sweetie.”
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edelwoodsouls · 4 years ago
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all roads lead - ch. 7
When his mother dies, Stiles runs away, straight into danger - only to be saved by Peter Hale. Seven years later, after burying their alpha, Stiles and Malia return home.
Word Count: 4,433 | Also on Ao3 | Other Chapters: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8,
Chapter 7: GROWTH
The next morning, John takes Malia and Stiles down to the station.
"Can we walk?" Malia asks through a mouthful of toast over the breakfast table. "We took the fastest route to get here, and I never want to see the inside of a car or bus again."
Stiles cringes at the instantly curious glint in the rest of the table's eye - the fastest? What were they running from? -  but his father just nods.
As the others leave for school, Stiles catches Isaac by the door. He's already regretting it as the taller boy regards him with suspicion, but he also knows that making peace, making friends with the people he's living with - the pack he's rivalling - can only help.
"I just, uh, wanted to say, about last night-"
"Oh, uh-" Isaac flinches back at the reminder; Stiles barrels through before the conversation can derail.
"I don't need to know what happened to you, man. I just wanted to say, if these douche twins are getting you detention for something you never did, it can't really hurt to do the things the school already thinks you're guilty of, right?"
Isaac narrows his eyes. "Are you telling me I should beat up the twins." It comes out flat, less question than deadpan statement.
Stiles kinda likes this kid. "I'm not saying anything, dude. Just something to think about."
As he ducks away to go find Malia, he swears he sees Isaac smirk.
His lighter mood doesn't last long. Whilst walking down the roads towards town, shrouded by foliage and that strangely charged forest air, seems to clear something in his lungs; walking through the centre of Beacon Hills feels like slowly peeling off his skin. With every step, the last seven years seem to flee him. He is shrinking into that scared, angry ten year old who knew nothing of the real world, and it makes him itch like ants crawling through his veins.
Everything feels so much smaller. The long walk from his or Scott's house, usually only completed with the aid of their parents' cars, now breezes by. The buildings that towered over him seem so short he could touch their roofs.
Maybe it's because he hit his crazy growth spurt just after leaving, shooting up inches overnight - at the meagre age of eleven he had already rivalled his alpha, a fact he never let Peter live down. Or maybe it's living in a city full of skyscrapers. Maybe it's just the confidence that comes with knowing he is the most dangerous thing for miles, that anything that could challenge or threaten him now would pale in comparison to- well, everything else.
But that well of confidence seems buried, far from reach as the past crawls over his skin. In a city like New York, everything faded quickly into the background. Buildings came up and down, climbing higher and higher towards the clouds. The names and contents of shops were more like revolving doors than staples of the community. Here in Beacon Hills, time seems to have frozen. There is the clock tower, still broken ten years after it ground to a halt. The ice-cream shop that never seems to have customers yet remains open, even through the winter months.
There is something aching in his heart that he refuses to label.
Stiles had hoped that the long stretch of time since he was last seen in Beacon Hills would keep the watchful eyes of a small town away from him. But while no one recognises the sheriff's son, everyone recognises the sheriff. People look up from their shopping, gaze out of cafe windows, stop in the street to watch the sheriff walking into town with two strange teenagers trailing behind him. Stiles wants to fold in on himself - his anonymity has been a weapon he's wielded for as long as he can remember.
Malia squares her shoulders, grips his hand tight in hers.
As they approach the sheriff's station, Stiles' pace slows. Even with a father in law enforcement, places and people such as these have only ever registered as a threat. Here in Beacon Hills, they are the reason Peter's family was never avenged. The reason Malia had to be broken out of Eichen House. In New York they had all been in the pockets of various supernatural groups. Being arrested had nothing to do with what you did wrong, and everything to do with who you were, or who you had pissed off.
Stiles got off relatively lucky, as a white guy. They still make his skin crawl, and the toxic scent of gunmetal and overentitlement only adds to the sickness growing in the pit of his stomach.
"Stiles?" his father asks, stood in the doorway. The light casts off-putting shadows across his face.
"I'm fine," he swallows, allowing one of his many masks to slip effortlessly over his features. Bright eyes, vageuly concerned smile. He curls one fist full of claws deep into his pocket, the other fastened firmly in Malia's grip.
"You with me?" he asks her, watching her distant expression. Her experiences here, though almost a year ago, have never led to good things.
"Mmhm," Malia nods noncomittally, as if she isn't hearing hollow screams in her ears, as if her claws haven't begun to dig painfully into Stiles' palm.
"We can wait outside," he suggests.
"No we can't. I'm just being ridiculous."
"Malia." He turns to face her, blocking vieher w of the station. "You're never being ridiculous. I would burn this whole place down in an instant if you asked me. You're allowed to find things hard, to say no to things."
"But you-"
"I am hardly the poster boy for mental health and healthy coping mechanisms. Just because I have a habit of exposing myself to my triggers doesn't mean you should force yourself into those situations."
Malia bites her lip, eyes drifting behind him to where John is waiting, no doubt confused or concerned. "I think I can do this." When Stiles doesn't move, she touches her hand to the side of his face. "Really. If I need to leave, I promise I will."
They go inside, ignoring the sheriff's expression. The Stiles who idolised his father and his career is long dead.
The next few hours are a whirlwind of paperwork and curious stares that Stiles barely registers. There's closing his and Malia's missing persons cases, filling out statements that everyone knows are little more than a patchwork of thinly connected lies, filled with more blanks than words. The deputies are all overly helpful, coming over to offer coffee, biscuits, anything that will give them a glimpse to take back for gossip.
Then comes dealing with the school - and dealing with Eichen House. The former is nothing more than a few phone calls, the scheduling of an aptitude test for the next day. An inquiry into the education the two of them have had in the past few years, to which they shrug. "Home-schooled," they say, which is sort of true - if you count home-school as learning to pick out a single voice from an entire city of noise, memorising ancient alphabets and magical herbs.
A far more useful education, in Stiles' opinion.
The latter goes suspiciously easy, Malia's claws gripped into Stiles' flesh the whole time. John leaves him and Malia in the hallway while he makes a call behind the locked door of his office. Five minutes later, he emerges with a grimacing smile.
"Everything's cleared up," John says, talking to Malia but looking at his son, and Stiles wonders just what strings his father had to pull to make this miracle happen. How worried he should be.
But the door of the sheriff's station is lined with mountain ash, so neither of them heard a thing. If he wasn't sure of his father's supernatural knowledge, he is now.
How often has the station been subject to supernatural attack?
By the time the wheels of bureaucracy have been set fully in motion, it's well into the afternoon. The autumn air is beginning to turn cold as the sun sinks towards the horizon, and Stiles feels a weight lifting from his shoulders. He's always preferred the cover of darkness, the way the world gets quieter but never quite still. It feels like a breath of fresh air after months below ground.
"I've got a lot to finish up here," John apologises, glancing out at the sky. "If you kids want to make your way home, go ahead."
"Is it okay if we wander around town a bit?" Malia asks. "We'll be back for dinner."
John hesitates before nodding - having his son back for only a day, letting him out of sight must feel like losing him all over again.
"It's okay, dad," Stiles insists. "We can look after ourselves."
"Just be safe," his father sighs. "There's been a lot of animal attacks in the past few months, even in town." The alpha pack. Of course. But what reason would they have to go after him and Malia when they're hiding their scents?
But the sheriff isn't finished. His eyes dart nervously. "And... it's possible there's a serial killer working in Beacon Hills right now."
That is not what Stiles expected. Even in a supernaturally charged town, a serial killer? That's something saved for cities like the one they just left.
"A serial killer?" Stiles asks, trying to keep his voice nonchalant.
"RItual murderer as far as we can tell, yeah. So please be careful. Stay together. Come home before dark."
"Of course, yeah. Love you dad!" Stiles ushers Malia out of the station as fast as he can appear casual.
"Stiles, you're smiling." Malia looks half amused as they begin wandering aimlessly around town.
"Am I?"
"You know most people don't get excited about serial killers."
"Yeah, but a serial killer in this town, Mal. Ritual murders. That's magical nonsense if ever I heard it. Remember that guy in New York who used blood sacrifices for his healing potions?"
"Of course I remember. Their whole pack was exiled."
"Exactly. We already know there are two packs in town." He'd informed Malia of everything he overheard from Scott and Melissa at dinner, though she doesn't seem half as worried about it as he is. "And every pack has an emissary."
"We don't have an emissary."
"That's cos we have me."
He doesn't know why he's able to do magic. It's hereditary, Peter had told him, and he supposes his mother might have had a gift and never had the chance to tell him- but surely his father would have known? Whatever the reason, his power is significantly weaker than it should be, supposedly since he's no longer human.
Still, Peter had insisted on getting him training; any unexpected edge was a good one in New York. He can't handle mountain ash or mistletoe, but he can conjure a flickering light, or unlock a door. He has enough ability to sense magic in the air, enough knowledge to decipher its workings.
Enough of a spark to draw a trickster spirit like a moth to a flame.
"So you want to investigate? What happened to being normal teenagers?"
"Is that what you want?" Stiles asks, genuinely.
Malia's face twists. "Not really. Especially if there's a threat. I'd like... to find things to care about. People. A place. Something that might be a safe, even for a little while. And we're supernatural- normal was never really our thing."
"Okay then." Stiles smiles. A project, a place to call home, the lack of blood on the air (at least for now) - it's all he really needs to thrive. "First things first we've gotta steal the case files from my dad."
"You haven't even checked the newspapers yet."
Stiles is about to come up with a witty response to that, when he all but slams into someone waiting on the sidewalk by the public library. He leaps back, a mess of instinctual clumsiness and supernatural grace. "Sorry, sorry-"
"It's okay, really," the girl says, brushing herself off, already pushing away. Stiles blinks. It's been seven years, but he would recognise that strawberry blonde hair, those intelligent green eyes, anywhere.
"Lydia? Lydia Martin?"
She frowns, eyes narrowing in suspicion at him. She's grown tall in the years since he left, though the alarmingly high heels may have something to do with it. Her face is a perfectly painted canvas of makeup and confidence. Her clothes and posture are immaculate despite their run-in moments before.
Everything about this girl is practiced and careful.
"Do I know you?" she asks, dismissively, but there's a sharp wariness to her tone.
"Stiles!" The yell comes from across the street, and Stiles flinches a mile, not used to being recognised or addressed. He turns to the source of the voice and finds Scott running across the street - which is thankfully mostly empty.
"Stiles?" Lydia asks, mask breaking in shock. "Stilinski?"
"Um, yeah?" Stiles rubs the back of his neck, suddenly awkward. "I just got back yesterday."
"You just 'got back'? You've been missing for seven years."
"And now I'm not?"
Scott joins them on their side of the street. "Hey, Lyds," Scott smiles to her, and that is something Stiles wasn't expecting, either. Is Scott popular now? When will he stop being surprised by this town? "I see you've met Stiles and Malia."
"You didn't think to mention the small fact that the sheriff's presumed-dead son had turned up back in town? We've been at school for a whole day and it- what, just slipped your mind? Come on, McCall."
"Sorry," Scott looks up bashfully through his eyelashes, an expression even the most heartless person would forgive instantly. He turns to look at Stiles with a stern expression. "In my defence, I was trying to do damage control all day."
"Isaac?" Stiles asks. "Good for him. I hope he made those detentions worth it."
Lydia snorts. "You put him up to that? He drove Aiden's bike into the school hallway and framed him for it."
Okay; Stiles loves this kid.
"You're just bitter cos you're sleeping with the enemy," Scott mutters, earning himself a sharp elbow in the ribs from Lydia. They dissolve into bickering - remarkably like siblings, Stiles thinks - as if he and Malia aren't even there. Their camaraderie is enough for him to do a double-take, to check the scents on the wind again.
Lydia isn't a werewolf, but there's something. Like the smell of dust and grass, the dampness of mist. It clings to her in flickers and starts, as if unsure it belongs to her.
Why does everything in this town have to be supernatural and connected?
Not that New York was much different, in his experience.
Growing up in New York had been good for Stiles, he had always liked to think. That first year had been rough, both he and Peter angry and guilty and filled with so much grief they could barely stand. But when Stiles had stumbled back into their apartment, missing for almost two weeks, with a fully grown coyote pacing at his heels, everything had changed.
He hadn't even tried to convince her to stay in the preserve - he wanted to leave her side as little as she wanted to leave him, but the bond calling him back to New York, to Peter, had been just as strong. Convincing bus drivers to let her on, that she was really just an overly large service dog, had been the real challenge.
Peter didn't even have the dignity to look surprised. His icy eyes blinked between the two of them, as if tracing the newly forged bond tying them together. "A pack of strays if ever I saw one," he smirked.
It had taken several days for Peter to figure out how to force Malia's change. She spent them basking in their attention, lying sprawled across the bed, follwing him around the apartment. She tried to play the piano with her paws - to Peter's infinite frustration - and stood on the kitchen counter while he cooked dinner, stealing slivers of meat from the frying pan.
By the time she was human again, Stiles knew Peter had fallen just as in love with this girl as he had.
Now that there were two of them, however, Peter put his foot down. Stiles had too much time on his hands, and Peter too little. And that meant school.
Forging the papers was easy enough. And in a city as large as New York, being the new kids wasn't that out of place.
But he was the boy who flinched at loud noises. Who never stopped moving or talking, too clumsy or too fast, never just right. And she was the girl who behaved more like an animal; who had missed three years of school due to a tragedy she still had yet to mention. And that made them outcasts.
Which was fine by Stiles. In Beacon Hills he'd had only two friends - Scott, and a quiet, introspective boy named Theo. He didn't thrive off large crowds. He did his school work, excelled at the sciences and utterly failed at English. He knew what he was good at, and bad at, and didn't need anyone else's approval.
Looking back, it wasn't exactly a healthy mindset. But he had been happy enough with Malia. She was funny, and brusque. She spoke her mind and didn't act like she had a care in the world, though he was witness to every flinch and nightmare, and the way she got frustrated and angry in situations that exposed how little she knew compared to her peers. She cuddled him for warmth at night, always shivering, and woke him when his dreams began to drown him.
She hated school as much as he hated the people inside it, always falling asleep in class or ditching altogether. He's sure there are more than a dozen tables covered in deep claw marks around the middle and high schools they attended. And after, she would drag him out to the woods, or to the latest restaurant she'd discovered that served deer. She was such a contradiction of animal and human, filled with a young spirit and an old heart.
Seeing the world through her eyes was as different, as wonderful, as the contrast between his human and wolf eyes.
Every Friday, Stiles managed to keep Malia's attention on school work for two hours - certainly not long enough to cover everything that made her mutilate tables, but enough to ground her, to keep her grades wavering between a C and a D. They had traded this agreement in exchange for Stiles learning how to cast warming charms from his magical tutor. He had sewn them into every piece of clothing Malia owned and she, clearly not expecting him to actually follow through, was stuck in the school library once a week.
A year before Malia left to try Beacon Hills on for size, he sat in their usual spot. Malia had bunked off their last two sessions to see her new girlfriend, whom Stiles was so sure would be out the door before long he hadn't bothered to learn her name.
Which is why he was so stunned to see Malia saunter up to the desk and throw herself into a chair, followed by an awkward-looking girl in cute black pigtails and a tartan skirt.
"What's the subject today?" Malia asked, spilling the entire contents of her locker onto the table.
"Uh, math, as usual," Stiles stumbled over his words, unsure of how to behave around this new girl. "You've been maintaining a D in that for months."
"Just because they can't find the x right there on the page doesn't mean I'm the idiot."
The girl, still hovering uncertainly, let out a laugh - cute, and genuine. Stiles felt a sudden rush of jealousy - no, just protectiveness - rise up inside him.
"Who are you?" he asked with all the force a fourteen year old could muster, not bothering to hide his feelings.
"Stiles, play nice," Malia rolled her eyes at him. "This is Kira. Yukimura. She's struggling with math as well, and since you're such a good teacher, I thought you could tutor us both." The girl gave a small wave and took a seat beside Malia.
Stiles gave Malia what he hoped was the most annoyed glare in the world. Yukimura. His magical tutor didn't talk about much outside of their lesson material, but she'd mentioned her daughter a couple times before. What was Malia thinking, mixing these two antithetical sides of their lives?
Peter had insisted on training Stiles - but their pack had no emissary to do the work. Stiles never asked him where he got his alpha power from, what happened to the pack - and the emissary - left behind. He didn't want to break the tentatively steady ground they'd all found for themselves these past few years. But their pack had been regarded with suspicion for it - new alphas didn't just appear, especially in such heavily contested territory as New York.
Maybe if they'd known his real last name was Hale, they might have been less suspicious. Or more, Stiles can't decide. Whatever the possibilities, their pack had been outsiders on that front, too; no one willing to lend their emissary to this ragtag bunch of strays.
So Peter had turned to an old kitsune, one who had given up most of her power to her child but still had the knowledge to explain the mechanisms and techniques of the craft. She was over nine hundred, after all - there was nothing she hadn't seen.
Stiles could smell the fox on this girl, when he focused. Barely more than a wisp, a spark of power that would no doubt burst into flames over the next couple of years. Was Malia hoping to add to their family? Did she seriously just like this girl?
The answer to all these questions, Stiles would later learn, was of course. Because Malia is a pack animal at heart, filled to the brim with feelings she never really learned how to voice, and a special eye for stray, wounded creatures. She wants to care, if only someone would teach her how- and neither Stiles nor Peter could do that.
But Kira could. She was kind and curious - a lot like Scott, he thinks now. And powerful.
Curiosity had won out. Kira was attentive, asking all the right questions, prompting Malia's work when she was hesitant to ask. He hated to admit it then, but it was the most productive session they'd ever had. He'd even managed to smile Kira goodbye when they left her at the bus stop.
"I knew it," Malia grinned as they made their way back to the apartment. She was practically bouncing.
"Knew what?" Stiles grumbled, more acting the part of annoyed than feeling it by now.
"You're lonely." Stiles started to scoff, but she cut him off. "I've literally never seen you that animated. More arm waving than ever. You stink of loneliness, even if you never noticed. You cut yourself off from people before they can get close to you, that way they never have the ammunition to hurt you."
"You sound like you've eaten a psychology textbook."
"I'm not wrong. Stiles, no man is an island."
"That's definitely from a textbook."
"Actually it's from trivia about The Incredibles. Doesn't make it any less true."
"So you just happened to pick the one girl at school with a known connection to the supernatural."
He doesn't think he'd seen Malia blush until that second. "She yelled at some girls who were teasing me about being stupid."
"You're not-"
"Shut up, Stiles," Malia glared at him. "The point is she's cute, and I like her, and if she's going to be in my life then she's going to be in yours, too. Might as well be friends."
"I think Noshiko could kill me and leave no trace."
"So could I. What's your point?"
And that had been that. Kira had folded seamlessly into their lives, and Stiles had been surprised by the space his heart made to fit her.
Like everything in their lives, that had collapsed several weeks ago in a rush of blood and electricity. He couldn't have know, of course he couldn't, that the nogitsune he let inside had a personal vendetta against Kira's mother.
But her horrified expression is burnt into the backs of his eyelids in the flashes of her flickering foxfire. The easy grin on his face as he drank in the chaos. The riddle he left her with.
 What do liars do after death?
He had considered Kira a friend, maybe even pack, and the memories of that first meeting come rushing back to him as he watches Scott and Lydia. Scott, an alpha who has control, who is so effortlessly kind and put together that even other supernaturals flock to him. The way a fox should have made her home with them, if only Stiles hadn't ruined absolutely everything.
It takes him a moment to realise he's been staring into space, and the other three are looking at him. "Hm?" Malia gives him a knowing look that says she's going to try and make him talk about this later.
"Me and Lyds are supposed to be meeting up with Isaac and a couple others," Scott says. "If you wanted to come?"
A couple others. Stiles is pretty sure that's code for pack. Isn't this what he wanted? To ingratiate himself to the resident pack of the town, so that when their charade of normalcy inevitably comes crashing down, they might not kill him and Malia on sight?
Can he start again afresh, or is the blood doomed to follow him?
"Sounds awesome," Malia says. After all, she's always been the most forward of the two of them. The one who builds bridges whilst Stiles burns them down.
But he'd like to see Isaac again. He'd like to meet the rest of Scott McCall's pack, figure out just how much danger this boy has surrounded himself with to remain so kind. He still needs to find Derek and Laura Hale.
Beacon Hills is not New York; so far from it, no matter how tethered Stiles and the supernatural are to the both of them. The other shoe will undoubtedly drop eventually, soon - it's the one fact life has only convinced him of more as the years pass.
May as well make the best of the sunshine while it lasts.
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kunrendeotaku · 4 years ago
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Chapter 7
My max level cleaning and organization skills have my room once again returned to normal within only a few hours. Everything in its place, other than the fragile collectibles I had a small tear filled funeral for. I flop back onto my bed and let finally relax, the exhaustion of the very, very busy day getting to me. Still, one last check. I glance around and see all of my many knitted rugs from grandma covering basically every surface, my sturdy wood desk and dresser in their respective corners, my blessedly undamaged laptop sitting on my desk, my inspirational karate posters on the walls, my newly cracked television, and finally my thin, pale blue silk pajamas-currently on my body.
I nod to myself, satisfied with the final check, and slide under my wonderfully soft brown comforter. As soon as I close my eyes, I….do not manage to fall asleep. I feel a powerful thwack as a heavy object lands on my stomach, and my eyes bug out as they fly open. “Marco!” God, will my ears ever get used to that shrill scream? I really need to teach Star about inside voices. As you might expect, I find a blonde who looks like she’s just chugged three cups of espresso sitting on my stomach, bouncing up and down with an excited expression. “How can you be trying to sleep?! We’re having our first sleepover!”
Sleep grumpiness gets to me more than anything, and I grab the edge of my comforter. As the heavy girl tilts her head, I snap the brown comforter and toss her off of my bed with a hmph. She waves her arms wildly to try to catch her balance rather than falling flat on her face, and somehow manages to land on her feet. “Safe.” I take this time to finally appreciate what the girl is wearing, and see that Star also enjoys a shade of blue for her sleepwear. Darker than mine, and made of a lighter variant of the weird almost silk all of her clothes are made of, the blue nightdress has a half moon on the front. Below that, she’s traded out her leggings for thick striped socks.
The glance at her feet reminds me of our earlier shower adventure, and I blush for a moment. The embarrassment at least wakes me up enough to consider a conversation with her, and I grumble out “We’re literally living together. This does -not- count as a sleepover. Also, I’m exhausted. Can we do this tomorrow?” I’ve sat up in my comfy bed by this point, but by the end of my last sentence I can feel my eyelids rebelliously attempting to close. Star seems unwilling to allow me any amount of rest when fun can be had, however, and raises up her wand to point it at me.
“Shining Sugar Ru-” My hand snaps up to cover the front of her glowing wand just as the pink beam is almost finished charging, and I say “Nope. None of that.” I didn’t quite realize exactly how bad of an idea this was in my sleep deprived state, and later I couldn’t repeat this particular feat (no matter how much I wanted to) but apparently sleepy Marco couldn’t give two shits about how things should work. I flop back onto the pillow and begin snoring almost immediately while Star stares dumbfounded at the wand which had obediently stopped its spell cold.
The next thing I know, its Saturday morning at 6 am and I’m wide awake. I wish I could find it in myself to be annoyed at my inability to sleep in, but I have a confession to make-I’m a morning person, through and through. Just seeing the sun just past sunrise puts a massive smile on my face, and I find myself humming happily while dressing for the day. I head downstairs as soon as I’m in my standard hoodie with black jeans combo, and find my parents already hard at work in the kitchen. “Getting Star’s welcome cake ready?”
“Oh, yes Mijo! We’re currently wondering how much sugar is too much. She’s already quite the hyper girl, yes?” I snort at that. “She’ll be herself regardless, just put the normal stuff in. I wonder if she’s allergic to anything? Hey Mom, Star had, uh, a chat with you last night right?” The awkwardness of the question pierces through my early morning cheer only slightly, and seems unable to affect my parents at all. My mother answers “Yes, yes, she’s… got a lot to learn! But I think I passed on the basic girl to girl stuff.” She gives me a wink, then waves towards the living room. “Go put up the sign! We can’t have her first morning here be any less than wonderful! You know how homesick exchange students can get.”
I simply nod, glad that my parents share my morning person tendencies. We’ve long gotten into a habit where we throw a celebration for exchange students the morning after they move in-most of the time they can make it through the night on sheer excitement, but a lot feel worried when they wake up in a new place. I think if our tradition helps them feel at home, if only slightly. A few minutes later I have our balloons set up, along with the sign saying “Happy First Day on Earth, Star!”. With that, preparations are almost complete, and I begin thinking about my personal plans for the day.
I’ll likely be paired with Star throughout it all. She’s the target of those monsters, after all! So, first there will be a trip over to the school to pick up my bike, then I can show her around the town. Pick up some lunch at McDonalds (She’s sure to love that), then swing by Ferguson’s place to introduce her. Alfonso pretty much lives there, so she should meet with him too. I pull out my personal notepad and click a pen to start scheduling each thing down to the half hour, even knowing that considering my travel partner for the day -some- sort of chaos will happen and knock us off course.
By the time I finish, I see a sleepy looking Star still in her nightwear walking down the stairs, and I call my parents over quickly. We stand under the sign, cake lit with only a single candle, and yell out “Welcome Home!” Star jumps nearly a foot in the air, scrambling to aim her wand at us before letting out a gasp. Her eyes widen and she jumps again, this time with an excited squee. The energetic ball of fun rolls over the rail and begins dashing towards us, her stomping feet waking up the sleeping puppies who start a storm of yips and laser beams.
“Gimme gimme gimme gimme!” Star flexes her hands as she fidgets in place, only having eyes for the cake. My family and I share a somewhat bemused look, before my father hands it over. Our new foreign exchange student immediately smashes her face into the icing, to the mild horror of my parents. “I spent half an hour drawing her face on that.” My father’s voice trembles, but he manages a shaky smile when Star finally comes back up for air. “Its sho good! Thanksh for the cake!”
I find myself wondering if she can even taste what flavor it is by the way she’s inhaling it down, but before I can ask her she starts running back up the stairs with the half eaten cake. We never saw the plate we had handed it to her on after that-I personally think she stashed the whole thing in her secrets closet as a memento, though such realizations happened much later in our story. As soon as the blonde force of mayhem is out of sigh, my father flops onto the couch with a sigh. “Come on now Rafael, at least she was clearly happy, right? I mean, I think.” My mother pats his burly shoulder in an attempt to convince him that his work wasn’t in vain, though I find myself thinking she may have reacted the same had we given her a blank vanilla cake with bland icing. Star just seems easily excited by things.
My father has mostly recovered by the time Star skips back down the stairs. Fully dressed and with a newly clean face that only smells slightly of icing, she appears ready to take on the world. “Hey, I’m gonna take Star out to see the town. See you around dinner.” My parents wave back, their exuberance almost at normal levels. We all have some things to get used to. “Alright Mijo, have fun!” Star snags my arm and drags me out onto the street, nearly vibrating in place with her readiness to do things. “What’re we gonna do first?! Go dancing? Start a party? Head to your marketplace for some SHOPPING?!”
Ignoring her slightly odd terminology, I peel her hands off of my arm and inform her “We’re going back to school.” The crumpling of her happiness and the sad faces that pop up on her cheeks make me far more entertained than is probably healthy.
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lovemesomesurveys · 4 years ago
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A How artistic are you? I’m not at all. Do you want to go to Africa? I’d love to stay at Giraffe Manor! AC/DC or Aerosmith? Aerosmith. 
Do you know what Armenia is?
  Yes.
B
 What’s your beer of choice (if any)?  Blech, none. Do you know the title of Buffalo Springfield’s one-hit wonder?  Okay, I didn’t recognize the name so I Googled it and yes, I am familiar with their one hit wonder. I actually wasn’t familiar with the song title either, but after reading the lyrics I quickly realized what song it was. Do you have a brother? (Do you like it that way?) I have two brothers, and yes I love them. Which bank do you use?  Not sharing that. C
 Which comedian do you most enjoy?  I think Kevin Hart is funny. Would you ever live in California?  I have all my life. Is it possible/likely that you’ll become a cat lady?  *Dog lady, but yes. How many different countries have visited? Just one. D
 Do you believe there’s a devil? Yes. But demons maybe?  Yes. Does eating dessert often make you feel guilty?  Nope. Can you legally drive?  I’m definitely old enough to have my license, but I don’t.  What have you been diagnosed with (if you don’t mind sharing)? Depression, anxiety, and other physical health stuff. E
 How often do you drink energy drinks?  I like to drink Starbucks Doubleshot energy drinks often. 
Where did you live when you were 11 years old? The house next door to where I live now, ha. We had our big move to the house next door to us haha about 10 years ago because our landlords wanted to install new flooring and stuff to our house, but since they had just finished this one they offered for us to just move in here lol. Do you like the actor who played Edward Scissorhands in that movie?
 Why not just say Johnny Depp? Anyway, yes, I think he’s a very talented actor. Have you ever felt an earthquake?  No, just aftershocks from one. F
 When was the last time you saw your father one-on-one? Yesterday. Do you think French is the most beautiful language?  I don’t know what I’d say is the most beautiful language. Is Friday your favorite day of the week?  No. All the days are the same for me, so meh. Have you listened to Jimi’s song ‘Fire?’  Doesn’t sound familiar. G
 Do you have real gold jewelry?  No. How often do you watch ‘Gossip Girl’?  I never have. Is Google your homepage?  Yeah. 
Do you like Geico’s commercials? Most of them are annoying. The gecko character is cute, though. H
 When did you last feel happy? Uhhh. Do you prefer Hollister, Hot Topic, or H&M?  Hot Topic is the only one I shop at now, but I used to shop at the other 2 as well. Did you dress up last Halloween?  Nope. I stopped doing that a few years ago. Would you voluntarily watch the History Channel?  Yeah and I do if there’s something of interest on. I
 Have you ever been on an island?  No. I live on one in Animal Crossing, though. ha. Would you be able to locate Indonesia on a globe?  I think so. Do you know if Iceland or Greenland has more ice?  Greenland. I remember it’s the opposite of their name for some reason. 
Did you watch the last presidential inauguration?  No. J
 Do you enjoy jogging?  No. On which instrument could you most easily play ‘Jingle Bells’?  I’ve played it on the piano. How much do you know about John Lennon? *shrug* I know some stuff. Do you know how Jell-O is made?  I know how to make Jell-O with the mix, but no I don’t know how the mix itself is made. K
 Have you tried Krispy Kreme doughnuts? (Was it love at first bite?) Yeah, but no they’re definitely not my favorite. They’re not real donuts to me, they’re just pure sugar.  
How many pairs of khaki pants do you own? “Uh, khakis?” ha, if you know, you know. Anyway, I don’t own any. 
Have you ever been a fan of the Killers?  Yeah. L
 Does it bother you when couples are lovey-dovey in public? No, unless they’re having like full on makeout sessions, straddling each other and feeling each other up and whatnot lol. Hand holding/locked arms/arm around each other, hugging, little pecks, and just being playful with each other is cute.  
Do you have your own lighter (why or why not)?  No. I don’t have a need for one. In how many languages (besides English) can you count to 100?  I can in Spanish. What’s your favorite lollipop flavor? Not a lollipop fan. M
 Do you believe in miracles (why or why not)? I do because I'm a woman of faith. What do you think of shows like Maury and Jerry Springer? I used to like watching Maury, Jerry Springer was just for laughs.  
Do you care that Mars (the candy co.) uses deadly animal testing? I haven’t heard that... I’d have to fact check. How did you form your opinion of marijuana? Based off the research supporting that it has a lot of benefits. I was especially swayed when I saw how it helped cancer patients.
N
 How often do you sleep naked?  Never. I wouldn’t find that comfortable at all, I very much like being clothed.  Do you actually check the Nutrition Facts before eating something?  Not usually, but I sometimes will just out of curiosity. 
Who is your favorite musical artist/band beginning with ‘N’? Nirvana. 
How nerdy are you (in what ways)? I’m socially awkward, for one. I also cared about school and did well, which is often considered nerdy. Also, a book nerd, Star Wars nerd, Marvel and DC movies nerd...  I enjoy those things so I don’t care, but they’re deemed “nerdy.” What do you think about olives?  Black olives are good, green olives are gross. Are you much of an outdoorsy person? Not at all. The only time I enjoy being outside is when I’m sitting out at the beach. How big of an Oprah fan are you?  I don’t really consider myself a fan. How often do you shop online?
  Quite often. P
 Are you looking forward to your prom? If you already went, how was it? My prom was over a decade ago D: Anyway,  I danced with the guy I had a huge crush on at the time, so hey it wasn’t too bad. How are your local policemen? I think they do a pretty good job overall.  What is your ideal PB&J sandwich like? Just peanut butter and grape jelly, pretty simple. What do you think of the movie ‘Pineapple Express’? I could not get into that movie at all.  Q
 How true is the saying, ‘quitters never win and winners never quit’?  I mean, can’t say “never”, but the main point from the saying makes sense. Do you prefer Quiznos or Subway and why?  I’ve gone to Subway many times, but I think I’ve only been to a Quiznos once or twice. Have you learned the quadratic formula yet? (Do you remember it?) I think I actually remember it. What is the one question you most want to ask someone and who?
  I don’t know. R
 How many rooms are in your home?  2 bedrooms. 
Do you like raspberries?
  Nah. What’s one of your best memories from during a rain storm? Hmm. I don’t know, but I just really love that kind of weather. 
Have you actually read Shakespeare’s ‘Romeo & Juliet’?  Yeah, my freshman year in high school. S
 Do you know any Sign Language?  I know the alphabet and a few sayings. What is your sleeping schedule generally like?  Oh, my sleeping schedule is an absolute joke. How well do you sing? I can’t sing well at all. How often do you listen to 60-70’s music? Now and then. I actually have several songs on my main Spotify playlist from those decades. T What do you think of Twitter?  I like being able to post my random thoughts and following certain celebrities and just interesting people for funny and interesting stuff. How much do you value the Ten Commandments?  I value them a lot. Are there many trees where you live?  Not really. 
How much taller/shorter do you wish to be? “I wish I was a little bit taller.” 🎶
U
 Where do you usually buy your underwear?  Various places. How do you define ‘ugly’?  It goes a lot deeper than just the outer appearance. Do you like to shop at Urban Outfitters?  I’ve only been to an actual store a couple times and I’ve checked out their website a few times, but I just think they’re ridiculously overpriced. V
 Would you like being described as ‘voluptuous’? No one would use that word to describe me. 
For listening to music, do you like to crank up the volume or keep it calm? I like it at a reasonable level, I don’t need it blaring.  Do you ever watch the annual Victoria’s Secret fashion show? They cancelled that a few years ago, but I never had any interest in watching that. 
Would you agree that ‘variety is the spice of life’?  Yeah. W
 Are you currently on wireless Internet?  Yeah, that’s all I have. I haven’t had to connect to a wifi router or whatever with a cord in a very long time. Can you recall memories of learning how to whistle? I still can’t do it. Do you go to White Castle or just vicariously through ‘Harold & Kumar'? I’ve never actually been to one cause they don’t have one anywhere near me (they’re on the east coast, I’m a west coast gal). I’ve only had the the White Castle burgers from the store that you cook in the microwave. I actually like them, but I’m sure the real deal is even better. X
 Why did you need your most recent x-ray and what were the results? I had to get a CT Scan a couple years ago. When it comes to ‘xoxo’, do you interpret ‘x’ as the hug or the kiss?  It’s hugs and kisses, so the X’s are hugs. What does X stand for in Roman numerals? Can you write the previous number?  X is 10, IX is 9. Why do you think xylophones are only popular with young children? That’s true, that is a pretty common baby toy. At least it was when I was little. Also, I played the xylophone in music class in elementary school. I don’t know why that’s a thing with kids. Y
 Can you explain the meaning of the yin-yang symbol? Opposite, but complimentary principles. Like, you can’t have good without bad, lightness without darkness, etc. It’s about balance. Do people more often mistake you as being younger or older than you are? Younger. Did you know that yawning is contagious?  Yeah.  Would you like a bottle of Yoo-Hoo or it’s not really your thing?  I actually like Yoo-Hoo, but I prefer it in the little carton or whatever with the straw (kinda like a Capri Sun, but it’s a box carton). It’s the perfect size, not too much. The strawberry one is my favorite. I haven’t had one in a long time, though. Z
 How many places’ zip codes do you know by heart?  Uhh, not many. What comes to mind when I say ‘Zero to Hero’? Disney’s Hercules movie.
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nctinfo · 6 years ago
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[TRANS] Jaehyun interview for ‘Grazia’ April 2019!
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“I think I want to show a little bit more of me. I’m always trying my best and working towards higher goals but this year I want to show various images of me either through special stages or multiple channels. I have to grab each opportunity one by one.”
”You’ve practiced bowling for 3 weeks and became a silver medalist at the ISACs! Were you always this good at sports? It’s something I got from my dad it seems. I’ve naturally liked sports since I was a kid so it was a part of my life. Especially ball games, I’ve tried about all of them and I ended up liking basketball the most. So if you were to take a physical strength test you’d end up as #1? Whenever there was a sport event I was running as a representative of my school. Hahaha. What else is there that you can say you’re good at? Try to brag about yourself a little. If there’s something that sparks my interest and I like it, I immerse myself in it till the very end. It’s not always like this but when I start something I try to do my best at it. What has gotten your attention recently? Recently I was into bowling for a bit, but even then something I always love is music and singing.
Not long ago NCT 127 held a solo concert. Since it’s the first concert since your debut it must be extremely meaningful to you personally. That’s right. After the concert was done I felt really grateful that my job is being a singer. Usually, I’d say I feel happy after performing. After that concert, the feeling has become so much clearer. Was there anything you were worried about during concert preparations? From the very beginning, we wanted to show different charms so I was preparing in order to do that. From stages to showcase songs to dance performances and walking stages where members could spurt their personal charms. Is there any moment that you could point out as the most crucial? We’ve prepared our lightsticks to have fun with our fans. There was a time when we were trying to synchronize our lightstick movements but then it seemed like I had a bit too much fun as the lightstick started shaking slightly. And then my lightstick just flew off. I was holding onto it with way too much power. So the moment when in the end I was just waving the handle of the lightstick has remained in my memory. (laughs) So is there any moments that you felt were a bit regretful? We held concerts on 2 days and the first day was fun, but also a bit of a shame. It felt like each moment was really rushed so we thought we’ll have to take a more relaxed approach next time. So Day 2 was more chill in comparison to Day 1, but then at the end, our final talk lead to a really emotional moment so I tried to bear with the unknown feelings that resurfaced. So it was even more of a shame. I thought we can’t even make it fun till the very end... So I learned that your heart will only feel lighter if you let everything go without any regrets on the stage. So now that you’re touring in Japan you’ll be pouring your heart like this? That’s it. Every stage, every concert one by one I’ll be pouring it all out until there’s nothing left. (laugh)
What does ‘NCT 127-ly’ mean? Have you ever thought about it? Um… Neo? I think that’s our charm, being always new and fresh. Whether it’s a concept, a song or appearance wise we always try our best to showcase something new, I think it’s a good thing about us. As of now is there anything you or NCT 127 need? I would like to gain a lot of experience through our concerts. The more I learn from experience, I realise I need more different experiences more than anything else in order to move forward. Before you knew it 4 years have passed since your debut. As years repeat, do you feel like you’ve grown as a person? I feel so every time we release an album. When recording I put effort into each song but later when listening there’s always an unsatisfying bit. Then I go like ‘Next time I’ll have to sing it like this’ and practice through self-reflection. So then when recording the next album I can put things I learned into action. It’s the same when shooting jacket photos for an album or when having magazine photoshoots. In order to be more comfortable, I practice laying down. So that I can showcase a different image. Doing something for a long time doesn’t make it any easier. Now, what’s something you’re used to by now and what do you still struggle with? I guess to a degree I know how music shows work (laugh)? No matter what time I have to get up and get ready, I’ll get used to that pattern. Something that’s still hard is singing and dancing. It really is endless. You think you’ve gotten better and the next thing you know there’s something else to improve. So I still get nervous when I’m in front of the camera. It didn’t seem like it when I saw you when you were shooting earlier? To be honest… I was nervous earlier too. Then how much better would you be if that stress disappeared? I’d love for it to go away quickly (laugh).
You had your first solo photoshoot today. Be honest, have you prepared at all? I was a bit careful with my diet yesterday. Hahaha. I usually look for poses I like in magazines or when we’re out shopping I browse some on mobile apps more often than not. Those things help me out a little. Since you have a lot of interest in fashion, do you dream of the next generation fashionista title? Hahaha. If I’ll have a bit more interest and study hard… Wouldn’t it be possible? What’s your personal style? I don’t have one exact style I like. I try wearing various things. Rather than going for something fancy or plain I tend to prefer something closer to an unique style. For instance even if I wear a shirt and slacks, I like it when the fit is unique. So it’s still a long way. I need to build up more experience. Usually, with new year, you abandon things you’re used to and embrace the unknown. Not long ago you have stepped down from your radio program of 2 years, it seems to be bittersweet. It really is a shame. As we were seeing each other every day of the week it felt a little more like a family. Before the last broadcast, I kept telling myself ‘You will not cry. You can’t cry’, but as we were reading handwritten letters I got all choked up. As we received messages from our listeners everyday it felt like we got closer, and thinking that I won’t see the staff again makes me feel weird. With having to do radio duties during busy schedules you never really had a day off. Even if we had really tight schedules we haven’t missed a day. On days like this, I’d go to the broadcasting station with a healing mindset. So on the other hand, is there anything new happening this year? Today’s shoot (laugh)? Oh, that’s rewarding to me as a head editor. It was fun. I’ve tried different styles and there wasn’t any particular concept which I liked. And a few other things include our tour, we did our first Korean concept, we’re touring in Japan and soon in North America too. What’s your goal for this year? I think I want to show a little bit more of me. I’m always trying my best and working towards higher goals but this year I want to show various images of me either through special stages or multiple channels. I have to grab each opportunity one by one. What are the higher goals? Becoming the best singer and becoming a person with own confident colour. And personally, I want to become a bigger person. What’s Jaehyun’s own colour? My dressing style or the tone of my voice. Or it could be my style of dancing. I’m still trying to find it out myself. Then what are you greedy for in the future? First of all whenever given a chance I’m going to do my best and face whatever’s in front of me. Kinda like ISACs hahaha. Tell us a trivial thing that made you happy recently. I bought new scented candles recently. They smell really good, so I light them up, connect a Bluetooth speaker and listen to music so it’s really comfortable and nice. If you could spend one day freely, what would you do? Time and space can be bent. I’d really like to travel. I haven’t had a chance to go to Europe, so I’d like to visit there. Go on a week course that takes more than a week in just one day. It’s your birthday soon. How would you like to spend it this year? If I think about it, it’s been special every year since I turned 20. On my 20th birthday, we had the first performance in Thailand. Last year hyungs sneaked into my radio broadcast and threw me a surprise party.  So regardless of what I’m gonna do this year, it’s gonna be a good time. If you could give yourself a birthday present, what would it be? Travel package (laugh)! With everything in it, from plane tickets to accommodation. Personally, what kind of shining moment do you want to make this year? If at the end of this year I look back and think ‘Ah, I’m proud’ it would be nice. I’ve been working hard until now, but from now on I want to always keep running without a break. If we were to add a new modifier in front of NCT 127 what would be good? To the World. It’s our slogan too (laugh).
Translation: Alex @ FY! NCT (NCTINFO) | Source: Grazia Scans — Do not repost or take out without our permission!
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