w e  a r e  o n e,  w e  a r e  e x o!

you're perfect to me

FACECLAIM xhou yixuan + uniq (jung soryong + tasty)
HT & WT 185 cm & 65 kg (6 ft 1 in & 143 lbs)

APPEARANCE 
tall, lean, hints of muscle - predator or protector depending on who you are. straightforward eyes with the deep brown of the earth. hair naturally a similar shade but changed by concepts and dyes (currently blond). single pair of ear piercings at the moment but could be convinced for more. (a matching pair with his li?) will eventually tattoo exo's debut album symbol on the back of his neck on their first year anniversary for sentimental, confidence-building reasons. 

FASHION 
secretly a fashion disaster because fashion? you're lucky he's dressed in the morning. wears pretty much anything in his closet together. fortunately, seems people around him are determined to make him presentable for human interaction. exo (or his roommates) rotate between picking out his outfits for him. when left on his own, gravitates towards whatever is comfortable, like his large hoodie collection. somehow never leaves the house without: sunglasses and earphones.

i lost my mind

PERSONALITY 

pos charismatic, protective,
....steadfast, encouraging
neu quiet, intense, honest,
....stolid
neg forgetful, messy,
....perfectionist, sacrificing 

#hotstressedmess #secretly(?)themomfriend
#lookslikehecankillyou #butisacinnamonroll
#butwouldtotallykillsomeoneforyou #(akaexo)

aka
gryffindor
true neutral
istp: the virtuoso

inspired by:
jessica jones (marvel)
son hak (akatsuki no yona)
newgate edward (one piece)

stranger the male across the room draws your eye although you aren't quite sure why. a quick glance around the room proves that you aren't the only one affected as gazes slide to and linger in his presence. he locks eyes with you, and your pulse jumps, something electrifying rushing through your veins. his eyes leave you, taking with him the breathless, exciting feeling. you want to talk to him, but he seems content with silence, exhiliration lingering and awkwardness slowly tainting the air. he leaves the cafe, presence hovering still in your veins.

trainee you breathe a sigh of relief when jun slides his eyes from yours, able to breathe once more. the same gender and something still pulls you (and others) to him - useful as a future star, but too much for everday interaction. you see the exact moment his silence becomes awkward for the other trainee who tries to strike conversation and fails. again. when the practice ends, yijun stays back as always, practicing into the night and early morning without a doubt. a shame, you think, that few recognize the blood, sweat, tears the chadonam pours out.

labelmate the (co) leader of the new group debuting, you find, is the kind born to be a star. he draws people to him naturally and acts as an anchor even when others around him panic. he protects others from rumors calmly, naturally, and doubtlessly, with the kind of air that says to trust. he isn't perfect - honest to a dizzying fault whether for good or for bad, still difficult to get talking, and with a resting jerk face that makes him look angry half the time and judging the other half - but he somehow makes it endearing on-screen. a natural star.

roommate yijun, you quickly learn, accepts all and any affection unflappably. he is a rock in a storm and...an absolute mess. he never cleans his side of the room but somehow knows exactly where everything is. too bad he rarely remembers to take it out the door with him. (he's locked himself out at least thrice today alone.)...and he doesn't treat himself preciously. he'll give and give and give endlessly, pushing himself to the end of the line without stopping. he may be the leader (and a good one) but he also, you realize, needs exo as his brakes.

tl;dr in a way, a natural star with a kind of presence that encompasses the screen. at the same time, a leader who cares despite his cold, quiet appearance. a hot mess behind closed doors because no one can be perfect and, well, he isn't. a giver who gives all of himself to those he loves, his groupmates especially. not quite a dad friend but not fully a mom friend given how not put together he is. perhaps more of an older brother friend - the kind who has fun with you but will also call you out on your chocolate chips out of tough love.

in other words
01 // 02 // 03

stuff yijun says
"you can't eat ramen at 4am as 'breakfast.'"
"i'm cooking you dinner, you fool."
"stop messing with the kids."
"what the rocky road?"
"five more minutes."
"i forgot my keys."
"pumpkin spice."
...to be added. maybe.

what yijun does
loses stuff
drops things
forgets his keys
cooks stuff for exo
forgets to charge his phone
lots and lots of coffee made
actually, forgets everything
(except earphones and sunglasses)
accepts hugs but rarely initiates
a warm hand on the small of your back
eyes double checking on you and softening
a quick kiss on the cheek or forehead in the morn
...to be added. maybe.

BACKGROUND 
 note: can be expanded upon; as of now, apologies for the boring-ness / simplicity of it

born to a ceo mother and househusband couple, yijun entered the world without financial need. besides his move to america at a young age, his childhood was normal - friends, classes, and fun. his life, however, changed with five main events: the first three the births of his younger sisters and the fourth his parents' increasingly busy work lives; the fifth was discovering kpop in middle school. he fell in love immediately with everything, particularly the rap sections turning mere language into expression. his sisters gave full approval.

while finishing high school, he realized he hadn't really given much thought into what he wanted to do for the future. he enjoyed kpop and loved his sisters, but what could he do with that? of course, being the mess that he is, he never thought about becoming a kpop star himself. fortunately, his sisters sent in an application for him behind his back and sent him off with well-wishes and amused giggles. his parents, once he passed, agreed to let him follow his dream, joking that if he failed, his sisters could take care of him for the rest of his life.

LIKES coffee, children, sleep, movies, languages
DISLIKES erts, ists, waking up, cursing, cigarette smell
HOBBIES practicing, napping, cooking, movie watching, learning languages
HABITS 
pleased hums
confused tilts his head
embarrassed blinks rapidly
all the time messes with his hair
song stuck in his head mouths the lyrics

SPECIAL TALENTS 
memory photographic memory; ironic with his forgetfulness
languages naturally talented at picking up languages and finds it enjoyable
mental math can add, subtract, multiply, and divide large numbers quickly and accurately; low-key because of his "house-husband" skills because market sales
disney songs can bust out any song from disney with accurate lyrics, melody, harmony, and everything because he has younger siblings who went through a disney phase and you can bet yijun was the older brother who would go along with his siblings and sing all the parts they wanted him to sing and then some because he was not-so-secretly wrapped around their collective little fingers
older brother senses somehow always knows when someone hasn't eaten all day and is coming to the kitchen at 4am for ramen because they're hungry but lazy and will cook for them; sometimes randomly feels like baking and will magically bake exactly what someone is craving; gets bad feelings when someone has been hurt; can tell if you've had a bad day and will try to cheer you up; things like this

TRIVIA 
left-handed
low blood pressure
demiual and unaware
a good baker and cook (learned)
lactose-intolerant; especially no ice cream
does not curse; uses ice cream flavors instead
despite his appearance, is always polite and mannered
can drink a whole pot of coffee and still go to sleep after
knows how to braid, straighten, curl, and style hair because sisters
legally certified as both an english-mandarin translator and interpreter 
if he didn't become a kpop star, would have found a job involving languages
when sleepy or half-asleep in the mornings, gets physically affectionate and cuddly with people; when he finally gets up, drops a forehead / cheek kiss on whoever is in the room depending on the height of said person relative to him
members of exo steal his sweaters, hoodies, and jackets all the time; he doesn't really care until he literally has none upon which he kakaotalk-announces that he needs his clothes back; they return then steal (and so the cycle continues)
favorite kpop groups growing up were super junior, dbsk, big bang, and epik high; also got into shinee, cnblue, and infinite while training; will definitely be fanboy-ing on the inside when meeting them but relatively calm on the outside

sharing and learning

RELATIONSHIPS
* click for name's characters' meanings or applications if applicable

mother & father chen yian & chen jingyi (陈 怡安 & 陈 静怡) 47 & 45

kind and loving, yijun's parents unhesitatingly showered their affection on each other and their kids. initially, yian was a mildly successful restaurant chain ceo (whose spread to america facilitated their move) and jingyi a househusband, but after their second daughter was born, jingyi picked up a job as a cooking teacher both for fun and for growing expenses. as a result, yijun often acted more like a parent for his young siblings, taking on both of his parents' roles as they grew busier. their love for their family, however, was never doubted.

problem child chen xinyi aka xin (陈 心怡) 15
fc: wenwen han in karate kid (2010)

the first of yijun's sisters, xinyi is the kind of free spirit who is always willing to try new things but can't seem to quite stick with one. she's simply "curious" and "exploring," which wouldn't normally be an issue except she's also the one who breaks rules to see what'll happen. yijun is the only one who can tell her no and actually be listened to. at the same time, is the reason yijun has an extensive knowledge of shoujo manga and kdramas because he listened to her rant / fangirl. a little troublemaker but not expected any other way.

responsible one chen huiyi aka hui (陈 慧怡) 14
fc: xu jiao in starry starry night (2011)

brilliant, independent, and the future success of the family, huiyi is the calm one of the family, as quiet as yijun, and has her whole life planned out. she keeps the rest of the family in line when yijun isn't home and is probably the one to take care of yijun if he fails at being a kpop star. hui is actually the reason behind yijun's extensive disney knowledge (sh!) and is the only sibling who can talk sense into him as an equal because she's the reasonable one of this wild family. is currently debating if she wants to be a doctor or a lawyer. 

baby sister chen weiyi aka wei (陈 微怡) 11
fc: lin miaoke in 2010

the apple of the chen family's eye, weiyi is the baby and princess of the family who wants nothing more than to follow in the footsteps of her favorite yiyi-gege and be a celebrity (but as an actress instead). she's a bit of a drama queen and definitely spoiled in some aspects but also is kind and believes public figures should be good examples, which she "will be too! for the future princessses of the world!" yijun is wrapped around her little finger, and everyone knows it. fortunately, she isn't the kind of kid who'll abuse the privilege. too much. 

kind sunbae / fellow alien song qian aka victoria

a fellow leader and chinese person in the kpop industry, jun accidentally enticed victoria to becoming friends with him. long story short, he craved chinese food and decided to cook it himself. victoria smelled it, stumbled upon him, and got invited to join him. the two ended up becoming friends rather quickly, trading stories about things they miss most being in a foreign country. they're mostly texting buddies but also exchange recipes, recommend restaurants, and just send each other (and the entire group) food when they make too much. 

roommate li chewei aka charlie

the number one receiver of jun's half-asleep cuddles and kisses, charlie gets the most physical affection from yijun out of all of exo, especially in the beginning. ironically, no one believed charlie at first about jun's half-asleep habits until they roomed with jun later on. (no one blamed charlie for blushing about it because jun's intensity got worse while he was half-asleep - how even?) the two fit well together somehow. charlie makes jun less of a mess while jun helps charlie love himself more. soulmates of a sort - platonic or even more. 

birds of a feather qiu fanbei aka mei

likened to jun's child, mei unfortunately shares a lot of the same bad habits as jun. like forgetting their keys. most of exo was worried the pairing would be disastrous and, in most ways, it is, especially with forgetting things or dropping things or not talking and just so on. anyways, it isn't the most advantageous of pairings on the surface. however, the two understand each other in ways others can't because it's simply how they are. they share tips that work in overcoming their weaknesses and lend listening ears when things go wrong.

confidant won doyoon aka d.won

as the eldest, doyooon is actually a source of wisdom for jun most of the time. though jun feels like he has to put up a strong front for most people and not complain or worry aloud, he's unafraid to complain about even the most mundane things to doyoon. doyoon, for his part, takes it all into stride and finds it amusing how much jun actually cares and worries behind closed doors. (don't tell jun, but doyoon has no problems hinting at or outright telling other exo members when it gets to be a problem.) doyoon's advice is either perfect or hilarious.

brother wu ruibin aka rubin

jun is one of ruibin's favorite people for various reasons. for one, jun is a good, patient language teacher, and for another, is impossible to doubt the words of since he's so honest. jun also recognizes when ruibin is worrying or self-blaming and stops it firmly. unfortunately, both of them are workaholics, which leads to late nights together overworking themselves. (good for bonding but not for their health.) jun stops earlier with ruibin and forces them to go back to the dorms (aka ruibin's exhaustion as a stopping cue) than if alone. 

shipped lee yunseok aka yuri

friends all the way from their trainee days, yunseok and jun just match quite well with calm natures and almost brother-like interactions. jun never hesitates to answer any of yunseok's english or mandarin questions while yunseok has mastered the art of waking jun up and now accepts jun's sleepy kiss without batting an eyelash. fans ship them together, but neither of them let it paint their reactions (except for fanservice). when k and m are split, the two usually text (aka yunseok replies then waits for jun to find / charge his phone again.)

family exo

his platonic soulmates, without a doubt, jun considers exo to be his second family. of course, there are ups and downs, and sometimes he questions how he became part of this chaos, but he loves them all the same and worries for the day his sisters meet and team up with them in their ploy to a. get him a love interest and b. to make him take care of himself. (one night, after hard work and sweat, all of exo is dead asleep in the living room in various states of chaos and cuddling. he looks at them drowsily and knows it's where he belongs.)

you shine more brightly

STAGE NAME jun
PERSONA cold city boy (chadonam)
POSITION (co) leader, main rapper, vocalist

TRAINEE YEARS 3 years (2009 - 2012)
TRAINEE LIFE 
yijun already knew bits and pieces of korean (xin's interest in kdramas and his own in kpop), which would've led to a decent introduction if not for his natural scowl and cold aura. despite his scary expression, he befriended yunseok fairly quickly or, rather, yunseok befriended him. (maybe because of yunseok's own initial isolation.) regardless, yijun established himself as someone with steady vocals, a strong rapping presence, and acceptable (though not great) dancing. if it so continued, yijun might have always been rather isolated; it didn't. 

it was the third week of yijun's training. besides yunseok (and occasionally haejin), most of the other trainees were content with ignoring the foreigner with the strong presence and uninterested expressions. then, he woke up late, ran into the doors - quite literally and loudly - ten minutes late, and "cursed" in ice cream flavors as he also realized he'd left his apartment key on the counter at home in his haste. realizing every eye was on him, he blushed, apologized furiously, and promptly ran into the locker room to change in shame.

although the chadonam nickname had already been applied, no one could quite look at him the same after because he clearly wasn't this put-together, ready-to-be-an-idol trainee (which he'd only been able to fake by waking up an hour earlier than his departure time every day on top of coming back late from practice). they cut him some slack after. though he still wasn't the most popular trainee, he wasn't fully isolated anymore. i mean, it's hard to see someone who regularly forgot stuff and desperately needed caffeine to function as perfect or cool. 

still seen as strong competition, no one was quite surprised when he was announced to be in exo except for himself as he still thought he'd had a long way to go. the previously polite atmosphere between him and the other trainees went sour minus yunseok but jun didn't pay it much mind. instead, he took the returned isolation into stride and instead tried his best to befriend the other exo members; in other words, he walked up to them and greeted them while trying not to scowl. (he tried, ok?) anyways, the rest, as they say, became history.

PREDEBUT 
won poetry competitions every year throughout middle and high school but under a pseudonym (jun chenyi aka chenyi jun when following western name conventions) at his sisters' (mostly hui's) insistence (aka future lyric composition work)
SCANDALS 
exo yijun and f(x) victoria dating?! on a program, the camera caught them exchanging papers and the mcs accused them of dating in the preview. false. when the episode actually rolled, the two looked to each other at the accusation and laughed. they even read aloud the "love letter" and showed the camera; they were exchanging recipes for xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and cha siu bao (bbq pork buns). they even made it on camera later on in the episode because food.

exo yijun's bad attitude?! referred to his isolation pre-debut and supposedly continuing rude attitude towards his betters behind stage. false. it was based solely off appearance. many idols who knew yijun were willing to give statements shooting down the argument simply because yijun was actually very mannered and always apologized if he did something even remotely offensive, asked what to do instead, and never even used "not from korea" as an excuse for his mistakes.