i was walking by the beach saw jovi kuk! i wonder what they’re doing here all by themselves. they’re apparently ( amiable and optimistic ) but also ( lethargic and escapist ). when i think of them, i think of fresh summer tans, a wall of postcards and the smell of surf wax. well, i hope to run into them in the future!
hello! i’m deni ( she/them ; GMT+9 ) and this is my version of a beach bum, jovi. i’m looking forward to putting him together with all of your lovely muses. below is some information about his character as well as a few wanted connections if you’d like to plot! i can be reached over IMs or discord. feel free to hit me up if you’d like to brainstorm! <3
stats.
full name. jaebeum “ jovi ” kuk
age. twenty five
birthday. march 14th
gender identity. cis man ( he/him )
element. water
aspirations. own a hundred house plants, keep a fresh and fertile herb garden. go vegetarian. own a art studio. make his parents proud. find love. see the whole world. collect a postcard from every city he visits. write a lifestyle blog.
fears. darkness. cramped spaces. credit card statements. loneliness. becoming stagnant, giving up on all of his hopes and dreams. letting his parents down. never leaving his hometown again. never finding true love. losing all of his friends.
background.
adopted at a young age, jovi’s spent most of his early years in the united states. doted and beloved, he did everything he could to please his parent as he chased his own dreams. theater kid, swim team, and community outreach programs kept him busy through high school, and in college he double-majored in art and business management. worked shifts at his parents’ yoga studios for extra cash ( though let’s be real, he has and is riding his parents’ wallets happily ). around his junior year of college, jovi opted to study abroad and fucked off to anywhere. first to seoul and tokyo, then europe and southeast asia for a gap year(s). hopped around the globe on unpaid internships, underpaid “jobs” and parents’ money, barely made time to update his family that he was alive, let alone thriving in the twisted streets of somewhere. after returning to cornell beach a few months ago, jovi’s slipped comfortably back into his groove - or so he thinks. his parents recently dropped the bomb that his worldly adventures have inspired them and they’re anticipating an earlier retirement than planned. and guess who they want at the helm of their family business?
- moved with his family to cornell at thirteen
- did a year of community college and transferred to a state school. then, international
- incredibly privileged. sees nothing wrong with his dependency on his parents, or how he’s used it to his advantage
- not as Woke as you’d think in terms of economic issues
- did a couple of amateur surfing competitions as a teenager. thought about going pro, but he’s not nearly talented enough at it
personality.
sun sign. pisces. compassionate and artistic, gentle and wise. overly trusting and escapist, tending to get lost in daydreams and imagination. likes being alone and soft music. a little sad, doesn’t know why. feels at peace by the ocean and, on the outside, is fairly calm. an incorrigible romantic who’s driven by passion. surprisingly adventurous, but devoted to his friends. incredibly expressive and doesn’t shy away from conflict.
moon sign. leo. a sunny optimist with a noble air. generous, proud and loyal. craves stability but runs from it. holds onto grudges and is deeply resentful of people who seem to capture the light better than he does. melodramatic and a risk-taker. incredibly self-confident, but tender at the heart. has a lot of bravado and is cheery, but sensitive and can be easily hurt by people he trusts.
chinese zodiac. pig. simple, honest, and lovely. sympathetic and understand of others’ problems when they’re open to hearing about them. quick tempered and a perfectionist. far from frugal, a bit quick to give away or spend the cash in their pocket. carries a good heart, with a honest and sincere personality.
hobbies. yoga. making pottery. sewing, sketching, and tailoring old clothes. thirfting. watching his pet snails. long walks on the boardwalk and tipping buskers. boating. gardening and tending to houseplants. dying his hair. catnaps in the middle of the day. making candles. going to poetry readings to #feel the vibe and drink expensive whiskey cocktails. eyeing cheap flights. planttok. collecting receipts from nights he wants to remember.
wanted.
best friend. a fallen-out friend. a heartbreak. kindred spirit. soft stans. wild nights. abroad partners. current roommate. crush. harbored hate. clients at the studio. old rivalries die hard. neighbor. new friends. old co-workers. childhood friends. friend group. personal assistant ( for what, you’d ask. for what indeed. ) past workers at the yoga studio. friends he’s tailored and / or made clothing for. unlikely friendships. sour notes.
“i just don’t get it, you know? like, if you’re not actually interested, then why lead someone on? why screw with someone’s heart like that??” riley laments in frustration, cheeks puffing out like a squirrel. it wasn’t like he expected the other to have an answer for him, but it felt like somewhat of a relief to at least get this off his chest. “i feel like such a dumbass. i mean, they basically told me that i was stupid too. ‘you write songs like you’re at a third grade reading level.’ ugh, i just wanna disappear!“
"people,” jovi scoffs from behind a pair of plastic, cheap star-shaped sunglasses. it’s the middle of the day and he’s a cloud under the sun —— floating, fluffy. beaming down at that round-cheeked, wide-eyed punk with a problem. “dating. heartbreak. i mean, who does that?” shoves a couple of fries and the straw of a baja blast between his lips. they’re mourning, dude. jovi’s boredom and riley’s bitter, broken heart. what a duo they make. he snaps his fingers, “know what you should do? write a song about them. call it kindergarten or something. they’ve got bricks for brains, obviously. your songs are, like, fucking buddy holly level. better, because you’re not also a beat person.”
“look —— i’m not a med student or nurse like some people,” a smile, playful, “but i’ll tell you. this stuff? works.” jovi picks a bottle of vitamins from the shelf to show. it’s a sunny afternoon, a typical work day at his parent’s yoga studio. on the speakers, the beach boys croon at a low, easy volume. warm rugs cover the sand-colored tiles and soft lights hang above a jungle of plants and vines draped throughout the lobby.
the arrangement of medicines on the shelves is a new addition —— jovi’s idea. freshly unboxed this morning. as he lingers, jovi fidgets with the display to make it just right. “and those vitamin drinks over there, dude? they’re all over japan and korea. you should try them for a couple of days. give me your expert opinion.” ( @nurseronan )
the windows of the studio are wide open, sunlight and street sounds filtering through. jovi stands in front of a blank canvas with his hands on his hips, head tilted to the side as he thinks. and thinks. and thinks. ( why can’t he think of anything? why is his mind like this canvas —— wide and empty and bare. )
he misses his clay, the shape of it in his hands. thought maybe switching mediums with the other artist in the studio could set a fire in his brain, but he’s still rattling. grasping. wants to dig into the paints and make a mess but . . .
“do you know how to turn the wheel on?” he asks suddenly. turns and grabs the stained smock on the chair to throw over his snuggly overalls. jovi ties it around his waist as he walks towards mia, “might not be plugged —— i don’t know who use this last. let me see——” ( he’s avoiding ) ( @romanofm )
this was not how gigi was expecting her evening out to turn out, but leave it to her to end up in a messy situation like this. though, she has to admit she’s somewhat grateful for the turn of events, as it could always be worse—at least she’s not the one in the back of that cop car. “i didn’t even get to eat,” she replies. “i barely took a bite from my entrée before little nutty mcnutterson decided to lose his freaking marbles.” she really wasn’t sure what all had happened, but she did know that the guy who’d already been taken away had been the only one to react in the most unhinged way possible. “he should pay for it, not you. i doubt this stain is coming off anyway; i should probably sue him for damages.” she glances around her, and she can’t help but notice there’s still nosey people checking out the scene. “we should probably make our graceful exit now. as much as i love being the center of attention, i don’t think this is a good look for me.”
“we can go in together. class-action lawsuit.” jovi squints at her outfit, keen eye picking up on the details of a nice set of garments. high quality, splashed with middle-shelf vodka and shrimp sauce. sad. he mourns. “yeah, let’s —— go.” it’s hard to look confident covered in food after that tantrum. standing in the middle of the room in a colorful, questionable shirt he bought abroad, jovi feels his confidence shrivel and die like the fish on their plates. with a last glance at the staff clearing the mess, jovi walks to the counter only to be told the meal is comped for them both. on the house. it’s clear jovi and gigi were bystanders to the unfortunate incidence. jovi’s server must have told them about the bickering before, the apolgoetic glances from jovi himself during the first course and drinks of their meal. with a quiet thanks, jovi steps outside. feels lighter already, “still hungry?” he turns to gigi. “how does apologetic chinese take-out sound?. come on. my treat.”
Her eyes flashed with annoyance as he replied, grabbing a handful of napkins and trying to clean up the sauce on her shirt as well as she could. Was this even her shirt? She couldn’t tell— she scowled and rolled her eyes as Jovi brought up that it was Gucci, because of course it was. And yet, he was offering to pay for the bill, and she wasn’t about to say no to that. She quickly unlocked her phone, pulling up her phone number and showing it to him. “Lose my number after you’re done, please.”
“oh god, don’t be such a brat. i’m being nice,” jovi groans, rolling his eyes as he punches the number into his phone. he shoots her quick message with his name, not even bother to save the contact information. shirt past ruin, he’s abandoned any hopes of saving it with the wipes and napkins, discards them in a nearby bin. “this was fun,” he huffs. gives her a glance, “let’s do it again sometime.”
the girl laughed, shaking her head at herself. “oh god, it was that bad?” she mused, thinking about just how ridiculous it looked. the girl looked to her board, letting out a sigh of relief. “thank god lucy is alright.” she hummed, giving it a once over just to make sure. she was just about to answer his question when he gave her the heads up, and if it hadn’t been for the adorable babies, she probably would have made them go around her but she quickly popped up, moving to the side as the group passed them. “thanks, i would have been roadkill.” she laughed, moving back to the center of the sidewalk.
“lucy’s a strong woman.” jovi glances around the concrete to see what caused the upset to begin with. his eyes land on a few stray pebbles and his eyebrows shoot up. he points, “that’s what rocked your world? nature, man. always humbling us.” the zumba class rolls past after jovi helps dezzie move out of the path. he waves off the curiious, concerned glances but accepts a handful of baby wipes. “here. let me help you? got any other bangs and bruises you wanna look at?”
“wash n dry?” luca asks. “it’s literally the only laundromat here that i know,” he shrugs his shoulders. he’s more into the record shops anyway. “sure,” he smiles. it’s not like he’ll be completely shirtless while his shirt is being de-stained. because he’s wearing a white tank top underneath. “what did he say?” luca asks because he’s inappropriate and he doesn’t know boundaries or when to shut up. but he’s curious, so he pushes. “i can’t believe this is not your worst date,” he chuckles a bit. “nah, just some fries, but it’s not like i was going back home to meet someone. today is not a date night for me.” the cop car starts the engine and soon it’s driving down the street. “bye asshole!” luca shouts and waves at the car with a smug smile on his face.
jovi nods, “yeah, that one.” treated his delicate blouses so well, the only shop his dad swore by for pressed suits. jovi waves a bye to the manager and heads down the street, avoiding looking back at the cop car as it pulls away from the curb. “don’t wanna repeat,” he grimaces, uncomfortable. “not to excuse him but pretty sure he had, like, a couple of drinks before showing up. you know how stuff just pops out of mouths like that.” street lamps flicker on and the night, salty chill settles in. the laundromat isn’t too far, luckily, and it’s right by a pretzel shop to slide in for a quick bite. “so, just a treat yourself kind of night? maybe you can bring a date for your next comped meal? friend date or something.” the manager felt horrible about the tables around jovi and his date’s. gave them all a free meal voucher for their next visit. ( did not pass that along to jovi. he’s trying hard not to be a little bitter about that. )
there was no doubt that wyatt was acting like a complete dick . but when it came to things cutting him where it hurt his defenses went up and the walls began to build and build around him . guiltily , he came at it in a very ugly way . it was toxic to throw things in people’s faces because of how shit he felt about them in that moment or because he felt insecure about his own shit that he had to drag jovi down with him . wyatt knew that it wasn’t a healthy way of being and he knew that he was more than likely the one in the wrong in this situation . ( in a situation that honestly , wasn’t either of their faults . ) that was until wyatt made it his fault for reacting the way he was . did that mean he’d be able to look at this knowledge in the back of head now ? no , probably not . he was too fired up and impulsive to really think about it right now . instead he was reacting off of toxic emotion . was that an excuse ? no , it wasn’t . it was a ugly look . “ maybe this is just who i fucking am ? i’m not gonna pretend things are fucking chill and i don’t want any handouts from anyone , especially you . “ the male spat back , the words felt bitter coming out and only caused him to feel worse instead of better . “ but sure , i’ll fucking leave . that seems to always be the answer for you . gotta love irony . “
jovi tries to keep his cool. really, he does. but wyatt’s —— wyatt’s being so unreasonable! “what, you’re too good for money now? it’s just dry cleaning, wyatt, what the fuck.” they’re making a scene. almost as big as the one that took place inside just moments before. but jovi —— he really doesn’t have time for this. he doesn’t have the patience to deal with whatever wyatt’s throwing at him. and at the mention of irony, jovi rears back. physically takes a step like wyatt’s just smacked him. recoils, “is this about europe?” a harsh whisper. spat out, gasped. at least he’s quieter, glaring at someone he thought was his friend in the middle of the fucking street on a fucking saturday night. “seriously, that’s what this is about? you know i——” ( “boys, i need you to come down to the station and make a report,” he’s interrupted by a cop in black, pasty face glancing uneasily between the two. notebook in hand. )
“we don’t,” jovi starts to reply, shooting wyatt a quick glance. fuck, he can’t believe wyatt’s getting dragged into this. sighing heavily, jovi licks his lips and looks at the officer, “do we have to? don’t you have everything you need?”
They were all lucky that the cops showed up quick. Fenix was ready to gut the guy after the scene he pulled at the restaurant. It worked out because Fenix hated the girl he was seeing. She was hot but the girl infuriated him. All she wanted to talk about was superficial bullshit and things she knew he wanted to hear. At one point he was listing off things he hated but made it sound like he liked them. Only for her to agree a thousand percent on everything he said. So he had to thank the guy on some parts from saving him from another agonizing few hours.
However, it still didn’t save him from the stains in his flannel and jeans. He sighed ready to kick the road and find a place to chill for the rest of the night. Maybe sneak into a movie theater and try to catch the first half to Monster Hunter. He glanced over at the guy as he rearranged his snapback, “After that? I think I should be paying for your therapy bill.” Fenix snorted, “Nah man, it’s whatever. What the fuck can you do? It saved me from dealing with my dumbass date… How’d you two even meet?”
jovi runs a hand through his hair, ruffling the back. "apps. y’know. trying to get back int he swing of things,” he shrugs lamely. watches as the car rolls out and the manager leaves with dirty towels and napkins in hand. at least jovi’s clean now ( enough. ) “dumbass date? you too, huh?” jovi can’t help but laugh, “lucky night. bet there were a bunch of other dates ruined back there.” he pauses. “or made. had to inspire some decent table talk for a change.” dinner and a show. some people really got it made tonight. too bad it wasn’t either of them.
the sky’s getting darker. streetlights flicker on. jovi couldn’t have spent more than a half-hour in the restaurant, and his stomach’s still grumbling. he shakes off the idea of going back inside to finish what was left of his plate. he’s had enough pasta for the night. “are you still hungry?” he ventures. offers, “i’m in the mood for a drink and something not italian if you’re down. least i could do for all the——” jovi waves his hand over their mess.
luca looks down at his clothes, he’s wearing one of his favorite shirts and cream sauce does not look well with it. “yeah, well…” he sighs, “at least the dickhead gets to ride in the cop car and everyone gets to see it, so…” luca shrugs. he doesn’t even know how he got involved in this shit, he just wanted to buy some fries and eat them on the way back home. “nah, it was just fries… but i won’t say no to dry cleaning, this is one of my favorites,” he chuckles, gesturing to his stained shirt. “what about you? are you okay, man? it seemed like you were excited and now your date’s right there. how did that happen?”
"i can take it to my favorite shop if you want. they’ve never done me wrong. it’s actually just down the street if you wanna . . . ?” jovi points over his shoulder and trails off, but the offer still hangs. at the mention of his date from hell, he shrugs. musters up a smile, “no clue. one minute we’re trading stories about bangkok and the next he’s saying some dumb shit. i called him out on it and end up wearing our dinner.” jovi gets a sheepish look, "actually not the worst date i’ve been on, but i hate you got pulled into this. didn’t mess up anything for you, did it?” hopeful. it’s bad enough luca’s shirt is covered in pasta sauce, but jovi will feel terrible if he’s not the only one with a shitty date night.
it was honestly , just wyatt’s luck that not only was he pulled into some cocktail inspired squabble but he was also standing next to jovi . more than likely , one of the last people that wyatt wanted to be around . enemies was one thing but two people that used to be the best of friends and fell out ? there was nothing more uncomfortable . at least for wyatt . mostly because he knew that jovi knew a lot about him that now , he’d rather it be erased from the other males memory . “ are you ? “ of course , none of it was jovi’s fault and wyatt was being petty by throwing shade but he couldn’t help it . “ i’ll pass but hey , look at you trying to clean up your boyfriends messes , so sweet . “ looking down at his clothes , wyatt sighed before looking at the other again . “ you sure know how to pick ‘em , don’t you ? “
“of course i am,” jovi frowns, wounded. “why would you even say that?” he doesn’t know where things went wrong with wyatt. looking at wyatt’s face, jovi can hardly believe he’s the same guy he used to shoot the shit with. taking a damp towel from the restaurant’s manager, jovi blots at the mess on the thighs of his pants, the sauce on his collar. “and he’s not my boyfriend. a tinder thing. it’s not—— whatever.” mumbling that tastes like shame and he scowls as the mess on his clothes doesn’t go away, only spreads and spreads the harder he rubs and—— “fuck off, wyatt” jovi snaps. something ugly and mean twists at his brow. “i apologized, didn’t i? if you’re not going to take my money then shut up about it. i’m not the one that made the mess. i didn’t ask to get seated next to you in there.” he narrows his eyes, “if you haven’t noticed, my night isn’t turning out the best either, all right. what do you want me to do about it, huh? be an ass somewhere else. i don’t want to hear it.” ( he’d never thought he’d be talking to wyatt like this. all that playfulness gone, glare meant to hurt. )
after all the trouble, mia now came out of her static state of surprise to one of starting to find the whole situation simply hilarious. she was standing beside him, covered in cocktail and some sauce, holding the corner of her lip between her teeth to hold a laugh. whether it was a nervous laugh or not, it was difficult to know. bringing her hand up to the nape of her neck, she scratched lightly, turning her emerald orbs to jovi, slightly wrinkling her nose. “ actually, i’m sorry… it seemed like a very promising date. ” she said, studying his face to see if he looked the least bit upset. “ dry cleaning seems like a good compensation for me. ” she finished with some sympathy. herself understood about dates that ended up in complete mess.
“right,” he laughs weakly. “what gave it away? the bickering about appetizers, or the way he treated the waitress when she mentioned the drink menu?” jovi forgot how awful tourists around here could be. with their sunburned noses and suitcase clothes, the my vacation attitude pouring out. ( he was never this insufferable. ) “cool, let me just —— ” jovi pats his pockets and freezes. “ah.” fuck. his cheeks warm, “so, i didn’t bring my wallet . . .” and his samsungpay hasn’t updated with his domestic card yet. “let me just—— one moment——” jovi fumbles to pull out his phone and jams at a few key only to stare at a black screen. the charging port’s damp, phone wet at the back. oh, right. the water pitcher incident. shit. “can i—— could i maybe borrow your phone?”
dezzie couldn’t help but laugh from embarrassment as she saw jovi’s face come into her vision, his comment only making her laugh harder. “one.” she chuckled, before covering her face with her arm. “don’t look at me, i’m an embarrassment.” the girl said, making fun of herself. she knew it probably looked bad, but she felt fine. the only thing that was really hurting was her pride. she finally removed her arm from over her face, shaking her head. “i can’t believe you had to saw that. did i at least look like a bad ass when i fell?” she mused.
he grins, and it lights up his whole face. she’s awake and alert at least. “total badass,” he assures gravely, “just like all those baby panda videos.” dropping to a crouch at her side, he bounces on his heels. “saved your board. it looks fine, wheel didn’t pop off or anything. and don’t worry —— i think everyone’s inside at this hour. only a few cars passed but they’re probably texting and driving.” jovi pats her arm, “your pride’s safe and sound. how’s your neck? you thinking you want to move or lie for a bit?” he glances behind them and squints down the sidewalk. “heads up : some zumba class’s coming with strollers.”
Her bad day had gotten so much worse, and she just raised an eyebrow at Jovi, gesturing to the mess on her clothes. Sure, if she was being completely honest, this wasn’t his fault. In fact, she felt kind of bad for him. But right now she couldn’t exactly be mad at whoever Jovi’s date was, so it was just easier to direct her annoyance at Jovi. “Yeah, sure.” Her words were clipped as she downed what little wine was left in the glass she was holding. “Do you always go on dates with people as annoying as you are?”
jovi picks up a stack of napkins from an outdoor table. “only if i’m running into you,” he clips, patting at the stain blooming on his blouse. the sauce only smears into the stain, off-white and damp. sticky where it touches his skin. “this is gucci. it’ll never come out,” he pouts, annoyed. mourning for his third-favorite shirt. “listen, just,” he huffs, so not in the mood to deal with charlotte of all people, but he pulls himself together. straightens, runs a hand through his hair and comes out with noodles and shrimp. just —— fantastic! “text me the receipt of the bill, yeah? i’ll take care of it.” he pulls out his phone, “give me your number.”
