salty & sweet

30+ role player || MDNI

[pinklisted]

taeri let the pencil tap and the word point sit between them a second longer than necessary. well, she didn't have a point when she first started the conversation, but now it was because it was annoying her that her point was getting twisted. "i never said you couldn't or that you don't," she said. "i'm saying you don't need it to have a good night. that's the point." she smoothed a stray hair behind her ear, patience worn thin but still somewhat intact. "you probably have your other hobbies and things that you do that'd make you happy, but for me, it's only worthwhile if a large gathering is involved. i breathe better when the room is loud." the corner of her mouth lifted in an attempt to keep something resembling a smile on her face. "and since you asked about the point. no, there isn't any point besides that and other the obvious one."

she let a small breath out, almost amused. "surprise me or don't. i'll be fine either way since i already have practically anything i could possibly need."she said, even, leaving very little for anyone nearby to read into. "but if you do bring something, i'll make room for it." she didn't add where. and she didn't have to explain herself since akari hadn't asked, and taeri didn't plan to volunteer the information either. it was easy enough to let people fill in the blanks when it suited her. who's to say she wouldn't "misplace" it within the first hour of receiving it, becoming a casualty of taeri's "scatterbrained" tendencies.

"then call it whatever fits when you get there. who am i to dictate what it is for you. hope you have safe travels whenever you go." she said, easy. this was as cordial as she could get with akari without having any hidden meanings in her words. taeri didn't bother trying to make herself seem bigger than she was; truthfully, she hadn't traveled much. she had a list of places she wanted to go but never actually made plans, thanks to a few private phobias she had no interest in naming out loud. "i haven't been," she admitted, "but i'm sure i will at some point." she added. she didn't need akari to tell her that it was a good place to visit. she had been told she should visit by a friend in the past, but she kept her feet planted in the same city she'd always known.

[saltyxsweetx]

"hmm, interesting." akari states briefly, a small huff of her breath following suit. why did she care if taeri enjoyed being in larger spaces? "if letting loose and hanging out at a party makes you happy, then by all means, continue to do so." it wasn't even that akari didn't party anymore herself. she is just more careful with whom she spends her time with and how she does it without burning herself into the ground. besides, she promised her folks she'd be on better behavior this year around and she is sticking to that promise even if it meant unwillingly at times.

"you're right, i do have other hobbies and other things i enjoy. but, i'm sure you wouldn't enjoy them yourself so," humming to herself then, her eyes still don't meet taeri's, she's trying her best to ignore her with every fiber of her being. maybe it was cruel in a way, maybe it wasn't necessary. however, akari also doesn't care all that much on who she offends or bothers these days.

she flicks some of her hair behind her shoulder, trying to brush off the comments about having safe travels. oh, please, taeri. finally, her eyes snap to the other student and she offers a weak grin, eyes crinkling as it's so feigned it's obvious, or should be. "thank you, i'm sure it will be a good time." that is a promise to herself, a promise that she will dive head first into everything tokyo had to offer her the moment her flight landed. "good, because sometimes a getaway is necessary, right?" she shrugs casually, half turning in her seat to drop her pencil and really peer at taeri.

"if you had one option for vacation, only one, where would you chose?" the curiosity got the better of akari and she wondered if taeri would feign a lie or be honest about where her heart would lead her if she was to travel.

[sneakysweetie]

the warmth of the sun gently kissed stella's skin, a sharp contrast with the coldness coming from the water she was immersed in. that feeling was somehow restorative in a way.

"glad i'm not the only one," she says, as she inhales deeply the cool breeze drifting across the lake. breathing in some fresh air contributed to the feeling of relaxation she'd been craving lately.

"hey, that's unfair," she says jokingly as the droplets from akari's splash splashed scattered across the brunette." it's your turn now," she adds, splashing some water back at the pink-haired girl.

it was obviously all for fun. the two have been friends for nearly four years and enjoyed teasing each other at times. almost as if it were their own way to show their affection.

"i had to release the stress i'd stored up from that unfortunate yoga session, you know," she says, letting out a little shrug while stretching her long limbs to stay afloat. "if that wasn't enough, i ended up hitting none other than yoon jinyoung."

[saltyxsweetx]

as stella splashes water back in revenge, akari squeals before a roll of laughter tumbles from her mouth. this was the type of relaxation and getaway she'd desperately needed from feeling so burnt out lately. between juggling studies and friends, sometimes akari never knew when to quit. the droplets of water cling to her face before she wipes them free with her palm briefly.

it was peaceful in the moment and in her friend's presence. she found comfort in it and felt as though it returned her to her center -- something she always tried to maintain. though, at times, it proved difficult because life was just something that sometimes threw curveballs at her.

"what?" the other student scoffs a partial laugh as her brows quirk high on her forehead. "you hit jinyoung? of all people attending this trip, you whacked him?" she floated in silence briefly. "huh. kinda wish i could've seen that."

[saltyxsweetx]

ooc: I'm finally out of the hospital! I'll be getting my desktop and other belongings from my old housemates Monday. But, I just wanted to update and say I'll finally be more free during the days for roleplaying again. 😭 The wifi there and my mobile hotspot for nearly two months drove me insane. I'm hoping living here will be a good new start for me. thanks to everyone who's been patient with me during this tough time <3

[sharpeztlives]

"never have i ever, hm?" he hums, tongue clicking against the roof of his mouth. head lolls against the back of the couch, lazy smile quirking the corners of his lips upwards as he looks at her. "you trying to get some secrets out of me?" he leans forwards, but doesn't close the gap between them, just to tease. he's totally mellowed out now, letting her direct him with the hold on his jaw. "think if i give you what i have, you'll be a very sleepy girl later on." that's not the worst thing in the world though... yohan would never say no to a cuddle— not that he'd admit that aloud. that sounds way too corny. even high, he'll keep that wall up.

besides, akari seems ready to get into some shenanigans right now, not fall asleep.

"i'll do whatever you want." a dangerous statement— almost like he's challenging her to take things a step further, made obvious by the little glint in his eye. his hand comes to rest on her thigh, thumb tracing faint circles onto her skin. "you already know that."

he brings his hand up to brush over her cheek now. can't resist her flirting. yohan leans in again, giving in to temptation his time: a quick peck to the side of her mouth, then another directly on her lips, fingers trailing down to her neck, just faintly. "are we gonna play, baby, or are you going to keep distracting me?"

[saltyxsweetx]

"do you have secrets, yohan?" she inquires, tilting her head a fraction, still eyeing him intensely. there's a small pout given when yohan mentions she'd be sleepy. it wasn't the time to sleep at the moment, it was time to have fun. as he leaned forward just close enough, akari could feel his breath hit her lips and it drove her insane.

she's breathless for a mere moment, only allowing her lips to grow a smirk upon them when yohan mentions he'd willingly give her the reigns to do whatever she wanted him to do. akari detects the glint in his eyes, a hum faint at the back of her throat from his thumb upon her thigh then. he was definitely teasing her, pushing her buttons in all the right ways.

once his lips meet the edging of hers for a moment and then finally come into full contact with her own, the redhead returns the peck though she definitely craves more than that from yohan. her hand meets his fingers at her neck, tangling her own digits into his. carefully, her nose brushes yohan's and akari flutters her eyes shut as she allows her lips to ghost his own.

"we're definitely playing." words are just a whisper, meant to entice him further for later on. "and then, after we leave this party?" akari shifts so that her lips barely graze yohan's. "you're all mine," pressing her lips to his softly for brief contact, the redhead only pulls away and props open her eyes to peer right back at him; orbs flicking back and forth and down to his lips.

finally, she relents her flirtatious assault on the man, pulling back to take in some much needed space and air. turning her head to their classmates, akari speaks up, "yohan's in! who's going to start?" almost a devious smile captures her face, lips etching upwards to reveal mischief.

[goodbyejoon]

he doesn't drink very much, all things considered. park minjoon wasn't the type to go very far outside of his own very specific control, his bubble of influence being broad and tightly organized, cool and easy. but the weekend was good so far, all things considered. (his very confusing feelings aside, those he had compartmentalized fully). he was holding onto a bottle of somaek when he spots her.

pink hair, moonlight, almost a picture there, he pauses to gaze at her a second, take her in. he had known akari for so long, inside and out in some ways... isn't it funny that people can still be a mystery. living their own lives, gone their separate ways only to crash together from time to time. (oh... perhaps being tipsy has made him sentimental). he approaches easily after, draws her out of her reverie and to gaze at him with those pretty, very familiar eyes.

he gives her a subtle grin, approaching as she speaks until he places himself gently next to her. a little glance her way before he, too, glances up at the sky and takes a sip of his alcohol. after, his voice is a quiet rumble. "just wanted to get away from the noise." he reaches out and brushes his fingers over a stray pink lock of her hair (he thinks of her cherry blossoms, and his eyes which scan her face seem a bit softer than before).

he sets his beer far aside, and gives her most of his attention, aside from wandering glances. "what were you thinking about?" his dark eyes shoot up to the sky as an indicator and back "reminiscing, all alone beneath the stars, kari?" he teases, but he's quite curious. he hasn't checked in with her in just long enough for it to almost be too long, for a relationship as weathered as theirs.

[saltyxsweetx]

the subtle grin as he approaches allows her to mirror his expression, grin of her own curling her lips upwards. the swig he takes she notices and the change of his voice slightly isn't ignored either. it's when minjoon brushes a stray lock of her hair that akari's grin becomes more sheepish and it almost causes her to look away. however, she can't. not when the way his eyes soften in her direction, something rarer these days, something she almost misses.

it's then akari realizes that she really hasn't spoken to joon too often, that she's been socializing with nearly everyone else in her circle but him. "same here," she comments softly, her words falling with the rustling leaves of the breeze in the tree. her amber hues follow his, making short glances at the sky and then back at her ex-boyfriend. kari notices him set the beer aside, offering her his attention entirely.

pressing her lips together thinly, she shies away from staring at minjoon a little too long and looks at the plush grass beneath the pair with a tiny chuckle vibrating through her core as it escapes her lips. she removes herself further from the tree, just to stand a little closer to him. "you really want to know?" she questions, eyes flitting back up to meet the male's; awash in the darkness of joon's as they flick back and forth. at his teasing, her smile widens and she shakes her head a little softer than usual.

despite being tipsy, there's still an emotional heaviness to akari's heart and while she doesn't mind being a bit hidden beneath the vast tree with her ex, akari ponders over an idea and decides to go with it. "i was... just hoping to escape the craziness of the trivia debates -- hoping someone would come along and whisk me away from everything for a moment." her answer is honest, voice even softer than prior as she had been thinking of plenty of other things aside from that.

thinking about school, her parents, her life just in a general sense. "and i guess my wish came true because you appeared." she points out, taking a few steps away from minjoon before acting on her impulsive idea. there's enough space between the pair for akari to extend her arm and palm out to him, "...take a walk with me?" her question is subtle, sweet and gentle, fingers dangling in the emptiness between their forms.

she chews on her lower lip briefly, anticipation filling the void in her gut. hopeful, her dark hues are glossy with her own curiosity, filled with wonder as she wants to ask him a thousand questions about how his life was lately. or, how he was doing in his courses, in his private time, in his emotional moments. at one point, they used to talk and share everything with each other. a small gulp washes down her throat at the memories and the fact that akari was coming to terms with the fact that he was almost non-existent in her world nowadays.

maybe it was the alcohol but as she stands there, palm still extended towards him, she can't help gazing up at him with slight adoration. sure, their relationship hadn't been easy but he was still a part of akari's history. there were even times she missed their moments, the good moments.

[icarusty02]

dj himself always appreciated the outdoors. from the leaves on the trees, bringing in the vibrance of the campus to the breeze that he often feels hit his skin, regardless of the season. it's the perfect weather to sketch whatever his heart desires... the boys playing cards at the bench he walks past, the sunlight peaking through the branches... it was perfect. truly a beautiful sight.

in his four years of being at yeonhwa, he's acted grumpy and pessimistic the whole time. but the truth is that he does feel some good about the university. he's grown to appreciate the beauty after originally comparing it to columbia, internally thinking to himself about how it's not the same or how he wished he could experience being in new york again. but seoul was not a bad city after living in it for a while. and, as much as he didn't want to admit, he made some good relationships while he was here.

... speaking of good relationships, his eyes catch someone who he doesn't have one with.

akari endo is an underclassmen whom he's had the misfortune of meeting in one of their classes in the past. it doesn't help that they both minor in art history, so he has to see her more than he would want to. realistically, the two of them could be able to get along with their similar interests in art... but the one group project they worked on together where she gave him his feedback right after he got into a fight with his parents on the phone...

what turned from an accident of taking out his anger on someone who happened to be around turned into a fueled hatred between the two, though dj couldn't really care less. it's not like he came here to impress people anyway—he simply wanted to move on with his life without much attention on him. matter of fact, now was just a perfect opportunity to continue getting under the other girl's skin. so he stands in front of her, blocking her view from the sunlight that she was using to draw. seeing how she reacts brings a smirk to his lips... until she threatens to throw him in the fountain.

"jesus christ, do you ever chill?" he asks, bringing his hands up and rolling his eyes at her. "i only came here because i noticed that you were too at peace. plus..." he points at the bench. "i figured i'd take your spot anyway. your sketch is going to look like shit anyways, so i might as well save you the effort and kick you out of your spot so i can take it and make something better."

[saltyxsweetx]

she feigns a smile at him, eyes like darts in dj's direction. "funny you should ask me to chill when you're one more word away from being chilled right here, right now." again, threatening him with the fountain. her blood is beginning to boil just looking up at him. akari doesn't take his words too seriously until he tells her that her sketch she's trying to produce looks like shit.

this prompts the woman to stand and place her sketchbook down in her spot. "i found it first, so fuck off." her eyes are awash with his and despite her being shorter, she's one moment away from grasping the collar of his shirt and doing as she promised. stepping closer into his space, she peers up at him without any hesitation under her fire now ablaze in her whiskey orbs.

"i'm warning you, dj. do not press me." that stupid little smirk he wore angers her further, as if her veins are popping with anticipation for a physical fight. akari knows dj wouldn't hurt her, but that didn't mean she couldn't make the first move.

it was actually a shame since the pair seemed to have common interests in school courses and when they'd worked on the project, initially, they got along quite easily. still, the memory of him lashing out at her for her blunt and honest feedback never left the back of her mind as she stares up at him with an eagerness to start a scene. it's finally then that she grasps dj by the collar of his shirt and yanks him down to meet her at eye level, unashamed and fully willing to shove him if necessary.

"you can say anything you want to me but you do not have the right to insist i move from my spot and then insult my work." both her eyes are fiercely in line with his, flicking back and forth with warning; as if she were a viper about to strike. "so, you? move." with an abrupt sudden movement, her hands leave his shirt and she pushes him slightly backwards, away from her spot. it wasn't enough for him to fall as he hardly budged but simply enough to hopefully show that akari meant business.

[sneakysweetie]

a smile spread across stella's face as akari finally dived into the water to join her.

"they say it has anti-aging properties," she replies with a playful smile, as an attempt to reassure the other girl as she soaks in the cool water.

despite the lake not being her favorite destination if she had the chance to choose, stella genuinely wanted to enjoy a moment of relaxation with one of her dearest friends. a moment where she could finally take a break from her busy schedule. she needed to unplug from the rush of everyday life for a while and recharge her batteries.

despite being an extrovert and loving having people around her, there were times when stella felt utterly exhausted, drained.

the kind of exhaustion that comes from being often at the centre of attention, from the need to always be at her best in any situation. being the golden girl has its upsides and downsides.

have you been enjoying the trip so far? akari's question replayed in her mind. if she had to be completely honest, the answer was no; in fact, it was the opposite.

that starting in the morning, when she arrived late at the check-in and almost missed the bus (not to mention the fact that she actually despises traveling by bus), to the afternoon, when she decided to give outdoor yoga a try but ended up hating it, leaving as soon as the session was over.

her trip hadn't been exactly exciting so far, but after this visit to the lake along with akari, she was starting to reevaluate it.

"well, not as much as i expected, " she replies with a shrug, "i tried outdoor yoga after lunch, but it was an awful experience then i went to one of the volleyball courts to practice a bit, but i ended up hitting someone."

[saltyxsweetx]

"anti-aging properties?" akari echoes as it slowly rolls off her tongue. a small hum is given then, "i'll have to add bali to my bucketlist." her tone is light and playful, though she was also serious.

she stops paddling and allows her feet to rest but keep her afloat in the lake. inhaling deeply, her dark hues shut briefly and akari soaks up the sun in the quiet while stella ponders over her question. she can feel the heat of it radiating off her skin, producing a grin upon her face.

it was the perfect way to recenter herself and distract akari from the stressors of university life. leans into the floating device, she dips her head backwards a fraction so her face can also bathe in the warmth of the bright sun. everything felt serene for a clear moment, no thoughts in her head and no worries.

as her eyes remain shut, she snickers slightly at stella's answer about yoga class. "i wound up making a run for it with jiahn." her admittance bubbly since she found it amusing as they ran as far away from the class as they could. "yoga is not for me." she concludes and finally tilts her head back down to prop her eyes open.

"ouch!" akari can't imagine being hit by a volleyball and so she uses her hands to splash some water towards stella gingerly but all in fun. giggling to herself softly, the rosy haired student leans forward on the floatie and crosses her arms atop it to rest her chin on her arms. "i never expected you to be so violent, stella." again, all is meant in jest as she teases her friend.

[prodbyzinnia]

if she's really honest with herself, she's never actually tried yoga. she's a little flexible from her childhood gymnastics classes and just from trying to keep herself in shape without working out. but yoga isn't something she's gone out of her way to take classes for or anything, so genuinely, she feels relatively out of her depth.

especially with the way the instructor was moving. was there such thing as being a professional yoga person? if there was, this lady should definitely go into that.

"right? i thought i went to a beginner slot but maybe i'm just not as flexible as i thought," she whispers back, trying her best not to get caught. she doesn't turn her head when speaking, only moving her lips, and she hopes the instructor doesn't get annoyed or anything and call them out. she would like to avoid drawing anymore attention to them, though she really can't help whispering to akari now that she has someone to chat with.

she follows after the instructions, trying her very best to balance—but even on a good day, that's not something that she's super great at. especially not when she's sleepy, and she ends up just standing there for a moment, hands in the right position but her feet definitely aren't. she has a feeling that she might fall over and take some people out if she even attempted balancing on one foot right now.

maybe yoga really isn't her thing.

"honestly ... maybe," jiahn agrees, eyeing the instructor a little warily and she wonders if they both just make a run for it, if they'll be called back. she doesn't really want to risk it but she also doesn't really want to stay now that she's decided that this isn't really her style of exercise. "when she's not looking, should we run?"

[saltyxsweetx]

if this course of yoga was a beginner's slot, akari was certainly not meant to try yoga. perhaps meditation and sitting cross legged was the furthest she could really get. her curious orbs follow the instructor as she turns to her side and pulls off another unattainable position that the rosette can't even believe she's witnessing.

"if this is for beginners, i'm so behind..." her whisper more of a confession though the rest of the classmates seem to be keeping up just fine. since when the hell did they all become professional yoga posers? she flicks her eyes only towards jiahn and nods very slightly, hoping her stillness doesn't catch the instructor's attention once again.

"i think we should," she agrees quite effortlessly to the suggestion of just grasping their belongings and making a run for it. tilting her head curiously, the instructor then turns on her heel more. maybe this would be their chance!

bending down cautiously, akari's knees hit the yoga mat and her head turns gently to jiahn. "on the count of three..." she's already reaching for her bag, silently slipping it over her shoulder. other students nearest her take notice but the instructor had yet to witness a thing. "one.... two..." stepping aside from her yoga mat, she begins to gradually roll it up before lifting it into her hand.

"...three!" her last whisper more pronounced as she flashes jiahn a quick smirk. turning on her own heel, the woman takes off full speed away from the yoga class, shoes crunch the lush grass and while she hears a few gasps behind her shoulder, she looks back to check if jiahn is following. the wind is whipping her hair crazily at her speed and a large roll of laughter cascades from her lips, allowing her to feel so free.

[60sgroove]

giselle ✰ rich man

[saltyxsweetx]

what's your motive? present feat @icarusty02

water sprouts from the fountain outside in the courtyard of the campus, akari seated neatly at the edge of it with her sketchbook. she likes to study people and wildlife on her downtime, giving her challenge to keep her lines and strokes neat on the paper. whiskey orbs flicker up from her paper to the few males before her playing some sort of game of cards at the bench not too far off in the distance.

eyes squint softly before they fall back onto the sketchbook, her hand fluid against the paper with each line. the brightness of the sun above makes it a little hard to concentrate or see, yet akari doesn't let it stop her. flicking some of her long hair back behind herself, she continues to work, brow furrowed intensely as she feels lost in the piece she's trying to create. the laughter and joy of the classmates jesting and teasing each other as they game is hopefully showcased upon the paper.

a few more fluid strokes hit the sketchbook before she notes another's presence suddenly near her. in fact, they're so close their shadow blots out the sun and overshadows the woman and her sketchbook. "you're in the way," her voice is laced with annoyance, eyes still concentrated though her pupils dilate from the shift of lighting around herself. when they don't bother to move, she waves her hand backwards, still not bothering to look up.

"can't you take a hint? i'm busy." now, there was almost a low octave hitting her tone, indicating if they didn't move akari was about to get in their face. the woman tries her best to continue on, noticing their presence is still there and now it's grated upon her nerves so much that she shoots them a death glare and takes note that it just happens to be dj.

"what the hell do you want?" her question snaps with bitterness and venom. she will still never forgive him for their group project and how it was his fault that they got a bad mark for it. if only he'd listened, she exaggerates an eyeroll in his direction. "seriously, of all people? i'm giving you thirty seconds to explain yourself and then i'm shoving you into this fountain if you continue to block my sunlight." that was a promise on her end, her pencil then taps rapidly against her sketchbook in anger from his presence just being in her vacinity.

[saltyxsweetx]

tennis disaster present, feat @roadkillrage

adrenaline is working in akari's veins, her body posed and ready for each rally back to her opponent on the other side of the tennis court. she moves effortlessly, her racket in sync with her body as if they were one. rosette locks are pulled tightly into a ponytail, sweat dripping at the nape of her neck for the last half hour they had been practicing. the student's dark orbs never leave the ball, analyzing each of her teammate's moves.

she was too predictable. akari had watched her play too often when she herself was benched. if only she hadn't had such a mouth on her perhaps akari would see more of the court time instead of sit on the sidelines. passionate about the sport, her breath hitches as she moves hastily to lob back the fuzzy ball onto the opposite side of the court. exhaling softly, the pair were pretty much on par with each other, almost frustrating the woman as her body was working overtime now.

she didn't give up though. it was akari after all.

as she watches the ball bounce towards herself once more, her tongue laps over her lips briefly and she backhands the next strike perfectly. however, things were about to take a turn for the worst.

nobody could have seen the oncoming ball after her teammate whipped it with hearty strength in the wrong direction. it was as if everything moved in slow motion, akari's eyes widening as the ball flung straight towards the few scattered peers watching the practice game. there were a few shrieks and a male shouts, "watch out!" but it was too late, the ball was about to hit a target in the benches.

mouth agape, akari's eyes followed and then she spun on her heel to face her teammate across the court. "what kind of bullshit rally was that?" her face flushed a beet crimson color in frustration as a droplet of sweat streamed down the side of her face. she flung her arms up in the air, rambling so quickly with her foul mouth that she ignored the coach blowing the whistle on her.

worse, she had to retrieve the ball from the poor person who it had almost struck. or, had it actually hit the poor onlooker? ignoring the coach, the pinkette tossed her racket down onto the courtside in rage, quickly hustling up the steps of the benches towards the ball and the location it had settled in.

"my god, i'm so sorry. i am so sorry," her eyes flutter up from the ball as she plucks it up from where it lay, landing on the woman before herself. almost instantly her lips dry and a shyness slithers up her spine, causing her to go rigid.

"my teammate, she-- she's sort of.. of..." trailing off, akari gets lost in her own mind, eyes glistening with intense curiosity at the other student. "sort of new and-- and an absolute idiot." the last of her words fell nearly breathless like a whisper.

[saltyxsweetx]

sunday morning on the run feat. @stagedown

awaking early, akari had rose with a slight hangover. the events of the night prior were fuzzy but she had managed to dress herself for a light jog along the shortest of trails. each step of her feet allows akari to recenter her mind as she tries to recall the events so close yet so far away. she remembers the bonfire, the beers, but what else had gone on after that? there are flashes of some students playing flag football, glimpses in her mind of her joining lucas at some point to share another beer -- though both of them probably hadn't needed it at that point.

it's when she's on the return from her jog, sweat at the nape of her neck and on her forehead that she starts to recall the rest of the time spent near the bonfire.

the football game had come to an end at one point. suddenly, there are flashes of the drunken pair in her mind going ahead with a plan they thought was marvelous at that time. it's when the speed of her jog slows to a walk and she sees some of the staff interrogating her classmates and friends.

clenching her fists into balls lightly, she hopes the sweat from her jog will cover her nervousness from the sweat of her palms, overhearing that they're looking for the students responsible for stealing the LEDs. as she walks by and overhears agatha speaking, her dark orbs flicker over to her friend while akari tries to remain steady and calm at her center. she makes brief eye contact with agatha before she retracts her gaze and pushes ahead.

more flashes come to her memory and she's quick to recall that she and lucas were the two responsible for taking the lights. she can hear the slurring of his words, how he complained it was too bright and she can recall herself offering a solution that would certainly lead to trouble: removing them from the campsite altogether.

she makes a beeline for the nearest shade, hoping no faculty witnessed her return since they seemed preoccupied. once she's able to notice the staff remove themselves from her friend's side, akari is quick to wave her down with a free hand, slight panic on her face.

[sneakysweetie]

the rays of the sun dance gracefully on the surface of the lake, making it sparkle like a gemstone as stella vigorously rubs the remaining sunscreen onto her arms. she's wearing a navy bikini with white polka dots, and her hair is styled in a high ponytail.

"well, i went on a vacation to bali this august," she replies, glancing at akari who was tying up her long locks into a ponytail as well before getting into the water. "but honestly, it’s been ages since i last went swimming in a lake."

stella watches the other girl with amusement as she approaches the lakeside with a donut-shaped plastic float at her side and dips a toe into the water to test how cold it is.

unlike akari, stella visited bali a couple of weeks ago and enjoyed its sunny beaches. and during the year, she occasionally goes to jeju whenever she has the chance because she genuinely enjoys the sea and swimming, but with lakes, it was a little different: they always gave her a strange, somewhat intimidating feeling, but she couldn't explain exactly why.

"ugh, i imagined it," she gasps while glancing again at akari, who was standing by the lake in hesitation.

stella realizes the other student is unsure whether to jump straight in or wait to see if she's willing to go first because of the water's temperature. "i'll go in first then." so, she decides to slip slowly into the water, a slight shiver running down her spine.

"woah, you're right. it's pretty cold," she continues, waving to akari with an encouraging smile. "come closer, i'll help you get in or if you want to jump, i'll be right here to catch you!"

[saltyxsweetx]

"bali sounds fun," akari comments gently, offering the other student a soft grin. "tell me what it's like?" perhaps thinking of something other than the chilled lake can convince akari it isn't so scary to jump right in it.

once akari notices stella slip into the lakeside, she holds her breath for a long moment, brows lifting high on her face in anticipation. as she's told it's cold like she thought, the rosette hesitates a bit more. however, at her friend's encouragement, she feels as though it's finally time to get over her fears and take the plunge.

gradually, she slips into the water herself and is quick to note the frosty body of water that encompasses her entire frame. she nearly clings to the raft as if it were a lifeline to keep her from the cold. it isn't.

as she trembles for a small moment, her eyes float back to stella. "damn, it's colder than i thought." blunt but honest with her words, the woman lets out a soft sigh and allows her feet to paddle further into the body of water. akari welcomes it, tries to remind herself that they were there for pleasure and to enjoy a brief break from studies.

"have you been enjoying the trip so far?" it was only the first day, yet akari's curiosity never fails to crop up around others. in fact, it tends to bubble to the surface of her person whenever she's around friends. she's almost always interested in getting to know them better, getting to know their lives and the ins and outs of them.

for her, the trip was going smoothly, even if the bus ride had seemed like a journey itself. there seemed to be so much to do with so little time and the tennis player wanted to enjoy every ounce of it that she could soak up.

[saltyxsweetx]

friday afternoon after lunch lake hijinks with @sneakysweetie

watching the water of the lake glisten, akari rubs the last of the sunscreen need applying to her skin upon her arms and shoulders. she glances over at stella as she readies to tie her long locks into a tight ponytail. if they are about to take a dip in the lake, akari didn't want her soaked hair to cover her face entirely.

"i can't say i remember the last time i've gone swimming outside of a swimming pool." she chuckles at the thought, though she missed the ocean near japan. "how about you?" curious eyes meet stella's, interested and honed in on the other student's.

after she feels the sunscreen applied is well soaked within her skin, akari approaches the lakeside. she bends down gently and grasps up the floating plastic donut that had tagged along in her bag for just such the occasion. as the item is held at her side, the student lets a toe dip into the water first in attempt to test the temperature of the water first.

"hmm, not too bad." she assumes, knowing she's probably underestimating the body of water and the chill beneath the surface level.

akari is sporting a black bikini top with a halter tie around the neck, black, short swimming shorts to match. "though, i bet you it's damn cold in there." she gulps lightly, uncertain if she should just jump in or perhaps see if stella were the willing person to go first.

[saltyxsweetx]

friday night tipsy moonlight walk with @goodbyejoon

trivia is not the rosette's strongest of strengths in life. in fact, if asked, akari was only joining in for the drinks alone and the company of her peers surrounding her. she wants to soak up as much socialization during this trip as she can before they all head back to reality and classes are on their minds once more. despite not initially wishing to attend, akari finds enjoyment in the laughter of her fellow classmates as they debate who is wrong or right during trivia.

across the way, her eyes had met minjoon's a few times and she offers him a gentle grin before returning to her drink in hand. swallows the beer, albeit it isn't as pleasant as the beers she shares with lucas and akari isn't a huge fan of beer as it is. still, she's partaken in her departments trivia and manages to down a couple of the bottles on her own.

as she polishes off the third bottle, she lets it clank against the other two on the earth's surface in the grass. her head feels a bit light, a bit bubbly and out of focus but she's laughing at her classmates as they continue to debate the current trivia question.

at some point, akari needs a breather and removes herself from the group to go stand beneath one of the large trees at the campsite. leans against the bark with her shoulder, the illustrator wraps her arms around herself for comfort of the soft chill of the night. looking skyward, the stars that blaze above move akari, perhaps since she's so tipsy. or, perhaps she just feels emotional for a moment -- a rare occurrence for the pinkette as of late. her parents had taught her young to remain balanced, to be centered as much as possible. yet, there were moments where emotion leaked heavily in her heart.

with a heavy sigh, she shakes her head up at the sky, wishing she could be whisked away if even for just a mere moment. as if on cue, she can hear the crunching of leaves behind herself and the woman turns on her heel softly to glance over her shoulder. she sweeps some of her hair away, trying to get a better view of who was approaching, yet their silhouette was too hazy from the beer she'd ingested all evening. her eyes can't focus well enough until the tall male is finally within a few feet of akari. "i can't say i was expecting you to show up and join me," she acknowledges his presence, eyes raking minjoon down and she notices the beer in his hand still dangling there.

"are you up to no good, joon? or, just want some company?" bluntly, she jests, her tone soft and inviting.

[prodbyzinnia]

she's not sure why she had thought that it would be a good idea to try out outdoor yoga or all things on this trip. honestly, she hadn't really wanted to go on this trip to begin with but had somehow ended up being roped in and also ending up in charge of the food for her major? oh well, it is what it is, and jiahn is never one to sit out of things just because it didn't suit her tastes.

okay, well, she was avoiding most of the sports, but that was a different story.

yoga? yoga she can do, probably. it's a bit too early in the day for her though, having been up early for the bus and then having been running around to explore before her energy ran out. now that she's eaten and not moving? definitely zoned out.

she hears akari speak to her for a long moment before any of the other girl's words process in her mind, and she glances over to nod, mostly just to acknowledge that she had gotten her name correct. it's a bit much, if she's honest, the yoga instructor and now akari speaking and she's quite honestly, kinda given up on said yoga already.

"i'm terrible at yoga," is what she ends up saying, laughing a little and trying her best to keep her voice down, knowing it was supposed to be relatively quiet on their end.

"i have no idea how she's in that position," she whispers after, not having even attempted to move. "how is she doing that?"

[saltyxsweetx]

at her best, akari could confidently only pull off a few positions in yoga. she tries not to snicker at jiahn's question, breathing in deeply through her nose as the instructor advises. centering herself wasn't always that difficult as she seemed tame most of the time these days. exhaling through her nose next as told to, akari can feel and sense the peace within herself, though she could not pull off that particular position; eyes wide before catching jiahn's face. "i honestly... have no idea." it was incredible, the way the instructor was bending her body with such ease. it was as if she were a human noodle.

"if i knew it'd be this intense, i would have probably passed on trying altogether." akari whispered back, dark auburn eyes returning to the woman in charge of the group. her lips then press tightly, knowing she had been spotted while whispering to jiahn. the instructor merely clears her throat as she goes back to a resting position. with a ball of her hand, akari feels highly amused by the moment and decides it's for the best to try and not talk during the next few poses.

as she rises to her feet like instructed, she places her palms flatly together and brings them high above her head before bending her left knee and propping it against her right leg. that was an easy pose enough, hopefully it could shake the instructor's attention away from her and jiahn.

with one more deep exhale, her eyes flick to the side at the other students; left and right and they all have the position held like instructed to. "i feel so out of place." akari quietly states to jiahn, finally breaking the silence once more. even though she has perfected that one particular pose, there was no way she could bend forward and upwards the way the next position was being shown. perhaps she should have stuck to the tennis courts like usual.

but, akari wanted to try to something different, something new. sighing after a long pause, she wonders if they should bail while they still can and wonders if they would be noticed if so. "should we... make a quick exit?" her question curious but also a suggestion.

[pinklisted]

taeri blinked once, letting the question hang in the air as she gathered her thoughts. she knew better than to reply with the first thing that came to mind. "no, not at all! i just think our perfect evenings are very different. i know mine isnt suited for everyone. but if under a rock is where yours would be, then it's drastically different." the energizer bunny line drew a genuine laugh from her. "energizer bunny? that's a first. could be worse," she said with a shrug. "why would that disappoint? it's not like you're getting graded on the amount of parties you attended." she's still a little irritated, but right now she's more amused with the current topic.

she observed akari for a moment as the other shifted. "a hard reset is... necessary sometimes," she said after a pause, choosing her words carefully. she's not mocking akari but she's also being careful to not reveal her own cards in the process. "and sometimes being away from a place makes it easier to come back to it." rich coming from someone who retured for their masters just because they missed campus life. so she's not sure she believes her own words for akari's case, but it sounded nice enough to offer.

and then came the offer. taeri's brows lifted just barely. the words had caught her off guard, but she didn't react. "that's thoughtful of you," she commented, "surprise me. wise option would be a shot glass, but even wiser option would be nothing.” she wanted to say there was no point because she wouldn't use it, but in the event anyone was listening in, she didn't want to come off as hostile. "friends do look out for each other. and they definitely wouldn't add onto my already extensive collection of shot glasses."

[saltyxsweetx]

"trust me, i've attended plenty of parties in the past, taeri. it's not that i can't, it's that i choose my studies most days." after her parents had threats to remove her from school and place her home with her least favorite aunt, akari buckled down and made sure she was more serious about her work. tapping her pencil down onto the table, her eyes fell in line with taeri's then, curious as to why she bothered. "is there some point to this conversation besides you getting on my nerves?" despite her snarky question, her words came out delicately like she were still friendly. akari is finding the exchange quite annoying, but not enough to leave just yet.

"hmm, i'll definitely keep you in mind, taeri." there's an air about how the woman likes to pronounce the other classmate's name. "but if i happen to come back empty handed, i do apologize." keeping up appearances was important in front of the rest who were within ear shot. "so, don't be too disappointed." although, grabbing a shot glass just to spite taeri did sound like a good time to akari. it could be a constant reminder of her within taeri's personal space and that brought a wicked smile to the photographer's face.

"i never thought of it as a hard reset, to be honest. i just thought it would be nice to finally see my roots as an adult. i haven't been home since i was five." her explanation brief, since the other woman not need more ammunition or insight into akari's life. "have you ever been yourself? to tokyo?" her eyes finally flash away from taeri and back to her paper, keeping her core centered on her work. "because if not, i highly recommend it." another smile claims her lips, edges curling gently in amusement before she taps the end of her pencil eraser against the table.

it wasn't that akari necessarily hated taeri, they just didn't seem to mesh for some reason. not even since the first day they met, causing akari to see red nearly every time her space was invaded by the other woman.