Kindness is often mistaken for softness and let me tell you, friends….that is a mistake you don’t want to make.
Kind people are not born that way, they do not stumble into it, kind people are forged in fire and darkness and imploding stars…they have steel cores. Throw a punch and you’re going to break your hand.
nohwa’s annual summer festival. arguably, it’s one of the few times when everyone on the island come together as a community. needless to say, nathan has always loved it. and having to miss out while he was away only made him further reminisced about the island, so he’s fiercely determined to make himself a part of the festivities this year, including all the preparations leading up to the festival itself.
the sound of oncoming footsteps alerted him immediately. “sorry! coming through!” he announces to the path ahead, hoping they heard him in time to avoid an oncoming collision. but just in case, he stops the trolley altogether and steps to the side, waiting for the person on the other end to pass him by.
“oh! gyuri noona.” he recognises her immediately. happiness too apparent with how cheeks are rising and lips are parted into an open smile; he just can’t help himself. “wow.” he remarks, quickly wiping the sweat from his forehead; it doesn’t make him any more presentable but he’s trying. “i haven't seen you for some time!”
truthfully, he has no idea how true his statement is. maybe their last meeting was only a few days back, or just last week. but she haunts him every time they do, just like this: eyes piercing his gaze with confidence, hair softly rustling with the wind, carrying a whiff of her floral scent into the air that he inhales. and it travels into his lungs, propagating inside the space where he breathes until it seeps into his heart, a beat skipping and a rhythm pulsating; constant and loud, whispering her name into his ear all over again.
how is he supposed to miss someone he can’t forget?
“so... how are you?” okay, even he knows that was too broad. and boring. “what are you doing these days?” uhhh, might be dipping too deep there, back up a little. “not that you need to tell me!” now he hopes the laugh that follows doesn’t sound as forced as he thinks it does.
“wow... uh.” his mind’s completely blank, words dying in his throat after her little ‘demo’.
“that was–” he covers his amazement with a cough, “–good?” perfect, really. “you didn’t seem out of practice at all, you liar,” he fakes a frown, as if she intended this on purpose. ( oh, but if she did, then you might have to run. )
it’s astonishing how quickly she became nami again as soon as the music starts. so this is what fans who attend music shows get to experience. it’s almost surreal. definitely a whole different experience from watching a tv screen.
but she’ll never let him live if he admits that to her face, so he won’t.
it’s funny how two years can feel like a mere blink of second and eternity all at once, nathan muses, watching the island become clearer and clearer. now that the ferry is approaching the docks, he feels more jittery than ever, heart thrumming as he thinks about meeting his family again.
he’d already planned his grand entrance as the prodigal son returns 2.0; he even declined his parent’s offer to come and pick up him. which is why he’s pleasantly shocked when he sees his sister standing near the exit, waiting for his arrival. and before he knew it, his legs were gradually picking up speed, steady and swift until they charged into a full body sprint.
“NOONA!”
he doesn’t even give her any other warning to prepare herself. and as soon as she’s within arms distance, he immediately pulls into her into his embrace, probably with a little too much force, and practically drapes himself over her.
“i’m home,” he tells her. ( or are you telling yourself? )
it’s an odd sight, and a little amusing to watch the giant that’s unaware of his own size and strength. how he basically engulfs her entire frame but tries to sink into her arms anyways, as if he was still as small as he used to be. he thought he was supposed to have toughened up; be a strong, cool army man who’ll impress his family once he arrives through the door.
and it only took one look at his older sister for all of the bullshit to shatter. “can we stay like this for a little while?” his voice sounds so small, like he’s afraid she’d let him go too quickly. his face is buried in the crook of her neck, refusing to lift his head, like he’s a child again, hiding in the only shelter he knew.
send 😍 for my muse to tell yours three things they love about them
he turns towards her, remote frozen in hand, brows stitching quizzically for a moment. “…i don’t know what’s gotten into you… but okay?”
“three things i love about you... uhhh,” he hums, a little lethargic from his previous nap, inner engines still starting up. “that you’re nice?” he starts with a laugh, just to ease the awkwardness. “i don’t know how i’d survive if you turned out to be like, an evil step-sister, or something.”
he scratches his head next, fidgety under her stare. “and that too. that you watch out for me?” this is where he finally gets too flustered to even look at her anymore. “you stood up for me all the time when we were young,” he recalls. all the memories are permanently stitched into his mind. “if i was in your place, i’m not sure if i could’ve done that.”
a breath leaves his lips then, and he turns to her and smiles. “ultimately, i guess i just love that you’re my sister?” his mouth splits further into a grin, happy to admit his appreciation. “i always say ma is my role model but you’re my hero, noona.”
it’s nearing noon, and the sun’s high in the sky as he watches birds fly by. this weather really feeds into the atmosphere of ‘summer’ almost picturesquely. it’s the perfect time for nathan to be strolling out and about, sifting through all the familiar faces of the townsfolk like clockwork.
the usual pattern ends when his eyes land on a passerby approaching in the opposite direction. “joeun?” he murmurs, unsure at first, but remembering faces has always been one of his better fortes. as he continues to observe her further and notes more features of familiarity, his hunch is slowly strengthened into certainty, giving him the confidence to make contact.
“hey, joeun!”
his feet quickly cuts through the path, stopping her right in her tracks. “i knew it! it is you!” he can’t help but smile, all toothy and bright. truthfully he’s more than a little thrilled at the prospect of reuniting with a former friend, seeing as his repeated absence didn’t allow him to maintain many in the past.
and it’s not so different for her is it? bae joeun, daze’s nami. he’s already, admittedly, a little aware of what went down. ( and you told yourself you’d stop reading tabloid gossip blogs ) it’s interesting though, seeing the contrast between the glitter and glamour of the idol he saw dancing on tv to the rambunctious girl whom he used to watch singing in the playground.
it’s different. she’s different. and not in a bad way.
“long time no see, it’s been… eight? nine years?” it’s hard to accurately recount, especially after so long, but he hopes she’s not having as much as difficulty as he is. “it’s me! jo euiyoung. remember? i used to be like, this tall,” he gestures to his hips, prompting her further. now he’s realising how much of a psycho he must’ve looked like if she didn’t recognise him at all this entire time. “well… i go by nathan nowadays though.”
“huh, you know.” his eyes narrow, back hunching forward as he suddenly leans in, staring at her a little too intently. “i think... did you...” he mumbles, lips curving until he breaks out into a cheeky grin, “shrunk a little?”
send 💥 for the game they’d destroy everyone else at
“to be honest, i was never a ‘hardcore’ gamer. i’d get my ass kicked in a lot of things.”
“lately though, i’m a fan of rhythm games. they’re great time killers!” translation: he’s an addict and has donated too many hours of his life away. “huh? which ones? uh... i-i can’t remember their names right now.” translation: they are the epitome of guilty pleasures he can’t reveal. at least let him salvage some of his dignity, please.
send 🍵 and my muse will reveal one of their biggest regrets
“personally, i don’t really like to dwell in the past you know?” he stalls. even adds a laugh to diffuse the atmosphere a little. “but, i guess...” a pause. and then silence, as he genuinely sinks into contemplation for a moment.
“there was this limited edition bingsoo being sold at the cafe near the apartment my dad and i were staying at, a few years back,” he explains, eyes shutting in sadness immediately, “and i never asked him to take me there to try it out... it would’ve been such a nice after school treat, but i guess i'll never really know.”
send 💐 for how they take care of themselves while in a slump
how to improve your mood 101, the official guide by nathan jo – pocket edition:
( 1 ) talk to your ma! + who else knows you better than she does? she’s helped you sort out your shit for 21 years!+ she’s also the wisest person you know! (besides naver).+ she knows how to make your favourite food!*note: whatever you divulge may potentially become blackmail material. watch out.( 2 ) be introspective!+ figure out your source of sadness and confront it!*note: strategy no longer viable because emotions are scary and you now have baggage you don’t want to unpack.( 3 ) go for a stroll!+ because your home is a beautiful island with great views, breath-taking landmarks and a comfortable, tropical climate... according to our official tourism website which hasn’t been updated since 2010 at least.+ you can meet people! and do things! to help them!!! because you have a weird habit of finding happiness in others instead of yourself!+ maybe you should go back to no.2 ( 4 ) television!+ mindless, soul-sucking entertainment is a great distraction!+ the children’s channel is a great way for you to bathe in the warmth of nostalgia!+ music shows are at ~6PM! 찌릿 찌릿 to your heart’s content! *note: make sure no other family member is present in the room.
send 🍂 for what they wanted to be when they grew up
“a swordsman.”
“–i mean. not quite!” but the flush on his cheeks further spreads his shame. sometimes he regrets prioritising honesty over dignity. “i just... used to think gaff from iron kid was the coolest hero ever,” he admits instead. might as well just own it right?
“kendo classes weren’t an available option, so i had to practice with sticks.” memories of a fonder time immediately elicits a laugh. “one time my hands slipped and it went flying into the neighbour’s window and–” he suddenly remembered no one ever found out about that incident, “–nevermind. that’s it. that’s the story.”
send 🎤 and i’ll make a short playlist for our muses
send 🎼 for a song that reminds me of our muses
send 🌹 and i’ll make an aesthetic/moodboard for our muses
send 💛 and i’ll make an aesthetic/moodboard about my muse
send 👗 and i’ll make an aesthetic/moodboard about my muse’s fashion style
send 👶 and i’ll make an aesthetic/moodboard about my muse’s childhood
send 🏠 and i’ll make an aesthetic/moodboard about my muse’s home aesthetics
send 🍕 and i’ll make an aesthetic/moodboard about my muse’s favorite foods
send 👮 and i’ll make an aesthetic/moodboard about my muse’s occupation
send ✉ for a written letter from my muse
send 💬 and my muse will say what they really think about yours
send 👤+ a muse name for my muse’s opinion on that muse
send ⭐️ (or multiple) for a headcanon about our muses
send 👀 for my muse to compliment yours
send 😍 for my muse to tell yours three things they love about them
send 🍎 and my muse will tell yours why they’re thankful for
send 😵 for my muse to tell you something they hate
send 🍵 and my muse will reveal one of their biggest regrets
send 🎁 for my muse to describe one thing on their personal wishlist
send ☎ for your muse’s info in my muses phone (name, ringtone, picture, last text received/sent)
send ☄️ for 2-4 songs that are always in their playlists
send 💫 for one place they sometimes end up falling asleep
send 💥 for the game they’d destroy everyone else at
send 🌙 for the emoticon they’d use most often
send ✨ for what my muse would act like when they haven’t gotten enough sleep
send 💐 for how they take care of themselves while in a slump
send 🍂 for what they wanted to be when they grew up
send 🌈 for my muse’s favorite kind of weather
send ✔️ for a daydream my muse has had about/involving yours
send 💋 for how my muse would seduce/flirt with yours
send 👏 and try to fluster my muse (anything goes!)
** please reblog to signal that you’d like to play along & feel free to cross things out that you’d rather not do !
lemme just start this off by asking if anyone here knows how much a polar bear weights?
enough to break the ice *BADUM TSS* hi, i’m tiz and i play nathan. i’ll keep this short since i gotta head out in a jiffy. here is his profile if anybody’s interested and a tl;dr of his bio below the cut (tw: mentions of eating disorders).
long-time local. recently returned from the army over a month ago n became one of the ferry drivers so if ur an old resident or frequently travel, chances r you’d probably already met him.
brother of the jo1 canon so yes, he’s another jo spawn *finger guns* u know exactly what to expect
a whole good boi™
changed his name to nathan shortly before middle school. b4 that he was jo euiyoung. he’ll prefer the former but those that knew him since childhood will probably use the latter.
only left the island once when he was young. he followed his father to the mainland for a bit n spent two years of middle school there.
spoiler alert: it wasn’t fun
got made fun of bc he had more meat than the other kids. at first, it didn’t affect him but they wore him down eventually.
long story short, he unconsciously starting eating less n less. then it devolved into purging
he hasn’t told anyone abt this (tho it’s not that hard to suss out by some). either way, it got better once he returned home.
dropped out of hs a year b4 graduation. it just wasn’t doing it for him anymore. this led to an awkward rl with his father, who was fine with him not following the family trade if he like, went to uni or smth.
so for two years, he was basically a NEET lmfao. then he decided to get a fresh start… by shipping himself off to the army.
now he’s back (n buffer than ever)(*winks*)
hopefully i didn’t miss anything. i’ll update this post later today with some plot ideas or smth orz. OR give this post a like if u want me flying to ur inbox. i haven’t forgotten about the peeps in my inbox either, ty for the warm welcome n sorry i haven’t replied yet. i’ll get back to u all soon. ❤️❤️