โ ย โ (hwang hyunjin, cismale, he/him) hey thank you for coming to town hall to update your information yun kitae! youโre a citizen correct? good to know! are you enjoying yourself around yunhwa? youโve been staying here for a year? iโm glad! remind me, are you born on 08/11/1999? weโre so lucky to have someone so diligent around as a handyman even if sometimes you can be capricious. hope to see you around house #2023, hwesakgu!
howdy everyone ๐ค my name is jules, i go by she / they, 20+, reside in gmt -5 ( est ), and to prove just how excited i am to be here i literally completed my stats, bio, AND plots page before opening. donโt think iโve ever done that for a group before ( iโm notorious for my under co. pages that are, in fact, not under co. at all ) is my eagerness showing too much? should i tone it down? right, so letโs get to the stuff you guys are really here for: mr. yun kitae, ex baseball player, current handyman. insert โi can fix thatโ holes meme here!!
heโs got the perfect nuclear family and its all he could ever ask for
until it wasnโt so perfect and his mother remarried to a former baseball player and his father moved back to his hometown of yunhwa
his mother insists he follows in his step-fatherโs footsteps and they groom him to be the best damn baseball player seoul has ever seen
its only when his senior year of uni hits does he realize that he hates baseball, hates his mom for making him go through with it, hates himself for going along for so long. but like, heโs kind of stuck.
a phone call in the middle of the night changes that, its his auntie telling him that his father isnโt doing too well, that his health has declined and sheโs far too busy to fly all the way over to yunhwa to take care of him. without hesitating, he agrees to go.
โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
his mother asks when heโs coming home, he says he is home, and didnโt leave much to discuss after that.
he loves yunhwa, loves the pace the little town goes at, loves the lack of expectation on his part.
only thing he does miss is being able to race. see, he loves his car, loves working on her, and loves going fast in her.
the most he can do at yunhwa is drive out to a cliff with a view to eat at during his lunch breaks but hey heโs not complaining.
his father teaches him the ropes to being a handyman, and he soon takes over as the townโs resident fixer upper.
โ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐
heโs not exactly the most extroverted person out there. more like heโs amicable when needs to be, but needs to recharge in solitude immediately after any interaction.
the type to be dragged to a party then leave early because heโs tired
prefers a small circle of close friends rather than a wide range of acquaintances.
personality switches when heโs with the right people, he likes making them laugh, the type to be self deprecating to squeeze a bunch of jokes out of it
likes having deep talks, trauma bonding and whatnot. just don't use him as a therapist, he is not emotionally stable for any of that. ย
a pretentious music snob. only he can control the aux. if you ever touch his car radio you are getting kicked out immediately
remains calm in dire situations. bottles up his emotions and has a meltdown every other week.
likes flirting with the old ladies when they call him over to fix their microwaves because they forgot to plug it in again bc he likes it when they pinch his cheeks
yeah thats it so far!! if youโd like to plot pls like this post and iโll try to get back to you, but if you see anything on my plots page that catches your eye feel free to hmu via tumblr ims!! i do have a discord but its strictly for irl and gaming purposes so i wonโt be giving that out, sorry!
hellooooo loves! so this has been a long time coming but iโve come to the decision to drop kitae for the time being. i dropped the ball on him big time and just need a huge reset /: hopefully i can bring him back soon but!! fear not i wonโt be leaving yunhwa altogether, iโm bringing someone new in!! i just wanted to say thank you for everyone's patience, i know i was super horrible with replying, both ooc and ic kasjdkasjd but!! hopefully with the new slate i can get my shit together, do my character justice, and shower all ur wonderful muses with the love they deserve (โ:ย
ย ย with most customers, she wouldnโt act as blunt as she does with people she was closer in age with. if she were to speak to an auntie like this, sheโd be sure to hear a lecturing from daesun. that was for sure. besides, itโs not like she was being critical of his outfit on purpose! after all, with every customer who comes for services on what outfit to get, she always wants to be the most helpful person that she could be. is it similar to having aย โtough loveโ outlook on it? perhapsโฆ but either way, it helped get the job done and make her feel like sheโs being helpful.ย
ย ย ย she couldnโt help but scoff at his reasoning for the ridiculous getup that heโs in. while she can understand that itโs better to be in comfortable clothing than uncomfortable one, there shouldโve at least been better options! jaehee knew there were better options for comfortable clothing at the boutique, and yet he came here.. for just boots? she was amazed by it. but she wasnโt going to purposely turn him away with her own arguments. she was still going to find a way to make sure she was getting business going whilst helping poor, unfortunate, unfashionable yun kitae.
ย ย ย ย she scoffs at the response, putting her hand to her chest as she feigns offense by his choice of words. even at work, sheโs dramatic to the very end.ย โof course iโm doing this out of the goodness of my heart! i am looking out for you, my dude!โ she responds to him.ย โi want the best for you and your fashion! i want you to be able to portray yourself as a person in the best way possible and your style is essential to that!โ she then wiggles her eyebrows.ย โplus, if you take my advice, iโll make sure that you look spankinโ enough that anyone would fall for you! theyโll think you as charming and even ~zesty~ย with my help.โ she gives an emphasized wink, opening her mouth to make sure itโs obvious that she was dropping major hints.ย โhave i convinced you yet?โย
ย ย ย he truly did not want to give jaehee the satisfaction of thinking she was right, butย the thought of being compared to the strange, suspicious museum janitor who hated the few guests who visited and was plagued with rumors of collecting all the rats that lived in the basement for his army, he figured that maybe she had a point. perhaps spanking and zest was what he needed to truly channel the charm that he had been foolishly trying to emulate all this time.ย
ย ย ย kitae squinted at her with skepticism, not sure how much help she could be or if the blow to his ego would be worth it. its when she comically winks does he finally give out an exasperated groan, turning away from her before finally muttering out aย โfine. iโll do it.โย
ย ย ย he stands before she could think to react, making the first move to establish what boundaries heโd be willing to cross before donating his ( rather small ) closet of clothes out to the thrift store and coming home dressed gaudy and self conscious. he picks up an innocent looking flannel, fingers rubbing against the somewhat soft material before pulling it off the rack.ย
โokay, what about this? this shirt isnโt bad, right? we can call it...farmhand chic.โย
maybe, just maybe, had she done so, she couldโve saved herself from the surprise that comes within revealing that the person on the other side was none other than yun kitae. the greeting that was about to slip from her lips got stuck in her throat when meeting eyes with him. her heart, as usual, does the funny little thing of starting to beat faster, but unlike before, this time she doesnโt welcome the sensation and, instead, she forces her expression to remain as neutral as possible.
โwrong house.โ her voice is colder than itโs never been and she has to remind herself to appear unaffected despite being completely taken off guard. โleave.โ is her attempt to make him go away and, without really giving him a chance to speak, she tries to close the door.
ย ย ย "you're staring so hard at the phone, son. what's wrong?"
ย ย ย really he was looking at the piece of paper beside it, the chicken scratch of his poor penmanship written with the details of his latest assignment. he most certainly didn't expect the voice on the other line, nor did he expect it to say his name with a certain smugness, as if they knew something he didn't.
ย ย ย he bit into his lower lip, the furrow in his brow permanent on his face as he pushed his chair to stand abruptly.
ย ย ย "my ex girlfriend's mom just asked me to come over to help fix things. should i be worried?" they were still in a gray area where kitae was still learning how to open up to his father about things, for being conditioned to lie and keep secrets from his mother had been deeply ingrained in the part of his brain that relied on instinct for survival. his father was sweet and patient though, never once judging kitae so harshly for wanting to be a kid.
ย ย ย "no, i'd take it as an opportunity. you better be on your way, then. don't want to keep her waiting." ย he clapped a supportive hand on kitae's shoulder, to which he grinned in response and hurried over to his room to grab his car keys. he thought long and hard about how he were to approach yunhee again, to bridge the gap that he'd long since burned. he were to blame, this he knows and takes full responsibility for, but fate is a fickle thing that is vague and never linear. he knows, deep in his bones and the heart that thrums like a hummingbird at the thought of her name: he loves her and things are going to work out.
ย ย ย for five minutes he sat in his car, fiddling with his toolbox and organizing misplaced things, trying (and failing) to summon the courage to knock on her door. he knows her, knows how she'd react to seeing his face when she least expects it. prolonging the inevitable was useless, so he decisively throws his door open and slams it with conviction.
ย ย ย ding dong.
ย ย ย he was half amused that he was spot on at her answer, half disheartened at the malice she said it with. before yunhee could close the door in his face, he stuck his boot into the gap and pried it ajar.
ย ย ย he taps at the paper in his other hand, a smug smile on his lips as he did so. "nope, i wrote it down exactly as your mother told me. so do you not want a functioning washing machine or are you going to hand scrub all your clothes in this condition?" he blinked, gave a polite nod before completely walking past her and right into her house.
ย ย ย he bent over to unzip his boots, having the mindfulness to at least remove his shoes than stomp around with them on.
ย ย ย for all the months that have passed since yunhee had returned, kitae had practiced patience in his attempts to have her take him back, or rather as he's deemed in his handwritten, thorough plan scribbled on the back of a scrap piece of paper, "restore what has been lost." she pushed, he pulled, she'd shoot him down and he'd stand right back up to try all over again. it was a constant game between the two, how long could they act as if there still wasn't something between them? how long could they ignore the current of electricity that filled the air whenever they were in a room together?
ย ย ย it was getting repetitive, with nothing to show for all his efforts. if he wanted progress, he'd have to change his approach, perhaps go about things from a different angle. sure he'd been somewhat subtle all this time, wanting to test the waters before fully diving in. seeing as to how stubborn yunhee insisted on being, he figured a change of tactics was long overdue.
ย ย ย he walked past the numerous stalls, as well as the flood of tourists visiting for the festival, head held high and shoulders squared in determination towards the gas station. he was going over the script he mentally prepared: yunhee, i know we haven't had the chance to talk things out just yet, and its been long since overdue, but i was wondering if you wanted to spend the day with me at the festival. you know, have some fun and enjoy ourselves for a bit before we sit down and finally talk.
ย ย ย he worked on revising a few lines, not wanting to come across a certain way in hopes of having her actually say yes, before the sight of two strangers surrounding her caught his interest.
ย ย ย the feeling flooded through him before he could even register what it was, his body nearly acting on its' own as he put himself between the strangers, most likely tourists, and yunhee, who he could easily tell was uncomfortable.
ย ย ย "well, babe," he says easily. "you didn't tell me you'd have guests over. can i help you guys with anything? or are you both done here?"
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ( with @yumiyhโ continued from x )
ย ย ย according to newton's laws or whoever decided science: whatever could go wrong, will. and it did. he woke up approximately fifteen minutes after his alarm, got an earful from the old grandma whose stove he was meant to fix for being late, got a flat tire on his way back to the office, and upon taking it to the garage to get it fixed, witnessed his crush talking to another guy. trying to appear aloof he merely left his keys and went on a walk to clear his mind. clearly it didn't work, what with him feeling worse the more he was alone with his thoughts.
ย ย ย even buying an ice cream cone didn't do much to lighten the mood, though that didn't stop him from eating with vigor. it was when a stranger bumped into him and nearly knocked it out of his hand did he finally have an excuse to expel his annoyance to someone. he turned on his heels, ready to give them a piece of his mind, until he saw that it was someone his age.
ย ย ย his ego deflated, and he realize now that projecting his own woes onto another person was hardly becoming of a stranger. he puffed his chest out, squaring his shoulders before letting a frown settle on his features. "right yeah, sorry about that. its just...been a bad day, is all. my bad, really. sorry, who are you again? i don't think i've seen you around before."
ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ย ( with @yunheeyh continued from x )
ย ย ย he let out a huff of air through his nose, half bemused it managed to rile some sort of reaction out of her rather than the biting words he usually got, half disappointed that resorting to horribly cheesy lines were the only thing that seemed to be working for him. he sways from his spot when she pushes him, but he tries not to tumble out of balance in case he break something and get on his future mother in law's bad side.
ย ย ย "i can finish before she gets back," he answers indignantly before getting back to work, ducking his head under the sink in order to hide the smile blossoming on his lips. despite the amount of time that has passed between them, he's still giddy like a young school boy.
ย ย ย โi came here for the sink, not an entire shelf. when the hell did i become a butler instead of a handy man?"
ย ย ย there are two people in the world: those who are the moon, and those who encompass the sun. kitae's light waxed and waned with his emotions, which were influenced like the tides that lapped at the sand. he was cold, silvery, the type to stretch shadows beyond recognition rather than provide a guiding light. he was muted and moody and chose to sit back rather than participate.
ย ย ย haesol's smile radiated like the sun, so bright it left an afterimage behind kitae's eyelids. it had a luminosity impossible to imitate, because behind the light was genuine warmth, the kind that even he had to be mindful not to take advantage of, no matter how kind the other may be. after all, the moon was meant to reflect the sun's brilliance.
ย ย ย he clicks the locks closed, turning to the other and flashing him an amused smile before gunning it down the road, not bothering to look ahead just yet.
ย ย ย "that isn't healthy at all. has anyone told you that you work too hard yet?" once he was done showing off how fast his car could go, he begrudgingly returns to the speed limit once he passes an irate police man eyeing the two of them. "how boring would it be just going home and doing nothing, though? its the weekend and i'm hungry, haesol. i'm thinking the universe put you in my passenger's seat for a reason. we should have an adventure."
ย ย ย had anyone ever had the courtesy to ask kitae, of all the possible objects that he repaired in the past year of his active work, what would be his favorite to fix? and his answer, no matter what, will always be anything with a motor. he had his child parked in the cramped driveway of his father's little home, out for display though no one ever appreciated the work put into ensuring that belinda ( yes, his car's name is belinda, no he will not explain ) remained shiny and in tip top shape. it started out as a simple hobby introduced by his old teammates back in seoul, which now blossomed into a passion, admittedly only ever done in between work now a days. his expertise shone in how to make things go fast.
ย ย ย his pace at yunhwa has slowed considerably, retiring his old street racing days for old ladies that keep him hostage in their homes as he explains for the nth time that their big box televisions need to be plugged in to work. his cool factor had suffered immensely after moving to the seaside town, to which he couldn't bring himself to care half as much as he should. had his mother seen him spending his days catnapping in a worn out jumpsuit rather than practice at the fields, she'd have shipped him straight back to seoul. he would phrase it as "back home to seoul" but that place stopped feeling like a home before he decided to leave.
ย ย ย he squints at the decrepit tractor, dust and cobwebs coating the machine to showcase its neglect. underneath the grime he thought of it to be some shade of green. "oh definitely. but i have a proposition. you donate it to little ol' me and i turn it into a race car. we can name it thunder mcking and split the winning profits fifty-fifty. hows that sound?" he gives the other male a childish grin, knowing fully well that the idea of them perched on a tractor going anywhere higher than 30 kmh was sure to incite more laughter than anything.
ย ย ย "why do you want to get rid of this stuff, anyway? farming not for you?"
i do apologize for how long iโve been taking: with ims and replies respectively ( and also discord but a confession: i may or may not have completely forgot my login and just......havenโt logged in since i made thee acc AKSDJASKDJAS PLSSSSS IM HOPELESS I KNOW ) got a bit overwhelmed with things but here to confirm that i will get to all my replies as soon as possible before heading to the mess that are my ims. also wanted to say that aside from who iโm plotting with right now, iโll be putting a cap on threads for the time being because i definitely bit off more than i could chew. so! yeah!!! sorry for being an absolute mess but i love yunhwa and all the ppl here so donโt give up on me yet :pย
jiyeon was self-aware enough to admit that she was probably one of the most stubborn of citizens in yunhwa. she was a strong believer in the idea that if it isnโt broken, thereโs no need to fix it. however, she would also admit that this was mostly due to being too busy to bother with learning new mechanics and methods that could possibly disrupt her perfectly laid out work plan. on most days, the copy machine worked just fineโ it got the work done! for a while, that was all that mattered to jiyeon. but today, one or two hard taps on the side didnโt seem to cut it.ย
โyouโve fixed it for us before, iโm sure you can do it again! work your magic and do whatever it takes!โ she didnโt bother hiding the stress intertwined in her exasperated tone. part of her knew that he was rightโ it was a professional opinion, afterall. however, jiyeonโs mind was far too clouded with the concern of failing to meet the dayโs deadlines to think logically.ย
even with lee jaerim officially taking up the mantle as yunhwaโs new mayor, the presence of his predecessor still lingered in town hall. there was still a pile of transitional paperwork to process and file that she hadnโt even heard of prior. but she could still manage to finish on time so long as the copier did itโs job!
she sighed, running a frustrated hand through her hair before turning back to the handyman. while the look on her face was weary, jiyeonโs stance remained firm as she shifted her weight to rest on her left leg, hands resting on her waist.ย
โplease, i am begging you to do whatever it takes to get this machine fixed by today. and at the end of it all, i will owe you my life.โ
ย ย ย had he even a mere ounce of jiyeon's energy, he'd be powerful enough to fix every broken machine in the greater south region of the entire country. her talents were wasted on this town, she would easily keep up with the city's natural bustle. sometimes he feels guilty thinking like that, especially when yunhwa was a refuge even he was proud to call home. home before meant four sterile, perfect, pristine home where perfection was expected, never praise. warmth was a commodity amongst those whose passions were directed to ambition, the same way spending meals together was, or expecting an answer when you call out "i'm home".
ย ย ย he didn't know much of jiyeon's own stance on the town. if he had to guess he'd think if it were legally allowed, she'd live in town hall. sometimes it felt more like a stockholm syndrome type of devotion to the old building, what with the constant scurrying she did while he worked idly on the copy machine, but there had to be some type of appreciation, lest she'd move on to something better than...this.
ย ย ย he quirked an eyebrow at her desperation, wondering why in the world she was fighting so hard for such a decrepit block of steel, but shrugged it off before turning back to his work.
ย ย ย ย โyou really shouldn't give your life away so easily, you never know who has less than kind intentions." he says this wistfully, as if in his twenty something years of living he'd seen it all. "still, you cannot go back on your word, not even if i cash in that iou for a very expensive meal at sura."
ย ย ย he goes in with his wrench, turning a bolt before flipping a switch. the copy machine gave a hopeful wheeze before it sputtered back to complete silence, and with this kitae reached the end of his patience.
ย ย ย "listen. you know every square inch of this building, right? where in the hell can i find a god damn manual for this thing before i lose it?"
haesol pouts, subconsciously shooting that puppy dog eyed stare at kitaeโs back for his less than reassuring answer.ย โyes. i suppose youโre right,โ he mumbles, shooting one last glance back behind him before picking up his pace to keep up with him.
his hands relax ever so slightly from their grip on his backpackโtakes some solace in kitaeโs confident strides forward. โi did tell myself that i would go on adventures and stuff as much as possible when i got to yunhwa,โ he admits.ย
โdidnโt exactly have skinny dipping on my list of things to do here,โ he snorts in reluctant amusement at the otherโs words, โbut nothing ventured, nothing gained, as they say.โ
haesol has never been the most confident person, at least not with personal affairs. meek, easily intimidated, a bit of a pushover, the list goes on. itโs a miracle that heโs able to carry himself fine professionally. when heโs up at the podium in front of a class full of students, heโs a completely different person: self assured, stable, resilient.ย and oh how he longsย to be that person all the time. he envies people like kitae who just seem to live their lives without the constant internal barrage of doubt dragging them down.
โuh, well honestly asโโ heโs about to sayย as intimidating as you areย but figures maybe thatโs a little too pathetic to admit out loud, so he pauses, searches for the right words.ย โas worrisome as the situation is,โ he tries, eyes squinting as he hears just how clunky it sounds,ย โi donโt take you for the murder-y type.โ i think.ย โyouโre a handyman right? you go around helping people by fixing their stuff, and thatโs a really noble thing to do in its own right. i canโt imagine someone like that would be a murderer.โ well i can but iโd really rather not do that right now.
ย ย ย an expression of genuine curiosity breaks the cool stoic of his expression, the doubt hitting kitae hard enough that he had to crane his neck over to give the other a look. "you mean to tell me that your definition of adventurous is taking a hike away from the...designated path?" perhaps haesol was much worse than he'd initially thought, forced to live life behind a large, mobile hamster had something as tame as walking was considered thrilling. the curiosity burns, and although kitae knows better than to pry into other people's pasts lest it open up the vulnerability for others to do thee same, he couldn't help himself.
ย ย ย "what were you like before yunhwa? not like philosophically or anything, um, like what did you do for fun? and what were your hobbies?" he backtracks, tries not to make it too personal or prying. "because really, the more we hang out the clearer the mental image of you plugging yourself in to charge after work or school becomes." he means it as a joke, tacking on a playful grin and waiting for the other to catch up to his pace before clapping a reassuring hand on haesol's shoulder.
ย ย ย "so, what you're trying to tell me is that you trust me. right?" he wriggled his eyebrow, trying to coax out an affirmation from the other. haesol did confirm one thing: that his heart was as big as kitae thought, and he has to hold himself from clicking his tongue. poor kid, really, because even he could see the prominent target on the other's back. being this good was too easy for others to take advantage of. "we 'ought to hang out more, get you some healthy exposure therapy. thrill is much more than straying from little rules." he moves to sling a comfortable arm around the other.
โI see no one has ever bothered to teach you manners.โ
ice breaker starters: no longer accepting
ย ย ย ย first impressions were a staple to kitae: had there been a public reviews section for people his would boast an average of 4.7 stars out of 5. not perfect, the one to two stars would come from overzealous kids from schoolyard fights and the odd stranger who bumped into him on the wrong day, but aside from that he was perfectly pleasant boy. the type to say please and thank you and hold doors open for the people behind him. brownie points for when he's in limbo and they're deciding the fate of his damned soul.
ย ย ย though here and now, he could physically feel the average of his stars drop to a pathetic three point whatever in the face of yunmi: the dreaded other half to his, otherwise, half. they never met face to face until recently, but he knew about sisterly bonds, was not well versed in the art of twin telepathy but was more than sure that the moment yunhee felt the pain of their official separation the day he left seoul, the other felt an echo.
ย ย ย his lips curl, and could tell from the uncertain wobble of his facial muscles that it was very much forced, knew she'd be able to read him like a book from what yunhee told him about her, but tried his best despite.
ย ย ย "what makes you say that?" careful, kitae. restraint. you learned all about it during practice. you're a master at it: its what you trained your whole life for. "its not like you know much about manners either." and its gone. just like that. his attempt at a second first impression spun, down the drain of the toilet that was his life.
ย ย ย "so, what? gonna use this as an excuse to lecture me or something? well go on then, you clearly have something to get off your chest. its been a long time coming."
ย ย ย as much as he'd like to be someone pleasant and amicable enough, it was hard to separate the slight tinge of dread in the pit of his stomach when meeting jiyeon's eyes. not that he found her repulsive or anything, moreso that he associated her presence with the ancient tomes in the dank, suffocating basement of the town hall, of the hours spent squinting at yellowed pages with fingers smudged gray from coatings of dust on virtually everything.
ย ย ย "no," he groaned out truthfully, reaching the back of his neck to idly scratch at it. "please tell me that damn thing isn't broken at least. or that something needs to be fixed. is it too much to wish that you came to see me just to say hi or something?"
ย ย ย though, it was pretty rare to see a jiyeon outside of work attire, scurrying this way and that around town hall with a slurry of papers trailing after her, though he wouldn't put it past her to complete tasks outside of her operating hours.
ย ย ย "if something needs fixing then you owe me. big time."
ย ย ย holidays like today used to be a sweet affair, careful plans falling into place with an expensive bouquet tucked between his shoulder blades as he waited for his girl to open the door. he was a romantic the way one reads about in sappy stories and manga. he once tried his best, at least, he thought it was the best, though had it been good enough then perhaps he wouldn't be spending this year's white day staring into the bottom of an empty glass, a ring of amber pooling at the bottom.
ย ย ย his progression was always one step forward, two steps back. he was never one to complain, after all he was nothing but a pawn in fate's chessboard, what with souls being bound and all that mush. today he wanted to whine and pout about it, drink a glass or two or hey mister bartender don't cut me off just yet โ !
ย ย ย he's not particularly sure when she finds him, or how much time has passed since he initially sat down that night, or the entirety of the passage of time for that matter, but he looks at happy little yuna with a scrutinizing squint before his features release into a lax grin.
ย ย ย "have you come to celebrate, too?" he thinks for a moment. "are you even old enough to be here?" before she could reply, he waves a dismissive hand, far too hammered to care for should or shouldn'ts at that moment. he was just happy to have company. "have you come to mock me. is that it?" he makes a small wave to the bartender who was too preoccupied with other patrons. "a glass of milk for the little one, please!"
ย ย ย โgood ideasโ and โkitaeโ were hardly ever thought in conjunction, lest the word never drew a distinct line between the two. recycling the same beach town shtick was getting to him, he could only swim and eat and hike so much until the monotony wore down on his sanity ( which was, admittedly, already eroding due to yunheeโs deflections of his affection and lack of ability to go more than the agonizingly slow speed limit of the main road. ) so he tries to find ways to fill the void and keyu, sweet and naive and readily accessible keyu who does not question his ideas despite them being, at their core, questionable, was his victim for the night. in his childish endeavor to satiate boredom, he could understand why some would wonder how kitae was the older one between them.ย
ย ย ย his bright idea was a shoddy skateboard given to him by a customer that very day, the artifact unearthed in an old dusty shed in their backyard. โgo ahead and take it,โ the grandmother said. โthat's one less clutter i have to worry about.โ despite the rust on its bolts and the splintering wood that showcased its age, kitae still insisted on trying it out.ย
ย ย ย and failing, rather gracefully, on the concrete floor below him. his limbs are splayed out like a starfish, and for a moment he remains in the position he landed on due to the overbearing weight of shame anchoring him in place. he pushes himself up to his elbows, only to heave over to his backside and instead took that moment to observe the ever bright stars above them. โiโm fine,โ he mumbles quietly. โit was kind of, i dunno, exhilarating. you should try it. except maybe with elbow pads and stuff. yeah, be a little smarter about it and youโll have fun in no time.โ he gives the other a wide grin before patting the ice cold space beside him. โnever would have seen the stars tonight had i not ate shit like that so thatโs a plus. right?โ
ย ย ย town hall, to kitae at the very east, seemed to be the core generator for yunhwaโs infamous sleepy energy. there couldnโt be much to manage, after all, its boundaries were small and self sustaining in its own right. he could have sworn heโd heard snoring when passing by the mayorโs office last week when the air conditioning broke, but he figured it might have been the churn of all the ancient machinery in the cramped building echoing through its out dated ventilation system. most of the computers there were still running windows vista, much to his own horror. the amount of times he had to help the prehistoric receptionist who refused to retire how to copy and paste was enough to drive him absolutely mad.ย
ย ย ย he was here, again, because of the true bane of his existence: the god damn copy machine. it was intimidatingly large, and he was half convinced itโs presence in the town preceded even the first settlers. it had to have been forged from some form of indestructible material, what with its refusal to kick the bucket. it still churned out copies, but on its own schedule, the temperamental machine dictating when it wanted to cooperate and when it wanted to make the town hall employeeโs ( and hisย ) lives a living hell.ย
ย ย ย today it chose violence. no matter what kitae did, it simply refused to sputter to life. the unholy screen remained a frightening blue, one that did not reassure its revival any time soon. he resorted to disassembling the motor, trying to make sense of its outdated pieces before a set of hurried footsteps met his ear. he knew without having to turn around who it was.ย
ย ย ย โi already told you,โ he groaned out.ย โiโm working as fast as i can but i think this thing is dead. ask the mayor to get a new one.โย
