[ park hyungsik, cis male, he/him ] - was that NAM DAE-EUN i saw by the lighthouse today? i heard that the THIRTY-ONE year old who has been in nightrest for THREE WEEKS and works as a JOURNALIST has a reputation of being KIND, but also NOSY. he resides in LOW POINT & people in town usually associate him with NOTEPADS AND PENCILS WITH LOTS OF SCRIBBLED NOTES, LONG COATS TO COMBAT THE COLD TEMPS, and A CURIOSITY THAT KILLED THE CAT. let’s hope the killer doesn’t go after him next.
[ penned by sen, 18+, they/them, cst / gmt-6 ]
[graphics template by eternal summer]
BASICS:
FULL NAME: Nam Dae-eun
NICKNAMES: Dae
DATE OF BIRTH: 1992.05.12
AGE: 31
HOMETOWN: Boston, MA (but he just says he's from "New England.")
ORIENTATION: Straight
GENDER: Cis male, he/him
ETHNICITY: Korean
OCCUPATION: Journalist
PHYSICAL:
FACECLAIM: Park Hyungsik
HEIGHT: 6'1" / 185cm
BUILD: Tall, broad
SKIN: Pale
HAIR: Dark brown
EYES: Dark brown
EXTRAS: None
PERSONALITY:
+ traits: Kind, polite, charismatic, an open book, responsible, modest
- traits: Nosy, pushy, stubborn, tenacious, oblivious, hyper-focused
BACKGROUND:
Nam Dae-eun grew up in New England with his older sister and two parents.
He was always a very curious kid. Most of the children his age at school didn't care for him all that much—they found him annoying, but Dae-eun didn't understand why. He spent a lot of time hanging out with his older sister.
His writing excelled from early on, even his earliest essays receiving top marks. He knew from a young age that he wanted to be a journalist and never wavered, ending up going to Emerson on a full-ride scholarship.
He finally achieved his dream career at 23, at a popular newspaper in his city.
After a couple of years, he became the chief journalist at his station, the youngest to receive the title in years.
NIGHTREST:
A few months ago, he began to hear whispers about the little-known town of Nightrest. Intrigued, he asked his boss to let him do a piece on it. The mythology of the locale felt as though it was calling to him, and the more he thought about it, the more excited he got.
After much procrastination, his boss agreed. Dae-eun packed his bags that night, arriving in Nightrest early the next morning.
Ever since then, he’s been renting an apartment in Low Point, walking around the town and listening to conversations (read: bugging people for information) whenever possible. He’s determined to get to the bottom of whatever it is that’s happening here in the town.
And that was all before the murders started.
Now, Dae-eun is disturbed. He only arrived in Nightrest three weeks ago, but his investigative instincts have kicked into overdrive, and he’s getting pushier. Nosier. More eager for information. Before, he was just vaguely bothersome, but now he’s starting to get on people’s nerves.
If he’s not careful, something very bad is going to happen to him very soon.
OTHER (didn't fit anywhere else):
this man. refuses. to use emojis. emoticons all the way.
has a masters in journalism from emerson. he's an overachiever.
he was in the debate club in high school. yeah.
he wants a puppy. this will happen at some point.
generally can be found hanging around the daily dose. my man's loves his coffee. (don't tell anyone but it's also a great source of information—)
WANTED CONNECTIONS:
his older sister. [see the main's wanted connections page]
somebody that doesn't care about his millions of questions, they just like being friends with him anyway. likely one of the first people that greeted him when he moved into town.
he is bound to make a lot of enemies—when i tell you this man is nosy as hell... so yeah enemies/rivals are always appreciated.
perhaps a rival journalist? someone he didn't expect to come down here, and now he feels competitive, like he has to get the scoop first (even if the other journalist doesn't feel that way).
a romantic interest. [please note that i'm not down to rp nsfw content!]
an ex that ended on good terms.
somebody show this man to the speakeasy at queen's. he would lose his mind. think of all the stuff he could hear there.
as of right now, i don't have much off of the top of my head! i know i'd like his older sister at some point, but i need to pin down the details. for now, i'm down for anything! feel free to shoot me all your plotlines—lovey-dovey, angsty, just chat-y, whatever. i'll update this soon! going to do some starters and then head on back. <3
He shrugged awkwardly. "Not really, but, uh...life doesn't wait, right?" Dae gave her a small smile, moving from the wall to sit nearby. "Sorry. Didn't mean to make it awkward." At her explanation, his eyebrows skyrocketed and he let out a small laugh. "You got the cops called on the party?" he chuckled. "Well, at least everyone cleared out. At least the godforsaken cops are good for something," he added, shaking his head. "How are the kids doing?"
"Can you elaborate?" she asked once more, not entirely satisfied with the simplicity in his reply. "Stop apologizing, Dae!" Dee exclaimed, "I just want to know what's going on with you. You just up and disappeared out of the blue, don't talk to nobody, don't care for nobody, so what's the deal? Huh? I get it shit got hard, and everyone's trying to deal with it but you don't just aband-" Dee stopped herself from talking, and sighed once more. She didn't bother sitting down, instead leaning against the backrest of a chair. "It was the best thing that could have happened." Dilara was not ready to start yelling for people to get out of her home at the time. Specially not with all the drinks she had. "They're fine. . . as okay as can be when their absentee father shows up out of the blue to say hi then threated to take them away." Or rather Alfie - it was easy to see he couldn't care less for their daughter.
He blinked at her reaction, taken aback. After a moment of silence, however, he nodded. “…you’re right. I, uh. I owe you an explanation.” Dae swallowed hard, glancing down at his hands. “…people keep vanishing, Dee. I’m…tired of making friends just for them to disappear the next day. I’m tired of getting to know people just to have them ripped away a week later. My whole life has been nothing but people leaving—I haven’t seen my sister since high school, I only just recently managed to reconnect with Jieun, I didn’t even know Hana and Junho were living here, the only reason I came here in the first place was because I was chasing Selin…I’m always the one chasing. And it’s…it’s tiring.” He gave a small shrug. “I figured it would be easier if I just didn’t have any attachments in the first place. But…that’s not how I work.”
At Dee’s latter words, his brow furrowed, glancing back up at her. “Whoa, what? Cameron’s back?” His eyebrows raised even further as she continued. “He wants the kids? But he’s the one that walked out on you! What kind of nerve-?” Dae stopped himself, rubbing his hands across his face. “What the hell is his problem?”
Dae let out a small laugh, waving a hand in response. "Please. I practically turned off my phone last weekend, Hana. You don't need to explain yourself to me. As long as you're okay. Sort of." At her question, he nodded. "Not much better," he murmured, shaking his head. For a minute he blinked, staring at the air in front of them before he spoke again. "...do you think it's ever going to end?"
"i'm glad that you're okay though. and i get that. turning your phone off for a few days." it was something she had done years ago after her divorce. she had turned her own phone off for a little bit. with not wanting to talk to anyone back then after having to deal with that. "honestly? i don't know. it seems just as we've all started to move on, this crap starts up again. it's making me question if i should leave town for good."
Dae nods, sighing. “Yeah. Yeah, I know.” The reason Hana wants to move is the same reason he had decided to remain in Nightrest: it seemed as though his cousins’ hometown had recently decided to become the murder capital of the country, and he didn’t want to even think about what could happen to them without him knowing. At least this way, if anything happened, he was there. “Stay safe. Let me know if you do decide to move—I doubt anyone would look twice.”
"It did, actually!" Dae chuckles, nodding. "I've already got those first-week crazies." Referring to both his students and his current mental state. "So far, so good—we haven't had time to do too much yet, thank god." He shrugs. "Stuff is gonna start ramping up soon, though." He pauses awkwardly. "Things going alright with you?"
Jun nods, supposing that Dae is probably just living in his own world at this point, focusing on work or whatever else he has going on. He couldn't really blame the other, because sometimes the easy way out sounded pretty good. "Yeah, they're fine. It's mainly just been work and spending time with Charlotte." It was the most neutral answer he could give considering he was sure it was just some kind of small talk between the two of them. "It was nice seeing you, we should catch up some other time," Jun adds, knowing he'd have to get back to work soon.
truthfully, she had thought that dae wouldn't have wanted to speak to her again. she would have understood. "i'm sorry for not texting or calling you." she replied. she knew she should have. just to check in with him. "honestly? pretty shitty. but i'm doing my best to go on." she replied. there was no point in sulking over things. all one could do was move forward. "how've you been?"
Dae let out a small laugh, waving a hand in response. "Please. I practically turned off my phone last weekend, Hana. You don't need to explain yourself to me. As long as you're okay. Sort of." At her question, he nodded. "Not much better," he murmured, shaking his head. For a minute he blinked, staring at the air in front of them before he spoke again. "...do you think it's ever going to end?"
"Oh." Dilara said, casting her eyes down and away from his frame. She had been so wrapped up in her drama that she almost fazed out the murders. They were nothing but a bad memory. "Are you - better? Are you doing okay?" she asked then sighed, wanting nothing more than for this conversation to not feel so alien. She was mad at him, but she truly had no reason to. Dae didn't owe her anything but for some reason it did bother her that he's been so distant? M.I.A? Dilara had thought they were closer, that this friendship meant something to both of them but it wouldn't be the first time that her assumptions or thoughts betrayed her. Just look at how great her choice in husband had turned out. Or even her supposed best friend. "Don't apologize. You have no reason to." she said, genuinely. "The party was alright. A lot of drinking, a lot of dancing and playing games. It was good, and then I guess one of the neighbors called the police which did helped get the people out my house."
He shrugged awkwardly. "Not really, but, uh...life doesn't wait, right?" Dae gave her a small smile, moving from the wall to sit nearby. "Sorry. Didn't mean to make it awkward." At her explanation, his eyebrows skyrocketed and he let out a small laugh. "You got the cops called on the party?" he chuckled. "Well, at least everyone cleared out. At least the godforsaken cops are good for something," he added, shaking his head. "How are the kids doing?"
He nods, taking a sip of his coffee and stuffing one of his hands in his pocket. "Has the school year started for you yet?" he asks, because Jun realizes he doesn't exactly have anything to talk about with him, at times feeling that Dae wasn't really the kind to be very open or easy to converse with, so he's fine keeping their conversation short. "I'm okay," he says, because even if he wasn't, it would feel a bit weird to say anything more.
"It did, actually!" Dae chuckles, nodding. "I've already got those first-week crazies." Referring to both his students and his current mental state. "So far, so good—we haven't had time to do too much yet, thank god." He shrugs. "Stuff is gonna start ramping up soon, though." He pauses awkwardly. "Things going alright with you?"
"And where have you been?" Jieun questioned, leaning back in her chair as she looked up at her cousin. "You know, if the killer wasn't already dead, I would've assumed that you were the next victim. Did you forget how to use a phone?"
Dae gave his cousin a sheepish grin, scratching the back of his neck. "Sorry, Ji." He sighed. "Actually, I'm not going to lie—I turned off my phone over the weekend, and it was a total relief." He glanced sideways at her. "I'll, uh...I'll let you know before I do that again, though. Everything going okay?"
The past couple of days had been weighing a little too much on her head. Enough to keep her awake for days on end, but sleep was no better. Dilara turned when she heard his voice, "Hey." she said softly and offered him a smile. It felt like months since she'd seen him, and wasn't entirely sure what had happened. Then again there's been so much going on around her that she was surprised at just how much she's missed him. Then the anger came. "Where have you been?"
Dae blinked at her question, pausing. Yep. He'd been right. Quickly redirecting his mindset, he gave her an awkward half-shrug. "The...party hit a bit harder than I expected," he replied. "And then the semester started up again, and I got swamped. Not that that's an excuse." He sighed, leaning against the wall nearby. "I'm sorry." There was a short silence before he spoke again. "...did the party go well, at least?"
Funnily enough, Jun feels as though the only person he's had a genuine conversation within his family had been his younger, normally abrasive younger cousin instead of anyone else. It's radio silence amongst those he's related to, which feels odd all things considered. Taking his coffee order outside with him, he quickly runs into the younger, prompting him to stop and nod towards him. "Dae," Jun greets, offering him a smile. They've never really been particularly close, but there's no reason to not be cordial. "It's been a while, hasn't it? How have you been?"
Dae glances up quickly, barely avoiding running into the other man, and smiles at the familiar face. "Hey, Jun," he replies, nodding as he steps back a pace or two. "It has, actually." He can't quite remember when the last time they talked was. Was it before or after the party? The past few weeks have been too chaotic for him to recall. "Not bad." He shrugs. "You?"
barbie stirred her coffee as she sat down beside him, letting out a chuckle in the process. her kids were rowdy after lunchtime and recess, so she totally got it. ❝ you have to have a call to action and a punishment so they know you mean business. my punishment is that i take five minutes of their recess if they get in trouble. ❞ pressing her lips together, she rolled her eyes at herself. ❝ it’s never really five minutes more like two cause i can’t stand to see their sad faces for too long but they feel like it’s five. ❞
Dae nodded slowly, listening to her words as she sat nearby. "Makes sense. Besides, time flies faster for kids, anyway." He grinned. At her latter words, however, he couldn't help laughing, shaking his head. "'Know you mean business,' huh? What happened to business? Are you so easily swayed?" he joked.
to say she hadn't talked to anyone in her family for a few weeks was an understatement. on her end, it felt as if they all hated her. and maybe they did. she wasn't the best person apparently either. eyes glued to her laptop that she had brought with her, she went over the things she had bought. from stuff for jia for school, to a birthday gift for her. a small sigh escaping her lips, she looked up. seeing dae sitting across from her, it was a surprise. "hi." she spoke, unsure of what to honestly say.
"hey," he replied, glancing down at the back of her laptop. "haven't seen you in a while." dae paused, taking a sip from the coffee cup in his hand. it was a combination of things—his own absence from the town after the shock of the engagement party certainly hadn't helped. "how's everything going?" it was a loaded question, but he wasn't sure how else to start.
closed \ @dilara-k
location \ dee's house (because i doubt she'd be anywhere else)
"Hey, Dee," he called, stepping inside the house as he glanced around, "I hope I'm not intruding?" He hadn't messaged before coming—which wasn't normal for him, but he had missed Dee, and not going to the party the previous week had made him think their relationship might be getting a bit...awkward. "Just wanted to swing around and say hi."
"Do you have any tips for corraling kids?" Dae asked, chuckling a little bit. "Usually, they're not so bad, but it's the beginning of the year, and the new ones..." Dae shook his head. "It's like hell on wheels in there, and I've got to figure out how to get this under control."
He chuckles a little, nodding. "It's nice to meet you, man," he says. "I've only been here a week. But it's not my first time in Nightrest, I used to come here quite a lot growing up." And then with his ex fiancée. "But it's been two years since I last came here. What about you, are you born and raised here or?"
"Me? No." Dae laughs, shaking his head. "I only moved here about...oh, six months ago or so." He nods. "I'm from Boston, originally. But I've been down here a fair bit before; most of my cousins live here. I was—well." He pauses. "I was coming down for a visit, and decided to just bite the bullet and move." He shrugs, grinning. "What about you? Why'd you head down?"
Drew nods quietly at the man's words. He sounds confused, which he doesn't blame him for. It is a mind boggling situation, more so for the people who had to live it day-by-day and experience every shred of it. He feels bad for the man. "Forget I asked. The important thing is that the case is closed, right? Probably better not to keep dwelling on it," he offers. "I'm Andrew. Or Drew, whatever you'd like to call me." He gives him a polite smile.
Dae cocks an eyebrow, though he simply nods. "Yeah. Case closed." Of course, that was what they had thought the last time. And then he'd found an arm in the middle of Salem Neck Trail. Shaking his head, he smiles. "I'm Dae-eun. Or Dae. Similar thing, I guess." He chuckles. "Have you been in town long? I don't think I've seen you around recently."
