From Los Angeles to Seoul

A rookie roaming the world ♥ Charisma +421 / Creativity +393 / Dancing +281 / Singing +479 / Rapping +385 ► For Closed RP only ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲ ▼ ▲

[aronrk]

thank you. goodbye.

it’s been a good run.

really. i joined rookies just shy of its 1-year anniversary way back in 2014, with aron the tenacity that was such a vigorous muse in a vibrant environment. in the 6 years here, i’ve seen rookies grow into a really huge family, and i feel like rookies saw me grow from a depressed, lonely homebody that’s struggling to find her footing in life to...slightly less depressing but at least found a sustainable job that really got me to adulting. it’s been that long, that’s for sure.

there’s no doubt lots of ups and downs. i’m someone with my own vocal thoughts and i’ve gotten into my own squibbles on twitter with others. but now i just want to say a very big thank you to everyone who have listened to me, and to the admoos who did what they needed to do to keep this rp running for 7 years. it’s crazy and unprecedented, and i believe this hard work needs to be credited. thank you. no matter what, you helped to give a home to many muses and build a thriving community.

from aron, to nayoung/zoe and kaeun, i can say that i’m one of the luckier muns who really manage to at least touch the base goal of a debut with all three of them. zoe who was an unexpected invitation to a group that she called her second family; kaeun who was always supposed to be the girl who debut when she wasn’t ready and actually did; aron, my baby who suffered the most but still, saw his dream come to fruition. 

it’s a shame that their potential couldn’t be explored further (well, officially), but at the same time, this announcement couldn’t be more timely. having struggled balancing work in an sme with long work hours and three muses took a huge toll on my mental wellbeing that i was really barely hanging on for the threads and points. i couldn’t plot with as many people as my muses desired, and that’s a shame on me. 

but their stories will live on in my mind (rent free!) forever. all the connections we’ve made over the six years, muses who left and returned and left, muses who were there from beginning to end. our muses remember them always and fondly so. rookies gave my 3 kids a true development to becomeing idols and role models in their own way, and a chance for me to really live out my writing dreams of scrulping 2d characters in the flesh. it’s...amazing. this is the biggest takeaway that i will always take with me - my 3 kids growth, memories, and my lovely friendships with some of the muns that were amazing.

at the end of my rambling mess, i just want to thank every single person here. you made rookies have a good run. thank you. 

below are more thoughts on each character and their future developments.

nayoung / zoe of luxe

from feeling out of place as a dancer-only performer to becoming a stable singer, and confident wallflower that’s so well-loved by her peers and fiance, nayoung has had a wonderful journey. 

she will continue her journey as a member of luxe till the 7 years is up. she loved luxe with all her heart and she won’t steer away from that. her main focus will be luxe, then the subunit lemon syrup (rip the oc dream) and of course, doing modeling, dancing and choreography and fashion design on the side.

at about 4-5 years into luxe, nayoung will go public with her relationship with namwoo, they will sort out the things they needed to at this point in time because all the short meetups and nayoung’s back and forth attitude and worries took a toll on their relationship, but they will overcome it and be together. once he’s comfortable with going public, and after telling the girls who are always supportive, she’d like to open up.

at the end of her contract, she’s going to get married! and then start focusing on her fashion design side of things. she will remain a member of luxe as long as the fans, royal and her members want her to stay, but if there’s a huge hoohaa then she would leave and support luxe members as the fashion designer/concept designer of the group uwu. 

she will also open up her own fashion brand that she’s already been working on every now and then to fulfill her second dream. being married, she doesn’t want nor needed to go to paris for an internship anymore. she’d stay in seoul and set up a mega fashion brand that includes 3 line: one for luxury wedding outfits where she will help to do consultation and design for her idol friends and more. two is her athletic line that would also be available at namwoo’s dance studio, introducing stylish outfits for dailiy wear and sporting needs. last but not least, a trendy casual line that’s ecofriendly and affordable for her lovely fans as she wants everyone to have something. 

she’d have two, if not three kids if possible, and lead a happy happy life with her loved ones. 

kaeun of and*roma

the girl who never expected to debut will become a force to driving general public recognition to the group and put bread on the table in her own way because * ambition *!

kaeun will also fulfill her 7 year contract, even though she will definitely dive deep into her own solo ventures in the world of modeling and acting. she will definitely want hands in producing edm tracks ( such as black dress, no oh oh ) and she’s comfortable taking a backseat when it comes to stage performance.

after her 7 year, she will likely be the honorable member of androma where she will be there if needed. she will probably go more into voice acting and stay behind the scenes, dropping a mixtape every now and then or produce songs for other members. on top of that, kaeun would take up a few fashion cf, lead roles in film and tv, projects, probably not a lot as she would like to focus a lot more on herself and things she want to learn and experience in life. and set up her youtube, again.

furthermore, she always liked charity and volunteering, so i can see her divulging her time into that. either in korea or going overseas. she probably would end up being like one of those honorary ambassador for culture at one point in time XD

her love life is...to be decided (eye emoji) but she has been more work focus than love life focus predominantly, though i can see her stepping into a steady commitment with her love and hopefully, get to see it blossom into something more like a family at the end of it. 

after marriage, kaeun would settle down even more as she liked being a housewife, but she’s not going to stop pursuing her passions and interests. makes life more interesting, you know! and she’d love to keep in contact with all her members and friends. :)

aron of nsg

my longest running muse who has had his own developments over 6 years, and a true joy of my life. he’s my proudest muse with his unprided moments and growth. i always hoped that you guys loved interacting with him as much as i did enjoy playing him. and he is also the most sentimental muse that will remember everyone he’s been close friends with. a real baby, but he wants to send a special shoutout to kt and nsg boys and his squad/antisquad. 

debuting in nsg has fulfilled his biggest dream to date and he will never forget it. this is the reason for his continued loyalty to kt and his fellow members. as the group grows bigger, aron will learn how to work with everyone, and learn to love everyone just the same, like a big extended family. he’s closest to the initial members but he’d grow and be a dependable sunbae for new ones joining. 

throughout his career, he would carve a niche for himself in hosting radio, becoming a soloist (his second biggest dream), producing songs for nsg’s different units, and of course, lead one of nsg’s unit in his own way. he’s definitely more musically focused, though he dabbles in everything else at some point in time. 

after nsg, he will bid goodbye and likely join jieun/minsoo’s company if the offer still stand. he wants to focus a lot on producing and perhaps even help to produce an idol group of his own, and he wants to go to LA and pursue music in his hometown and country. that would be a story to tell in the future, but it’s always in his workings. and to make music with his squad mates? hell yeah!! 

however, whenever nsg needed, whenever kt calls, rest assured that he will always be there for them. be it vocal coaching, writing songs, performing again for special events, he will be there.

i see him retaining all his contacts throughout his life, keeping a close watch over them and calling them time to time to check up on them. after all, they are comrades as they are family.

lastly, he will start dating the goddess of his life, yoona after confessing to her with a song. they’ll learn and grow with each other, having a steady, fun and yet lovely life together and eventually get married. aron will wait to see where yoona wants to go after that and where she’d like to settle down, but i would think aron would invest and buy a few places around the world depending on his investment allowance, and so they can be global citizens and travel all around. 

and he wants kids, at least two :’) he says yoona’s genes are too gorgeous and the world deserves to see more in new generations! their babies are going to be the cutest!! *having his proud dad moment already*

and yep, he will definitely have his strawberry farm. any idol who wants to go there on a date gets special discounts XD

all three of my muses blogs will remain open and im always on twitter at aniuver. so hmu if you’d like to plot, thread occasionally and you know what, take all the info above as you will and use it for your solos and stuff! my muses are all yours to take and have fun with.

i’ve explored all my muses and their development a lot in the last few years, so it ties up nicely. this is probably the end of them except for the few occasions (like i said, if you ever wanna meet them i’m just one dm away).

that said, i will be bringing an au version of aron into legacy! if any of you are there or planning to head there, feel free to plot with me. while he fulfilled his idol dreams and all here in rookies, i plan to venture into his production passion over there, so he will have a new life and name (moon joshua) when he’s ready. 

otherwise, i will see you guys whenever i do see you. everyone, take care, stay safe. love you all.

thank you.

goodbye.

[jkookrk]

『 3 AM 』

⇢ outgoing to: @aronrk

when jeongguk makes his way back from the gym and sees light burning in one of the practice room, his curiosity makes him poke his head in only to find a familiar figure on the ground with a towel over their face. admittedly he’s worried sick about the nsg boys. knowing the gist of how messed up the whole debut process has been so far, the dancer feels progressively worse for his inability to actually be there and support them in his own unique way.

holding onto the string of his back tighter he decides he can at least try to do what he can for now until he makes up his mind if he wants to rip his own contract to shreds or not. 

“earth to hyung. you’re good there?” his voice sounds almost eerie so early in the morning in the silent practice room. jeongguk squats down and gentle nudges the towel off aron’s face, tilting his  head with a raised brow in question.

[aronrk]

there’s a lot of weariness as there was his stubborn tenacity to keep going. but laying down on the cold wooden floors past midnight wasn’t a foreign situation to him. in most retrospect, being put in a group didn’t change anything. in anything, they’ve been working harder than ever. 

but he’s only human, and he felt it too. the feeling of hopelessness and worn to his bones. 

“...?” cracking one eye open as he scrunched his nose, he stifled a yawn. “jeongguk? bruh, what are you doing here?” his english was a little gruff thanks to the little nap as he struggled to get both eyes opened. “what time issit?” he added, propping himself up by his elbows, hoping to peer towards the only clock in the room. aron rubbed his eyes, before giving up as he laid back down. surely, it can’t be the morning already, right? 

“...i didn’t sleep that long, did i?”

[aronrk]

[/txt - Aron] LOOK AT U GO. HANDSOME, ARONG, HANDSOME!!!!! Congratulations to your debut!!! Rip off the stage, my friend! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

[ ✉ gray ahjussi ]

✉ bruuuuuuuuuuuuh!!  ✉ thanks man, getting that compliment from our handsome hyung makes it even better fufufu ✉ wished you were here with us man deleted!! ✉ i’d try my best with my weakass knees <3 ✉ love ya bruh

[aronrk]

rkgray​:

[/txt - Aron] → shusshhh, it’s the whole truth!!! → your charisma will blow everyone away! hyung is your biggest fan already 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳 → love you too 🥺 and i miss you all! but i will always be here to support you with all my might 😁

[ ✉ gray ahjussi ]

✉ ahhh hyung! you make me shy ✉ HAHAHAHAH ✉ thanks man, we’d always be here to support ya too. ✉ and we’re still at kt~ we should totally grab lunch and catch up sometime man ✉ i still need to give you a cd 🥺 

[aronrk]

❝ monologue

aron doesn’t sweat much, but under the harsh stage lights in the compact venue, air conditioning blasting at their necks in the monitoring area that miraculously disappeared when they shifted to the wooden stage, aron’s feeling both the heat and the chill. ( or perhaps, the risk of a nasty flu bug, per say. )

with a piece of folded tissue under the slightly long bangs, aron fanned himself with a plastic fan, eyes glued to the monitor. no training had truly prepared him for the real deal like this, not even the music video filming or hosting experience. to be catching all sorts of camera coming at him to making sure they move in sync so that no overhead cams can catch any needless gaps despite the lack of markings on the floor, all of that had to be factored in. 

and of course, the live singing. aron didn’t worry too much about that. as long as he controlled his breathing properly not to puff air into the headmic, his standard lines wasn’t too difficult for him to handle.

it was the choreography that’s more pressing. even if aron knew he could dance with eyes closed and mind sleeping, it still made him nervous to perform the moves. but they’ve practiced enough, and he just needed to believe in that. in them, as a team.

he nodded when someone spot, finger pointing to the screens. they still aren’t perfect yet, but he knew that through the power of editing and a couple more recordings, they will be. aron paid attention to any of those that he was required to take note of, occasionally pointing things out where he deemed fit. and of course, in between a tiny bit of hyping, with alien ‘whooo~’ sounds slipping past his lips in typical aron-fashion.

he can’t let that chance slip away from him, after all.

( despite all the teasing, as aron returned to his position on stage, looking out at how their team are working together as one on a formal stage he knew that this group of people were the ones that he could definitely put his faith on. )

[aronrk]

❝ monologue

aron can be a very, very sensitive child despite his constant thick skin leeching off his good pals and hyung. 

there are times when he withdraws into his shell, silent as he spend the time as a blanket cocoon just thinking about the day. there’s a lot of thoughts bubbling inside this giant child; the serious ones about his future and music and team. the weird ones where memes float by, bouncing off one another. and then some of it, the kind that sought nostalgia from memories and sentimental value. 

like his photoalbum given by his mom when he left the states, sitting proudly on the shared bookcase where he would leaf through it every now and then. the photos, the memories, the keepsake, aron always wanted to add more to the half empty album. perhaps nsg would help fill up the pages with days to come.

he fished out his phone, looking at the calendar. he’s not a business man, so the day to day use of this was still rare and non-existent. like a sheep following everyone around, aron had little knowledge of the week’s schedules until the day before, where he would run through the timetable with their manager just so he knew what’s the last minute he could sleep till before they were ushered out.

but he used it for all the special dates in his life.

the ironic thing is that he’s recording the dates that he would never forget: like his parents’ anniversary where the siblings would run off pretending they all got things to do only to gather pocket money to buy their parents a nice gift. or his members’ birthdays, because he’s been around long enough to know who has it when. or their debut date, because it’s the one and only day that truly marked the start of a new beginning.

he shifted, strawberry plushie squished under his weight as he hummed, fingers tapping on the mobile screen to key in the words in english.

nsg debut day. 

i don’t think i’d ever forget, but in case i ever lose my memory, here’s a note that i’ve actually made the impossible. 

set occurrence: annual event.

here, he would never forget.

[aronrk]

calling home ❝ monologue

calling home had never felt like a more difficult thing to do; just a few months back they had a phone call where his family got together to pop the party poppers and wished him a happy birthday. back then aron was eager and all too excited to spill. he’s been giving very obvious hints, talks of how kt is putting them into a special training group and he moved into the dorms, talks of how he was never feeling more tired and yet more happy than before.

there was a dip, but then as everything settled back onto the rails again, when things are set in motion one more time in a more definite way ( or it had to, cause aron don’t think he’d have the strong heart to without yet another delay just like that ), he took some time in the evening to stay away from everyone for this one call. 

it’s weird how, when he’s finally got a date to mark the end of his very long, exhaustive marathon, aron hesitated with the phone number. part of it, he knew, was the fact that his parents would not likely be able to come by the debut show, and the fact that he was very likely going to cry. he pushed down the seat cover of the toilet bowl, sitting on top with one leg crossed over the other, waiting. he could have made the call in his room, but considering how there’s eight of them together, aron would very much preferred few, if not none, witness his tears over a simple phone call.

but it happened the moment the line was picked up, and his mother’s voice slipping through the receiver. “oh, aron-ah?” she called out, affectionately as she always would unless aron did something wrong to warrant a frown instead. it’s the korean intonation that she adopted slowly after he moved to korea, followed by the english phrases or accents laced into her words from growing up in the states herself.

“mom...?” he almost whispered, sniffing once. the echo in the washroom made his voice ten times louder and himself way more conscious, and he lowered his voice as if it would help to keep his noises down so that no one could hear him. he turned to the side, raising slightly so that he could turn the showerheads on, letting the sound of running water muffle his own words so that no one else could hear him falling apart in the bathroom. “so...28 september. i-i’m finally debuting.”

----

he did end up crying. it wasn’t something he could help, not after hearing the silence and the gasp, and the quiet choked sound when she congratulate him. he knew it wasn’t easy for her either - when everyone else had expectations of her son being in a foreign country, and she herself didn’t approve of him going to korea in the first place, this was as big a step for aron as it was for his mom.

for six years, he struggled. even when people would have called him lucky, a boy funded by his parents that he could survive on trainee allowance, a boy who was able to give up his university to strum on the guitar and call it a day. no one saw the times when he’d stay through the night and nap for few hours just to get a choreg down. the days where he’s homesick and so lonely hiding in his own apartments, too afraid of visiting the hospital due to language barriers.

most people saw him as the (lowkey irritating) jokester who liked to have too much fun. not the serious musician within him. and rarely ever the emotional kid who put a huge chip on his shoulders to prove himself. they don’t see the lost foreign kid trying to find his place in a new society. 

but now, at least, he could hope it’s all worth it. even if it wasn’t the kind of start he was expecting, but it was happening. and this time, he waited till the last week to make this call. surely, it was safe enough, right? 

( he can’t disappoint them any more. he can’t get himself disappointed any more. )

even if he knew his parents aren’t coming, hearing the assurance that they’ll catch their showcase was better than nothing. he’d take it. appreciate it. even if it felt lonely being away...

at least now, they can see him try his best to shine. 

now, aron can at least try to make them proud. 

that...he hoped would be enough.

[ktent]

♥  NSG U 엔애스지 유 Teaser #2 ARON

KTWORLD Published on Sep 23, 2020 0:00 - 0:20

NSG U 엔애스지 유 Teaser #2 ARON 2020.09.28 PM 6:00 NSG U 엔애스지 유 The First Single [The 7th Sense] Release. Copyrights 2020 ⓒ KT Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

This video is uploaded to KT Entertainment’s official YouTube page at 12PM on September 23rd.

[ktent]

            [ ♥ ] KT ENT @ktent • Sep 23

            Debut             #ARON

            NSG U The 1st Single            〖 NSG U The 7th Sense 〗 

            NSG U 〖 The 7th Sense 〗             Music Release ➫ 2020 09 28 6PM (KST)

            #NSGU #The7thSense             #NSGU_The7thSense

[aronrk]

@rkyoona​

《✉ ⇾ Aron-ssi》 Aron-ssi! 《✉ ⇾ Aron-ssi》 I saw your debut 《✉ ⇾ Aron-ssi》 Congratulations! ^_^ 《✉ ⇾ Aron-ssi》 You.. look really good

[ ✉ goddess yoona ]

✉ oh heyyyyyy, how’s it going for ya? ✉ haha yeah...somehow i made it!! :D  ✉ oh god i’m lame aren’t i deleted!! ✉ keke thanks, i was still thinking if i look odd in this style. but we all came out looking pretty swell, heh. ✉ plus a compliment coming from ya makes it feels bette deleted!! ✉ thanks, yoona-ssi, it means a lot. :) ✉ so, do you...like the song? ✉ i mean, its really just one song, but i hope you enjoy our perf. ;)

[aronrk]

[/txt - Aron] LOOK AT U GO. HANDSOME, ARONG, HANDSOME!!!!! Congratulations to your debut!!! Rip off the stage, my friend! 🥳🥳🥳🥳🥳

[ ✉ gray ahjussi ]

✉ bruuuuuuuuuuuuh!!  ✉ thanks man, getting that compliment from our handsome hyung makes it even better fufufu ✉ wished you were here with us man deleted!! ✉ i’d try my best with my weakass knees <3 ✉ love ya bruh

[aronrk]

❝ monologue

nerves. it’s not something that happened often, but now that he’s backstage, waiting for his chance to start, he could already hear the cheers hidden on the other side of the curtain. a few year back when he was a fresh greenie in kt, he remembered attending the live recording of shinhwa’s comeback, standing all the way to the back. the stage’s small and yet huge from where he stood, and the cheers around him was deafening.

now, it’s up to him to forge a path towards that level. his palms were slightly sweaty, lyrics to eminen’s song ran in his mind before he shook them off. his parents would be watching his performance in a few hours, catching it late ( or early, because he knew his sisters would have stayed up, though neither of them will admit it’s out of pure love for their older brother. aron hadn’t even asked them which members they liked yet. just in case he could blockade them from his sisters, of course. )

another deep breath.

hands moved to adjust the placement of the headmic; he doesn’t have a handheld one, though considering his lines he doesn’t need one. they bordered on melodic rap and light singing, and there was choreography to note compared to the main vocals and rappers of the group. he doesn’t mind - they’re trained for all anyway. with or without handheld mics, with or without in-ears...they’re expected to be ready for everything.

and aron knew that he’s been more ready than ever. even if his fingers trembled and his throat ran a little dry, he knew deep down that he’s ready.

and he’s been like that for the longest time. 

today, after he walked to the stage with his members, the curtains rising for them to perform, he knew that his world would be changed forever. his lips curled into a grin, and he turned around to one of his members that walked by, hand slinging around their shoulders and back, humming.

and nothing will stop his way to the top.

[aronrk]

A staff member leads you down KT’s winding hallways to Katie Lee’s office, then opens the door and leads you inside, where the CEO awaits, sitting at her desk. She observes you as you’re instructed by the staff member to take a seat. Next to your chair, is a company lawyer whom you recognize from before; he’d been present when you signed your initial company contract. The staff member then leaves the room. You hear the door close and the latch click back into place just as your CEO finally decides to speak up.

“I’m very glad you are here today because it means you have finally achieved our goal, haven’t you? Trainees come here and sign away their two-year contracts with hope of one day making to where you are right now, but not everybody makes it.” She says it all with a serene smile. “Your years of training are what got you here.”

“You stood out from the others, even if you also had your ups and downs. What’s important is that you managed to get yourself back on your in feet and kept on improving.” She pauses, and diverts her attention to her desk, where she shuffles paperwork until she sets one singular sheet of paper in front of her. “I’ve been proud of your growth here, and I trust you to do your best to continue to improve, even after debut. This, here,” she says, motioning towards the document, “is a contract exclusive to NSG and will tie you to this group, and to KT Entertainment, for the next six years.”

There is no sign of regret on her features as she slides the contract toward you and hands you a pen. “If we share the same vision of making NSG the next boy group of the world, and you wish to be a part of this journey, you know what to do.”

it almost felt like he would never have reached this step. from being pulled into the group to being told their debut was delayed, from sharing his happy news to the family to calling them ( in mild shame ) that it’s not happening; in just the span of sheer months, aron’s mood had been on a roller coaster ride that was more nauseous than thrilling. 

so much so that when he stared at the document in front of him, hangul written in fine lines one after another like ink vomit, he didn’t know what to think. it’s sort of numb, he realised almost too sadly. give it a few months ago, he might have signed it without a beat, probably trying to hide his tears as he thanked  katie lee over and over again.

now, everything was in slow motion. hand reaching out for the pen, he stared again, flipping through the paper absent-mindedly as he took his time, just a while more. she said she’s proud of his growth, but was it really? it felt like yesterday when he’s told that he’s not good enough and nsg wasn’t ready. he could still hear his voice sometimes, ringing on bad days where he couldn’t really sleep.

he doesn’t know anymore.

but there’s no where else to go. all these years spent at kt, all the years he slaved away because he placed all his bets in one place and one place only accumulated to this point. there was no other option for him.

that said, it wasn’t as if he disliked the group. he hadn’t, never really had. he’s had his moments, feeling down and irked and annoyed, but he was almost sure that they felt the same with all the things happening, with how all of them had to live together and train together, seeing each other for up to 24 hours a day. it took time to adapt, to learn, to grow together. there were days, but he’s fond of them. 

aron’s just...tired. 

flip.

“sajangnim.”

he set his hand down, looking up. a deep breath. then.

“i just want to say that everyone has been working really hard. really, really hard. no one has ever given up on their training. nsg is a difficult concept, and we all have much to learn but, no one has given up. everyone is trying their best, i just thought, you should know, sajangnim.“

he scribbled his name, pen scratching against the paper before he stood up to bow. when he first came to kt, such mannerisms were still a conscious effort. 6 years in korea, it was ingrained into him. he tried his best to pull his lips into a smile, never-mind his dark eye circles. katie lee doesn’t look a day over thirty instead, glowing in robust health. 

“please take care of us, sajangnim.”

OOC NOTE: First of all, congratulations on arriving at the final step before debut! I know it’s been a long and crazy journey, and I’m so glad you’ve stuck through it. When you are ready, feel free to post this prompt with Youngmin’s response to it.

Should Youngmin choose to SIGN the NSG contract, he will be employed by KT Entertainment without a need to renew a contract until the duration of this one has concluded. As a reward for making it this far, he will receive THREE WEEKENDS unpaid vacation time to use any time between now and the end of December, so long as it doesn’t clash with any special debut activities (such as music show appearances, meaning he can’t actually use her vacation time until after her music show performances have finished.)

Should he choose to REJECT this contract with KT and NSG, he will leave the company, effective immediately upon rejection. He will be able to keep all of his debut points, but will not be able to take any trainee workshops or earn any more debut points/workshop points until he becomes a trainee again. He will not have any special advantage over newer characters when he auditions for other companies in the future, and should he become a trainee at a new company he will be considered a junior trainee all over again, even though he will still have his debut points and would be eligible for debut right away. He WILL have the right to audition for KT again, but the fact that he gave up a contract renewal, especially a debut one, WILL be taken into account in final casting decisions.

He will have up to one week to make his decision IC, meaning that if he does not make a decision by September 19th, he will automatically be cut from the company. Exceptions can be made for those on hiatus.

[wnq-writers]

But see, what you’ve got to remember is, it’s your song. Make up the words and sing them loudly.

[rkxkjd]

⤷ time capsules

they should try to commemorate this moment, despite how tired they were from getting up so early. they were used to getting up at this time, albeit maybe sometimes drowsy, but today felt different. all of their trainee years and practices lead down to this moment, not to mention the hardships they felt from this whole debuting process. he was also a bit disappointed that his family weren’t able to make it this time of the year, but he understood their busy schedule. at least his sister who was still in the country could take this spot to support him and knowing she was taking her time to sit in that audience today.

aside from his call to his mother, he wanted to save this moment and really record how they were feeling right now. debut really only came once for them, their feelings reaching a special point that might not be able to be revisited. so, with another flip of his phone, he swiped it open and stood next to aron, feeling like they might be able to pull what he had off considering their mc experiences before this. “aron, my dude… do something with me, will ya?” the screen flipped around to use the front camera so that the both of them were in the frame, and jongdae changed the settings so that he was able to record a video. 

then, he pressed record. “not that i’m going to upload this anywhere, but i want to keep this for memory’s sake, y’know? times like these is like a once in a lifetime opportunity. so, with that said, today is… september 29, 2020 and… aron, can you tell us where we are and why?” he turned to face the younger now, and he panned the frame so that aron took up most of the screen this time.

[ @aronrk ] 

[aronrk]

he's nervous. it's obvious from the way he quieten down and became serious, a sight that's rare and often reserved for the producer side of him - not the entertainer wannabe aron. not the soon-to-be-idol aron (or so he hoped). there's not much time till preparations are completed. he could already see all the necessary equipment placed on the nearby counter, microphones each with their initials or names labeled on them with tape.

"...?" he looked up when jongdae stood closer, tensed shoulders dropping as he pushed a smile. it wasn't too hard, because he's already snorting by the first line from the elder. "my dude...really?" he shook his head with a curt laugh, arms naturally slinging around the other's shoulder as he gazed into the phone. the other free hand brushed at his bangs, clearing it from view. the stylist would probably not be happy with it, but it will do for now.

"that's a little serious interview for something you're not uploading anywhere," aron teased lightly, but the light squeeze on jongdae's shoulders expressed that he's joking. he understood what he meant - his own family is also back in the states, but they will probably be catching clips and livestream if there was. all their training led to this very moment, and it's normal to save this memory somewhere.

"today is a very special day," aron said, airy voice accompanied by a breath of air, as if he's heaving and yet, almost a sigh. a happy sigh. "today is the day we appear to the word as part of nsg. well, more precisely, nsg u. we'd get to that later but now we're at the venue, getting ready to go on stage in about...an hour?" he titled his head just to look at his pal, bumping to his side lightly. the free hand turned into a curled fist, raised to lips as if he's holding a mic.

"after all these years, we're finally debuting. it feels like everything's bowed down to this very first day," he chuckled. there's a bit of disbelief in his tone, and even till last night, he was pinching himself in bed wondering if it's all a dream. "so, my buddy...how are you feeling today?"

[aronrk]

stringing along ❝ daeron

rkxkjd​:

the wonders of cheap restaurants was one of the reasons jongdae still loved living in korea. it was low cost on the scale, but the food was still decent. the places he mentioned were really his go-tos during his undergrad years and he didn’t think that this routine would have also been carried over to his trainee years. alas, they still had to save money somehow, right? so aron mentioning all these other additions that he wanted on top of the kimbap was not going to put a huge dent into his budgeting. 

but it wasn’t just the food that made these places great for him, because he’s sure, in these places that were frequently visited but not sat in, jongdae has had many conversations with company ranging from their current projects to a deep conversation about their future. these good memories were also the reasons why he still preferred to sit down at these places. 

jongdae had also made another laugh at the way aron replied, and he gave him a small nod of his head out of the room to signal him to get his things ready to go. “yeah, sure. all of that is fine, no problem. it’s a hyung’s duty to make sure that my dongsaeng eats enough to have energy to keep practicing, y’know?” he smiled in a playful manner. “we’ll see how much you really eat, because i’ll just be eating everything you can’t finish anyway.”

he quirked a grin. for the longest time possible, aron remembers himself mooching off many of his friends in such instances, happily taking free food whenever it’s offered. ( though, aron made sure to offer a drink or something the next round. it only made sense. ). pushing himself to his feet slowly, the younger stretched, piling his things to dump into his gym bag. 

“i’d be sure to store up as much energy i could for tomorrow then,” he laughed, zipping up the bag. it’s a mess in there, but aron couldn’t be bothered right now. as long as things are not going missing, all’s good in his opinion. pulling the strap over his shoulders as he flashed a thumbs up, signaling that he’s ready to go, he scrunched his nose. jongdae knew him way too well at this rate, and frankly speaking, aron shouldn’t be that surprised.

“hey, i just made sure we order enough for two~~” he dragged his tone, fingers flashing the ‘v’ sign to make a point, nudging the elder once. it’s not the complete truth, since aron himself was just a child who wanted a range of tastes. “what are you doing staying up at kt so late anyway,” he asked, turning off the lights as he made his way out of the studios, down the winding corridor before they could finally breath the fresh air of the night. “sometimes time flies so fast in there that i didn’t know it’s that late already, huh.”

[aronrk]

⤷ let’s get crackin’

rkxkjd​:

“yah!” he so jokingly called out while swatting aron’s hand away. “i have a hard head, y’know?” before the game, he unfortunately had to take off the sheep head towel that hyunjin so graciously made them, as maybe having one on would be considered padding for their head and therefore, maybe a bit cheatful? although jongdae’s comment about how sturdy his skull was wasn’t the main point of his outburst, he still let the younger’s comment slide after laughing. 

jongdae placed his sikhye next to him and got ready to play the game. they counted down before showing their hands, jongdae throwing out scissors at the same time aron throws down his paper. “oh!” he exclaimed, doing a little victory cheer knowing that his forehead was safe for at least this roun. “ah, so we’re asking questions to the loser? that could make the time go faster, sure. i might just take this and give you a trivia question instead.” it was a bit hard for him to think up questions on the spot, but jongdae thought he should pick from a topic that aron might have some interest in. 

they’re bird dads, so might as well go along that line, as he held up a hand ready to count out. “alright, i have a trivia question ready: how old can an african grey parrot live up to in the wild? a. 10 years, b. 20 years, c. 30 years, or d. 40 years?”

“aww man!” he sighed dramatically at the scissors thrown by jongdae, lips pursing into a pout. but surely, he would start of being easy on him, right? at least, that’s what aron held some hope in. regardless, he would have his turn next, too. he cracked his fingers by pushing them downwards when interlaced, then rotated his neck a little to stretch, lips pulling into a grin. that is, until a trivia was thrown back in his face.

“wait what, trivia is allowed?” he pointed out, jaws dropping slightly. even if he is one half of the bird dads in their household, it doesn’t mean he knew all things beyond the basic necessities and care for their birdies. “wait wait wait, uhh... uh...is this a trick question? cause you said living in the wild, so, they should have more freedom and be happier, right?” he eyed the tray of eggs, tried to envision how the shells would crack on his head. nope, not a good sensation, he would think.

“d, 40! right? am i right?” he raised his fingers in a ‘4′, as if it’s a stand in for option d. “okay you know what, if i got it wrong, just go ahead and crack that egg directly,” he added, then scrunched his face, eyes shutting. “d....! i’m counting on you-!”

[aronrk]

수고하셨습니다! ❝ monologue

“수고하셨습니다!”

this is it. as aron straightened up from his bow, the rouse of applause from the friendly crew along with the two guests as someone hurried to give him a nice bouquet of chocolate strawberries, aron let out a shy laughter to give yet another bow. today was the very last recording session of live station, and he would have to bid goodbye to the place until the very next time when he had the opportunity to arrive as a guest - that is, if he debuts and they get a samsung station song, anyway.

till then, it had been a great journey. from the very beginnings as he fret over meeting huge stars like yoon mirae and boa. aron knew that his opportunity was a rare one, not everyone had the chance to be up close and personal with huge names in the industry the same way he, a rookie and a trainee, could have. for all things considered, it had been a huge honor being selected to host, and to do all of the hosting himself...aron was pretty proud of himself. 

but alas, the 6-months deadline had come. he knew he wasn’t the only one exiting samsung’s roster of trainee hosts. as one of the senior trainees, he hoped that the next host to take on this corner would be equally as dedicated, in their foray. but now, he had to bid farewell.

“thank you for your hard work,” he said, loudly as the staff gathered around now, someone holding a strawberry shortcake with one lighted candle in the middle. he may be shy and hadn’t really gotten to know every single person, but aron knew he’s bound to leave a contact for them after this. as experienced staffers, they’ve been more than accommodating to his rookie mistakes and he learned a lot. 

and for aron to be that humble, it meant something.

he grinned when the applause sounded, the candle going out, he laughed that it felt almost like a birthday. except that birthdays were less emotional, and he actually felt like crying, albeit a little bit. he bit on his bottom lip, shaking his head, took a deep breath.

“thank you guys,” he sighed, licking his lips as he laughed to fight off the tears, forcing them back. “i’m going to miss this place.”

( needless to say, with cake half smeared on his face thanks to the friendly camera man and makeup artist, this memory was one that he would never forget even if he wanted to. )