❀ *◦ jo serim ( onda ). demi woman. she/they. panromantic demisexual. ⇝ hey, isn’t that sun-young “valeria / valerie” graves-seong? i think that the twenty-seven year old from aurora, west virgina works as an aerialist at the carnival of time and daycare worker at the moon & sun daycare, but outside of that people describe them as bright summer days, velvet theater curtains, tangles of wildflowers, sidewalk chalk art, and pastel electric guitars. i hear they are guarded & withdrawn, but they are also known to be optimistic & generous. consider giving them a visit at their home in the marionette and get to know why they’re called the songbird.
-a sweetie that just wants to recover her lost childhood
-endlessly optimistic, always smiling
-was a circus performer in her youth
-had a career in child acting for ten years under the stage name margo sutton
-will go quiet if you insult her, but won’t hesitate to defend the people she loves
-a believer in giving people the benefit of the doubt
-but give her a reason to not trust you, and she won’t look back
-she has a big heart, but doesn’t want to be taken advantage of again
pinterest board / playlist
flowers, i remember fields of flowers: lore.
tw: mentions of death, abuse, grooming, and sexual assault
Childhood:
Valerie doesn’t remember a great deal about her biological parents, having lost them at such a young age. Regardless, she still considers her childhood a largely happy one, and one that instilled in her a passion for creativity, performance, and whimsy.
During her time traveling with her family and performing as carneys, she trained in gymnastics and dance, performing as a trapeze artist and silk aerialist. She also discovered her love for music when she was still young, learning to play the guitar and ukulele.
At the age of nine, Valerie was scouted by a modeling agent at one of her family’s shows. Soon, she was offered the chance to fly out to LA for auditions, and the prospect of performing in a more mainstream manner and making some money to help out her siblings proved enticing to the young girl, so she jumped at the opportunity.
Adolescence:
Her journey into child acting was initially exciting, and after years of performing alongside her found family, she was accustomed to the demands of show business. Her professionalism and “maturity for her age” was something that made her both an asset to the projects she worked on, but also the target of a powerful person that she worked under.
At the age of thirteen, Valerie began to be mentally and verbally abused by a producer, which continued for two years before the abuse turned sexual in nature. When Valerie finally mustered the courage to confide in someone about the abuse when she was eighteen, she was swiftly intimidated into silence and blackballed in the industry.
Though she attempted to keep her career going with her team, in two years, she grew largely disheartened with the industry, no longer enchanted by the idea of working on sets and missing the simplicity of her childhood.
Becoming a has-been by the age of twenty was certainly a shock to Valerie, but she had no desire to continue her professional acting pursuits in Hollywood.
Present Day:
After deciding to leave her silver screen dreams behind and start anew, Valerie sought the comfort of her family, relocating to Anchorage to be near them in her twenties.
Currently, she works as an aerialist at the local carnival, happy to be reconnecting with her family, making friends, and getting back to the root of what she loved so much about performing to begin with.
Nowadays, she tends to avoid the topic of her former career in general, choosing instead to focus on the future and what lies ahead for her.
She would love to become an advocate for the protection of children somehow, but without a formal education under her belt, she has no idea where to start. In the meantime, she treasures her job at the daycare, happy to be a part of the childhoods of the children under her care.
soft beneath my heels, walking in the sun: stats.
General Info:
Full Name: Sun-young “Valeria / Valerie” Danielle Graves-Seong.
Nicknames: Valerie, Val, V, Sunny, Ria.
Age: 26.
Date of Birth: February 20th, 1998.
Zodiac Sign: Pisces.
Gender: Demi woman.
Pronouns: she/they.
Sexual Orientation: Demisexual.
Romantic Orientation: Panromantic.
Relationship Status: Taken, crushing on Cha Seojun.
Alignment: Neutral Good.
MBTI: ENFP, the Campaigner.
Appearance:
Faceclaim: Jo Serim ( Onda ).
Height: 5′5.
Eye Color: Brown.
Hair Color: Brown naturally, but she regularly dyes it platinum blonde. She used to have bangs in her childhood/adolescence, but she currently wears it all one length.
Tattoos: A watercolor dandelion on her right shoulder blade.
Piercings: A single earlobe piercing on each ear.
Background:
Education: Homeschooled throughout her life, finished high school at the age of seventeen.
Occupation: Aerialist at the Carnival of Time and Daycare Worker at the Moon & Sun Daycare.
Residence: The Marionette.
Class: Middle ( comfortable, has plenty in savings from her acting days ).
Ethnicity: South Korean.
Language(s) Spoken: English / Korean / Spanish.
Identity:
Label: the songbird.
Positive Traits: kind-hearted, optimistic, empathetic, generous, enthusiastic.
Negative Traits: absent-minded, withdrawn, guarded, nonconfrontational, emotional.
Quirks/Habits: her eyes are very expressive, goes quiet/retreats into herself when she’s upset.
Love Language: Physical touch and quality time.
Hobbies: playing the guitar/ukulele, singing, baking.
Likes: statement earrings, sugar cookies, knit cardigans, cowboy boots, homemade ceramics.
Dislikes: people that make her feel dumb, feeling pressured to do things, being infantilized.
Fears: revisiting her traumas, letting her past change who she is, losing her softness.
star sign: pisces ( february 20 )
mythological creature: a phoenix
folktale: little red riding hood
fairytale character ( classical or modern ): alice liddell from alice in wonderland
3 fictional tropes: the reluctant hero, deal at the crossroads, a fresh start
romantic or platonic trope: friends to lovers, ride or die
creepypasta story: candle cove
greek god or goddess: apollo, god of the sun, music, and dance
time of day where they draw the most energy: mid-day
their achilles heel: her love for her family ( she would do anything to keep them out of harm's way )
medieval weapon of choice: a longbow ( a weapon that requires skill and can be fired from a safe distance )
survival, starvation, or death by the undead in the apocalypse: survival, by whatever means necessary ( especially if she was going through it with family and friends )
which of the seven sins represent them ? horseman of the apocalypse ?: pride, famine
what their superpower would be: healing
could they pull excalibur from the stone ?: yes
one aesthetic for each of the five senses ( taste, hearing, sight, smell, touch ):
taste: licking homemade buttercream frosting off of a spatula, rock candy melting against your tongue
hearing: the soft twinkle of windchimes in the distance, the sound of loud laughter pouring out of an open door
sight: staring up at watercolor sunsets in awe, fingers stained with the remnants of colorful sidewalk chalk
smell: freshly spun cotton candy, entering a room with the lingering scent of sugary sweet perfume
touch: pulling a plush throw blanket all the way up to your chin and letting it lock out the evening chill, running your hands over a collection of stuffed animals
a bad habit that won’t go away: her very erratic sleep schedule and inability to sleep in
a recurring nightmare: being trapped in a labyrinth, desperately searching for a way out and crying out for help, but her shouts are met with silence ( although she's convinced that she can hear whispers and lowered voices just behind her )
an object they consider their lucky charm: a simple, nondescript ring that belonged to her mother, which she wears frequently
Closed: Seojun x Valerie ( @daydreambelievcr )
Location: Cha Residence — December '23
The house and backyard were bustling with activity, music and chatting as the family had reunited in cold Alaska to celebrate the most recent milestone of their current little gem. Seojun had soon taken off the tie and suit jacket for a more comfortable look as he moved around his family to entertain them with some conversation and the occasional little joke. There was, of course, some level of discontent amongst some people that disapproved of this career decision, but ultimately, the ambience was of celebration.
A watchful eye stayed on the blonde at all times, making sure his family didn't give uncalled opinions and his youngest cousins didn't take much of her time. There were several curious questions about his dynamic with Valerie and with a shy smile he had to confirm there was nothing more than a sweet little friendship between them.
It had been until he was not required for an instant that the fighter scurred away towards the performer and pulled her apart towards the porch while the family stayed distracted with some story his father was telling about his job. "Hey" he greeted her with a little smile. "i'm so sorry. Didn't know this would take so much of my time. How you doin'? Anybody causin' ya trouble yet? I hope my uncle hasn't offered you one of his horrendous imported beers." He chuckled, her hands being held softly by his as a nosy aunt peeked from her spot within the crowd.
While Valerie entertained his younger cousins on the back lawn, letting them ogle the white coat covered in small beaded strawberries she'd donned for the night and encouraging the kids to run their fingers over the plush, fluffy cuffs at the ends of her sleeves, she glanced over in Seojun's direction, waiting patiently for a chance to congratulate the fighter properly. A distant part of her wondered if she was out of place here among his family, a considerably more restrained bunch when compared to the eccentric and practically cartoonish acrobat. Her own family unit was much smaller, and from the way a couple of different women had gently inquired about where she went to church in town, Val had a feeling that they would be scandalized to know that she hadn't set foot in a church in years (nevermind the fact that both of her brothers didn't even believe in God). Still, she kept her answers vague and polite, not wanting to offend or willing to outright lie to Seojun's family just to win their approval either.
Beaming up at the man of the hour when he finally approached her, she gladly followed his lead onto the porch, grateful for a moment alone. "Well, howdy," the blonde chirped with a wide grin, sparing a brief glance down at their joined hands. Ever since Halloween, the two had been much more casual in their physical affection towards each other. She wondered if he'd noticed it too. "Oh, it's alright. It's your day, I sorta figured I'd be fightin' for your attention. Your family's been real nice, though," she assured him, absently brushing her thumbs over his knuckles.
Letting out an airy laugh, she shook her head at the inquiry. "No, no one's given me any grief or force fed me imported beer, I promise," she assured him, her expression turning more pensive for a moment. "Thank you for inviting me. It's a really big deal, graduatin' college. I can't even imagine the work you put in to accomplish that," she marveled sincerely, the idea still a novel impossibility to the less academically minded creative. "I'm glad I could be here to celebrate with you. I brought ya somethin' for the occasion. Well... a couple of somethin's. I couldn't decide on just one thing, so I figured I wouldn't make myself choose. Heck, consider it your early Christmas present too."
"Don't even mention it. I got ya." Seojun smiled and soon enough they were hitting the road. His usual quiet persona took possession as he focused on the fastest route to the hospital. The ambulance sirens had long gone left the area so he hoped they would reach their destination soon. Had he been alone or with someone else, his foot would be stuck on the accelerator, but right now, the last thing he needed was to put both of them in more danger.
He caught on Valerie's restlessness on the passenger's seat and even though he was itching to do something about it, Seojun didn't want to overstep the established confidence and make her situation even worse. Say something, you idiot. But an idiot he stayed, because his lips didn't open the slightest even as the blonde fiddled with the buttons of the radio. The chaos of the party was stuck in his head, the jarring screams and the amount of people he saw being trampled on as the panic settled would stay with him for a while. Knuckles turned white around the wheel as he kept his own flooding emotions at bay, deciding that this would be the worst moment to lose his flooring.
Her words came in shortly before they reached a red light, one he was not willing to skip, taking the moment to look at her as she started explaining the whole situation — and calm himself down enough to offer proper comfort if needed. The more she spoke, the more his jaw tensed; he could see where her idea was going to end and he was already hating every single second of it. Brown eyes tried to digest the scene in front of him, a bright girl turned into a shadow in the span of mere minutes. What was he going to do? Seojun was not known for being the most joyful or even openly affectionate. He struggled with his own emotions enough to vomit them through sweat and punches. And yet... this girl was breaking down right next to him inside of his car. A deep breath filled his lungs as he turned to her with a stern expression. "Hey. No, no... look at me," he pretty much commanded. A hesitant hand moved from the steering wheel to rest on her arm softly. "It's not your fault, Valerie." He stated. The horns of the cars behind them rushed him. Green light. Seojun grunted and sped up just to bring the car to the side of the road for a moment. He had to force a softer expression on his features; even if he was upset about the whole situation, a brief moment of solace is what he was trying to offer her. The hand went back to her arm, thumb rubbing her skin softly as he looked for her eyes. "You're an amazing sister and an amazing person — ," he began, "and I understand why you're feelin' like all this happened because of you, but that's not true. I don't know Addison, but they must be one hell of an amazin' person as well for you to speak so fondly of 'em." Southern accent slipping easier due the candid situation. His attention went back to the car briefly, stepping on the pedal so they could be on their way again. Still, a hand stayed on her, on top of her leg slightly brushing her own hands with the back of his fingers. "Remember when I told ya earlier tonight that I wished there were more people like you? Well, I stand by it. I'll die on that fuckin' hill. You're a good person, Sunshine." His eyes stayed on the road the whole time he was speaking this second batch of words, still frustrated that he couldn't do or say more to improve her mood.
The wheels screeched as he parked as close to the hospital entrance as possible. His own heart beating fast due the adrenaline. He checked his phone, but there were no news yet. He'd have to talk to his friends later. He took another deep breath, his own hands shaking before he decided to shove them in the pockets of his jeans. Shitty time to have a visceral reaction. "Let's go," he urged her to keep his own thoughts at bay, "I'm sure they'll be treating them by now. Are the rest of your siblings here? We should go find 'em."
At the sound of his request, Seojun's voice taking on a more demanding tone than she'd ever heard him use with her before, Valerie's wandering, vacant eyes snapped in his direction, his profile illuminated in a faint red glow coming from the stoplight above them as she complied with his request. Eyes blown wide with surprise when she met his gaze, like she'd just been woken out of a deep sleep, the blonde blinked back at him, willing away a faint stinging sensation at the corners of her eyes.
"It's not your fault, Valerie." The words shone like a beacon in the distance.
If his frank declaration was already operating like a tether, bringing her back down to Earth from the great heights of her miserable reverie, the unexpectedly soft touch on her arm was enough to spark an ember of warmth in her chest—a welcome contrast to the sense of foreboding that had been threatening to eclipse all else. Before she even had a chance to open her mouth to reply, the sudden blare of horns behind them shook her from the brief trance, anxiously wringing her hands together in her lap while he pulled off to the side of the road.
The considerably softer expression on his features brought that faint smile back to her lips, an inexplicable flip of her stomach when he began to rub comforting circles into her arm. "I know it's silly to think that it's my fault... I hear it when I say the words out loud. 'I didn't do anything. What a self-important thing to assume.' I don't know... it's just a reflex at this point. Feels easier to think that I could've done something about it," she trailed off, eyes threatening to go glassy again, but the sound of Seojun's Southern accent peaking through his kind and sincere words lifted her spirits, if only for a moment. "I think you'd like him. We're a lot alike, me and Addy." As he peeled back onto the road, with a hand left resting gently on her leg, Valerie hesitated for a moment before lacing their fingers together, giving his own trembling hand a gentle, reassuring squeeze. "Thank you. I wish there were more people like you, too. You have a big heart, and you seem so sure of yourself... truly one of a kind."
As the hospital came into view, Val released his hand from her own, reaching into her bag for her phone and texting the Graves-Seong family group chat to check on the rest of her siblings. "They're here," she confirmed, the tension in her shoulders falling a bit to at least know that everyone she loved was under one roof again, and that they were going to be alright. Before she could think better of it, the blonde unbuckled her seatbelt as quickly as her shaking hands would allow, scooting closer to the fighter until their knees were touching. Turning towards him with a genuine, open expression but unable to find the right words, Valerie circled her arms around his neck, nestling her forehead against his collarbone as she pulled Seojun into a tight hug, hoping to convey all of the warmth and gratitude that she couldn't properly communicate in the moment. "I can't thank you enough. Tonight was fun... until it wasn't. You're coming up with me, right?" she wondered softly. The songstress was sure that he had his own circle of people to be worried about, probably had to check in with his family, too. But the sense of safety she felt in his presence was undeniable, grateful that he'd somehow managed to keep her feet on the ground despite everything. "I'm really glad you're here," she admitted, the sincerity in her voice clear as day.
It all happened too fast. The blaring crash of something, the screaming and crowds immediately creating dangerous chaos. His first instinct was to pull Valerie close to avoid the raging stampedes. A hand reached for his phone and he was the first one to text the group chat asking if everybody was ok. Upon receiving response from his friends, Seojun decided to get both of them out until the space cleared a little at the lawn.
A text arriving to her phone was little warning for the sudden walk towards the improvised parking lot of the event. At the same time, he caught a glimpse of Arlo Kwwn rushing next to a gurney. His heart dropped. The familiar costume informed him that the unconscious person was no other but Ara Kwon. A dry gulp sent his heartbeat into a desperate race and for a moment, his body leaned towards the ambulance that was receiving his ex. Another force pulled him into the opposite direction: the sound of ruffling into something and the voice of the blonde quickly dying down within the surrounding crowds as she walked away. Decide, Seojun.
The fighter felt the snap of something inside him as he turned around to catch up with Valerie; a sharp pain in his chest as he unconsciously closed a book from his past permanently. He followed with quick steps, eyes focused on the cowboy hat as he dodged the people that were still rushing all around. "Val — ," he tried to call, attempting to find an opening to let her know that he was — in fact — not letting her drive in her current state. "Valerie..." Seojun finally reached her and just watched in silence as she mumbled about her car keys. Any other unspoken word was quickly interrupted by a hand on his arm. He had never seen her like this; the usual sunny and smiley demeanor were far forgotten at the dance floor and another pinch to his heart upon seeing her like this made him rush a hand to cover hers on top of his costume. "Of course. Let's go to my car." His own eyes were big as he read on her expression. "I'll grab your hand so I don't lose you in the crowd," Seojun told her before heading towards his vehicle, his forearm tensed next to his body to reduce the distance between them and avoid losing her.
"Give me a second," he informed Val after opening the passenger's door for her. He had been undoing the clasps of his costume on the way to the car; so when he opened the trunk, he shoved in the costume carelessly before grabbing a black bag and getting into the driver's seat. "It's very cold tonight... " he opened it and pulled out a large black hoodie full of fleece on the inside, "wear this, I don't want you getting sick." He offered a little smile before pulling another sweatshirt and throwing it over the simply white shirt he was wearing under the costume. The jeans quite cold on his legs would have to wait until they arrived to the hospital. He didn't lose anymore time before starting the car and quickly driving them both out and away.
His hand coming down on hers offered an anchor, something to tether her to the current moment before the frantic thoughts filling her head threatened to carry her away on the wind. Eyes still glassy and vacant, Valerie managed to meet Seojun's gaze. "Okay... thank you." Voice barely more than a whisper, she could feel herself nodding automatically, squeezing his hand harder than she intended, as if she needed a reminder that he was really there, that this was actually happening. She followed his lead as closely as possible, her free hand clutching his forearm as they made their way through the crowd, breathing a sigh of relief when they made it to his car.
Climbing into the passenger's seat and closing the door behind her to shut out the chill of the evening, Val yanked the red, glittering cowboy hat off her head while she waited for Seojun to reappear, tossing it haphazardly into the backseat. Smoothing down little wisps of bleached hair as she took a slow, measured breath, she turned at the sound of him entering the car, eyes caught on the extended hoodie. A small smile that didn't quite reach her eyes flickered briefly across her lips, gently accepting the offering. "Thank you. For everything," she managed softly before slipping on the fleece-lined jacket, a faint aroma that she'd grown to associate with the fighter momentarily stilling her frantically thudding heart. Pretty soon, the only sound that filled the space between them was the gravel of the road underneath the car's tires, and that stillness was enough to disturb her brief moment of peace.
It's too quiet in here, too loud in my head. But she couldn't think of anything to say, fearful she might crumble under all the uncertainty. So she reached forward to fiddle with the dials on his car radio, turning the volume down to a soft murmur. It was only then that she realized her hands were shaking. Doing her best to focus on the dial turning under her fingers in the hopes of steadying them, she settled on a station playing ambient R&B, hoping that the dulcet tones would soothe her nerves. The music was something to distract from the incessant, catastrophizing thoughts filling her anxious mind, another anchor to the present moment, but it did little to calm her, hands still shaking when she pulled them back into her lap. In an attempt to forcefully still their trembling, Valerie pressed them between her knees.
"My parents aren't around anymore," she finally found the words, unable to take the prolonged quiet any longer. "They passed away when I was little. It's just the four of us now." A beat of silence passed between them, and Val's eyes remained trained on the road ahead, trying to focus on the vibrations of the car underneath her. Her throat suddenly went dry, but she pressed on, desperate to vocalize her thoughts before that cruel voice in her head could make an unwelcome reappearance. "Addison was living out in New York until recently, but they were having trouble adjusting to life in the city. So, I asked him to move up here with us. Practically begged him, even with everything going on in town—offered to cover all his moving expenses, too. We lived together in California for a couple of years before I left... and I really missed him." Her voice wavered then, heat pricking at the back of her eyes when she thought of the younger of the Graves-Seong brothers, practically her mirror image in every way. Hell, plenty of strangers throughout every stage of their lives frequently confused the siblings for twins, with their nearly identical set of wide and expressive brown eyes, their matching slight frames and average heights, and their shared love of entertaining (perpetually bright and outgoing people both on and off the stage). To say that they were close was an understatement, and the thought of him hurt or in danger made the performer feel physically sick. "I just wanted all of us back together again. I thought that would make everything better."
"The Hardy Boys, you say?" there was a hint of a concealed smirk on the corners of his lips. Seojun had to look away briefly to avoid giving in an accidental admission of her wild guess. Sky would've laughed, Noah would be preoccupied. "We like to play CLUE a lot, that's for sure." The fighter pulled his phone out from the depths of his costume and once unlocked, offered it to her with the keypad on screen. "Since you already have my phone in your hands, do you mind saving your contact as 'Sunshine'?" A bold request maybe, but if he could add an extra smile whenever his screen lit up with her name, it would be worth it. "If no one has called you witty before, then maybe you've been reserving your best retorts for me, mh?" Seojun teased her, his index and middle finger extending to tip her hat over her face in joking manner as an accessory to his little joke. Her mindless words startled him for a moment, the cold glass of the lemonade resting against his lips as he ignored the soft twist of his stomach. "You could definitely say I only talk this much to people I like." He admitted. Nothing to see here, he could enjoy the chit-chat, specially with a good drink and good company. "But you also ask a bunch of questions, I wouldn't be able to stay quiet even if I wanted" —— oh, that sounded a bit rude? "not that I mind!" Seojun was quick to fix, "I really like your questions and whatever we get to talk about. It makes my days better after a rough exam or ——" and he was talking a lot again. He caught his mouth close with a soft blush on his cheeks and decided to take another sip of lemonade. He sighed afterwards with a little smile. "Anyways, definitely call me if you ever need anything. I'll be there for you."
"Okay, so if I invite you to the theater, you better tell me some good stories from the daycare. I think it's a fair exchange." Seojun argued with his chin up and a little side smile on his lips. The glass, almost empty now, tapped softly against his lips as he made a little connection based on her narration. West Virginia. He remembered how Lou absolutely hated West Virginia for no apparent reason, but it was not a hatred like how one hates onions or stepping on gum. It was a deep kind of horror that can only be obtained after absolute trauma and —— he's digressing. "I've never been to West Virginia. Did you like it there? More or less than other places?" A grin reached his lips immediately at the thought of meeting Valerie earlier in life, the memories of a never-lived past flushed into his head as he tilted his head in unconscious mimicry to her. "Sneaking out through my window after practice just to visit the loud elephant girl at the circus to learn some cartwheels would've made for the best memories." He agreed. "I could've taught you how to throw a good right hook and knock out anyone who was mean to you." He chuckled softly at the thought and decided to add "were you already dressing in cowboy boots and pink back in the day?" Valerie's invitation to talk endlessly was something that made him shy for a moment. He was friendly with his inner circle, but he never talked this much for sure. In fact, he wasn't sure is the Hardy Boys knew as much of him as Val did by now, but it felt good to share things with her and laugh about them. "Thanks, I uh... it's really easy to talk to you as well." At the movie recommendation, Seojun hummed softly in acknowledgement. "Okay, so what I'm hearing is that we'll watch Halloweentown one of these days. If it's one of your favorites, you gotta tell me about your favorite parts and characters." He insisted. "Oh, I haven't seen too many musicals, but if you're recommending it, then I'll be sure to check it out. It has a catchy name. What is it about?" Seojun couldn't help when laughter bubbled up from his chest and he pulled back after her little warning. "I'm a gentleman, I promise," he said tracing a cross over his heart, "I'll be nice, prepare you nice drinks and keep you safe from any weirdo at the bar."
"A bunch of people that visit the bar like to pick fights," Ha! "so their faces are not usually the nicest thing to look at. Having you there will be a sight for sore eyes." Seojun expressed casually, "besides, there's more of us at the bar, I'm sure someone else can handle security just fine for one night." He squinted his eyes at the challenge and nodded sharply before placing his glass aside. "Of course I find you threatening! With the amount of strength needed to do all those tricks, I'm sure you pack a good kick." He laughed. "Oh, so you like a good challenge as well? That's good, because I find some healthy competition to be quite fun and I won't let you win, you can bet on that." Seojun looked over at the dance floor and then back at her extending his hand. "Then we should make some space for more desserts, don't you think? Why don't we go dance for a bit? Everybody seems to be havin' so much fun."
"Y'all have game nights? You should bring me along one day. I could be the Nancy Drew to your Hardy Boys." Valerie hoped she wasn't being presumptuous or overstepping, but with the easy flow of conversation during the night, she felt comfortable enough to make a such a remark, intrigued by the idea of finding herself among Seojun's friends. Accepting his outstretched phone, her thumbs hovered over the keys on screen, a curious smile on her lips as she peered up at him, wondering if his directive was a sort of challenge. Wait... were we standing this close together a second ago? Decisively typing in "Sunshine" for her contact name, with a sunny emoji paired alongside it for good measure, she sent herself a text message before returning the phone back to him. "Just in case you meet any more Valeries," was her simple retort, the self-assured grin turning more bashful when he reached out and fiddled with the brim of her hat. "Maybe I've just never met as smooth a talker as you before. I've gotta do my best to keep up with ya." Taking his little slip about her questions in kind, the blonde let out a jovial laugh, any airs that she alluded to about verbally sparring with him falling away—she was far too endeared to think up a quip or rib him about it too much. "I can't help it, I'm too curious for my own good. But I'm glad my questions can offer a distraction for ya through everything. I'll put my research to good use when I write that biography about you," she jested. "Deal. I'll let ya know if I ever need anything. After all, I've got your number now."
Her expression turning wistful at the mention of her home state, the acrobat nodded. "I like to think it's a lovely place, but that might just be my nostalgia talking. We lived in a smaller town, out in the country with lots of woods around our house. No matter the time of year, I always found it beautiful. Definitely liked it a lot more than Los Angeles, that's for sure," she grumbled out as an afterthought. Her mind already fluttering to the next thing, Val felt the easy grin on her face lighting up to something brighter at Seojun's musings about a childhood that never was. "So I'm the 'loud elephant girl' in your pretend memories?" she wondered dryly, laughing in spite of herself. "We would've bartered with our skills: I teach you tricks, you teach me how to fight. Who knows? Maybe you would've been there to witness the elephant poop incident in all its glory, teasing me mercilessly about it for years afterwards," Valerie wondered, considering an alternate reality where they'd played together as children—a happy thought, indeed. "Oh yeah. I've been runnin' around in pink and cowboy boots practically my whole life. My tastes haven't really changed all that much," she informed him, dutifully ignoring the years when she wasn't permitted to dress that way. As far as she was concerned, that time hardly mattered. "You haven't seen many musicals? Well, now we have to plan some kind of movie night. It can be your introduction to the world of musicals and all my favorite cozy movies. I won't spoil Little Shop for you, but I'll give you two words: killer plant," she offered up with a raised brow, a mischievous grin playing at her lips.
"I definitely won't be there to fight anyone, promise—I'll probably just nurse the same drink all night long." Brown eyes widening when Seojun referred to her as a "sight for sore eyes," Val was absently aware of a faint warmth creeping up the back of her neck. How odd. "Don't forget, it takes lots of upper body strength to fling yourself around on the trapeze. I could probably give you a run for your money in an arm wrestling contest," she remarked, momentarily taken aback by her own confidence. Peering down curiously at the nearly empty glass of lemonade in her hand, she set the cup on a nearby table, deciding that she'd probably had more than enough of the syrupy sweet drink for the night. It seemed to be loosening her tongue. "I grew up with two older brothers who never let me live anything down, so yeah, I like a little healthy competition every now and then. Makes things fun," Valerie confirmed, looking up at Seojun with open surprise when he extended an invitation to dance. A wide smile breaking out on her features, she placed her much smaller hand in his, acutely aware of the warmth radiating off of him even from the light contact. "Then let's join them out there, shall we? Show me a few of those moves you've been workin' on."
. . .
Somewhere between the drinks and dancing, everything shifted, turned upside down until what was shaping up to be a sweet and memorable evening morphed into something else entirely.
Floating through a borderline catatonic haze, her body seemed to act on its own accord while her mind was flitting away like a hummingbird, a thousand thoughts swirling through her head, unable to focus on any one of them except for the loudest one: get out. She didn't even recall exactly how she's made it onto the lawn outside, but Valerie found herself wandering in the general direction of her car, hands digging blindly through her bag. Keys... keys... I need to find my keys. That was the only thing anchoring her to the present moment after she'd read the frantic (and maddeningly brief) text message from Dusty, that Addison was on the way to the hospital. Briefly shaken from her haze, she realized that Seojun was walking beside her.
He's still here.
"I can hear my keys in my bag, but I can't find them," came her feeble explanation, sucking in a breath in a desperate attempt to keep the rising panic out of her voice.
Stupid, incapable girl. Can't seem to do anything right, can you?
Banishing that unhelpful thought to the recesses of her mind before it could eclipse her mission, Val turned frantically to her companion and reached for his arm, trying to regain a semblance of control over the evening. "You drove here, right? Can we take your car? I... I need to make sure my brother's okay." She detested how reedy and wobbly her voice sounded, harkening back to a long dead and buried version of herself, but there wasn't much she could do about that right now.
