TOP MARKS FOR NOT T R Y I N G, SO KIND OF YOU TO BLESS US WITH YOUR EFFORTLESSNESS — WE'RE GRATEFUL AND SO STRANGELY COMFORTED. CALM, COLLECTED AND COMMANDING; YOU LEAVE THE OTHER STORY STANDING WITH YOUR RENDITIONS AND JOKES. SEE YOU LATER, I N N O V A T O R !!
——— IT WAS late enough for juho to think he should already be making his way home. it was never a plan to spend the night at the hotel, though he knew there was still a lot to enjoy yet, even so some assignments were waiting for him back home & to put a cherry on top he had to work the next morning. for that day, he was pleased with the amount of candy that had pushed down his throat ; enough to make his belly ache. but first he had to look for his roommate, whom he knew was there by a text, but it seemed simply impossible to find the other there. however, when he was about to take his phone out of his pocket to question minjae, he found the other hovering over the same sweety table where he himself had spent the night around. an arm goes around the shorter male’s waist easily, resting his chin on his shoulder. ‘ it’s difficult to find you in crowded places, it’s like looking for a puppy that doesn’t bark. ’ the frustrated sigh that escaped juho’s pearly lips completed his act perfectly, before he was smiling ever so benevolently toward the other. ‘ you’re late ! lucky you that for most the party just started now. ’
「 WANDERING around aimlessly was something that started to feel normal once minjae had been doing it for a while; sure, he had just arrived basically, but had already had a few drinks just to lighten his mood, eaten some candy and danced a bit. all was productive, for now. watching people pass by and grab food or drinks or do anything was monotonous, but still nice. he got to see the stupid shit they were doing while drunk, so it was a bonus. in his trance, minjae got really freaking startled when he felt an arm around his waist, almost jumping out of his skin and barely missing from hitting the person’s stomach with his elbow, but then he thankfully realized who it was and his body visibly deflated, his breath coming out heavy -- relieved. ❛ holy fuck, don’t scare me like that ! i thought i was gonna get abused right on this dance floor, jesus christ ❜, he huffed, soon enough melting into his roommate’s embrace, always enjoying cuddles or hugs or anything. when they were wanted, of course. he raised one of his eyebrows. ❛ are you implying that i’m too short so you couldn’t spot me in the crowd ? and have you forgotten how fun i can be even in ten minutes of partying ? please, juho-ah, you humor me. ❜
with a determined expression on her face she pushes the orange ball out of her h a n d s, watching as it falls through the net. ‘ yeah !! ’ she couldn’t help but let out a celebratory jump of happiness at getting another point in, she grins as she watches the score add another point before grabbing another ball & with the same feeling as before she pushes the basketball with her fingertips, but when the ball hits the rim of the hoop she realizes her mistake. she watches as the ball b o u n c e s right back in the other direction ; watching with almost slow-motion as it nears a nearby person. ’ oh gosh ! watch out !! ’ she yells out towards the other, already scared of what could happen next.
「 IN ALL honesty, minjae wasn’t drunk. even though it could seem like it, he was feeling more tipsy than anything else. thankfully, his alcohol tolerance was pretty high, so maybe he wouldn’t end up doing something extremely embarrassing in the middle of such a place. also, it didn’t help that he wasn’t liking how the food there looked; some of that stuff was way too fancy for his liking. give him a peasant’s meal and he’ll make way with it. maybe. his tipsy state wasn’t gonna increase his already nonexistent reflexes, so when he heard a shout and turned his head, it was already too late. the ball hit him right over his cheek, sending minjae stumbling to the side with the weight of it, letting out a pained groan as he clutched the hurt area, eyes tightly shut. ❛ what ?! what did i do ?! this isn’t-- ouch, this hurts like a bitch, holy shit ! ❜, he groaned, knowing his face was probably very red. he wasn’t drunk enough for this.
“ TRY THIS, ” jae chides to the person standing beside him, plate and chopsticks in hand. a server had handed a plate of questionable looking delicacies he’d never heard of before. he’d tried all sorts since moving over to korea all that time ago, but this mess —- that certainly didn’t look nor smell nice —- was not one of them. “ is it going to kill me ? i’m too pretty and too young to die ! ” and too drunk, too.
「 WITHOUT any real appetite to make all the food available worth it, minjae could only press his lips together when he heard the other’s words, shaking his head briefly with a quiet ‘thank you’, surprisingly steady for someone who had only been drinking and not eating much. the food on the plate itself -- it looked funny and he wasn’t sure he could eat it even if he was hungry, but minjae couldn’t help but laugh at jaejin’s words, humming as he considered it. ❛ i don’t know, it depends a lot. like, i wouldn’t eat it if i were you because i love living and i’m not sure i wanna give up on my life so soon, but... sure, go for it, man ! i’ll cheer for you ! ❜
the pool looked beautiful at night, was what serenity thought right now as they sat on the roof, legs dangling into the edge of the pool whilst others laughed and joked around in it. if anything, they wanted to get in as well, but.. serenity couldn’t swim to save their life, and even if they could the amount of people around was making them nervous. alcohol liquid courage wasn’t doing anything to help that either as they ran their fingers around the edge of their cup. well.. sitting, looking at the stars above and enjoying the atmosphere would be enough for the still slightly anxious kid right now.
「 SUDDENLY, minjae found himself walking dangerously close to the edge of the pool; he couldn’t get in, no, he knew how fast he caught colds and he definitely didn’t want to catch one now. either way, the alcohol he had ingested already started making its way to minjae’s critic sense and shutting it out completely, leaving him in danger of falling inside the water. thankfully, that’s not what happened. after almost stumbling, he looked around to see if anyone had paid attention to that pathetic scene, and his eyes fell upon a figure he knew pretty well. smiling, minjae made his way towards serenity, not even caring at that moment if they wanted to be alone or not. ❛ rennie ! so nice to see you here ! but... why are you so far away ? ❜ he frowned, plopping himself down beside serenity and raising his eyebrows when a thought came to mind. ❛ i’m sorry... i’m not bothering you, am i ? ❜ he asked, for a minute looking hesitant, but then he shrugged, going back to smiling. ❛ nah, i don’t care. you could use some company right now. i think. ❜
WITH BALLED FISTS he shook off the grip on his jacket “ get the fuck away. ” still, the security guard had him close enough to n o t let go, only allowing him to walk freely once he was out of the bar. his jaw was sore, his knuckles were red – a bloodied smile and shaking fingers fidgeting with a cigarette to be burned outside. his sight was met with surprised gaze, to which he only scoffed dismissively, “ the other guy is way worse. ”
「 THAT was definitely the last thing minjae wanted to witness at the moment; fights were never his thing, always preferring to just stay in the sidelines and let people figure things out in their own way. now, though, his eyes were slightly wide as he glanced to the entrance of the bar, having come out for a bit of fresh air. it helped, in a way. minjae opened and closed his mouth a couple times, not really sure of what to say at the sight of bloody red. ❛ um... okay ? that’s... good, i guess ❜, he scrunched his nose, glancing back at the door before shooting him a confused look. ❛ what about... the other guy ? he didn’t get kicked out too ? ❜
NIGHT SKY NEVER seemed so clear from behind enclosed glass widows of a hotel that he wouldn’t dream on being anywhere close, if it had all those years before college. he toes around the pool – a smile on his face, the taste of b o u r b o n on his lips, add even more alluring tones to his little O D D fantasy. “ honestly, i always wanted to swim in a pool like this at night. ” his foot tested the water temperature, lips widening into a grin, his chest stuttering almost childlike. “ this is really amazing, right ? ”
「 MINJAE wasn't someone who was used to luxurious places or expensive things. he simply grew up in an environment where even the smallest things were luxuries, things they couldn't afford to have just lying around for the sole purpose of entertainment. it was a futile thing when there were three mouths to be fed (almost miserably so). now, walking on the edge of the pool alongside woohyun, minjae found himself laughing and nodding at his words. ❛ yeah... it really makes me wanna just jump in ❜, he sighed, kneeling down so he could run his fingers through the surface of the water, biting down on his bottom lip, considering it. ❛ do you think we could do it ? right now ? ❜
◦ * ✧ . ⋆ ˚ hi hi everyone !! i’m liv (eighteen, she/her) & please allow me to introduce you to the fluffiest ball of all fluff balls, needs-attention-all-the-time-but-not-so-much-or-else-he’ll-bite-you, the he protecc but also attacc kinda guy you might see walking around and also a stubborn little dreamer: my baby, CHOI MINJAE !! i’ve left all of his bg story (and a few extra thingies) under the cut so you can get a glimpse at this guy’s dark past and join me in the minjae protection squad lmao jks (๑˘︶˘๑) SO if you’d like me to go to your chat so we can discuss possible connections (besides the ones i mentioned down below), just press the little ♡ and i’ll be right there !! NOW let’s talk business !!
—— trigger warnings: homophobia, mentions of physical & verbal violence, some family issues and panic attacks.
throughout his entire life, struggling is a word minjae could always relate to the most. his family was poor, his social anxiety didn’t allow him to have any real friends in school and his parents were barely home, trying to make literally any money so they’d be able to survive.
the thing is, he was never a planned thing. his parents always tried to hide it, but minjae wasn’t dumb; never had been, to be quite honest. he knew he had been an accident, an unwanted addition to the family, since they were already – once again – struggling to feed two mouths. three would be too much, right? it was a stretch, but they managed.
growing up in the city of daegu, he’d always been a bit more closed off. in school, he always tried to keep his cool and stay under the radar of everyone else, happily succeeding in that. he was still a kid, yes, but a kid with many problems and not as many solutions to those problems. thankfully, he always tried his hardest in school, knowing (even in the young age of ten) that that was probably the only thing that could help his parents in the future. maybe, if he studied hard enough, he’d be able to make money to help his family.
the teenage years came, and with them, the opening of the flower button inside minjae. socializing was something that came naturally for him once he entered high school. of course, he was still very hesitant about every single little thing, but as he let his walls down, making friends wasn’t actually that difficult. sure, he could talk to just a few people, but that was way more than he’d ever been able to do before. he was happy with his own accomplishments.
of course, all good things must come to an end. and that end came by the end of his second year of high school. minjae had been frequenting a few parties and some get-togethers organized by his circle of friends, and it was all fun and games, so he’d never imagine that a photo of him kissing one of his – guy – friends would get leaked. that was really the lowest point of his life, what with literally all of his friends (including the one he’d kissed) dropping him from their lives, claiming that he was “gross” and they “couldn’t hang out with people like him”. he even escaped some beatings here and there, being small and able to run away faster than anyone could catch him.
things really only got worse when that picture got to his parents. he didn’t know how, when or who sent it, but someone did, and he found himself being cornered by his father on a gloomy thursday night. minjae really doesn’t remember much from that moment, since he chose to shove the memory to the back of his mind so it wouldn’t hurt as much anymore, but one thing was certain: he got kicked out of the house at the age of eighteen, with nothing but a backpack filled with his things and a hand mark on his face from the slap he’d gotten. it was depressing and not something he wanted to deal with, but he could’ve seen it coming.
he gathered all of his savings from every single job he’d ever taken or contest he’d won ever since he was around thirteen and got into a plane to jeju after sleeping on some benches in daegu for one or two nights. minjae knew some people who’d come from there and he hoped to get to make a living on the island, find a job and start his life again. it was the best possible outcome.
arriving on jeju, minjae rented a small hotel room for an entire month with basically the rest of his savings, having to cut short on food for a while. he went out to look for a job, not getting lucky for a bit more than two weeks before he finally found a restaurant in need of a busboy and he didn’t even think twice before applying. thankfully, he got to work soon.
but it wasn’t enough. of course it wouldn’t be enough; it wasn’t a high paying job, after all, even if the restaurant was a nice one. so during one of his nights out to think about what he was doing with his life, he met a guy. considerably older than him, he held promises of money and a good life on his tongue, capturing minjae and making the young man pay a visit to the strip club he ran. it wasn’t long until he was being dragged into that place as a real stripper, something he’d never even considered, but it seemed like an option that could work. maybe.
at first, he was hesitant; afraid of everyone and everything, not knowing what to do during half of the time and needing help from his colleagues, but eventually he got the hang of it. suddenly, stripping came to him as more of an enjoyment than something he felt obligated to do. sure, he kept his busboy job, since he was good at it (as dumb as it sounded). he needed money, stripping and cleaning tables did the trick for him.
being in the business for around four years, could he ask for something more ?!
◦ * ✧ . ⋆ ˚ BONUS STUFF !!
he may be a little difficult to deal with at first, but eventually his walls come down and he turns into this soft, extra clingy baby !! just gotta be patient lmao
growing up in a poor family and then on his own with barely no money for food, minjae learned to not eat much. that being said, he’s really skinny to the point where anyone would think he’s not healthy, but he promises he is !!
he’s also always had a bit of an issue with his own body; being a stripper helped him overcome that, what with the looks he got in the club whenever he went up to the stage. in some distorted way, it gave him life.
his favorite color is orange bc it reminds him of the cat he once took care of; it lived on his street and he never got to know its gender or give it a name, but he liked to give it food whenever it could (even if food was still something he shouldn’t be wasting like that). he’s just glad his parents never found out.
when minjae got kicked out, he doesn’t even know how he had managed to survive, crying himself to sleep almost every day. sometimes his mind gets filled with memories from past struggles and he finds himself feeling out of breath, choked, trying so much to stay calm and relaxed as his world starts to spin. it’s something tough to overcome, but fortunately it doesn’t happen often, so he’s okay (for now).
minjae might have had some issues in the first months he spent in jeju, but eventually his life got progressively better and nowadays he lives in a small apartment with a guy who actually managed to put up with his shit – juho, a.k.a his angel on earth.
he gets easily irritated about anything, so a lot of patience is needed while dealing with him. it’s just his defense mechanism to any sort of situation he isn’t used to, what can he do about it ?!
OVER ALL, minjae’s just looking for people to treat him well :( he’s gone through SOOO much, he just wishes to live a happy normal life from now on~ !!
◦ * ✧ . ⋆ ˚ POSSIBLE CONNECTIONS !!
friends that always help each other with their problems (has to be someone minjae really trusts);
drinking buddies;
the good old “partners in crime” concept;
were friends once but something happened and now they can’t stand each other;
flirty friends who are always all over each other but never really make any real moves, it’s all just jokes and fun;
your muse went to the strip club minjae works at and saw him performing and just can’t believe how that small ball of fluff turned into the whole package of sin they saw up on the stage. they make sure to let their curiosity show;
neighbor who minjae always turns to when he needs something because once your muse saw how he almost doesn’t eat anything and wants to stuff him with food;
THAT PROTECTIVE FRIEND who always somehow knows when minjae’s in trouble and does his best to help him !!
internet friends who met over twitter/instagram/facebook/any other type of social media and are now meeting up and omg this is so exciting ?!
also works at the restaurant minjae’s a busboy at;
also works at the strip club;
a crush, maybe ?? on minjae or your muse’s part;
aaaaaaand i have no more ideas lol hmu if you want any specific connections !!
annaxmalina
pixelskylines
titsay
jacobvanloon
andulkaphoto
baratheonpilled
vaporwave
blakekathryn
dailybridgerton
