Lee Kaeun

poor girl with rich dreams ★ reaching out for the ( skies ) chr . crt . dnc . rap . sng . dbt

[rkxkjd]

⤷ among us idols

“hey…” jongdae started a bit quieter than he wanted to let out when he saw kaeun. in such a big arena with not only so many idols for isac, but so many fans too, they had to be careful about so many things. what should they share with each other? how did it look like while they were sitting with these people or those? what were the fans thinking as their hawk eyes followed their every move? 

the one positive thing jongdae would want to take some solace in was that nsg was still pretty new, a baby barely a month old and still in the midst of learning how to walk on their own. there probably wasn’t a lot of people in the stands for them. sure he could see the ones who were sitting in their section, but all the other idols were also visible to them. he did remember hearing some of those stories too, of people sneaking in with another group to cheer for another’s, just as long as their cheers were the loudest for whom they came for. 

anyway, with both of them coincidentally trying out for the same sport, it gave him an easier way to be close and weasel his way towards the girls without being too suspicious. with his greeting, he followed it up with a smile and adding a “sunbaenim” in there for fun while nodding his head. “long time no see, huh?” there was some regret from his words, feeling like he was mostly at fault for not keeping in touch with kaeun as often as he would have liked. his interest sparked again thanks to their loose circle of mutual friends and playing among us together. he did forget how comfortable he was with the other.

@rkkaeun

[rkkaeun]

stretch, stretch, stretch. kaeun put one arm over the other as she pulled, feeling the tension in her arms that ebbed away as she locked it in place. she wouldn’t consider herself to be a sportsman, but when it came down to something that used a lot of strength, like ssireum, she’s invested. a small, burning competitive spirit arose within her, reflecting in the glint of her determined eyes and pursed lip grin.

isac was definitely a different playing field of its own - most of the idol groups she knew were in attendance and more, and it had been a while since she last saw a mini stadium filled up with fans supporting different groups. so many fans, so many idols, so many cameras. not that she had anything to hide, but it reminded her that circumstances were different now compared to the old days. 

eyes scanning the crowd as she readjusted the ssireum stash around her waist, they  landed on the familiar figure walking towards her. even without realizing, she’s straightening her already upright posture, lips drawing into a comfortable smile. it had been a while - a long while, really. it was a lie to say that she wasn’t the mildest disappointed when they drifted apart, but it was a natural progression out of their busy schedules. now that they’ve reconnected through the game, it just reminded her a bit of the fonder memories they had just chatting away. 

at the very least, she’d like to keep this friendship. it’s not always easy to find someone with similar hobbies, for one. “sunbaenim?” she repeated, a soft laugh covered by a curled fist. it was odd, being called a sunbae, but she played along anyway with a firm nod, arms crossed over her chest. the serious expression didn’t last for long before her trademark smile appeared. “it certainly has,” she hummed, eyes softening as she slowly dropped her arms, “congratulations on your debut, jongdae-oppa. ah! or should i call, addae-nim~?” she let out a soft chuckle, tucking a strand of stray hair behind her ears. "i always knew you’d make it, but i’m still happy to see it happen.”

“so...” she drawled, tilting her head, “what did you sign up for this isac’s?”

[rkkaeun]

Guess Who

rkwendy​:

Wendy chuckles as she accepts the praise. She’s always been so bad at accepting compliments, but she’s trying to work on that. Especially when she feels that Kaeun unni means it. What Kaeun says catches her attention. “You are able to tell who’s who by how we walk? Now that’s even cooler!” Wendy wasn’t exactly good at any survival skills other than screaming and outrunning her enemies. But hearing that someone can tell who’s who by the sound of their footsteps is next level impressive. 

“Thank you, though, unni,” she says with a soft smile. “It means a lot coming from you.” If there was anyone other than her mother and her CEO whose approval Wendy wanted so badly, it would have to be her members. After all, they’re living together and working together 24/7. Wendy has always wanted people to like her, and she just wants to get along with everyone. Life was less complicated if she didn’t have any enemies. 

“I can’t help it, but I want to win. Not just for me, but for the whole AND*ROMA,” Wendy chuckles. “It’s the competitive figure skater in me, I guess.” Ever since debut, Wendy has shifted her priorities from individual glory to bringing up the whole team. After all, they fly together; they flop together. Wendy frowns when Kaeun calls herself tone-deaf. “I don’t think you are. You have a great tone; you just haven’t had a chance to explore it,” she whispers back. “I just think your voice is under-practiced at least for singing. Besides, you’re more focused on rap and dance, right?” 

kaeun chuckled. if there's one thing she does better, it's observation. looking at the different things changing around her, hearing the way some members walked with determined fury to those that sashay down the wooden flooring of the hallways. it's all very characteristic of her members, and endearing in a way. "heh, but that's only limited to our members! it's not a skill i can apply anywhere else, honestly."

"aww...now i'm excited. i really think you've got a good shot. one day, when the show is ready for you, we'd definitely be rooting you on," she nodded firmly. it's nice to see her members' dedication to themselves and the entire band. kaeun's still figuring out her own worth in the team, but all she knew is that any personal progress channels back to the team, and any team efforts gets distributed back to the individuals. both are two and one the same, especially at this moment.

"...i do?" she arched one brow in amusement, smiling. "that's a great compliment, i'm honor. i will be putting this into my safe box," she laughed again. no one had ever commented on her tone, but it felt good to be noted. "yeah, rap is more of my thing. and dance, though that is a nova thing," she lowered her voice, as if she's sharing a deep dark secret with her pal. "singing is a whole different tier, but perhaps some day, i'd be able to find out more on what i can use about my vocals."

“please take note, recording starts in twenty!” 

looking up at the doorway before the person disappeared, kaeun took a deep breath. “i’m here to guess but somehow, i’m feeling very, very nervous. i wonder who would be here today, we’ve had a couple of idols in previous seasons. think it could be an actress? or actor, really.”

[rkkaeun]

✧ sparkling stars ;

rkmiya​:

“i mean if you can spice it up then that’s better than nothing, right?” sunmi offers with a light chuckle. while she likes her stage name, she’s sure it’s much easier to have just your name be the name you’re known by. kaeun could be just kaeun and that would be enough for her. sunmi was darae. and*roma’s darae. for some reason she felt a pressure there to be a little…more. she wonders if kaeun shares the same idea or if it truly was less stressful to just have her name as a moniker officially now. sunmi didn’t want to turn the conversation into a topic so serious. she benched the question for now. she’d ask kaeun when they’re back in the dorms.

“you’re a dj, anyhow. that’s basically exciting. you can be our party animal!”

what do you have? sunmi blanked immediately. what did she have? the realisation dawned on her that while she was banking on just winging it, she didn’t have the slightest idea of what to say even jokingly. she’s pretty sure kaeun could read the lost and somewhat panicked expression on sunmi’s face. she wasn’t doing anything to hide it.

“oh god kaeun i’m boring and not clever i can’t do this! what would i even say? what is my title? i’m just the leader–” sunmi can’t think of anything that’s witty or catchy for her to use in her introduction. mother of nova? that’s weird. dance machine? over played, basic and expected. and she couldn’t leave it at just leader. that’s just her literal title in the group. “i don’t even have one…..”

even if kaeun’s was “plain” she was better off than her own leader, in the very least.

"...i can't argue against that," she chuckled. spicing things up wasn't her forte unless it came to the kitchen. it just so happens that she grew up in a traditional family; always be humble, always be law-abiding, always be honest. a set of rules that governed her life and shaped her beliefs that years later, she struggled to put herself out there for various reasons. in this world, no one values simple honesty as they do how you can smartly market yourself.

but then, she'd find a way. it's alright if she's plain, boring kaeun, too. because that's as real as they can get - a girl that only wants to move forward with realistic goals.

"party animal is a good one. i can tap on that. fluff it up a little so it fits me a little more? less party and more animal," she joked, but her smile slipped away at the sight of sunmi's mild panic.

"unnie," she reached over to grab the elder's forearm lightly, eyes wide and blinking as she said slowly, "breathe." lips tugging into her trademark smile again, kaeun continued, "you have plenty, unnie! who said you have to stick with one single label for the next ew years? you can be all that you’ve listed in different times, or really just be the diamond star as you are. our very own leader and ace.” the compliment was delivered with a wide smile, eyes curling as she lightly bumped sunmi’s sides. 

[rkkaeun]

grwm - to bed edition

backdated. 28 sep 2020

“hello everyone!” her voice rang out ten seconds after her screen loaded, waving as the comments started coming in. it’s relatively late, but it wasn’t time for lights out yet. the usual her would have been off doing something with the amount of time she have, but right there and then, she felt like going for an early night rest. their schedules were coming to an end soon and it made sense for the weariness to really settle into her bones.

kaeun bit back a yawn, nose scrunching as she adjusted the mobile stand on the dressing room table. “how is everyone doing? it’s not too late right now...but i feel like doing a quick get ready with me, to the bed version.” she chuckled a little pulling all the things she’s prepared for a pampering treat.

“as you know, it’s very important to take care of our skin properly. i thought it’d be fun to do a little home spa while talking to you guys,” she continued, eyes scanning the comments. “hello portugal, hello taiwan. woah, there’s so many people from around the world, welcome! hello korea, yes, i am korea too.” she poked her tongue out at her horrible spoken english, cheeks tinted red ever so slightly.

“my daily routine? ahhh well, usually for work where i have to wear make up, i do a double-cleansing to remove all of that. once with a cleansing oil, and one more with a normal cleanser. so yes, right now i’m bare faced. i hope it’s alright - it’d look better after i slap some moisturizer on.” she cupped her own cheeks, moving closer to the camera. her skin was relatively glowing, considering the amount of hardwork she’s done to keep it that way, but it wasn’t without textures or a ew bumps around her hairline and chin. the idol scanned the places with a handheld mirror as she pouted a little.

“because we’ve been sleeping late and having makeup on for long hours during the comeback and schedules, i’ve gotten a few stubborn bumps,” she admited frankly, pointing them out. the beauty filter helped to keep the light red spots at bay for the audience, but kaeun’s not afraid of showing her own skin. “also, the air’s really drying lately! fall’s here already, isn’t it? so be sure to dress warmly, don’t catch a cold and drink lots of water.”

“so first of, i like to do my toner and serum, followed by a moisturizer,” she said, pulling out the different kinds of tools she has. splitting a 5-ply cotton pad into different pieces, drenching them with toner to place them all around her face, kaeun continued, “everyday, i have to do my skincare before i sleep. it’s a habit, and i think i sleep better when my skin feels better,” she laughed again. “do you guys have a skincare routine? how’s it like?”

“uh? yes, i used to have a youtube. unfortunately i don’t have time to really work on it anymore, but i’d try to come here more often, yeah? to meet you guys.” she nodded, hands gently rubbing in the toner as she wiped with the pieces of cotton pad. “in general, you want to put from the lightest to the heaviest, so next i have the serum, then i will use a sheet mask and seal it in with a moisturizer. it’s not a lot, trust me! it’s just rare days like these that i use a mask or two, otherwise it’s  back to the basics with good cleansing, toner, serum and moisturizer!”

she read a few comments, taking her time to dispose the drying cotton pads before she dripped serum onto her hand, lightly tapping them into her skin. there’s not a lot of exciting chatter - mostly just kaeun updating with what she did for the day, what she ate, the funny episode that happened in the dorms the other day. words to fill up the air as she waited to start with the next step.

unveiling a sheet mask, she carefully put it on, rendering difficult to speak thereafter that she nearly burst out laughing at herself. she managed to keep it in however, but amid the little giggles, and her using the jade roller around her chin area, kaeun managed to talk to their lovely fans a while longer.

“yes, i like to read! i’ve been reading this poetry book recently about positivity, moon and stars,” she disappeared, grabbing the book before bouncing back, but carefully so that her sheet mask wouldn’t fall. “i love to read poetry on the world and universe. it’s pretty, and it’s very calming. i use to read a lot more romance fictions, but i turn to movies instead, haha.”

“oh yes, i’ve been gaming lately with a few others. one of them includes...ah i am not sure if i’m allowed to say her name yet, but you’d probably see her soon,” kaeun stopped herself in time - not wanting to cause trouble to anyone yet. “yes, i play things like stardew valley, animal crossing....should i make my animal crossing farm in a dream? so i can invite you guys to my dream island? sounds like fun, right?” 

the talks trailed, from recent hobbies to answering question, to giving words of advice to some loves and singing, very quietly, happy birthday to the few who claimed to have their birthday soon.

removing the mask, she continued. it felt good, honestly, as she recalled her days as a youtuber. someone who does her grwm series every now and then, putting on her favourit eye shadows and lipstick, her struggles with eyeliners and her excitement over testing new products. for now, she’s appreciative of the whole vlive idea where she could still have some fun, at least.

“after the mask, i use this moisturizer to seal it all in. i know some people don’t like overly moisturizing, which is alright. you need to find your own beauty regime that’s best for your skin, as we all have different issues.”

trigger warning: self-esteem issues, beauty standard.

a message popped into view, and kaeun frowned. she’s expected something like that, considering the amount of comments she’s received over the years. words from a girl struggling with her outlook. kaeun’s been there - the ugly duckling among all the hot dj’s in the scene. but kaeun no longer wanted to be a loose slab of meat for anyone to slaughter. it took time to build her own confidence, but here she is, better than before.

“it’s okay to feel out of place with yourself sometimes. things happen, we all have bad days and that’s alright,” she started, smiling as she crossed her elbows on the table, leaning closer. “sometimes people tell us who they want us to be, to look like, and they build all these labels and expectations. but you don’t have to adhere to that. i hope you’d remember that you too have thoughts and dreams that you can pursue. if you like to wear clothes that most people find weird, but it makes you happy and comfortable and confident? then i say go for it. you can do it, and i’m rooting for you.”

she grinned, hands pressed together as she nodded once firmly. “with this, my lovelies, remember that someone out here is supporting you and sending you lots of love. i love you guys, please take care and i will see you soon. sleep tight, okay?”

[rkkaeun]

★ monologue

but slow doesn’t mean a lack of things to do.

tying her shoelaces tightly as she stood up, tugging at the creases of her tight, figure-hugging top, kaeun looked at herself in the mirror. white in head to toe wasn’t her usual style, nevermind the bright sunshine-like smile that she tried to make into her signature. to kaeun, a dash of colors was what gave her life - the blues and the purples, the reds and greens. something fun, something dynamic. 

but when they’re all decked in white together, it looked pretty good. like a uniform yet catered to each other’s flare. kaeun’s own top was with long sleeves, a turtle neck as she tied her hair into a ponytail, but her shoulders were exposed just ever so slightly, resting a little under her collarbones.

her peers had choreographed a routine to ariana grande’s break up with your girlfriend, and today was recording day. it was supposed to be something fun for their fans, but when it came to and*roma, no one slacks off. not even in something dubbed as fun and more casual than actual music comebacks. 

being casual wasn’t a reason to slack. besides...it was fun. being used to sweating it out during a two-hour intensive dance class was akin to that of the gym she used to frequent, but with more dynamics and variety. and every time she gets down on the floor and did the hair flip, kaeun felt good about herself. there’s some sort of confidence when she observed herself in the mirror, being used to utlizing her long limbs to look better than she did before; she added power to her moves, glided more smoothly as she moved into position. and her hair swished with force each time she had to fling it up, watching her locks swing before they curl and fell in place behind her neck. 

and at the end of it all. was the aching but good sense of satisfaction. how they managed to not just learn the dance but danced in sync, breathing at the same beat with steps trampling at the same time.

collectively, they had a loud voice. and kaeun quite liked that, more than she ever thought about it. a group that’s motivated and fun was something that she appreciated. 

maybe she’d whip up a good healthy dessert for everyone tonight.

but for now, she pressed her cheeks and raised them so that she’d have some sort of a erupting smile. “shall we get ready?”

[rkkaeun]

★ monologue

for all things considered, september signified a slowdown in time with schedules coming to an end and them entering yet another period of training. kaeun doesn’t think it’s a bad thing, per say, though she would have to say that she’s starting to prefer being able to perform on stage than the weeks in nova’s training studios until the few times they were let out.

after all, n one would say they slacked off after debut. at least, not that she knew of in her company. even she herself would spend time in the studios off-work hours, practicing o be better - presentable - when performing with her peers. even if she may not be the best, kaeun held pride in her work, no matter which path she took.

but now that all the major events were done, and there were slightly more time to themselves besides the shuffling to and for from broadcasting channels, time spent catching a snooze or two in the car over other improvements, this is the kind of post-comeback prime that kaeun thrived in. she could feill in the empty slots of her time table again, packing it to the brim with things that she wanted to do, besides the usual things she needed to do.

big difference.

so she filled in the timetable in her mind every other night, preparing or the kinds of things she could do in the next few days. things like doing a dj set, doing some yoga and meditation, even running out to grab some quick diy materials because she saved a few tutorials on instagram that she’d love to get started on. and...gaming, of course. the nintendo switch hadn’t left her hands, her animal crossing island flourishing under dedicated care. 

perhaps a round or two of other things too. she’d decide when it comes.

kaeun hummed as she pressed her hands together, looking at her neat writings of ideas she’d like to do. her own little journal, like a hidden diary. and then she reviewed, think about it, and reviewed some more. 

someday, she’d get to them all. after all, kaeun doesn’t let opportunities slip past her fingers.

[rkkaeun]

kkaeeunn          16 sep 2020

kkang morning~ managed to catch a good sleep.  did you guys rest well too? 🤗 today is our last music stage 🥺 i’m not ready to say goodbye yet...!

but all good things must come to an end, so we can come back with something even better. 🌈 today, come play with and*roma!

i’d be waiting. 😊

♥ 87.5k              comments 366        •••

[rkkaeun]

there’s a first for everything ★ monologue

and*roma first win. // gif cr.

she’s always thought she’s a tough person to crack. throughout her turbulent career faced with multiple setbacks, kaeun had never shed a tear. the last time she cried was when she got drunk after breaking up with her first love, perhaps. since then, she’s kept most of her frustrations away, hidden moments of sadness and mutes the little noises with headphones on and volume at full blast.

but as the poppers went off and confetti fell, when the initial surprise turned to shock, eyes wide, lips parted as she eyed her members in disbelief, emotions washed over her.

winning on a music program had always been a goal, less of a dream. being an idol was a goal. standing on stage was a goal. for the longest time, kaeun paved her path with carefully placed stones, carved out of endless hours of hard work, step by step, quietly, gently. she walked forward without wanting to look back, and she was always level-headed, rational, evaluating the opportunities and its costs when she accepts an open door or decides to close the windows.

but even then she couldn’t control how tears pricked her eyes. she can’t really hear what the other members was saying, hands raised to feel the falling confetti on her hands. they held weight, coming down in chunks that could almost be overwhelming, but the way her heart thumped was a major distraction, the way the cheers rang from the crowd covering the alarms ringing in her mind.

it was the sheer euphoria from seeing how her hard work had paid off. how her choices were right, her belief was right. the flower that she’s been watering every day diligently is now blooming, and she heaved, holding her breathe to stop the onslaught of tears with a slowed, heavy exhale. flats of her index fingers dabbed at the corners, teeth clenched, and she turned her gaze straight ahead, lips curling upwards.

( it was then that kaeun knew, she will never get sick of this feeling ever. that she will yearn it, crave it, desire it. )

for all the people who said she can’t, she can.

and this, is only just the beginning.

[rkkaeun]

happy birthday ★ monologue

birthdays are something to look forward to while at the same time, not to look forward to. ever since her graduation from high school, she hadn’t recalled the last time she actually had a proper birthday party or celebration. the year before with the rest of the girls was her first in a long time, and before that it was just a quiet dinner, if any, with her mother and sister. 

likely in separate sessions too. she can’t quite remember. it’s almost as if she suppressed some form of it in her mind, because the bigger the hopes the bigger the disappointments. the last time she’s dreamed of her parents getting it done, everything went down the opposite way.

but today, there was nothing short of surprises. waking up early to make it in time for their first schedule - aka hairdressing prior to the music show. - she hadn’t expected some form of decor on their walls like this. how they managed to do it when she slept away was a mystery she should ask later on, but for now, she’s relishing in the  moment.

the moment that actually, someone remembered her birthday and spent more time to make sure they seem to start the day of on a good mood. and everything was great, kaeun believed, everything would be great. they had a day’s worth of schedule that ends with her little birthday party, and she’s already prepared the handmade soaps for her guests. little marbling lines covered the entire bar of soap, a concoction she made based on her preferences in terms of her preferred art style, amount of time needed and more.

she smiled.

black box cradled in her arms, kaeun got back to work to locate the very people who left their little gift. “It feels like Christmas” she declared, stepping into the kitchen as she showed the box gently. and she meant it, christmas was the only one rare day where everyone would be together, somewhat. but before all that, she just want to make it known to the other girls that they made an absolutely, classy and amazing solution. 

and that she absolutely loved her caring and tough members. 

[rkkaeun]

@rkmiya

when kaeun wakes up her shared room with sunmi is decorated with a garland on the wall spelling out happy birthday. there’s a few birthday balloons on kaeun’s side of the room. and at the foot of her bed is a black box with ribbons saying chanel on it and a little note. the note reads:

happy birthday sunflower kaeun!

i wanted to get our group model something for her to show off in! i think you would look very chic in this. i’m putting the energy into the universe that you will be the model for chanel!!

don’t worry about the price! you deserve it and you’ve worked hard this year~ please keep being healthy and being well

- love darae

inside the box is this dress neatly folded for kaeun to wear. and when kaeun is ready to leave the room into the kitchen, sunmi has also prepared her a special breakfast!

she wakes up at the first shrill of her alarm. truth be told, she hadn’t slept all that deeply, having heard shuffling of feet earlier on, but just choosing to ignore the little noises around the house. living with a larger group of people meant more shuffling about here and there, and while kaeun is considered a lighter sleeper, she drifted in and out of consciousness all too easier that it doesn’t bothered her much.

what truly surprised her was the fact that she managed to fall asleep even as they were decorating the wall. the schedules was definitely getting to her, but it was a great surprise to have either way. rubbing the weariness out of her eyes, she leaned forward to the black box, opening it up quickly only to sit there, stunned, for a few more seconds. 

( not going to lie, she thought for a moment hte girls were pranking her a bit with the kind of gift hiding inside a chanel box. that said, the price of the item wasn’t as important as the fact that she’d enjoy it - and this one was definitely something she’s dreamed of wearing but would never be able to fork out that sum. she blinked, hands running down the fabric, before she skipped out of the shared room with the box in her arms, bouncing her way to the elder.

“unnie, did you guys leave this by my bed?” she asked, a little excited, eyes roaming over the dining table. “thank you. i...don’t know what would be a good occasion to wear it yet, since it’s just...such a fancy dress. i need a special occasion for it, right? it’s just too pretty,” she chuckled, face flushing lightly. “thank you so much, unnie.”

[rkkaeun]

Guess Who

rkwendy​:

“That’s better than nothing,” Wendy says with a smile. “At least you will be able to give more unexpected answers than I would.” Wendy had watched the show regularly as a trainee, and even now when she had free time. She had been so busy with school and their own idol promotions, so she hasn’t had much time to watch TV. She can’t help but wonder whether the format has changed, or if it’s still the same as when she used to watch it regularly. 

Wendy allows herself to smile. “I would hope so,” she says. “But what I realized is that it’s more of the mannerisms that we should pay attention to as well. Especially if we want to guess who is the singer behind the mask. Or if they have a really distinct tone, I am sometimes able to tell who it is by their breathing.” Wendy blinks as soon as she realizes how weird that sounds. “Okay, yeah, that sounds creepy, but it only applies to those I listen to a lot, or those with a distinct tone.” She takes a breath before she continues. “If it were any of our members, I think I can guess everyone but Juhee. That’s only because I have yet to familiarize myself with her tone and her habits.”  

“I used to watch it every week, until we got busy,” she says with a chuckle. “It’s one of my favorite shows to watch.” At the followup question, Wendy allows herself to frown a little bit. “I’ve always wanted to be here as a signer, unnie,” she admits. “But at the same time, I’m scared I won’t be good enough to make it past the first round and let the whole team down.” 

“breathing- wow, you really are an expert,” kaeun chuckled, eyes curling as she pressed her hands together. and kaeun meant it in a positive light - that’s the thing about her most of the time, that her words carried a sincere weight, even in marvel or in curiosity. even if there was a benefit of doubt or a hint of annoyance, kaeun has learned the art of hiding it all behind a perfectly practised smile. that of course, was reserved only for the handful few - and she’s glad that she wouldn’t ever have to resort to that among her members.

the girls are nice, there’s no reason to bare her fangs at them.

“i don’t think it’s creepy, i think it just means you really mastered your craft,” kaeun added slowly with a firm nod. she could never tell who is who from their breathing, but she would be able to mimic their postures and gestures - coming from her cosplay days where she would follow suit to the animation characters as part of her reprise. “i can only tell from the sounds of you guys walking, mayyybe.” another laugh, she hummed, listening.

the words of letting the team down made her frown thereafter, and she shook her head. “i’m sure you’d do so well if you appear as a contestant, wendy. you’re our and*roma’s pride! there’s no way you would let us down, regardless of how many rounds you pass or didn’t.” the girl lightly poked her cheek, “i’d love for you to join some day. i’m sure that i’d be able to recognize your voice - you have a very beautiful color. even i can get that, and i’m,” she softened her voice making sure she’s away from others especially their manager, “i’m nearly tone-deaf at this rate.”

[rkkaeun]

HEELS WILL DO ┊ AUG 2020 .

rksora​:

at the other’s words, juhee immediately flushes in embarrassment. cheeks glowing pink at the insinuation of her tiny feet – which weren’t too far off the mark considering juhee could barely pass for a size 6 on a good day ( though with the constant pounding of her feet because of recent choreography practice ; her feet have been swelling occasionally – a feat juhee welcomed, maybe her feet actually looked normal and not akin to elves from their size because of this ) .

she hums her acknowledgement before thanking her elder, fingers immediately finding their place to grab the shoes that had been set beside the ones she had mistakenly grabbed in her carelessness. “nothing good ol’ tape would have been able to fix.” she jokes, lightly – though she’s unsure if that would really be realistic in this case. she knew the stylists would be rounding on them soon to tape the heels to their feet but juhee wasn’t entirely sure if tape would fix shoes that were broken. ( not that juhee wanted to find out or anything ; she’d promised the stylists she’d keep the wardrobe malfunctions to a minimum this time around ) 

“a little bit. i ate a nutritional bar before we left the dorm this morning. have you been able to eat?” while it wasn’t common, juhee had been feeling nervous lately. enough that it was starting to trouble her digestion and make it even harder to keep her food down without her feeling nauseous. ( juhee had chalked it up to nerves, if anything ) 

she pondered briefly if tap would be able to fix a broken heel, like how ron tried to do so in that episode of harry potter. it made her crack a smile on her own, as she shook her head to wave that image of a badly tapped heel half dangling as the younger girl walked. it’s a dangerous feat, not that any stylist would ever let her go on stage like that. 

they would be scolded though. their outfits weren’t exactly cheap, plus most of them were rented or sponsored to be returned; kaeun knew how that worked when she was doing some modeling and influencer work in the past. never fun when you break something you’re not meant to break.

trigger warning: diet, food

she digress. “oh, a nutrition bar?” kaeun frowned, lightly patting juhee on the head as her way of expressing concern and affection. she’s never big on replacement meals despite resorting to that from time to time during her modeling gigs. still, it’s not healthy, no matter how much nutrition the package claimed to have. a proper meal is what gives the body the right amount of fuel, or at least that’s what she believes. “is that enough? let’s have a good meal after the performance,” she added, trying to give the other an encouraging smile.

“i managed to get up early enough to make some breakfast. maybe next time i’d pack something for you too,” kaeun hummed. “our schedules are more hectic lately thanks to comeback, which means we should take better care of ourselves during this period, okay?”

[rkkaeun]

@rkwendy

Wendy didn’t have much time to sneak out, so she opted to have something delivered to the dorm instead. Thankfully, the package arrived days ahead of schedule. It was already gift-wrapped, so all Wendy had to do was to ask the manager to sneak it into the pile of birthday gifts Kaeun would likely receive from her fans. 

“Happy birthday, Kaeun unnie! Here’s to yet another year for you. Thank you for everything, and I hope we get to spend more time together outside of group stuff. I miss getting to shop with you. ^^;; I saw this bag and it would look cute with you. I hope you like it! - All my love, Wendy" 

it’s been nearly a year since she’s in public eye since their last survival show, but it still surprised her to receive gifts from fans in this scale - letters and physical gifts, one after another. it wasn’t a dramatic pile-up you see in the dramas, but it was more than she had on the regular for sure, and some of them looking more expensive than what she would even spend on herself. 

( it felt weird, but at the same time, kaeun was touched to receive love and in a sense, the affection and care. perhaps it’s something she never divuldge, but it meant more to her than she let on. )

and among it, was wendy’s little gift. kaeun would recognize that handwriting easily, having seen it from time to time. chuckling as she opened up the present, the girl held the bag nicely in her hold as she skipped towards wendy’s room, making sure to give her the acknowledgment that she received the well-thought gift.

“wendy yah, thank you for this~” she exclaimed, turning around to show the younger the bag she’s already wearing, on top of her fluffy pajamas, “it’s so pretty, and it’s giving me that sailor scout vibe. you’re letting me live my dream a bit too much.” kaeun chuckled, bouncing over to open her arms for a hug. “thank you.”

[novaent]

            [ ★ ] NOVA ENT @novaent • Aug 20

            [#AND*ROMA] [🎂] 8월 20일 #가은 양의 생일을 진심으로 축하합니다.             #HAPPY_KAEUN_DAY #가은생일축하해요 🥳

[rksora]

HEELS WILL DO ┊ AUG 2020 .

           ⭑ .   @rkkaeun​       ━━━━━━━━━━━       ∙∙∙     ×

it’s only in her haste does she not realize the shoes she managed to nab were not hers. that is, until she’s slipping them onto her feet and realizing with just the slightest movement, her own feet are stumbling out of the heels. 

oh no. did her feet shrink? is her first immediate thought until she’s pulling her foot up to stare at the underside where their stylist had written each of their names as to not confuse the garments – something that had been bound to happen ( and juhee was honestly surprised it hadn’t happened sooner ) due to her ongoing carelessness. a frown fixates along her lips as she sighs and begins to undo the clasps at her ankles. perhaps it would have been smart if she had actually looked before she put them on.

she scurries back to where the rest of her members are fixing their stage outfits and smiles, sheepishly. her hands cough up the evidence of her blunder to their actual owner as she pouts. “sorry unnie, i took yours by accident.” she says, softly, setting the shoes at the other’s feet. 

[rkkaeun]

“eh, where did my shoes go?” 

there’s pure confusion on her face, an expression so silly that it drew soft chuckles from the staffers around her as she too burst in soft laughter. she’s not surprised; considering the number of people around, there’s more than once when things go ‘missing’, only for them to realised it’s left somewhere in the waiting room, or someone else worn it by accident. kaeun didn’t mind too much as she looked around - as one of the few with slightly bigger feet, it’s almost obvious that the remaining pairs are way too small for her.

as much as she’d like to have petite feet with good sizes to buy in malls, hers are definitely on the larger side. not as much as sunmi, but relatively long. kaeun would state that it’s relative to her height, regardless. it’s sora’s voice that got her spinning around, laughing. “ah...so it’s with you. i was just thinking where did my heels run off to. i thought i’ve even left it in the car or something, since i’ve been wearing my sneakers for the whole day already.” reaching one hand to lightly pat juhee’s head, she grinned.

juhee was a ball of fun and quirky energy, but there’s no denying that sometimes, she’s also a little careless. it’s what makes her unique, if not even more lovable in kaeun’s opinion. in fact, most of and*roma were pretty quirky characters themselves, in a lovely way. “these must be yours then,” she said, bending down to set the smaller pair closer to juhee. “your feet are really small,” kaeun exclaimed, observing the two pairs beside each other before she took one to put start changing. 

“thankfully i didn’t try them, would probably have broke them,” she let out a wide smile, eyes curling, “have you eaten? we have at least two more hours before we can eat a proper meal.”

[rkwendy]

Guess Who

@rkkaeun

[ for their appearance on King of Masked Singer ]

When Wendy and Kaeun had been told that they were appearing on King of Masked Singer, Wendy had been many levels of excited. Though she wasn’t 100 percent confident that she will make it past the first round, Wendy has always wanted to go on the show. That excitement is soon to deflate when they’re informed that they were going as panelists. Along with that deflation was probably a small bit of relief. After all, she wasn’t completely ready to go just yet. But she wants to very much. 

On the day of filming, Wendy decides to go bother Kaeun while in the waiting room. “Unnie, how good of a guesser would you say you are?” They’re technically rookies, so they aren’t expected to say much and just follow the lead of the more senior members of the panel. “I hope the information I got from monitoring all the senior artists on music shows comes in handy,” she continues as she picks up a magazine.

[rkkaeun]

the king of masked singer was a show she watched from time to time, and being notified that she’s invited to be a panalist alongside her team member was an interesting opportunity. while she was more well versed with the hip hop scene of things, there’s always an element of fun guessing who the singers are. and speaking of which...

“me? i’m...not very good, admittedly. i’ve tried guessing when i watch clips, but i’ve only ever gotten two, three right? and they’re all rappers,” she chuckled, turning her gaze towards her teammate as she looked up from her phone. the girl was just reviewing some of the popular clips, looking at how other panalists describe vocals and techniques. she’s never a great singer, so she’s definitley not someone fit to judge them like a mentor. but she’s here as a listener, a fellow member of the audience to share how she felt. 

“i’m sure wendy will do well,” kaeun continued, shifting in her sit, setting her phone away. “you’ve already been helping me out on my vocals with pointers, i’m sure you’d do well.” she nodded. “do you watch this show often, wendy? it feels like the exact kind of show you’d be excited about.”

[rkkaeun]

kkaeeunn          10 aug 2020

when the “wink” looks more like “the sun’s too bright!”

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