Exhibit K: A thorned rose.

I don't want to live a life full of grand gestures. To simply be able to live a happy, fulfilled life is my goal.  [ Gen Krystal RP account. Lit. SFW. ] 

[94vousmevoyez]

!!! Hello, hi. I don’t know if there’s many still around but this is me trying to get myself back out of the ditch and wishing to write this muse because I love this little muse. Because I’m a goose, I’ve deleted my askbox messages that were outstanding (pro-tip: don’t do the app on a touchscreen whilst you’re falling asleep) SO ANYWAY, what I’m saying regardless of whether we’ve interacted or not and/or whether we have a thread ongoing - don’t be afraid to do the thing. In the meantime, this muse is also on twitter here [ x ]

[94vousmevoyez]

// Screaming into the void for the 2 people who might see this that Sooj again casually dropped a single AND THE OPENING LINE OF IT - SOBS - and also I'm enjoying my own water to my rose. Sooj, Sooj pls. I came to say this and then shimmy back into the void.

[94vousmevoyez]

" so, um… how exactly did it manage to stay frozen solid on the inside, but scorch to a crisp on the outside? "

@jaenv // From 84 years ago

One could almost hear the cogs in Soojung’s mind turning as she too struggles to grasp precisely how the offending dish she’s currently staring at could indeed be incinerated on the outside but ice cold in the centre. A dish which silently stares back at her, incredulously, as though asking what she expected when she'd deviated from the instructions laid out in front of them. A question for which the answer skitters just beyond her grasp. Should she think about it, it’s funny how her culinary flair fluctuates between two self-proclaimed extremes: making and putting together delicious dishes for those she loves and barely being able to construct a sandwich. Speaking of humour, it’s starting to disrupt the impromptu staring contest she’s engaged their meal in. It doesn’t take long for her to yield to the inevitable, her head dips and her abashed laugh is partially muffled behind her palm. She has lost the impromptu staring contest. Lips part to utter one sole word in response to his query, “talent.” A bold assertion, one laden with a healthy serving of joviality.

[lightheartedsuggestion]

Protecting your own happiness isn’t selfish. You deserve every ounce of happiness.

[94vousmevoyez]

🧸 - Does your muse own any sentimental objects from their past? What makes it/them so special?

𝑀𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑆𝑦𝑚𝑏𝑜𝑙 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑠 @yaywons // Still accepting

Handwritten letters from those who have supported her up until now (be they fans, close friends or family) are ones she cherishes. They remind her of how much she's grown, both professionally and personally, and the things she's achieved to date. Words of encouragement within them are usually effective at soothing any anxieties or frustrations she experiences when she commences with a new project - in Soojung's own words, she always has to have at least one crisis within which she convinces herself that she can't do something and/or it won't turn out well - such letters however are persuasive and form part of the process which steel her resolve to try again.

She also has a Harvard bear keychain which she received as a gift from a childhood friend in the States. It used to go everywhere with her - well travelled, becoming a little worse for wear over the years - until she almost lost it in an airport. Fateful day which marked the end of an era as it has been retired to staying home ever since.

[soulprompts]

𝐂𝐎𝐎𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐌𝐏𝐓𝐒 (𝐏𝐓. 𝟏)

so, i absolutely love cooking! it's a passion of mine, i've been cooking for my family for years, people seem to find my food edible enough, and i recently found myself unable to cook at all for about a week, resulting in this little list coming into existence! i'm most likely going to make more of these, simply because the dynamics in a kitchen are varied as hell, right? we have romantic couples who cook together as a hobby, there's professional restaurant kitchen settings, baking oriented stuff, cooking with kids, there's a LOT to be done w the topic! so these are more for the chaos of someone who cannot boil an egg to save their life, vs. someone who enjoys cooking and is widely considered to be a dab hand at it! DO NOT ADD TO THIS LIST! but i do hope you enjoy it as much as i enjoyed making it!

" hey, hey, it's okay! we'll scrape off the burnt bits! "

" here, let me chop the onions, okay? you can dice the peppers and beef; just be sure to do them on separate boards, yeah? "

" you... you know the wine was for the stew, don't you?! "

" i swear to you, i don't know how this happened. i followed every single instruction, word for word! "

" taste this and tell me what you think! "

" oh my god... this is AMAZING! you should have your own cooking show! "

" you're kidding me! no way this whole thing is vegan! it's just too good! "

" so, um... i might have possibly accidentally tipped the entire jar of cayenne pepper into the soup... and by might have, i mean definitely. "

" i think i'm gonna have to ask you to leave the kitchen before you hurt somebody. "

" it says here to fold in the eggs... now, tell me, how exactly does one do that? "

" i might have over-exaggerated my cooking skills... and blown up the oven. "

" look, it sounds gross, but i'm telling you, when it's cooked right, it's the best thing ever! "

" i lied to my date and now they think i'm this amazing cook when i'm absolutely not, so please, can you spare me the lecture and just teach me how to cook? "

" woah, woah, woah... try chopping like this. yeah, that's it. you won't chop off your hand this way. "

" so, um... how exactly did it manage to stay frozen solid on the inside, but scorch to a crisp on the outside? "

" okay, remember when it asked for fifty grams of sugar? yeah. i accidentally used salt. "

" well, at least we know the smoke alarms work, right? "

" i ruined three knives, i have a roast chicken embedded in my ceiling, my oven officially needs therapy, and so do i! wanna call it quits and order a pizza? "

" i swear, you're one of those kitchen gods who can make ice cubes taste fantastic! "

" this is the fun part! take that tenderiser, and beat the absolute crap out of that pile of steaks. "

" i'm trying so hard not to judge you right now, but... onion goggles?! "

" how on earth did you get pasta sauce on the ceiling? "

" you know every single firefighter in town knows my name? and my top three favorite comfort foods to bring each time i trigger the fire alarm? yeah. that's my culinary reputation. "

" hey. it's okay. this isn't the first time i've burnt dinner. i have taco bell on speed dial. "

" sometimes recipes just don't work out. and that's okay! what matters is that you tried. "

" i didn't realize it was even possible to burn water! "

" ah... i see where you went wrong. the recipe uses paprika. this is chilli powder. "

" quit eating the batter, or we'll have no cupcakes at all! "

" no! no way. i'm not tasting anything cooked by you; not since your orange juice gave me food poisoning. "

" the last time i tried to cook, my pot roast ended up on fire and put a hole in my dry wall. i had to hang paintings over it until i could refill the crater. "

" no, you cannot cook chicken medium-rare. wanna know why? because that means it's raw. and you'll end up with food poisoning. and i'll have to tell you what a moron you were to even think that was an acceptable thing to do in the first place. "

" i thought you teaching me how to cook would be all soft and friendly, like the great british bake-off! but it's more like hell's kitchen. "

" no tears in my kitchen, thank you! "

" six fires in three hours is your personal best! only problem is, we're making fruit salad... "

" i understand that it's meant to be salted caramel, but... exactly how much salt did you use?! "

[thankyou-taeyeon]

KRYSTAL JUNG × Pomellato × ELLE Brilliant (2023 October issue)

[94vousmevoyez]

@momoriins from here [ x ]

✁  she cracks a smile, nose scrunching up in a playful manner. that’s the beauty of hirai momo’s mind, one minute a storm, the next, the calm. she casts away the unnerving sensations, sure that krystal’s words were not meant to rattle her so bad. that it was a momentary lapse. “if i have to choose, i’ll choose nothing, you know? that’s the fate i’ll choose. the fate of not choosing—anyway—” here’s the diversion tactic now, a curious expression plastered upon her face, “what is the fate you choose for yourself? what’s your path, unni?”

Too late, it’s far too late to retract such a straightforward statement. A gentle voice has done little to negate the impact of her thoughts – that much was evident from the sudden change in mood alongside the younger’s body language. To be vulnerable with another requires strength, trust, patience and to feel listened to without judgement The latter of which Soojung is able to provide should the younger of the two wish to share her thoughts and if she chooses not to then Soojung would accept it, wouldn’t push the matter.

Hesitation lay heavy on her tongue, teeth sinking into and ruthlessly assaulting her lower lip as she carefully arranges and rearranges her thoughts. That very hesitation nestles itself snugly within the syllables which she voices once she’s ready to articular them, “it’s hard isn’t it? When decisions are made for you for several years… from doing this and that each day, your outfits, what’s expected of you – to suddenly make decisions for yourself about what you want to do it can be frightening because of there’s a lot of what ifs, a lot of unknowns… is it something like this?” There’s only one person who can determine whether Soojung is on the right track – if she wants to respond even – and that is the younger woman herself.

Original question is redirected back to the older woman, one which elicits a sheepish laugh from the artist. In truth, indecision has been running rife with her for several years; just as she thinks a definitive decision lay within her reach something else comes along that she wants to try, pushing decisiveness just beyond her fingertips once again. There’s a mild spike of frustration whenever her peers have told her that she merely has to work harder to figure it out – as though it was that simple – and well that’s just a statement that feels outright unfair to the woman for she has been working hard since she was very young. “I don’t know,” comes her initial admission which comes paired with a nonchalant rolling of her shoulders, indicative of her uncertainty, “I want my work to have a very Krystal like quality to it but I don’t want to stick rigidly to an idea and I haven’t been able to figure out if I want to keep pursuing music or acting – or both. I’m really open to everything on this path right now.”

Yet more soft laughter is elicited by Soojung now, touched still with abashment, as swift to die off as it had been to appear with the flick of a dismissive hand, “it doesn’t seem right to say that we choose our own fate when my own path isn’t defined does it?”

There’s nothing wrong with not knowing what you want to do.

I don’t know either.

[94vousmevoyez]

💤 🗺️😖⛄️ 💘

𝑀𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑆𝑦𝑚𝑏𝑜𝑙 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑠 @greyface // Still accepting

💤  - How does your muse sleep? Are they a light sleeper, or are they out the moment their head hits the pillow? Do they nap? Do they struggle to sleep due to things like insomnia, or nightmares?

Soojung usually ends up falling asleep on her back but quickly switches to lying on her side, left or right, doesn’t seem to matter. For optimum comfort, she likes to be mostly (if not fully) covered by her blankets irrespective of the season, adjustments tend to be to what she’s sleeping in to avoid overheating throughout the warmer periods of the year. Being a night owl, she doesn’t tend to fall asleep until the very early hours of the morning and once she does there’s very little that can disturb her (inclusive of several alarms that are usually set if she’s got schedules.) Suffice to say, she’ll happily sleep until noon or early afternoon if the choice is left to her. However, she wouldn’t say she’s cantankerous if she’s disturbed before she’s good and ready to wake up despite what her expression and/or initial grumbling may suggest. She also possesses an ability to take impromptu naps almost anywhere and at anytime and usually does so when she has compact schedules making demands upon her time or when she’s been unable to sleep owing to those aforementioned schedules or any anxieties, she has that prevent her from obtaining a decent night’s sleep from time to time.

🗺️ - How often does your muse travel? Do they like to travel? Would they prefer to travel alone, or with friends? Where have they been? What was their favorite trip?

Fairly frequently and her schedules tend to be the culprit for her travelling relatively frequently. Not that Soojung tends to mind; she quite enjoys visiting different parts of the world even if her visits are only fleeting. The only factor she might find mildly frustrating is the limits that her schedules impose upon her to really explore during those said periods – but it just gives her an excuse to revisit them again at her own leisure.

How often Soojung travels purely for leisure depends upon the above. The same is applicable for whether she is travelling alone or with loved ones (the only difference being it depends on whether they’re busy.) Either way, she’ll predominantly visits European Cities or the USA – namely New York City and San Francisco for they hold very special places within her heart. That said, she won’t rule out staying close by for vacation; she is of the firm belief that each place has it’s own charm and there are many places she’s visited that also hold pieces of her heart.

Her favourite trip is subject to change but at present she’d say it was her visit to Capri, when she swam in the ocean after taking a boat trip.

😖 - Does your muse have any embarrassing moments that they still think about? Do they laugh at them, or do they haunt them?

Should anyone bring up any of her pre-debut tapes they’ll be met with abashed laughter a swift attempt to change the subject. There have been a few instances where her peers have commented on how she would say or do something so casually or coolly when everyone else would be nervous or hesitate because of those said nerves. Comments which have quickly been dismissed by Soojung with sheepish laughter and utterances of ‘I wasn’t ever like that.’  Needless to say, whilst she’s very grateful that she’s been able to pursue this path, she also finds thinking of this period as a little embarrassing.

If anyone were to show Soojung her own tapes again, she’d laugh, wince and demand that its turned off all for that’d just be too much for her.

⛄️ - What would be your muse's ideal weather conditions? Do they prefer being hot or cold? What's their favorite season?

There are no ideal weather conditions which immediately spring to mind save for it not being too hot. Soojung favours the cooler seasons of the year; they’re not too hot and she doesn’t have to use bug repellents which have their own various scents which she really, really does not like. Her absolute favourite season is the fall: there’s beauty in the seasonal changes to the city’s palette, it’s a good reason to wear her oversized sweaters and her birthday falls within the topical season – a real fall girl. Having said that, she can find something she likes about every season.

💘 - What is your muse like when they're in love? What does your muse find attractive in someone else? What are their love languages? How do they show affection? Do they show any distinct signs that they're in love?

Broad shoulders and muscular arms (but not overly so) are something that Soojung still finds physically attractive. That said, rather than focusing solely on someone’s physical appearance, she’ll look at someone holistically to establish whether their personalities fit with each other and if so, to naturally let things bud and develop from that point. There are some qualities which Soojung would consider as being good to have, such as being well-mannered and considerate, but she places more importance on them sharing a similar sense of humour, ways of thinking and interests.

Whilst she still may not excel at expressing herself with words (be it from a lack of knowledge, lack of confidence or both) she’s a very affectionate, loving soul. A firm believer in the concept that actions speak louder than words, that love and affection will mostly be expressed via her actions which would in summary include – but not limited to – quality time, small but meaningful actions and unwavering support of the other person. As a small piece of bonus information, the extent of physical affection she gives can depend upon her level of sobriety; Soojung becomes more affectionate than usual on the occasion that she’s had one drink too many.

Generally speaking, Soojung is someone who will be very committed to the relationship and will make the effort to make it work regardless of whatever difficulties the bond has to endure. So long as both parties are willing to maintain and nurture their relationship then to Soojung those difficulties don’t matter. It is only when communication starts to fail and/or the other party is unwilling to work with her to resolve any issues does she truly give up (for a lack of better words) on that relationship. Once it’s come to that point it’s time to part ways, even then Soojung endeavours to ensure there are no ill feelings. She won’t dwell upon it once it’s done. Once a relationship reaches this point, Soojung’s current stance is that there’s no going back. However, she’s also not opposed to the idea that someone could come along and convince her otherwise in the future – to date however no-one has.

As another small, bonus piece of information, the manner in which Soojung commits herself wholly to relationships (be it platonic or otherwise) has had Jessica express worry for her, telling her that she should let people do things for her rather than her (historically) undertake the lion's share for the other person.

[blossomfully]

Sue Zhao

[94vousmevoyez]

PEOPLE AS BIRDS

SPARROW

innocence, big dreamer, waking up too early, walking home, being afraid of meeting new people, slim hands, always cold, reading a book under a tree, the smell of the forest, missing your home.

EAGLE

independent, caring too much for others, sharp looks, walking down the city late at night, the tallest and most spectacular building, iron, being single and okay in a world that tells you that being single is bad.

SWIFT

falling in love easily and heavily, traveler, the infinity of the bluest sky, storms, broken smiles, forgetting people who used to be your beloved ones, feeling out of place, mistrusting people, a fleeting romance.

CROW

feeling as if you have seen so much and as if you know a lot, prejudge, tight hugs that leave you breathless, a grey sky, serenity, intelligence, being left behind, chains, smoke, the pride of someone wise.

DOVE

petals, jealousy, being tired of living with the same old faces, whispered secrets, marble, sundresses, white clothes, the first sunset of winter, pride in who you are, learning to get over someone.

SEAGULL

family, golden light, the sea murmuring in your ear, summer afternoons, caramel ice cream, collecting seashells and other things and calling them treasures, living breezy and carefree, swimming in sunlight.

CANARY

artistic, getting excited easily, dancing and singing while you are alone, looking at your friends having fun, no phone, being afraid of judgement, spring, a meaningful gift, the first ray of sunlight.

[5thoct]

“learn me slowly. please, be patient with my pages.”

— (via 4259147)

[94vousmevoyez]

Excerpts of a JSJ:

I will always support you, but don’t keep in touch.

Not everyone is a fan of Soojung’s frank manner of expressing herself. A reminder of that fact is contained within the when she hears isn’t that too harsh? Is this something you said to an ex? Did you get hurt in the past? Clearly elaboration needs to be provided but alas, the interviewee’s lips remain firmly sealed.

“It’s not like that.” Correction: it’s not like that now. In truth, Soojung has been quite badly hurt previously several years ago - closer to a decade to be precise – during a period when she had been young, naïve and foolish. A period of time wherein she had still been trying to develop and acquire a firm sense of who she is: what kind of person is she? What does she want? What does she even like – or not like? Come to think of it, how could anyone have claimed to truly love her when she herself hadn’t known herself that well? They couldn’t. Or they had indeed loved someone but it hadn’t been her but rather their idea of her. A flimsy foundation for a friendship let alone a romantic relationship.

Naturally, it had not taken very long for cracks to begin to form and transition into gaping chasms between the pair. Not that she would say either of the pair were entirely at fault. She had withdrawn each time she’d felt like she was falling short of an expectation of her, hadn’t communicated her thoughts or feelings effectively – owing to anxieties of any misunderstandings for she had still been clumsy in expressing herself – which had sown resentment into their relationship. Hers borne from wondering why she wasn’t good enough, whether if she wasn’t too this or that whether she could be enough and his from wondering why she’d become so cold to the touch. Resentments which had become nourished and overgrown over time. By the time they’d tried to do anything to cut them back, it had been too late. The relationship succumbed to the inevitable.

Silently, they'd separated.

She hadn’t quite broken free from the cycle of what ifs which had become closely acquainted with her when she hears that he was engaged months later. The only concrete answer she’d been able to provide her dear friends when they’d reached out to her had been that she felt ‘conflicted’ coupled with assurances that she’d be fine. For again, Soojung hadn’t known how to articulate the myriad of emotions that had descended down upon her when she’d received the news. Bittersweet (or something in the same family) may be the most apt emotion she’d felt at the time: a tug of sadness for what could’ve been but content that they were happy.

Not everything works out. Sometimes that’s for the best.

She’s matured a lot since then, experienced a breadth of things that have sculpted her into the woman she is now. She’s now armed with a firm sense of who she is. One that is unable to be shaken by the opinions of others as it had been so back then. No longer does she permit others to cut away her thorns in order to deem her a better rose.

“I always try and give it my all in all of my relationships, even my romantic ones. So, if we do break up then to me, we’ve definitely broken up. There’s no going back. If the other person and I mutually decided to end it, I won't have any regrets or dwell on it.” She presses on in the present now, providing further elaboration but likely falling short of satiating curious minds. Not that she intends to make any effort to do so. Some things are meant to be kept private.

You’ve never tried seeing or dating someone more than once?

“I think I may be like this because I’ve never had this happen to me – I’ve never experienced a wish to rekindle with someone,” musing which is paired with an easy rolling of her shoulders, “but who’s to say that it won’t happen in the future?”

[memedetonator]

☠ ― 𝑀𝑖𝑠𝑐𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑒𝑜𝑢𝑠 𝑆𝑦𝑚𝑏𝑜𝑙 𝐻𝑒𝑎𝑑𝑐𝑎𝑛𝑜𝑛𝑠. (𝐽𝑢𝑠𝑡 𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒 𝑓𝑢𝑛, 𝑖𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑞𝑢𝑒𝑠𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛𝑠 𝑡𝑜 𝑠𝑒𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑛 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑦𝑜𝑢𝑟 𝑚𝑢𝑠𝑒(𝑠).)

💤 - How does your muse sleep? Are they a light sleeper, or are they out the moment their head hits the pillow? Do they nap? Do they struggle to sleep due to things like insomnia, or nightmares?

❤️ - How did your muse come to realize their romantic and sexual orientations? Was it difficult to accept? Are they proud of who they are?

🧸 - Does your muse own any sentimental objects from their past? What makes it/them so special?

🛍 - Does your muse like to go shopping? What do they usually shop for? What kind of stores do they frequent?

🍔 - What kind of food does your muse usually eat? Do they have a favorite food, or favorite style of food? Do they have allergies? Are they vegan, vegetarian, etc.?

🍺 - How does your muse feel about the consumption of alcohol? Do they drink? Are they a heavy drinker, or are they on the lighter side? What's your muse's favorite alcoholic drink?

🎩 - What would your muse wear to a formal event? Do they dress more modestly, or do they go all out?

👠 - What kind of shoes does your muse usually wear? What is most comfortable for them in regards to footwear? Can your muse walk in high heels?

🎸 - Can your muse play any instruments? Do they play them often, or rarely? How actually skilled are they at playing them?

🎤 - Can your muse sing well? Do they sing often? If they were to stand up in front of a crowd, would they be able to sing in front of all of those people?

🗺️ - How often does your muse travel? Do they like to travel? Would they prefer to travel alone, or with friends? Where have they been? What was their favorite trip?

😖 - Does your muse have any embarrassing moments that they still think about? Do they laugh at them, or do they haunt them?

⛄️ - What would be your muse's ideal weather conditions? Do they prefer being hot or cold? What's their favorite season?

💘 - What is your muse like when they're in love? What does your muse find attractive in someone else? What are their love languages? How do they show affection? Do they show any distinct signs that they're in love?

🍡 - Can your muse cook? Can they bake? How well can they do either? Do they have any kitchen disaster stories?

⚾️ - Does your muse enjoy sports? Do they play any, or do they simply prefer to watch? Do they have a favorite sport?

🤸‍♀️ - How active is your muse? Do they exercise regularly? Do they do things like yoga? What else do they do to keep fit and active? Are they flexible? Can they do parkour?

👻 - How does your muse handle feeling scared? Do they enjoy horror? Do they believe in the paranormal? What calms your muse down? Do they have any scary stories?

🦵 - Does your muse have any physical ailments? How do they live with them?

🧠 - Does your muse have any mental ailments? How do they live with them?

🎶 - What kind of music does your muse listen to? Do they have a favorite genre? Do you think the aux cord would be taken away from them?

[svmmersxlstice]

@94vousmevoyez said: ❝want to go for a walk and check out all the lights? ❞ from here.

natsuki turned to look at the woman gracefully walking right next to her, burying her frost-bitten pink nose further into her wool scarf and wriggling her gloved fingers in her coat pockets as she contemplated the invitation. winter has finally arrived in seoul, covering the streets with endless delicate piles of snow. normally, she would be rushing home to get all warmed up and cozy, not quite a fan of snow despite the fun activities she used to do back in the day, but there was something in krystal's cheerful, hopeful voice that drew her in to stay outdoors a little longer. ❝ sure! but only if you treat me to a delicious cup of hot chocolate with extra sprinkles and marshmallows after! ❞ she teases with a grin, already linking arms with her and ready to face the cold.

[94vousmevoyez]

Winter is one of Soojung’s favourite times of the year; there’s a certain charm about the city when a blanket of snow settles itself in should one ask her. Alas, it’s a season that is seconded only by Autumn, purely due to her birthday falling within in it but that’s digressing. Back to the topical season “You’re a tough negotiator,” comes the voicing of her initial thoughts. A contemplative hum is the next thing from the artist, lips pursing as though genuinely mulling over this particular deal. An illusion which is shattered by the woman’s next utterance, “it’s a deal.” And with that, their course is steered in the direction of the market they’d just been negotiating an agreement for. “Shouldn’t we get some food from the market to match? It keeps the cold away, right?”

[ohyiyoung]

Krystal Jung

Cannes Film Festival 2023

[94vousmevoyez]

Previously with @automaticfurytaco

Sungil’s countenance may be hard to read in its neutral state, but a slight change provides plenty of information to those who have spent enough time trying to understand him. Unwavering, the man takes in the minimal commentary from Soojung, ready to give answers. He cracks a smile. “Simply existing? Sure. It’s alright, some days. Doesn’t take much to just be, so long as you exist in the moment. Not worrying about the past, or the future. If you need a moment to pause life for whatever reason, that’s okay.” His speech halts, small nods ending his musing. Surely he has done that too. There are moments requiring nothing but being present. Thoughts revolving around the matter circulate in his mind—the loop of existing without living could pull one in without a warning. That is a different matter. That is different kind of existence, or more like the lack of it. What he just briefly mentioned before turns into thin air. She is asking the real questions, it seems. Despite straying away from fear, this pathway keeps him on the edge. How easily she asks these questions is fascinating. Perhaps it’s the comfortable space around them, the environment they’ve created over the years for thoughts to roam free. They sound so serious, talking about personal matters like this. “I don’t have anything defined for that,” he then says, his gaze trailing back towards Soojung after wandering off for a few seconds. “To me, living is about being present and enjoying the moment. Being content with where I am in life, being truly at peace. Learning. Experiencing and doing the things I really want to do. Feeling accomplished.” Known for his laid-back nature and the good vibes he constantly talks about, this seems spot on. His responses aren’t as detailed as some might expect. There are no concrete examples, not a single ‘this thing in particular is what I want to get’. That is a little more to inquire. “That’s not much, is it?”

How many years (correction: decades) has it been already since they’d met? They’re not quite the same people they had been when a shy, tiny Soojung had met a tiny Sungil – that went without saying. Aspirations and plans may be tweaked as an individual matures and collects experiences. A concept that the woman is very aware of; younger versions of herself had big plans for her which she should’ve reached by now. Ambitions which are now a source of ample amusement for the woman whenever she is reminded of a much younger Soojung’s determination to achieve them.

Quietly, she listens to Sungil’s thoughts, soft affirmative sounds being the only sound to communicate that he still has her attention. “Oh I’ve definitely done my share of simply existing.” An admission which comes with an abashed laugh. One which is quelled almost as quickly as it had surfaced.

Sungil’s answers to her initial questions provide two things. The primary being confirmation that they’re on very similar wavelengths at this point in their lives. As Soojung has matured, she has become more relaxed in nature and a care free soul has become increasingly apparent albeit fretting less and less about this or that remains a work in progress. The secondary being further questions which begin to flourish within the woman’s thoughts as she listens. “I don’t think it’s too little to want to live a life with few regrets and feel accomplished -- it’s something that sounds simple but it’s not as straight forward as that because accomplishing something like this is different for each person.” Initial musing which is paired with an easy shrugging of her shoulders. He has however raised some interesting points and it doesn't take long for intrigue once again gets the better of her and another query slips from her with relative ease. “Do you know what it is that you want to do or are you still deciding?”