being able to spend time at the water park came as a much-needed break from the stressful day-to-day schedules of royal survival, and the smile dawon wore came naturally. it had been too long since all of her time and effort could be spent enjoying herself, and the timing couldn’t have been more perfect. for the first time in a while, dawon was able to have a good time without being weighed down by each of her fears and insecurities, and she came close to forgetting that she was being filmed at all. bubbly, excited laughter could often be heard from dawon’s direction, showing that she was more than a quiet girl intent on keeping to herself.
to dawon, spending plenty of time by seolhyun’s side was practically a no-brainer. she’d easily consider seolhyun to be her best friend on the show, so, naturally, it was that much more fun to hang out with her during their limited time at the water park. seoyoung was another of the contestants that dawon had met before making it onto the show, one that she was considerably fond of, so she found it pleasant that the three of them were able to spend time relaxing as they admired the scenery around them. their innocent game of never have i ever was easily one of the highlights of dawon’s trip to the water park, especially considering they hadn’t delved into any inappropriate topics.
after dawon had thoroughly enjoyed herself in the shark wave, she and seolhyun’s time spent in the aqua zone became another of dawon’s personal highlights of their time spent at the water park, as it had given her opportunity for even more relaxation. while laughter and excitement had been abundant at the shark wave, there was something about the relaxing that she couldn’t get enough of. it helped that seolhyun’s impromptu song inspired much amusement from dawon, and she often tried to chime in with lyrics of her own, though only when she wasn’t laughing too hard to focus.
things were going well for dawon, and perhaps that showed in the way she smiling much more often as of late. she was beginning to feel as though things might be going her way for once, and she was starting to feel confident that she may actually possess what it takes to make it to the end of this competition, and, eventually, debut. she tries not to dwell on the lingering fear that her luck must be due to run out soon, especially considering how much fun they had experienced in this episode. it was only a matter of time before things changed for the worse once again, though, for now, dawon was determined to enjoy herself while she had the chance.
♡ #rkroyalsurvival, episode 5! — waterpark filming ! ( three day compilation ) outfit.
never in her life had she been to a waterpark of this size, especially not within korea. so, when it’s announced for the fifth episode that filming revolves around a day out, rose is ecstatic. it’s cumbersome to constantly be evaluated and judged, even though that’s the premise of the program after all. choosing what to wear is a problem all on it’s own, and rose has to keep in mind that korea is still somewhat conservative, and she’d hate to be targeted for being promiscuous and showing skin where not necessary. rose ends up settling on something rather safe, yet flattering, a zip-up rashie in a deep blue with navy detailing and fitted shorts. she’d make the most of her outfit, and besides; she looked cute and she was excited to see the sun even if the temperatures were a little lower than she would like. her mom had messaged her early this morning prior to her leaving for filming, saying how hot it was back home in australia, and rose was lowkey jealous, pining for the hot summer australian sun. how nice it would be to pair two and two together. she sighs, unable to have the best of both worlds.
rose spends most of the first tag tagging along with the rest of the girls at rainbow stream and spa valley, testing the different attractions, seeing which one was her favourite. she doesn’t go out of her way to approach the cameras, but nonetheless, she comes across as though she’s having a whole lot of fun and she is. cameras would hopefully catch sight of a very happy, laid back girl in her element, outside amongst her friends having the time of her life. it’s nice to take a step back from the stress of serious evaluations and prompts; although rose can’t help but dwell on the next episode and what’ll be happening for her; unless jiseob is planning a surprise elimination at the waterpark. if so, that’d be a total downer. she enjoys swimming around in the deeper waters, answering eunae’s call willingly. day one is refreshing and fun, and rose is hoping that she’ll have enough energy to enjoy the following few days. if anything, she’s going to sleep well tonight.
the second day is a little more fun-filled and full on. she spends a good portion of the day attached to seolhyun’s hip, accompanying her in the shallow ends of the pool as the older female is unwilling to travel into the depths, which rose thinks is fair enough. seolhyun grabs at rose whenever the two of them go a little beyond feet touching ground territory, leaving seolhyun to go into a panic. rose smiles and holds her hand, helping her back into comfort zone, moving back to the shallow depths once more. however, the moment where seolhyun was flipped out of her inflatable lounge chair was a scare for the both of them and rose being rose immediately reacted to the situation, helping the other, asking if she was okay, peeling bits of a wet hair back from her face with a gentle smile. later on, rose is found by jihyun’s side, sneaking a peak at the food carts, ice-cream’s in hand; all whilst in the midst of a water fight. water pistol in rose’s hand, she finds herself being dragged off in the opposite direction by jihyun, hand in hand. rose cries out a little while licking at the banana and vanilla ice-cream that drips down the edge of the cone. she didn’t want to be that kid to drop the pricey ice-cream cone at the waterpark.
she hadn’t anticipated how she’d feel for the filming to come to an end. even with cameras following their every move, it had been a total refresher for rose; in her eyes the filming had totally been worthwhile and she would love to do it all again with the girls if given opportunity ( although, she knows that it’ll never be like this ever again. some will triumph and others will falter, that’s the bitter truth of royal survival ). the funzone is filled with sand, almost like a large stretch of beach or a giant sandpit; rose felt like a little kid again, especially when all of the girls went head to head in a sandcastle battle. teaming up with seolhyun, rose is asking seolhyun if she knows anything about making sandcastles as though there is a science behind making the sand structures. it’s all trial and error, either too much water or too much sand. rose sighs in defeat each and every time but ends up trying again, determined to make some form of structure before the filming day is over. and they manage, rose adds small, makeshift flag poles made out of icey-pole sticks and leaves before shouting out of victory with seolhyun, the two holding hands before going in for a hug to celebrate their success. volleyball is also a focus of this day of filming, although rose admits she’s feeling a little bit lightheaded, sits on the sidelines with a bottle of water, watching the girls play volleyball. while the day ended on a little bit of a downer for rose, nonetheless, it was fun. she couldn’t put a finger on what her favourite day was, but on the ride back to the dormitories, she falls asleep without hesitation or trouble, cheeks dusted with pink. rose has had a decent amount of sun, perhaps a little too much.
in the midst of artificial sun and water park shenanigans, they’re back here again. camera and herself, producer smack dab in the middle with their set of questions thrown forward. going, going, and going. it’s an endless cycle of blank stares and quiet pauses. halfway through the season and she’s still nervous in front of the camera during these interviews. confidence dwindling down with each episode; certainty becoming more unclear than it should. would she be safe this week? the next -- the week after that? all the way to the end?
jihyun didn’t know anymore.
at least, the last few weeks had blessed her enough -- but even then, jihyun didn’t have her fill.
she wanted to go all the way to the end, stand with the others -- the girls she’s becoming more and more in tune with. becoming familiar with during each week, learning more about them than she would have outside of the seocho dorms.
she didn’t want it to end so soon.
❛ you’ve made it this far --
but, do you believe you’ve
got what it takes to survive until the end ? ❜
“i --” she pauses, did she have what it takes? it takes double the amount of time before she’s back to doubting herself -- worrying about her own thoughts that she realizes she’s sidetracked and she’s ambushed with the anguish of how impolite the silence may have come off as. it’s one thing to doubt herself, but again -- didn’t she just tell herself that she was in it for the long haul -- that she had more to offer so jisub than just her voice? “i think i do. i know i’m known mainly for my voice but i think i have more room to grow and that’s what i think is my strongest advantage -- what will help me survive until the end. what i need to survive until the end, to be able to learn and adapt. i know i’m not the best dancer here, but i’m determined to improve as long as i’m capable and given the opportunity. and whether i make it to the end, i’d rather not jinx it, but i know what my strengths are and i’ve yet to give up on this dream yet.”
❛ i see. your determination is admirable.
if you make it to the finale, what kind of
concept would be ideal for your debut ? ❜
it’s the last that makes jihyun find relief, she feels air bubble in her throat only to be let out in a speechless laugh. light-hearted, more air than she intends as she feels her fingers run through dark tendrils, brushing away the bangs from her eyes. “honestly? at this point, i’ll take what i can get. whatever they want to have me do, i’ll do it. i signed up for this believing that i wouldn’t have 100% of a chance deciding concept ideas at the beginning.” she pauses, rethinks her wording on her spared thoughts. weighs the pros and cons of being too honest and being too vague. she had already showed so much of herself, too much of her carefree side during the filming at seorak waterpia; was she being too nonchalant by revealing too much?
“but -- my ideal debut would be something powerful, or well, empowering for women, men, anyone. something that makes an impact, at the very least. it doesn’t have to be a strong concept or a sexy concept, it could also be cute and youthful -- refreshing, if that’s what they’d like. i just want my debut to mean something, if that can be put into a concept -- i’d consider myself lucky.”
against all odds, dawon was growing fond of the interview portion of the show, as it always granted her with a sense of familiarity. it was a constant that she could count on with every episode, and that alone was enough to give her a sense of peace. the questions were different each time, sure, but the progress she was making towards feeling more in her element was steady, unwavering—something that was helping her to feel increasingly confident in herself through her time on the show. she still had a long way to go, that much she wouldn’t argue with, but she tried to take pride in the small victories as they came.
do you believe you have what it takes to survive through to the end of this competition?
her initial instinct was to say something along the lines of: ‘i don't know’, or ‘that’s a very good question’, though she knew that it wasn’t the answer they were looking for, nor was it the answer she felt strongest about. the question had her mind racing, and she couldn’t help but wonder: did she have what it takes to survive the competition? if they had asked her two months ago, she would have told them that her chances of making it to the end were slim at best. now, though? she wasn’t so sure, though she knew she wasn’t as hopeless as she’d been in the past.
“i like to believe that i do,” she answered honestly with a chuckle, doing her best to show natural confidence in front of the camera. “and it’s not that i think i’m better than anyone else that’s here, but...” her voice trailed off as a warm smile took residence on her lips, and not even dawon could have prepared herself for what she’d say next. “i believe in myself, and i have to believe that i can make it through this. i have to believe i can make it to the end so long as i give it my all. but it’s also scary because i know that the other girls are just as capable as i am, you know? we’re all driven because we all want this so much... it really makes us that much more desperate. the competition really is no joke. i’m nervous, but i’m looking forward to the challenge.”
what kind of concept would you ideally like to debut with?
"aah, that’s a good question,” she replied softly, thinking for a moment before proceeding with a more detailed answer. “honestly, i don’t think i’d mind the concept very much. i think i’d be too excited about debuting to have much of an opinion. you see, i may have said this before, but i like to believe i’m very versatile when it comes to concepts! so... my ideal debut concept is whatever concept so jisub has in mind for his future girl group,” she added in good humor, amused laughter spilling from within her as she raised a hand to cover her mouth. “that’d be good enough for me.”
so jisub’s visit to the dorm came as a surprise, and dawon couldn’t help but feel nervous. this was far from a regular occurrence, meaning that something was bound to happen soon. why was he here? was he there to deliver their next challenge? those thoughts are quickly pushed aside when dawon spots the designer from the day before, and she realizes just how dire the situation truly is. they were here to talk about the dress. she assumed that things were about to take a turn for the worse, and all she could do was sit back and await her fate.
dawon listened intently as so jisub congratulated the girls on their successful interviews, a soft smile resting on her lips as she tried to outwardly appear as though she wasn’t terrified of the confrontation that would follow. while it was somewhat relieving to hear that the interviews had gone well, it wasn’t the interviews that dawon was worried about. they still hadn’t talked about the incident with the dress. the designer must have accompanied so jisub for a reason, right? dawon doubted that she’d make it out of the conversation unscathed, assuming that her punishment must have been approaching.
what came next, however, came as even more of a surprise than the royal ceo’s visit. she learned that the unfortunate incident with the dress was nothing more than a hidden camera prank, used to test the selflessness of the girls (and provide a bit of entertainment for those at home). dawon found herself unable to fight the wide, amused smile that formed on her features, embarrassed laughter rising from within her as she tried to cover her face. “aah, that was too much,” she added in between laughter, though it went without saying that she was nothing short of relieved. not only did this mean she wouldn’t have to pay for the costume, or that she’d live to see another day of royal survival, but it also meant that her usual bad luck wasn’t striking again. things had worked out for the better, just when dawon felt she was in desperate need of a win.
#water & fun, soaking up some sun ! ° [ + ] lee, jihyun —————— ✦ ˟
› ! royal survival &. episode six: seorak waterpia filming ┄ ·˚₊
TW: FOOD, EATING.
a godsend in the form of this week’s schedule, jihyun found herself more than a little too overjoyed at being at the water park. with all its twists and turns, boundless laughter heard here and there, jihyun felt more at home at the waterpark than she has in ages. fingers outstretched, pointing at every which way, at every little thing; comical ooohs and ahhs following each one. a small little haven filled to the brim with excitement rather than her stressing over doing well during a performance, making sure she didn’t trip over her own feet, and all the other troublesome worries she’s burdened herself with.
but of course, the water park also had its disadvantages. as much as it had appeared as a blessing, it was easily shrouded by the handful of cameras that followed her every move. nearly rocketing her back to earth and departing her from her idea of fun. even then, she still tries to make the most of it. going forth, piggy-backing her fun between going down the body slides with elly and kicking her feet in shark wave, floaties and all.
any other day, with a horizon so vast and wide, jihyun would have been found stretched out on a beach towel, as lazy as can be, soaking up whatever rays of sun she could acquire. ( a time that reminds her fondly of the australian sun and the deep days spent in her earlier years -- not jihyun, but as olivia ) but this time, with so much to see, that was obviously not the case. it’s a wonder how the cameras were able to keep up with jihyun -- especially when it was a wonder for the girl, herself, after hours of running from here to there.
( she can already feel the cranky wrinkles slipping from her forehead as she finds herself running from the pelting of water guns and screaming girls )
it’s between the water gun fights that she finds herself with rose at the food stands by aqua zone. a cone already in hand by the time the cameras catch up to them; waving the ice cream come before the lens until she’s rushing away; teasing the sight with a coy smile. her own water gun hanging off of her pinky as she skips away, licking her ice cream; hand in hand with rose as she tugs the younger girl away. ice cream cones melting against wrapped fingers around waffle cones. vanilla white and strawberry pink mixing beneath artificial lighting and the splashing of aqua zone’s waters.
highlights are strewn throughout the days; from days spent cooped inside -- jihyun begins to jump at the chance to go to the water park again and begin filming. sand squished between tiny twenty toes and twenty fingers. she’s back in heaven. building sand castles, pushing sand against sand in order to attempt to do so.
her own smile mirroring lisa’s as they’re spent, knee-deep in the sand trying to salvage what they could of their sand castle. at least, what appeared to be a sandcastle. if one could call sand mixed with water, pushed into a big pile and decorated with shells and flowers. it’s a pity, she feels efforts are wasted on lisa’s part -- aesthetics were never jihyun’s strongest points but she tried her best to help the other, bringing pails of water and mixing it with the sand when needed. doing her best up until the competition time is called and they’re left to the judging of the rest of the girls.
her arms wrapped around lisa’s waist as they wait for the results. presenting their masterpiece with the brightest of smiles, whether they won or not the littlest of jihyun’s worries. mind a little to warped with the fun from that day to really care about winning at this point. ( competitive spirit reserved for other days, not today -- today was for fun )
nearly by the end of shooting, she’s at the point of exhaustion. drenched once more from the pool water; towel wrapped tight around her lithe frame as she tries to at least save a little decency. when the cameras are finally off, it’s a bittersweet farewell. and as childish as it may be, some part of jihyun didn’t want to leave.
she’s more or less let herself relax, smiles and all. showing too much to the public through laughter and boundless running through the park. it had given her a little bit of herself back -- a slice of her own past that she’s let herself forget after years of running in one direction, fighting forward rather than backward. trying to become the better person, the mature person she hoped she was today.
after years of working towards something, today felt a little too true. too much of a reward for someone who’s not yet achieved what she wished to. and yet, despite all these ongoing doubts she keeps within her, jihyun feels herself going back to the dorm with a better head on her shoulders.
her time here changed that -- it brought her back to a simpler time where all she had was herself -- olivia lee, not lee jihyun.
perhaps, these past few days proved that she could be both.
#hidden camera tricks and ahhs ! ° [ + ] lee, jihyun —————— ✦ ˟
› ! royal survival &. episode six: hidden prank reveal ┄ ·˚₊
the day after the interviews, jihyun is still distraught. her emotions are still on an all-time high alert. too eager to please, too stubborn to plead even more. after leaving the costume room, jihyun had kept to herself. too ashamed by what had transpired to even delve her devious deeds to the other girls. was she the only one who screwed up? only she would know.
it was only ‘til now that she finds herself bewildered, more than a little suspicious by the way he enters. he’s smiling. why was he smiling? had the designer not told him what she had done?
“congratulations on your successful practice interviews,”
you’ve got to be shitting me. without notice, jihyun feels her mouth fall apart -- agape at the news. it was fake?!
fingers tighten, her own brows screw in confusion. she feels her own emotions bubble over -- showing a little too much as she lets the news sink in. she isn’t sure whether she should be relieved or angry. a teetering variance between upset and absolute devastation is a thin line marked by bright lips and her very own wavering emotions that riveted about. she can’t shake the feeling of betrayal that seizes her; freezes up her facial muscles and keeps that very thin line in it’s pristinely crooked position. if there were ever a cause for distress -- this would probably qualify as one of many that have hurt her through the entire season.
she breathes, once in -- another out. fuck, he got her real good. it hurts her to admit it -- it was a good prank. it deeply wounded her to think that her gentle giant of a ceo was able to pull this. maybe even he had a wicked sort of humor. and as a lover of all things halloween -- it was the season for tricks and treats; it was hard for her to stay mad.
perhaps, this trick was a blessing in disguise. with the trick came a treat -- hopefully.
