HOSHINO MAYUKI. the treasure hunter. lost in life, trying to find their purpose.
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❣ Chile in a Photography ❣

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@everafterless
HOSHINO MAYUKI. the treasure hunter. lost in life, trying to find their purpose.
intro - about - background - plots - pinterest
the proximity test for @impulsetheories
mayuki's head hasn't been screwed on straight all day. she had already lost more than ten minutes fighting with her white balance to get the mood she wanted. the current settings of her camera should've been giving her what she wanted, but something about the results just wasn't right. she let out a sigh of frustration as she crouched and zoomed in, framing the moment she wanted. she took the shot, and it came back acceptable, which is almost worse. she adjusted by a hair and tried again. this time the left corner felt cornered by a shoulder that wasn't there.
her issue was the fact she was very aware of a presence inside the unreasonably large radius where focus is impossible if someone's inside of it while she's "working". classic. she didn't even bother to turn and see who it was. "you're not in my frame technically," she said mostly to herself, as she's not really the confrontational type. she was already prepared to be the one who moved if the other didn't. "but my head thinks you are. if you shift maybe a fraction, maybe i'll be able to stop lying to myself." three slow heartbeats later, she took another. it's cleaner, but still not what she wants. a frown takes its place on her face as she gets up from her crouched position and turns around.
( she really should try to remember the people in the clubs she doesn't hold a leadership role in because it took her longer than it should've to realize that she knew the person she was looking at.)
mayuki lets the camera thud lightly against her hip and abandons the shot because she felt like she was about three failed attempts away from wanting to sell the camera and never use one again. "busy day?" she asks, immediately regretting the words because those were two of the words she hated hearing others ask her. "if you're here to collect submissions, i have tragic news for you. i'm hoarding everything until i have something good enough to show." it's mostly a joke, and that's only because she's routinely been a hassle to get submissions out of. "speaking of photos," she adds, "have your shots been good today, or is it just a me issue? because if you say you got something decent, i'll accept that today isn't my day."
as mayuki explains her usual grub, hayun can't help but chuckle herself. "it seems we both should eat better." she surely makes a mental note to stop at the other volleyball player's dorm to bring her something more filling than cheap instant noodles. after all, they were teammates and hayun looked out for the other girls. she likes to think the team is pretty closely knit, unlike some of the other teams across campus. at least, that's the word she's heard through the grapevine.
sighing heavily, she shook her head in a playful manner. "oh shoot, you uncovered my genius plan. haven't you heard? i'm trying to take out each volleyball member -- one by one, they say." reaches for her water bottle to take a quick swig of the substance. "well, let's hope you enjoy said hotpot then. it's actually one of my favorite places in the city. and if it's on you, then next time? it'll be my treat." she insists, considerate as her personality was very giving towards people she liked.
rising from her seated position then, she eyes mayuki across the gym floor and nods in understanding. "i used to swim competitively but, i sort of gave it up for volleyball. so, i understand the love for the game." pausing, she winks. "besides, i heard the tennis girls are a little wild." at least, she has seen some of them get into heated arguments on the court. hayun felt they were lucky to have a more relaxed and chill team, where each member believed in each other. part of that was due to their captain, someone hayun respected highly.
she treads over and extends a hand down to mayuki to help her off the gym floor. "c'mon. i believe an actual dinner awaits our arrival."
mayuki laughed under her breath, grinning at the other's comment " yeah... probably wouldn't hurt either of us to eat something that didn't come out of a packet. though i can not promising i'll give up completely. they're kind of a survival thing at this point." it was half a joke, but the way her smile lingered made it clear she meant it too. and that was a problem. she really should be taking better care of her health as an athlete, but she doesn't. maybe this is why she always gets the worst combinations when she gets tarot readings done.
when hayun went along with her joke, mayuki let out another laugh, brighter this time. "ruthless. and here i thought we were going to do some team bonding."she playfully rolled her eyes dramatically for a second before dropping the act with a crooked smile. "even if you were, at least i'm going down with hotpot. it's not the worst way to go, i guess. and just know i'll hold you to that next time." she wouldn't. and likely would forget hayun even offered to pay next time, but she's sure hayun would remember whenever it happens.
the mention of swimming pulled her attention, and she leaned back a little, considering. "swimming? i can see it. it suits you." her voice dipped softer, the compliment slipping out before she thought too much about it. then she quickly added, "and yeah, tennis doesn't seem like my thing either from what i've heard. or at least the current version of myself. who knows what i'd be like if i played tennis instead. i'll take our team over that any day." when hayun offered her hand, mayuki didn't hesitate, sliding her palm into hers and letting herself be pulled up. "alright, hotpot it is," she said, brushing off her shorts once she was steady. "lead the way. i'll be the judge of whether it's worth giving up my instant noodles for the night." the teasing tone stayed, but there was an ease to it. she was already sure she'd enjoy it.
“really?” sera says, eyebrows raising in disbelief. she’s about to argue — it can’t possibly not be that good, if it caught mayuki’s attention to this extent — though the older contradicts herself before sera is able to. “see, i knew it had to be good!” there’s a grin, somewhat triumphant at being right, however pointless the thing she’d been right about may be. she’ll take any win she can get!
sera frowns slightly at mayuki’s next words. “are you okay?” she leans forward slightly, eyes narrowing as she’s attempting to study her friend, trying to see if anything is amiss — other than her being distracted. “why are you sitting here if you’d rather be left alone?” well, the recreation room is currently empty, so suppose it’s not a terrible idea, but you’re bound to run into someone here eventually. “do you have a roommate you’re avoiding?”
she falls quiet for a moment (truly, a rare occurrence for sera), eyes lingering on the book in mayuki’s lap. her gaze scans over the cover, though it still doesn’t seem familiar (and, if she’s being honest, perhaps not something she’d be interested in. which is fine!). though she’s soon invited to speak again, and you never have to ask sera twice.
“oh, mayuki, i thought you’d never ask!” she lets out a dramatic sigh, throwing herself back against her seat, head falling back, nearly hitting the wall. “i am so bored. i’m pretty sure no one has ever been this bored before, ever. like, in the history of humanity.” so she’s exaggerating, juuuust a little bit, but that’s truly how she’s been feeling all day! no one’s been paying her any attention, in the slightest!” then, she sits up slightly, glancing back at mayuki, a silent plea in her eyes.
“will you hang out with me? pleeeeeeease?”
mayuki blinked at the sudden scrutiny, and her fingers tightening slightly around the book in her lap as if it'd shield her from being examined too closely. "i'm fine," she said after a moment. "i wasn't trying to be left alone, exactly. i just wanted to avoid being small talked to death since i hate it." her gaze dropped again, tracing the edge of the spine with her thumb. "and my room just felt… too quiet. and i didn't want to sit in it by myself." she gave a small shrug. she wasn't sure how much of that made sense or just sounded silly out loud. "so i came here instead. it's easier to be around background noise than silence." her eyes flicked back up to meet sera's, and the smallest smile tugged at her lips as she added, "and i'm not hiding from my roommate or anything. if she were around, we wouldn't be talking right now."
she hadn't expected much else to follow, but with sera, she shouldn't known to expect anything. the dramatic sigh and the way she collapsed into her seat pulled a quiet laugh out of mayuki before she could stop herself. "you're kidding," she murmured, shaking her head lightly, the corners of her mouth softening into something closer to amusement. she set the book aside on the armrest, no longer pretending to read it, and turned her full attention back toward her friend. "the history of humanity, huh? i'm not much of a history person but you must've had an extremely long day if it earns that title," she teased.
she studied sera for another moment, catching on the way the other's gaze lingered with unspoken insistence. it was hard not to give in when met with that, and it was always her weakness. mayuki let out a soft exhale and leaned back into the couch. "i don't think i'm the best cure for boredom," she admitted, though there was no sign of a rejection in her voice. "but… i can stay and hang out with you. just don't say i didn't warn you if you end up somehow actually dying of boredom." she tilted her head, a bit curious to learn more about the other through observing her. "so, what do you want to do? because i'm not too sure you'll be entertained by anything i come up with."
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!
hi... it's me... keeping this short and sweet... but yes... nayul underwent another update. a fc change and a name change... and luckily that's it.
updated faceclaim: ive's an yujin → le sserafim's nakamura kazuha updated name: son nayul → hoshino mayuki
.......... i'll be updating pages and graphics again shortly.
What's on Mayki's Phone? aka that one person who tries to convince you they're chronically offline by their so-called lack of social media presence, but does nothing but doomscroll all day.
Q&A
What is your muse’s favorite and least favorite social media app? Why? her favorite app to use has to be instagram. she likes curating a feed and also appreciating seeing how other people put together their feeds. her least favorite app to use is twitter. she rarely uses the app anymore, and for good reason. she's what people would say, easy to ragebait. any time she thinks about giving it another chance, once opens the app she remembers why she doesn't use it anymore in the first place.
What app or platform does your muse spend the most time on vs. the one they actually enjoy the most? she spends the most time on tiktok, and it may arguably be the app she enjoys the most despite feeling like she loses her braincells from the for you page she has. youtube is a close second as she likes watching asmr videos.
What time of day are they most active online? she's most active late at night, typically after she's completed everything on her agenda, or in the morning as she eats breakfast.
Are they silent lurkers or actively engaging? depends on app and the account. but generally, she'll leave a like on a posts/story but rarely leaves a comment.
What’s your muses screen time like, and how do they feel about it? it's too high for someone whose schedule is packed tightly. she justifies it as half social/half logistics for lyra and campus events, but it's seriously concerning how she manages to get close to a weekly average of ten hours.
What was the last thing they took a screenshot of on their phone? a late-night tiktok recipe for ten-minute miso butter noodles she swears she’ll try this week (she won't).
What does their camera roll look like? it's organized chaos. she has photos of event posters and notes, friends and food, scenery photos, assignments, study-table stills, a few mirror selfies she rarely posts, and progress pictures of her art.
If they had to delete all but one app, which one would survive? instagram, but only because she really enjoys putting together a post.
What app on their phone is the most embarrassing or least expected one? a productivity app/a gamified pomodoro timer that unlocks a pet. it's only embarrassing because of the amount of pets she currently has, but it's effective so...
How does your muse decide what/what not to post on social media? she asks herself if it serves a purpose. on @/mayukino, if it's news, achievements, resources, or event recaps, it's getting posted. anything else likely won't. @/maki___ is more like a scrapbook. she tries to squeeze in as many photos as possible to cover everything she's done, but anything that might be unflattering doesn't make the cut.
How often does your muse delete or archive old posts? What’s the thought process behind those decisions? anything on @/mayukino rarely gets archived because she's extremely picky before posting. @/maki___ posts are always at threat of being edited or archived. a particular photo in a post might get removed or the entire post may be taken down. this can be for a number of reasons, or for none at all. it's also not shocking to suddenly see her with 0 posts once in a while.
Does your muse use their real name and image online? If not, how different is their online persona from their real-life persona? yes, real name and face on all platforms. makes her somewhat easy to find on social media but you'll discover a different side of her based on which account you find.
finding mayuki's notable social media accounts...
this app mostly sits abandoned in a corner of her phone until a photo dump or a planned post causes her to open it. when she does, typically prepares several posts at once, posts one and drafts the others, replies to a few dms, then disappears again. notifications are mostly off except for dms and tags she might need to repost for club stuff, so days can go by without her checking the feed at all.
activity? now that depends on which of her three accounts we're referring to. if she didn't have to worry about being perceived, all of her instagram accounts would be merged into one, and it would be filled with random notes, selfies after practice or meetings, spontaneous half-formed thoughts, achievements, and too many sky photos. all with long captions.
@/mayukino
the public-facing personal page that's basically her unofficial linkedin. the account is carefully curated with club updates and any campus features or wins she wants searchable. captions are relatively short and to the point. this is the handle she gives to classmates, professors, org leaders, and anyone she doesn't see herself getting particularly close to. the stories tend to be posts about upcoming events and cover them in real time, and she'll rarely archive anything on this account due to being extremely picky about what goes on it.
@/maki___
this is her actual personal account. it's private, and a lot less stiff. the cover image on her posts are all particular so that her feed looks cohesive. however, all of her posts are carousel-type of posts. when you swipe, you can see photos of friends, late-night study pics, weekend dumps, sky photos, and the kind of inside jokes that never make sense outside the group chat. her captions get a little rambly and she lets the imperfect moments live a little longer before archiving them. it also kind of acts as her finsta, considering she posts a lot to her story and notes feature. her stories mostly contain memes, selfies, and reels she saw at 2am that she'll likely delete when she wakes up. while still relatively easy to find, she only accepts follow requests from people she thinks she has a connection with
@/mkarchive
this is her photography/art page. it's like a neat little portfolio of photos she's taken with her cameras and the select few art pieces she created that she's extra proud of. this page is public, but it's presumably abandoned since she hasn't posted on this account since last year. posts have no captions, and commets are restricted. if she ever brings it back, it'll be for monthly photo dump. if not, it'll serve as an archive she can point to when someone asks to see some of her work. hence, she doesn't really give this one out unless you ask about her art, but if you find it on your own, you find it.
TIKTOK
rumor has it mayuki hasn't responded to your text because she was busy scrolling tiktok.... and it might be true. it's her go-to app after midnight. "just one more swipe" turns into a half hour, and suddenly it's 4am. she tells herself she's collecting ideas for xyz, but she's mainly getting her last two braincells fried by the fyp.
@/maaakiii
her account is private. she's mostly a reposter/saver and not posting her own titoks. when she does, it's likely a "day in the life" clip with voiceovers and text overlays. there are rougly 30+ half-edited videos siting in her drafts. the last few? a "study with me" library timelapses, "get ready with me for an xyz event" snippets, and three nearly identical walks she can't choose between. if something feels off about the video later, it's friends-only or straight to delete.
twitter/x
don't ask her about this app. she's deleted it off her phone again for the hundredth time after getting irritated reading a thread. she's so busy pressing not interested in this post that it's not even enjoyable being on the app.
@/minorsonata
the account is locked, and it isn't linked anywhere. it's basically a read-only dashboard for her, and she still somehow gets angry whenever she opens the app. posting is rare, and the closest you'll get from her is a private quote retweet. she never argues online, never subtweets, and keeps dms closed.
an aching core and a silent mind means hayun did great during practice. it was the one thing that kept her mind off her studies and her worries about her brother. most of all, it got her socializing and out of her dorm. her back is pressed against the gym wall, beads of sweat cling to her nape of her neck, hair tied up in a ponytail. once nayul speaks, the broken silence feels welcoming and she can't help but crack a gentle grin. "no, actually. most nights i'm stuck with instant noodles too." she laughs easily, hums gently in response.
"you'd really let me pick the place?" the brunette undoes her ponytail and allows her long tresses to flow behind her shoulders. "do you like hotpot? there's a great place down the street not too far from campus." her suggestion gentle, much like her usual demeanor. hayun's eyes flick over to nayul, and she nods at the other statement.
"it is comforting, considering. sometimes i enjoy the quiet more than most people think i should. but, i think it's just how i grew up after my brother left." she explains casually, knowing she takes solace in all the silence. it was something she'd learned to feel comfortable in and continues to. "does that make me weird?"
a big smile overtakes nayul's face as she can't help but to spot some similarities between the two. while it is mostly surface-level at this point, she typically has a good idea on those she'll get along with based off of interactions like these. "oh good. i didn't want to be the only one on the team with a questionable meal plan." but it wasn't like most of the time she couldn't afford to eat better than she was. nayul was just too busy to sit down in one place... unless it was late at night in her dorm, which is why she had so many packs of ramyeon.
"yeah, 'm not much of a picky eater. unless you had a secret scheme to poison me and i fell right into your trap." a soft laugh comes from nayul at her own words. the conversation is easy and casual, and it makes her wonder why she hasn't made more of an effort to talk to hayun before. "hotpot's good. think i forgot to mention it but it'll be my treat since i invited you."
nayul hums at the question. "i don't think that makes you weird. i mean, if it makes you weird, then it definitely makes me weird." nayul thrives in quiet solitude, which is something she's not proud to admit. it's certainly something she wouldn't tell to the members of the clubs she is a part of. "like, a part of me kind of wishes i pursued tennis, but i think i love volleyball too much to just give that up." a little white lie, but it's not one that'll hurt anyone. she had been suggested to play in her younger years due to her height and has just stuck with it ever since.
off schedule for @heracules
nayul truly should've expected it to feel weird to have someone observing her, but she was kind of getting used to it. it kind of puzzled her why hera wanted to shadow nayul out of all of the people in her department. there were more charismatic and outgoing people in, but she guesses that on paper does it makes sense why she would be picked. right now though? she's kind of wishing she didn't have the company so that she could crash out about her assignments in peace.
a loud groan escaped her lips as she slammed her notebook shut, absolutely done with looking at anything involving chemistry. she half turns to hera, and she finally starts a conversation with the other for the first time since she sat down. "so change of plans. the study session is cancelled for today. i dont want to look at anything dealing with chemistry for at least a few hours. don't know if you want to stick around to see what i do in my free time, but you're more than welcome to." she finished with a small smile, hoping that the offer would come off as genuine (because it is).
she slid the notebook into her back and quickly cleared all of her other belongings off of the surface. "if you do, i'll let you be the decision maker in what we do. since i don't know if you'll necessarily like to be subjected to my indecisiveness and my random hobbies." she's a little amused at the idea of dragging hera along for a hike (her new interest thanks to her roommate), but ultimately decides against it as that's not something she could just spring onto someone else. once her bag is packed, she turned towards hera fully, finally giving her completel attention to the other. "so, what's it going to be?"
after practice for @sugarholicx
practice had already ended, but nayul stayed behind like she normally does. she had collapsed onto the floor, letting herself enjoy the ache in her legs from a productive practice. the adrenaline had already started to fade, but she was not ready to let it go and go about the rest of her day just yet. her water bottle rested by her side untouched, and it was quiet enough now that she could hear the faint squeak of her shoes whenever she shifted her weight. when she glanced across the court, hayun was still there too, and the sight made her pause because she had not expected someone else to still be around.
it was not that they were especially close, but nayul liked her. so instead of letting the silence between them remain, nayul leaned back on her palms and called across the gym. "got any plans for tonight?" she asked, tilting her head slightly. after a beat, she added with a half-smile, "i'm thinking about grabbing something to eat. if i have to eat another cup of instant noodles, i think i'll actually cry. anything better than pretending to cook in my dorm." the exaggeration came with a quiet laugh. "if you aren't doing anything, maybe we can get something together? i'll even let you pick where we go." she doesn't ask just anyone to hang out, but hayun felt like someone whose company she would not mind keeping.
nayul tipped her head back and let her gaze drift toward the ceiling, stalling a little longer before she needed to get up. "sometimes i wish i could just stay out here forever," she admitted, the words slipping out before she thought too much about them. maybe it was strange to say, but she figured hayun wouldn't read too much into her words. then she looked back toward hayun with a quieter smile. "what about you? do you like the quiet after, or am i the only one?" she was not sure which answer she wanted to hear, but it gave them something to share outside of the court if hayun took up her offer.
she huffs out a laugh at 'the point of no return'. it's probably true—there is a certain strangeness to their individual personalities, stranger still when they're put together. yua likes the way they are, though. "you'd be my first pick for cult co-founder," she chimes, cheerful and surprisingly committed. she takes a moment to think about what kind of cult they could start. something to do with worshipping rocks, surely, or at least collecting them. sniffing varnish to get high, praising whatever god appears to them in their visions. it could be fun. she doesn't share any of these thoughts, though; she just smiles on, happy to be here. "... just for the record."
she opens the lunchbox, presenting their snacks—a pack of freeze-dried mango, a bag of homemade trail mix, and two saran-wrapped halves of a sandwich. she's considering nayul's offer, though she's not sure how serious it was. yua has quietly bared witness to many of her hobbies and endeavors left abandoned. "i remember." it's a quiet, fond confirmation. she takes another couple of seconds to think while she twists the cap off her water bottle. more challenging a task than she'd thought; the plastic ring below the cap sticks stubbornly. a quick yank fixes the problem.
"i'd probably rather you make one than us go buy one if you're willing. no rush, of course... as long as it's done before the end of the school year." her tone picks up a playful lilt towards the end, accompanied by a quick uptick of her brow. "i believe in you. if we found one at a secondhand store, it'd probably have a cracked window or a crooked door. seems like they always do. so even if it's not perfect, it'll still be good enough."
she takes a long drink of her water, then sets it beside her and reaches for the bag of trail mix. "god, nayul. you got my hopes up. i guess you have to do it now. sorry."
nayul doesn't respond right away. that's partly because her mouth is full of dried mango now, but it's also partly because she's genuinely trying to think of a way to get out of it. it's not because she doesn't want to, because knowing yua would like to have something she'd built on display in their room fills her with a pride. but also… nayul knows herself. she knows how she picks things up and puts them down again. it's always the same cycle: she'll be excited, put in the effort, then by the time she finishes (if she does), she'll just feel empty. sometimes it takes a week, sometimes a day. she wants to believe this time could be different, but she also doesn't want to get her own hopes up. so instead of promising anything, she finishes chewing and goes with something easier.
"if i do it, we'll have to be roommates for the rest of our lives," she says it plainly like it's a fact, "because i'm not interested in dealing with who gets it in the friendship divorce." she's desperately trying to hide how serious she is about it, even though she kind of means every word. the idea of their lives running alongside each other for a long time doesn't scare her as much as it probably should for someone who doesn't have a clear picture of what the future would look like. nayul glances over with a small smile. "custody agreements are messy," she adds. "and you know i'd let you take me to the cleaners in court."
if yua wants a cursed cabinet, she's going to have to commit to a shared lease until they're at least eighty. it's only fair. she stretches her legs out in front of her and lets her heel nudge lightly against yua's. "just know you brought this on yourself and your bloodline when it eventually becomes a family heirloom," she says, her smile a little toothy now. "fifty years from now, some poor relative of yours is going to be stuck with it. and they're going to open the bottom drawer and find one rock and a note hidden by yours truly."
boredom is a foreign concept for kim sera. her days are always filled with something — whether that’s studying, recording her podcast, club meetings, track team practice, sudden snack runs with whoever is willing to accompany her. but today? for once, she actually has nothing to do. and it’s not due to lack of trying, either. she’d called her brother earlier in the day (“hey, do you feel like hosting your favorite little sister for dinner today? your treat!”), but had unfortunately been met with rejection (“you’re my only little sister. and unfortunately i can’t today. stuck in meetings all day.”). pfft. she’d scoffed at the sheer audacity, not used to her brother of all people turning her down, but quickly moved on to plan b — forcing olivia to do something with her! unfortunately, her roommate was nowhere to be seen, probably working overtime in the library again. even sera questions how she has the energy for it sometimes.
so, here she is, wandering into the nuri hall recreation room, hopeful to find someone to keep her company. seriously, she’ll pretty much take anyone at this point. a quick scan of the room proves it to be mostly empty, except for… jackpot! “nayul!” she calls out, and starts moving towards her friend (or, at least sera thinks they’re friends. she’s never sure if other people see her as their friend in return, but honestly? she doesn’t really care). she keeps talking on her way over, voice loud enough to carry through the full size of the room.
“okay, so, i have an important question. say you were to be locked inside a campus building overnight, would you rather it be the library or the gym? because i think the library might be more comfortable, it has more entertainment, and i think you’d be able to find snacks if you know where to look for them. the gym, though? you get to shower, at least. and it’s great if you love working out! maybe it just depends on your preferences?”
she’s standing in front of her now, and just now notices the book in her lap, having been too occupied with her own imagination before to notice it. “oh! what are you reading?” she asks as she plops down without asking for permission, curiously leaning towards nayul to get a better look at the book.
then, their eyes meet, and it becomes clear that nayul hadn’t heard a single word she’d just said. oh, well. might be a blessing in disguise, really, sera wasn’t so sure about her topic of choice. not as a conversation starter, at least. she knows she can do better! “the book is that good?” she questions, eyeing the cover — she doesn’t recognize it. not that she’s an avid reader, anyway. “also, do you want me to like, repeat all of it? because i’m not so sure you want that.” she lets out a laugh. “i guess the most important part was me asking you what you’re reading! i really want to know now, since it certainly seems to have captured your attention.”
nayul looked down at the book in her lap like it might offer her some excuse for why she'd been staring at the same sentence for what must've been five minutes straight. "oh, it's not… it's not that good," the words slipped out almost sheepishly. she'd be lying if she said she wasn't at least a little bit embarrassed by this. "well, it is, but i've read it before. a couple of times before, actually. i just… brought it with me because it looks like i'm preoccupied." she thumbed the edge of the page, keeping her place in a story she wasn't really reading.
her voice grew a little steadier as she went on, though still quiet in a way that felt almost apologetic. "sorry. i must've looked really out of it. i didn't mean to ignore you." she offered a faint smile to reassure sera it wasn't personal. while she was still a little socially awkward, she always made an effort whenever someone spoke to her. she just had a bad habit of drifting too far into her head when things got quiet. nayul adjusted slightly so that she wasn't still curled in on herself. "um… it's a collection of short stories," she explained, angling the cover just enough for sera to see without leaning too far into her space. "a bit of comfort reading, i guess."
for a moment, she simply sat there with the book balanced on her knee as she looked back up at sera. but then the gears started turning in nayul's head, listing out potential reasons for why sera's speaking to her. "you're usually running somewhere or talking to someone." there was a brief pause as she weighed the words in her head before speaking. "so... what brought you here? did you… need something?" she asked finally, her voice filled with curiosity. she couldn't quite narrow down the particular reason, but she wasn't about to shoo away some company either.
i've decided to give nayul a little makeover!
her faceclaim is now ive's an yujin, and her birth year is now 2003! i've also switched her psych major for medicine... and added being the president of lyra and vice president of red cross to her clubs.
everything else about her is the same! just thought the change would give me more room to explore her spreading herself thin in search of purpose, all while still looking like an ambitious overachiever.
crossed paths (again) for @legallysera
nayul had only come to the common area because of how quiet her room was. sure she could've played music but she's convinced nothing could drown out her thoughts. her roommate was currently out, and the silence left behind had become impossible to ignore. so she relocated to a place where the lights buzzed softly and the vending machine hummed in the corner and someone's door down the hall played music loud enough to be heard through the thin walls. she didn't want company, just something to fill the space around her to remind her she wasn't the only one awake.
she brought a book with her, one she had read multiple times before. she planned to keep it open on her lap as an excuse to sit and not talk. it was her barrier against the possibility of someone thinking she might be open to conversation. the recreation room was mostly empty. she settled into the corner of the couch with one leg folded underneath her, posture relaxed but not quite comfortable. her eyes skimmed the same paragraph twice, then stopped moving altogether. her thoughts had already drifted somewhere else.
she didn't hear the footsteps, the door opening, or even the new voice in the room—until a shadow fell across her line of vision. her gaze lifted slowly, brows drawing together just slightly as she blinked back into focus. she blinked, a little dazed as she registered who the shadow belonged to and that they were making direct eye contact. "…sera?" she blinked again. a beat passed. then, a little sheepish, she straightened her posture just slightly. "sorry, were you saying something? i didn't really hear." her hand instinctively closed the book, thumb tucked between the pages to hold her place, as if that would somehow make her seem less out of it. "i think i zoned out a little. could you say it again?"
no sleep for @sharpeztlives
if there was a war between nayul and insomnia, it'd be safe to say that nayul would have no wins. the amount of sleepless nights she's had throughout her life meant that she could tell it'd be a long night just by the quiet weight that made her chest feel too full and her room feel too small. she'd tossed and turned for an hour before finally giving up and slipping out, sketchbook in hand out of habit. the sky had been cloudy when she left, the stars barely there, but she still ended up stargazing with yohan.
nayul loosely wrapped her arms around her knees as her gaze tipped toward the sky. "they're not as bright as last time," she murmured, voice soft with a hint of disappointment. "i think i liked it better when the sky was clearer." it was a complaint, but it also was an observation. in some way, nayul could see herself in the stars. the stars were always trying, but they didn't always shine the way they had a few nights ago when the sky was so open it felt like it might swallow her whole. she liked that kind of vastness. it made her feel small in a way that was comforting, not crushing.
"i wasn’t going to draw," she said after a long beat. her fingers had drifted to the edge of her sketchbook. "but i brought it anyway. figured i could try to get something done." her sketchbook had pages full of half-thoughts and unfinished sketches. a streetlamp. a window. a face she couldn't get quite right. maybe she'd actually finish one tonight. she paused, then glanced sideways at yohan. "and don't say you want a portrait or something. or else i'll do it and make it ugly on purpose." the words came with a small huff. she's not quite annoyed at the idea, but she's not entirely joking either. her tone always landed somewhere in the middle, dry and a little guarded, especially at the start of these nights. it was just her way of settling into the quiet and testing the edges of it before she let herself fully relax.
i've been so bad with replying to/sending messages but im going to finally go through them later today! 100% real not clickbait this time i promise. + also throwing this up as a starter call as well so... leave a like for a starter from either of my girls nayul or taeri (please comment if you want a specific muse/pairing). i'll likely assume a connection if possible,,, if not... i'll likely be in your ims with ideas before i spring them on you in a thread 😭
also capping them at about 4-5 each because i think the small evidence i have available shows that i never shut up but in writing format. okay u what happened was... im a filthy liar and i like to make myself suffer so yes i did add more slots for potential starters... and im willing to maybe stretch that a bit further if im really inspired by an indea.
nayul: maybe 4?/7 taeri: 4?/7
yua hadn't actually expected the rock to impress. she heavily suspects (knows, really) that nayul is only playing in to the excitement to make her happy - and it does make her happy. "of course i'm proud. only a real connoisseur could have picked this one out," she responds, taking note of nayul's bit and meeting her in the middle. "to the untrained eye, this might be just an average stone. but not to me. not to us."
content, she reaches back to tuck the rock in the mesh side pocket of her backpack, which is already packed full with other inconspicuous, not really special finds. when they get home, she'll add her picks to the old blue bucket she keeps by her desk - almost full of rocks no more special than the last. yua tells herself that she'll stop bringing rocks home when the bucket starts overflowing; whether or not she can stick to her word is yet to be determined.
"i was thinking we could keep going for, like... another twenty minutes?" she suggests, feigning consideration. she doesn't mean it, and she can't commit long enough to see it through. an amused smile breaks apart her concentration. "... kidding. yes, we're stopping there. i think i might need to adjust my boots, anyway."
by the time they reach the bench, yua's already pulled her backpack off. she sits down and sets it on her lap, unzipping the main compartment to rummage. she retrieves her insulated lunch box, which she sets beside her, and then grabs two water bottles with heavy condensation. she'd frozen them in preparation for the hike; they're completely dethawed now, but thankfully still cold. she offers one to nayul.
"by the way, maybe we could go look for some sort of curio cabinet sometime. would be nice to have somewhere to display our coolest finds before we really do have to start a shrine."
nayul takes the water with a quiet murmur of thanks, her fingers curling around the bottle. it’s cold enough to make her flinch, but she doesn’t pull away. instead, she presses it to her cheek for a second, then to her forehead, letting the chill sink in just long enough to chase away some of the heat still clinging to her skin. she stays like that for a few seconds, then unscrews the cap and takes a slow sip. her gaze doesn’t leave the trail ahead as she drinks, half-listening, half-lost in the rhythm of nature. yua's voice cuts through the silence easily, and nayul doesn’t look at her right away. she just listens, lets the words settle into her mind the way the sunlight's been sinking into her skin. her gaze trails down the curve of the trail ahead, soft and unfocused, and then—as her thought finally finalizes—she speaks, the corner of her mouth lifting into something dry but fond.
"i think we’re already past the point of no return," she says, and it’s meant to be a joke, maybe, but there’s an honesty to it too. "people are going to come over one day and think we're starting a cult. your tarot cards aren't helping, and my loner, brooding personality surely doesn't help either." her lips tug into a slightly more obvious smile at that. "we'll be the only ones who know what any of it means. everyone else will just think we’re weird." she pauses to take another sip and leans her shoulder back against the bench. her expression stays somewhere between amusement and thoughtfulness, as she adds, more offhandedly this time, "but we could find a cabinet. something with glass doors and those little knobs that never match." she shifts the bottle to her lap, thumb running absentmindedly over the ridges in the plastic.
"or, i mean. i could make one. maybe. in theory. i used to do that kind of thing. remember my woodworking phase? you might not remember, or maybe you do, i don’t know. i think the end of it was around the time when we were still... becoming friends, i guess? i think i kept showing up with splinters and smelling like varnish for like, three weeks straight." she laughs softly under her breath because she's only now realizing how strange it must have seemed. she shrugs, when she adds, "not that i'd have the time now. but if you want something uneven and vaguely haunted-looking for the room, i could probably pull it off. though to be fair, the last thing i built is currently holding my dreams, one plant, and probably a minor curse. which you did warn me about, technically, so."