[open]

[yancat]

Who: Jumin and you
Where: various!
When: various! during and after Uvi attack, and during the September intro log
Open/Closed: I have options open to all!

closed to eliza

[Creatures of the deep wouldn't have persisted for so long without their cunning and tenacity. In those parts of the ocean the laws of nature are broken and the weak are eliminated without hesitation. Jumin knows better than to underestimate those who have lived longer than he, but he thought he also knew how to strike back.

The tall and majestic only bow to the strong but just as Jumin thinks he's in control, a shark and squid flank him in the streets. Tentacles whip out from the ocean bubble and wrap around him, and his eyes widen. It's not his life he's worried about — he trusts his comrades. It's just...

In the end, Jumin is a millennial.

His phone slips out of his pocket.]

ELIZABEEEETH!



closed to jeanne (vanilla)

...

[In the woman's arms is an egg the size of a football.]

......

[He's not sure why she's happy to show it to him, but he has a hunch.]

Jeanne, I'll have to stop you there. I'm not making breakfast with an egg that size. We can't finish it and I don't trust it. Put the dinosaur back where you found it and I'll make you proper pancakes.



closed to akira

[Jumin's drenched and on his knees, but not in the way lonely housewives and socialites want him to be. He coughs the seawater out of his mouth before collapsing onto the pavement, exhausted from a struggle. Not so far away, a killer whale floats away from the scene in its bubble. Judging from its monolithic presence, it wouldn't have let Jumin go if it hadn't been startled. They're more human than cougars, he thinks.

The cement is cold against his cheek. Perhaps Assistant Kang would have helped him by now. That reminds him, he had to call her about refurbishing their franchise in Gangnam... The tiles have to be at least this smooth...

His consciousness flits in and out as the lack of oxygen plays with his head. Not good. Hopefully someone from the coven can find him fast...

Wait. He hears footsteps.]

You, boy.

[He says with his face on the ground.]

Help... your elders.



open a, during the surprise attack

[Now, he's not usually this reckless. But he's being chased by a a school of piranhas encased in a bubble of seawater and he could really use the help right now!?

Or you could laugh at a rich asshole running for his life from a bunch of fish. That's fine too.]



open b, after the surprise attack

[Jumin is by one of the shelves at the back of a shoemaker's shop, doing inventory. It's nothing he hasn't done before. What's odd are the brooms sweeping the floors, the boxes sorting themselves by size, style and color, the glass door opening whenever a customer approaches — wait.

Anyway, no chimes tell Jumin to lift his head or stop writing, but he does acknowledge whoever steps inside.]

Have you come to stop and stare or will you state your business?



open c, during the intro log

[Curiosity killed the cat. An experiment with a vial of Palai pheromones gone awry has led both you, Jumin and a lot of karma to this very day.

He greets you with a rare, handsome smile.]

They say humans are wired to find faces in most everything. The patterns of animals, the stars in the sky, the flowers in full bloom...

[He hopes you get the hint.]

Comments

[yancat]

No.

That's... wrong.

[HAKUNO]

[sealeted]

I don't think we talked about many other people from your home. Did you have a lover?

[He seemed pretty much married to his job from what she could tell.]

Or maybe a dear friend? There's no shame in being homesick, either way.

[yancat]

I miss many things about home, of course. The cats, for one.

[It's too awkward to flirt at this point, so he's just going to try and keep it together...]

But I am worried about Jihyun. Most call him V — he's my childhood friend. [His only friend.

He adjusts his cuffs.]

I fear his condition will get worse the longer he avoids treatment.

[sealeted]

...I see.

[She looks down, fiddling with her forelock.]

I... had a friend named Julius, before. His body was... in a bad state, but he insisted on doing his duty to protect his brother. And, me too, in the end. I can understand that anxiousness.

[She offers a weak smile.]

Though, given how long I've existed, maybe any friend I make is a 'childhood friend'.

[yancat]

[Jihyun was protecting something too, but Jumin can't say he agrees with his methods... His sharing with Hakuno helps him take some of the burden off his shoulders, if only for a while.

Huh.

Come to think of it, he doesn't tell people his worries at all, does he?]

Thank you. I suppose you're still a child, yes. And you're the affable sort. You have many opportunities to make friends and... memories. To grow old with them.

[His eyes don't meet hers.]

Yes, you have plenty of time to do that.

[sealeted]

"Child" might be pushing it. I may not have experience, but otherwise I'm just the same as a teenage girl who lost her memory a year ago.

[She smiles again, this time brightly.]

I have all the time in the world now, yes. I'm spoiled for choice on how to spend it all.

[yancat]

[Strange.

Something is telling him that her smile is cute.]

Might I make a suggestion?

[sealeted]

Sure, go ahead.

[She can take constructive criticism.]

[yancat]

[He approaches her with his usual confidence, but the distance he places between himself and others — the cold stare, the closed gestures — are all but present. He adjusts his cuffs to ease his nerves yet his heart only beats louder and louder, and it takes all his power to stop himself from, well.

It's better if we don't put it into words.]

If you're going to live longer than a day, you ought to spend that time with someone.

[sealeted]

Yes, I think so too.

[She rubs her cheek, a bit abashed.]

It... it's embarrassing to say, and probably hard to believe, but reaching out to new people really put me on edge before I re-Contracted. But, now that my baseless paranoia is assuaged, I'm really looking forward to getting closer to others.

[...is it really paranoia if just about everyone was legitimately out to get you in some way?]

[yancat]

[Wary, but longing. Jumin feels an affinity multiplied by a chemical. Jealousy multiplied by an affinity. He holds his breath.

And gently, he takes the hand close to her cheek. Her blush is warm. His voice is, too.]

I am the same.

[Before he knows what he's doing, his lips touch her knuckles. His eyes never leave hers. Regret doesn't settle in just yet.

Hakuno should probably be careful.]

[sealeted]

...!

[Her eyes go wide, because what?

What?

Wh... what is he....]

Ju... min?

[Her blush is back with a vengeance now, and she's very obviously bewildered. She did not see that coming.]

I... um, I... I don't want to, to make any assumptions here, but, um... I mean, is this, is this a European thing, since you're so well travelled, o-or... or, um...

[yancat]

[Oh no. That face tells him he's done something bad. If his brain could grab hold of his body's reins, he'd have long removed himself from the situation. After all, Hakuno's merely a charming acquaintance. Nothing more.

But.

But, there's a hint of mischief in his smile.]

Hmm. That's new.

[Well, BB's gone. Should teasing Hakuno be his new pastime? Hmm.]

I don't like to sugarcoat anything, Hakuno, so I wish you'd take my affection as it is.

[what are these words coming out of his mouth]

[sealeted]

[Not bad, in her opinion. It's just not something she was prepared for.]

Um... yes, but exactly what type of affection is this?

[yancat]

[It's not bad because she's charmed. He's charming her. This wasn't supposed to happen. OH NO.]

It's— [He clears his throat before he says anything dreadfully romantic. Or worse — say anything he might actually mean.]

I mean, I'm afraid I'll need some help with that. This.

[Oh man. How to break it to her gently...]

You're a lovely woman, Kishinami.

[Good.

Wait.

When did he ever care about being gentle?

Why is he still holding her hand.]

[sealeted]

....................

[Blink.]

So... you... want us to support each other while making new friends and more? Since... we're the same.

[yancat]

Yes.

[His fingers begin to lace with hers and wHAT IS HAPPENING, HE PULLS AWAY]

No.

[sealeted]

[She laughs, a bit puzzled.]

You're sending some mixed signals, you know?

[yancat]

Ugh.

[For once, he's finally lost his eloquence.]

It's this potion. I think it's affecting my libido. Don't laugh; you'll make me fall for you.

[sealeted]

Li... libi...

[She goes bright red again.]

Oh. Oh. So, this really was...?

[yancat]

I wasn't sure, at first. But I'm certain I've never— ah, no.

I'm certain of what this is.

[It's not the first time he's felt his heart race.]

Now don't make that face. I have fun seeing it, and this isn't the time for fun.

[sealeted]

You're mixing even more signals!

[She puffs her cheeks out at him in a pout.]

[yancat]

[She looks like a squirrel now. Cute...]

... I apologize. The drug is hard to fight; I should make myself clear. Would you like me to tell you what I mean?

[sealeted]

I think that bold-faced honesty is our best shot here, yeah.

[yancat]

I am attracted to you, Hakuno Kishinami.

[For a moment, Jumin looks straight into her eyes with neither fear nor hesitation. There's nothing to hide, and that's the truth. But sincerity of the heart shouldn't so easy. He crosses his arms, as if to restrain himself.]

It's a chemically-induced biological reaction, so I wouldn't put stock in my own words. I'm not sure when the potion will wear off. Until then, I'll do my best to hold back.

[Because Jumin is always in control. He should. Nothing good can come out of whatever might happen otherwise.]