#pyo was never book smart

[dailypyoro]

Day 348: apparently pyoro has been leaking video games recently

[xiaojunsmintchoco]

10 reasons why I like love you - son dongpyo (teaser)

a/n: this was based on a cute request by @tracetogether-ottertaro! thank you so much for the cute request, I've done it here in this teaser hehe, but I just wanted to develop it into a full fic-

Pairing: dongpyo x reader

Genre: fluff, romance, best friends to lovers, summer camp au

Synopsis: as much as he hates to admit it, Dongpyo is, well – a chicken.  All the while he’s had feelings for you, his seat partner and best friend since middle school, yet he’s never been able to have the courage to confess to you. When summer camp rolls around, his friends urge him to act on his feelings, and he comes up with a way to do that – collate memories from summer camp, pick out 10 reasons why he loves you, and put them in a slideshow just for you.

“Class!” Someone calls out from the front of the classroom, grabbing everyone’s attention. Pausing your conversation with your desk partner, Dongpyo, you whirl around, focusing your attention on the class chairperson, Yedam. “So I just went to the staffroom to call Mrs Park, and apparently she’s not in school today”.

As soon as he finishes, cheers rise up from all around the classroom, and some classmates even pump their fists into the air in jubilation, one of them being your best friend and partner – Dongpyo. You simply giggle at his childish antics, before gesturing for him to calm down and gently pushing him back into his seat. 

“But!” Yedam adds, momentarily silencing the class. “She’s got work for us to do. For the next two periods, work on paper 2 from the 2014 TYS,” he continues, before returning to his seat, eliciting groans from the class.

“Noooo! I thought we’d have a free period. I don’t wanna do any work,” Dongpyo whines, slumping in his chair. “But old Mrs Park just HAD to assign work. Not just any work, the freaking TYS as well!” he adds, continuing his little rant.

You laugh at him again, before gently flicking his head and bringing out your own book. “C’mon, Pyo, it won’t be that bad,” you say, trying to convince him to get his work done as well. “If it helps you, I’ll do it with you”.

Dongpyo’s eyes light up, and in a second, his head is off the table. “Really?” he questions, eyes wide, and you respond with a nod. “OH MY GOSH! THANK YOU Y/N!” he almost yells, pulling out his own book faster than you can say ‘jackpot’. 

Chuckling, you both get to work on the first comprehension passage, and before you know it you’re moving on to the second. “Wow, the survival manual wasn’t helping them, so they burnt it to make a fire in order to keep themselves warm? That’s actually smart!” you can’t help but comment as you read the passage, slightly impressed by the wits of the characters. 

At your words, Dongpyo lets out a small scoff. “Yeah, unlike you”.

You gasp, pretending to be offended. “How dare you! More unlike you!” You fire back a playful insult, hitting him slightly on the shoulder. 

“Nah. Unlike you,” he coolly says, smirking at you, obviously keen to continue the lighthearted argument.

“Unlike you”.

“No, unlike you!”

The back-and-forth continues for a while, until Dongpyo raises his hands in surrender. “Fine, fine!” he whines. “You win,” he says, lips pouting to form a duck face.

You can’t help but guffaw at his antics. “Really, you’re gonna surrender now?” you tease, picking up your pen again. “I thought you were much more resilient!” you chuckle, still teasing him. 

“Whatever, let’s get back to this,” he says, laughing as he picks up his highlighter to continue annotating the passage as well.

However, as you turn to grab a sip of water, you miss the way he shoots you a soft gaze, dark eyes glowing with a hint of wistfulness. “You know, I gave up because…” the next part comes out in a whisper.

“I like you”. 

・───・★・───・・───・★・───・

“Okay guys, what’s a nucleotide? I’m so lost!” Sunghoon questions, panicking as he stares quizzically at his own worksheet while twirling his pen in between his fingers.  

Taehyun groans and looks at Sunghoon through the camera. “Please don’t tell me you slept in Mr Choo’s class again,” he says, looking expectantly at Sunghoon, who sheepishly nods, earning a facepalm from Taehyun. 

“Well, Jisung fell asleep too, so you’re both in the same boat,” Yedam points out casually while still scribbling on his paper. 

“Hey! Don’t expose me like that!” Jisung protests, snapping his head up as a blush rushes to his cheeks. 

Yedam snickers, before helping both of the clueless biology students out. “A nucleotide is the basic building block of DNA. It consists of a phosphate group, a deoxyribose sugar, and a nitrogen-containing base – either adenine, cytosine, guanine or thymine,” he explains knowledgably, staring at the boys through the camera as he does so.

“Oh my gosh! Lifesaver! Thank you so much!” Jisung exclaims, rushing to fill in the answers on his worksheet. 

“Gosh, if Yedam wasn’t in this group we’d be screwed,” Dongpyo chuckles, briefly looking up from his work. 

“You bet. What would we do without our resident braincell?” Minhee giggles, and a good-natured groan is heard from Yedam’s end of the call as grunts of agreement rise up from the call.

Moments of silence are heard again as everyone is hard at work on their worksheets – but not for long. “Say, Dongpyo, you like y/n, don’t you?” 

Taehyun’s question catches Dongpyo off-guard, who drops his correction tape in shock. “Wha-”

“Don’t act, Dongpyo. It’s clear as day,” Sunghoon adds, smirking at his friend.

“But how-”

“C’mon, it’s so obvious,” Minhee groans. “Number one, you’re always hanging out with her”.

“We’re friends. We’ve been friends since three years ago, would we not hang out?” Dongpyo  tries his best to reason. However, inside, his heart rate goes up steadily, and he feels heat rush to his cheeks.

“Nah man, it’s not just that. You keep talking about her, and also, you remember every small thing about her. Like, I bet you’d even remember what she ate yesterday,” Sunghoon continues, gesturing with his pen along the way. 

“As a matter of fact, I do. She ate a chicken burger,” Dongpyo casually replies. 

“See? Also, I’ve caught you staring at her multiple times. What’s more, once you were staring at her and blushing,” Jisung teases with a smirk. “I even have photos as proof,” he adds, waving his phone in front of the screen tauntingly. 

“HEY!” Dongpyo yells in protest, waving his hands in protest. “Don’t share them, for goodness’ sakes!” 

Too late. His phone sounds with a “ding,” indicating a new notification, and sure enough, a photo from Jisung arrived in their Telegram chat. He can hear guffaws from the gather town chat, but his cheeks are burning way too much for him to notice.

“HAHA! He’s that much into her!” Minhee laughs, rocking back and forth in laughter.

“His face reminds me of my mom’s tomato plants,” Yedam notes, chuckling softly as he looks at the photo. 

Dongpyo’s shoulders slump in defeat, knowing that his friends had busted him. “Okay, so I do like y/n,” he says, feigning nonchalance as he shrugs. “So?”

“You should confess!” Taehyun replies, as if it were the most logical thing in the world. 

Dongpyo’s eyes widen in horror. “I’m sorry what?” he splutters, almost spitting out the sip of water he had. “You want me to what?”

“Confess,” Yedam repeats Taehyun’s words, a grin resting on his face. 

Dongpyo faltered as he faced his friends, all wearing the same grins as they egged him on to confess. “Guys, I really don’t know if this is a good idea at all – does she even like me back?”

“I mean, you never know if you don’t try,” Taehyun replies, trying to get his friend to go along with their suggestions. “For all you know, she might like you back!”

“How do I know you’re not lying?” Dongpyo asks, eyebrow raised in suspicion. 

“Oh come on, Pyo, I’m your friend!” Taehyun whines, pouting. “I wouldn’t lie to you!”

Dongpyo raises his hands in surrender, trying to get his friends to quiet down. “Okay, so I’ve got to confess. But how?” 

“Y/n loves genuinity, doesn’t she?” Taehyun points out, snapping his fingers, and Dongpyo swears that he can see the gears in his friend’s head begin to turn. “You could pick 10 reasons why you like her, and then put them into a slideshow and present it to her as you confess!” He suggests, grinning proudly at his own suggestion. 

“Yeah, she’ll love that!” Jisung chimes in. 

“I mean guys, I really do like her and all, and I’m quite sure there’s more than ten reasons why – but I don’t know how to put them into words,” Dongpyo confesses, resting his cheek on his palm. “I don’t think I can do that”.

“Aren’t you gonna be attending that summer camp with her?” Yedam asks gently. 

“Yeah, what about it?” Dongpyo answers, still slumped on the table. 

“The camp will allow you to spend more time with her. As you do so, you’ll get to know her better, and maybe that will help you put your thoughts into words better,” Yedam reasons, ever the logical one. 

Dongpyo thinks his friend’s words over. The more he did so, the more they seemed to make sense. “You know what?” he asks, expression morphing into a thoughtful one. “You’re right. I’ll try that,” he decides, grinning. “Thanks a bunch, you guys. Maybe this won’t be too bad”. 

“Let us know how it goes!” Minhee cheerfully replies. 

With that, the boys go back to finishing their biology homework. In his heart, Dongpyo thanked heavens for summer camp – that way, he would be able to spend more time with you. Not that he wouldn’t be hanging out with you during the holidays, it’s just that the camp meant spending an extended period of time with you, which would give him plenty of time to create the slides and plan a confession. 

And now, he had a new mission on – find a way to phrase out ten reasons why he likes you. 

[hooniee]

   — ꒰‧⁺ eye candy + bonus scenario*ೃ༄

↷ jay x reader ⋯ ♡ᵎ

↷ genre: fluff | school romance ⋯ ♡ᵎ

↷  warnings: none! ⋯ ♡ᵎ

♡ :: hii can i get a school au with jay? thank youuu i love you work!! ༉ ﾟ

⇢˚⋆ ✎ author note: hi lovely! thank you so much for requesting and i’m glad you love my work! it means the world to me <3 i’m so sorry that it took a while to get this out but i hope you still enjoy it! @yeojinscactus (the bonus scenario isn’t my favorite but i think it was cute!)ˎˊ-: 

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*

my mans, jay

beautiful eye candy in the school, you know?

i know when we have that one attractive person in school

you don’t even have to actually like them

your eyes just gravitate towards them?ಥ_ಥ̥

that was who jay was

putting your books in your locker and you hear jay’s laugh near?

YOU SIDE EYE HIM AS HE WALKS BYE

(DID YOU KNOW PEOPLE CAN SEE WHEN YOU SIDE EYE THEM? BWUIBDIUWHID)ಥ‿‿ಥ

but he’s too invested talking to sunghoon to notice

sunghoon park: best friend of jay park and eye candy number two

jay and sunghoon were pretty popular at school

like F4 minus two other people

and they weren’t jerks (◡‿◡✿)

(just kidding haha i love gu jun-pyo(◕▿◕✿))

meaning lots of people liked them

and had them as their eye candy

i mean sunghoon was handsome FOR SURE

but jay just had your heart ❤(ˆ‿ˆԅ)

if you don’t wanna listen to the sob story about your teacher’s life

just glance over and you’ll see an actual angel

let’s introduce him, shall we?

jay park: classmate and friend of yours, most importantly, YOUR CRUSH

the angel complex is different when he’s your friend pls

jay will literally come at you in class

especially if he sits behind you

english class is literally hell for you (ㆁᴗㆁ✿)

“quit it jay”

you shake your head

“quit what?”

“stop trying to see if my hair can balance your pencil”

(pouty jay) “b-but i just want to try it out,”

“well it keeps just getting tangled in my-”

“WAIT DON’T MOVE I ALMOST GOT IT”

your hair was coming out in CLUMPS because he kept getting this pencil stuck in your hair

you were questioning on how you weren’t balding yet ಥ_ಠ

from tangles

 and stress

the amount of trouble you have gotten in because of this man

“YAH THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT THAT I GOT DETENTION”

“my fault? HOW IS THIS MY FAULT?

“if you didn’t spit your disgusting, chewed up gum in my hair and stick my hair to the chair, we wouldn’t be here would we ?”

“well it’s my not fault that your hair can’t unstick that easily.”

sunghoon came in at the right time to hold you from beating the shit out of jay ᕕ༼✿•̀︿•́༽ᕗ

anyway

back to our regular channel （っ＾▿＾）

you had a PHAT crush on jay

you and sunghoon were shocked at how jay hasn’t noticed

anyone could see it besides the best man himself

oh did i mention you and sunghoon are good friends too?

he’s the only one to know about you liking jay

you don’t trust a lot of people but sunghoon was like your over protective older brother

he made sure you ate all your meals

always offers to walk you home

carries your books to your class

(to literally blackmail you into doing assignments for him)

when he found out that you liked jay, he did not like it AT ALL

“y-you like who?

“jay park, park jong seong, your best friend that you literally stick with all day?’

“i think i’m hearing you wrong? did you say yang jungwon?” (◕ᴗ◕✿)

the point, sunghoon cool older brother role

stamp of approval ٩(˘◡˘)۶

you would confess to him but you just didn’t know how to?

first, you don’t know if he likes you back

second, what type of confession does jay even like?

the ones that go out all big with ballons and a chorus?

the ones in public with a bunch of people watching?

the ones were you just say ‘i like you’?

AHH IDK YOUR HEAD WAS JUST A MESS

he should start paying rent honestly o(╥﹏╥)o

must be from the pain of having you hair teared out everyday

he just tortures you

in the movies, it always played out that if a guy tortures you

he likes you

well then jay would like 20 other people as well

jay just had natural flirty vibe to him 

(playboy shit)

why did you even like this empty peanut shell?(⊙_◎)

he has no smarts

and no sense of read the room

but he has the looks

and humor

GOSH DEIHWIEOHOIENFIOE

you really had to ponder on this

do you want to marry a guy who is an idiot and will make unnecessary comments but has the looks and can turn your frown upside down?

OR do you want to marry a guy who has a 4.5 GPA and will be able to keep his remarks to himself BUT is average and cold?

who do you think will win from this ratio?

of course today was the day that ms. kim assigns us a lab

AND JAY IS HERE

he usually skips chem but for some odd reason

he was here

“i will be assigning your lab partners”

the whole class groans and you cross your fingers behind your back

“please don’t be jay, please don’t be jay, please be sunghoon, please be sunghoon,”

“sunghoon with hana”

sunghoon can feel your deserpate prayers and shoots you an apologizing look

“okay if i can’t be with sunghoon universe, how about jake hm? i heard he’s good at chemistry,”

“jake and yeji”

“I LITERALLY HATE MY LIFE FBWIUBFIOWN”(º﹃º)

“jungwon and areum”

“sunoo and haneul”

“niki with sujin”

“heeseung with juyeon”

YOU WERE PRACTICALLY READY TO EVAPORATE 

like you were speaking to the universe,

“heyyy so i’m ready, can you book room 35 for me? i want a window view! thanks”

“jay and (y/n)”

“MY LUCK-”

you had to change your partner

you raise your hand and ms.kim glares at you

“these partners are final! no exchanging!”

you smacked your head against the desk

oh dear lordy

jay comes over, chem textbook in hand

“hey partner”

he winks at you

and you scowl

(I KNOW YOU LIKED IT ON THE INSIDE(/ε＼*))

OH UNIVERSE, WHY MUST YOU BE SO CRUEL TO ME?

you were sobbing on the outside

(YOU WERE DOING YOUR LITTLE DANCY DANCY OUT OF HAPPINESS INSIDE(・ε・｀))

“for today’s lab, you guys will be experimenting with how certain chemicals react with each other,”

this is gonna be BAD

“i will be passing out a sheet with information of the chemicals that are placed on your desk. please make sure to put on all your gear! “

“but ms. kim, these safety goggles make me lo-”

“i don’t care! this is for your safety hana”

you put on goggles, mask, gloves and coat

you glance over to jay to see him dozing him off

you smack his head

“I’M UP SUNGHOON, WHAT- oh it’s just you.”

“please put your gear on, you might burn yourself,”

jay wiggles his eyebrows

“oh worry about me i see”

OF COURSE I AM YOU IDIOT

“whatever, let’s just finish this lab”

jay puts his gear on too

even in a lab coat and in big goggles, he still looked handsome 

“(y/n), are you good?”

jay’s face was WAY too close ʕ◉aᴥ◉ʔ

“yeah i’m f-fine,”

you shielded your face and knocked his forehead back

he pouted before looking at the chemicals

“okay what’s this chemical?”

“that’s bleach. this is technically household bleach so it’s actually a mixture-”

“and what’s this one?”

“that’s rubbing alcohol. isopropyl alcohol, also known as isopropanol, is a colorless, volatile and flammable liqu-”

“what if i mix them together?”

“well i wouldn’t do that, it say-”

guess what he did?

he poured the bleach in the rubbing alcohol

wait for it

BOOM BOOM

.

..

...

RING RING RING

jay had managed to mess up

who am i kidding?

it’s jay 눈_눈

he mixed two chemicals that explode when together

and he set the fire alarm off

“YOU IDIOT, BEFORE YOU POURED IT IN, I WAS TRYING TO SAY THAT-”

“WHY DIDN’Y YOU WARN ME?”

“I DI-”

“ I CAN’T BELIEVE THAT YO-”

“IF YOU WOULD LISTEN TO ME IDIOT”

you threw a book at him

“I TRIED TO, LOOK WHAT YOU DID”

he threw the book back at you-

you guys just kept throwing books at each other BDDJFJFMVKDKCNVK

“I CAN’T HEAR YOU BECAUSE OF THIS FIRE ALARM”

“okay class, please do not remove any of your protective gear and exit to the left of the classroom,”

going to school with jay was intresteing?

never a normal day

sadly

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ────── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .*

the loud blare of the fire alarm rung but ms. kim’s screaming instructions managed to beat the sound. you turn around to glare at jay. you pick up your notebook and throw it to him.

“this is your fault you idiot! if you would have just-” you shout

jay throws the book back at you and it hits your face.

his eyes widen before he tries to contains his laughter “s-sorry i didn’t mean t-too ”

jay bursts our laughing before someone gets a hold of his lab coat.

“YAH WHO ARE YOU- JAKE MY MAN,” jay goes in for a bro-shake

“yeah not right now dude,” jake drags him away outside and jay dramatically puts a hand over his chest and waves goodbye to you.

you roll your eyes before heading out of the door and out the emergancy exit.

a tall penguin’s eyes glance around before seeing your face and letting a sigh of relief. he jogs over to you, “(y/n) don’t scare me like that, i thought you were still stuck in there.”

sunghoon swings his arm over your shoulder. you sigh, “i was stuck in there because jay was arguing about who started the explosion.”

you and sunghoon both glance at the whale cry of jay.

jay was laying on the ground, acting dead while jake was panicking and jungwon rolled his eyes, nudging jay with his foot

“what about him do you like again?”

“i don’t know?”

[nclkafilms]

A furious and mesmerising cinematic achievement

(Review of ‘Parasite’. Seen in Biffen Art Cinema, Aalborg on the 2nd of January 2020.)

Ever since south korean film ‘Parasite’ took home the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in the Spring of 2019 it has been on everyone’s lips. It’s been deemed one of the most important films ever and an unreal film experience that was a must see for any lover of cinema. Luckily it has also been enrolled in a thick fog of m#ystery, because what was this film actually about? Director Bong Joon Ho was adamant about the necessity of keeping the film unspoiled and having seen it, I know exactly why. Because if you go in to this film knowing as little as possible you are in fact treated to an amazing film experience unlike anything else. SO this is where I stop you. If you have even the slightest desire to watch this film do not read any further; make sure to book a seat in your nearest cinema in stead!

With ‘Parasite’ Bong not only delivers an impeccably entertaining film that will cater to wide audiences, but also an awe-inspiring mash-up of cinematic genres that seamlessly woven together to form a sophisticated net of surprises, laughs and suspense. At one time hysterically funny and poignantly satirical, Bong suddenly takes a sharp u-turn and turns the film on its head a spine-tingling and furious thriller with well functioning horror elements. To make this mix of genres work on its own is worth quite the attention, but to make it work while telling an important and nuanced story of the modern, capitalistic society that not only makes you want to applaud the film afterwards but also makes you think and reflect on your own “role” in this society, is nothing short of a cinematic magic trick performed to perfection by Bong and everyone involved.

At the centre of the film are two families from very different parts of society. The Kim family who lives in a basement apartment where they desperately tries to catch wi-fi from nearby cafés or neighbours (because of course they still have smart phones), and the Park family, who lives on top of society (literally) in an architect’s dream of a house. Two families of mother, father, daughter and son. But whereas the Kim family stands together in every aspect of life, the Park family rarely spends time together: the father is busy at work all over the world, the mother is sitting at home in charge of all the service people, the introvert daughter is mostly in her room and the son, haunted by a mysterious incident early in his life, feels like the most human when he disturbs the perfect silence of the house with his US-imported Indian gear.  The two families lives are intertwined in a way that you never fully realise until it is too late and Bong has you caught in his web of disasters.

As the patriarch of the Kim family, Kang-ho Sang delivers a standout performance filled with wit, pride and a desire to do what’s best for his family no matter the cost. In a fascinating scene he talks to his children about the importance of not having a plan - because then nothing can go wrong. One of many iconic scenes that I still remember vividly. Woo-sik Choi as his son and So-dam Park as his daughter are full of mischief and youthful ingenuity that brings the Kim family to places they had never dreamed of. It is a joy to watch them - especially in the first hour - as they charm their way through each and every obstacle that meets them. Finally, Hye-jin Jang gives a strong performance as the hard-headed matriarch of the Kim family. She gets to deliver one of the most poignant one-liners of the film when she says that, “money is like an iron. It straightens all issues away.”.

In the Park family, Yeo-jeong Jo deserved to be highlighted for her performance as the blue-eyed and easily impressed mother, Park Yeon-kyo, who still possess a chilling and unpredictable side to her. In the Park residence, it is, however, Jeong-eun Lee as their maid, Moon-gwang, who takes the main attention in a transformative and mysterious role in which she gets to show both sinister and hilarious aspects of her acting throughout the film.

The characters are driven so much by the story and their increasingly connected relations, that it is difficult to talk too much about them without giving too much away, but it is acting of the highest quality from the entire cast. Performances filled with subtle mimics, comments and gestures that I cannot wait to see again to discover even more than what I caught in round one.

These characters are mainly found in one of two locations masterfully constructed by production designer Ha-jun Lee. As simple and “ugly” the reality of the Kim residence is, as lavish and over-the-top is the Park residence. This physical contrast between these locations play a central part in the story and especially one specific scene featuring a flood is so cinematically beautiful in its slow reveal of its devastating consequences, that it will stay with me for a very long time. That scene is the perfect co-operation between Lee’s production design, Kyung-pyo Hong’s cinematography and Bong’s screenplay, in which the different layers of society are strikingly summed up in their reaction to the rain showers causing the flood. One subtle comment from Park Yeon-kyo says everything here.

With the Park residence, Lee has created an intricately designed dollhouse in which every neatly detailed room has its own secrets that are masterfully unravelled one at a time throughout the film with an Hitchcockian sense of suspense by Bong. Finally, it all comes together through a score from Jung Jae Il that is as playful as the film’s mix of genres. It features everything from haunting strings and rumbling percussions to fine and simple compositions.

‘Parasite’ reminded me of ‘Get Out’ in the way it uncovers some of the deep issues in modern society through a surprising and striking mix of genres to present the absurdity of its topic. However, I feel like Bong’s film succeeds better with its mission. This is mainly due to the fact that even though Bong is furious and very clear in his allegory and use of symbols and metaphors, he never loses sight of one important thing: his characters need to be fundamentally human in order for his story to have the biggest impact possible. Here are no absurd heroes or villains and the character you root for in one scene turns on a table in the next one and vice versa. Bong highlights that this is something deeper. The rotten smell does not come from a certain person or a certain group of people, it comes from deeper within. It comes from the very basement of modern day society.

In that, ‘Parasite’ becomes a parable of how the modern, technological society muddles the differences between the different layers of society by making information widely accessible all the while the capitalism that drives said technological development forms a deeper and more drastic distance between the very same layers of society. As such, ‘Parasite’ seems like the perfect film to sum up the last decade and introduce the new one and it leaves us, the viewers, with a fascinating question: who or what is the parasitical presence in this society?

5/5

[insanityclause]

Zawe Ashton is sorry that she is tired. In her dressing room at Manhattan's Jacobs Theatre, at what would be the end of a working day for many, she still has to go over last night’s notes with her director Jamie Lloyd, and get into hair and make-up. Within hours, she will hit the stage for another sold-out night of her Broadway run in Betrayal, the Harold Pinter revival, which will make her a New Yorker until the end of the year.

“I feel like I'm going mad, but I think I'm really into New York. [When I speak], I can already hear my American upward inflections!” she giggles. The play, which also stars Charlie Cox and Tom Hiddleston, has come to New York after a sold-out turn in London in a year that has cemented 35-year-old Ashton's transition from emerging ingenue to bonafide leading lady. In person, she's warm, wickedly funny, and whip-smart — a combination that goes some way to explaining how she's built a career not just in front of the camera, but as a writer, director, playwright, too. Just don't call her an overnight success — it's been nearly 30 years in the making.

Ashton was born and raised in Hackney, a culturally diverse part of East London at the forefront of the city's gentrification. "Cut me open, and I do bleed Hackney," Ashton says. “I remember when cab drivers wouldn’t even go there but for me, there was just local people establishing community and establishing identity. It was multiculturalism, it was biracial, it was anarchy.”

She grew up the eldest child of an Ugandan mother and English father. She describes her younger self as a hyper child. “I just wanted constant stimulation.” Her mother, busy with three kids, enrolled Ashton in the Anna Scher Theatre, an affordable drama class, whose notable alumni ranges from Hollywood crossovers Daniel Kaluuya and Kathy Burke, to Eastenders favourites Sid Owen, Patsy Palmer, and Natalie Cassidy.

“I went in, and there were like three or four baskets on a tiny little stage. One said wigs, one said hats, one said costumes, and I thought to myself, 'I’m going to love this.'" Ashton went on to spend 14 years with the company. "Every Friday night and every Saturday afternoon for 14 years! I think back now, what a disciplined young person that I was. I think I’ve always needed something like that to keep me anchored.”

Small roles in Game On and The Demon Headmaster followed, along with appearances in British staples like The Bill, Casualty, and Holby City, but her success led to bullying at her north London school. “I was different from others at a time when you're supposed to just be blending into that wall,” she says. If there's one thing that's clear, it's that Ashton doesn't do blending in. "I never understood this thing of finding yourself or finding the truth — I couldn’t give a sh*t about the truth," she says.

Earlier this year, she released Character Breakdown, a book about her experiences as actor and the challenge of darting between make-believe and everyday life. "I've never bought into the idea that there is this one self," she says. "I started acting as a 6-year-old child, when my brain was still extremely fragile. I didn’t have hope in hell if I didn’t want to have fractured selves — that moment was over by the time I’d finished my first day on a film set."

Ashton's breakout role didn't come until years after that first day. In 2011, when she was 27, she debuted her role as the hilarious and sensational Vod in Channel 4's now cult classic, Fresh Meat. “When I got it, I had just done an independent movie called Dreams Of A Life,” she recalls. “That was a one-two punch. I had my independent film world covered and I suddenly had this cult TV world covered, and that was it. My head was above the parapet, and things have just been on the up since then."

Like many actors of her generation, she's only down with the "up" when it's about the work. "I’ve never been bothered about fame," she says. "Even when I was at Anna Scher Theatre, you were never allowed to use the words 'star' or 'fame,' they were like swear words. I want to be a successful actor, never a famous star. Because one is an organic meal that will sustain you, and the other is toxic.”

That does complicate things, because whether she's conscious of it or not, Ashton is a star. Her most recent work has seen her share the screen with Toni Collette in the BBC drama Wanderlust, about a therapist trying to save her fraught relationship with her husband,  played by Steven Mackintosh. She also had a lead role in Netflix’s Velvet Buzzsaw, a quirky thriller set in the contemporary art world where she plays Josephina, the object of affection, alongside an idiosyncratic art critic called Morf, played by Jake Gyllenhaal. Her wattage is rising, and unsurprisingly, the designers have come calling. Erdem, Mulberry, Regina Pyo, and Roksanda Illincic all want to dress her, but as Ashton discloses, the style part doesn't always come naturally.

“People talk about ‘effortless style’ but effortless is so far away from any of my experiences of that sort of thing." She now works with stylist, art director, and brand consultant Steph Wilson for her big appearances. "She's not a celebrity stylist, which seems to be a very different breed of person," Ashton explains, "but my stylist is a big reason I am able to cope with events." Their first collaboration — a voluminous, tiered Stella McCartney gown that Ashton wore on the 2016 Olivier's Red Carpet — set the tone in their relationship. "We affectionately called [it] the lampshade dress," Ashton recalls. "It was a complete risk, and a risk that I'd been told again and again and again not to take. 'Don’t go there, you're not well known, you're not famous, unless you’re famous you shouldn’t wear things like this.' I just said, 'I want to dress like the artist I feel,' and that was that."

Ashton might sound assertive, but she swears she is only now coming into her own. “How long have we got to talk about women of colour and imposter syndrome,” Ashton asks, now in her hair and make-up prep. “It’s a real thing, and many people have it. It’s, I think, a particular characteristic of the overachiever. Because you're bottomless, you never think what you’ve achieved is enough. There are lots of little dots, as I approach my 30th year as an actor, that I'm sort of really looking to connect so I can move on to the next stage of my life.”

Part of that next stage is taking up more space. "When you work in film sets, when you’re working on projects that are male dominated, you are always treated as the last priority," she says carefully. "There have been times when, like in sex scenes or whatever, I’ve just been expected to get on with it. No conversation, no time wasting, you're just supposed to minimise your space, and let the money-making industry crack on because time is money." Not any more. "I'm going to call abuse when it’s abuse, and I'm going to call micro-aggression when it’s micro-aggression," she says of on-set behaviour she once might have let slide.

In October, in both Hackney and New York, she will stage For All The Women Who Thought They Were Mad, a play she wrote some 10 years ago when she part of the Royal Court Young Writers group. The play uses statistics to platform the cultural biases at work in medical institutions in Britain that are specifically stacked against women from the African diaspora. “Women being over medicated, unnecessarily being sectioned into their families, losing their jobs. It’s all really shocking, so I wanted to write something for all the women I’ve known [who] thought they were alone. It’s taken so long to get off the ground because it was considered an exposé by every theatrical institution in London, and [I'm] so glad we are doing it," she adds. "A lot of women for a long time have been told to find their voices, but I don’t agree. We have voices. We just need a platform. And we need the words."

One word Ashton is thinking about a lot these days is "motherhood." “I would like to have a baby,” she says slowly. "I’ve never said that before, but women never say it." Despite various rumours about her love life, she emphasises that the baby is a goal, not a current reality. "It's not in the works, and it's not being planned," she says. "There's absolutely not one single detail that I can mention, but the next thing on my agenda is building towards that stage, and I feel very proud of that."

Ashton is aware that the path in that direction will be unreasonably complicated. "The widespread shame of motherhood is criminal, and it needs to stop," she says. "The world can never improve if you disrespect the people that bring life." Still, Ashton is rolling up her sleeves. "I feel like this career has so many connections to my childhood desires, and now I want to figure out what my adult ones are.”

[nubnubblr]

Day By Day .35

"Where did the boys say they were going?" Jiyeon asked as she packed the clothes from her wardrobe.

"The company sent them to get their hair done," I smirked.

"Seriously? I thought we were suppose to be the girls?" she stated.

"What do you think they'll do to them?" EunBi asked taping up a box Jiyeon had already packed.

"As long as they don't shave him I'm good with it," Jiyeon shrugged.

"What if they give him a mohawk?" I laughed a little which resulted in me coughing.

"Still not over it?" Ji frowned.

"Almost," I shrugged.

It had been almost a week since we went to the doctors, I had to go back tomorrow for the results of my blood test but I'd pretty much gotten over what ever it was, well at least I felt that way right now, but I got progressively worse throughout the day.

"And if they give him a mohawk I'll hurt someone,"

"I doubt they'll do too much to it, probably a trim and colour it, at least that's what happened with Zelo when he debut," I shrugged sliding a box towards the door.

"No way!" Jiyeon laughed, I frowned and walked back into the wardrobe,

"Do you remember this?" she asked holding up the little brown teddy bear with it's arm in a sling.

"I remember being terrified of showing you what I'd done,"

"Yeah, I was seriously attached to this bear," she nodded.

"What happened to it?" EunBi appeared next to me.

"When we were little, Eunji was playing with it and it got a small little hole in it's arm where the stitching was coming undone so she stapled it because she's seen it on a show and then put it in a sling,"

"I was so scare she was going to be mad at me. I wasn't suppose to touch it but she wasn't home and I was bored,"

"I remember the look you had on your face, you started crying while you were trying to explain what had happened, you stumbled over your words,"

"What did you do?" EunBi asked, intrigued by our reminiscing.

"I told her it was okay and we went and watched a movie,"

"Really? I would have been so mad,"

"Eunji doesn't really react well to mad, besides she fixed him,"

"I can see why everyone think's you're older,"

"Technically I am," Jiyeon smirked.

"I heard that you were super smart too, you were put up a grade and everything?"

"Who told you that?" she laughed.

"Insoo, he said he talked to Eunji,"

"The only reason I was in a higher grade than Eunji is because technically I'm born the year before her,"

"Wait, I thought you were twins?" she frowned.

"We are, but I was born on December 31st at 11:52 and she was born 12:07 on the 1st of January, it was really confusing growing up, but that's the only reason I was put up a grade, not because I'm any smarter than her," she gave me a small smile.

"At least you have your own birthday," she commented.

JIYEON

"Well that's the last box," Eunji sighed placing the box that was in her hands on the pile of the 9 other boxes already packed. Most of it was clothes and they were only small book boxes but it still seemed like a lot.

"Shall we put them in the car and meet the boys over there?" I asked.

"If they're done at the salon," EunBi smirked.

"How long could it possibly take?" Eunji asked picking the box back up and making her way out of the room.

"Is she okay?" EunBi frowned after her,

"She will be," I nodded picking up a box.

I could see that she was a little upset by the fact I was completely moving out, but she wasn't going to say anything about it. I felt a little bad, almost enough to reconsider not just moving into the dorm, but the new apartment was closer and it's not like I was here a lot anyway. But Eunji was never that good with major changes,  in all honesty I would probably be around here more now than I have been since we moved in.

It only took three trips up and down the stairs to get all of the boxes in the back of the car. Eunji pretty much stayed silent the whole time, she continued to be quiet as we drove to the new apartment. When I asked her is she was okay she just smiled and gave me a small nod.

It didn't take long to get there, ten minutes max, the boys weren't there when we arrived so I was assuming they were either still at the salon or at the old apartment.

"Just lift what you can, the boys will get the rest when they get here," I said pulling a clothes box from the back of the car. Insoo had packed his things into the back of the car last night, there wasn't a lot we'd already brought a lot of it over, but I could guarantee most of his stuff was heavy.

We each grabbed a box as a car pulled in next to us, they beeped so I assumed it was the boys. The automatic window rolled down and two familiar faces smiled at me.

"Need some help?" Su Min asked.

"Can't turn the car off with the window down," Young Pyo stated.

"Okay," she sighed rolling the window back up and getting out of the car as Young Pyo shut the engine off.

"What are you guys doing here?" I asked.

"Young Pyo offered his services to Insoo,"

"You guys talk?" I frowned.

"More than we do," Su Min playfully glared.

"Do we have something to be worried about?" I joked.

"How can we help?" Young Pyo poked his tongue out.

"Boxes are in the back of the car, the front ones should be light," I stated making my way up to the apartment.

"You realise we have no idea where we're going right?" Su Min called out.

"Well hurry up then," I called back.

"We come out of our way to help her and she's an ass about it," Su Min says loud enough for me to here.

"I didn't ask for your help," I retorted but waited for them to get a box and follow me up, EunBi and Eunji were both the waiting by the locked door.

I unlocked the door and lead them through to the lounge room where we had piled all the boxes so far which to be honest, probably wasn't the best idea seeing as none of the furniture was here yet and we weren't entirely sure where it was going, but hopefully the pile of boxes won't be in the way. Maybe we should move them into the spare room?

"EunBi, these are my friends Su Min and Young Pyo, he's lovely but you should probably ignore everything Su Min say," I joked.

"And this is EunBi, Insoo's little sister," I stated before she could comment.

"Nice to meet you," Young Pyo smiled.

"You've already met Eunji right?" I looked around for her but she wasn't there.

"She went back outside," EunBi cleared up my confusion.

"We met at the showcase," Su Min nodded.

"So, it's a big step for you, moving in together," Su Min commented.

"Not really, I mean I had to move anyway and he was at my apartment more than he wasn't," I shrugged, but in truth she was right, never in a million years did I ever thing I would live with a guy I'm in a stable relationship with. That's just not how I was.

"Where is everyone else?" Su Min frowned.

"They're all at the salon getting their hair done, they're debuting soon," I explained

"Oh that's great," Young Pyo smiled.

"How does the company feel about this?" Su Min raised an eyebrow.

"As long as it doesn't interfere with his schedule they're fine with it," I shrugged,"

"Where's Eunji?" I frowned.

"She's still down stairs," EunBi stated.

"She's not taking this well huh?" Young Pyo asked.

"She's still sick,"

"That's not just sick mood," he raised an eyebrow.

"Let's go get the rest of the boxes," I avoided his question.

***

With the help of Young Pyo who carried most of the boxes, it only took half an hour to unpack the car, I'd messaged Insoo to see where he was but he hadn't replied yet so I was guessing he was still in the salon.

"Should we go pick up some boxes from the other apartment?" Su Min suggested,

"It's mostly furniture that's left and I'm sure those five can handle it, but you guys are welcome to stay and help them when they get here,"

"Coming through," Insoo called as he and JunQ came through the front door carrying the head board.

They'd lighted his hair, it wasn't quiet blonde, it was more brown and they'd cut some of the length off but not too much, more of a trim then a cut. They hadn't made a drastic change but he still looked good. JunQ however I almost didn't notice, his once blue hair which had started to fade was now jet black. He was also seriously attractive.

"Speak of the devil," I stated.

"Where are we putting these?" Gunwoo asked as he and Chaejin come through right after them carrying large boxes.

"With the others," I pointed to the pile.

"Where's Eunji?" Seyong appeared moments later with red hair, which wasn't as attractive as the blonde but it was a pretty attractive change nonetheless.

"Her and EunBi when for a walk down the street to get something for lunch,"

"But it's cold outside,"

"And she's wearing pants and your jumper,"

"How long ago?"

"Do you want to go and put that down before you drop it and hurt yourself or break it," I frowned as he balanced the small bedside table on his knee to re-adjust his hold on it.

"Bedroom?" he raised an eyebrow.

"That way," I pointed to the master bedroom.

"What do you think?" Insoo came out kissing my forehead.

"I think I have lips for a reason," I raised an eyebrow.

"I meant about my hair,"

"What about it?" I teased.

"Do you like it?"

"It's cute," I ruffled his bangs a little.

"You're cute," his kissed me properly.

"You two are gross," EunBi came through the door holding a couple bags.

"You'll understand one day," Su Min stated.

"No she will not," Insoo frowned.

"Why not?" Su Min challenged.

"Because, just because,"

"Just because isn't a reason,"

"Why don't we eat lunch then we can finish moving everything," Eunji suggested unpacking bags she just places on the bench.

"You're not moving anything," Seyong emerged from the bedroom.

"Your hairs red," she smiled for the first time today, well it was the first genuine smile at least.

"Do you like it?" he changed his tune.

"It looks good," she nodded rubbing her face yawning.

"You should take a nap," he suggested, she just gave him a look like he was stupid.

"What?" he frowned.

"Are you hungry?" she held out a pair of chopsticks not bothering to explain her look.

"Why can't she move anything?" Su Min frowned.

"She is still getting over whatever it is she had," Seyong stated taking the chopsticks from Eunji.

"So? She seemed completely fine bring boxes up for the past hour,"

"She shouldn't have been," he frowned at her.

"They were clothes boxes," I defended.

"It's fine, I'll eat lunch then go home," she stated, she sounded upset and she kept her head down avoiding eye contact with anyone.

"I didn't mean you have to go home," Seyong sighed.

"I know, but I should probably go lay down. I'm not feeling so well," she shrugged.

"We'll just bring one of the mattresses up and you can lay down in the spare room," Insoo offered.

"I heard you could use some help," Zelo made his way inside.

"Hey," EunBi perked up.

"I think we're good," Insoo stated, bitterness lingering in his voice.

"You're just in time for lunch," I stated.

"Ah, why do I feel like I just interrupted something?" he frowned taking the chopsticks Eunji handed him.

"I'm in trouble for carrying boxes," she shrugged,

"Why were you carrying boxes?" Zelo frowned at the same time I said;

"You're not in trouble,"

"Seriously?" she frowned at Zelo.

"Less than a week ago you were so sick you literally passed out, do you really think carrying boxes up stairs is a good idea?"

"See," Seyong agreed with Zelo.

I could see Eunji starting to get frustrated, she was already grumpy and kind of upset due to the combination of me moving out and her still being sick. I guess no one else noticed though.

"I was here, do you really think I would have let her carry something if I didn't think she was capable?"

"It's fine, I'll just go home," she sighed closing her eyes.

"No one said you had to go home,"

"No one's told me what I can do, I just keep hearing what I can't. So can someone please give me some instruction so I'm out of everyone's way and no one is upset?" if it had been anyone else the would have sounded mad or angry but she just sounded deflated and defeated.

EUNJI

I sat in the kitchen floor unpacking the boxes that had been brought over in the first load. There were only three or four and they weren't exactly big boxes, but apparently everyone was happy with me to help as long as I was sitting and not lifting anything too heavy. I couldn't really be mad about them caring, it would just be nice to not be treated like an infant.

"We're going to go over and get some more of the furniture and hopefully the rest of the boxes, the mattress is in the spare room with some blankets and pillows if you need to lay down," Seyong gave me a small smile before leaving.

SEYONG

She nodded slightly and turned her attention back to unpacking the boxes next to her. She'd seemed down all day, I was assuming it was because she wasn't feeling well.

"Would you hurry up?" Insoo frowned already getting in the car.

"What's got you so grumpy?" I raised an eyebrow as I got into the passenger seat.

"That Zelo kid's always showing up," he huffed.

"You still haven't gotten laid, huh? And Zelo's not that bad,"

"You're only saying that because you don't have to worry about him getting with Eunji now," he grumbled ignoring my question. I guess that's a no.

"He's a genuinely nice guy,"

"I don't care if he's the pope, she's my sister," he huffed.

"No I get it, just, I mean if she was going to date anyone Zelo's a good guy,"

"Maybe I should get her into a convent,"

"Why is everyone in a bad mood today?" I frowned.

"What?"

"Eunji is super grumpy today,"

"I wouldn't say she was grumpy,"

"Have you seen her?"

"She's upset about Jiyeon moving out,"

"Jiyeon was barely there in the first place," I frowned not really understanding what he was getting at.

"Doesn't matter, she still had those days where Ji would be there, she's never been without her sister, Jiyeon's always been there for her to vent to or be comforted by,"

"It's not like she's not right around the corner,"

"It's not the same, I know it sounds stupid but EunBi was the same when I moved out, you've got to remember how close they are. She's also sick and everyone is treating her like she's incapable, no wonder she's grumpy,"

"I guess,"

***

"Put it in the spare room," Jiyeon pointed as we brought up the structure for the bed.

"Where's Eunji?" I frowned, I figured she'd be laying down by the time we got back.

"Zelo took her home, she's not having a good day," Jiyeon looked a little guilty.

"See," Insoo stated, I just rolled my eyes.

EUNJI

"Do you want me to get you something?" Zelo asked as we sat on the lounge.

"No," I shook my head.

"So..."

"What?"

"Do you feel up to talking?"

"I'm just tired, I'm fine," I sighed.

"So, what do you actually know about EunBi?"

"That took longer than I expected,"

"What?"

"She's never dated, at least as far as I know, she went to an all girls school so she had no idea who you were when she first met you. Also, Insoo is not exactly a big fan of yours," I laid myself down on the lounge lifting my legs to lay across his lap.

"Seriously? Why not?"

"Because he thinks you like his sister, I guess he was right,"

"I just got Seyong to like me,"

"He doesn't like you, he just doesn't see you as a threat anymore,"

"I can't win,"

"Insoo will get us to the idea, just give him a little while," I yawned.

"So does she talk about me?"

"How would I know, I've only just started talking to her myself,"

"Liar,"

"I am not,"

"Yes you are, you can never look me in the eye when you lie,"

"Okay, she might have mention you a couple times and asked a few questions,"

"Like what?"

"Like I'm going to tell you,"

"What type of best friend are you? You're a horrible wingman,"

"Probably because I'm not a man,"

"You're not?" he faked shocked.

I laughed at him, which quickly turned into a coughing fit, I may have stretched the truth about how much better I was feeling. I still felt hot most of the time and tired all of the time, my throat was scratchy and sore and my eyes were itchy. But I was tired of being coped up in bed not being aloud to do anything.

My phone buzzed on the table in front of me.

Hey, sorry about earlier I didn't mean to make you feel worse. I'll be home as soon as I finish helping Insoo move the stuff from the other apartment.

-Seyong.

I let out a sigh, I didn't understand why this was so hard. I mean Jiyeon only stayed at the dorm a couple nights a week, even less since her and Insoo got serious and she had moved closer, I mean I could probably just walk over to their apartment now. So it's not like it's really changing that much.

"The move is hard on you, huh?" Zelo gave me a comforting look.

"It shouldn't be," I sighed.

"Of course it should. You two were close before your parents died, but since then she's been your sister, best friend, and sometimes mother all rolled into one. She's the person you're closest to and she's moving out. You probably feel abandoned,"

"I'm a horrible person, huh?"

"No, but just remember no one has abandoned you,"

SEYONG

It wasn't until late that we finally left Jiyeon and Insoo's, Zelo had come back eventually and let me know that she was in bed and basically asleep when he left. So when we pulled into the driveway I told everyone to make sure to be quiet. They were. We all made our way into the house, Gunwoo went to the kitchen to making himself something to eat, no doubt it would be inedible for anyone else. He hadn't really a said much about Eunji and I dating, maybe I should talk to him? JunQ went to the lounge room and Chaejin went straight up to bed, he had class in the morning.

I quietly made my way up the stairs to check on Eunji, her door was closed but light lit up the crack at the bottom of the door. I knocked, there was no answer. Gently I pushed the door open, freezing when it squeaked, but she was sound asleep. I hesitated before entering the room, she stirred a little when I pulled the blanket up to cover her properly.I took the opportunity to check her temperature, she was a little warm but seemed fined for the most part.

Turning the light off I left the room.

***

"Lee Eunji," the doctor called her name.

"Do you want me to stay out here?" I asked.

"You can come if you want," she shrugged.

"I'll come,"

I don't know why things were so awkward between us, she was avoiding touching me. We had more skin ship before I confessed and we started dating. Maybe I just need to give it some time? It has only been a week.

I followed her through to the small examination room where he doctor gestured for us to sit. He stated by asking her how she was, then asked his routine questions, checked her temperature and breathing then sat down.

"So the virus is still there but it's clearing up, I'm going to give you another round of antibiotics to help clear the rest of it up. As for the results of the blood tests, you appear to have low iron, have you been feeling drained, dizzy, bruising easier?"

"Yeah, I mean dizzy not so much recently but drained and bruises I don't remember getting," she nodded.

"What we're going to do is get you onto iron supplements, and maybe a bit of a dietary change,"

"So it's not serious?" I found myself asking.

"Not at all"

[coruscorp-blog]

DEAR, MR. ( MICAH TAN )

We are pleased to have you back for another year as an UPPER THIRD YEAR STUDENT at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. We sincerely hope your classmates in RAVENCLAW treat you well.

After one night full of desire, both from different worlds welcomed a little boy to the world, a child born with a silver-spoon. That little boy was named Micah. Since birth, his parents didn’t love each other but feared they would be snubbed by society if they don’t marry. Due to this, perhaps from resentment from his mistake and that he even touched a muggle; Micah’s father Calix Tan, a pureblood Korean wizard, never paid much attention to his child. Or at least how a father should’ve loved his son. As he would just spend money on him; or perhaps that was a way to shut his mother up. So Micah was born in Athens, Greece which he spent five happy years of his life there. Then moving to Aberdeen, Scotland. His mother Sungah Pyo, was a muggleborn; a beautiful kind woman.

Though his relationship with his father was cold doesn’t mean that the one with his mother was. Micah’s mother loved him very much and would do anything for him. Sungah would always encourage Micah once his magical powers manifested. Reminding him that he shouldn’t be ashamed of it or who he is. Adrian, on the other hand, wished that he was Squib. As he didn’t want a half-blood carrying his surname anywhere near other purebloods; which would happen once Micah began school.

While Micah was an only child away from his father, he remained more sociable than other children of his age. He showed intelligence beyond average among others, quickly absorbing any fact that’s been told to him and regurgitating it. Another great example would be his sociable behaviour - the charm which was caused by his quick learning ability so he learned how to speak and communicate faster than others. Micah was a smart young child, sweet to his mother and the servants around him. Knowledge of the outside world was minimal, but that had its own appeals as it meant his mind remained on that beautiful cloud where everything and everyone deserved a chance. That was how he hoped to carry himself through.

But with his father, Micah became a quiet child, always told to carry himself with manners and class so he doesn’t bring shame and embarrassment to his father’s family who’s been regarded with high respects for centuries as royals. He didn’t get to dash through flower fields as kids, shrieking in excitement whenever he gets a new toy to play with. It’s always a solemn nod of his head, a polite smile and a “Thank you very much. I will make sure to treasure your kind efforts.”

The pressure didn’t come easy. Micah tried to not pay any attention to his father as well as his paternal grandparents. He decided he only needed his mother. But at the age of nine, his world came crashing down when his mother passed away. Her death was unexpected. He was never told how she died. He overheard from the housekeepers of his father’s estate that there was so much blood on the bed sheets. He never got to see her body till the funeral. Seeing her so lifeless, Micah’s heart was broken. The only thing he had left of her was a handed down crystal necklace.

Calix never made an attempt to show his child love, even when he needed it the most. All he did was to tear Micah down. Telling him that his mother is finally free from him. Many nights filled with sorrow, the only thing keeping him comfortable was his mother’s necklace.

He had to fight so hard just to be able to breathe at times, and his initial forgiveness for his father who went through the exact same hell slowly morphed into dread and frustration because if he truly understood how taxing every second felt growing up in an environment like this, why would he ask of the same for his child?

But no one bothered to change anything, no one bothered to say anything — and every time Micah’s around any of the family members on his father’s side, he finds himself getting put down, getting lectured over everything.

“Micah, your back isn’t upright again. Didn’t I tell you to always carry yourself with manners? What is that?”

“Control your expression, Micah.”

“Put your fork now. It’s enough for now.”

Micah doesn’t know when exactly did he start to isolate himself from his family, from everyone, maybe it was after he started attending Hogwarts — but he sure doesn’t regret doing so. There’s no more of those dirty noises trying to talk him into looking down on himself at all times so he can be perpetually striving to be better. He simply shuts himself off and lets himself live like he’s free even if that means melting into the shadows. This is his form of acceptance, choosing to focus on things such as books or his music in his room. Sometimes locking himself was the answer, with a pen tapping against his notebook as he finds new inspiration.

And this is how the story begins, how Micah seeks to fly through lowering himself into the lowest realms where no one can see him.