AFTERBURN

i think there's someone praying for someone.

[greenfated]

fourth string ft. @lovehypnoses w/ yirang

if jinam wanted to crawl under a rock while walking through the mall on a normal day, what long lasting trauma would this experience have on him ? he had an old ukulele slung haphazardly over his back, varnish coating chipped and the wood worn down, clearly showing signs of heavy use over an extended period.

it was a dumb little hobby he'd picked up over the years, learned from his father who'd learned it from his father; the original person the ukulele jinam now carried belonged to. he was rather skilled, but it was never really something he told people about. it just seemed like such am embarrassing conversation piece. who the hell likes the guy who whips out a ukulele everywhere ?

still, when the bottom string of the instrument had snapped while he was tuning it, he knew it would bother him if he didn't get it restrung. he hadn't had to perform such maintenance in years, so he was a bit ignorant to what he needed exactly. as he awkwardly bounds into wangto records, he sees a girl at the sales counter. ever reluctant about human interaction, he approaches cautiously while retrieving the ukulele from behind his back. "doyouknowherethestringsare ??" he mumbles, his request mostly unintelligible from the speed at which it flew at the other.

[lovehypnoses]

As she leans on the counter, Yirang's calculating just how much money she's spent in the last 48 hours and how many shifts she'd have to pick up to make up for it. Lunch at the airport, the train to Daegu and the taxi to her grandparents' place-- she's 90% sure she was ripped off-- and the 30-cm long receipt for necessities she'd picked up at the grocery store.

Yeah, she's seriously gotta start recouping her losses.

Her 1 hour old job at Wangto doesn't seem half-bad, either. She's been spacing out for the past 15 minutes, her coworker having stepped out for a smoke break. An easy $12 earned so far- nevermind that the only thing she just barely knows to do is how to work the register.

A customer bustles into the store, and Yirang straightens up, smiling at them as she tries to remember if the store had a greeting of any kind. He beats her to the punch, though, with a garbled sentence. Greeting? Question? "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." Brows come together in confusion. "It's my first day, soz." Gestures to her DIY tag, and then herself. "What do you need, again?" Back to the million-watt customer service smile.

[eunbinbe]

"is this book supposed to look like this?"

while classes were out for the summer and as much as yulhee wanted to ignore her current situation, she decided that she couldn't just forget about the fact that she had about one semester left before graduation. this meant that she had to work extra hard this summer to fill up her resume with something. nothing extravagant, but she thinks a couple of certificates can't hurt.

that's why she decided to give jieun a visit during her break time to get a couple of books. "or did someone decide to scribble all over it during their time here instead of actually buying it?" she was flipping through one of the toeic books on display only to find that someone has solved some of the problems there.

"how rude," she states with a scrunch of her nose before looking over at her friend. yulhee feels a little bad because she most definitely added more work on her list of things to do, but she also thinks it may have been better that she discovered it instead of some grumpy customer.

@lovehypnoses / jieun.

[lovehypnoses]

There are always people who have it worse.

At least, that's how Jieun likes to comfort herself. Just having a job and not having to live paycheck to paycheck puts her in far better straits than plenty of people out there--- even if this shift seemed to be straight from hell.

She should've known, really. Universal law dictates that covering a shift automatically meant that whatever could go wrong, would.

Her nametag breaks as she's pinning it on, a shipment comes in while the line's halfway out the door, and some dimwit somehow manages to miss every single one of the 'NO FOOD AND DRINKS' signs displayed around the store. So now she's trying to mop up a liter of smoothie while anxiously eyeing a kid teetering too close to a display that'd taken her 2 hours to set up yesterday.

This is the last straw.

"Buy it. Please." Jieun sinks to her knees, hands coming together in a pleading motion. "I'll give you my employee 20% off and even throw in a voucher. English is important nowadays. Globalisation and whatnot."

[lovehypnoses]

still on hiatus, but popping in to welcome everyone and say hi! i'll be sending out welcomes + hopefully slowly getting through drafts/ims throughout the week (if work allows hahaha...ha............) but you can catch me on d!scord @ jiabutupaki for quicker replies- just lmk who you are xx

[lovehypnoses]

jieun — do you ever wish you were a doctor like the rest of your family?

Ever resolute, she shakes her head firmly. "I'm happy studying literature, and I don't think I'm cut out to be a doctor. There are the what-ifs, but they remain just that. What-ifs. I only ever really think about it when they're all discussing work at the table, but they usually use layman's terms or explain it to me so I don't feel left out."

[lovehypnoses]

yirang do you miss home?

"I... miss my parents, yeah. They kinda sucked sometimes. Most of the time, actually, but I still love 'em. Home, though..." She scrunches her face up in thought, before shrugging. "I dunno. Isn't home wherever I make it? Like, I always say I wanna go home whenever I'm at work, and that obvi's to my grandparents', but a year ago I wouldn't have ever considered that home. It's not home home, though I dunno where that is, either." There's a pause. "All this home talk's makin' me wanna take off early and go to bed."

[lovehypnoses]

what did your last sent text message say?

Yirang:

"It's a picture of a drink, captioned 'whoever made this cherryade needs their ass ate'."

Jieun:

"Okay." In response to a coworker asking if she could cover their shift.

[aquablues-archive]

CHAEHYUN ♡ SPICY INTERVIEW

[lesserafimz]

yunjin ♡ 230614 live

[pyolyuja]

heroes ft. @lovehypnoses w/ jieun

typically the owner of a fairly languid gait, yunseong couldn't help but notice there was a small pep in his step today. when he was at work earlier, he'd found what he thought was a note from a customer on the counter. after unfolding it and reading through however, he'd discovered it was the writings of none other than choi jieun. yun had heard she did this sometimes; wrote about the employees of the mall and then left the works as something to find for the other. he couldn't lie, since hearing about her hobby, he'd felt a bit jealous that he hadn't received one yet. the fact that he now had brightened his day in ways he didn't expect.

as he approached kyobo book centre, he couldn't help but notice the change in atmosphere within. what was crowded and boisterous outside its walls turned to a comfortable silence inside. yunseong had to wonder if they had some sort of noise cancellation mechanism in place. when he spotted jieun, his signature grin formed and his feet teased their way towards her.

"you know, you're a really good writer," he says truthfully, elbows angled towards her on the counter, fingers drumming casually. he held up the paper with her musings on it, somewhat wrinkled from having obviously been read by him several times at this point. "i couldn't really put it down, not 'cause it's about me, but it's just... my boss noticed, too unfortunately but eh, what can you do?" he shrugs it off, brown eyes a shade lighter from his fascinated expression. "i feel like i owe you something back though...like some sort of a commission. as many rounds through the arcade as you want on me? really though, it can be whatever you want," he concludes, jaw resting in his folded hands, gaze still locked on the author he was in awe of.

[lovehypnoses]

Jieun assumes, very incorrectly, that she’s lowkey.

She's never been one to be the center of attention; she thinks that if she were in a drama, she wouldn't even be the leading side character. She'd have maybe 5 lines the entirety of the drama, half of which would be throwaway lines to push the mains' lovelines.

Point being, she's never felt like she was any type of special. Save for that middle school phase, but that's everyone. She's a wallflower, and she's happy! A little fly on the wall, watching people live their lives.

It starts with filling in the blanks in her head, wondering how someone came to be in the same cafe at the same time at her. Noticing little details about them like how they dressed and carried themselves, or the things they had. Coming up with a story's easier when she's got those pieces to puzzle together.

The employees of Sunset Galleria are easy to want to write about; an interesting background's like a requirement, almost, for employment at their mall. The words, sentences, passages come easy, and she puts pen to paper (Samsung Notes, her beloved.) so often when overhearing conversations in their employees' lounge on her breaks. No one bats an eye at the girl in the corner, tapping away furiously on her phone.

The first time Jieun'd left her writing for someone to find, it's because she wanted to offer advice without seeming like a busybody. The protagonist ended up not picking the guy, instead venturing into the great unknown to go after her own ambitions.

Soon after, that employee'd quit because they'd gone overseas for their exchange program.

It's part of why she keeps at it to this day. The idea her words are being read, are impacting people in ways she couldn't dream of as the person, Choi Jieun.

Unfortunately, today seems to be the day that comes to an end.

Im Yunseong's insanely easy to write about- who doesn't like the guy who gives you free upsizes on your drinks? They're friendly enough, and she confuses real, actual feelings for an extra 174ml of cider. Easy mistake to make, really. She leaves the folded piece of paper on the counter of his snack bar the same day he sneaks her a corn dog for free.

She's regretting it now, selling her feelings for a corn dog.

Her eyes grow wider and wider with each word from Yunseong's mouth, alarm bells going off in her head. Barely two hours into her shift, but her hands inch towards the knot of the apron, with half a mind to just pull it off and make a run for it, never to return.

With the offer, though, her hands come to a halt, alarm bells silencing. "Whatever I want..." She echoes. "Absolutely anything? Just because of that?" She squints, as if to confirm his offer. The denial, originally on the tip of her tongue dying a swift, silent death at the idea of going into the arcade on someone else's coin.

[awakesnake]

It wasn’t supposed to be like this.

Not really, anyways. Not this long. But a one-time hookup in the back of Wangto Records causes Suh Sora to reel on every poor decision he’s ever made; notably that one in particular. His palms are still stinging from the carpet burn, the sudden drop to the floor that he knows will leave another bruise on his knee. 

“Just because you asked so fucking politely — I won’t!” The boy’s canines flash towards Yirang. Momentarily, pity pools in the middle of his stomach. She wasn’t supposed to get dragged (quite literally) into this mess, and Sora’s not the type to typically drag others in his shit. But this mess was becoming more and more troublesome to deal with. Something beyond the grip of his control, even. 

He rakes a hand through his hair, licorice silk sliding through his fingers. “No clue. I literally have no clue. I don’t even know if it’s because she works here or what,” Perhaps he should have asked. He can’t even remember her name at this point. “And it’s not like she even knows my schedule, she just shows up hoping I’m here.” Therefore, Suh Sora reckons it’s pointless to ask for a shift change anymore.

He’s fucked.

A light finger taps over Yirang’s bruise, “Really did not mean for my sluttiness to interfere with our closing shift.” He yawns. Sora leans against the nearest wall, eyelids fluttering shut for a second. He could feel his brain wrinkle up at this point.

That is, until, an idea springs forth in his head. In an instant, his eyes flash open. Now, Sora’s arms are crossed over his chest, head cocked to the side as his eyes take in his coworker before him.

“Hey. You’re single, yeah?”

[lovehypnoses]

There are Big Moments in life. Capitalised and stylised as so, to emphasise their importance. At the time, you don’t know it.

It’s a random Tuesday when Yirang, a woman on a mission, marches into Wangto Records, no more than 24 hours after she sees Cute Record Shop Guy pick up a Midnights vinyl and decides that’s where she's going to work. Even if it’s just so you can ask him what his favourite album is.

Cute Record Shop Guy turns out to be her coworker. The reason for all her scrapes and bruises the past week, and an unapologetic son of a bitch who sneers at her very serious suggestion to all their problems.

If Yirang’d known what she does now, she’d shake her past self by the shoulders and tell her to go back to Vancouver. Take up a nice cushy office job, where she didn’t have to hit the deck every time a girl peered into the windows of Wangto, or pretend her music taste is any more extensive than a white woman.

It’s all coming together.

The pulling her into the backroom, the light graze of her bruise, the way his eyes are trained on her.

Yirang draws her arms over her chest in affront. “I literally just told you to keep it in your pants.” She hisses. “Stop trying to fuck me, too.” She's thought about it, sure, but this is exactly why he's landed them in this current situation.

She doesn't know how exactly it's become a them situation, either.

[bob-belcher]

[anxietyproblem]

[lovehypnoses]

jieun what are your biggest goals in life?

"In life, it'd probably be to go back to Seoul and do something fulfilling with my degree. Success is one thing, but fulfilment is another. I wouldn't wanna be a writer on a wildly successful drama but dislike whatever I was writing. In this line of work, it might be hard to find something I'm 100% satisfied with, but I'd still like to give it a shot."

[behaeni]

to: open

     as much as her relationship with the art her father taught her since she was able to ask how macarons are made, aeri can't deny that there's a level of familiarity to the world of patisserie that she sometimes dares to classify as comforting. her muscles so used to the movements of making a simple rose out of fondant that she barely has to pay attention to it and the decoration still is shaped beautifully— perhaps flawlessly under her ministrations. but this is a demonstration so aeri makes sure to slow down her movements and to comment about anything that might be important for her temporary student.

     "see? this is our little bud." she shows off the cone that she just shaped. "so now we only need the petals. they're very easy to make, the tricky part is to put then around our bud." aeri points out, remembering how much she was scolded when she was younger because her roses looked to weird. "you just flatten out the smaller balls we already have." she teaches, demonstrating exactly what she was saying, "and then you just put them around the bud like this."

     "now your turn! if you want you can just finish the one that i started." she offers as well, knowing that the starting from scratch might be a little more complicated than picking up one that is already somewhat done, being a much more visible example that way. "don't forget to open up the petals just a little when you're done so it looks prettier." aeri reminds them gently, eyes attentive to see how the other person would do and also to step in if any help was needed.

[lovehypnoses]

A firm believer in DIY-ing, Yirang's always enjoyed working with her hands. She's proud to report that all her IKEA furniture's self assembled.

Pastries are.. a different story.

She's not bad in the kitchen; no genius by any means, of course, but she makes a mean fried rice and an even meaner fried egg. Cakes and the like, though, have always eluded her. Bummer, considering her giant sweet tooth, and so she does her best to rectify it. No amount of cooking classes have helped, and she doesn't know why she'd expected it to be any different, like crossing the Pacific ocean'd magically endow her with the skills of a seasoned patissier.

"Right, right..." Tongue peeks out in concentration as she makes adjustments, eager to follow along. Unfortunately, Yirang's never had a delicate touch, and the petals flatten under her fingers. Sheepishly, she turns it over to hide it. Futile, considering Aeri's watching her, but it's a valiant effort. "Riiight. And how do I open them without, like, totally destroying them?" Grinning sheepishly, she picks it up. Embrace your mistakes and all that. "Can I eat this one?"

[lovehypnoses]

what's the last thing that made you cry?

Yirang:

"Oh, dude, I don't even remember. It's been so long. Probably when I watched Everything Everywhere All At Once."

Jieun:

"I was drunk, so I don't recall the exact reason why. I do remember, however, puking into a bush and Sodam having to carry me home on her back while I tried to pull her hair like you do the reins of a horse."

[lovehypnoses]

for yirang: where do you see yourself in 10 years?

"Balling." Her eyes flash, and she grins. "'s why I majored in compsci. Money's super important if I wanna live the way I want, so I better be super rich by the time I'm 32. Dunno about personal life and all that, but I'd love to be travelling lots."

[awakesnake]

He’s supposed to be clocking out in 20 minutes. Instead, Sora’s back is pressed against the tight and narrow employee break room that can barely fit him; let alone him and Jung Yirang. She’s glued right next to him, elbows grazing one another as he ignored a particular voice inside of Wangto Records.

“Hi! Is anyone here?”

…

“Um. Is Sora here?”

…

“I thought I saw him earlier! Hello? Anyone working?”

—

It feels like fucking forever, but finally, the boy clearly hears the door open and close; indicated by the jingling bells strapped to the door. He finally feels like he can breathe (and lets out a huge sigh, too) before moving out of frame and out the small room. He rakes a hand through his hair, turning over to his coworker. 

“I literally am going to stop fucking working here.” It’s a lie. Where the hell would he go? “See! I wasn’t kidding, she watches me clock in.” He makes a mental note to never hookup with a customer. Again.  /  ( @lovehypnoses.​

[lovehypnoses]

Yirang can't breathe.

Not in this small space with Suh Sora, not when all the air's been knocked out of her lungs by their army-crawling to the breakroom in a desperate attempt to avoid Sora's little girlfriend for the second time that shift.

So she holds it in, face reddening from the exertion. There's a gut feeling that tells her being caught is worse than asphyxiation, and so she perseveres.

It's a lifetime before they're let out; her own life having flashed before her eyes the moment before they'd been let out of the room. She collapses to the ground, head in her hands. "Please quit. Literally begging you." Maybe it's better he doesn't, because the only music she recommends is Taylor Swift, but she'll cross that bridge when she comes to it. "Like, I can't, dude. How is she coming into the store like every 10 minutes? I can't keep doing this." It's a sincere plea, and she pulls up the sleeve of her shirt to show him a bruise on her elbow.

"See? From yesterday." Yirang jabs at it, glowering at him. "You bruised me, 'cause you were too slutty." Fix it is the silent implication in her statement, hand coming up to rest on her hip.