You receive a call in the middle of the afternoon and the voice on the other end should be one you already know by now. “Good afternoon, Lee Kikwang.” It’s the same man who scouted you back in Zombie Night and followed you through your audition. “I speak in the name of TRC, and, after long consideration, we decided to not offer you a contract.” He makes a short pause to make sure you’re still paying attention before proceeding. “You simply did not fit the requirements we were looking for. Still, we thank you for your time and wish you well.”
the dream of becoming an idol had been always his sister's thing and after experiencing stages that were too big for him at the moment, kikwang had decided for himself that his heart was with dancing after all. so being scouted all of the sudden was such a big surprise to him and honestly, despite everything, despite his doubts regarding the industry, he had been swept off his feet and had been the most excited since forever. the reason of the sudden approach of the trc agent had been a big mystery to him and a few days in, after his audition in front of tiger jk, he had calmed down and returned to reality. idol life was nothing but a fleeting dream, something that always turned out differently than one might imagine. standing on the stages of the world, was of course a big temptation to dream on, but then again there were news over news of mistreatment of idols by their respective agencies, which pulled him right back to earth.
kikwang couldn't deny that the idea of becoming a trainee just like almost everyone around him and following his hyung into the same company wasn't calling for him. he would have been happy to see his friends he barely got to see anymore more often from now on, he would have been happy to go the same path, walking into a dreamy future with them because despite all worries he had regarding the entertainment industry, he was romantic, maybe foolish and naive enough to believe that it would be ok if only his friends were by his side.
but things didn't always went the way one hoped or wished for, and while most people who had auditioned for the big five were probably devastated about those bad news, kikwang remained calm at the phone. he knew he had done well, he knew his dance was fine, but his gut feeling had told him that it was still not enough which was why he hadn't expected too much about it and had prepared himself. a small smile appeared on his lips, when the other person paused to let his statement sink in. in his heart was no trace of disappointment, rather relief about not having to decide if to sign with trc or not. even if faced with such a rejection, a rejection that reminded him of the mgas, he was still glad to have undergo an experience like that. there weren't many people would could say about themselves how they had flashed their abs in front of tiger jk. "thank you for letting me know. i wish trc and you well too, have a nice day. goodbye."
a shiver was going through kikwang's body, when he was on his way to the trc building. somehow he had brought himself to the decision to at least try his luck, now that he had managed to catch the pr agent's interest. he knew a few people who would do almost anything for a chance to audition at that company and here he was, an ordinary, short guy who somehow had stumbled into this story without any intention to. he was still confused about the sudden approach during the halloween event, since he felt like he was a rather inconspicious person among a mass of other young lads. and besides he still couldn't explain to himself why the agent had actually picked up him, when all he had been doing was having a little fun with his friends.
it had never really occured to him to try himself out as idol auditions, even though he had joined the mgas on a whim. all he wanted to do was dancing and share it with the world. kikwang wasn't an idol, he was a dancer. so why did it itch in his fingers to take a peek at that unknown world his friends had been already introduced into? he had seen people fall in the company, had seen them utterly destroyed and sucked dry off their passion for music. but then again there were pictures of idols who had successfully climbed up the ladder of fame and who were the shining symbols of a younger generation. it felt tempting, even though he felt nowhere close to those etheral creatures.
so this ordinary boy walked up to this huge building, gulping and pressing his hands together, before approaching the register and handing over his id to have his audition appointment verified. when he was shown to a practice room, his cheeks started to burn, when he thought of the choreography he was about to show. he was lead to the room and a panel of coaches plus tiger jk himself sat in front of him. his eyes grew big at the celebrity's sight, his charisma filled up the vicinity and it was simply overwhelming. would it be really ok to do what he had planned?
before he was able to chicken out like he did during the mgas, he was asked to begin. with a bow he stated his name and the song he was about to perform. kikwang had been always a fan of rain and had set him as his role model as he liked the older man's flow in dancing. it was exactly the type of sexy he wanted to serve without appearing dirty. he paused for a moment, to close his eyes and take a deep breath in in order to calm himself down. his heart though refused to race any less, as he could still feel the eyes on him. this was a different situation from the stage during the mnet global audition and although there weren't as many eyes watching him, he felt like the pressure was indescribeably higher. he was invited by a scouting agent who had seen whatever in him, had invited him to dance in front of a man who was the symbol of success. he wasn't supposed to mess up, right?
he pulled the snapback cap he had brought with him deep into his face, when the music started and stretched out rigth arm and leg, as he pretended to hold onto a microphone stand like the original artist did. kikwang closed his eyes behind the cap, when he raised his voice and began to sing the first lines, while rolling his body, while facing the panel of judges. he made a jumping step to the side, turned his body around, as he broke into the dance movements of the choreography. his voice wasn't as smokey as rain's, it was high and sweet temptation. the dancer put his hands on his head, expressing the despair of losing a beloved. he knew that feeling too well and while performing, he tried to put all these emotions into his dance and his singing. the first part of the dance contained a lot of jumping movements, sliding into body turns and the usage of arm movements such as knocking against his chest in expression of his heartbreak.
I think of you, I keep thinking of you
I can't hold your hand like I did in the past
I like you too much
I can't forget anything about you
This song is a song that can't hold onto you
with strength he pushed one arm forward, holding out a hand towards the panel of judges, as he finally mustered them and their expressionless faces. what he had shown so far were just the basic steps which weren't too hard to follow, the next step however was one of the key moves, the ones he had practiced to perfection. both arms to his side, he did a body roll, hitting his hips with his fists, before sliding his hands over his chest, just to roll his body once again and slowly kneeling down. he hit his chest, asking himself what to do, as his lover had left him. kikwang faced the other side and pulled himself up, after stretching his hands after the past. he too, was still living in the past, still remembered what had been gone for good. and even if he wanted to, even if he wanted to move on, there was still a part of him that still couldn't let go. the love song was expressing just that feeling for him.
The hand that was once used to my body is now pushing me away
What shall I do?
The breath of yours has gone by, I still love you
What shall I do?
as the music reached its climax, kikwang made a jump, facing his left, as he threw aside the cap and pulled the white t-shirt he was wearing over his head, revealing his chest like rain did back then. when he had joined the mgas, he had told mason-hyung how he would flash his abs in front of the audience, but in the end he had ended up ditching that idea in fear he might be cut out for inappropriate behaviour. but now, even though it wasn't the same, he would go all the way, showing tiger jk and those coaches that he wasn't the sweet and cute guy they might thought him to be. he could do sexy just as well. and this duality was his strength. with confidence, he rolled his body, as he kept on singing, thinking of his first love that was still lingering on his mind. they said, first loves never die, and to him, that was absolutely true.
The breath of yours has gone by, I still love you
What shall I do? What shall I do?
Please, oh, please, I love you
the last line was whispered, and with a bow he said goodbye to the coaches since he was asked to leave the room for the other applicants to come in.
The tall man who approaches you looks older, but not a lot. He’s wearing a black suit and basic sunglasses in his own version of a secret agent and it gives him a mysterious aura that is hard to read. “Excuse me sir, do you have a second?” He asks before continuing. “I saw you with your friend before. I work for TRC Entertainment and we can arrange an audition for you. ” He hands out a business card to confirm what he just said. “I’m confident you have heard of it, right?” He grins and slides his card holder into his pocket before turning to leave. “Give us a call if you’re interested.”
Kikwang was busy avoiding zombies to survive. He didn’t wanted to see the internal structure of a undead’s stomache which was why he kept hiding behind his tall buddy who knew exactly how to defend them or drive those persistent staff members away. They seemed to like short victims, so it was a good thing to have a human shield with him around. So while the friends were running around, immersing themselves in the story of a postapocalyptic world, a suspicious looking man approached Kikwang and unexpectantly began to talk to him in a really formal manner. He was a little startled by the other’s politeness, despite being older and blinking shortly he nodded lightly, when being asked if he had a time for a moment. “Yes, how may I help you, sir?” He replied back, unconsiously falling back into his parents’ teaching, listening to the older male’s statement.
TRC? In this kind of area? Kikwang blinked and looked around to see if the secret agent was actually talking to someone else. But besides Seokwoo who was standing a little a far from them, there was nobody else. With both hands he received the business card, still startled of the turn of events that had caught him completely off guard. All he had thought about was having fun with his friend and here he suddenly was, being offered an audition for one hell of a company. The younger man replied to the secret agent’s confident grin and request to call them if interested, with a smile and a bow. “Ah, yes, thank you. I will think about it.”
When the TRC representative left the scene, Kikwang turned around to return to his friend. He still couldn’t believed what was going on, as he had done nothing to actually impress an outsider. Glancing down on his body that was dressed in a volleyball uniform as he was dressed up as a sports anime character, he could tell himself that it probably wasn’t his appearance. But even then, if the agent had seen him with his best friend before, he had probably seen him shielding himself by shoving the younger man towards the zombie staff. Was that something to be scouted for?
( OOC: Congratulations on being scouted! In case Kikwang decides to make the call, he’ll be told to schedule his audition for anywhere between the 1st and the 15th of November IC. He’ll have ninety seconds to showcase at least one of his performance skills in front of a small number of judges, including Tiger JK himself. He’ll also be instructed to leave the room after he’s done. The results of the audition will come on a later date and shared via a personal call. To participate in this, please write a 250+ word solo and have it up by midnight EST at the end of November 16th. Please tag your solos as #rkzombiescout. Good luck! )
Dongyoon had found himself in this kind of situation many times before, not only once but many. It’s kind of a habit, whenever he gets sad he’ll drink the night away, party, and spend his night at random people’s places. And Dongyoon had already promised himself that he wasn’t sad at all, because why would he be sad? That would make no sense, this was definitely what he wanted, getting kicked out of KT was definitely what he wanted. He had tried to get kicked out of KT for quite a while, and now that it finally happened he should be happy.
Yet he was sitting there, fully intoxicated by alcohol, and having no sense whatsoever of what was going on his life, all his focus were only on what was happening right now. He had long ago forgotten about his boyfriend, his family, all of his friends and responsibilities, everything and everybody, right now the only interesting thing to him was the other male in front of him. And for sure Dongyoon was attracted to the other male, Kikwang was hot as hell, he was an attractive man, and in that moment Dongyoon wanted nothing but to kiss the other. However had Dongyoon been sober or maybe just a little less drunk then he wouldn’t have acted like this, he had a boyfriend, and furthermore they were out in public. Dongyoon was known among his friends as one of the straightest people, and would any of them see him at this bar then they would not think he was as straight as he wanted them to think. But he wasn’t sober, and he wasn’t a little less drunk, hence when the other leaned a bit forward Dongyoon took that as a yes to his earlier question and didn’t hesitate a second to connect the two’s lips.
Immediately placing a hand behind the other’s neck and pulling them slightly closer, and then placing his lips on the other’s, making the kiss deep immediately, right there, right in that moment he had never wanted something so much.
Kikwang was a romantic guy, someone who believed that true love would prevail no matter how long he had to wait. He was still so much in love with his ex-boyfriend, and even if he should have given up on him for some time now, there was always a tiny bit hope left, whenever they meet up. He knew that it was wrong and that in the end he was the one who hurt himself the most, so drowning himself in drinks and numb the feelings that still lingered underneath the surface was the one solution to him now. Even dancing, the one thing he had thought as his preserved freedom, wasn't giving him the wings he was wishing for at the moment. Kikwang just felt awefully lonely and carved for someone's attention. That's why it was quite easy for the tall and handsome man at the bar to lure him in, even though his heart was still with someone else.
Just a few seconds after closing his eyes, he felt the warmth of the other male's breath on his skin, the smell of alcohol blurring his mind. A hand on the back of his neck pulls him closer, the proximity between them shrinks and Kikwang's heart starts to thumb faster in his chest. There was always that moment before lips connected into a kiss and everytime he lived through it, he felt a thrill with every fiber of his body. The blood rushed through his body, he is overwhelmed by the heat and the taste of Dongyoon's lips and his tongue. He presses a hand against the taller man's chest, while focusing on the exhilaration their kiss causes in him. It's been some time, since he had been kissed for the last time and even if it wasn't him, the one who held his heart, Kikwang knew for sure that he had missed the warmth of another human being.
He slips forward a bit, tilts his head for their tongues to entangle with each other. With a sigh he lets go, the full lips glistening wet. A shy smile appears on his face, his ears turn red the second he exchanges gazes with the other man. "You are a good kisser."
since their highschool days, kikwang had been always standing behind seokwoo, had always looked at that broad back in front of him no matter if it was on the volley court or in their daily school life. he had always loved the curve of his best friend’s neck that connected his head with his shoulders, and he was sure he would never stop loving any detail related to seokwoo. his ex-boyfriend was standing tall since the very beginning of their relationship, he had been always the human wall kikwang yearned to overcome, athletic-wise as well as feelings-wise after their break up. there were still parts of him loving his first love with all of his might, but he had mainly come to terms with the end of their romance and had attempted to move forward in salvage of their friendship.
one step in doing so was breaking off old habits: when he used to cling to the younger in scary environments like a halloween zombie event like the one they were currently had fun at, kikwang just remained a step behind the broad back that was perfect to hide him from zombies. they already wore a few bands around their wrists, after obtaining them in a few challenges before, so the undead were coming after them greedily. good thing he was with seokwoo who served perfectly well as human shield. “on your left, there is another one coming at us!” he screeched terrified and pushed his friend in that direction.
he had worked hard for the wristbands, so there was no way he would give them up for some ugly zombies, when he was with a guy who was almost two meters tall. "you can do it, bro!"
Maybe it was the alcohol, maybe it was the gorgeous looks of the other, maybe it was just the atmosphere, but something made Dongyoon curious about this guy over all, a kinda curious he doesn’t get everyday all day. The kinda curious of finding out something more, to touch the other, to know if they wanted to touch him too, that kinda curious. And it was kind of just all he wanted to do for a second, to touch, and nothing really stopped him until he figured out he should get allowance to touch.
Staring into the eyes of people he has found attractive has always been a habit of his, it’s like he for some reason he thinks people will fall in love with him if he stares into their eyes for long enough, even despite his eyes not being the prettiest part of him. He shook his head again, he loves compliments, always has, but right now he didn’t want nor need compliments, he didn’t want to receive them he wanted to give them. He smiled slightly at the sight of more alcohol, fully knowing that maybe he should stop, but also not at all wanting to stop, but just wanting to accept what the other was buying him. Slowly he took a sip, for a second thinking about his words before deciding to continue his complimenting, “Kikwang your face is perfect, I wish I could see it from up close, wish I could see it every day all day”, he stared at the other for a second before turning his head and chuckling.
Sitting there, staring at someone so pretty, touching their lips for a second and then making eye contact, it made him take some decisions. And they really seemed good, good. The other didn’t say anything, so he decided to make his move, figure out if the other wanted him in any way. He took another sip of the alcohol, then slowly turning to the other again, placing his right hand on their right thigh before moving a bit closer. And maybe he should just go for it, but partly he was also scared that it was just the alcohol speaking and the two didn’t have a connection at all. So he lifted his left hand, played with a tot of hair from the other before looking into their eyes again, “Kikwang…”. Slowly he drove his hand down to the other’s cheek, caressing it the moment his hand was placed on it “would you mind it if I”.
He licked his lips, stared at the other’s lips, and then finally finished his sentence.
“Kissed you?”
They were exchanging compliments like a ball during a tennis match and it seemed like stares helped them communicate on a nonverbal level. Kikwang wasn’t reluctant of this whole obvious situation at all, even if the face of the one he was still completely in love with and still couldn’t forget about popped up in his mind at just that moment. It had been a while since he got to see him, got to spend time with him and that’s why he carved attention and affection and was easily lured into Dongyoon’s sweet words. He wanted to explore more of the long lost feeling, felt welcoming towards the male who could become the new center of his interest and who might be able to help him to finally forget about his first love.
The alcohol slowly hit in, and Kikwang could feel his vision become blurry. He couldn’t see anything else beside his acquaintance anymore and him saying those cute things to Kikwang didn’t helped at all. He staggered in his seat, when he lightly slapped the other’s shoulder, slurring his words under the influence of his drinks: “You, enchanter, you!” He liked the touch of the other man as he played with his hair, before placing a hand on his thigh. In normal circumstances, Kikwang wouldn’t have let the other his way that easily, as he usually was on the shyer side and just accepted skinship from his best friend who was his ex-boyfriend as well. So why felt he so attracted to the other man’s touches right now? He felt the warmth spreading all over his body, the heart in his chest was fluttering and Kikwang subconsciously knew that Dongyoon must have a lots of experience with flirting if he could wrap him around his finger that easily. But it didn’t bothered him that much, alcohol was making things a hundred times better because it felt that those empty words of Dongyoon were completely sincere and were meant only for him.
Dongyoon asked him if he would mind to be kissed and without another word, he leaned forward and closed his eyes, thick lips puckered lightly. A kiss could speak a thousands of words and that was what he needed right now.
The dumbass friend who convinced Kyungsoo to show up for Zombie night had conveniently gotten himself lost during transit and won’t be showing up for another hour. This meant, for the next 60 minutes, Kyungsoo either had to find someone else to converse with or just wander around himself. Under normal circumstances, he loved being alone. This, however, was something else.
One of the zombies approached him, prompting Kyungsoo to turn. The fake zombie was played by a small woman, who shrank back at Kyungsoo’s extra demonic (fuelled by his friend’s idiocy) gaze. Realizing he was being a dick to an innocent woman, Kyungsoo gave a sign and decided to participate in the event. He turned around and ran, prompting the zombie lady to chase in her sluggish monster way.
Kyungsoo shook her off without any issues, but he also managed to bump into someone during his escape. “Oh, Kikwang, right?” Funny thing - they both participated in the survival show but never actually spoke to each other. He couldn’t tell what the other’s costume was about, but it looked very…sports anime. “Do Kyungsoo,” he introduced, just in case the guy forgot. “Police officer.” Yes, he figured he should also talk about his lame outfit. It was nothing creative but hey, he had the costume already and didn’t mind taking it out of the bedroom for once.
He had lost sight of his friends, after their group had run into a gang of zombies, trying to chase them down. Kikwang just remembered their screams and giggles at the sight of the gory looking undeads, and he was that entertained and thrilled that he forgot to check the others until he realized they were gone. Everyone had probably stormed into all directions, separating from one another involuntarily. While he wandered around, he kept on searching the dark for Seokwoo who was as tall as a tree and therefore most often a good orientation point to spot from afar for the much shorter male. But instead of finding his way back to his best friend, someone else bumped into him while running away from a zombie.
He was a little surprised the other knew his name, but when he got closer to the other man he could clearly see his face in the dark. It was a face that was still known as it was seen on TV for not an insignificant amount of time. Whereas he himself had been out before he was even able to show more of his talents. That was even more of a reason to be surprised how the other remembered his name, especially when he still remembered Kyungsoo’s beautiful violine performance.
His shyness was probably the reason why he had never interacted with the fellow violinist (that and the fact he was eliminated so soon). So in order to change that, he extended his hand and repeated his full name along with a greeting, despite Kyungsoo remembering right. It was simply a question of politeness in his mind. When the other mentioned his costume, Kikwang smiled. “Ah, I am dressed up as Yaku from Haikyuu, a sports anime.” He blinked at the other man’s clothes. He had picked out the ideal costume, in Kikwang’s opinion. So he sheepishly complimented the other, mostly because he had always wanted to speak to a “officer” like this. “You look really cool though, officer.”
As the other asked him, if he wanted to go to an escape room with him, Kikwang blinked one more time, this time in surprise. They didn’t know each other besides general stuff like names, but then again he guessed it wouldn’t hurt him if he were to play with him for a while. No matter his shyness, Kikwang was always up to make new friends. “Ah yes, sure. You gotta protect me and your ears though, cause I am a big crybaby.”
He was surprised at how he hadn’t noticed it before, how at their first meeting he hadn’t noticed how gorgeous the other looked, how everything about them went perfectly together. He squinted his eyes again, noticed the dark brown eyes, the pretty hair and the other’s plump lips, oh god they were truly handsome. He chuckles slightly as the other compliments him, how they talk about his height. Dongyoon and his height has always been a topic, and for Kikwang to mention it he definitely understands because he’s significantly taller than the other male.
And normally he would happily accept any compliment, because talking about himself is definitely a hobby of his, but right now? He was completely intrigued by the other, fascinated by how prettily they suddenly looked, and for a second he completely forgot to speak, just stood there and admired the other. He shortly shook his face, grew a smile and continued his admiration of the other’s face. And then he leaned a bit closer, just to be able to admire the other’s features better, softly he placed a hand under the other’s chin, slightly lifting their head “no you’re like really hot”.
With the amount of alcohol having intoxicated his body, he didn’t much so think about his doings, how possible people could see the two male’s and if somebody who knew Dongyoon saw them then they would realize Dongyoon’s claims of being 100% straight were most likely false. No more so, the world around him had closed down and now all of his focus were on Kikwang. Softly, slowly he removed his hand from the other’s chin, drove a finger over the other’s lips before making eye contact and smiling.
The other male shoke his head, as if refusing the compliment Kikwang had replied with. There was no denial that Dongyoon was an attractive guy, since KT Entertainment was usually known for their the beautiful faces. So when such smooth words slipped over the other’s lips, Kikwang couldn’t quite believed him. There was no way he was hotter than that guy who had perfectly symmetric features, ideal proportions and smelled surpringsly sweet. And his smile was super cute. He liked that guy and it was probably not only due to the alcohol’s influence, but because of his fun personality. They didn’t know each other for that long yet, but Kikwang still enjoyed every minute with him.
Dongyoon’s stare pulled him in and for a few moments, they just sitting next to each other, looking at one another’s eyes. He wasn’t too sure how he was supposed to react any longer, on his lips a gentle smile. It had been a while since he was told that he was looking good and he appreciated it wholeheartly though it just made his shyness return. Dongyoon meanwhile didn’t seem to mind their environment at all, and proceeded to move closer and finally even push up Kikwang’s chin a little to get a better look at his face. His cheeks immediately turned bright red, with a grin the shorter man attempted to free himself. “Don’t be silly. I am not as hot as you.” He turned to the bartender and ordered two more bottles of beer. The tall man had improved his mood by a whole lot, so he invited him for another drink.
He was impressed by the other’s smoothness, and Kikwang would lie if he were to deny that he disliked his honesty and the flirty feeling Dongyoon was giving off. It might be the alcohol that was speaking out of him, but it still felt good to be looked at in this kind of way after his last heartbreak. He was clearly flirting with him, but having the other run his thumb along Kikwang’s lips was still a little unexpectant. So he decided to remain still, watching his acquaintance next move.
The news weren’t unexpected, and in all honesty they were also kind of wanted, yet here he was, drinking his feelings away. They had kicked him out of KT, and honestly it had been something he had wanted for quite a while, he had been skipping practice and had taken training not so seriously, mostly so they would kick him out, because he had realized training wasn’t for him. So when he got the news of getting kicked out he should’ve expected them, should have become utterly happy, yet he decided to bring up old habits of going out to drink alone.
And at first maybe he had seen like one of those sad guys in a movie, because he had sat there all alone drinking, and he had been there for an hour, used a fair amount of money on alcohol before he suddenly spotted a face amongst the crowd, not a friend, but a particular somebody that had literally fallen for him. And it hadn’t taken him much time to figure out talking to the male was much more fun than sitting alone, so soon enough he was beside the other, offering a drink and then they had fallen into conversation.
And as the time flew and more alcohol was poured down his throat (an amount he had no idea of), he came to the realization of something. He squinted an eye, pointed at the other male and smiled slightly before giggling “this may come out of the blue, but did you know you’re really hot?”, another giggle escaped him as he placed a hand on the counter to steady himself while continuing studying the other.
Now that his best friends were trainees under big companies, he sadly didn't got to see them as much anymore. Training seemed tiring, so they rarely went out of their way to spent time with Kikwang in clubs anymore, so in consequence he ended up going alone most of the time, out of loneliness. When he usually was on the shyer side, he felt more confident at later hours, wrapped in the veils of the night. Kikwang liked to socialize with other young people, he liked to get to know new faces and enjoy the music and the taste of alcohol together. He wasn't the strongest drinker, so he tried to hold back in order to remain the ruler over his self-control. But when someone he had seen at his cousin's company before approached him from admist the dancing crowd, he couldn't reject the offer to a drink.
They were fast to get into a conversation and even if they couldn't be called friends yet, Kikwang still felt comfortable talking with the other (maybe the embarrassing fall to the other's feet helped him to overcome his initial shyness towards strangers). The shorter man didn't even remembered the topics they were chatting about, all he knew was how the heat of the drinks had spread from his throat to all over his body. It made him dizzy, but fuzzy as well. Kikwang thought that it was a funny feeling, and he would have loved to share it with his friends. Instead he did with that wholesome guy next to him, who was super tall and super handsome.
When he looked over to his acquaintance, Dongyoon seemed to be as intoxicated as him. What a relief. The other's sudden words made Kikwang blink at him for a silent second. Then the blood rushed to his cheeks and ears. "What? Me? I think you've had too much to drink... you are the hot one here! Look at how tall you are." With embarrassed giggles, he slapped the other's shoulder. Kikwang had never been good with compliments about his appearance. It just made him shy.
he’d settled somewhat back into a routine again after the show finished filming when he’d been called for their reward and, despite how grateful he was for it, he was glad to be back again in a practice room. back with the group again, with the one he had since the beginning of his time in seoul. there’s a part of him that can’t forget the burning comment he’d received from one of the older members, about how he’s left a group before so it isn’t too surprising. laughing it off the first time made it easier the next until now he’s happy to come back, happy to see everyone again. for so long, on and off, minho was tired of wondering what kind of atmosphere he’d be walking into. this time, he realizes it’s about his reaction and it’s a lesson from his childhood he somehow forgot while living away from home.
the room is emptier than expected but by no means less occupied— “wha—” bursting into laughter, he watches as kikwang practically waddles over and he’s about to ask when a happy birthday is said. ah, that’s right. he hadn’t forgotten about it but he did think others wouldn’t know. he didn’t want to make a big deal out of it this year. he felt like every year mijoo wasn’t able to spend with him, the guitlier she felt about it. that and hey he’d rather be too busy to remember than to have too much free time. “whoa, what’s in here?” he asks, laughing once they hug and he’s got the box in his arms. “are these bricks or something, man? how’d you get it up here, a forklift?” looking around, he wonders if he should open it now or wait but they’re both early by his account. “d’ya want me to open it now? or is it something embarrassing that i gotta hide til later?”
hearing minho's laughter is like music in his ears. he likes it, when his friend was in a good mood and he hoped he would be able to add to that mood with his present. even if the older man wouldn't neccessarily expect a present from the younger, kikwang thought that it was still a nice gesture to show that he thought of his friend and cared for him. he appreciated every single of his friendships and therefore wanted to make effort in keeping up the contact because the bonds to them meant a lot to him. that's why he tried to stay as creative as possible, when it came to his surprises, always attempted to meet their taste.
"hey, i'm much stronger than i look, hyung! i might be short, but i carry guns around! see?" kikwang replies, pretending to pout before revealing his arms to minho. the present was handed over and with big eyes the younger man waits for the birthday boy to rip it open. "of course i want you to open it now! i want to see your reaction!" of course it wasn't the usual kind of present one would expect for their age, but things like that didn't bothered kikwang as he didn't see a problem with likings and passions that involved comics or gaming. excited the shorter man flops to the ground, looks up to the other before he beams him a sweet and bright smile. "come sit down and open it up! we are still early!"
It was a brief mention he made to Yunseong about attending this event who took it as an invitation to join. The young man didn’t say no even though he was going with his sister and her boyfriend. Rather than drive they all met at the subway station taking that mode of travel to avoid the traffic. He assumed the subway ride was going to be awkward but surprisingly everyone got along. It was kind of funny since he was able to pick out who else was going to the event based on their clothing. Jinhwan was almost a model for Adidas with his navy blue tracksuit, matching running tights, white tee, and black shoes. Minhee and Taehoon wore matching black and white while Yunseong’s color was red. He made the joke they looked like a group of coaches.
After making it to the event and getting their goodies they decided to divide up as to who would run what event. Minhee and Taehoon the couples run, Yunseong the 10km and Jinhwan the 5km. Though it wasn’t an official competition the young man wanted to place in the Top 7 at least. He was sure he could do it since most of his hobbies required he have strong legs. Plus he wasn’t have a large build so that aided him in speed (less weight to carry around). Jinhwan’s event was coming up so it would be a good ides to find a spot and stretch. He gave the things he would need to his sister who was waiting near the finish line. The area was crowded but his eyes spotted a clearing then moved to get to it. Just as he was about to reach it he felt something push against and was almost ready to strike.
The person was quick to apologize and seemed embarrass. Jinhwan quickly lowered his fist then paused for a moment. His immediate reaction was to tell the guy to watch what he was doing but he said something else. “You’re focused on the race, right? I take it you’re running in the 5km.” he spoke moving to his spot then started stretching. His eyes glanced at the other’s race bib. Lee Kikwang was their name.
There were a lot of other people around them who prepared for the upcoming run as well, so it wasn't quite the surprise to bump into another person, but Kikwang still felt aweful about it. The other male looked quite stylish and cool in his sports wear and if he was a little taller he could have been mistaken for a sports model. Of course the dancer had to go and disturb this kind of guy during his warm up, and make a fool of himself by pushing his ass in his direction without looking behind. He blinked at the other man whose nametag said Kim Jinhwan and who had lifted his fist, probably out of instinct. Kikwang himself knew a few guys who would strike as soon as they sensed something, so he wasn't even that startled at the sight of Jinhwan-sshi's attack mode.
But that didn't meant it didn't affected him, since Kikwang was more of a pacifistic guy who liked to avoid causing troubles to others. That was why he felt even guiltier for being the reason for Jinhwan-sshi's mood drop. So he bowed one more time, repeating his apology a second time. When the other asked him if he was running the 5km race, Kikwang nodded. "Ah yes, I am. But my mind was already at the busking event after, so I didn't noticed you. I'm sorry."
It seemed like things were ok now, as Jinhwan-sshi began to stretch himself, so the dancer proceeded with his own warm up routine. The other looked quite fit, maybe he was a soccer player just like him. "Do you play soccer by chance? Your leg muscles seem to be very strong-" Too late he noticed that his comment just now would make it seem like he was checking the other out, although it was just a habit of him to analyze other people body structure to see if they were athletes like him.
// ( ● ) Sphere’s Green Ribbon Running & Busking Festival
Lee Kikwang's Busking Performance
Song: 숀 SHAUN - 드림 (DREAM) Piano Version
Outfit: [x]
even if kikwang saw himself as violinist, he had originally started off with playing the piano, when he was younger, so he decided to play the piano version of a song that was dear to him to perform at the busking festival since it was easier to sing while playing a keyboard instead of a violine. after watching and listening to a few performances before him, some of the artists he even knew personally, the male felt how the nervousness was kicking in. he had loved the feeling of dancing in front of others, and had embraced the warmth that had spread all over his body as he was flying over the stage. but singing couldn't be compared to dancing and even if he loved to sing, he knew where his limits were. and still, even if he wasn't as good as others, even if his voice would be trembling out of nervousness, he wanted to free his voice that had been held back during the mgas. there was no bitterness about the early elimination during the audition, but a curiosity of how people would react live to his singing.
kikwang wanted to live his life as free as possible. he wanted to make his own choices, to decide on his own paths, maybe make his own mistakes and learn from them, no matter what his parents were telling him. he might be a failure in their eyes, someone who was out of control, but at least he could look at his own reflection without regret at the end of the day.
he was signalled to enter the stage, when another performance was completed under applause. a nervous smile tugged on his lips, as soon as he got up, there were so many unknown faces, countless eyes that had his fullest attention. with a bow he stated his name and positioned himself behind the keyboard. the palms of his hands were sweaty, and he was pretty sure that his cheeks were glowing in a bright red. with deep breaths he tried to calm himself and his pumping heart down, people in the audience were constantly murmuring, but cut off the sound by closing his eyes and just feeling the keys underneath his fingertips. when the crowd slowly started to become silent, he sighed and let his voice slips over his lips.
What a feeling sailing the stars, take a look at this big world living on the edge then we fall fall fall in love, we can live forever young what it means to make it this far it means we are just who we are touring the galaxies, going over and over we're taking off with distant hearts cause What makes me free is together bring to life, the thoughts inside your mind is what makes us free, together holding hands and standing side by side
without focusing his gaze on one spot, kikwang let his eyes wander slowly, while his fingers gently pressed the keys on the board, creating a shy piano melody, when the first words fell. the male nodded his head slowly to the rhythm, his pronounciation was clear and his voice bright. the song was warm and gentle, gave off a dreamy vibe as the lyrics filled everyone's heart. kikwang closed his eyes again, immersing himself in playing the keyboard, diving into the flow and freeing the timbre in his soul. the lyrics meant a lot to him. it wasn't just a song to him, it was the story of a life out there, a life that touched him deep down in his heart. he too, was a dreamer, someone who wished to live his life freely, free from worries, boundaries and rules. he wanted a life full of adventures, of little travels around the sun everyday, wanted to fill his heart and his soul with precious memories. just like singing in front of an audience.
I hear the melody from a far and I'm loving every note dancing to your song, I'm forever a dreamer I can live forever young I'm sick and tired of all of these problems we can leave them where they are the ups and downs in life's like a rollercoaster with a smile I'll take it all We can be a part of this journey to the sun when it comes up We were meant to be, there's nothing but love from the start
running the 10 kilometers for a charity purpose wouldn't be a big deal, but as kikwang was curious about other's busking performances (and wanted to prepare himself for his own stage as well), he decided to just go with the 5km run. as he was doing several sports his stamina wasn't too bad, so he did not think of the run as a problem, but nonetheless he couldn't afford to get hurt or injured in any way, so he started to warm himself up. he was excited of the event, not only did it serve a good purpose and the spreading of awareness for environmental issues, but also meant a welcome change in his daily life. kikwang liked the excitement of the activity and he was happy to know about the upcoming stage of convex that would serve as reward afterwards.
with deep breaths the male continued to warm himself up, carefully stretched his upper body and his waist, before he moved over to his legs. he bended over with ease and touched one feet, while stepping away with the other leg. unfortunately another person stood behind him, which was why he bummed his behind right into the other, when bending forward. blinking, kikwang raised himself and turned his head. "i- i'm sorry! i was warming myself up and didn't see you...!" with flushed cheeks, kikwang bowed at the other male. was there any event that went on without him embarrassing himself?
Days at KT can be boring, they’re exhausting, definitely, but there’s not really anything interesting to do besides practicing. Right now Dongyoon is having his break, he’s sweaty, hot, really just wants a bottle of water, unfortunately for him he forgot his at home so he’ll have to find water somewhere else. He’s just walking calmly, breath still a bit unsteady. He’d just wish something exciting would happen at this place, someone or something exciting… or that he at least could bring his pets with him to practice, then this place would be much more enjoyable. And in the midst of thinking he sees someone fall, he looks around, confused, he’s never seen this guy before, but there are probably a lot of trainees Dongyoon he hasn’t seen before.
He half-runs in the direction, stops in front of them and reaches out a hand “hey dude, are you okay?”. Is the floor slippery? Or did they just randomly fall? Well it’s supposedly not much of Dongyoon’s business, but he does feel bad for the male, perhaps this male falling though will be the most exciting thing today.
His hyung was supposed to buy him a meal for helping out with a gift idea for his baby sister's birthday gift tonight, so Kikwang went to the KT Entertainment building to pick the older up (and to get a free lift). It wasn't hard to find said building, when it could already be seen from afar. He was impressed by the looming presence of a company building within its neighbourhood, KT was one of the big five after all and he was even more impressed by the fact that his cousin was one of that company's trainees. He was working hard for his dream, and his ambition had lead him this far. Trainees under KT must be super extraordinary, Kikwang thought, while in awe at the gigantic building.
The only problem he was facing though was that his body didn't seemed to be ok with him being distracted by the building, instead he somehow tripped over his own feet and stumbled forward. While he tried to catch his own fall, he managed to flop down rather savely, just to feel a wave of embarrassment hitting him the moment, he notices someone rushing towards him, asking if he was alright.
As if being seen wasn't already bad enough, he utters a random "So tall." after looking up to the other male who was offering him a hand to pull him up. His lips were slightly parted, as he stares at the other man, before he woke himself up from his trance like state, to accept the offer and grab the hand. "Ah, yeah, I'm ok... Thank you... Could you do me a favour though? Could you please pretend this didn't happened?" Kikwang's cheeks were flushed in a faint pink, and he could feel the heat in his ears. Why did he fall in front of such a looker?
yeji shook her previous encounter out of her head, she needed to get back to the task at hand and it was handing out the fliers. a couple of stragers walked past her and she didn’t want to be annoying, especially when someone was talking on their phone. so when she finally found someone that wasn’t on their phone she approached them with a smile– her eyes slanted into cresents and her hand reaching out to the male with the paper in her hand, “hello,” she smiled, he was familiar– maybe he had been in the mgas, yeji couldn’t remember propelry, “would you like a flier? maybe for future inquiries?”
of course he had seen her face plenty times in the last season of the mnet global auditions because he had watched every episode in high anticipation to see mason hyung's, zuho's and sakura's performances and as she had been on the team of the former, on the winning team, he knew who she was. kikwang still felt sad for his hyung to be called a winner, without getting a contract offer, but at the same time he couldn't deny that the other season winner's and those who actually received an offer held onto plenty potential and talent as well, so there was no help to it. so since he knew of the backstory, it didn't surprised him much to see her actually accepting the contract and handing out flyers in spite of a trainee tradition like he had heard from his friends.
kikwang himself wasn't exactly interested in all that idol stuff. sure, he had applied to the mgas himself, but besides loving to dance and being on stage, he didn't felt much ambition to actually pursue this kind of career. idol life surely wasn't as glamorous as some might imagine. but nonetheless he kind of wanted to help out, so he returned the female's smile and accepting the leaflet with both hands. "hello." he nodded at her. "ah, yes, thank you. good luck in your company. and congratulations to the win."
there’s something about dancing that always came naturally to him. it’s been a while, but the feeling’s still the same; there’s that physical restlessness that comes with the prospect of performing, energy that’s soon channeled into the plethora of exhilarating movements portrayed on the screen. he’s relieved at the ease of doing this again; just following the choreography, executing the steps, focusing more on enjoying himself and being with a friend than anything else.
kikwang’s on another level altogether, so energetic and fun right at the get-go. soobin tries to keep up, but he finds himself preoccupied with observing kikwang every now and then, smiling wide at his hyung, both from amusement and awe. soobin misses a couple of beats at first, and it makes him chuckle, but he eventually gets the pace.
he snaps his fingers, goes around kikwang, and then points at his direction fiercely. he can’t help but laugh all the while, especially when he has to face the other. the steps get more complex soon enough, so soobin begins to focus a little more; putting his arms above him and then snapping them down to his sides, one leg lifting up to put distance between his feet. there’s a couple of hand movements that almost get him, but he manages to save face just in time. he pretends to wipe his mouth with his palm, the other hand rising into a circle, falling to make an x-pose at the chest.
seeing the other getting fired up just like him, swept away by the music put a smile on his lips and kikwang just let loose, let his immediate emotions take over his body and dance. he likes the beat, and the interaction he can share with soobin throughout the whole dance. they are able to look at each other, as they synched up their movements, grinning and laughing. it's a positive experience and he completely forgets about the people around them watching. this wasn't a match to determine a winner and a loser, it was a dance between friends and partners.
kikwang kicks his leg to the side, throwing an arm up, before turning to the side, making a jumping move backwards. the upbeat rhythm gets to him, and the more they dance, the brighter his smile becomes. this was truly his fortune and his passion. there was nothing that could outbeat dancing. the two of them spin around, drag their hands down the thighs towards the knees.
the younger's movements are on fire, and he is just glad the two of them agreed to do this together with each other. they weren't exactly the closest, but kikwang felt like they would swish swish into a closer friendship from now on.
