hello hello, i'm sol and with me, i bring a completely new muse... *jazz hands* hong irang ! it has been many years since i have last joined an rp, so i'm both excited and a little nervous. please bear with me as i get back into the swing of things. writing does not come as easily as it used to, but i am just happy to be here. ♡
psst. like this post and i'll be 。。。ミヽ(。＞＜)ノ into your messages for plots.
aha, so you're a little curious about irang? (｡•̀ᴗ-)✧
name: hong irang birthday: november 7, 2000. (25).
hong irang is a familiar. his animal form is a black leopard, and your muse may have seen him around campus, usually during his security rounds at the boarding school. perhaps, a bit intimidating at first glance, he carries the kind of presence that feels sharp, almost predatory... until it slips.
think of how black leopards are often imagined: charismatic, sleek and mysterious. but then, you watch videos of them and they're playful, curious and a little cunning, almost like oversized house-cats pretending to belong in the wild... at least, until their hunting instincts awaken.
rumours say,
he's recruited stray cats to keep watch over the school. there's one black cat in particular that follows him everywhere, nicknamed 'manager meow-meow' by the students, and they are convinced this is the one reporting back to him.
they've seen him sitting alone on the rooftops at night, a cigarette caught between his lips as he watches the campus below. some complain that the way he looks doesn't feel like protection, it feels like trouble waiting to happen. the fact that he was spotted coming out of a faculty member's office more than once have people insisting that he was sent here after causing trouble else where, shielded by whatever connection he has.
he is noticeably kinder to other familiars than to witches. some say he is almost avoidant when it comes to them, as if he is refusing to acknowledge that there's a bond he is meant to have.
the truth is,
behind the intimidating, predatory stillness is someone far softer than he lets on. he is a bit of a scaredy cat at heart (pun intended), strong against those who can withstand him, but quick to soften around the weaker.
a bit of a tsundere by nature, he avoids showing vulnerability, and he is terrible communicating his emotions. he can be a little impulsive, quick to react before thinking things through. arguments aren't his strong suit. he may snap back easily, but he would rarely win when it comes down to words. there is a mischievous streak in him, and he is fiercely loyal and protective towards those he considers to be in his circle. also, he has a soft spot for small, defenseless things.
he's often carrying snacks for stray cats and animals around campus. although, approaching wary, guarded animals often earns him scratches across his hands and arms, he is patient. given time, he always manages to build some quiet form of trust with them.
when it comes to the idea of fate and the bond he's meant to have, he keeps a bit of a distance, more afraid than he would ever admit. his fear is likely shaped by what he witnessed growing up.
where it lingers,
tw: family death.
born to a familiar mother and a human father, who was often ill. he was raised in the quieter outskirts of busan, where the hills met the coastline and the city felt just far enough away.
he remembers his father in his study. sometimes, irang would hear him cough, so persistently that he would pause and hold his breath in case it didn't stop.
his mother was always physically present, yet she was never truly there. she spent hours anchored to the chair by the window, a distant look in her eyes as she stared out like she's waiting for someone. irang would often have to call her name a third or fourth time, until her gaze finally drifted towards him.
eventually, the pattern broke. there were days her chair stood empty. but on the days she did return to her post, there was a newfound light in his eyes. it hade him realize, how dead she looked the rest of the time.
when he was too young to understand the concept of a divorce, but old enough to feel the betrayal, his mother left. later, he would learn that she had left him and his father behind for her bonded witch.
after that, shifting into his animal form became something he fought against, as he clung to his human form. until eventually, it began to take a toll on him. he still remembers those feverish nights, laying in cold sweat as his body forced the shift back and forth, whether he wanted it or not.
eventually, his father reached out to his aunt, a familiar who worked at a boarding school for witches and familiars. thinking back, irang wonders how tough that must have been, reaching out to his ex-wife's sister.
she stepped in and brought him to the school, hoping that being around others like him would help.
he remained a student only briefly. by the time he got better control, he returned home. he couldn't bear the idea of leaving his father alone. it was only the two of them left now after all.
but even to this date, the effects linger. strong emotions make it hard for him to stay human. usually, it's just his ears popping out or his tail. but on the really bad days, the shift comes without warning.
irang returned to ordinary school life, but never quite fit into it. sudden slips forced him to leave, to hide and disappear before anyone notices. however, the frequent absences, falling asleep in class and leaving without explanation, labeled him as a delinquent.
it wasn't all hardships though. after returning from the boarding school, his relationship with his father grew closer. until his father passed away in his final year of high school.
after that, he unraveled. he leaned into the image everyone painted him to be, drinking, smoking, picking fights and sleeping around. despite his aunt's attempts to bring him back, he was unwilling to be taken care of again.
it wasn't anything grand that got him back on his feet. they were letters he found in his father's study, written out to him. they were words that were never said out loud, but meant for him all the same. it was enough for him to try again.
he took the high school equivalency exam and enrolled into a university. there, he managed to find a small circle of friends, and even someone he felt a romantic pull towards. it made him feel human.
but he had forgotten, he was not a human. one night, he lost control and shifted in front of his friends. not many witnesses, but panicked nonetheless, he finally reached out to his aunt. a witch was brought in. memories were altered. that night, irang asked for his whole existence to be erased from their minds.
he returned to the boarding school soon after. he didn't feel angry, just defeated. empty. he spent days cooped up in his bed, shifting uncontrollably as he had when he was merely a child.
if not for his cousin, he might have stayed that way until he stopped breathing. with the help of others, he began to stabilize again.
to help him find his footing, his aunt offered him a place at the school. not as a student this time, but as a staff. a security guard. at least, that's what's written on paper.
his relationship with his aunt is complicated. while she understands her sister's decision, she is unwilling to excuse what it cost irang and his father. instead of comfort, she offers him structure. she never tells him to accept his fate, but her decision to bring him to the school is very deliberate, making it harder for him to run away from it when time comes.
well, it seems like it is working so far! irang definitely complains about being overworked, but he stays. in this small world of witches and familiars, he finally came to a stop. not quiet accepting whatever fate waited for him, but no longer turning away.
where paths cross...
sooo, there's someone he finds himself noticing more than he should. you guessed it, his witch. instinctively, he knows your muse is the one, and tries to keep his distance, but his attention always drifts back. whether he wants to admit it or not, something about them feels inevitable. and maybe, your muse makes it even harder to resist.
of course, ex plots are always dramatic and fun. give me this vibe plsssss.
faculty connections are also open! i have it in mind that his aunt is a familiar and a teacher, who teaches about the magic in familiars, the history and the connection between the fated witches and familiars. so, there's definitely room to build something from that.
if timing fits, maybe if your muse and irang met when he was a student for a little bit when he was younger? maybe left a strong impression on each other, and maybe irang left them a little token before he left.
what if your muse keeps running into irang during his security rounds at night? maybe they're sneaking out past curfew, maybe they can't sleep or maybe they're up to something they shouldn't be. either way, he's there and he notices.
with so many cat lovers around, i doubt irang is the only one feeding the strays. as mentioned above, there's a particular black cat that always seems to follow him around. maybe your muse has been feeding it too, and feels a little betrayed when it clearly prefers him. maybe it turns into a quiet competition over who the cat 'belongs' to. (the best part is that he insists it's not his, but looks a little too smug and satisfied every time the cat chooses him.)
if your muse enjoys pushing buttons, irang is an easy target. he'll snap back, argue and get visibly frustrated, but rarely wins. he'll walk away fuming, only to come up with the perfect comeback hours later.
always open to hearing your ideas if he fits any of your wanted connections! i will have a carrd up soon for him with more information and possibly more plot ideas, but for now, i think it's time for me to sleep...
looking forward to connecting with you all!
