Realistic or Modern 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐬

[matcha girl]

once again —김나영

timeless souls

akeno x matcha girl

 

[matcha girl]

Prologue.
the first time we met. was it fate that intertwined our paths , or could i have been able to avoid that moment.

in a world where anonymity envelops me, can you be the one who stays beside me?

beneath the moonlit sky, we embarked on a conversation that felt like a dance, each word weaving a spellbinding rhythm.

both knowing it'll be gone soon.

 

[akeno]

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seonu

Seonu was officially out of any artistic ideas, wrestling with a severe case of artist's block. No sparks of inspiration ignited his mind, no muses appeared on his doorstep, and the blank page lay before him like an impenetrable wall. Every idea seemed lacklustre, every attempt at creation felt forced and hollow.

He had tried everything, from exploring new environments to seeking out new experiences, but nothing seemed to stir the creative fire within him. He desperately tried to force himself to create something, anything, but the blank canvas remained stubbornly empty, mocking him with its endless potential and the lack of inspiration to fill it.

He needed a change of scenery, and Seonu longed for the escape that cigarettes provided.

He quickly grabbed his coat and stepped outside, letting the cool air wash over him as he made his way to the local vendor lady. Taking a slow breath, savoring the sweet, familiar taste of the tobacco on his tongue. The artist closed his eyes for a moment, letting the smoke fill his lungs and the tension start to ease from his body.

The day outside was slow and dull, the sky overhead growing darker as clouds rolled across the horizon. Seonu took another drag from his cigarette, the smoke curling up towards the darkening sky like an offering to the impending rain. Finishing his cigarette and extinguishing the flame in the nearby ash tray. He felt a sense of satisfaction, the temporary relief from his creative block slowly ebbing away. With a newfound determination, seonu decided to take a short stroll around the block, a hopeful feeling that inspiration might struck him soon.

It seemed as if fate had a twisted sense of humor, as Seonu had just made up his mind to take a leisurely walk the weather decides to mess with him and send a drizzling storm down. Guess it's whatever. Despite the rain, he continued to stroll, the occasional warm breeze ruffling his hair and making the water cling to his clothes. The rain, while slightly dampening, was strangely comforting to him, its soft pitter-patter serving as a pleasant background noise for his thoughts.

As he walked, his thought slowly consumed him.

His mind wandered, consumed by the blank canvas that had been looming over him for so long. He tried to shake the thoughts from his mind, but they persisted like a stubborn parasite, gnawing at him and reminding him of his lack of inspiration.

God, if you hear this, please send me anything that can help me.

As he prays, to the entity he doesn’t truly believe in. He felt foolish for praying to a god he didn't believe in, but he was desperate enough to try anything. He stood there, soaking wet and feeling more lost than ever, closing his eyes, he sighs to himself.

Art had been everything to him, his passion, his solace, his identity. Without it, he was left floundering, struggling to find his purpose and his place in the world.

Suddenly, he was jolted out of his reverie as someone ran into him. Stumbling backwards, the impact taking him by surprise, and he looked up to see who had crashed into him. A wave of annoyance runs over him. He was already in a fragile state, his creative block leaving him feeling frustrated and overwhelmed, and this person's carelessness was just adding insult to injury.

“Do you not have eyes?" He bitterly questions, "Or do you just have to insist in running into me when the street is completely empty?”

 

[matcha girl]

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seoyeon

She had been running for god knows how long.

As she ran through the crowded streets, the chill of autumn air seeped through her thin clothes, goosebumps prickling her arms. All around her, the atmosphere was filled with cheerful grins and bouts of laughter, but she struggled to find a moment of peace to savor the pleasant breeze. Her mind was weighed down by the knowledge that only a few days ago, she would have happily stopped for a little treat. But now, she found herself constantly being chased down by persistent debtors.

They had been slowly climbing for some time, accumulating interest while she struggled to make a dent in them. Now, they had reached a level where she couldn't dig herself out, and she felt trapped in the cycle of debt that seemed to surround her.

With every corner she rounded, a sense of dread began to build within her. It was as if there were eyes everywhere, watching and waiting for her to make a misstep. Her heart pounded in her chest as she glanced over her shoulder, half-expecting to see the familiar faces. Seoyeon clenched her fists as she continued to flee from her pursuers, her body wracked with tension.

All she wanted was a moment of peace, a single moment of calm where she could catch her breath and clear her mind. The constant stress of her debts, the constant danger of being discovered, it was taking its toll on her sanity. Everywhere she looked, there was no respite, no calm, only the grim faces of her debtors and the ever-present fear of being found.

Seoyeon felt like she was drowning, the weight of her problems crushing her spirit.

As she ran through the streets, the sky above her suddenly opened up and a torrent of rain poured down, drenching her to the skin. The already damp air grew even more humid, and the thin fabric of her clothes clung to her body uncomfortably. The rain added another layer of difficulty to her escape, making it harder to see in the dim light and adding to her already frazzled nerves.

She cursed under her breath, the rain further worsening her already dire situation. It was just her luck that it would start to rain at the worst possible moment.

As Seoyeon spotted a narrow alleyway, an idea flashed through her mind. She quickly made a sharp turn, ducking into the cramped space between two buildings. She had managed to lose her pursuers in the maze of streets and alleys. The rain continued to pour down around her, but for a brief moment, she felt a flicker of relief. What she didn't expect though, was the wall of a human right in front of her.

She stumbled backwards, her feet slipping on the wet cobblestones. With a loud thud, she fell to the ground, landing squarely on her backside. The impact sent a jolt of pain through her body, and she let out a small cry of surprise. As she lay there, still trying to catch her breath, she looked up to see the tall stranger towering over her, She heard the stranger's voice, low and cold, cut through the silence of the alley.

“Do you not have eyes? Or do you just have to insist in running into me when the street is completely empty?”

Seoyeon had ran into a completely new problem. Again.

She felt a twinge of irritation at the tone of his voice, but instead forced herself to swallow her pride and apologize. "Sorry," she grumbled, her voice betraying a hint of annoyance. "I didn't see you there." As much as she despised the arrogance of the giant man towering over her, she knew deep down that she was the one to blame in this situation; a completely new stranger getting irritated by her wouldn't do her any favors.

As she stood up, a sharp pain shot through her ankle, making her wince and bite her lip to stifle a gasp of surprise. The adrenaline had masked the pain of her fall, but now that it was slowly wearing off, she was suddenly aware of the discomfort. She attempted to stand straight but found herself losing her balance once more. In a moment of desperation, she instinctively grabbed onto the man standing in front of her, her fingers clenching tightly onto his sleeve. Her body lurched forward as she leaned on him for support.

In an unexpected turn of events, the stranger was caught off guard by her unexpected touch, sensation of her fingers grabbing onto his sleeve for support. As she leaned on him, the combination of slippery tiles and her unexpected weight caused them to both stumble backwards and land on the wet concrete tiles beneath.

"Well , shit." Seoyeon muttered out, slowly tried to compose herself, fighting against the throbbing pain that was increasing with every passing moment. "Thought you'd be strong like your appearance."

 

[akeno]

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seonu

as his irritation slowly faded away, his gaze focused on the stranger beside him.

he found her appearance unlike anyone he had seen before. there was a striking quality to her that he couldn't quite put his finger on. seonu was immediately intrigued by the stranger. she was unlike any model he had ever worked with before. there was a certain edge to her appearance that he found captivating. her short, dyed hair and practical clothing were refreshingly different from the conservative looks of the models he had worked with in the past.

seonu's initial intrigue was quickly replaced with annoyance as he watched the pretty stranger open her mouth. her words, while not intentionally rude, carried an air of irritation that immediately set him off. "won't you at least try to sound genuine if you're apologizing." he grumbled back, his voice tinged with irritation.

the stranger's expression shifted, her features tightening as if she was holding back a sharp retort. seonu's annoyance seemed to be matched by hers, and he couldn't help but feel a twinge of excitement. there was something about her that ignited his interest despite her bluntness. as the stranger's lips formed a thin line, seonu found himself unable resist the temptation to continue. he let out a scoff, his annoyance and excitement mixing together. "seriously, i can't believe that you had the nerve to—". turns out the stranger wasn't listening to any of his words, and instead had the nerve to decide to further catch him off-guard by throwing herself onto him.

seonu staggered backwards under the weight of the stranger's sudden and forceful embrace, his equilibrium thrown off-balance. losing his footing, seonu was sent tumbling to the ground, the annoyingly pretty stranger landing on top of him. the next words she utters out cuts through seonu with frustrations, what did she say? im not as strong as i look? exhaling a long sigh, he retorts back to her, "listen, im not sure anyone can take you throwing yourself onto them." seonu unceremoniously shoves the stranger off him with a bit more force than necessary, showing no concern for her wellbeing. the action was done with careless ease, his frustration at the situation evident in his demeanor.

what he does pay attention to is his coat that is no longer clean. it had instead been defiled by the dirt and mud they had fallen into. his heart sank as he took in the sight of the once pristine garment now stained and ruined. with a frustrated exclamation, seonu rapidly rose to his feet, towering over the other, yet his eyes remained fixed on the unsightly stain on the precious jacket. "an apology is not getting you out of this one," seonu's attention snaps back to the stranger, his eyes boring into her, "you're going to pay for this, one way or another." it wasn't that he didn't have enough to buy another one, his frustration has pilling up for a while now, and this stranger with her shameless acts and a pretty face just seemed a really good fit of a victim to his fury.

 

[matcha girl]

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seoyeon

well shit indeed, for someone who looks so handsome, he's so incredibly petty too.

first issue that got onto her nerves, even as the falling was partly her fault, he didn't even spare a glance at her to even check if she is alright. not even a simple are you alright? no! he simply pushed her off as if she's a speck of dirt that got onto his clothes. if it wasn't for the pain on her ankles stopping her from all forms of violence, she would have just simply bashed his face into the dirty wall, to see how he would like it then.

second issue that got onto her nerves was the snide remark of how she had thrown herself onto him. it pissed her off to no ends, the arrogance and the nerves of this man to simply assume that he had anything other than his pretty face for her to be throwing herself like this. it was absurd of how he came to this conclusion. her slender fingers twist and grip her own legs, a mix of anger and annoyance coursing through her. she bites back a sharp retort, letting out a small scoff instead. "as if," she snaps, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "there's nothing here worth swooning over. i'm not interested in pretty boys who have nothing to them."

and the final issue how the stranger's movements were so swift and effortless as he stood up. giving no attempts to help her, even if she's currently deadweights on the ground. seoyeon couldn't help but notice the way his gaze was fixated on something, and her eyes followed his line of sight, trying to determine what had captured his attention. oh. her gaze fell on the stranger's jacket, noting the apparent extravagance of the garment in contrast to their surroundings. the neighborhood they were in was hardly the most upscale or fashionable, yet here was this stranger sporting a designer jacket that looked decidedly out of place in this environment.

the second thing that she noticed was a large dirty spot that had placed itself on there , perhaps that was her fault too..? the spot stood out like a sore thumb amidst the clean and expensive fabric, marring the jacket's otherwise pristine appearance. as his voice started to register in her ears, her face slowly pales in comparison. the thought of how much time she would need to work just to repay the jacket crossed her mind, and she quickly did the mental calculations. a few months' worth of shifts at her job would definitely cut into her already tight budget. she would probably have to starve the entire time too that is.

the best solution here was to simply run. maybe she can make it out even if her ankles are a little bit fucked up, after all, tall people exhaust themself faster don't they? but the first issue here is standing up. she couldn't get herself to do it, besides, she needs his guard a little bit down first before she escapes, just incase he can catch her. "okay, i'll repay it." she forcefully speaks in the most sincere and nice voice she could ever possibly fake, along with a insincere smile that doesn't quite reach her eyes.

seoyeon extended her hands, palms upturned in a silent request for help. she met the stranger's gaze, a mix of reluctance and urgency in her eyes as she uttered her favor. "before that, though," she spoke, a hint of hesitance in her voice, "could you help me up.....please?"

 

[akeno]

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seonu

he regarded the girl with skepticism, the air of insincerity about her evident.

her words rang hollow to him, the promise of repayment nothing more than an obvious falsehood. in his eyes, deception seemed a natural and fluid part of her repertoire, each word dripping with dishonesty. "right," he muttered, his voice laced with irritation. "well, if you were going to pay me, i want the money now."

he was certain that the girl was unlikely to have any funds on her person, given the circumstances. she didn't exude the usual air of arrogance and entitlement that seonu had come to associate with the snakes from rich-hood. in fact, her appearance and demeanor seemed more fitting for someone from this part of town, a stark contrast to the polished, privileged image of those from the wealthy neighborhoods.

well, whatever she is or she isn't, he'll find out right now. seonu knelt down, bringing himself eye level with the girl, a sardonic smile playing at his lips. "if you want any help from me, better make it quick." he glanced up at the sky, the clouds completely blanketed the heavens above, a deluge of rain pouring down upon them. the relentless downpour drenched both of them, the rain hammering down on their heads with increasing intensity. "not sure if you would enjoy spending your time here with this pretty boy under this circumstances"

 

[matcha girl]

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seoyeon

yeah no shit she doesn't want anything to do with him, or even continue looking at his face for a second longer.

on the other hand, she was powerless in this scenario. there wasn't anything that she was able to do, and his threat wasn't an empty one either. seoyeon was acutely aware of her predicament, and the realization of her helplessness only added to the frustration. of all the situations she'd been in where she needed help, it seemed like this one was the most dire—and it had to be with this particularly infuriating man, whose mannerisms are above everyone.

seoyeon stares at his prolonged movement with the corner of his eye. she raises a brow and scoffs, the end of which ends with a bitter smirk twisting at his features. "fine. you saw through me." there was no point in lying or pretending anymore; she had to admit the truth, begrudgingly. with her debts already piling up and her financial constraints, seoyeon was acutely aware that paying him back was not an option.

with a hint of defiance, she challenges the man, her voice laced with a touch of boldness. "but what will you do now?"her question hangs in the air, the implication clear. would he really leave her alone in this dark and dangerous alley, all while the cold rain continued to fall around them? "is this pretty boy also heartless too?"

seoyeon knew her comment was unnecessary, but she couldn't help herself. she had to maintain her composure and not let this stranger get the upper hand in this situation. the worst-case scenario would be him walking away, leaving her stranded and alone in this dark alley, at the mercy of the cold rain. despite knowing that, she couldn't let it happen—she wouldn't let herself be out maneuvered by this infuriating man.

 

[akeno]

‎ ‎ ‎‎ ‎1. ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ /

seonu

to his surprise, she was not as defiant as he had anticipated. he had expected a little resistance, a few futile attempts to break free, even a fight. but she was more compliant than he had originally thought, and her quiet resilience intrigued him. but the interest quickly subsided when her words continued flowing out of her mouth; continous lines of provocations that were aimed at him. seonu found himself mildly amused by her insolent provocations, like an annoying fly buzzing around his ear.

yet again, he wasn't looking for a dog that kept barking; seonu wanted something more. the girl's radiant beauty held a unique charm for him, but her tongue was like a barking dog - tiresome, yet intriguing. he found himself torn between admiring her looks and growing weary of her sharp remarks.

seonu paused for a moment, letting the words slowly roll off his tongue. "i didn't say you had to repay me with money," he began, choosing his words carefully. the gravity of the choice he was facing loomed in the air, a silent, tension-filled presence in his mind. engaging further with this stranger without demanding payment was a gamble, an act that could either lead to new possibilities or deeper complexities. the decision weighed on seonu's mind, its consequences uncertain but palpable.

seonu shrugged, his decision made. despetate to break through his artistic block, he was willing to grasp at any loose opportunity that god gave him. "come be my muse" he said, the words falling from his lips as he invited the girl to become his source of inspiration. seonu looked at her with a calculating gaze, his head tilted ever so slightly. "i need a subject for my art," he began, his voice low and measured. "you have a choice: either you agree to become my muse, or you stay here."

the rain continued to fall around them, becoming stronger with each passing moment. the sky, already tinged with the darkness of the evening, grew darker still, casting shadows across the city. seonu stood there, watching the storm unfold, unconcerned about the safety of the girl before him. to him, she was a stranger, a fleeting existence in his life, and if she doesn't accept his offer, why should he care about her safety?

seonu silently contemplated the situation, the rain pelting his expensive jacket. he thought about the inconvenience of it all - having to deal with the mess and the lack of reimbursement for his troubles. "it's one thing getting my jacket dirty," he muttered to himself, "and another to go out of my way to do a favor for someone without any form of repayment."