engravings

there is no going back.

[boynextdoors]

[dragonshq]

Looks like three months have flown by already.

We know it sounds repetitive at this point, but when we first opened we never imagined the community would grow into what it is today. Thank you for your continued support, creativity, and dedication to making this space thrive. We’re so grateful to everyone who has been with us since the very beginning, and to all the new faces who have joined along the way.

For the three month anniversary, we’re introducing the Scrapbook Meme. Think of it as a keepsake for your muse: fragments, doodles, and little memories gathered from their time at Yeonhwa so far. By reblogging this post, you’re opening the door for others to send you emojis from the prompt list, and you can answer however you’d like: through writing, headcanons, edits, moodboards, whichever way you’d like. It’s open-ended and meant to be as creative as you want!

This meme will run from September 20th to October 4th, which will give you about 3 weeks to reblog. If you choose to participate, please ensure that you send a question to everyone who has reblogged the post as well, whether this be on your character’s account or on anon. Once again, thank you so much for the amazing three months and we hope you have fun with this meme!

📸 — A candid photo or photos. 🧸 — A doodle or margin note they’d make. 🍜 — A favorite food memory worth recording. 💌 — A letter to your “day one” self. 🖇️ — A receipt, object, or little thing you’d keep as a memento. 🌙 — A late-night moment you’d scribble down. 📝 — A secret written and then crossed out. 📷 — A snapshot of your favorite campus spot. 🎂 — A wish written for the next three months. ☕ — A drink order that defines you right now. 💡 — A random idea or half-thought scribbled down. ✨ — A memory that feels like a movie scene. 🐇 — A superstition, ritual, or lucky charm. 💤 — A dream or daydream you’d jot down. 🔮 — A prediction for what’s next. 🕊️ — A page that feels blank. Describe why. ✈️ — Something that made you feel far from home. 🏠 — Something that made you feel at home. 🥂 — A celebration. 📂 — Something you’d want to hide between the pages. 🧷 — A messy scrap, something torn or crumpled. 🍭 — A small indulgence or guilty pleasure. 📍 — A map, doodle, or set of directions to somewhere important. 📮 — A letter you’d never send. 🎁 — A gift from someone. 💭 — A freeform slot. Sender can come up with their own prompt!

[engraveing]

ft. @steadycompass, near noeul's assigned room / late afternoon

the sun's just starting to dip in the sky, casting long shadows and bathing the surrounding area in that hazy, golden hour kind of light that makes everything feel slow and soft. warm. almost dream-like. the ideal backdrop for a little walk around the grounds, taking photos here and there when something captivates noeul's attention enough —

that's what was supposed to be happening, anyway. instead, he's nursing the beginnings of a not so nice headache with the palm of his hand as if it can erase the sting, victim to a rogue volleyball that seriously came out of nowhere. with a vengeance. practically projectile launched into the stratosphere, even... while he's not aware of any outstanding enemies, getting clocked in the side of the head like that really makes him think. jolts him into it, really, even though it's entirely his own fault for drifting too close while being effectively lost in his own little world.

thinks he hears a few people laugh, maybe a shouted apology in his general direction, too, but he doesn't bother looking back. is already walking towards the assigned rooms; perhaps a little faster than necessary, jaw set. it's fine. he's fine. a little dizzy, but fine. all he needs to do is sit down for a bit and press something cool against it ( and pretend this never happened at all ).

but he spots micah down the path, directly in the way he's walking, and it's over. there's nowhere to peel off and hide to keep him from unnecessarily worrying about what noeul's got going on — grimace on his face really not helping. doesn't stop him from trying to play it off once they're closer, though. “hey, where are you headed? people are playing volleyball down — down there,” the hand formerly holding his head waves behind him in the general direction of where he came from, “if that's your thing. looks like it could be good.”

[grimbound]

asphyxiation w. @engraveing

the last time lucas came this close to deep water, it was summer of 2012.

he doesn't recall much from that day, but the body evidently remembers what the mind has tried to lock away. and this is what it remembers—shoulders hunched forward, arms locked around knees, pulled tight against his chest. it's how he was found, drenched to the bone, eyes wide yet empty.

the only difference between summers in taitung and summers in seoul are the nights. there, it's much more humid, like a thick smog blanketing the city. here, it's a lot cooler.

tonight, it feels the same.

for some time, lucas tracks the ripples along the shoreline. in the distance, a handful of drunken students are splashing each other with their paddles. they sound like they're having fun. usually, this would give him a serious case of fomo, but the queasiness in his stomach keeps him seated.

"my therapist gave me homework," he hears himself say. "asked me to think about what being healed looks like. not sure what she meant by that." lucas turns his head to face noeul, his cheek now pressed to his arm. "i'm perfectly fine not knowing how to swim, so why would i need to heal that?"

[engraveing]

what does being healed look like? noeul's not sure he knows either. hasn't really overcome any of his own hardships as much as he puts on a facade to the rest of the world, though that's something he tries not to think too hard about. his gaze freezes on the dark water, something tightening behind his ribs when the still quiet enveloping the two of them is shattered by the laughter of other students. it feels far away; unreachable, and not just physically. he wonders why that is.

thumb brushes over a small stone he picked up at some point, tossing lucas's words back and forth in his mind. “so that something that's brought you more pain than you deserve doesn't own you forever?” head turns to look at him then, chewing at the inside of his cheek before quietly continuing, “even if you never care to swim, maybe it's about relinquishing yourself from the control it's had over you for so long. what the fear is doing to you while you avoid it.” the words feel heavy on his tongue, finding it difficult to keep looking at him. even if lucas opened the door to this conversation, noeul feels wrong — never wants to overstep when they talk about things so personal.

after a beat, “is that why you wanted to come here?” another splash echoes back to them thanks to someone's paddle, as if on cue. noeul's voice softens. “because subconsciously, part of you already knows why?”

[onlygaram]

( next to you ) ; ⸺ + @engraveing !

it's not that garam is excited about this weekend... but it is a nice distraction, especially when everything in her life wasn't making a bit of sense lately. so complicated, if nothing else. miserable also came to mind. but so did.... butterflies.

she shakes her head and loads onto the big bus bright and early— very early. there's, in fact, so few people filling any of the seats it would be so easy to fold into an empty one. let fate drop her someone in next to her, that would be fun (sigh... she has no faith it would be someone she wants, with her luck, with her attitude for assuming the worst).

she head and face counts. strangers, one maybe (where... where did she even recognize them), noeul and then... noeul. oh she bounded down the isle, from casually strolling and glancing to all but jogging, bag bouncing at her back. she took it off and then plunked down beside him with it in her lap instead.

"aah, my friend," she tilted her head, eyes a little too sparkly for 8am all but on the dot in the morning; clearly happy to see him. "you saved me from having to suffer a stinky bus buddy i wouldn't even want to talk to." she's close, their shoulders touching.

last she saw him they were sprawled across his place, art and reading, paralleling in comfortable silence. still a strangely comforting, fond memory. she realizes she doesn't spend quite enough time with him. on the whim, she lifts her phone out of her jean pockets and leans her head close to him— the front view camera of their faces as she put her cheek way too close to him, "i want to remember this." she tells him and smiles, snaps a picture that's probably a little unfocused and there's no guarantee he's even looking.

[engraveing]

noeul doesn't know what made him sign up for this, not really. being around a lot of people all weekend isn't his cup of tea by any means, but he supposes the nature factor is what makes it sound like a nice enough experience. time away from the campus he hardly leaves to bask in the scent of surrounding trees, the sound of birds chirping in the early morning and cicadas at night, the seemingly never-ending glow of stars in the sky... a change in scenery is something to look forward to.

practically being the first person to board the bus has its perks, like the lottery pick in choosing where to sit without having to worry about being smushed in beside someone. settles in a window seat somewhere in the middle of the bus because he doesn't want to be the last one off nor the first face seen when other students arrive. naturally, he's ready to tune everything else out until they get to the campgrounds — headphones on, cd player coming to life on the track he was listening to last, half ready to keep his eyes closed just like this for the ride over, in peace.

but that idea doesn't last long at all, body resisting the urge to flinch as a shoulder gently brushes against his. when he glances sideways, it's garam, and that causes the faintest shift in his gaze. while he doesn't catch most of what she's saying to him at first, he does relax some, given that she's someone he's slightly more comfortable with — even grateful that she'll be the one occupying the neighboring seat. his shoulder leans against hers.

the headphones are moved down to rest around his neck, music playing faintly through them still, a soft hum that brings him a sense of comfort even without fully listening. ah, he really hadn't planned on talking to anyone... but she's here, bright-eyed and happy (?) to see him, a foreign concept for noeul's brain to accept, so his plan goes right out the bus window in the end. “you want to remember the bus?” there's a curl at the corner of his mouth, for the briefest of moments.

noeul feels her face lean in suddenly, and he stays still, blinking at the proximity. makes no move to pull away, though, simply... allowing it, even goes as far as to let his cheek touch hers. doesn't register that it's for a picture she's taking until curious eyes look over at her phone afterwards, their reflection in the frame of her screen staring back at him. “...you didn't warn me,” he murmurs, knowing that even if garam blatantly expressed wanting a picture together, he would've ducked out of it entirely.

while he doesn't offer a re-take photo where he actually poses with her, already pulling himself out of frame, he does open further conversation. he realizes then that he's missed her. “have you ever been camping before?” they have rooms, but... “at a place like where we're going?”

[legallysera]

because i (don't) like a boy ft. son noeul @engraveing

sera hates to admit it, but she spends most of her time in line for the breakfast buffet looking for noeul. she prides herself on being a strong, independent woman, all of that, but after the way their gazes locked onto each other from across the lake, with the sunrise as the backdrop? come on, that had just been downright romantic. so, naturally, she wants to seek him out… because maybe, just maybe, he finally sees her in the same way she swears she doesn’t see him?

unfortunately, though, she doesn’t see him. even tried asking around, despite the fact that it may have made her look desperate in some way. now that she’s standing at the end of the buffet table, paper plate filled with a spread that looks somewhat like a chaotic mess, looking out at the students scattered around the tables… she realizes she doesn’t actually want to sit with any of them right now. not after she’d just been going around asking people if they’ve seen a boy! she’s got a reputation to uphold (she doesn’t), and so she’d rather disappear from sight, for now. 

instead of heading for one of the tables, sera takes her plate along with a small juice box of orange juice (which is totally better than apple juice, and she’ll fight anyone on that!). she doesn’t know where she’s going, not really, as long as it’s somewhere kind of secluded… it’s a strange feeling, but she thinks she wants to be alone? if only just for a moment. she’s wandering around the camp slowly, picking strawberries off her plate, when the idea hits her… the treehouses! she’s yet to check them out, but it sounds like the perfect place to go to be alone — especially when most students are still either asleep or grabbing breakfast. 

there’s a satisfied grin on her face as she heads towards the treehouses. making it up the ladder with the plate in hand, without spilling anything, proves to be a challenge (only some of her scrambled eggs scatters to the floor, but honestly? she hadn’t been planning on eating those anyway. just adding some protein, or whatever, so her plate isn’t all sugar) — but she manages, raising her free arm triumphantly once she’s up in the treehouse. her eyes sweep over her surroundings — it’s downright cozy in here, it’s— 

huh? that’s… eyes widening, she takes a few steps towards the figure lying in the mess of blankets and pillows. the shape of him had looked familiar from the start, and closer inspection just confirms what she’d already suspected — it’s… noeul. he’s been here the whole time?! and he’s… sleeping. sera can’t help it — and best believe she internally scolds herself for it — but a smile spreads on her lips, accompanied by a fond expression in her eyes. he looks… well, cute. he always does, she supposes, but especially now… he looks peaceful. 

putting her plate down on the floor, she grabs her phone out of her pocket, and snaps a few pictures of him. she figures it’ll be useful, either for possible blackmail material (if she should ever need that, you never know!) or just some good, old-fashioned, wistful longing. once satisfied (she’d taken 7 pictures, all from different angles), she sits down on a blanket next to him, figuring she’ll enjoy her breakfast for however long it takes him to wake up.

[engraveing]

noeul's standing in the middle of a field at dusk, tall grass dancing in the wind, mimicking the sound of wind chimes. the air is warm on his skin as he walks through, no one else in sight... but he doesn't feel alone. he feels peaceful, the kind that floods your system after ridding your chest of an ache that's made a home there and overstayed its welcome. fireflies blink to life around him like stars coming down to earth, and all he can do is watch; reaching out, allowing one to briefly land on his fingertip. glowing, glowing, glowing. flecks of purple and gold color the sky, and he wonders if they can see it — if they can feel it, too —

it starts with the faintest furrow between his brows and the soft rustle of his jacket sleeves against the pillow he fell asleep holding onto, slowly stirring awake. can still see the tail-end of his dream behind his eyelids even as they flutter open, feeling lighter than usual from experiencing the unfamiliar phenomenon of rest. for a few seconds, he doesn't move beyond that; his breathing quiet, even, as he gives himself time to adjust to the sunlight. how did he fall asleep? when did he fall asleep? he remembers watching the sunrise and the trek to this treehouse afterwards. remembers settling in with the goal of reading a few passages from a book of folktales, one that he can now feel awkwardly angled and open against his body.

he remembers the fireflies in his dream, fingertip burning at the false memory. he usually doesn't have many of those, not since he was younger. it's strange.

it's strange, and noeul doesn't know what to make of it. doesn't know if there's even a reason to continue letting the images stay in his mind... no, definitely not. sitting up, he reaches for the book and closes it properly, turning to set it back on the table, only — sera's here? sera's here. his gaze lands on her for the second time that morning — it's a good thing that he doesn't scare easily, or really, at all. anyone else might've leapt out of their skin at the surprise. ( which isn't to say that this completely pleases him, either. there's still a newfound sense of urgency that settles in his heart at being caught in too vulnerable of a position... she looks comfortable, which makes it easy for him to assume she's been here awhile. that's nice. that's cool. )

right. should probably say something.

“good morning,” the greeting comes out quietly. it's still morning, right? has to be. it doesn't feel warm enough yet to be anything but, and the idea of fishing his phone out of his pocket to check the time simply doesn't travel from braincell a to braincell b, at this moment. brown eyes blink at her, curious. soft, still, even with the slight discomfort that presents itself behind his ribcage. something else, too. confusing. “how long have you been sitting there?” how long have you been here, with me?

[engraveing]

hiii! many many apologies for disappearing for so long, especially w dms!!! i've been sick for the past 2 weeks and am crawling my way out of the trenches as we speak, but am hoping to get noeul involved in things for this event <3 i've put together an outline below for how i see him spending his time + a few interaction ideas, though nothing is set in stone because i'd love to brainstorm things that can work too, as always ^^ please like this if you're interested and i'll reach out!

friday

8AM - 10AM. arrives at check-in on the dot and sits somewhere in the middle of the bus, window seat. he's got his headphones, portable cd player, and sketchbook with him, so unless someone takes the initiative and sits beside him to force him into conversation, he plans to keep to himself for the ride over. * garam

10AM. has been assigned to room 204. while he'll definitely have his own opinions about sleeping arrangements, he'll roll with what everyone else decides. there's a good chance he won't be spending much time there anyway.

11AM - 12PM. after getting settled and before going to lunch, he walks around and explores the grounds to familiarize himself with jinyoung, because even with a short stay, he's the kind of person that likes to know his surroundings well.

12PM - 1PM. lunchtime! i fear that the headphones might be on again... would be a shame if someone interrupted his peace... really, he tries to make himself seem a little unapproachable, but he's too kind for it to work as intended. yap, take food off his plate ( though you will be blankly stared at ), ask him about what he's listening to + steal his headphones and hear for yourself...

1PM - 3PM. can and will paint for hours in one of the set up canopies. maybe someone bumps into him and effectively messes up what he's been working on, maybe paint splatters onto him, maybe you want him to paint something on you, maybe... painting collaboration... much to consider.

3PM - 5PM. open for anything! he doesn't have a sporty bone in his body so i think it'd be funny for him to get roped into something simply because he was walking by and another number was needed to make equal teams. perhaps he's awkward with it at first but turns out to be surprisingly decent? question mark? second scenario, he's walking by at the wrong time and is consequently hit by a rogue ball, in which micah comes to his rescue ( his hero!!! )

5PM - 8PM. at some point within these hours, he'll appear to assist ( or lead ) in cooking dinner for the arts department. will make sure everyone else is fed and satisfied before himself which includes those in different areas, too. he doesn't mind, and will cook to everyone's preferences to the best of his ability :D when the cooking is done, jisung pulls him away to sit and eat together.

9PM. makes an appearance at department trivia night, participates for a little while, ultimately decides to check out early with the 1v1 between lyra and polaris to blame. he can't be bothered to listen to that much arguing

~9:45PM - beyond. leaving this more open too! will definitely be stargazing at some point, with or without company ( please give him company :pleading_face: ) and is 99% certain to pull an all-nighter instead of sleeping. he loves you insomnia. Put Him Into Situations

saturday

5AM - 7AM. doesn't know what sleep is, and will be getting ready for the day by this point, which includes heading out somewhere quiet to sit until sunrise. someone can a) join him on purpose, planned or b) happen to find him and choose to take a seat, too. there's room for quiet conversation with an introspective and sleep-deprived noeul...

7AM - ??? may or may not skip breakfast in favor of hiding out in one of the available treehouses, where he also may or may not end up accidentally falling asleep in the middle of some quiet reading. the concept of someone entering said treehouse to find him curled up is funny to me and should be explored i think... playful blackmail where you now have video footage / photo evidence of noeul looking positively adorable while snoozing. this embarrasses him. he will do anything for you to delete it... * sera

12PM. lunchtime. he wants bibimbap and to close his eyes again. alternates between taking bites and sketching: do not disturb is practically stamped across his forehead, but is it the rule?

1PM - 4PM. potentially decides to check out outdoor yoga? musters up the energy to follow the trail that leads to the lake with the desire to take pictures in mind, mainly for art references? count him out on going for a swim, but sitting back and hanging out for awhile could be nice and relaxing

5PM - 8PM. dinner pt. 2, pretty much a mirror image of friday night

9PM. campus bonfire! noeul doesn't really drink, so one if that will be his cut-off and he'll most likely be watching everything go down from the sidelines — he has a bad habit of isolating himself. but, i can see him helping out / taking care of someone that's had too much before making his exit

10PM - beyond. more stargazing, more appreciating nature... he likes this kind of atmosphere more than anything, so he's taking as much of it in as he can. kinda want him to have a Moment with someone that will live in his head rent free for the foreseeable future, whether that's positive or negative is yet to be determined...

sunday

8AM - 11AM. goes for a light breakfast, potentially more sketching or painting afterwards. if he finds his way into a treehouse again i apologize in advance. he likes it there

1PM. seat buddy for the ride back to campus? will definitely be more of a listener vs yapper, but you might get a few things out of him :') maybe he'll show you some pictures he took or share a snack he packed. do you like rice cracker mixes

sidenote

sorry for the wall of text Hello..... but! again, this outline is by no means a set in stone schedule for him, things can be moved around or changed entirely so little plots / interactions can work for everyone ^^ ( my brain was fr putting random times like what the hell, sure ) so please don't feel as though that has to be adhered to <3

[engraveing]

AUGUST PROMPT : a glimpse into noeul's recently played tracks.

kidd, se so neon.

the first time noeul heard this song, he was walking down the street while people were busking. despite not being the original band, their performance still made him stop in his tracks to listen in full, and look up the song on his own right after. he feels like a hole's been punched through him every time he listens to it — not necessarily in a negative way — though describing the exact feeling it gives him is next to impossible. all he knows is that he likes it, and it's stayed in his ears since.

the colors become my dream, fog.

one of his favorite songs to listen to. he doesn't pay much attention to the lyrics, that's not what keeps him coming back, but the sound. the instrumental. everything about it scratches his brain nicely, and when he has control over what music is playing at the art store he works at, this comes on at least a few times. he's also found that it's nice to play while longingly staring out of a bus window...

let down, radiohead.

discovered during a time he needed it most. one of his first submissions for an exhibition was a piece inspired by the lyrics, and while it's no longer in his possession, he still holds a fond memory for it. he's drawn to the melancholic and this song encapsulates that kind of atmosphere while listening to a t.

somehow. here. the sea, 3rd line butterfly.

the way it builds + crescendos from 3:44 - 4:44 is quite possibly one of his most favorite parts of a song of all time, and is in distress over the fact that he'll never get to experience it live. whenever he's asked for a music recommendation ( which might not be often... but still ) this is probably going to be the first song he lists. he thinks everyone should hear it, whether it's their usual taste or not.

until i spill everything out, omilgop.

it's a humid night in july and noeul feels like crawling out of his skin. the whir of the ceiling fan can't be heard as he lies there, motionless like a sculpture of his own creation, while the same song plays over and over and over again. the room is dim save for outside lights that bleed through an open window; casting a small spotlight on the floor, just short of his body. his eyes fix on the ceiling as if it might crack open while the melody, aching in its delivery, swallows him whole. nostalgia pulls him in deeper until the past has coiled itself so tightly around his chest that it hurts to inhale.

the path of wind, joe hisaishi.

easy listening, and has always been a favorite ost of his for some reason, even though the film it's from isn't. helps him overcome any blocks in his creativity and makes it so his head doesn't feel like it's stuffed with cotton anymore. there's also a good chance that when he's seen with his headphones on around campus, this is what's currently playing while he walks from building to building.

reaching you, tomofumi tanizawa.

speaking of osts... watched season one of kimi ni todoke in high school. doesn't really remember the why or how, but something about the opening ost appealed to him then, and it still does now, after re-discovering it thanks to an old cd mix being put back in rotation. can sing it word for word without struggle, but would not be able to tell you a single detail about the anime itself. selective memory.

let's watch the slowly setting sun, the poles.

a song that reminds him of haneul in a way that doesn't make him feel nauseous. listening to it brings images of golden hour walks down the beach to the forefront of his mind; wind in his hair, the quiet crash of waves against the shore, sand as far as the eye can see. it feels like coming home in a way nothing else can, and the live version that lives in his camera roll is something he revisits frequently. don’t worry that our footsteps may slow down and lag behind / let’s watch the slowly setting sun / even when the morning comes, i’ll always be by your side.

[boynextdoors]

[engraveing]

ft. @dignitylies, GS25 / a little after midnight

the convenience store fluorescents hum faintly above, the soft sound providing noeul with a strange sense of comfort that he can only reduce to how often he finds himself in the vicinity. where else can he get his caffeine fix at odd hours of the night?

finally makes his way back to his counterpart with nothing but a venti cup of ice and his go-to pouch of sweet americano, fingers still feeling like icicles themselves from picking through the cooler. announces his return with a ceremonious crunch of his cup and offhanded hum to whatever song's currently playing in the background—something upbeat and summery sounding, which tracks—as he sits down at their small table. “prussian blue would be too dark against brick,” he comments, picking their conversation back up, “what do you think about cerulean blue?”

taking a beat for juyeon to envision the colors in his mind, noeul takes advantage of the moment to pour the contents of the coffee pouch into his cup, stirring it around with his straw. after a slow sip, he adds, “i think it can add balance well. has a freshness to it, not too soft or too muted. a sky or powder blue shade can work in the same way.” his gaze settles on juyeon afterwards, possibly longer than it needs to. while he doesn't voice it out loud, nights like these always feel good. simple. comfortable in a way that's managed to sneak up on him over time. it's nice.

“as you can tell, i've given it some thought. too much?”

[engraveing]

ft. @cinemaveritas, sunday, july 27 / early afternoon

quick memories from the party flicker in and out like an old film running in the background of noeul's mind: the pulsing club lights, music so loud he could feel the bass thrum through his body with every tentative step, getting under his skin and forming a lump in his throat... it's never been his scene, but showing up for younghee is something important to him, so he hung around for as long as he could—even if as long as he could only ended up being an hour or so. if that. it was long enough to greet her, to wish her a happy birthday, to buy her a drink, to join in the celebration before retiring to as quiet of a corner as he could find, until retiring home altogether.

the one thing he didn't get to do, however, was give younghee her gift. he felt that it was a touch out of place, given the party's overall vibe, as it felt like more of a personal thing. or maybe it was the certain level of sheepishness that still courses through noeul's veins about what he's prepared, even now, as he stops himself just outside of her suite. is it going to come off as doing too much? what if that's all he knows when it comes to the people he values in his life? he's only ever known how to communicate through his work. through what his hands can create.

one hand raises to gently knock against the door a few times, the other cradling a neatly wrapped box behind his back; decorated with white kraft paper and tied together with a silk ribbon that's the most periwinkle he's ever seen. a perfect home to the set of figures inside, made out of clay and resin, resembling the chiikawa characters he's heard about and seen on several occasions at the hands of younghee. the star of the bunch is the version of pippi he sculpted in the same squishy-looking manga style, down to the blush lines and tiny eyebrows... he can only hope he's done them justice.

when the door swings open, noeul has the sense to offer a small, easy smile. “hey, thanks for letting me come by. i know i didn't really give you that much notice.. or time to say no,” something extremely rare when it comes to him, but he didn't want younghee's gift to become any more belated. “you weren't in the middle of anything, right?”

[impulsetheories]

ft. @engraveing in an undisclosed art supply shop, early evening

dabin doesn't really want to be out. that said, his sister's twenty-second birthday is rapidly approaching and he still hasn't bought her a gift. he doesn't know when he'll have the time to get out again, either, so he's out - he's in some art store downtown. he's hardly stepped through the doorway when he eyes the counter and comes to the realization that the worker is noeul. photography club noeul. yeah, he really shouldn't have gotten out. not because noeul's a bad person—dabin's never heard him speak more than a few words at a time, and none of them have been mean—but because dabin doesn't have the energy to talk.

but it would be weird not to talk and even weirder to just turn around and leave, so he cuts his losses. the only thing he can do is approach. so he does, one foot after the next, and he even gives his best tired attempt at a smile.

"i didn't realize you worked here," he says, as if he'd have any reason to know. it's his first time in the store, and he tries his best to stay uninvolved in the lives of other people. it's an awkward attempt at being friendly. he gives a quick glance around the store, then looks back at noeul to say, "it doesn't seem like a bad gig."

once he's reached the counter, he props one casual elbow on top of it and leans against it. "so, i'm looking for a gift for my sister. i was going to look around on my own, but i don't actually know much about this kind of stuff. maybe you can help?"

[engraveing]

though the door doesn't chime upon entry, noeul knows someone's arrived. the sweet trace of hotteok drifts inside from the stall down the street, effectively drawing him out of his focus, sketchbook quietly flipping to a close. when he looks up in preparation to greet the patron, it's dabin that his eyes land on. the recognition clicks instantly. it isn't all that uncommon for people that he knows from the school to show up now and then, but it still finds a way to catch him off guard when it does happen.

he straightens a little as dabin approaches, putting an end to the all too comfortable half slouch he's maintained over the counter for the past half hour or so. “oh, yeah, been here awhile. it's good. easy,” gives a small nod in his direction, “there's not a lot of.. craziness.” it's one of the things he appreciates the most: the quiet, the calm. from the music that floats out of the store's speakers to the shoppers that bring their business, it's never hectic, never loud. there's some humor in thinking of a part-time job as pleasant, but it's the truth.

a gift, noeul repeats internally. his posture relaxes. there's a few generic ideas that come to mind, but those are pocketed for later in favor of some light research—the more individually catered a gift is, especially when having to do with art—the better.

“i can help. do you know what her specialty is, or her preferred medium?” figures this can be as good of a starting point as any, opening the door for where in the store they should start. a hand leans against the counter's edge, offering dabin a small smile with the hope that it doesn't come off odd. just feels like he should be presenting more.. friendly, maybe. hospitable. “if not, no pressure. i can give you a tour so you can see everything. if that works better.”

[engraveing]

hello everyone ^^ i'm blue (23, any pronouns!) and i'm so happy to introduce my muse noeul to you. he's still in development in a few areas (which i'm excited to explore through plotting & writing), so please hit the heart if you'd like to discuss something between our muses! both ims or discord available — what works for you, works for me — so i'll ask for your preference when i message <3

navigate: acceptance / statistics / backstory / connections (wip).

noeul trivia —

has worked a few different part-time jobs since coming to seoul. his current is at an art supply store, which he actually enjoys (and not just for the discount) because discussing art and what people are working on really inspires him, and is the #1 way to get him yapping

he also takes art commissions as a means of making extra money

is a great cook in the realm of soups, stews, or porridges.. he likes simple things.. despite how cold he can seem at times, he's generous and happy to feed others even if he's not super outright with it. which means his willingness to share often comes in the form of notes left on the fridge or counter, imploring people to please help themselves if they're hungry (but if you see him eating something homemade in the wild [somewhere on campus] the chances of him giving you a bite isn't zero)

unfortunately he is very much the moody artist type. appears a little unapproachable at times if you don't already know him. but he has an extremely tender heart and longs for company even if he acts like he doesn't. he's used to being more of a loner, but just because he's used to it, doesn't mean he wants it

i promise he's such a sweet person when the walls come down and you get past his Trust Issues... he even knows how to smile (and it's really pretty!!!)

chronically offline unless he's doing research for school, projects, or on the hunt for new music (he's a big shoegaze / nu gaze / dream pop fiend...)

got into photography because of his twin. he uses her old camera, and joined the university club as a means of feeling closer to her. he doesn't share all that much himself, but he's appreciative of the different perspectives in everyone's work

potential connection ideas —

childhood friends! maybe your muse lived in jeju at some point, maybe they have relatives there and they happened to be in the same town as noeul?

piggybacking off that, long lost friends in the sense that your muse and their family vacationed there, they ran into the twins on the beach and decided to play around/hang out, only to never exchange information and never see each other again.... until noeul entered university

fellow photography club members, anyone involved in the arts in any capacity, or anyone in the same field of study (sculpture / classics & ancient civilizations)

those that also live in the b612 building ^^ i'd love to explore all the different dynamics possible there! he's more of a quiet presence, but treats the shared spaces with respect and keeps things clean. i'd say he's also someone that will most likely be awake at odd hours of the night (against his will.. insomnia haver.. but he also likes how peaceful the world feels at those times, soooo....) so if your muse shares a similar problem or has their own reasons for it.. kindred spirits? close bonds formed during all too intimate conversation when the sun's about to come up? alternatively, tell him to kick rocks

homoerotic friendship that drives him a little insane sometimes

unrequited or hopeless crushes on either side. where are the yearners!!!

past situationship? maybe they were in the throes of starting something until noeul ghosted without warning. he had good reason, but it doesn't excuse acting like a deer caught in the headlights and immediately going the opposite direction whenever he sees them around now

found familiy / inner circle!!!!

since he's very offline, who is forcing their whimsy onto him. who is making him consume memes and whatever else against his will. make him laugh.. lighten up..

so your muse wants to learn sign language? greek? latin? improve their japanese or study english together? he might be able to help, at least a little bit

i'm a sucker for polar opposites / unlikely bonds every time. friends that don't seem like they'd get along at surface level but actually match each other so well.. chefs kiss

andddd anything else we can cook up!! i love brainstorming and mix n matching ideas, so if nothing listed works, let's make up something that does ^^

[boynextdoors]

・✫・゜・。.