The model makes a poor attempt at keeping up with Kiyong's ramblings, his focus mainly locked in on the camera's viewfinder. He can't find much issue with the location itself - Aside from his usual discontent with being in a place like this. One would assume with such a high volume of gym selfies every hour that more care would be placed on adequate lighting... He fiddles with the settings for a while longer, trying his best not to worry too much about it. Although, the various smells that wafted around him were quite worrying...
Had he thought of anything? Seunghyun purses his lips. He hadn't spent much thought power on coming up with an idea for his own vlog. Truth be told, he could hardly come up with a single thing for his own YouTube channel, let alone something ancillary. Not even inspired by the prospects of another brand deal, or the shiny tablet he'd been able to play around with ( surely, choosing an item would be enough to spark something, anything - ). He centers Kiyong in the frame, absentmindedly zooming in and out on the watch on his wrist. Maybe he hadn't been thinking hard enough. His thoughts as of late proving less than helpful...
He lowers the camera once more with a huff. Something just wasn't right… Maybe it was the camera itself? Something off with the lens? No, no, it seemed perfectly fine... Maybe it's just a matter of distraction. Overwhelm. It figures he'd feel it now that things were finally going somewhere - No, it was definitely the lighting. He takes a step back and returns to his feverish adjustments. Why wasn't anything working?! Maybe if he just turned the whole thing off -
As much as Kiyong absolutely, utterly, totally enjoyed being blessed with Han Seunghyun allowing him to exist in the same room as him, there are times in which he has little idea of how to proceed when the other man is stricken with silence. It is the contemplative sort. His eyes scrunch together and do that thing he points out often. He even steps off the treadmill and places his index fingertip to the space between his perfectly groomed brows.
"Whatcha thinking about? You look, like... lost in your own thoughts. I'm gonna take that as a 'no' then!" He leans over, trying to get any inkling of just what he might be looking at in his staring contest with the viewfinder. "Shoot anything good? Actually... don't answer that! You already have a really good eye so I shouldn't be doubting it, right?" Eventually, he squats down on one of the benches and cracks open an electrolyte drink to chase away his dehydration. The lemon lime flavor bursts on his tongue.
Kiyong scrunches his face and pats Seunghyun on the back with his bottle, offering it up at him to share a sip — a natural gesture by now. "C'mon~ Sit down and tell me what you're daydreaming about. Probably... a really killer vlog for you, and all these really nice, artsy shots of you doing your thing on the tablet. I think it will look good regardless. Considering..." Considering... His eyes trace over the other model's features, consistently in awe how he could consistently remain on through all hours of the day. You would even look good taking the trash out.
Kiyong did not consider himself to be someone who was particularly creative, but there was a certain something about being pushed out of his comfort zone within the confides of this new career path that had him plotting out a number of things he never quite expected. Once he was given the task to present his own ideas about the promotional vlog, he procured one of the unused notebooks from his time at school and got to work.
Eventually, he settled on the idea of choosing to present it in the style of a particularly athletic person going about their day training — the person being him and the sport being swimming. There was no better way to go about this than inserting his own lifestyle into the mix. The only thing he thought of to bring it all together was to use the Galaxy Watch Ultra. ( He had always wanted one of these things since he was in high school but never could realistically afford such a thing. ) It would track his vitals, his steps, and whatever else he needs throughout the day. Perfect!
The vlog starts out with him rolling out of bed and checking his watch, looking over how well he slept that night on the display. He shows it to the camera, ruffling his rather messy hair from laying down. "I need to get better sleep..." And a haircut, too. He asks the watch for the weather broadcast for that day to figure out the best thing to wear outside.
Next, the video cuts to him hurriedly preparing his lunch, much of it focused on his hands. The watch suddenly beeps with an alarm and he packs everything into his bag to hurry out, glancing down at the time to make sure he would make it to his destination on time. He arrives to the gym, all smiles as he passes through the room and turns on the timer for his workout, all the while. With the help of a certain other model, he is able to film himself doing a few exercises to build his endurance, checking the watch and his status, all the while. He makes sure to take breaks for water when prompted to by the watch, recording the amount each time.
He stops when he's dripping with sweat, bending over to take a breath and check the amount of time he has left. "I can do this," he mutters to himself, determined expression lacing his brow. The camera zooms in on his elevated heart rate, then himself, doing a fist pump in the air as he begins sprinting faster on the treadmill.
It then cuts to him finishing up, another alarm going off and hurrying to his next location — of which he tells the watch to 'call mom'. He stops by a casual restaurant for something to eat after, recording the calories for the meal. A rather large amount considering that he intended to load up on the macros he needs beforehand. "I have about three more hours until it's time for me to practice."
The next part of the vlog brings the viewer to the pool — something of a second home to Kiyong for quite a while. Truth be told, he feels a bit hesitant to swim again with the consideration of his shoulder surgery last year, but he has become more confident after being cleared by his doctor to do light activity. Of course, that doesn't mean he can't make it appear as if he was swimming laps for hours on end. And it would be a great way to showcase the watch's water resistant capabilities.
He swims toward the camera to give it a thumbs up and rest his chin on the edge of the pool, a weary smile coming shortly after. The final scene brings them back to his apartment, showing him flopping onto his bed and showing the watch to the camera. "It's late. I should set the alarm. I have to get up early tomorrow, too. I think... without this, I wouldn't be able to wake up on time like I want to. Maybe I should consider gluing it to my arm." He plays the part of a vlogger and waves goodbye before clasping his hand over the camera to end it.
It really shouldn't bother her that much, but Kyoka can't help it: she cannot stand even the sight of the state of Kiyong's shoes. There's artfully worn, then there's... that. It sends her skin crawling and now that she's noticed it, she can't unsee and ignore it either. First world problems Kyoka, first world problems.
"You need to do something about those shoes," she says, seemingly out of the blue, one day while she's loitering at the cafe. It takes her a sip of her strawberry milk and few seconds to register how that sounded. She quickly backtracks. "I mean, no there's nothing wrong with them I don't think but you really need to take better care of them also."
It was notable, by now, even to those who frequently saw him as a new face around the hallways, that Soo Kiyong was something of a frugal being. Much of his clothes were hand-me-downs, and he possessed tendency to wear anything new until the point of holes and frayed strings. ( And his proficiency in sewing was born from his need to extend the life of things at all costs. )
The shoes he wears now have been something of a treasure from all the way back in high school. The only thing he bothered replacing were the arch support inserts and, sometimes, the shoelaces. What were pure white were now a sickly off-white that teetered on the edge of grey — like driven snow.
He looks down when he hears — not even for the first time — that his shoes need replacing. "Really?" He glances up at the girl, eyes traveling down to the drink in her hands. His thoughts drift. I could really go for a chocolate milk, honestly. "I guess I could really clean them, huh? They're really comfortable, though. I can run pretty fast in them!" he scratches at the back of his neck. "I was gonna wear my sandals, but it's still way too cold, y'know?" Then he draws attention to her own shoes. "I like your shoes."
"Should we pretend to not know each other on the way back?" His delivery was quite straight-laced and paired with his neutral expression, but the corner of his lips twitch upwards into the faintest amused smile. He knew better than to be fully himself around other people, mostly masking and mirroring a stranger's demeanor, but he could be himself with Kiyong. Still, he felt like at times he should apologize afterwards and be clear that he was in fact joking. He knew Kiyong rarely let things get to him, but the man was the last person he would want to hurt inadvertently. It would feel like emotionally wounding a puppy, or child.
He would have to admit that he was having a difficult time interacting with the other workshop attendees. Kiyong's presence was comforting and pulled him out of the depths of his mind. His thumb had been restlessly pressing on the retractable plunger of a pen, stopping abruptly when his friend unleashes his train of thought onto his own railroad track. "How could you be too disinterested? I've never met anyone else as engaging as you, Kiyong."
"I think you can probably relax. I doubt they'll bury you in a coffin, or make you cliff dive..." He crosses his arms over his chest, leaning forward to read the prompt of their current assignment on the kitchen counter. "Now, a cliff diving photoshoot, wouldn't that be fun?" He suggests, turning to fully shift his focus on Kiyong and his egg peeling skills. He carefully inspects the bowl, turning the egg over to check for no eggshells. He wasn't doubting that Kiyong was thorough, but it was a habit that stuck since childhood. "Thank you for preparing ramyeon, Kiyong. I'll get us something to drink. What would you like?"
There is something about the way Sangwon hardly allowed the world around him have much of an impact on his demeanor that often had Kiyong brimming with envy. Perhaps the same could be said about him, however, with his endless bouts of unwavering optimism and ability to turn any situation into a solvable and positive one. The two of them worked because they acknowledged these facts about one another. It is why he can grin at Sangwon's suggestion rather than pouting — though, he will playfully whine. ( He sure did enjoy getting on his nerves just a bit. )
"Cliff dive... No way! I mean, that could be kinda fun, the more that I think about it. I don't think the pictures they'd get would be very flattering though," he starts chuckling to himself imagining his friend fight to keep a neutral expression while careening through the air on a bungee chord. "WAIT — An underwater one would be really fun, too... I guess doing really weird things while trying to 'serve face' is a pretty high level modeling challenge, though. We're not quite there yet!"
He finally slides into the seat adjacent to Sangwon with his own bowl, intentionally knocking his shoulders against his ever so slightly. "You don't have to get me anything to drink... but, is there lemonade? I really want some," he doesn't wait for the other to return to his own bowl before he decides to dig in, humming in approval at his own recipe. He even mutters something underneath his breath along the lines of 'Soo Kiyong, you are a genius'. "Quick, when you're pulling the drinks out, do a drink commercial. Sell me on the drinks!"
Kiyong stands in his crooked way in the middle of the room, lithe fingers fiddling with the hem of his shirt. "I don't know... Do you really think this could be right for me? It's just...—"
The coach turns her head on a swivel, giving him a scrutinizing once over with that piercing gaze of hers. The charcoal cat-like eyeliner that surrounded it made her all that more intimidating. It was not like the sort his fashion-forward grandmother would line on her when she felt especially peppy. The woman who stood before him, arms folded, was every image of a modeling coach that he dreamt up in his head.
She purses her glossy pink lips before speaking. "A lot of people go through that phase of self-doubt that first few times. Though, your posture does need a lot of work and..." she narrows her eyes while she analyzes his wrist. "Maybe work on reducing your sodium intake, too, but that is just my opinion."
Kiyong checks himself, rolling his shoulders back and pointing his chin and hips forward to form a straight line; just had been instructed of him during those first few lessons.
"I guess that means I shouldn't have so much ramyeon...?" A pout steadies itself firm across his lips at the thought, true as it were that he needed a substantially more well-rounded diet — even if the idea of having a lot more vegetables thrown in made him sigh with displeasure.
"Be honest with me. What are you looking to accomplish by going down this path, Kiyong? Each meeting, you mention how unsure you are more and more. I want to make sure you're one-hundred percent certain before you move forward."
"Hm..." he reaches up to scratch at the base of his neck. "I'll be honest. It's not something I wanted to do... or thought I would be going for. I finally told my parents and they didn't seem too happy about it. My mom even said I was throwing away my degree and my dream—" he pauses, making a mental note that this was a coach, not a therapist nor one of his friends. His eyes drift to the side, feeling a sting building behind them. "I am a little scared, actually. Is this the right thing to do...? What if... what if it doesn't work out and I just wasted time?"
The coach silently treks across the room to grab for a box of tissues and hand it to him — all without directly acknowledging the tearful way the young man laments over his future.
"Everything not in the present is uncertain, Kiyong. Push forward... and, if you find yourself stuck or that it isn't right for you, then that's just fine. Your dreams are still obtainable."
Alright, maybe… perhaps… Soo Kiyong was a tad too excited for his very first project as an official, website listed ( !! ) LGC Agency model. Ever since the meeting ended, he has not been able to stop grinning from ear to ear, scribbling things down in the notebook he carried with him everywhere when the thoughts come to him, daydreaming here and there. He had his idea perfectly mapped out by the time a week in rolled around. He would go for the watch, map out a plot sketch of the day in the life of an athlete or someone with an especially active lifestyle. There was no better way to incorporate his own strengths than with this idea.
Another point of excitement happened to be contained within the man he dragged along with him to the gym — a location the other model surely would never step foot in otherwise if not for Kiyong's insistence. ( And, of course, he asked for permission from the staff to film ahead of time. ) Seunghyun always had a discerning eye for what shots and poses would be the most appealing to the eye. He held the man's opinion in quite the high regard. One might even refer to it as a starry eyed admiration. In fact, he looks upon him with that very same expression when he moves in front of him — seemingly to line up what could be the next shot for some b-roll.
"What do you think of my idea?" he asks, settling his forearms on the handles of the elliptical, his chin resting on them next. His large eyes glance up at him with a playful glint within them, as they usually do. He purses his lips to fight back a smile. He should look cool and focused, shouldn't he? "Did you think of anything yet? I saw you thinking really, really hard the other day. That must mean that you've got something in mind! Anyway… whatever you come up with, I think it'll be really brilliant. Oh… Do you need help though!? Since you're helping me… I mean, I planned to help you, anyways, but—"
"So, what do you think? Think you'll have enough of me by the end of the trip?" Kiyong turns to his friend with a wide smile — lips curled back to put his pearly whites on full display. Ever since their arrival to Daejeon for the workshop, he's done his best to not overwhelm Sangwon with his presence. He knew how overbearing he could be. ( He heard enough of that from his older sister who had to sit him down to calm him more than once in the past. ) It served him well to at least have some form of self-awareness when it came to socializing with others. However, he couldn't help himself. Sangwon's stone-y expression and calm demeanor was magnetic to a naturally curious extrovert.
"Oh. I was gonna ask. Do you wanna practice our delivery and facial expressions while we eat? I feel like every time I try to look cool, I look constipated or too disinterested. Unless… that's what they want? I mean, I've watched those Top Model shows and they do some really, really weird stuff on there," he pauses, eyes widening a bit. "Don't tell me… Do you think that they're gonna make me do stuff like that!? That can't be right, right? ..."
Despite his rambling, he manages to focus long enough to finish up preparing his ramyeon — albeit with hunched shoulders while stuffed into the tiny kitchenette. It was definitely better than the trainee dorm, but less accommodating than the spacious model dorms. He slides one of the bowls toward Sangwon, then busies himself with peeling the soft boiled eggs he managed to haul along with him on the bus. ( Among other snacks that are current stuffed in his overnight bag. ) The process was a careful one, he wanted to wow Sangwon with his 'famous' preparation skills he hadn't yet shown him at their new place.
everybody around eunwoo always asks him what the secret to his fair skin is. he'd been an active, albeit shy, child, but that never stopped him from running around the garden, playing soccer with his friends, and so on, which meant catching some uv rays. and there's his whole secret; after becoming a trainee—especially when he was still in university—he could go weeks without seeing the sun. even worse, there were times when he didn't even know the temperature outside for several days in a row. that's how punishing the trainees' schedule could be at times.
now that he's signed with the agency and has a little more time to himself, he's been trying to dispel the vampire allegations and spend as much time under the sun as possible. and being the loner that he is, it's no surprise to find him dribbling with his soccer ball on his own by the han river. in moments like these, time flies.
maybe it's his sixth sense or something that makes him stop and look up at some point. he scans around him, unsure what he's looking for or what prompted that feeling. and the, he sees him. kiyong is all his 6 foot something glory coming his way. "oh lord..." eunwoo whispers. not because of kiyong's arrival per se, but because the same sense that alerted him to the trainee's arrival, is now predicting that a disaster is about to happen. to be fair, he wouldn't put it past kiyong to manage to get a concussion inside a padded room. so the crowd, the excitement and the bike combination is just calling for trouble.
he's about to greet the giant back when it finally happens. it's like watching a car crash about to happen, and all he can do is stare and grimace, too far away to get to the other in time to help him. thankfully, kiyong manages to avoid the grass himself or get a cut from his bicycle (he knows what he's talking about here and won't elaborate on it).
the same eyes that had been ignoring him before are now square on the two of them. "nice save on this one." eunwoo comments, "do you always have to make grand entrances like these, though?" he asks playfully. with the tip of his shoe, the rookie actor kicks the soccer ball up and catches it. "where you heading somewhere?"
Kiyong may be something of a klutz, but his profession with the matter makes it easier for him to untangle himself from situations he's inevitably gotten himself into. He miraculously manages to set the bicycle upright, keeping its tires straight enough to push along the walkway without impeding his stride too much — nor Eunwoo's. He offers the other a weary grin, his eyes constantly darting downward to prevent any further entanglements from happening. He mutters a quick 'thanks' under his breath when he's shot the quippy compliment, quickly moving on to answer the other questions.
"Well... My mom always said that I had a way of making myself known! Whatever that means... I would have to assume that it's a good thing? Like I command the room or something!" Although, he doubts it, given his tendency to ramble. It was more so that he sure knew how to stumble into the scene. While his mind reels, his gaze follows the soccer ball Eunwoo occupies his time with, nearly losing his train of thought trying to predict where it will bounce next.
"Oh, right... Me? I was just riding around and seeing where my whims will take me! Have you ever done that before? Just... left the house and thought to yourself... 'today, I'm gonna go wherever I feel like' and it's kinda like a mini adventure."
He reaches up and scratches the side of his neck — a habit of his that he had yet to get over. "What about you? Where are you going...?" he reaches over and gently pokes his pointer finger against the soccer ball. "Playing soccer? Or did you just finish having a game?" he pauses, leaning away, then leaning forward again to huff out a bashful laugh. "Sorry. Asking a lot of questions! I can't help it. My mom also always said that I'm naturally curious. But... I think that's a good thing, don't you?"
Another short pause. "Do you wanna come with me? On my adventure to nowhere?"
Now playing ᐢ. .ᐢ˖ ࣪ .
yes i'm changing for @lgckiyong
"it's not every day someone asks me to teach them how to crochet!"
to be honest, yujin was hoping someone would use her skills to help them out one day. of course, she does a few things on her scrapbooking segment but there's only so much she can teach without straying from the plot. "it's smarter to start with crocheting first before you take up an interest in knitting since the stitch work can be more complicated."
she was grateful to have been introduced to the knitting cafe where they could peacefully pick out their yarn and tools, along with tasty snacks. closing the door behind them, they are greeted by the workers with excitement. the neutral-colored walls worked best with the brightest color options they could pick from, along with the small cafe tucked in the corner.
it was like crotchet heaven.
"it's on me today. since you are my student." she smiled up at her new friend, rushing to pay for their session today before he could protest. "did you want to sit in the corner? i feel like that's always the best seat in the house. i can get the tools we'll need today and pick out the yarn you want to try."
Kiyong follows behind Yujin like a lost duckling, his hands plucking at the ends of his sleeves. It isn't so rare for him to explore new territories, particularly when there was something of special interest waiting at the end. Admittedly, he has not been in the habit of picking up new hobbies with whimsy and no second thought. Certain ones required a certain level of planning and seeking guidance from those more skilled in it — especially when it came to the crafts.
It's this way he eventually sought out Kim Yujin, the knowledge of her propensity for knitting not entirely unknown to others within the company. He was more than gracious that she agreed, eager when she suggested they go to a specialized cafe where other craft enthusiasts stopped by.
"New student... Ah," he grins, wide enough to show his teeth. "I don't mind where we sit. You've been here before, right? So whatever place you think is the best. And... thank you, really. I appreciate you agreeing to help me out, and even treat me. There has to be something I can do to pay you back later!"
He takes a seat after pulling a chair out, allowing Yujin to take the more comfortable booth seat by the wall. His fingers pluck up the small laminated menu, but his eyes drift over the wooden shelf with skeins of yarn tucked inside them. "Do they... happen to have any maroon yarn? And it can't be burgundy or wine red." He would be able to tell. "It has to be maroon! But if not, silver works, too."
now, seyeon wasn't the most creative person with things like these, but there was something about the holiday and christmas season that brought out a fun, playful and enjoyable side in him. personally, he had already watched the nightmare before christmas twice so far this year. once on halloween and then once a few days prior, because of course, why wouldn't he? it was a movie you could watch during both times.
but when seyeon realised what they were decorating, he felt slightly defeated. perhaps he wanted to help decorate the tree, but he was too late, and the only other options were decorating the interior or decorating presents. and while he does enjoy wrapping presents, majority of the toys donated were oddly shaped and seyeon wasn't up for fighting with the wrapping paper, so he opted to help decorate the interior.
"kiyong," seyeon says, head moving to the side to try and grab his attention. his arms were currently crossed, his right arm holding up the sign he was attempting to stick on the wall and his left arm across his right, holding out in attempt to grab the tape. "ki!" he calls again, this time his voice more urgent and desperate. wow, his arms were starting to ache. "please tell me there's some tape somewhere on the table.. if i move my hand, the whole thing will fall down and it took me 5 minutes to get it cantered."
It wasn't entirely uncommon for Kiyong to find himself spacing out. Daydreaming, his mother would often call it. About what was often a mystery, but he was always more than willing to share it with any who might ask. Today's reverie happened to pertain fantastical ideas about what it would be like to be able to float around off pure will alone, then his brain tumbles into the recreation of some regency romance novel and what it would be like if he was—
Well, he will not go there. Not when another voice is calling his name and he's unconsciously placing a strip of tape over Seyeon's hand holding the banner instead of the thing itself. ( And he would like the apologize additionally later in case of any pulled out hair follicles when he tears the tape off to put it on its proper place. ) "Huh? Oh! Oh, shit, I'm sorry, hyung!"
Kiyong frantically pats down the sign underneath the adhesive strips, adding another for extra measure so it won't come tumbling down as soon as Seyeon pulls his hand away. "Here, here. So you can get the other end!" He presents him with several pieces of tape stuck to his fingertips and holds it out to the older man. "Is this the last thing we have to hang up? Or should we put more holly pieces on... Or... more streamers? I also think that there's still tinsel in the box—"
izzy806
snowghoul
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